Page 76 of Tides of Discovery
I smiled. “Seacliff Cove’s power couple.”
“Jack…” He took my beer, placed it on the coffee table next to his, and cupped my face in his hands. The kiss was gentle at first, a question more than a demand.
This was the moment I’d been anticipating and dreading for weeks—maybe even years. I took a shuddering breath, broke the kiss, and met Cooper’s eyes.
“I love you.” The words tumbled out in a rush before I could lose my nerve. “I’ve always loved you, Cooper. Since college. But this past month—” My voice cracked, and I had to pause to collect myself. “These four weeks have shown me depths of love I didn’t even know existed. Every morning I woke up excited to see you, every night I went to sleep grateful for another day of being yours, even if I didn’t know how long it would last.”
Cooper’s eyes widened, but I pressed on before he could respond, needing to get it all out before my courage failed me. “I don’t want to go back to being just friends. Not after knowing what it feels like to hold your hand and have it mean something, not after seeing the way you look at me when you think no one’s watching. I want a future with you, Cooper. As boyfriends. As partners.”
The silence that followed felt like an eternity, and my heart slammed against my ribs as emotions flickered across Cooper’sface: surprise, tenderness, and something that looked like relief. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft but certain.
“I love you too, Jack. I’ve grown to love you in ways I never expected.” He reached for my hands, threading our fingers together. “These past weeks have changed everything for me. You’ve changed everything for me. I want the same thing you do: a relationship, a future together.”
The elation that crashed over me was overwhelming, stealing my breath and making my vision blur with tears I hadn’t realized were threatening to fall. After years of loving him from afar, after weeks of obliterated boundaries and measured hope, Cooper loved me back. He wanted the same impossible, beautiful thing I’d dreamed of.
“Really?” The word came out barely above a whisper, as if speaking too loudly might shatter this perfect moment.
“Really,” Cooper confirmed, and the smile that spread across his face was radiant. “I finally have the love of my life.”
I pulled him closer, resting my forehead against his as the truth of it settled deep in my bones. I finally had the love of my life, too.
“Make love to me,” he whispered. “I need you inside me. Would you like that?”
My heart tripped. “I’d love that.”
His eyes darkened, and his pupils widened. “Bedroom.” The word emerged as a gravelly command.
We stumbled our way to his room in a jumble of kisses and discarded clothing, leaving a trail of fabric in our wake. By the time we reached his bed, we were naked. He lay down on the mattress, and I allowed my gaze to roam. His hard cock stood at attention, with trimmed curls at the base. Coarse hair dusted his toned chest and thighs.
His green eyes met mine, filled with emotions too complex to decipher.
“Second thoughts?” I searched his face.
“None,” he answered. “I want this. I want you. Let me show you how much.”
Let me show you.My heart soared at his words.
I climbed on top of him, crushed my mouth to his, and rubbed our cocks together in the way I’d learned he loved so much. He moaned and raised his hips in response in the way I’d learnedIloved so much.
We could find release this way. But tonight we wanted more—something deeper.
“It’s been a while for me,” he whispered, a hint of vulnerability in his voice. “Do you want to open me, or should I?”
I kissed his forehead tenderly. “Let me,” I murmured, unwilling to surrender the intimate preparation. From the nightstand drawer, I retrieved what we needed and placed the condom beside us on the bed. I warmed the lubricant between my fingers while Cooper positioned himself and drew his legs up to his chest. With gentle patience, I stretched him—first with one finger, then a second, finally adding a third. When I curved my fingers just so and found that sensitive spot within him, his sharp intake of breath was its own reward.
His legs tightened as if lightning had struck him. “Fuck!” His intense gaze caught mine and held. In that moment, I felt captured. Truly wanted.
“Ready?” I asked, my voice husky.
He nodded. His breath came in quick, shallow bursts, as if lust had stolen his ability to speak.
I withdrew my fingers, rolled on the condom, and slicked my cock with more lube. My pulse raced at the threshold we were about to cross together. After years of loving him from a careful distance, I would finally experience the most intimate connection with the man who had always been my best friend and the keeper of my heart.
I notched my cock at his entrance and pushed in gently. Cooper hissed, his dick flagged, and I froze. “Too much? Too fast?” I wanted this to be perfect for him—pleasure and tenderness that would linger in his memory.
He shook his head. “Keep going. I need you.”
I need you.Butterflies fluttered in my gut.
