Page 34 of Every Single Vow
She places her hands on the counter, her chin dropping.
Not giving a fuck about rules or boundaries, I slide my arm around her waist and tug her back to my front. I lean down, burying my face in her neck. “It's just me, Birdie.”
I feel her breath hitch, then her body sags against me. “I can’t break, Coop. Ari is here. I’m fine. Who knows if he’s even telling the truth.”
I close my eyes, breathing her in for the few seconds she allows me to before she pulls away.
“I can make some calls.” I watch her grab a pot from under the sink.
A part of me loves that she knows where everything is already. That she's so comfortable in my home.
“They are required to notify me if he gets released.” She drops the pot on the counter. “I guess we just wait and see.”
Wait and see.
I should have ended Billy Sterling years ago, but this time is different. I’m not some young kid with a hot head. I’m herhusband.And I protect what’s mine.
Chapter twenty
Dakota
“Thank you for supper.” Arizona picks up her plate. “Those wings were sick.”
Cooper lifts a brow.
“Sick. As in good.” She shakes her head. “Do I need to make you a glossary?”
I laugh at the way these two have bantered all evening. With the event filled day, first a wedding to the man I’m pretending not to love, and then the man I loathe more than anything on this planet possibly being released from prison, I needed a lightmoment. A moment to let Ari fill the air with her quick wit and impressive wealth of alligator facts.
“You’re welcome.” I push to my feet, reaching to pick up the empty dishes.
I feel a hand land on my arm. “I got it. You cooked. I’ll clean,” Cooper says.
“Ari, if you’d like to go ahead and shower first that’s fine,” I say as she drops her napkin in the trash. “Maybe we can watch a movie after?”
“Ok.” She smiles. “I really like the bath bombs Ivy picked out.”
“Bomb away.” I grin.
When I hear the click of the bathroom door, I let a sigh escape my lips. I could lie and say that phone call didn’t rattle me a little, but it did. All his calls did.
Cooper is already at the sink, sleeves rolled up on his forearms, as he dunks the dishes under the spray. I watch the way they flex, my eyes trailing from the unintended sexy motion up to his profile.
It’s not fair how gorgeous he is.
“Like what you see, Kota?”
I blink, quickly masking my blush with a swat to his arm. “I was lost in thought, not ogling you.”
Geez, I’m lying left and right these days.
“You know, I’m your husband now. You can ogle me all you want.” He wags his brows.
“You are my husband, aren’t you?” I smile, leaning back against the cabinet.
He meets my eyes, his hands stilling on the dishes. He drops the plate, then flicks the faucet off.
“Don’t move,” he rasps.
