Page 75 of Save the Drama for your Mama
Lucinda shook her head, then gestured to her body. “Too bad, Cooper, you could have had this.”
As they turned to leave, Melody and I let out twin sighs of relief. Then when the women were gone, we erupted with laughter before walking together to the exit.
I cleared my throat. “We should talk about what happened.”
“Now’s not the best time,” Melody said. “That can wait.”
“Don’t you dare say that kiss was a mistake,” I said firmly. “You and I both know it wasn’t.”
“We have much more urgent matters to discuss,” she said.
“Yeah?” I said. “Like what exactly?”
“The ring . . .” Melody tugged at her finger, her eyes widening as she pulled and twisted at it. “It’s stuck.”
ChapterSeventeen
MELODY
As I made my way down the sandy path to meet Abigail at the dog beach, I glanced over at Hotel Del Coronado in the distance. I bit my lower lip, thinking of that electrifying kiss I had shared with Cooper last night. It wasn’t the first time I’d thought of it since I had opened my eyes this morning, and it wouldn’t be the last.
Something had unlocked the magic between us, something real. There was no doubt in my mind I had strong feelings for Cooper, but it was like they had broadsided me out of nowhere. It had to be infatuation, my hormones going crazy, or something else, because it couldn’t be love. It was like my body was craving more of Cooper, to be closer to him, to feel that explosion of sensations that made me feel alive.
Eating and sleeping were overrated.
I was certain I could survive off his kisses.
I glanced down at the ring still stuck on my finger, then held it up so the morning sun bounced off the diamond. I smiled at the sparkle, admiring the beauty and history of the ring, even though it wasn’t mine.
We had tried everything short of amputation to get the blasted thing off last night—twisting, pulling, ice water, Vaseline, soap suds—all to no avail.
And that last attempt with the olive oil had been the worst.
Cooper’s hands gliding over mine, slick with oil, as we fruitlessly tried to slide the ring off just about undid me. It made me imagine him giving me a full body massage, his muscular hands smoothing warm oil over my bare skin.
And here I go again . . .
The thoughts left me flushed and flustered.
I had mumbled some excuse about trying again in the morning and hurried off to my room, my heart pounding.
Lying in bed, I kept replaying our kiss from earlier in the night. The way his lips felt against mine, soft yet confident. The warmth that spread through me as he pulled me close. I tossed and turned for hours, frustrated with and attracted to this man who was not my fiancé.
Finally, in the early hours of the morning, exhaustion overtook me and I fell into a fitful sleep. But it felt like only minutes later that the sun was streaming through my window. One cold shower and two cups of coffee later, I was out the door, looking forward to my walk on the beach with my best friend.
“Melody!” Abigail called out as she approached with Goober, her energetic five-year-old boxer.
Goober took off after a poodle before I got a chance to pet him.
I decided to just cut to the chase. “Cooper kissed me last night.”
“No way!” Abigail’s jaw dropped. “Tell meeverything. Start from the beginning.”
I described the whole crazy situation, running into Larissa and Lucinda, me and Cooper pretending we were together, me teasing him, then him pulling me into his arms for a mind-blowing kiss.
Abigail swooned. “I’m getting hot just thinking about it. Were there fireworks and sparks?”
“Yes and yes,” I said, smiling ear to ear. “And I was so caught up in the moment, I may have even gone for the booty in the store.”
