1
Sighing, I scooted down in the booth and pulled away my hand. “You can’t control everything. It’s like you’re a finished product and I’m a brand new idea. You’re making all the decisions about who I can be and what I can do, but I can’t make any decisions about who you are.” “Well, for one thing, I’m not eighteen. For another, you have control over how I feel and that’s still power. Finally, maybe you grew up with a boot on the back of your neck so you need all of this independence to feel like you’ve accomplished shit, but you need to get over that. I take care of the people I love. My money can make your life easier and that makes my life easier. I’m not molding you and I don’t think you need molding anyway. The only difference between us is that I know I’m a finished product and you think you still need to change. You don’t and working this weekend so you can buy new clothes you don’t need won’t make you better. It won’t make you stronger or smarter. It’ll wear you down and give you a false sense of accomplishment. In the long run, your grades will suffer and you’ll hate your job and school and, God forbid, me.” “I’ve dreamed of this life for a long time and I want it to be like my dream.” “Dream bigger, baby.” “You mean dream of you.” “A dream with me in it, yes, but I know you want to be a teacher. I see on your face what that means to you. I’m not saying give up everything for me and be my bitch. I’m saying live your dream along with being my bitch.” “Fuck you, ” I hissed, grinning. Cooper shared my smile. “I have to protect you. I have to feel like I’m doing right by you because my heart hurts when you aren’t happy. The last day sucked worse than any time in my life. I just couldn’t give two shits about anything because I’d lost you.” “I don’t know. I still feel like I should work this weekend.” Cooper sighed for nearly a minute then shook his head. “Healthy relationships are about compromise. Don’t work this weekend and go to the fair with me and I’ll buy you new clothes. See, compromise?” “You get everything you want. How is that compromise?” “I’m buying you new clothes that I don’t think you need, ” he said, grinning. “I’m wasting money on your delusion. You’re welcome.” Laughing, I finished my soda then stood up. “I’ll think about it.” “And say yes when I take you home later.Bijou Hunter
2
We can make each other happy, Farah, ” Cooper said, lying between my legs and swinging his feet like a kid. His expression was tender as he teased my nipples. “I know you’re mine. If you let me start over, we can be so fucking happy that all the shit that came before will be no more than a bad dream.” “I’m afraid to love you too much.” “It’s normal to be scared when you grew up in a shitty way. I bet you spent most of your life worrying that anything nice might get stolen away. With me, with what we have, it’s probably scary. For me though, losing you is the only thing that scares the shit out of me. I need to make you happy so you’ll stay and I can be happy.Bijou Hunter
3
Noticing Cooper watching me, I paused mid-chew. “You really are happy, aren’t you, baby?” “Yes, ” I said, stroking his shirt and feeling giddy. I’d never imagined I would share anything like this day with anyone, let alone someone as beautiful as Cooper. “Are you happy?” “If you’re happy, I’m happy. That’s how men are. They like when their women are content.” “Did your dad tell you that?” “Oh, yeah. Pop hasn’t stayed married all these years by being a fool. .Bijou Hunter
4
Laughing behind my hand, I followed him out to his motorcycle. “I like to think I’m hot enough that I don’t need to flirt well.” “Do you? Fortunately, I agree. In fact, this time when you walk in front of me and think I’m checking out your ass, it’ll be true.” “Cooper, you have such a way with words. A real poet.” “Don’t I know it, ” he said, sliding on his bike.Bijou Hunter
5
Cooper waited for me to shut the door then he cupped the back of my head and leaned down to give me a soft kiss. His tongue explored my mouth for a second then he pulled back and smiled. “You look sexy. Awake too.” “You look sexy too, ” I said like a dork. Cooper laughed then stepped back and raised his arms. “What specifically do you like?” My face had to be bright red because it was on fire as I lowered my gaze and smiled grudgingly. “I like your shoes, ” I said, laughing. “That’s what makes you stand out.” Laughing harder, Cooper rolled back on his heels and checked out his black boots. “Yeah, I can see that, ” he muttered, grinning at me. “Anything else?” “Uh, that tattoo right there, ” I said, pointing to his forearm. “The ‘I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die’ tattoo? Are you a big Cash fan or do you like murder?” “Cash fan.” Cooper touched my chin then lifted my gaze to meet his. “You had no idea what it said, did you?” “No, I just thought it was cute.” “Cute?” he said, kissing me quickly before sighing dramatically. “It’s like pulling teeth with you. .Bijou Hunter