"Of course."
"It's all over your face."
"I didn't know that I was so easy to read."
"To me, you're an open book. Well, your face is. I sometimes can't see the rest of you behind all of those walls."
"I'm trying."
"Oh, I know," he whispered, sliding his body against mine in the water.
When Cooper pressed our bodies together, I felt how hard he was, but I wasn't sure what to do? Were we having sex in the water?
"Relax," he whispered, grinding softly against me. "I know you're turned on. We're just playing, okay?"
Looking into his eyes, I nodded. No sex. Just a little help for his pants problem. I told myself that everything was fine. Of course, I worried about an audience.
Glancing up at the deck where Maddy argued with Tucker, I didn't know where Bailey had gone.
"They don't care about us. We're not even on their radar," Cooper said, nuzzling my neck with his lips.
Focusing on Cooper, I refused to freak out. We were just messing around, having a little fun. I wrapped my legs gently around his hips, and he groaned into the crook of my neck. With a hand on my butt, Cooper moved me slowly up and down over his erection. I didn't like the feel of it, so I focused on his strong shoulders. Caressing his golden skin, I didn't think about anything waist down.
Instead, I ran my fingers through his wet hair, pressing a lock behind his ear. He was beautiful, so finely built like a model or fantasy man. Cooper was real, though, and I wanted him. Maybe I didn't want the sex part, but I wanted the man who wanted the sex part.
I needed him to want me too because I wasn't ready for us to be over. I wanted more time to enjoy his teasing and those hungry gazes he gave me. So I let him use me to feel good. I wanted Cooper enough to help a little by grinding against him. He liked that enough to find his relief.
When he looked at me, I knew Cooper worried I was angry. I liked the concern in his eyes, and I wanted him to care about impressing me. One day, he wouldn't and I wasn't ready for that to happen.
"You okay?" he asked, still concerned.
Smiling, I wrapped my arms around his neck. "You have a sickness," I teased. "Did the treatment help any?"
Cooper laughed. "I want you too much to be healthy. I've never been in a constant state of heat before."
"All part of my plan."
"I'm glad I can tell when you're lying. If I thought you were really messing with me, I'd take it personally."
"Stop threatening me," I said, giving his crotch a quick grind.
"Holy hell, you're making me crazy."
"I offered," I said, pulling away from him and dipping my hair into the water to cool my head. "You said no."
"You offered, but your heart wasn't in it."
Sensing Cooper's feelings were hurt by my ability to tell his hot bod no, I reached out and caressed the cross tattoo on his chest.
"I always get nervous the first time I'm with a guy."
"Have you been with a lot of guys?"
"Thousands," I said as my finger traced the perfect lines of the cross. "Too many to count."
Cooper watched me and then glanced down at where my fingers slid over his nipple. "You're the devil, Farah. No way do you run this hot and cold."
"I'm not cold. Just nervous."
"Seriously," he said, tapping my chin to have me look at him, "you've been with a guy before, right?"
"Yes," I said quickly and then added, "Just not with you. It's different each time. For me anyway."
"Oh, but not for me because I'm a slut."
Pulling away, I frowned. "You did say you could fuck someone else and pretend she was me. I don't think sex means as much to you as it does to me."
His face a mask of hurt, he asked, "Do you like me at all?"
"Yes," I whispered, frightened by his tone.
"Why? My money? Because I'm hot."
"You make me laugh. You can also be gentle. When you are, I want you more than anything."
Cooper's expression softened. "If you like me and you're not a virgin, why are you so nervous?"
"My life was never predictable, and I get startled and nervous easily. I just need to prepare mentally for certain things. Sharing my body is one of them. I'm not confident enough to do it without getting ready first."
Cooper studied me with those dark conflicted eyes. "I keep forgetting your shit childhood and how I need to adjust to that. I'm spoiled, I guess."
"Hell yeah, you're spoiled," I teased.
A grinning Cooper stroked my cheek and then let his hand slide down my shoulder to my waist.
"I need to know you like me for real," he said, pressing me against him as the current gently tossed us. "That you feel what I do because I'm nervous now. Like if I fuck up, I'll lose something irreplaceable."
Staring at him, I had no idea how to respond. I kept worrying he was only conning me as a way to add another freshman to his list of bang and hang girls.
"I'm getting hot," I said, and Cooper immediately grinned. "Like from the heat. Could we see your apartment? It's air conditioned, right? I mean, a spoiled guy like you wouldn't expect anything less."
"You don't like it in the water?"
"I do, but the sun is making my head hurt. We can stay if you want."
"Screw the river. I've seen it before. You're all shiny and new, and I'm going to figure you out and make you worship me."
"Good luck with that."
"See the steps up?" he asked, pointing towards where the riverbank was the steepest. "We'll swim over and walk up and then walk up some more and eventually we'll walk up the stairs to my place. By then, you'll be too tired to complain when I kiss all over you."
"Why would I complain?"
"We'll be alone near a bed. You're bound to get nervous."
"No sex though or will we? I need to plan in my head for it."
"Baby, I want you to ask me for sex, not the other way around. If you don't ask, it ain't happening."
"So no sex then," I said, kicking away and swimming towards the edge.
"Bitch," he muttered.
"Dickhead," I called over my shoulder.
"Temptress."
"Playboy."
Cooper said something else, but I didn't hear. When I glanced back, he was watching me with an odd expression. I decided not to worry and just swam the rest of the way to the edge. Soon, he joined me up the stairs where Cooper dropped the inner tube on the deck. Tucker had given up on Maddy jumping, so they were making out instead. I didn't see Bailey, not on the deck or as we walked up the stairs to the main house.
Cooper found a towel for me, and I wrapped it tightly as we made our way to his place. Upon arriving, I wasn't sure what to expect for an apartment over the garage.
"It smells good," I said and then covered my mouth.
Cooper pressed up behind me. "Why wouldn't it smell good?"
"Men are stinky," I said, grinning at him over my shoulder. "It smells good, though. Like a model home."
Cooper started to speak and then thought better of it. As we entered, there was a small modern kitchen on our left. Straight ahead was a little area with a huge leather couch, giant TV, and enough electronics and video games to keep a teenage boy happy.
Cooper stopped in the kitchen and found two drinks from the refrigerator. A beer for him and a soda for me.
"My girl doesn't drink alcohol because it's illegal," he said in a little girl voice. "What would the man say?"
"Shut up. Laws exist for a reason."
"Yeah, as a way to keep a boot on the neck of people. That and to give certain assholes a sense of power. Nothing more than that."
"Fine, then give me a beer."
"No way. You're too young," he said, taking my hand and leading me to the couch. "Now, we're pretty dry from the heat and the endless walk up here. We should be fine on the furniture, but if you'd like to strip down and go bare ass, I promise not to complain."
Sitting next to him, I cuddled against his chest. "If I was naked, there's no way you'd stop nagging for sex."
"You're that hot, huh?"
"Oh, yeah, irresistible."
"Don't I believe it? You're so hot in that ugly suit that I'm ready to do some begging right now. But I won't because of how you need to prepare mentally." Frowning, I thought he was making fun of me, but he just winked. "No pressure. I'm happy you're here and not looking for reasons to leave."
"I do need to study."
"Oh, lord," he grumbled to himself.
When I licked his jaw, he shut up. "Do you have anything to eat?"
Cooper grinned. "Let me go to the house and get something good. I'm sure there's a shitload of leftovers."
"You don't have to. I can eat anything."
Cooper jumped up. "I know, but you don't ask for much. When you ask, I'm at your command, baby. Watch TV if you want," he said, walking towards the door before coming back and kissing me hard. My tongue met his tongue halfway, and I suddenly didn't want him to leave. Wrapping him in my arms, I kept him still, and the kiss lingered until he finally let go.