Meant to Be (Sweetbriar Cove #1)(50)

"So it's going well?" Cooper asked. She nodded happily.

"I'm getting so much done-especially here. This is such a great spot, there's barely any cell reception, and no internet distracting me with cute kitten pictures and book reviews."

"You have a kitten problem?" Cooper teased. He tugged Poppy out of the chair, and then settled into it himself, pulling her back into his lap.

"A big one," she admitted. "Basically, all kinds of adorable fluffy animals. They're like crack, I could look at them all day long. Especially when I'm on deadline, and someone sends me a video of two puppies trying to climb over a wall."

He laughed, relaxing back. Sitting there, looking out at the darkening waves, with Poppy curled against his chest, he felt a sense of calm and total contentment wash over him.

He could get used to this.

"What about you?" Poppy asked, resting her head against his shoulder. "Good day?"

"Good enough." He nodded. "Aside from this little minx, tempting me in her towel . . ."

Poppy groaned. "I didn't realize you could see in from down there!"

"I guess I should just be glad you didn't put on more of a show for Billy and the guys." 

"No!"

Cooper cut off her blushing protest with a kiss. It was leisurely and molten, and sent his blood raging in a heartbeat. Damn. This is what had been driving him to distraction all day: the thought of her, right here in his arms. Against his lips. Soft, and sweet, and yielding.

Poppy let out a sigh of satisfaction and looped her arms around his neck. "There's something I should probably tell you," she said, when they finally came up for air. "Debra caught me leaving your place this morning. She was stopping by just as I was on my way out. It didn't take much to put two and two together."

"So you're saying a new town gossip bulletin just went out," Cooper chuckled, imagining how red-faced and flustered Poppy must have been.

"I'm sorry," she said, looking embarrassed. "I don't know if you wanted to keep this . . . you know, discreet. Or even what this is. Not that you need to know," she added hurriedly.

Damn, she was adorable when she was flustered.

"I don't know what this is yet," Cooper said slowly, searching her gaze. "But I'd like to find out, if that's OK with you?"

Poppy relaxed again, and nodded. "More than OK," she smiled.

"Good." Cooper felt her shiver against him, and pulled her closer.

"It's getting cold out," she said. It was darker now, and the ocean was just a dark silhouette against the shadows.

"I'll warm you up." Cooper grinned.

She smiled, her eyes sparkling in the lantern light. "I bet you will."

Cooper chuckled, and slid one hand under her sweater. She yelped as his cool touch hit her warm skin. "You said warm!" Poppy laughed.

"Patience."

He kissed her again, deeper, the spark igniting as they grew breathless. His hands slid higher, teasing at her breasts and roving to cup the curves of her ass. Poppy moaned against his mouth and shifted to straddle his lap, rocking gently against him until he was half-crazy with wanting her.

She reached for his belt, and the last working brain cell in his head made him do the noble thing. He pulled away. "You're going to get us arrested," he warned her, even as his body screamed for more.

"It's dark," Poppy replied, with a teasing smile on her lips. "Who's here to see?"

Cooper glanced around. The beach was totally dark, and only the lanterns could be seen flickering in the dark. To hell with noble. He leaned over and blew them out, plunging them into darkness. Poppy's laugh echoed in the tiny cabin, and then he felt her lips on his again: sweet and tantalizing. She kissed along his jaw, and leaned to nibble at his earlobe.

"I wrote a great scene today," she whispered. "But it was missing something."

"Uh huh?" Cooper tried to focus, but her hands were stroking over him and tugging his jeans open. The last thing he could do right then was think about her writing.

"I decided what I need is some research. If that's OK with you?"

"Research?" Cooper mumbled, confused. Poppy stroked him again, harder, and Cooper had to stifle a groan.

Thank god for this woman and her books.

"Happy to help," he said, as she sank to her knees. He felt her close her mouth around him, everything else in the world fell away.

This woman was heaven, and he couldn't get enough.





17





Poppy walked with Cooper back to the house, her blood still singing. She couldn't believe she'd been so reckless and wanton back there, but it felt good. She felt alive.

"Want to grab dinner?" Cooper asked, delivering her to the front step. "I need to stop home, but I could meet you at Riley's in an hour."