The Perfect Stroke(56)

All of that boils down to the fact that I’m meeting a bunch of stuffy suits for dinner tomorrow night, which would be easy, but it worries me how CC is going to react. Even I have to admit I’m nervous about it. Dinners haven’t exactly gone well with me and CC. Worse, Riverton will be at this meeting. I can only hope that Cammie doesn’t show up. It’s going to take a miracle to talk CC into going to this damn dinner as it is—a miracle I’ll never pull off if I can’t even find her. She’s not in the main room or the attached kitchen. The bedroom is empty, too.

“Cooper!” I yell again, starting to get worried.

“In here,” she calls from the bathroom. I open the door and what I see makes me feel like a hand is squeezing my heart. CC is in a bubble bath, her flowing red hair pinned atop her head, but a few curls have fallen down to frame her face. Her body is wet, shiny, and perfect, and I get just enough of a glance before the bubbles curve around and hide her from me, making me want more.

“Damn, there’s a vision for a man to come home to,” I tell her, and I’m not joking. At all.

“Except we’re not home, Einstein. We’re in a hotel.”

“Honey, with a body like that, it doesn’t matter where we’re at,” I tell her, but I am mad at myself. What I really want to tell her is that anywhere she’s at feels like home to me. I can’t say that. She may be thawing out some, but she’s definitely not ready to hear me tell her how I really feel… what I really want.

“So much flattery. Now can you get out of here so I can finish my bath?”

“Um… go ahead and bathe, I’m not stopping you,” I tell her, leaning on the bathroom door and crossing my arms. Fuck no. I’m not about to leave. I’m not stupid.

“Okay, let me rephrase that: Leave so I can finish my bubble bath without you bothering me.”

“I’ll be good. You won’t even know I’m here.”

“Yeah, sure. Your tongue is sticking out, pervert.”

“What? I’m innocent.”

“Whatever. You would think you’d be worn out especially after this morning.”

“This morning was just an early workout. You should know your man by now, woman,” I tell her, and she gets this look on her face that stays there for all of a few seconds. Then, she just shakes her head at me.

“Why are you back early? I thought you said you were going to go by the course and scope things out.”

“Well, Seth called.”

At my words, CC sits up a little taller in the tub, which is good for me because it reveals her breasts. My eyes are glued to them, watching as the water and bubbles stream slowly, running down her breasts until her nipples are revealed.

“Are those assholes messing with you again? What the hell can they do now? Jesus, someone needs to teach these fuckers a lesson. I might be the one to do it. What are they doing?”

I can hear her talking, but honestly I’m paying very little attention. My eyes are glued to her body and my cock is throbbing. I’ve always enjoyed sex, but having CC is making me a self-proclaimed sex addict.

“Gray! Eyes up here, moron. What bullshit are they pulling now?”

“Moron? Words hurt, Cooper.”

“I’m going to hurt you.”

“I’ve never been into dominating women, but for you, I’d be willing to try.”

“I know it’s hard, but will you try and be serious for a minute?”

I crouch down by the tub, folding my hands on the rim and smiling at her. “Well, I am pretty hard.”

“I know when there’s a naked woman in the room, your brain cells dissipate, but let’s try. What are those assholes pulling now?”

“God, you’re sexy when you’re all set to defend me.”

“Right now I’m thinking I might rather kill you.”

I grin. Shit, this woman never stops giving me what I want.

“They’re not doing anything, sweet lips. They want to meet with me.”

“Of course they do, because they realize you’re the star. They need you. I swear, assholes with money are all the same.”

“Hey now.”

“You know what I mean,” she growls. “So when do you meet with them?”

“They want to meet for dinner tomorrow night.”

She is silent for a few minutes. Then, she takes a deep breath and her hand slides along the side of my face. “You got this.”

There it is. CC giving me her support. CC believing in me. I don’t think she even realizes she does it, but she does. I notice, and that’s just one small thing in a million larger ones that makes her special, that makes her the woman I plan on keeping.