Changing the Rules (Richter Book 1)(75)

But after the few stolen hours that they used to their full extent, Cooper let himself hope.

He’d never made love to a friend. Yes, he became friends with his lovers, and when things ended for whatever reason, he still considered them friends. Of course, that never lasted. Cooper knew he risked losing a friend when they became lovers.

All those thoughts and more tossed around in his head as the private charter climbed to a cruising altitude.

Claire had opened her laptop the minute they’d settled in their seats.

Without looking up from her computer, she said, “You do know you’re staring.”

“I have to soak you in now.”

She had long eyelashes. How had he not noticed them before?

“What are you thinking about?” Claire asked, still typing.

“Your eyelashes.”

That made her look. “My what?”

He loved her smile. “When you sleep it’s like they’re resting on the pillows of your cheeks.”

She gave up on work and put it away.

After several moments of silence, Claire turned her head and looked out the window.

“Does anything about us . . . scare you?” she asked.

“I was more afraid there would never be an us.”

“Now that there is?”

He shook his head. “What scares you?”

“Losing our friendship.”

“That’s never going to happen.” He said his words fast, as if doing so would guarantee the outcome.

Claire’s smile waffled. “Lewis will never be Jax’s friend. Sex changes things.”

Cooper leaned forward and took her hand in his. “You’re going to have to trust me on this one. Besides, it sounded like Jax’s relationship with Lewis was only about the sex. That isn’t us.”

She met him in the middle of the table, pressed her lips to his. “We’re pretty amazing at the sex thing.”

“I haven’t even started to show you what it’s like for a man to worship your body.”

“I think you made a pretty good start.”

It was his turn to ask for a kiss.

“Should we make some rules?” she asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, if you wanted to see someone else—”

“That’s not going to happen.”

She gave him a look that said she didn’t believe him. “In case you wanted to.”

Maybe she didn’t understand the six years of absence was enough to tell him what he wanted. Then it dawned on him. What if she wanted to keep their relationship open? The thought was enough to drive him mad.

“I stopped seeing two women at the same time when I left the military. Maybe it’s too soon for us to be talking about exclusivity . . .”

“It is?”

“Isn’t it?”

She shrugged. “Maybe for people who aren’t friends first?”

He found his smile again. “Okay. Just you and just me.”

Claire squeezed his hands and smiled. “Can I wear your letterman jacket?”

He laughed. “I never had one.”

“If at some point, even if you think it’s not going to happen, you meet someone you want to explore something with, we talk first,” Claire said. “Same for me.”

“I think that goes without saying, but if you want to write up the rules, by all means.”

“I don’t have to write them down.”

He laughed at that. “Yes, you do. And you’ll do it in five languages.”



They drove directly to headquarters.

The team was there and looked like they had been the entire weekend.

Jax jumped up from her computer when she saw them, walked over to Claire, and pulled her in for a hug. “We all listened to the interview. God, that must have been awful.”

“Satisfying, but not fun.” Claire looked at Cooper, giving him credit for her not breaking down.

Jax stopped hugging her and narrowed her eyes. “You look very relaxed.”

“It wasn’t all work.”

“How you doing, Yearling?” Lars asked.

Claire realized everyone was looking at her . . . well, all but Sasha, who rolled her eyes before focusing on the computer she was in front of.

Neil looked her in the eye. “Great job getting her to talk.”

“Having the track team photographs was key.”

“Smart,” Sasha said.

“Is she going to be safe?” Claire asked Neil directly.

“I have eyes on her. If something looks out of place, I’ll assemble a team.”

“What do you mean, ‘eyes’? Is there a team in Seattle you aren’t telling us about?” Claire asked, half joking.

“Not a team.” Neil stared down at her, eyes unwavering.

In that moment Claire’s mind flashed to the ICU. The staff moving around the unit . . . the housekeeper that had pushed a cart through the door. “Oh my God . . . Olivia.”

Neil’s lips pushed together.

“You’re kidding me,” Sasha said, turning to stare at Neil.

“In the ICU.” Claire looked at Cooper. “When we were talking to Phelps, she was disguised as a housekeeper.” Claire could see her clearly now. Olivia was ex-Richter. Only she didn’t escape the clutches of evil that the school harbored.