Cooper (Wild Boys After Dark, #4)(28)

His heart squeezed at the thought.

Now that he’d held her in his arms, knew how she tasted, heard the sexy little sounds she made as she came apart, he knew a weekend, a week, a month, would never be enough. Now that he’d felt their connection, loved her with every ounce of his being, he couldn’t imagine a future without her. He wanted everything with her, the little things, like hearing about her day and celebrating her accomplishments, and the big things, like a family, babies.

With his heart hammering inside his chest and his nerves on fire, he stepped from the car and took a moment to pull himself together. He rubbed his sweaty palms on his thighs and ran a hand through his hair as he took in her home. Lord, she had a home, an entire life without him. Who was he to ask her to spend the rest of it with him? As he stepped onto the sidewalk and headed up the driveway, his gut clenched. What if she’d gotten home and changed her mind? What if her sister had told her she was nuts to even think she could still love him?

Fuck.

He paused at the porch, breathing deeply.

He couldn’t blame her, could he? He had a lot of explaining to do to a lot of people. He was ready to fess up to the people he didn’t even know, to the people she loved, and who loved her. So why was he so nervous that he felt like a kid asking out a girl for the very first time?

He ascended the steps and knocked on the door, hoping beyond hope that she wouldn’t decide to kick him to the curb.

The door opened and wide blue eyes blinked up at him from a mile below. His heart sank to his knees at the sight of the little girl. She looked so much like Cici. His breath caught in his throat.

“Hi,” she said with a voice that made him want to take her in his arms and hug her. “Who are you?”

For a moment he couldn’t think of a response as he crouched before her to study her pretty little face. Damn if she didn’t look familiar, with long black hair that curled at the ends and wisped over her shoulders, and sharp, bright blue eyes.

“Hi there,” he finally managed. His eyes skirted over her shoulder, and he noticed a woman with a cast sleeping on the couch. Tegan. This must be her daughter, although the woman had blond hair. He shifted his eyes back to the mesmerizing little girl, who was now twisting from side to side, smiling down at her skirt as she watched it swirl around her legs.

“I’m Cooper. Who are you?”

“Melody.” She slapped her hand over her mouth, and her eyes widened. “I’m not supposed to tell my name to strangers.”

“That’s a good policy,” he said. “How old are you?”

She held up three fingers, and then a fourth popped up and she pulled it halfway down with her other hand. “Almost,” she said with a sweet smile.

Cooper’s heart nearly stopped as he did the math.

“Melly? Who’s at the door?” the woman on the couch asked sleepily.

Melody ran from the door over to the couch. “It’s Cooper, Aunt Tegan!”

“What?” The blonde sat up, wide-eyed, as she grabbed the little girl and hugged her close in a protective manner.

Aunt Tegan? Holy f*ck. His heart beat even faster as he looked more closely at the little girl. Tegan grabbed a set of crutches from beside the couch and rose to her feet.

Cooper’s phone rang. He withdrew it from his pocket as he heard Cici’s voice inside the house.

“Tegan, I’m calling him. I’m telling him about Melo—” She stopped cold at the sight of him as he looked down at the ringing phone and saw Cici’s name, which he’d programmed into his phone after she’d left that morning. Cici’s phone dropped from her hand and landed on the hardwood floor with a clunk!

Holy f*ck.

Cici’s eyes flew to Melody with an expression he couldn’t read—concern, fear, love?

Tegan moved faster than lightning on her crutches and stood between him and the little girl. Her piercing stare was full of venom, which he probably deserved.

Melody ran to Cici’s side and said, “Mommy, that’s Cooper.” She tugged her toward the door. “I told him my name, but it’s because I forgot.”

Mommy. Ohmygod. Mommy. Cooper reached for the doorframe to steady himself.

Cici swept the little girl into her arms, one hand pressed to the back of her head as she kissed her cheek and said, “It’s okay, baby. He’s not a stranger.”

Cooper tried to close his mouth, to swallow past the lump clogging his throat, but his mouth went as dry as the desert. He tore his eyes from Cici and met Tegan’s assessing stare.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to just show up. I…”

Tegan scoffed. “You’re the one who drove here.”

“Okay, I did.” He lifted his eyes to Cici again, watching her approach. “I couldn’t let you go again.” He glanced down at his phone, still in his hand, silent now. “You were calling me?”

Cici nodded with damp eyes. Tegan’s gaze ran between the two of them, and Cooper’s brain finally kicked into gear. He knew he needed to properly introduce himself to Tegan, but all he saw was the woman he loved and the little girl he hoped like hell was his.

“Cici, is she…?”

Cici nodded, and a lone tear slipped down her cheek. Without thinking, he stepped inside the house to take Cici in his arms, and Tegan moved between them like a brick wall.