The Space In Between(39)

“An accident,” I agreed. My eyes closed again. This wasn’t going well for me.
“But since we are both going to be here for a while, maybe we should at least keep one of our rules.”
“Be friends?” My eyes opened as he stepped away from me and held his hand out for me to shake. I could be his friend. I could tame my hormones and be his friend. I shook his hand and it was done. We were officially friends. We didn’t let go of the handshake. I could see it in his eyes that he wanted exactly what I was secretly longing for. I ran my tongue across my upper lip and pulled him closer to me. “Maybe one more soda pop. For the road?”
“Like a final hurrah?”
In an instant our lips connected. The heat running from my neck and down my spine ignited all of my senses. Everything was heightened. I tasted the peppermint flavors left on his lips. I smelt his shampoo—coconut. I could hear his breaths. I saw his passion, but what I loved the most was that I could feel him. I missed him more than I was ever willing to admit. A moan escaped me while he slid his tongue into my mouth. He lifted me up against the wall and next thing I knew, my fingers were unbuckling his jeans.
His strong body holding me up against the ice cold wall turned me on in an instant. His mouth began to nibble on my neck, where his tongue licked me up and down. Left and right. Figure eights. Oh, the things he could do with that mouth of his... My inner thighs were throbbing as he went examine my jeans…
“Anders? Are you okay?”
Ughhh. Nothing could kill a moment more than having your mother knock on the bathroom door when your legs were wrapped around a Cooper Davidson. Cooper lowered me to the ground as I tried to hide my giggles in his shirt. Placing a finger across his lips to silence him, I grinned as I felt him kiss that finger.
“Get in the shower,” I instructed. He obeyed, and I looked at myself in the mirror to fix myself up, buttoned my jeans, and opened the door to the bathroom to find my nosey mother standing there.
“Are you okay?” she repeated.
“Yeah, Mom. I’m fine. I think I had a bad bagel on the plane,” I lied. I hadn’t eaten a bagel, but I knew the idea that I was eating would make her calm down.
“Yeah, well, dinner’s ready. Did you see where Cooper went?”
“Probably to one of the other millions of bathrooms in this place.”
“He looks good. He grew up quite a bit. You remember him when he used to come visit here as a kid? You two were close.”
I rolled my eyes, trying to play it cool. “No, I don’t. Let’s go eat.” I bet Cooper was smirking at the compliment my mom had paid him. Mom’s hand landed on my forehead as she looked at me concerned. I cocked an eyebrow at her. “What are you doing?”
“Your cheeks are as red as a tomato. You sure you’re feeling all right?”
If only she knew.


Chapter Twenty-Four

AS I ENTERED the dining hall, the first thing I noticed was Andrea seated next to Ladasha, whispering something to her. Ladasha’s eyes shifted to me and she gave me a halfway smile. I was sure she was being informed to act as if we’d never met.
“Cooper, you can sit here!” Michelle grinned and patted the seat next to her. My cousin was the same ol’ happy-go-lucky girl she was when we were children. There are some people who are born to be cheerleaders. They have a joy that can sometimes be overbearing and to some appear pretty damn annoying, but Michelle was so damn small and adorable it was hard not to love her.
“Thanks.” I took my chair at the overstocked table. It was filled with food, but nothing on the table would fill my appetite—only Andrea could at this point.
“Okay, really quick. Let me introduce you all to my one and only favorite cousin, Cooper Davidson. I know you probably remember him from when we were younger, but since then he went to become a successful photographer who I am so proud of.” She beamed with pride. Instant guilt took over me as I realized I’d walked away from the family that took me in each summer when I was a child because I’d become famous. I’d turned my back on the people who took care of me because I’d made a few bucks. Sure, I sent them a Christmas gift every year, but it was nothing personal. I guess I forgot how nice it was to be around people who loved you without any judgments. But after Mom’s accident, it was hard to look back. I guess I could understand that with Andrea.
“It’s nice to meet you, Cooper. I’m Ladasha.” Ladasha winked and I smiled widely, greeting her as if it were our first time crossing paths.
Andrea’s mom, Betty, told me how handsome I’d grown up to be. I thanked her and informed her that Andrea was a spitting image of her. Her cheeks reddened up and she nodded. “Well, she was, until she got this horrid haircut. Really, Anders. Tomorrow I’ll take you into town and we’ll have Ms. Sally help you out.”
“Mom, my hair is fine,” Andrea argued. I quickly learned an argument with Betty would normally be pointless, because the woman may have been short and petite, but she had a big-ass personality with opinions she wasn’t afraid to speak.
“It’s so nice to have everyone here. Together.” Michelle grinned as she patted my shoulder. I squeezed her hand as I agreed.
“I agree,” Betty chimed in. “It’s a shame Derrick isn’t here…” Her head lowered and my eyes landed on Andrea. I could tell the words stung her as I saw Andrea’s hand being held by Ladasha’s.
Betty wasn’t done. She looked at me with tears in her eyes. “Derrick was Anders fiancé. He passed away earlier this year, and this is the first Christmas without—“