“You’re an asshole,” I murmur when the cop finally strides off.
“Oh, don’t be such a baby. I got you out of that ticket, Matthew. Don’t be mad at me.”
“Yeah, and now that dude thinks I like my ass spanked.”
“Don’t hate on it. It is quite nice when you’re getting fucked.”
“Oh god,” I groan as I put the car in drive and pull back onto the freeway. I don’t need to be thinking about Coop getting fucked and spanked. No, I definitely don’t need to be thinking that.
My foot presses lightly on the pedal, making sure to stay in the middle lane and not go too far over the speed limit.
I also ignore Coop religiously, despite him trying to get my attention.
“At least I didn’t have to add that ticket to the tab. You’d end up married to me forever if that were the case,” he tells me.
When I don’t respond, he pokes me in the side. “Come on, Matthew. Don’t be a downer.”
My hands strangle the steering wheel. Better that than his neck.
He sighs and then reaches up and runs his hand along my shoulder, resting it on my neck. I should swat him away, should throw myself right onto the freeway to escape, but I don’t. I just let him slowly massage the irritation right out of me.
I fold easier than a paper napkin. I’m such a loser.
“There he is,” Coop coos several minutes later, when my shoulders relax and I sigh happily. “I’m glad my Matthew is back.”
Well, that’s stretching it a bit. I haven’t been truly happy in years. Between my debt, working all the time, and my sheer loneliness, I feel like I’m drowning.
“Anyways, can we discuss this situation we’re in or would you like to wait a little longer?” Coop asks. “I have some thoughts I’d like to share.”
I shrug. We have a couple hours left before we arrive back in Orange County. Why the fuck not? Might as well talk it out. “Now is as good a time as any.”
“Wonderful,” Coop says, turning to face me, his thumb spinning the ring on his left hand. My eyes are drawn to it.
I really need to take mine off. I can’t wear it around back home. If I did, I’m sure Mitch would eventually notice and he’d have questions. Questions I don’t want to answer. Questions I literally can’t answer. I have no idea how we ended up married.
Coop would be my last choice as a marriage partner.
Although, he does rub my head real nice and he’s always touching me…
So maybe my second-to-last choice, since he’s a man.
“So, I know this may seem wild, but I’m thinking you could move in with me.”
“What?” I ask, peering over at him before moving my gaze back to the freeway. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Listen, Matthew. I’ve seen your apartment.”
“Pfft. No, you haven’t. You just picked me up outside.”
“And that was enough for me. Plus, my loft is much closer to your work. You could bike there. Or you know, I have another car you could use, since yours is in the shop.”
I scoff and grip the steering wheel tighter. My stress is back, twofold now. I can’t move in with him. Is he out of his mind? I peer over at him once more and see him muttering to himself. Yeah, he probably is kind of nuts. Why the hell would a guy like that want someone like me?
Don’t fucking know.
“My apartment is perfectly fine and so is my car.”
“Well, that’s not true. Definitely not from the stats I was looking at earlier. Seems the building may be demolished.”