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I nod and then realize he can’t see me. “Yeah, I think.”
“Listen, it’s?—”
“Got you!” a deep voice says, and I hear Magnus squeal. The phone clatters, and in the distance I can hear Sem murmur something to Magnus. Something probably inappropriate. I quickly hang up, not sure what else I’ll hear if I stay on the line, and then sit up, running a hand down my face.
And as I do, my heart thunders in my chest, my body growing warm. Magnus’s words echo in my ears.
“It’s perfectly fine,” I repeat. “It’s fine.”
I’m fine.
“Where were you? I almost started it in your very delayed absence.”
“I’m here,” I grumble, pulling a blanket over my shoulders and slumping onto the couch. After my conversation with Magnus, he’d texted me, promising we’d talk more soon. I sat and stared at the wall for a while, just repeating those words over and over in my head.
I’m fine. It’s fine.
“What’s wrong with you? Why are you so far away?” Coop asks, sounding annoyed.
I peer over at him and pull the blanket tighter around me. “No reason.”
He frowns, his brows pulled together. “You’re freaking out about earlier, aren’t you?”
“No.”
“You’re a liar. And a bad one at that.”
I peer over at him and hurt flashes across his face, for just a second, before it disappears. Guilt churns in my gut, and I shift in my seat.
“Fine, maybe a little bit. I’ve never…I’ve never done that before.”
He gives me a clipped nod. “Of course you haven’t.”
“A guy shouldn’t make me hard.”
“And why not?”
“Because I’m straight.”
One of those perfect eyebrows shoots up. “Of course you are.”
The way he says it, full of disdain, makes my stomach hurt.
“It doesn’t have to mean anything. It’s not a big deal,” Coop finally says and pulls his gaze away from me, folding his arms across his chest. He’s closed off, irritated, and it makes me nauseous to know I’ve upset him when he’s been nothing but nice to me.
Well, mostly nice. He is keeping me in this marriage despite having the funds and resources to get this taken care of. But I digress. He’s always willing to help me, to be there for me when I need him.
He’s done more for me than most have, actually.
“Let’s just watch the movie,” he says, flicking the TV on and pulling his legs up into his chest. He’s completely closed off now. I couldn’t crawl between his legs even if I tried.
So, I force my gaze to the TV and we watch in uncomfortable silence. I shift in my seat, trying to feel a sense of calm, but I can’t. Not when he’s so far away. Not when he’s keeping himself from me.
Now that I’ve had a taste of being touched effortlessly, I’m loath to go back to the way it was.
My eyes keep straying over to him, peeking beneath my lashes to see if he wants me to come and lay between his legs. But he doesn’t even glance my way. His gaze is solely focused on the screen. I can tell he’s irritated, but fuck, I can’t tell if this bothers him as much as it bothers me.
When the movie is over, Coop turns the TV off without a word, unfolds himself from the couch and strides to his bedroom, leaving me alone and miserable.
