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His mouth twists into an annoyed smirk and he rolls his eyes. “So, yes to coffee?”
“Yeff,” I mumble around a mouthful of sweet chocolate-coconutty goodness.
While the coffee’s brewing, he leans against the counter and crosses his arms over his chest. “Why do you look like you’re about to explode and splatter Jigsaw particles all over my kitchen?”
“What?” But he described how I feel accurately. I stay by the table and grab another cookie. While I’m munching on it, working out what I want to say, he crosses to the fridge and pulls out a carton of half-n-half and a carton of milk. At the counter, he grabs a glass, pours milk into it, then hands it to me.
“Thanks,” I mumble, swallowing the rest of the cookie. I drink half the glass, then set it on the table.
Just say it. “Don’t get mad.” I hold my arms out straight in front of me in a don’t kill me meets calm down gesture.
Rooster groans. “Always a good conversation opener.”
“When you and Shelby first hooked up, it was only supposed to be a vacation thing, right?”
As I knew they would, Rooster’s eyes narrow at hooked up. At least he let me spit out the whole question.
He growls a noise that’s neither a yes nor a no.
Not put off by the warning growl, I persist. “When did you know it was more than a vacation fling?”
“Jesus.” He rakes his fingers through his hair and stares at the floor for a few seconds. “So many times. But I guess the first time it really hit me was the night I brought her up to Blaise’s ranch.”
“That’s when we were still in Texas.” Is he serious? “You barely knew her.”
He shrugs. “What can I say? I just fucking knew I wouldn’t be able to let her go.”
“But you did.” He’d been one unpleasant motherclucker on the ride from Texas to New York too.
“Yeah, club had to ride home. But she and I kept in touch.” He hesitates, then twists his face into a fuck it expression. “I woke up thinking about her every day.”
“Woke up alone, if I remember right. We all thought you’d lost your mind, leaving parties early.” I shake my head like I’m deeply disappointed, but really, I’d been impressed with his restraint. “Turning down porn stars.”
He sends me a withering glare. “Your attention to where my dick goes is disturbing.”
“I’m just saying. It’s not like Shelby would’ve known the difference.”
“I would’ve known the difference.” He lifts his shoulders. “What would’ve been the point, anyway? I wanted her. No one else could make me happy.”
“Happy? Bro, lots of women would be thrilled to make you happy.”
“Not happy in my pants, you degenerate.” He lets out a disgusted snort. “Happy in here.” He pounds on his chest.
More obnoxious words roll onto my tongue, but something clicks in my own chest that makes me swallow the joke.
The coffee maker chimes, and Rooster pours the dark, steaming brew into two mugs and brings them to the table, setting them down with a thunk. I grab the half-n-half and pour some into my mug and use half a cookie to stir it around. Cookies and cream in my coffee. I reach for the sugar bowl and dump in two spoons worth.
“Then when she came to New York,” Rooster continues, dropping into the chair at the head of the table, “seeing her again. Nothing had changed for me. I still wanted to be with her just as much.”
I nod slowly and take a cautious sip of coffee. The hot liquid sears my tongue and I set the mug down. Everything he’s saying finally makes sense to me. “I remember how bummed you were when you two said goodbye in Kodiak.”
“Awww, that’s the sweetest thing I ever heard.” Shelby’s bare feet whisper over the tile floor as she shuffles up behind Rooster, wraps her arms around his neck, and peppers the side of his face with kisses. “I hated leavin’ you then and I hate it when we’re apart now.”
His cheeks lift and he pats her arm, then pulls her around into his lap. “Were you spying on us, chickadee?”
“Nope. Y’all sounded so serious. I was worried it might be club business and didn’t want to interrupt.” She glances over at me and reaches out, touching my arm. “You sound like you have something on your mind. Everything okay?”
Damn, I love this girl.
