Page 78 of Slick Trip

“Not tonight, Coop.”

“But I want to go,” he repeated stubbornly.

I forced myself to stay calm. “I need to reply to these emails. This matters, Coop. For both of us.”

Instead of backing off, he leaned over my shoulder, letting his peachy pre-heat scent wash over me.

“You’ve been staring at that screen for hours,” he murmured, letting his hair tickle my neck. His breath was a hot tease against my cheek. “Do you even know I’m here?” He pressed a soft, lingering kiss to the nape of my neck, then slipped his hands under my T-shirt.

“Trust me, I’m aware,” I rasped, my jaw tightening as he tugged my chest hair and let his thumb graze my nipples.

“Am I distracting you?” he asked, giving me a wide-eyed look. “Is touching you not allowed anymore, Alpha?”

“I’m not in the mood for your games,” I said, my voice dropping into a warning. God, I wanted nothing more than to haul him onto the desk and give him what he was craving. But there were a dozen emails demanding decisions.

“Fine. Maybe I’ll go without you,” he said, lifting his chin.

I growled. “You won’t.”

We held each other’s gaze until I softened. I always did.

“Movie night,” I said, pressing a kiss on his forehead, trying to make his scowl disappear. “We can even watch Totoro again.” It was his favorite movie. Well, mine too, but I hadn’t admitted that to him.

“Wow, watching Totoro. That’s very generous of you,” he said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“I’m glad you see it that way.”

He studied me for a beat before offering me a surprisingly sweet smile. Turning away, he grabbed his phone.

“Movie night it is,” he said breezily. “Popcorn. Blankets. Domestic fucking bliss.”

“Exactly.”

He turned to give me an even sweeter smile. “Can’t wait.”

A warning prickled at the back of my neck. I ignored it. I never fucking learned.

An hour later, I stepped into the shower, letting the hot water hit my tense shoulders. I needed ten minutes. That was all. Just ten minutes to think without interruptions, figure out my next move . . . and then I’d attend to Cooper. Because I had been neglecting him. He thrived on my attention, and I hadn’t given him nearly enough.

Halfway through my shower, I heard it—the front door slamming shut. I went still.

Well. Shit.

* * *

Cooper was standing in the kitchen, a red cup dangling from his fingers, looking like innocence personified. He was dressed in low-riding sweatpants, a tight black top that left his midriff bare, and—

Fuck no.

My jaw dropped. Pink lace peeked above the waistband of his pants. Pink. Fucking. Lace.

He tilted his head, laughing a little too easily at whatever the idiot in the varsity jacket was saying, giving him just enough to make him feel like the center of the universe. He’d noticed me the second I walked in, but he was ignoring me. Completely.

I leaned against the wall, arms crossed, my ball cap pulled low over my damp hair. My jaw tightened every time the guy stepped a little closer. The bastard was lucky I wasn’t in rut. I still wanted to drag his sorry ass outside just for looking at Cooper like that.

Cooper flashed him a bright smile, and the guy reached out and touched his forearm.

I growled.