Making a Comeback (25 page)

He kissed her, slow and hot. Deep and wet. She made him feel everything. And for the first time he could remember, he welcomed the feelings. All of them.

“I like who I am when I’m with you, too.” He came up for air and pulled his shirt over his head. “I feel like I can be a better man. I want to be a better man for you.”

“You’re a good man already.” She helped him tug his shirt all the way off and moved toward his jeans. “A very good man.”

“I’m trying to be.” He shimmied out of his pants and went to work on her clothes. “I want to be the best you’ve ever had.”

“Oh, you are.” She arched her back as he slipped her blouse over her head. He unfastened her bra and watched with awe as her breasts spilled out of the lace cups.

“Annabelle,” he sang. “You’re so beautiful. So damned beautiful. I…”

He’d better shut up before he made a complete fool of himself. He took one luscious nipple into his mouth, savoring and sucking on her sweet flesh. His hand drifted below her waist and she squirmed, trying to get closer.

Slipping one finger between her folds, he felt her quiver. Heard her sigh. He picked up the pace, stroking and sliding his fingers along her most sensitive flesh. She felt so good. Too good to be true. But she was true. She was real. And she wanted him. Even after everything.

“Please Cooper,” she moaned. “I need you.”

The next few days went by in a bliss-covered fog. Annabelle was happier than she’d ever been. Her daughters were delighted to have Cooper meet them at the bus stop each afternoon. He helped with their homework or made them dinner, and every night he sang to them.

And every night he sang to her. Then he made love to her as if he was playing the world’s finest and rarest instrument.

She didn’t worry about getting too close, because it was already too late. She was in love with Nathan Cooper. It seemed a little crazy at times, but there were those little moments where it made perfect sense. Like at dawn, before the world intruded upon them. Before he had to slip out of her bed, put on his clothes, and tiptoe out the door.

“I hate sneaking out like this.” The sun was barely up, the light filtering through her sheer curtains as he pulled on his pants.

“We’ve been through this.” Annabelle reached for the pajamas she’d left on the floor next to her bed. She slept better in the nude, once she got past the fear that one of the girls would wake up and discover her and Cooper naked together in her bed. Thank goodness for door locks.

“I know. I just don’t like it.” He gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head. “I wish…”

He sighed and grabbed his shirt.

“You can come by for breakfast.”

“Sure.” He’d already stocked her fridge with his favorite foods. Lots of leafy green vegetables, fresh fruits, organic eggs, and hormone-free, uncured bacon.

“I’ll have the coffee ready.” She got the feeling he wanted more. But they didn’t talk about it. They didn’t talk about how she was still a married woman. They didn’t talk about him leaving in a few weeks if he got the call.

“I’ll see you in a little while.” He didn’t bother taking his guitar with him. He spent more time here than at his own place. He came over for breakfast, left for his workouts during the day, and returned for dinner each night.

It was almost perfect.

After he left, Annabelle took a quick shower, dressed, and got the girls up to get ready for school. She made sure they were dressed and had their teeth brushed before they went downstairs to start breakfast.

She was just starting the coffee when she heard a familiar knock on the back door.

“Cooper!” Sophie and Olivia both jumped up to let him in.

“Good morning.” His smile lit up the whole kitchen. “How are my three favorite girls this morning?”

“Good.” Olivia wrapped her arms around his waist.

“Did you come for breakfus?” Sophie asked.

“You don’t want me eating all your food, do you?” His smile was teasing and the girls just ate it up.

“Don’t be silly.” Sophie cocked her head to the side, making her curls bounce. “We have lots.”

“Yeah. Lots.” Olivia looked up at him with such admiration it hurt. Just a little.

“Okay, if you insist.” He ruffled her hair and made his way across the kitchen. Pulling eggs, bacon, kale, and a hunk of parmesan out of the fridge, he started prepping to make omelets.

“Make yourself at home.” Annabelle had gotten used to him taking over in the kitchen. He was much more willing to give and take in the bedroom.

She turned away from her daughters, hoping they wouldn’t catch the blush on her face.

He let Olivia and Sophie crack the eggs and rinse the produce.

While Olivia whisked the eggs together, he got to work chopping the kale and the bacon to add to the mixture.

“I’ll make toast.” Sophie scooted over to the bread box and popped two slices of bread into the toaster.

Annabelle poured coffee for herself and Cooper. She stirred half and half into her cup and sprinkled cinnamon on top. She handed him a cup of black coffee and was rewarded with a warm smile.

It was almost as if they were one big happy family.

Almost.

After cleaning up the breakfast dishes and getting the girls’ backpacks packed, the four of them walked to the bus stop. Olivia hugged Cooper before getting on the bus, and Sophie gave him a kiss on the cheek before charging up the bus steps.

He grinned and waved as the bus pulled away, and Annabelle couldn’t help but think he was just as smitten with the girls as they were with him.

“So what have you got planned for today?” He waited until the bus rounded the corner before pulling her close. “I’ve got to get my workout in this morning, but after that…”

“I guess I should return my agent’s calls.” Annabelle sighed. “He’s been trying to get ahold of me the last couple of days.”

“He’s probably worried about you.” He ran his hands up and down her back. “You should give him a call.”

“I know, it’s just…” She pulled away and started walking toward the beach. She had a feeling it had something to do with the anniversary show and wasn’t sure how she felt about not showing up. But she couldn’t imagine they’d still want her.

“Call him. Get it over with.” Cooper took her hand, and walked with her. “I know it’s hard, believe me, I know. But the more you avoid him, the harder it’s going to be.”

“I guess I do need closure.” She looked up at him and saw encouragement and unconditional support in his eyes. “Would you mind?”

She pulled her phone out of her pocket and scrolled through her contacts. Cooper took a few steps toward the water to give her some privacy.

She fully expected to get Victor’s voicemail, but he picked up on the second ring.

“Annabelle, darling!” He sounded happy to hear from her. “I was starting to think you’d fled the country.”

“Sorry. I’ve been busy with the kids and getting back into my everyday routine.” There was a slight breeze and she had to brush her hair away from her face. “But everything is fine. I’m doing much better. I’m even able to drive.”

“Good. That’s great.” The change in his tone told her small talk time was over. “Listen, I need an answer on the Fiftieth Anniversary party. It’s a week from Sunday.”

“You think they’ll still want me?” She wasn’t sure what would be worse, showing her face on primetime or showing her face to the model she’d been so bitchy to.

“Annabelle, honey, of course they want you.” He sounded like he was losing his patience with her. “You were the third best-selling cover of all time. They want you there.”

“That sounds wonderful, but…” She wasn’t sure if she was strong enough. “I’ll need to find a babysitter and…”

“Let me know as soon as possible. And Annabelle?”

“Yes.” Her hands were so sweaty, she almost dropped her phone.

“You can do this, kid. I know you can.”

“Thank you.” She blinked back the sudden stinging in her eyes. “I’ll be in touch.”

She hung up the phone and turned to look for Cooper. She already knew what he’d say, but she wanted to run it by him anyway.

“Well?” he asked. “What did your agent have to say?”

“He wants me to go to the fiftieth anniversary party for
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition
.”

“That’s wonderful. When are you going?”

“I’m not sure that I am.”

“Of course you are.” He wasn’t being bossy or overbearing, it was one hundred percent support that made him ignore her hesitation. “When is it?”

“Why, so you can rent a tux?” She smiled, just thinking of how hot he would look.

“You don’t want me to go with you?” Now he was the one with reservations.

“I’m certainly not going without you.”

“But what if…?”

“I guess I’ll call Victor back and tell him I can’t do it.” She reached for her phone, but he grabbed her hands.

“You really want me to go with you?”

“Of course. I need you to be there. I can’t do this on my own.” She sighed. “I need your strength. Your support. Just the thought of being on camera, like this…”

She brushed her fingertips over her scars. Something she realized she did far too often.

“Annabelle, you’re beautiful.”

“You can say that because you look beneath the surface.” God, she loved this man. “You see me as more than just my face, my body… That’s not what this is about. It’s all about the outside. What can be captured on camera.”

“Hey, I first fell for your pretty face.” He stroked the side of her face that was scarred. “You captivated me with your smile. Your brilliant blue eyes. You still have that smile. That sparkle.”

“Oh please. I hardly sparkle anymore.”

“I have seen you glow.” He gave her a naughty grin. “But that’s private.”

“Yes, it is. And I’m not sure if I can go onstage and publicly display my wounds.”

“Why not?”

“The whole idea is to celebrate beauty. Perfection.” She was afraid. Afraid people would recoil in horror at the way she looked now. Especially when compared to the way she used to look. “I’m as far from perfect as you can get.”

“You can’t hide forever, you know.”

“It’s too soon. My scars are too raw.” They were still red and raised. “I don’t think I can cover them enough for television.”

“So expose them,” he suggested. “Show the world what happens when people don’t stop to think about their actions. One lousy text and you’re afraid to celebrate one of your biggest accomplishments.”

“You’re saying I should stand up there and tell the audience, ‘Don’t text and drive or you’ll end up looking like me’?”

“Sure. Why not?”

“Because. That’s not what I’m there for. It’s supposed to be a celebration.”

“So celebrate.”

“Will you accept your ring?”

“What ring?”

“You were on the Goliaths’ roster until the trade.” She’d discussed the matter with Hunter. The way the rules were set up, he’d be issued a ring along with his teammates.

“But I’d only appeared in two games before they traded me.”

“But you were a part of the team. You’ll get a ring.”

“I can’t accept it.” He almost sounded afraid of the idea. “I didn’t earn it.”

“The Goliaths won the two games you played in.” She’d looked up his stats. “They might not have won the division without those two games.”

“Look, this isn’t about me,” he said. “This is about you attending the anniversary celebration. You should go. You don’t have to go up on stage. Just sit in the audience and support the other models.”

“What if they hate me?”

“Why would they?”

“I told you, I wasn’t very ladylike on that last shoot. I got into a fight with another model.”

“I’m sure she’s over it.”

“What if she’s not?”

“Then you’ll have a chance to apologize. Make it right.” He reached up and tilted her chin, offering a warm smile. “I know you’ll regret not going.”

“You have to come with me, please.”

“As if I could ever deny you anything, Annabelle.” He dropped a kiss on her temple, somehow making her think that it was a good idea to go, maybe even speak in front of the live television audience about her experience.

* * * *

“Tell me it isn’t true,” Cooper was on the phone with his agent as soon as he got home. “Tell me they’re not seriously going to give me a ring.”

“It’s in the contract. I’m sure they can mail it to you if you don’t want to accept it in person.”

“I don’t want to accept it at all. I don’t deserve it.”

“There have been other guys who’ve accepted their rings gladly after serving a suspension or being traded.”

“I don’t want a ring unless I earn it.”

“So are you ready to get back to work? Earn the next one?”

“Yeah. I’m ready.” Cooper ran his hands through his hair. “I’m more than ready to get back on the mound. I feel great. Stronger than ever.”

“Are you sure you’re ready?”

“I just told you I was.”

“It sounds to me like there’s something holding you back. Is it guilt over the ring?”

“No. I’ll take the damned thing. I’ll put it on my bathroom sink and let it remind me every day what I could have had.”

“So what aren’t you telling me?”

What, was he supposed to tell his agent he was in love? That he didn’t want to have to deal with a long-distance relationship on top of carrying around his 220 pounds of guilt every time he looked in the mirror?

“I guess I’m just a little nervous about going to a new team. The Goliaths were like family and I let them down.” He didn’t know how else to describe the difference in the two clubhouses. “I had a hard time adjusting in St. Louis. I felt like everyone was waiting for me to disappoint them. And then I did.”

“Look. I’m not going to lie to you,” his agent said. “You’re not going to find another organization like the Goliaths. But then, they’re going through some changes right now with the ownership shakeup. It’s going to be hard for them to repeat their championship season.”

“They’ve got their core group of guys. If anyone can do it, they can.”

“Are you looking for a team that’s going to contend?”

“That’s always one consideration.” Damn. He’d hoped to avoid the whole free agency thing. His goal had been to sign a long-term deal with San Francisco before he became a free agent. Hadn’t exactly worked out that way.