Intercepting Love

6. Cooper

6

COOPER

After falling asleep to the sound of the television, I woke up at precisely six in the morning like I did every day. Everything in my life moved like clockwork. My body knew when it needed a fix, and as soon as my eyes opened every morning I was happy to oblige it. I had hundreds of those little white pills ready to take their place in my body. They could do wonders on the muscles and the soul.

By the time seven o’clock rolled around, I was geared up and ready to go. What Kate didn’t know was that I actually didn’t need a ride to the field. A few weeks ago, when I’d flown into North Carolina, I had bought a silver Mercedes G-Class and it was sitting in my garage, all shiny and brand new.

In my mind I kept telling myself to keep the ruse up and let Kate offer to drive me every day, but my conscience wouldn’t let me. As much as she intrigued me yesterday with her stubborn glares and sexy southern belle accent, I didn’t want to deceive her. She wasn’t the type of woman you could mess around with and escape unscathed. From what I could gather in the little time I’d spent with her, pissing her off would be a huge mistake. Which was why I was on her front porch, waiting on her to answer the door.

I hadn’t realized it was only a few minutes after seven until I looked down at my phone. To my surprise, she answered the door with a smile, fully clothed in a pair of black pants and a pink lacy top that hugged her breasts perfectly. Instead of in a ponytail, her blonde hair was left loose down her shoulders, falling in soft curls. My fingers ached to grab a handful of it and hold her to me as I claimed her lips with my own. She was so goddamned beautiful.

“Good morning,” I greeted her. “I’m on time even though I know you didn’t think I would be.”

Smiling, she opened her door further. “Yes, but now you’re too early. I’m almost ready, but you can come in if you want.”

As I walked past her into the house, I noticed it smelled exactly like her. Even though we were in her Jeep riding home with the top down yesterday, I could still smell her skin as the breeze blew her scent my way; it was almost like apples, and her house was enveloped in it.

I followed her into her kitchen, where she hastily finished her cereal and placed her bowl in the sink. “Did you want anything to eat?” she asked politely, rinsing out her bowl. “I’m sure I can find something around here that you’ll like.”

When she looked back at me, I shook my head. “No, that’s okay. I already ate this morning.” It happened to be in the form of a couple of white pills.

After she grabbed her purse and keys off the counter, she nodded toward the door in the kitchen and opened it. I knew once she pressed the button for the garage door to open she was going to see my car in her driveway. As soon as she did, she lifted her brows and did a double take before turning to me with pursed lips.

“Is there something you failed to mention to me yesterday, or did you go out early this morning and buy yourself a new car?” She walked out the door and I followed her to my car.

Sheepishly, I held up my keys and smiled. “If you want the truth, my conscience got the better of me. If you’d like, I can drive us since you drove me around yesterday. I bought the car a few weeks ago and it’s been in my garage. I think it only has fifteen miles on it.”

Kate whistled. “Wow, I think my Jeep has over one hundred thousand miles on it now. I probably need to get a new car soon. It’s hard to get rid of things you’ve grown attached to.”

I knew that all too well.

Strolling past her, I opened the door to my car and waited for her to get in. “I can let you drive if that’ll get you to ride with me. I need to get used to the roads here and I figured you could show me around again.”

She slid in, and when I was about to shut the door she held her hand out to halt me. “Oh, wait, I have a problem. There’s somewhere I have to go to today, so I was planning on dropping you off at practice and coming back later. I’ll need to drive my car so that I can leave.”

Moving her hand, I shut the door and hopped in the driver’s side before she could say anymore. I didn’t want excuses, and if she rode with me she had no choice but to ride back. It was a win-win for me. “No worries, you can take my car wherever you need to go, and then come back to get me. I know you drive safe because I was about to fall asleep when we were on the highway yesterday.”

“Hey,” she scoffed, smacking me in the arm. “I do not drive slow if that’s what you’re implying. However, if you insist on me driving your brand new car, I’ll be happy to do that. If I wreck it, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Putting the car in gear, I backed out of her driveway. “I’m pretty sure I know where to find you to collect for damages. Besides, this thing is a lot safer than your Jeep.”

“That might be true, but my Jeep has been through a lot with me over the past few years.”

We both chuckled, but then the car went silent. “So,” I began, “if you’re not married, are you dating anyone?”

Crossing her arms over her chest, she narrowed her gaze and studied me. “Why do you want to know?”

“No reason really,” I said nonchalantly. “Just asking since it looks like we’ll be spending a lot of time together.”

“Well, as of right now, I’m not officially dating anyone.”

“Is that because you don’t want to be, or because you haven’t found someone you want?” I inquired curiously.

She laughed nervously. “My God, you ask a lot of questions. Maybe a little bit of both, I guess. I got hurt a couple of years ago and it kind of stuck with me.” Pressing her lips together, she looked down at her clasped hands, her eyes sad and distant. She wasn’t the only one in the car who had been hurt.

“You’re not asking me out on a date are you?” she blurted out, lifting her head to face me.

“Would you say yes if I did?”

Sighing, she rested her head against the seat and smiled halfheartedly. “Oh, Cooper, I’m the last person you’d want to get involved with. I don’t think I’m your type anyway. Besides, we work together, so if anything were to happen it would be very awkward.”

It was all excuses, but if I was anything, it was persistent.

“We’re adults aren’t we, Kate?”

“Yeah, the last time I checked.”

“Well, then I’m sure there’s a way we can mix business with pleasure without causing problems. We don’t even have to tell anyone on the team if that helps. However, the real question here is why do you say you’re not my type?”

She scoffed. “I’ve seen pictures of the girls you date, Cooper. I’m not a fashion model or some glamorous movie star. I’m just a normal girl that lives in a small town in North Carolina, earning probably a quarter of what you’re used to. We’re from two different worlds.”

“Do you honestly think that?” I asked, clenching the steering wheel tight. “You have no idea where I’m from or what I want. Why do you think I picked a house in your neighborhood, Kate?”

She paused, eyes wide, and shrugged her shoulder in reply.

“Okay, I’ll tell you. When I lived out in California, I didn’t have the opulent mansion like my friends. Yeah, my parents are all about the money, but I chose to live in a smaller place out in the middle of nowhere because that’s what I liked. I didn’t want to show off what I had. Forget what you’ve seen in the tabloids and newspapers, and find out who I am on your own. I’m so goddamned sick of everyone judging me when they have no f*****g clue.”

“Hey,” she said softly, placing her hand gently on mine. “Look, I’m sorry for being presumptuous, but with your record how could I not be? People change, I get that, and I can tell you’re a great guy, but you also have to see where I’m coming from. I have to be careful what I do, because if I let something happen between us it could not only cause a hardship between me and you, but also with the team. I don’t date the players, Cooper.”

“Things change, Kate,” I told her. “When you want something bad enough, it’s hard to just let it walk away. Over the past year, I gave up because I was too f****d up to even try. Not anymore, though. When I want something I’m going to go for it, and when I see it I’m going to take it.”

We pulled into the parking lot of the practice field and I shut off my car, the tension in the air crackling like fire. When I turned to look at her, it was like her stormy gray gaze could see right through me. There were a s**t ton of things I wanted, but nothing as much as leaning forward to kiss those lips of hers.

With her breaths coming fast and low, she licked her dry lips and shook her head. “Cooper, we can’t.”

Bending over the center console, I glanced down at her lips and murmured low, “Yes we can, Kate, and I’m going to make sure we do.”

She didn’t move, only stared wide-eyed at me as I came closer. Something over my shoulder caught her attention and she abruptly backed away, fidgeting in her seat. “Okay, now’s definitely not a good time to discuss this. The others just showed up, and the last thing I need is to explain what I was doing in your car, about to kiss you.”

So she was going to let me kiss her.

Almost immediately, she opened her door and slid out, racing over to the others who all smiled and surrounded her. I wonder how many of them tried to get with her, too. Grabbing my bag out of the back seat, I took a deep breath and opened my door.

Kate waved me over, and I assumed the guy standing beside of her was her brother; he had the same blond hair and gray eyes as her. Kate nervously glanced back and forth between us. “Evan, this is Cooper. Cooper, this is my brother, Evan. I trust that you all will play nice.”

I held out my hand and Evan firmly gripped it with a sly smile on his face. “Of course, you have nothing to worry about. I’m sure me and the guys will make him feel … at home.”

I bet, I thought to myself.

Shaking her head, Kate lifted her brows and rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you will,” she mumbled sarcastically before walking away. “Okay, well I hope you all have fun, but I have some things to do. Try not to get hurt today.”

Glancing at me quickly, she strolled off across the field toward my uncle. “Kate,” I called, catching up to her.

Nervously, she turned around. “Yes?”

Taking her hand, I opened her fingers and placed my keys on her palm, closing her hand around them. “We can finish up our conversation later.”

“Cooper, I don’t know if that’s such a good idea,” she whispered. “The guys are already watching you like a hawk. It wouldn’t end well for you.”

“I think I’ll take my chances.”

Putting my keys in her purse, she held up her hands in defeat. “I can see it now … you’re going to be a bad influence on me, aren’t you?”

When all I did was wink, she turned on her heel and groaned before marching off toward Joel. “You know you’re wasting your time, right?” Evan remarked, coming up beside me. His arms were crossed at the chest as he glared protectively at his sister. “She has strict rules about dating the guys on the team; she doesn’t do it. She’s broken many hearts by turning them down, and I know she’s not changing her ways for you. Sorry, dude, but you might want to consider another female if all you want is to score a touchdown under the sheets.”

“That’s not what this is about.”

Clapping me on the shoulder, he scoffed, “I don’t believe that for a second. Now come on and show us what you got. We have a lot of work to do.”

Yes, I do, and it doesn’t involve playing on the field.