Just A Kiss Page 16

  Cooper looked over at Victoria’s sleeping form and wondered, not for the first time, how this woman had gotten under his skin so quickly. Making him want things he never thought he would want again. She was someone that was his equal in every single way that counted, but him knowing that didn’t matter. Convincing Victoria that they were perfect for each other was going to be the hardest part.

  Off in the distance the Los Angeles skyline came into view, and Cooper made sure to wipe any traces of distress from his face before kissing Victoria’s temple and giving her shoulder a nudge.

  “Wake up, sweetheart.”

  Victoria whimpered adorably and tried to bury herself under a non-existent cover. Cooper nudged her a few more times before she finally peeked an eye open.

  “Why are you waking me up?” She whined, and Cooper smiled.

  “We are almost to L.A.”

  “Almost isn’t there so wake me up when it’s absolutely necessary.” Victoria grumbled and turned onto her other side giving him her back.

  “Suit yourself.” Cooper said in an uncaring way. “But if I were you I wouldn’t want to show up at the Omni with my hair sticking up everywhere.”

  As if she had never been asleep, Victoria shot up in her seat and frantically started trying to flip the visor down. It took her a couple of tries, but when she finally got it Victoria looked at her hair from all angles. Other than a few pieces here and there, Victoria’s hair looked fine but Cooper couldn’t help messing with her.

  After running her hand through the blonde locks, Victoria slammed the visor up and glared his way.

  “You ass! My hair was fine.”

  Cooper tried to touch her cheek but she swatted him away. When he tried again she aimed a little lower and Cooper had to cover his lap quickly.

  “Consider it payback.” Cooper said while still protecting the family jewels.

  “For what?” Victoria asked incredulously.

  “For your little Camaro comment before you so conveniently fell asleep.”

  Victoria looked confused for a second, but then seemed to remember what he was talking about and smiled.

  “I only speak the truth.” She said sweetly, but there was nothing sweet about her blasphemous statement.

  If he weren’t so worried about how she would retaliate, Cooper would have messed up Victoria’s hair for real this time. Instead he settled for a scowl and the silent treatment.

  Sure it was juvenile, but he loved his car and he wouldn’t stand for anyone disrespecting Layla. No matter how hot she was.

  ****

  Chapter 15

  “The Crush really seem to be in the zone tonight. Do you think losing two of three in San Francisco and dropping from the top spot has refocused the team on their playoff push?”

  Victoria watched on a monitor from the booth as Cooper interviewed the Crush’s winning pitcher from tonight’s game down on the field. The broadcast booth in L.A was much larger than San Francisco’s, but after the pre-game show Victoria had started to regret her decision to stay in there.

  More than once Victoria caught herself smiling when Cooper looked her way, and Cooper would answer her smile with a goofy grin of his own. To anyone else it may not have seemed out of place, but Victoria knew differently and if the looks she got from Becky were anything to go by she knew as well.

  Since agreeing to whatever was going on between her and Cooper, Victoria had felt lighter than she could ever remember. Cooper wasn’t just an amazing lover he was so much more, and because things were going so well Victoria knew they were doomed. She didn’t know when or how, but eventually things would change and that would be the end. It’s how her life had always been.

  Just then the camera panned away from the pitcher and back to a close up of Cooper, and damn if her lips didn’t lift again. Giving Victoria the slightest bit of hope that maybe this time was different.

  “You heard him folks. The Crush have their sites set on a division title and if they play the way they did today I tend to believe them.”

  The camera zoomed out to include Bob in the shot and it gave Victoria a nice view of Cooper’s body. A body that she had big plans for once they got back to the beautiful Omni Hotel.

  Victoria heard Bob say something about tomorrow’s game, but she was too busy mentally stripping Cooper to pay attention. She was just about to slide his tight boxer briefs down to unveil his impressive package when Becky’s voice broke into her daydream. Startling her so much that Victoria almost fell out of her chair.

  “Easy.” Becky said, and grabbed for Victoria’s chair before it could topple over. “A little edgy today?”

  There was that knowing look again, but Victoria pretended not to notice.

  “A little. Must be all the coffee I drank or something.”

  “Or something.” Becky smirked, and Victoria worked to hide her reaction.

  Victoria tried to come up with a reply quickly, but her brain was still muddled with visions of Cooper naked and she began to panic inside.

  “Don’t worry.” Becky said then looked around the booth before leaning in to whisper. “Your secret is safe with me.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Victoria managed to say in a steady voice, but on the inside she was cursing herself.

  For all her warnings to Cooper to keep things professional around others Victoria should have been taking her own advice.

  “I might buy that if you weren’t holding onto the arm of the chair in a death grip.” Becky said, and Victoria looked down at her hand which had turned almost white.

  Becky patted her hand.

  “Relax, nobody else knows. And before you try to deny it because I can see in your eyes that’s exactly what you want to do you should know I have no intention of telling Richards or anyone else.”

  That was somewhat of a relief to Victoria, but not much.

  “The only reason I’m saying anything to you is because I wanted to tell you how great I thought it was. Cooper seems happier and a happy commentator makes for a happy producer.”

  Victoria looked away from Becky’s perceptive stare and picked up a bottle of water. She took a few small sips then began picking at the label until it was practically confetti in her lap. Victoria wanted to tell Becky how wrong she was, that Cooper was happy for other reasons, but the lie just wouldn’t come.

  “I knew this was a bad idea.” Victoria huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, but Becky just laughed.

  “Honey, where I come from love is never a bad idea.”

  “Who said anything about love?” Victoria practically shouted, but when the crewmembers started giving her strange looks she lowered her voice before whispering back. “I am not in love with Cooper.”

  Becky nodded and gave her a sure-you’re-not look.

  “I’m not.” Victoria said more firmly, but she didn’t know whom she was trying to convince. Becky or herself.

  “Whatever you say.” Becky replied in a sing-songy voice before looking at her watch and standing. “Well, I better get back to work. Hope you enjoy the rest of your night.”

  Then the nosy pain had the nerve to wink. Victoria was just about to tell Becky where she could shove that wink when the door opened and Bob and Cooper came in.

  “Hey guys, great show.” Becky said merrily.

  “Thanks.” They said in unison. Bob started gathering his things and left shortly after entering, but Cooper was moving more slowly as he eyed first her then Becky.

  “Hey.” He said cautiously. “Everything all right?”

  Cooper was looking at both of them when he asked, but Victoria could see he was really concerned about her.

  Averting her eyes, Victoria was trying to think of something to say when Becky chimed in.

  “I was just telling Victoria how thrilled I am with her work. You’ve come a long way.” Cooper rolled his eyes, but then looked at Victoria and beamed.

  “She is pretty great, isn’t she?”

  And damn if s
he didn’t warm a little bit inside.

  “Yes she is.” Becky grinned.

  “Thanks.” Victoria said on a sigh then turned to Cooper. “Are you ready? I’m tired and want to get to bed.”

  Becky tried to cover a laugh by pulling her lips between her teeth, but Victoria noticed and gave her a look that was far from nice. Cooper either didn’t notice or didn’t want to get involved because he just nodded and started for the door.

  “Night Becky” he said when they reached the door.

  “Night Coop. Night Vicki.” Victoria didn’t need to see Becky’s face to know she had a huge grin on her face, so her only response to the woman’s goodbye was a wave over her shoulder.

  “I really hope you were just trying to make an excuse to leave when you said you were tired back there.” Cooper whispered near her ear when they reached the parking garage, but Victoria pulled away when he tried to touch her.

  “Victoria?”

  She could hear the hurt in his voice, but Victoria kept moving.

  “Becky knows.”

  “Knows?” Cooper’s confusion only last a few seconds before Victoria heard him curse under his breath.

  This whole situation had gone from slightly complicated to dangerous in the span of a few hours, and now all Victoria wanted to do was get back to the hotel and spend some time alone to think things through.

  Unlike the suite at the Four Seasons their rooms at the Omni were separate. Sure there was an adjoining door, but Victoria fully intended on locking it as soon as they got back. Maybe running a bubble bath and soaking in the tub for a while. Anything to help her relax and think clearly.

  Cooper didn’t say anything more and Victoria was grateful because she had no idea what to say. Maybe it would be better to stop this now before things got out of hand. Victoria absolutely hated impossible situations, but that’s exactly what she found herself in. Torn between risking it all or giving it all up.

  The lights on the car flashed when Cooper unlocked it and they both climbed in without a word. Cooper started the car, but seemed to be lost in thought because they sat idling for a few minutes until he finally put the car in gear and exited the parking garage.

  Victoria’s mind was so lost in daydreams of warm water and vanilla scented bubble bath she almost missed the fact that Cooper had turned toward the freeway instead of the road back to the Omni.

  “Where are we going?”

  Silence followed her question, and Victoria sat up a little straighter in her seat.

  “Cooper?”

  “There’s somewhere I want to take you.”

  “Now?”

  Victoria may have been trying to get away from Becky earlier, but she hadn’t been lying when she said she was tired. Victoria really wasn’t up for a late night excursion.

  “Yes now.”

  The last time Cooper insisted on taking her somewhere Victoria was left in awe by one of the most beautiful views she had ever seen, so if Cooper thought this little detour would help she would try to go with the flow.

  The drive took quite a while, but eventually they pulled up to a darkened parking area a little after midnight and Cooper turned off the car.

  “We’re here.” Cooper said like they weren’t in the middle of nowhere with the moon as their only source of light.

  “Where’s here? I don’t see anything except a hill, trees and trash.”

  Cooper reached for his door handle, but Victoria grabbed his arm.

  “I’m not getting out here. It looks like where the opening scene of a horror film is shot.”

  Cooper laughed softly then brought her hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it.

  “It’s completely safe. The only thing you’ll need to worry about is twisting an ankle in those shoes on the hike up.”

  “What hike?”

  Cooper nodded his head toward the hill.

  “The place I want to show you is at the top.”

  Victoria narrowed her eyes.

  “I’m starting to think you’re trying to tell me I need to lose weight with all this hiking business.”

  “Please.” Cooper scoffed. “If there’s an ounce of fat on you I haven’t found it.” He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her lips. “And believe me, I’ve done a very thorough search.” Cooper wiggled his eyebrows, and Victoria laughed.

  “You’re so full of it, but thank you.”

  Cooper shrugged and opened his door, so Victoria did the same.

  The air felt cooler than at the stadium, but it wasn’t cold and when Cooper took her hand and got them started up the steep hill Victoria felt nothing but the feel of his skin touching hers.

  What in Victoria’s mind had looked more like a mountain than a hill actually only took five minutes of hiking along a narrow pathway to reach the top, and when they finally reached the lookout area Victoria was once again left in awe.

  Off to the left, quite a distance away was the Hollywood sign lit only by the glow of downtown Los Angeles, which was front and center in the spectacular view.

  “I never thought anything could top the Golden Gate Bridge at night, but this” Victoria paused, trying to think of the right words but the only thing she could say was “Wow.”

  “I lived in L.A three years before one of my buddies brought his girlfriend up here while I was riding with them. I made sure I got the directions from him when he dropped me off, and I started coming up here whenever I wanted to escape from all the madness.”

  Cooper took a seat on one of the metal benches and Victoria sank down next to him. Not once taking her eyes off the view.

  “I can see why. It’s like we’re the last people on Earth. No sounds, no people, just us.”

  Cooper wrapped his arm around her shoulder and Victoria leaned into him. They sat like that for quite a while. Cooper rubbing his hand along her spine and relaxing her, but eventually Victoria felt him take a deep breath and place his lips near her temple.

  “So do you want to tell me what happened?”

  Victoria pulled away.

  “Becky said something to me after you wrapped up the post-game show. She said she wasn’t going to say anything, but I don’t know. What if she does?”

  “I see.” Cooper said thoughtfully. “Did she say how she found out?”

  He was back to rubbing along her spine, but his touch was no longer comforting.

  “No, but it doesn’t matter how she found out. The point is she knows.”

  “Hmmm.”

  “Hmmm? What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Don’t give me that. That was a very loaded hmmm.” Victoria tried to get up, but he wouldn’t let her.

  “Calm down, I was just thinking.”

  “About?”

  “Well when Becky brought it up…” Cooper paused way longer than necessary, and Victoria grew impatient.

  “Yeah” Victoria dragged out the word.

  “You could have denied it, but it doesn’t sound to me like you did.”

  Victoria broke free of his hold and walked to the railing that protected people from taking a very harsh roll down the other side of the hill.

  “I did at first.”

  “At first?” Cooper sounded confused, so Victoria tried to explain.

  “Yes. She said something about my secret being safe with her, and I pretended that I didn’t know what she was talking about, but she kept pressing and I knew lying was useless, so I just sat there not saying much. Then she started saying all of these ridiculous things and I got pissed, and that’s when you and Bob came in and you could tell something was up, but I just wanted to get out of there.”

  Victoria was on such a roll she almost missed Cooper interrupting her runaway train of thought.

  “Wait, back up. What ridiculous things did Becky say?”

  Victoria’s hands tightened on the railing as she wished like hell that she could take back the words she had let slip.

  “Nothing. She had a misconception about so
mething, but I set her straight and we moved on.”

  At least I tried to Victoria thought, but she was pretty sure Becky still thought love was involved, when in fact the only L word involved in this relationship was Lust.

  And maybe if you keep telling yourself that you’ll start to believe it too. Victoria decided to ignore the voice in her head, and turned back to Cooper.

  “So there you have it.”

  Cooper continued to scrutinize her for quite a while, but eventually got up and came to stand in front of her. Lifting her chin the way he always did, but Victoria had never wanted to pull away more.

  “You’re sure it was nothing. I would hope you would tell me if she said something inappropriate or that made you uncomfortable.”

  What Becky said made Victoria so far beyond uncomfortable that there wasn’t a big enough word to cover it.

  “I’m fine, I promise.”

  Victoria felt like that may be the biggest lie she ever told in her life.

  “If you’re sure.” Cooper said not sounding convinced, but thankfully didn’t push.

  Victoria nodded, and with one final look at beautiful downtown L.A Cooper took her hand and they started down the hill.

  The drive back was a quiet one with both of them seemingly lost in their own thoughts. In Victoria’s case being left alone with her own thoughts was a dangerous place to be. It was like a million and one thoughts and feelings were speeding around in her head with no way to slow them down long enough to understand what they meant, and by the time they made it back to the hotel it was two in the morning and Victoria was exhausted.

  After very little sleep this last week, the long drive from San Francisco to L.A, and the emotional rollercoaster neither one of them could seem to get off of lately Victoria was ready to fall face first into the nearest bed and crash for awhile. A task that would be nearly impossible if she followed Cooper to his room tonight. And with all the unanswered questions running through her head Victoria thought it would be best to spend some time alone. Maybe the time alone would give her a chance to catch up on her sleep and nail down the emotions she was feeling.