Filed to story: Katy and Brayden Cooper Novel
The corner of his lips twitches, and I continue. “I’d love a good listener and a problem solver. Someone who’s devoted to what he loves… someone educated and confident because insecure men are the worst.” My voice softens at the end. “And finally… someone honest and kind.”
I sit back, realizing how much I’ve just confessed, and fall quiet again.
He smirks, his eyes still on the road. “You got any plans to mold that kind of guy yourself?”
I roll my eyes, scoffing lightly to cover the sudden vulnerability. “He’s not impossible to find. Cadston’s just not the place to look.”
“You think you can’t find someone like that here?” he presses.
I shake my head, my lips tugging into a dry smile. “Nope. Already tried and failed… twice.”
He doesn’t answer right away, just keeps his eyes on the road. Then, almost under his breath, he asks, “Is that really your type?”
I nod slowly.
“Sounds great, Peach.” His voice is lighter, but there’s something behind it I can’t name.
We pull into the parking lot of my dorm, and the glow of the streetlights filters through the windshield as he kills the engine.
“Thanks for the ride,” I murmur, reaching for the door handle. But before I can push it open, his hand covers mine, and my breath hitches as I turn to him.
He’s shifted in his seat, facing me now.
“Braydon-“
The word barely leaves my mouth before he leans in. His lips press against mine, and I go rigid, my mind scrambling to catch up. But the second his mouth moves with more intent, something inside me melts. My lips part, and I kiss him back.
I know I should stop.
Every reason to push him away flashes through my head, but none of them matter. Not when he tastes this good and better than I remembered. Not when his hand cups my cheek with a gentleness that makes my chest ache.
His tongue brushes over my bottom lip before he sucks on it, and the sensation sends a shiver all the way down my spine.
When he finally pulls back, I can’t stop the small, broken sound that slips from me. A whimper. My face flames instantly, and my eyes snap open. I stare at him, horrified that he heard it… that I didn’t resist him at all.
“First lesson, Peach,” he murmurs, almost a growl, and his breath is hot against my face.”
Spontaneity. Sex doesn’t follow rules. It’s better when it’s unplanned, when you stop resisting and just let yourself feel. Like you just did.”
My throat goes dry. I swallow, but my eyes stay locked on his. I should look away, I should move, but I don’t.
He leans in again, close enough that our lips brush, and the touch makes my body betray me. My n*****s tighten against my top, and I feel the heat roll through me in waves.
“Your mind,” he whispers, his mouth ghosting over mine, “is both the limit and the release.”
God. The words, the way he says them. Sexy doesn’t even cover it. I never thought I’d look at Braydon this way, not in a million years, but right now, I could listen to him whisper like this all night.
My eyes go wide.
The thought managed to snap me back to reality.
I jerk away, putting space between us. What the hell am I doing?
He tilts his head, watching me, like he’s waiting for an explanation I can’t give. But it isn’t him, it’s me. It’s the stupid voice in my head won’t shut up. I have to remind myself of his last rule. None of this means anything. His words are just words, his kiss just a kiss. And I can’t let it mean more than that.
“I guess that’s all…” he starts as if to wrap things up, but I don’t let him finish. I don’t even think it through, and before I can stop myself, I lean in and press my mouth to his.
This time, I take the lead. My fingers slide into his hair, tugging him closer until there’s no space left between us. My tongue slips past his lips, tasting him, and the groan he lets out when I bite his bottom lip nearly undoes me. God, it’s addictive. That sound makes me want to crawl across the console, press my body against his, and kiss every inch of him just to hear it again.
His hands rise to my face, steadying me as if he’s trying to hold me together while kissing me back even harder. Our breaths grow messy and hot, mingling in the cramped space of the car.
Between kisses, his voice rumbles against my lips. “Tip two, Peach… kissing isn’t just lips, it’s touch. Explore me. Neck, jaw, anywhere. Make me feel it.”
KATY’S POV
I don’t know what it is, but I’m already moving before he even finishes speaking. My lips trail down his jaw, soft at first, then bolder when a low moan slips out of him and his fingers tighten at the back of my head, guiding me closer.
Leaning into him, I press a kiss against his neck slowly, and my fingertips graze across his chest, feeling the warmth through his shirt. His breath hitches, and then he mirrors me, his lips brushing against the side of my throat. The sensation makes heat pool low in my stomach, my thighs pressing together as a small gasp escapes me.
His hand slides along my waist, and just as he shifts to scoop me onto his lap, a loud, jarring sound cuts through the moment.
I freeze, my lips still against his skin. For a second, I think it’s in my head, but then it comes again.
It’s my phone.
Braydon eases back slowly, his chest rising and falling. His eyes skim over me once, lingering in a way that makes my skin prickle, before he drags a hand through his hair. I fumble into my pocket and pull out my phone, Allie’s name glowing across the screen. Of course.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Peach,” Braydon says, and I blink at him, then nod quickly. My face burns hotter when he adds, “You did good today.”
I can’t even form words at first.
“Good night.” I say clumsily, then push the door open and step out of his car.
The night air hits my skin, and I hug my phone to my chest, walking faster than I mean to. I force myself not to look back because I know he’s still there. I know he’s watching.
By the time I reach the dorm entrance, I let out a shaky breath.
Pull it together, Katy. It’s just a day. Just one day.
But what a day.
I swipe key card and slip inside. The lobby is quiet, lit by the bright overhead bulbs, and I head the elevator, punching the button with more force than necessary, and step inside doors slide open.
I feels longer than usual, the small space echoing with the sound of my uneven breathing. I inst the cool metal wall, squeezing the strap of my bag until my knuckles ache.
When the elevator dings for the fourth floor, I step out and immediately freeze. My grip on my bag tightens instinctively, a knot forming in my stomach before I even let myself process what I’m seeing.
What the hell is he doing here?
My lips twitch in irritation, and I bite back a curse under my breath. Of course, he’d pick tonight of all nights. It’s like he knows exactly how to ruin my mood every time.