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SAMANTHA
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Every morning on the dot, Cooper saved the day. He arrived early enough that we could share a cup of coffee together and I could get ready without interruptions. Sliding the dark red shade of lipstick across my lips, I stared at my reflection and a grin pulled against my mouth.
Confidence had been reborn within me the very moment Cooper Henley told me in no uncertain terms that every fucking inch of me was beautiful. It wasn’t his words that made me believe it, but the way he proved it to me with the grip of his hands on my hips, the crash of his lips against mine, and the way our bodies entwined and became one.
Everything I thought I knew about being in love was destroyed in that laundry room. By the hands of Cooper Henley.
Cooper was everything Ethan wasn’t. He was attentive, not only to me, but to Levi as well. I knew Ethan loved our son, but his priorities were backwards. Levi felt more affection from Cooper in the short couple months that he’d been babysitting him than Ethan had shown him in ages.
And while it filled my heart with joy, the truth of that broke my heart at the same time.
I fluffed my hair on my shoulders, switching off the light in the bathroom and walking down the hall. Laughter from Cooper and Levi bounced off the walls and danced in my eardrums. I peeked around the corner of my son’s room. The boys were playing superheroes, as usual.
With a soft knock on the doorframe, Levi looked back at me while Cooper guided the Superman action figure through the air.
“Hi, Mommy!” Levi gave me a big, cheesy grin.
Cooper’s eyes drank me in from head to toe and he waggled his eyebrows. “Meow!” he purred. I couldn’t contain my laughter.
“We’re not playing cats, Cooper. You’re Superman, remember?” Levi sighed, exasperated. It only made Cooper and I laugh harder.
“I know, Spidey. I forgot for a second, that’s all.” He tried to hold back his amusement, forcing a serious expression onto his face.
I stepped into the bedroom, crouching down to pull Levi up into my arms. He wrapped his arms around my neck and grunted loudly as he gave in and hugged me tight. Then, he puckered his lips at me and gave me an exaggerated kiss. I set him down, noticing that I’d left a trace of lipstick on his lips, and I began to rub at it.
“I got your lip stuff on me again, huh?” Levi placed his hand on his hips and rolled his eyes. “Can’t you give me kisses before you put that yucky stuff on?”
“Next time, pal, I promise.” I held my pinky up to him, and he reached his hand up to curl his own around mine. I used my other hand to wipe the last remnants of the red smudge from his bottom lip, much to his distaste.
Cooper stood up. “Hey, Little Man, there’s been a bank robbery. Can Spider-Man take care of that while Superman takes a short break?”
“I’m on it!” Levi puffed out his chest before reaching for the action figure.
Cooper rose from the floor and came toward me, a light shining in his eyes and a mischievous grin on his face—a grin that made me want to head right back into that laundry room with him and wash every damn piece of clothing in my apartment.
I backed away from him slowly, heading further down the hall, pulling my bottom lip between my teeth to hide my amusement.
“You better watch what you’re doing, pretty lady, or you’ll be late for work.”
“I’m not doing anything.” I gave him a devilish grin as he stepped closer, towering over me, pressing his firm chest against mine. A gasp escaped my throat and my head tilted back as he inhaled the scent of perfume I’d dabbed on my neck.
“Just like I’m not doing anything either, right?” Cooper whispered just before nipping at the sensitive skin on my neck, a sensation that created a puddle of wetness between my legs.
Fuck.
“Okay, stop. You’re just being evil now. I have to go, and Levi is right there in his room,” I whispered, softly pushing on his chest to put space between us. But his hands grasped my lower back.
“Have a good day.” His gaze fluttered between my eyes and my lips. I stood on my tiptoes and pushed my lips against his. I felt his hand travel through my hair and rest at the back of my head.
I will have a good day, because all of my days since you’ve come into our lives have been good.
“You too.”
***
Dragging myself up the stairs of the apartment building, a tantalizing aroma danced into my nostrils, spreading through the hallway. The closer I got, it dawned on me that the delicious scent was coming from my own apartment.
Seriously, what did I do to deserve a man like this? It all seems too good to be true.
I unlocked the door and opened it slowly. The sound of something sizzling in a pan met my ears. I stepped in and locked the door behind me, then slid out of my uncomfortable high heels.
Cooper had a dish towel tucked in the back pocket of his jeans and his shirt was nowhere to be seen, his back muscles suggestively shadowed by the dim kitchen lighting. As I stepped closer, I could see faint pink scratch marks along his shoulder blades, and a faint smirk formed on my lips. Heat rose swiftly in my cheeks as I thought of how those marks had gotten there. I knocked two knuckles against the wall to let him know I was home.
“Oh, hey.” Cooper scooped shrimp, onions, and a colorful array of peppers onto a plate.
“Hey, yourself. Get a little hot in here or something?” I winked at him playfully.
“Actually, yeah.” He chuckled, scooping another helping of the gorgeous meal onto another plate, then pulled a few tortillas from the warmer. “I figured Levi probably wouldn’t like this kind of thing, so I already made him a grilled cheese sandwich. He’s in his room watching a movie. Hope you don’t mind?”
“Of course I don’t mind. I appreciate it, more than you know. You know you don’t have to do all of this?” I said, softly smiling.
“I know I don’t. I do it because I want to, Samantha.” Cooper turned away from the stove to face me, and my eyes focused on his chiseled abdomen. “You two have given me so much to look forward to. You know that, right?” He wiped his hand on the dish towel, watching me.
I stared back, appraising him with a crooked grin. “Well, like I said, we really appreciate it.”
I turned away from him and headed toward Levi’s room. Opening his door, I saw my little guy sitting in the middle of his room playing with his toy cars while he watched his favorite movie for probably the twentieth time this week. I snuck in behind him and wrapped my arms around his small frame.
“I gotcha!” I roared, laughing menacingly.
“Not for long!” Levi squealed as he began kicking his feet, trying to wriggle away from me. I set him down and he turned to face me, wrapping his arms around my waist for a big hug.
“Did you have a good day, buddy?” I asked him, leaning down to press my lips against his forehead. Luckily, my lipstick had worn off, otherwise I would have accidentally broken my promise to him from earlier this morning.
“Yeah! Cooper is the funnest! We played superheroes and trucks, we put together my big puzzle, and he even taught me a new game!” Levi squealed in excitement.
“Oh, yeah? What game is that?”
“Hot Lava! We put the pillows from the couch on the floor and a pillow from my bed, too, and he pulled the chairs from the table and put them in the living room too so we hopped on all of them trying not to fall on the carpet because the carpet was...hot lava!” he exclaimed, his hands waving excitedly as he spoke.
His animated story hit me hard, and tears stung my eyes. I’d never seen my baby boy this excited about anything before. Pulling myself together, I straightened my posture and blinked back the tears, furrowing my eyebrows as I stared down at his big, brown eyes.
“You two hopped on the couch pillows? You know what that means...” I brought my hands up and curled my fingers, making them look like claws, just as Levi’s face had started to falter. “That means I’m gonna get you!” I growled.
“Uh oh!” Levi screamed and bolted around me to get out of his bedroom. “Cooper! Mommy is gonna get us for hopping on the couch pillows!” He ran and hid behind Cooper’s tall, broad frame.
“Don’t worry, Little Man. I can take care of this.” Cooper narrowed his piercing eyes at me and quickly came toward me, lifting me up as though I were weightless and hanging me over his shoulder.
Laughter from the three of us filled the apartment, and I didn’t even care if we were being too noisy. This was the most fun Levi and I’d had in a long time.
Cooper carried me to the couch and drop me down onto it, then turned back toward Levi and held his hand up for a high-five. “See, buddy? We make a great team, huh?”
“Duh!” Levi smacked his hand against Cooper’s. “Mommy?” His tone had changed as he turned towards me. It was sweet and innocent, and he batted his long lashes at me.
“Yeah?” I figured it was probably on the tip of his tongue to ask to stay up late tonight since it was Friday.
“Can Cooper spend the night with me?”
Oh my God. Can Cooper what? I can’t believe this child of mine just asked that.
“Uh...um...” I failed to find a proper response because I wasn’t quite sure how to go about it.
“Yeah, Samantha, can I spend the night tonight?” Cooper batted his lashes at me, playfully mocking Levi and exaggerating his pleading expression. His bottom lip puckered out and everything.
“Oh, good grief. I suppose. But, you two better go to bed when I say so.” I winked, then had to turn away from them, despite Levi’s exuberant cheers. I swallowed hard as the butterflies in my stomach began to flutter wildly.
What had I just agreed to?
***
Levi had gone to his bedroom to finish his movie while Cooper and I dined on shrimp fajitas. After we finished eating, I shooed Cooper away from cleaning up. He’d been avoiding the text messages on his phone all evening out of politeness, saying he’d call Zoey later, but he’d been preoccupied ever since so I told him to go call her, make sure everything was okay. It was the only way he’d ease his own mind.
He had already done enough for us; he didn’t need to put off his own life and responsibilities for us, too.
As I was cleaning up and putting the dishes into the dishwasher, my phone started to ring. Drying my damp hands on a towel, I picked up the phone and saw Ethan’s name lighting up the screen.
Great. What does he want?
“Hello?” I knew my tone wasn’t the most pleasant, but to be fair, it was because I was so used to being let down by him that every time he called I assumed that was what was about to happen.
“Hey, I was just calling about tomorrow night.”
I knew it, the prick is going to cancel again.
“What about it?” I bit out, rage already bubbling in my veins.
Cooper had come back into the apartment, and Levi laughed as he held him in his arms, whooshing him through the air like one of the action figures.
“Faster, Cooper! Faster!” Levi yelled at the top of his lungs.
“Can’t, buddy. My arm’s not up to it quite yet,” he reminded the young boy. “But soon, I promise.”
My stomach dropped, knowing Ethan must’ve heard the exchange.
He cleared his throat. “Who’s Cooper?” I could tell by his tone that he was holding himself back from blowing up at me.
“A friend,” I lied. “So, what about tomorrow?” I asked again, quickly redirecting him from the topic as guilt began to crowd my stomach.
“Right. Well, I’m going to be a little late picking him up tomorrow night, and I just wanted you to know.”
“And you had to call and tell me that?” I asked through an irritated sigh.
“I’m really trying here, Sam.” Ethan’s voice grew firm, but I just rolled my eyes.
“So what time should I be expecting you? I have plans.”
“You have plans?” The condescending jerk put emphasis on you because I wasn’t a woman that ever had plans outside of him, Levi, and work. I’d never gone out with the girls from work, and after having Levi, I’d lost touch with a lot of my friends from high school as they weren’t parents yet.
“Yes, I have plans.”
“With who?” I could hear the jealousy breaking through his teeth as the question slowly and firmly spilled from his mouth.
“Does it matter? What do you and what’s-her-face have planned with Levi tomorrow?” I tried to keep my tone hushed, tried not to raise my voice. I didn’t want Cooper to know I was having a spat with Ethan. But, most of all, I didn’t want Levi to hear a word of it.
“You’re right, it doesn’t matter. Sorry for asking.” Ethan’s voice was laced with thinly veiled hatred.
I ended the call, a small grin of satisfaction tugging at my lips. It seemed that the playing field between us had been levelled a bit, and I had to admit, I kind of liked the idea that it’d taken him completely by surprise.
He didn’t like any of it much, but I couldn’t decide which part Ethan disliked more—that I’d moved on, or that I’d risen from the ashes of what we’d once been, becoming someone he didn’t fully recognize.
***
The bright sun shone through the blinds of my bedroom, waking me. I turned to find Cooper sleeping soundly, the sunlight stretching across his bare chest, his dark hair a complete mess I wanted nothing more than to tangle my fingers in.
I’m in love with him.
The realization hit me with the force of a tsunami. This is the man I want to wake up to every morning.
Sneaking out of bed, I slipped into my fluffy pink slippers and threw my hair into a big, messy bun, then headed down the hallway toward the kitchen. I set up the coffee pot to brew, then sought out the box of pancake mix I knew I’d purchased, with every intention of cooking Cooper and Levi a decent breakfast while I enjoyed my first cup of the day.
Warm breath graced the nape of my neck, startling me, and Cooper’s fingertips traced down the bare skin of my throat, all the way to my arm, causing goosebumps to rise in its wake.
“Good morning, pretty lady. You’re up awfully early.” His voice was raspy from just waking up, and it did something to my insides.
I flipped one of the pancakes over, then turned to face him. He drank me in from head to toe, his gaze finally focusing on my eyes. I’d realized I was still in pajamas, hair tousled, no makeup, and had splatters of pancake mix on my t-shirt. I was a complete mess, yet the way he looked at me made me feel like I was dressed to the nines.
“Good morning to you, too. I know, I woke up before my alarm even went off.” I smiled coyly.
A moment of comfortable silence came over us, but Cooper’s face slowly shadowed into a more serious expression. “Can I ask you something?” His voice softened, but his gaze grew stronger.
“Isn’t that what you just did?” I winked, turning to face the stove again, afraid the pancakes would burn if I got distracted for much longer. And afraid of what he might say next.
“Cracking jokes at this early hour. And here, I thought you weren’t a morning person.” Cooper’s hand gripped my hips again and he nibbled at my sensitive earlobe, causing a soft giggle to escape me as I tilted my head, shooing him away.
“Okay, okay. I’m going to burn breakfast if you don’t stop. What’s the question?” I turned the stove off, facing him again.
His hand reached out to caress my cheek, and he brushed his palm against it lightly before pulling me in for a kiss. Resting his forehead to mine, I could tell he was trying to muster up the courage to speak.
“What is it?” I whispered, concern bubbling within me.
“I love you, Samantha.” He cupped my cheeks in his hands and stared deeply into my eyes. “I want you, all of you. Levi, too. I want us.”
You could have knocked me over with a feather.
“I want to be with you. To take this to the next level,” he continued. “I love Levi as if he was my own son, and I love you like I’ve never loved anyone else before. I want you to be in Tommy and I’s life. I want you to meet him, because I think you’d be good for him, too. Just like you’re good for me.”
My breath caught, and I swallowed hard past the lump in my throat. I could feel tears brimming my eyelids. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t anxious about what he said, but I felt the same way about him, too.
That feeling created vulnerability, though, and I hated it. I trusted Cooper, but I’d once trusted Ethan as well. I wouldn’t be able to handle another heartbreak. Especially not with our children involved.
Cooper must have seen the uncertainty in my eyes. “We can take it slowly,” he promised. “Just one step at a time, I’m okay with that. But I want to be with you in every sense of the word, Sam, no matter how long it takes us. I’m in this with you and Levi one hundred percent, okay?”
The man exuded confidence in every word he spoke, and I had no doubt in my heart or my mind that he meant everything he said.
I inhaled deeply, slowly and softly pressing my lips to his before responding. “I want the same thing, Cooper. I do. And I’d be honored to meet Tommy, I would. Just...one step at a time. I can’t go through another heartbreak any time soon.”
“You won’t have to. Mark my words, I will never break your heart.”
A loud, exaggerated yawn pulled me out of the moment, and both Cooper and I turned to see Levi, stretching his arms above his curly bedhead.
“Good morning, Spidey!” Cooper ducked down to scoop him into a hug.
“Morning, Superman.” The boy’s voice was still thick with sleep. He reached his arms up toward me and I reached down to pull him into my arms, earning myself a bear hug and a kiss on the cheek.
“Morning, Mommy.” He rested his head on my shoulder, still groggy.
“Good morning, sweetheart. Ready for some pancakes?”
Levi’s head shot up, looking at me with widened eyes as he nodded his head emphatically. I lowered him to the floor, and he ran to the table without another word. You’d have thought I rarely fed the boy.
Cooper dished up our plates and I poured us some milk. Warmth filled my chest as I took in the scene around me, the simplicity of us waking up together and sharing a breakfast so comfortably, like we’d done it a thousand times before. I was excited for our future. And moments like this were something I would continue to look forward to.
After breakfast, Cooper took over with the cleanup so I could get ready before Ethan came to pick up Levi, glancing sporadically at the clock while I did so. He would arrive within the next hour and a half, but it would take that long to steel myself and mentally prepare to be face to face with the man.
I hurried to get ready, throwing on a red blouse and black pants, then pulled my hair into a slick bun.
“Levi, come here! Your daddy is going to be here soon,” I hollered down the hallway.
He immediately came running. “I don’t get to stay with Cooper today?” He puckered his bottom lip out in disappointment.
“Not today, buddy. I’m sorry, but you’ll have lots of fun with Daddy, okay?” I tried to reassure him, but I knew, just as he did, that he would have had much more fun with Cooper since he actually paid attention and played with him.
Cooper snuck down the hall and wrapped Levi in his arms again, surprising him enough to make him squeal shrilly. “I’ll be here to watch you in a couple days. Sound good? Maybe you can help me take care of my little boy, too.”
“You have a little boy?” Levi’s eyes widened yet again.
“Sure do.” Cooper grinned. “And I need you’re help teaching him all about Spider-Man.”
“I’m an expert.” Levi’s smile was huge. “I can teach him lots.”
“There’s no doubt in my mind, believe me.”
I grabbed his toothbrush and put toothpaste on it, then handed it to him. The little boy knew the drill, and when Cooper released him, he stepped up onto the stool by the vanity and began to brush his teeth. I knew that would keep him occupied long enough for Cooper and I to sneak out of the bathroom and exchange our goodbyes.
“I’ll be seeing you later.” Cooper growled the words against my ear, kissing my neck lightly enough that I could tell he was holding himself back.
“We’ll see,” I teased.
His eyes narrowed, but he knew I was kidding. “I’d better get out of here so your drop-off with Ethan goes smoothly.” Cooper arched his brow, shrugging. “Or, I could hang out and introduce myself?”
“Definitely not. Get out of here,” I laughed.
He pulled me against his chest, hugging me to him as he leaned his head down, pressing his lips to mine. We pulled away reluctantly, and he held me there. I watched as his eyes flitted between my gaze and my mouth.
“I love you.” He brushed his fingers from my temple, down my cheek, and jaw, sending chills down my spine.
“I—”
Cooper’s finger pressed gently against my lips, and he shook his head. “One step at a time,” he whispered, smiling coyly. He let his finger trail across my lip as he pulled away, then left.
I was left standing there, my body screaming for one more touch.
I was about to say those three words out loud, damn it!
I sighed, dreading the fact that he wouldn’t be here with my little boy today, making him happy and having a blast with him. Instead, Levi would probably be told to go watch TV because Ethan had work to do, like always.
Real quality time, I thought drily.
I finished getting Levi ready. Shortly after, a loud knock announced Ethan’s arrival.
It never failed, every time Ethan came to pick him up, my mind usually flooded with all the awful things he’d done to our family behind my back.
But, today was different. Today, I didn’t care.
***
Entering the apartment building again after getting Levi safely tucked into the backseat of Ethan’s car, I was experiencing mixed feelings. Sadness tugged at my heart because I wouldn’t be coming home to Cooper and Levi playing together. But I was anticipating some much-needed alone time with Cooper tonight.
Almost at the top of the staircase, I stopped dead in my tracks. I could faintly hear Cooper’s voice.
And the voice of a woman I didn’t recognize was responding to him.
“We were so good together,” was all I could hear her say, which was more than enough.
I slowly and quietly made my way up the stairs, making sure Cooper couldn’t see me. My heart dropped to my feet, my stomach churning wildly as rage pooled in my veins. Shock and disappointment crept up into my throat at the sight down the hallway, only mere feet from my doorway.
The woman leaned in, kissed him. And Cooper came forward, leaning into the kiss, too.
He didn’t back away.
The fucking asshole kissed her. And, to make matters worse, she looked a whole lot like me from what I could see. Dark, auburn hair, curvy body, roughly the same height.
If that’s not a slap in the face, I don’t know what is. Hell, maybe her name is Samantha, too.
I looked away, ducking into my apartment so I didn’t have to bear witness to his blatant betrayal. I heard the door close behind the two of them in Cooper’s apartment as well.
Tears burned my eyes as I fell against the door, sliding to the floor. With my head in my hands, I ripped the elastic from my hair and let the dark strands topple over my shoulders. I ran my hands through it, pulling harshly, just to feel some kind of pain other than the betrayal searing my veins.
I’m a fool. I knew it was too good to be true, and I still let myself fall for the him. I knew better.