"She's a grown woman, Coop. She can do what she wants. You're going to have to get used to that. She'll probably do all kinds of things that you won't like."

"I just, ugh..." He buried his head in his hands. "I can't stand Ian and I know he's going to screw her over. I can just feel it." His head held a cacophony of emotions he wished he didn't have. They were invading his entire body, making him sicker to his stomach with every pa.s.sing moment. "You should have seen the way she looked when she left the apartment this morning. She said she was going to soften her approach. She said something about catching more flies with sugar."

"So you're worried she's going to cheat on you?"

"No. Not really. I trust her." Visions of the night before flashed before him. "I told her I love her."

"And what did she say?"

"She said she loves me too." This should have brought a smile to his face, but he'd sensed hesitation from Allie last night. Yes, she'd returned the words, but did she really mean it? Was she as head-over-heels for him as he was for her?

Brian grinned and reached to slap his brother on the arm. "That's fantastic. I'm also guessing that's what makes this so hard."

"I just wish there was a way to know that she's okay." He straightened his stapler on his desk for what felt like the twentieth time. Anything slightly off-kilter was driving him bonkers.

"Then let's go." Brian slid his planner off Cooper's desk. "I'll tell everybody we're taking a long lunch."

"What are you talking about? You think I should drop in? That'll go over like a lead balloon."

"No, dumba.s.s. We'll sit on the other side of the restaurant and I'll keep an eye on her and tell you what's going on. Then you won't have to worry so much. She can tell you exactly what happened later."

"That's about the stupidest idea I've ever heard."

"Would you rather sit at your desk and stew all afternoon?"

Cooper stared at the black cursor blinking on his laptop. He wouldn't accomplish a single thing today. Not when Allie was having lunch with Ian on the other side of town. Not when all he could think about was her trying to soften her approach or entice him with sugar. "Fine. But I'm bailing if I think there's any chance she'll see us." He propped his sungla.s.ses on top of his head and stood up from his desk.

"One more thing," Brian said. "You're paying."

As Allie had predicted, Miller and Main was packed. It was a well-known spot for power lunches, and the hostess looked at Cooper as if he were crazy when he asked for a booth partially obscured by a part.i.tion and a wait station. It was easily the worst seat in the house.

Allie's red leather handbag made her easy to spot and luckily she sat with her back to the door in a half-round booth with Ian. Cooper had only glanced at them, terrified of being busted but alarmed to see her in such a cozy setting with her ex. A distance of several tables, or a few miles, was more palatable.

"This is literally the most idiotic thing you've ever talked me into," Cooper said, looking at the menu, which at this point was nothing more than an indecipherable jumble of letters on the page. "That includes the time you convinced me to copy down the answers from your World History test."

Brian smirked as he set down his menu. "That was pretty funny. Mom couldn't figure out how you could get every single answer wrong on a multiple-choice test."

"Oh yeah, that was hilarious."

The waiter brought the two India Pale Ales they'd ordered. "Do you know what you'd like for lunch?"

"I'll have the club sandwich and fries," Brian said.

"Same for me," Cooper muttered, distracted. He pulled his phone from his pocket, desperate for something to do, but didn't have a single text or voicemail. "Can you see anything?" he asked, his heart pounding. He watched his brother's eyes narrow as he looked across the restaurant. This is so wrong. Insanely wrong.

Brian leaned a bit out of the booth. "You didn't tell me he was such a handsome guy."

"Great. Thanks. I appreciate that. Can you just tell me what they're doing?"

"He's laughing. She's taking a sip of her martini."

She's having a d.a.m.n martini? "Okay. I guess it's good he's laughing." Or is it? Maybe she's cracking jokes.

"The waitress just brought their food. It looks like Allie got a salad. Not sure what he got." Brian hesitated. "Maybe the prime rib special. d.a.m.n, I knew I should've ordered that."

"I don't need to know what they're eating." Cooper rubbed a clammy hand on his jeans, the wash so dark that his palm turned light blue. He rubbed at his skin with the white napkin. "Anything else?"

"Um, he's smiling and nodding his head."

Smiling is good. I guess.

"He's not saying anything, just chewing," Brian continued. "Now he's drinking. Looks like he's having bourbon."

"Again, don't need the running commentary on what they ordered." Of course Ian was lunching on steak and bourbon. Could he try any harder to be the alpha male?

"Will you chill out? I'm just telling you what I see." Brian took a glug of his beer and swiped his upper lip with the back of his hand. "It's hard to know what Allie's doing because I can't really see her face. All she's doing is gesturing and flipping her hair back over her shoulder. Stuff like that. Now she's playing with her earring."

Flipping her hair back and playing with her earring? Jesus. Cooper's stomach felt empty and the thought of food was revolting. This was such a bad idea.

The waiter brought their sandwiches. "Mustard or ketchup for either of you?"

"Mustard please. Dijon if you have it," Brian answered. He popped a fry into his mouth, looking across the room again. "Oh, okay. Weird."

"What?"

"Allie just downed the rest of her drink. Ian doesn't look very happy."

f.u.c.k. Now what? "Can you be a little more specific?"

"Hold on." Brian flattened his hand on the table, keeping his sights on the other side of the restaurant. "Oh, okay. No." Brian frowned.

"You're literally killing me," Cooper said.

"Shut up. I'm doing the best I can."

"Then please tell me what's going on."

"Ian is smiling again. He just patted her on the shoulder. Allie is running her fingers up and down the stem of her gla.s.s."

Jesus. She does that when she's flirting with me. I'm going to make myself crazy.

"Anything else?" the waiter asked as he clunked the bottle of mustard on the table.

"Yes," Cooper answered. "Can you wrap this up? We need to go."

Taking the elevator up to her office, Allie couldn't recall the last time her ego had taken such a beating. She'd used every trick in the book on Ian and none of it worked. To be fair, it only failed in terms of getting out of the lawsuit. That part of her plan had belly-flopped. In terms of soliciting Ian's attention, that had been a home run. Too bad that was the last thing she wanted.

Ian had flirted with her during their lunch, more so after half of his single malt scotch was down his gullet. At first, it felt as if the eye contact and self-satisfied smirks meant she was on the right track. He let out a few syrupy things, even saying that he wondered if he'd done the wrong thing by leaving her. Allie let that one slide by downing the rest of her martini.

Trudging down the hall, she considered turning around and not even going into her office. "Marcy, no calls please. Unless it's urgent," she said to her receptionist while grabbing her mail, which was only bill after bill after bill.

On cue, the phone rang. "Flynn Agency," Marcy answered. "I'm sorry. She's not available right now. May I transfer you to her voicemail?" She winked at her boss.

At least Allie had her rock-solid staff, even if her company might be DOA by the end of the year. She began to walk away, but Marcy stopped her.

"Uh, Ms. Flynn, I was hoping to speak with you real quick. I have some news." Marcy twirled a lock of curly red hair around her finger. "I'm pregnant. I'm due in December."

Allie blinked, her brain on a delay. "Pregnant. Wow. Congratulations." She smiled, eager to show enthusiasm for Marcy's happy news, however much it had to be forced at that moment.

"Oh, thank you. It was a big surprise with Joe in grad school, but everything happens for a reason, right? So, I guess you'll need to tell me what I need to fill out for my maternity leave."

Allie battled the tears that stung her eyes. "Uh, you'll be our first so we'll have to work that out. Don't worry. You'll get everything you were promised in the health plan."

Allie plopped down at her desk once she reached her office. A headache had seated itself behind her eyes, pain that would go nowhere when she was so stressed.

Ian had been so ruthless. He'd let her sit there for nearly two hours, working the entire time, sucking up to him, building up his ego, offering her thoughts about several compromises she'd devised. He seemed to hang on every word, as if he were carefully considering each scenario, only to pull the rug out from under her with a definitive, "Sorry, darling. The lawyers are proceeding as planned. But thanks for lunch. I had a fabulous time." What an a.s.shole.

And Marcy-sweet, loyal, irreplaceable Marcy. What would she do if the Flynn Agency shut its doors? That would mean no health insurance, no paid maternity leave, no job to return to after the baby arrived.

"I'm going to check email and then I'm going home," she muttered to herself, watching as the number on her inbox steadily rose. Much of it was stuff she could easily put off until Monday, but then she spotted the message from the people at Valeti Cookies. After reading the first few lines, she simply shut the lid of her laptop. Things couldn't get any worse. Valeti had rejected every single idea in her campaign proposal. Every last one.

Allie collapsed on her bed when she got home, still unsure about what to tell Cooper. She didn't want to let her pride get in the way, but he'd been so adamant that it wouldn't work and she'd fought back just as hard. It stung like crazy to realize she'd done something so stupid and nave, everything Cooper had called it.

The ring of her cellphone woke her. "h.e.l.lo?" she croaked.

"Hey, it's me. Are you still at the office?" Cooper asked.

"No. I came home after my meeting."

"I was worried. You didn't call to tell me what happened."

"I'm sorry. I had a ma.s.sive headache and I needed to lie down for a while. Where are you?"

"At your door. I knocked but you didn't answer."

"s.h.i.t." Allie scampered across the bed and rushed to let him in. She looked at him through bleary eyes, sinking against his chest as soon as he was in the apartment.

"That bad, huh?" he asked, caressing her back. "What happened?" His voice was soft but unsteady.

She'd considered trying to put on a good face and tell him that she and Ian were still working things out. Warmth radiated from him, his presence washing away her day. Even a white lie wasn't an option. "I sat there like an idiot for two hours and he still shut me down. They're going forward with the lawsuit. You were right."

Allie winced at the admission that she'd made such a foolish mistake. When they were together, Ian had always been so quick to point it out when she was wrong. She didn't expect the same from Cooper, but her reflex was still there. Just as she'd hoped, he rolled his knuckles along her spine and shushed her when her shoulders shuddered and she finally broke down.

"It's okay. You'll figure something out. We'll figure something out." He slid his hand beneath her chin, encouraging her to look at him. "You know what? It was a crazy idea, but it was b.a.l.l.sy. I have to give you credit for that. Not a lot of people would have had the guts to do what you did."

Allie sniffled, peering into his warm and comforting eyes. Everything about him was so real and generous. He could have rubbed it in if he'd wanted to. Instead, he only wanted to bolster her, help her back up. "You're so good to me," she whispered, quiet tears returning. "I'm sorry about this morning. I should have listened to you."

Dropping her defenses was her last inclination. Every wall she'd built had a purpose and she'd kept them all in place when she and Cooper were merely having fun. But as every day went by, he chipped away at her heart a little more without even knowing it. She could see now that her entire history with Ian had been based on putting up barriers, insulating herself from what she'd worried he would eventually find a way to do-hurt her.

Her relationship with Cooper was all about stripping those things away. It was a scary idea to leave herself, her heart, so exposed. But there was something liberating about it as well. She could be Allie, leave her faults on display and it didn't matter. He still loved her. He still cared for her.

Cooper raked his fingers through her hair before smoothing it down. "I just need to know that you're okay."

Chapter Eleven.

Cooper didn't sleep much that night, even after he and Allie had stayed up late watching old movies. She fell asleep on him before the end of Casablanca and he relished the near-silent moments after he'd turned off the television, when all he could hear was the gentle rush of her breaths.

At least she'd been able to get some rest after her h.e.l.lish day. He was another story, feeling sick about the stunt he and Brian had pulled. It had accomplished nothing. It only underscored how great a hold Allie had on his heart. He was apparently willing to do even the most inane thing to protect her.

It was no secret that Allie was all about trust and he'd broken it by going to the restaurant. He remembered how upset she'd been with her sister for snooping on her boyfriend's phone. She'd later admitted that her father had always been suspicious of her mom, questioning her at every turn.

He lay with his eyes closed as sunlight filtered into the room and Allie stirred behind him. He was about to turn to face her when she cupped her body around his. The tight peaks of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s grazed his back. Her slender legs met his. She hummed and her hand slowly traveled around his waist to his chest. Antic.i.p.ation quickly took hold as she slid her warm palm down across his abs. She wrapped her fingers around his c.o.c.k, forcing a sudden groan of pleasure from his lips.

Allie giggled. "Somebody's excited to see me this morning," she mumbled against the back of his neck with heated breath.

Goose b.u.mps p.r.i.c.kled his upper body. He stretched his legs as she began to gently stroke. "It's morning." Jesus. "I can't help it." A smile spread across his face.

"So it has nothing to do with me. What if I do this?" Her thumb swirled over the throbbing skin of his head. Then she coiled her fingers around him, pumping with a touch so provocative that his hips bucked.

He inched forward and flipped to his back. "Come here." He held his arms in an open embrace but she moved away.

Allie shook her head, shifting up on to her knees. "Relax. Let me take care of you this morning." Her fingers splayed on his thighs as she maneuvered between his legs. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his belly. The brush of her silky, shiny brown locks on his chest sent a sizzle straight to his groin. She tossed her hair back and flashed her eyes before lowering her lips to his c.o.c.k.

Cooper propped himself up on his elbows to watch as her mouth skimmed his length. It was as if everything he saw was on a delay, the primal pleasure of her motions registering first with a tightening of every muscle below his waist. She bobbed her head, moaning, making him even more appreciative when he wasn't sure he could be any more grateful.

Her tongue swirled around his head and she took a moment to flick at the sensitive ridge, teasing his b.a.l.l.s with the tips of her fingers. A flush came to her cheeks as he groaned when she increased the suction. He loved feeling her effect on him, seeing his effect on her.

She wrapped her especially hot fingers around the base of his c.o.c.k, pumping with an even pace while she quickened the downward pa.s.ses of her lips. The sides of her cheeks became concave, the tender wet skin inside her mouth causing the pressure in his gut to build. His b.a.l.l.s constricted against his body, his pelvis tightened. Allie's hair bounced on his abs and tension gathered in his belly. She flattened her tongue with such force that his body sharply clutched before giving way with waves of rapid-fire release.

Any tautness in his body melted away as she let him go and waggled her eyebrows.

She wiped her mouth on his bare stomach before crawling closer and brushing his lips with hers. "Good morning," she muttered before collapsing next to him.

Cooper laughed, embracing the contentment as it settled in his bones. "That's one h.e.l.l of a wake-up call."

"You deserve it. You've been taking such good care of me."

He drew her closer with a curl of his arm and kissed the top of her head. "Isn't that my job?"