already.”
“Impatient, talented, conceited, smug.”
“They’re similes. Didn’t they teach you similes in school back in the olden days?”
“Smartass, juvenile, petulant, belligerent…”
Cooper picked up a slice of pizza, bit into it and chewed thoughtfully. He swallowed his food and said, “Mmm, well, I like talented and conceited, but smartass and juvenile were a little harsh. I think we might need to go back to cute.”
I shook my head and sighed. “Okay, you’re a cute, belligerent little shit. How was that?”
He took another bite of his pizza and spoke with his mouth full. “Much better.”
I gave up. I doubted I’d ever win. I took a slice of pizza and he clinked his beer bottle to mine and gave me a cheeky grin.
“So do you really think I’m cute?”
“Just shut up and eat your pizza.”
Cooper gave me that smug little smile he got, but told me all about his week so far. How he’d been busy with the team getting basics done, and learning what he could. It was easy to see that he loved it, how animated he got, how it seemed he could talk for hours about projects and buildings, and drawings and concepts.
Even long after the pizza was gone and we’d been on the sofa for a while, we were still discussing design theories and building codes and planning laws. It amazed me that he could make me smile with just a pout one minute, then be a professional adult whom I could talk to for hours the next.
Then he changed the subject. “I’m sorry if telling Jennifer you asked to see me was out of line,” he said. “But I figured if I didn’t, I wouldn’t get to see you.”
“It’s fine,” I told him. “I’m glad you did.”
He smiled. “Me too.” Then he slid himself across the sofa and kissed me. But he didn’t stop there. He slowly leant backwards, pulling me with him, so I was lying over him. He only stopped kissing me so he could manoeuvre himself into a better position for me to settle between his legs, and then his mouth was on mine again.
Cooper opened his legs wider and held on to me tighter, and I rocked a little on top of him while we kissed. But it was languid and soft, there was no hot and heavy desire. His eyes closed gently, sleepily. When I brushed his hair from his forehead, I saw my watch. It was after one, we’d been talking for hours and I’d completely lost track of time.
“Come on, sleepy-head,” I said, getting off him, pulling him to his feet. “It’s too late for you to go home. You can stay here.”
I led him down the hall towards the spare room, Ryan’s room, but he turned straight into my bedroom and started to strip off. He threw his suit pants over the chair and climbed into my bed in his underwear.
Into my side of the bed.
I stood there, not sure what to do. I contemplated arguing, but realised arguing with Cooper was futile. So instead, I went back out to the living room, turned off the lights and by the time I changed into pyjama pants and got into bed, Cooper was already asleep.
* * * *
Waking up to the feeling of being watched isn’t particularly pleasant. A sleep-rumpled Cooper looked at me apologetically. “I guess this could be awkward,” he said. “I mean, if we let it be awkward. But I’m all for thinking fuck it, let’s not be awkward. Let’s have pancakes for breakfast and then when you’re covered in maple syrup, we can shower together, or I can lick you clean. Whichever you prefer.”
I smiled. “Good morning, Cooper.”
“Morning, Tom,” he said with a grin. “So, pancakes?”
I looked at the alarm clock and fell back with a groan. Six a.m. “Pancakes.”
He bounced up on the bed, still wearing only his briefs. I could see the heavy outline of his morning wood. He knew I saw, he made no attempt to hide it. In fact, he then walked to the kitchen and proceeded to make pancakes, still only wearing his briefs.
Needless to say, breakfast was a mess, there was a lot of licking and a hot shower where Cooper
“Impatient, talented, conceited, smug.”
“They’re similes. Didn’t they teach you similes in school back in the olden days?”
“Smartass, juvenile, petulant, belligerent…”
Cooper picked up a slice of pizza, bit into it and chewed thoughtfully. He swallowed his food and said, “Mmm, well, I like talented and conceited, but smartass and juvenile were a little harsh. I think we might need to go back to cute.”
I shook my head and sighed. “Okay, you’re a cute, belligerent little shit. How was that?”
He took another bite of his pizza and spoke with his mouth full. “Much better.”
I gave up. I doubted I’d ever win. I took a slice of pizza and he clinked his beer bottle to mine and gave me a cheeky grin.
“So do you really think I’m cute?”
“Just shut up and eat your pizza.”
Cooper gave me that smug little smile he got, but told me all about his week so far. How he’d been busy with the team getting basics done, and learning what he could. It was easy to see that he loved it, how animated he got, how it seemed he could talk for hours about projects and buildings, and drawings and concepts.
Even long after the pizza was gone and we’d been on the sofa for a while, we were still discussing design theories and building codes and planning laws. It amazed me that he could make me smile with just a pout one minute, then be a professional adult whom I could talk to for hours the next.
Then he changed the subject. “I’m sorry if telling Jennifer you asked to see me was out of line,” he said. “But I figured if I didn’t, I wouldn’t get to see you.”
“It’s fine,” I told him. “I’m glad you did.”
He smiled. “Me too.” Then he slid himself across the sofa and kissed me. But he didn’t stop there. He slowly leant backwards, pulling me with him, so I was lying over him. He only stopped kissing me so he could manoeuvre himself into a better position for me to settle between his legs, and then his mouth was on mine again.
Cooper opened his legs wider and held on to me tighter, and I rocked a little on top of him while we kissed. But it was languid and soft, there was no hot and heavy desire. His eyes closed gently, sleepily. When I brushed his hair from his forehead, I saw my watch. It was after one, we’d been talking for hours and I’d completely lost track of time.
“Come on, sleepy-head,” I said, getting off him, pulling him to his feet. “It’s too late for you to go home. You can stay here.”
I led him down the hall towards the spare room, Ryan’s room, but he turned straight into my bedroom and started to strip off. He threw his suit pants over the chair and climbed into my bed in his underwear.
Into my side of the bed.
I stood there, not sure what to do. I contemplated arguing, but realised arguing with Cooper was futile. So instead, I went back out to the living room, turned off the lights and by the time I changed into pyjama pants and got into bed, Cooper was already asleep.
* * * *
Waking up to the feeling of being watched isn’t particularly pleasant. A sleep-rumpled Cooper looked at me apologetically. “I guess this could be awkward,” he said. “I mean, if we let it be awkward. But I’m all for thinking fuck it, let’s not be awkward. Let’s have pancakes for breakfast and then when you’re covered in maple syrup, we can shower together, or I can lick you clean. Whichever you prefer.”
I smiled. “Good morning, Cooper.”
“Morning, Tom,” he said with a grin. “So, pancakes?”
I looked at the alarm clock and fell back with a groan. Six a.m. “Pancakes.”
He bounced up on the bed, still wearing only his briefs. I could see the heavy outline of his morning wood. He knew I saw, he made no attempt to hide it. In fact, he then walked to the kitchen and proceeded to make pancakes, still only wearing his briefs.
Needless to say, breakfast was a mess, there was a lot of licking and a hot shower where Cooper
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