Love on the Line (Beaumont Legacy #2)

28. Maya

Chapter twenty-eight

Maya

G etting along with Cooper’s sisters was easy, even though they were all younger than Maya and liked to talk over each other. Daisy, who was more mature than her seventeen years, had shown her the small flower shop she’d just begun working at. Iris had a small studio down the street for her photography and painting, and she’d even started learning how to make pottery.

Into “town” was a stretch, because Oakridge Springs’ downtown area was a square with a park and then a block of one-story shops along each edge of the square. Narrow streets hardly allowed for cars, and the parking lot behind Iris’ studio was only large enough to hold six cars.

It was quaint, and though Maya had never been a fan of small towns, she could admit how beautiful it was .

Seeing where Cooper had come from made Maya think about where he was going, where his future would be. His mother’s question from dinner the night before had been eating at her.

They hadn’t talked about the future, and the more time Maya spent in Los Angeles, the less she saw herself being able to move away. Which didn’t leave them with many options, certainly none she liked.

She would never ask him to move for her.

Lily Ann had been quiet as they walked through the little area, and Maya noticed she didn't seem to have a piece of downtown like her sisters. Maya wondered if Lily Ann was like herself—adrift and in need of a purpose.

It could explain why she was still living at her parents’ house at twenty. Not that Maya could talk.

Daisy gasped, clapping her hands. “Oh! We can stop at the little coffee shop at the end of First Street! Maya, do you like coffee? They do some wild things to caffeine.”

Maya wasn’t a fan of coffee, but she nodded. “I’m intrigued by what you mean by wild things , so please lead the way.” She laughed as Iris and Daisy linked arms and began skipping ahead, entering a pretty brick building a few shops down.

Maya turned to Lily Ann. “Are you having a good morning?”

Lily Ann nodded politely. “Of course.”

“What’s it like being one of five? ”

A shrug. “Overwhelming sometimes. There’s always somethin’ to argue about.”

“I can imagine.”

Lily Ann looked at Maya out of the corner of her eye just as they walked into the coffee shop. “Did you go to college?”

Maya held back a grimace. “I did. Though I left early to pursue tennis.”

“Do you regret that?”

Lily Ann with the hard-hitting questions. “Not really. I enjoyed every second I was on the pro tour. I did struggle to find my footing when I got injured, and I worried I wouldn’t be able to find a job. But then Cooper helped me see that I’m capable of doing something else I love that’s also impactful.”

The younger sisters had already made it to the register, a few people in line between them and Maya. They waved bags of pastries in the air, and Maya smiled.

Lily Ann’s lips twisted to the side. “He’s lucky. That he got out. Ma’s been so worried about losing any more of her children, she’s been keepin’ an extra tight leash on the rest of us. Not that any of the others wanna leave.” Maya couldn’t tell whether she was reading resentment toward Cooper, but she’d understand if she were. Seeing one of your siblings get the freedom you wish you had could do that to a person.

“But you do?”

Lily Ann looked away. “Thinkin’ about it. ”

“It might help if you talk to him. I know he misses you all, and I think he’d be happy to help you any way he can.” Because that’s just who he was.

Lily Ann didn’t answer, and Maya ordered a matcha, which came out pink, making her even less interested in drinking it. The girls had gotten two croissants and a muffin, and they sat and talked about boys as they all tried the treats.

When they exited the shop, Cooper stood looking for them, hands in his pockets, shoulders just forward enough for Maya to know his talk with his parents hadn’t gone well. Her heart took off at how handsome he was, beating wildly, and the moment his eyes fell on her, his face softened. Maya’s stomach twisted.

If she weren’t with his sisters, she’d have jumped into his arms.

Like seeing her had changed his day, his shoulders went back up and he smiled, walking the few steps over to them.

“I see you were swayed to get somethin’ from Wack.” He inclined his head to her pink matcha.

Maya turned to look at the shop, eyebrows furrowed, and found that was indeed the name of the coffee shop. She laughed at how on the nose it was.

“I was.”

“Ladies, do you mind if I steal her away for a few minutes to show her my favorite places?”

“Actually, I was helping Daisy and Iris with some issues they’ve been having.” It was his turn to frown. Maya looked at him, then to Lily Ann, hoping he understood what she was saying. “Maybe tonight?”

As his face lit up with understanding, Maya linked arms with his two youngest sisters and began walking with them, giving Iris advice on the boy she’d been crushing on since third grade and taking a couple more turns around the park to give Cooper and Lily Ann plenty of time to talk.

Night painted the sky black, though the stars shone brightly against the dark, and Maya marveled at what she could see without light pollution. She bumped along in the passenger seat of Cooper’s old pickup truck, her fingers threaded through his as he took her to his favorite place in Oakridge Springs.

They’d spent most of the day in town, and she’d enjoyed seeing the dynamic between Cooper and his sisters. Lily Ann had opened up more after Cooper had talked to her, and Maya loved seeing their lively debates about which horse would win the jumping and racing competition the town held each year.

By the time they’d left, his sisters had been eager to get Maya’s number and visit her sometime soon.

She liked feeling like a big sister for once .

They pulled onto the grass off the narrow main road, and Maya’s eyes widened as they drove through some shrubs, then down a hill until they pulled next to a small watering hole.

“Did you bring me here to murder me?”

“Mm, not quite.”

He helped her out of the truck, then pulled blankets and pillows out of the back, setting up a little area to lie in the bed. Then he helped her into the bed, pulling her so she sat between his legs, her back against his chest.

Maya looked up, resting her head on his shoulder, taking in how brilliant the stars looked and breathing air that felt like real air, not the stale stuff she was used to in Los Angeles. “It’s beautiful.”

“It is. I’ve been wanting to bring you here since I realized we were comin’ to Tennessee.”

She turned her head, taking in his profile. “How’s Lily Ann?”

“Good. She was always the smartest of all of us, so I’m glad she wants to go to college. She’s gonna do great things.”

They sat together silently for a few minutes, staring up at the sky. Finally, Cooper murmured, “Something’s been on your mind since last night.”

Maya blew out a breath, not wanting to ruin their evening. But they needed to talk about it. “What your mom said. About how we’re going to handle doing distance and when we’ll be in the same place. ”

Cooper intertwined their fingers, resting his head on hers. “I don’t really have an answer right now, short of askin’ you to move to Charleston. Do you?”

“Coop…”

“I’m not askin’, sweetheart. Not yet at least.”

“It’s just…I just got the charity up and running, you know? I’ve made friends with people in the tennis world in LA, and now I’ve got my grandparents and my cousins. I have a community there now.” In the span of a few months, she’d gained so many close relationships in Los Angeles. And she’d put so much into the charity, she couldn’t abandon it now.

“I understand.”

Though his words were kind, she felt like she needed to explain further. “Plus, you’ve done so much for me, you know? I don’t think I’ll be comfortable moving in with you until that’s paid back. I feel like I’m already taking so much from you. And what would I do in Charleston?” She shook her head slightly. “I have to find a place where I can be reliant on myself. With this charity, I’ve done that.”

Cooper smoothed a hand over her hair, pulling her tighter to his chest. “You don’t have to explain. I understand. We’ll figure it out.”

Maya still felt something like anxiety and stress pulling at her chest. Not quite a panic attack, but nearly. To get out of her head, she asked, “How did it go with your parents this morning? ”

Meeting his father had been…interesting. His storming out was childish, and she thought her father would get along with him well. They could spend hours talking about all the ways they could guilt their children into doing things that benefitted them.

Cooper sighed. “Ma seems to understand, but my dad doesn’t.” He told her about the conversation, and just listening to his voice calmed her heartbeat and breathing enough.

“I’m really proud of you for getting that off your chest. Now it’s his turn—you’ve done all you can.”

“Yeah.” A beat, then two. “But I want to feel comfortable coming home. I want to hang out with the girls again. Maybe that’s just somethin’ we’ll do in Charleston instead.”

“Give your dad some time. He might come around when tensions aren’t so high.”

“Maybe.”

Maya turned, putting a knee on either side of him so that she straddled him. She took his face in her hands and kissed him slowly, softly. Pulling back, she placed his hat beside them, running her fingers through his hair. “I’ve realized over the last couple of months why you and Colton are such kindred spirits. I watched my dad place his dream on Colton’s shoulders as early as I can remember. And I see that same responsibility being placed on you. The expectation that you’ll take care of his dream. I know it’s hard to see it now, but life will be so much more fulfilling when you choose your dream. He might not be happy, but that’s his issue, not yours. ”

Cooper’s eyes flicked between hers. To lighten the mood, Maya moved against his hips, running her thumb over his bottom lip.

He groaned, grabbing her hips and stilling her. “Sweetheart, I’m still not deserv—”

“ Stop . If you don’t want to have sex, I can respect that completely. But I can’t listen to you tell me one more time that you have to hold back because of what everybody else thinks. The only person whose opinion should matter is mine. Not Colton’s. Not reporters. Not the rest of the world. Mine. And you don’t have to prove anything to me, Coop. I’ve never once believed that you aren’t worthy of me. And I never will.”

Something guttural left him, and then one of his hands was buried in her hair while he kissed her passionately, the other guiding her hips over his. She’d seen his bulge before, felt it even, but something about this was different. The dress she’d worn for the day was bunched at her hips, so all that was between them was his jeans and her panties.

Cooper groaned again. “Yes, yes.” He moved against her. “ Fuck yes,” he panted into her mouth. Maya smiled, warmth pooling in her belly at the noises he was making and the feel of him against her.

She kissed down his neck, pushing up his T-shirt to kiss down his chest to his stomach, which flexed at her touch. Before she touched the button of his jeans, she flicked her eyes up to his face. “Can I? ”

He was quiet for a moment. His hand came up to caress her cheek. “You’re gonna ruin me, aren’t you, sweetheart?”

“Only if you want me to,” she whispered.

“It’s all I want,” he whispered back.

Maya unbuckled his belt slowly, torturing him for making her wait so long. She ran a hand over the top of his jeans, and his whole body shifted. She unbuttoned, then unzipped his jeans, pulling them down with his boxers, and his dick bobbed as it came out.

Maya smiled, even though she knew she wouldn’t be able to take all of him. His balls were already tight, and she ran her fingers over them.

“Maya, please. I can’t… Please ,” he pleaded.

She licked the tip, tasting the salty bead of precum there. He gasped, hand fisting in her hair. “Only because you begged.”

She wrapped her lips around him and took him as best as she could, moving up and down and swirling her tongue. When he hit the back of her throat, he made a throaty noise she’d never heard from him, spurring her on. Up and down she sucked and moaned, adding a hand to his shaft as she moved. He mumbled praises, how pretty she looked taking his cock, how he loved hearing her moan, how good she made him feel.

It only took a few minutes before his mumbled praises turned incoherent, and the hand in her hair fisted tighter. “I’m gonna come. Oh, Mai, fuck .” When she didn’t pull away, he gasped, “You…don’t have to…keep goin’. ”

But she did, and though Maya had never been a fan of swallowing, the look of adoration in his eyes made her wonder if that would change.

He came, salty and warm in her mouth, and as his shaking subsided, he grabbed her chin. “I wanna see me on your tongue. Open up, sweetheart.” She listened. He used his thumb to swipe some along her lips, and he smiled at her. “Fuckin’ perfect. Now swallow.”

Maya licked her lips and listened again. Cooper pulled her up his body so she lay on top of him, kissing her passionately before flipping her onto her back. All words were lost when she saw the look on his face, the sky a beautiful canvas behind him.

“Did you have fun, sweetheart? If I reach down and touch you, let my tongue part you, will I find you dripping wet for me? Your pretty little cunt begging for me?” His hand ghosted over the top of her dress, down to the inside of her leg.

Not only were words a lost cause, but so was breathing, apparently. He placed a warm kiss to her jaw, then below her ear, then on her neck. His fingers moved softly over the flesh of her thigh, but he stopped when she didn’t respond. Gruffly, he said, “I’m gonna need you to answer so I know if I can bury my fingers inside of you like I’ve been wantin’ to for longer than you could possibly know.”

“I-I—” She gasped in a breath finally, her body already tingling at the thought of him inside of her. “Yes, Coop. Please. ”

He moved away and pointed one finger at her panties as he sucked the pointer and middle fingers of his other hand into his mouth. Then he said, “Off. Now.”

Maya ripped them down her legs, embarrassed that she was nearly panting for him. It’d been far too long, and even if it hadn’t, she just knew it was going to be so much better with Cooper.

He kissed her in short, warm bursts, only a little bit of tongue until she was ready to beg him to kiss her like he meant it. Right as she opened her mouth to try to form the words, his middle finger was rubbing her center, and her entire body was shuddering.

“ Oh ,” she moaned loudly. He circled her with slow, deliberate strokes as he pulled the neckline of her dress lower and sucked at the spot right above her breast, sure to leave a mark.

She quite liked the idea of that. Of being branded as his.

His finger moved slowly until he was sinking into her easily.

Cooper chuckled, pupils dilating further as he pulled back to look at what he’d done to her chest. “Guess I was right,” he said, nodding down to her wet pussy.

Were those the hottest words ever uttered in her presence? Probably. Her legs shook, and she sank lower into the pillows and blankets. He kept burying his finger in her, circling her clit with his thumb.

Maya was dizzy, drunk with pleasure, waves and waves rushing over her like the Los Angeles tide .

Just when she thought it couldn’t get any better, his sexy, stubbled face descended toward where he was touching her. He made eye contact with her and spit on her clit, his tongue slashing down over her in a way that had her body turning to jelly.

Cooper’s eyes crinkled at the corners just a little, a wicked light in them. “You okay?”

The best she could do was nod, especially as he sucked her into his mouth, eyes still locked on hers. He used one finger, then two, and she stretched around them deliciously. Her body twitched at the pleasure that rolled through her as he nipped and sucked at her most sensitive spot, his fingers curling until she was crying his name, her hands buried in his hair as she practically rode his face.

Thrilling was the only word that came to her through it all. Then, “Fuck, Coop, fuck .”

“Mm,” he moaned as he picked up the pace, like she was the tastiest meal he’d ever had. And suddenly she was hurtling toward that edge, his tongue traveling with her as she bucked against him a few times, blood rushing in her ears and the tingling of every cell in her body magnified.

Like the snap of a rubber band, she came all over his mouth, gasping and screaming until her body fell into a content hum. Cooper pulled away, licking his lips before shoving his two fingers into his mouth and sucking on them like he hadn’t gotten enough of her .

They stared at each other as she came down from the high, and when she could finally move again, she pulled him on top of her, wanting nothing more than to fall asleep with him under the stars.

He kissed her lips lovingly, reverently, before setting his head on her chest, making sure his body didn’t crush her beneath him, and joked, “Maybe there is some good in this town.”