The Risks We Take Duet Box Set

67. Carys

CARYS

“ O h my God, Cooper.” My heart breaks wide open.

As long as I’ve known this man, being a SEAL has been his dream. I tighten my hold on him as I soak his shirt with my tears. “I’m so sorry.”

His hand runs over my hair and down my back. “I’m alive. That’s more than Linc got. I’m also walking, which is more than Trick can do right now.” He stiffens. “Don’t cry for me, Carys. I’ll be fine. But I’m fucking angry.”

I made it all worse, and I’m not sure if I can fix it.

But I refuse to stop trying.

“Cooper.” I look up at him, and there’s so much hurt staring back at me that I almost turn away... Almost. “Do you still love me?” The words come out careful and quiet. But I got them out, and that’s what matters.

“Carys.” His voice hangs heavy between us.

“It’s a yes or no answer, Coop. Tell me... Do you love me? Because I never stopped loving you. I don’t think I could if I tried.” I run my hands up his side, but he winces, and I immediately pull back.

Shit . His incision.

“It’s okay. It’s just sore.”

My fingers gently slide under his tee, pushing it up his hard body and then trace the outside of his bandage with a feather-soft touch. Careful not to get too close to the incision, I watch goosebumps breakout over his flesh at my touch.

“Come to bed with me, Cooper.” He lifts his brow in question, so I add, “Just to sleep. I promise I won’t try and take your virtue.” I smile but continue running my fingertips along his hot skin, reveling in the connection between us, no matter how small.

Baby steps.

When he doesn’t budge, I beg, “Please, Coop. Come to bed with me. We both need to sleep, and I’d feel safer with you next to me.” Okay , so it may have been a shitty move to play that card, but I don’t want this man, who’s only a few days out of the hospital, sleeping on the damn couch. And selfishly, I want to spend the night feeling him breathe.

I take a few steps forward and tug him behind me.

Cooper hasn’t answered me yet, but he follows behind until we get close to the couch. Then he pulls away, grabs his bag from the floor, and double-checks the locks.

I stand there, waiting, hopeful.

And when he comes back to me and presses his palm to the small of my back, the heat of his skin sears through my shirt, branding me in a way only he can.

We walk silently up the stairs, stopping when we pass Jack’s open door.

“Jack said you could crash in his room while he’s on tour, if you wanted to.” I peer into Jack’s room, wishing he hadn’t made the offer, but he did.

Cooper urges me forward with his hand, and we walk into my room instead, closing the door behind us. He drops his bag on the chair in the corner and checks the lock on the balcony doors, then pulls the sheer curtains closed. “You’ve got to be more careful until we know what’s going on, Carys. And being careful means you have to be vigilant.”

He might not be able to tell me he loves me, but I know he does.

It’s in his actions, even if it’s not in his words.

“Sorry. I’ll try.” I hit the light switch, leaving the room bathed in the moonlight filtering in through the curtains, and climb into bed. I lie on my side, watching Coop strip down to his boxers and remove his shirt, and another silent tear trails down my cheek.

His beautiful body is a kaleidoscope of colors, with fading bruises, healing cuts, and scrapes he’s quick to cover with a sheet once he slides into bed.

Instinctively, I reach out and trace the bruising over his chest, and Cooper stiffens momentarily. While I quietly hum what’s become my favorite song since the first time I sang it to him in this bed, his body relaxes beside mine. I lay my head down on the pillow, facing him, instead of draping myself over him like I wish I could, and just look. This beautiful man, who’s so strong and stubborn, has been through so much, and I can’t help but wish I could take away the pain.

“Thanks for taking care of me, Cooper.”

Coop lies on his back, staring at the ceiling. He doesn’t say anything, so I wait.

After a while, I turn away from him and curl up, trying to take the win of him being here next to me, even if ignoring his silence is hard. He’s here. That’s enough.

I’m not sure how much time passes, but as I finally feel myself drifting off to sleep, I hear Cooper whisper, “I’ll never stop loving you, Carys.”

I ’d planned on waking up early so I could get back to the hospital for Em, but setting an alarm must have slipped my mind last night. Gee... I wonder why.

What do they say about people who talk to themselves?

Oh right, it’s only bad when you start answering.

Oops.

That was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in months, and I have absolutely no doubt why. Even if the man himself is already up and out of bed.

I slide my hand across the cool sheets, wondering how long he’s been awake and where he is. Just then, the door to my bathroom opens, and steam billows into the room, answering my question.

Cooper steps through next, with one of my pale-pink, fluffy towels wrapped around his waist. His hair is wet, and a single droplet travels down his muscular chest and over the indents of his abs like I wish I could do with my tongue.

Holy hell. When was the last time I had an orgasm?

Because I think I’m about to spontaneously combust.

“See something you like, Carys?”

I slowly drag my eyes back up his body and sit up. “Nope. Not really.”

“Okay then.” He grabs his boxers from his bag and pulls them up his legs, before letting the towel drop, then snaps the waistband against his skin. “You want to head to the hospital soon?”

I desperately want to kiss the smirk off his smug face but remind myself two can play this game. With a plan in place, I hop off the bed. “Yup. Just let me shower first.” I turn my back to Cooper and pull my shirt over my head, leaving me clad in only my red-plaid cheeky panties. My hair hangs down, brushing against my shoulder blades as I turn just my head and toss him my shirt. It smacks him in the face and falls to the floor as he stands there, staring, while I walk into the bathroom.

A strangled groan sounds from the other side of the door as I close it.

I can’t help but be the one smirking now.

I’d say that’s one point to me.