Meagan (I Dare You Book 3) (7 page)

“So where does Rafe fit in?”

“He was their neighbor.” She smiled. “Rafe was Heidi and Nathan’s third. He actually got Nathan and Heidi back together after my cousin screwed it up. They were out on a date, my cousin didn’t like it, and he convinced him to bring Heidi to this club so he could serenade her.” She shook her head as if she were still in disbelief. “Anyway, Rafe agreed and Nathan followed through. It was incredibly sweet. It was later on Zoey entered the picture, and not only did she even them out, but she also became Rafe’s other half. It may not be traditional, but it works for them.”

“It does, and it’s a great story to hear. Thank you for sharing it with me, Meagan. Is that why you guys were talking about ‘spicing it up’ earlier?”

“You heard?”

She blushed, and he nodded. “I did hear their little toast, anyway, not the parts before that. Care to share?”

“I was telling them that I think I’m ready to get back out there. My love life has been through a rough patch for quite a while, and I’m thinking maybe I should take a chance again. What do you think, Coop? Should I find someone to spice it up with?”

“Well, that depends.” Coop rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, back and forth, caressing it.

“On?”

“It depends on what guy you decide to choose.” He watched her intently.

“I tell you what, you’ll be the first guy I come to when I decide to go for it, and I’ll let you know then who I choose to pursue it with. Do we have a deal?”

“Good enough for me.” He kissed her hand before he stood. “Well, Ms. Morales, as much as I love where this conversation is heading, and the lovely company that comes along with it, I do believe I’m needed back on stage now. Are you ready to get back to work?” He waited until she had everything she needed from the booth before leaving her again.

Meagan steadied herself against the table as she watched that perfect ass drift further and further away.

Chapter Six

“Ugh,” Meagan groaned and pulled up a chair to take the pressure off of her sore feet for a moment. “My feet are killing me. Do you ever get used to it?”

“Eventually.” Ashley laughed as she watched Meagan slip off her shoes and stretch her toes. “Soak your feet for a while when you get home, and you should be as good as new in no time. I used to do that often before I bought these extra padded insoles to put in my shoes.”

“Great advice, thanks. I’ll have to get a pair of those for myself, too.” Meagan slipped her shoes back on and hopped off the chair to help out. She began to tie up the garbage bags and pile them in the corner to get ready to take out to the bin in the back.

“So, you and Coop? Now that’s a much more interesting subject.” Ashley smirked.

“Me and Coop? I’m not really sure what you want me to say here.”

“You’ll open up when you’re ready. The two of you have been denying your attraction since the beginning, but tonight it looked like you were making progress.”

“I guess we are.” Meagan grinned and answered vaguely on purpose. Ashley and Cory had been in a similar holding pattern before he’d finally wised up a few weeks earlier, and they’d been in crazy in love ever since. But it was fun teasing her about it since she now found herself in the same position Ashley had started in. They’d become good friends since she’d begun work, though, so she knew she’d give in any moment and spill the beans.

“And…” her co-worker probed. “What kind of progress are we talking about here? Come on, give me something. Me and Cory are rooting for the two of you, you know. I mean, you’re definitely interested, right?”

“Definitely. I was actually telling Coop that I was ready for something more with someone and asked him if he thought I should do it.”

“You didn’t.” Ashley laughed. “Go on, do tell…”

“Then he said it depended on who I chose, so I told him that when I decided to make my move, he’d be the first to know about it.”

“Good for you.” Ashley patted her on the shoulder. “I’ll look forward to seeing how all of this plays out for you.”

“Me, too.” She agreed and bent down to grab a couple of bags. “I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, I’ll start lugging the garbage to the bins while you finish tidying up the rest so we could get out of here.”

“Sure thing. I’ll meet you out there in a minute or two. I’m just going to let the guys know were almost done here. It’s dark enough this time of the night, but back there can get a little creepy. In fact, why don’t you just wait a minute and I’ll get one of them to help us out?”

“Nonsense, it’ll only take me a minute.” She planned on leaving the door open anyway, so what was the worst that could happen?

“Fine.” Ashley feigned a pout as Meagan looked back.

“Oh, Ash, you know I love you, right?” Meagan chuckled, then turned back around and went out the back door.

The back alley really was a little creepy, especially at night. Only a dim shine from the light in the parking lot gave her a glimpse of the dumpster a few feet away. She carefully propped the door so it would stay open and proceeded down the steps to discard the heavy bags. Her heart raced as she made a dash for it and threw them over the dumpster so she could return before Ashley met her. Easy-peasy, right?

As soon as her body turned to go back, she slammed into something hard, and she cried out as she fell backwards on her ass.

“Get up, bitch.”

Her eyes widened, and she froze as recognition hit her. She recognized the voice almost immediately.
Shit!

“I said get the fuck up.” Greg reached down and yanked her forward so that she was pressed right against him. His grip tightened around her arms as he pulled her further into the dark corner and backed her against the wall. The dumpster partially hid them from view. “There now, isn’t this a little better?” He thrust his hips into her so she could feel his erection against her stomach.

“Why are you doing this to me?” She whimpered.

“Because you’re a fucking tease, and I don’t like the way you embarrassed me tonight in front of my friends.” His body pressed against her tighter, and he moved his grip to her wrists to pin them above her head.

Why me?

She could smell his rancid alcohol-laced breath as he spoke. When his hands began to explore her body, her fear turned into anger.
How dare he?
“I am not a tease. You’re just a fucking prick who can’t take no for an answer. I wasn’t interested. You just weren’t smart enough to take the hint.” She squirmed, and her attempts to break free of him didn’t work.

“I out smarted you now, though, haven’t I, you little bitch? I saw you in there tonight laughing it up with Nathan and Coop. Do you know that he shares his woman? Is that the way you are, too, Meagan, do you share yourself with Nathan and Coop? Well, I’m about to get my turn now.”

His hand yanked hard on her hair, and he pulled her head back to try and keep her still while the other one locked around her throat and began to squeeze it.

It was now or never. A time to escape or die trying.

Just then, the door to the bar creaked as Ashley brought out the rest of the garbage, and Meagan prayed she’d have the chance to warn her. “Meagan?”

Greg flinched and shifted himself as she struggled to breathe. “Not a fucking word,” he growled.

Meagan managed to move just enough to free her right leg, and with all the strength she could muster, she kneed him in the groin. He groaned and loosened his grip on her just enough so that she could take large gulps of air.

“Ashley, run,” Meagan squeaked and tried desperately to overstep Greg and into safety, but it wasn’t enough. He lunged for her throat again and knocked them both to the ground. Darkness threatened to consume her, and small lights flashed behind her eyelids.

“Coop! Cory!
Help
…” Ashley’s voice faded in the background as Meagan’s struggle continued.

No!
She tried to throw her leg up again. Only this time he was ready for it; he blocked her attempt. She tried to scramble away, to do anything she possibly could to create some distance, but it was worthless. She was at the mercy of a madman.

Meagan could feel all of the scrapes on her skin from the friction of the pavement. Pain in her head from falling, the marks he was leaving on her throat. Just as she was beginning to lose hope, she was finally freed.

She was pinned beneath him one minute, and in the next moment she was being lifted away. It was all so surreal, and she panicked again. “Relax, Meagan. It’s Cory, honey. I’m just going to bring you back to the bar with Ashley. You’re safe now. I’ve got you.”

“B-but Greg, h-he…”

“I know, honey. Shhh.” Cory rubbed the back of her head. “Coop and Brett have him covered until the police get here. Don’t worry, he’s not going unpunished for this.” The last part came out as a frustrated growl.

Meagan looked up and started to cry once she realized that even Cory wanted to go out there and kick his ass. Hell, she wanted to as well, and when Ashley’s shaking arms came around her as soon as Cory gently placed her in a chair, the reality of it hit her like a ton of bricks. That asshole had tried to rape her, could have killed her, and if it weren’t for these people right here, he might have succeeded. They’d come to her rescue again.

“God, Meagan, I was scared to death.” Ashley’s voice shook as she looked her over. “You look terrible.”

“Thanks, I feel it.”

“Cory, can you go get the first aid kit while we wait for the ambulance to get here? She’s got scrapes and bruises everywhere.” Ashley stood as Cory left the room and began to try to fix Meagan’s tangled hair.

“My throat hurts the most. How does it look?”

“Very red. I could almost make out his hand print. It’ll probably leave a good bruise.” She knelt in front of her and looked her over more thoroughly.

“Speaking of bruises,” Cory said. He handed Meagan a baggie filled with ice before he gave Ashley the first aid kit. “Why don’t you put this on your cheek? It’s red, too, and it looks a little puffy. The ice will help with the swelling.”

Meagan nodded. It hurt too much to speak anymore. Her crying started again, and she wanted to be alone.

But it didn’t work out that way.

The police and an ambulance arrived shortly after. They took her to the hospital first and then got a statement from her.

Coop stayed with her the whole time, supportive when she needed him to be and at a distance when she needed the same.

Ashley and Cory followed, calling a frantic Nathan and Heidi. As per hospital policy, she had a limited amount of visitors allowed to see her at one time, and it took everything to convince Nathan that she was all right enough for him to go on ahead home. Ashley and Cory took the hint and left with them when they were assured she would be okay as well.

But Coop stayed the whole time, and for that she was grateful. He’d saved her yet again, and it was him she wanted to be with anyway. So after careful observation and the doctors determining it was just a bunch of scrapes and bruises, she received her discharge in the morning later and followed him home at his insistence instead of going back to her own.

* * * *

Sunlight peeked through the curtains and landed on her face. The warm glow woke her up from sweet slumber, and she groaned as it all came flooding back to her.

“Morning.”

Meagan jumped at the sound of Coop’s voice and felt foolish afterward. “Hi,” she whispered, and immediately her hand went to her tender throat. “I hope it doesn’t look as bad as it feels.”

“Are you in pain?” He moved from the chair across the room and sat next to her on the bed out of concern.

“I’m okay, considering…” Meagan smiled shyly and looked away. “Thank you for making me feel so safe. You’ve come to my rescue time and again, with the job, your friendship, and then the other night. If you hadn’t ripped him off of me when you did—”

“Shh,” Coop silenced her by gently placing his finger against her lips. “You or Ashley are to never take the garbage out back again, you got it? You scared the shit out of me, Meagan.” He trembled as he reached out to pull her into a hug. “It’s over now, and thank God you’re okay.”

“Thank you.” She held onto him tighter. It felt good to be in his arms. She caressed the sides of his face. His plump lips beckoned her to taste him, and she went for it.

Meagan whimpered as soon as she felt them against her own. She needed this man, and Coop let her take the lead. She loved him for it because she was feeling vulnerable and needed the control, however small. She couldn’t help herself, and had to feel the person she felt safest with as close as possible. The same person she was falling in love with. She’d fantasized about this very moment several times over.

His mouth was firm, soft, and warm against her. Her lips lingered to savor his taste with a few pecks on the lips at first to make sure he wanted this as much as she had. Meagan took his groan as a surrender and went to move her body as close as she could get to his. She leaned back and pulled him down on top of her.

She slid her arms around his neck and threaded her fingers through his soft blond locks. Her tongue came out to trace his lips, and he parted for her. She pulled her tongue back and nipped his bottom lip before she sucked on it. “You’re driving me nuts, Meagan.” Coop groaned again. “And I’m going to really kiss you now before you kill me right here.”

This time, there was no going slow. She put everything she’d been holding back into their kiss. She wanted him and would leave no question in his mind as to the fact that she did. Her tongue caressed his. It was a silky, wet warmth of entanglement as they rubbed and tasted each other for the first time.

It was fireworks.

The butterflies in her stomach went haywire, as if an electrical current were flowing through him and into her. She wondered if he felt it, too.

Coop’s tender touch nearly undid her. He touched her as if she were the most precious gift in the world as he placed his hands along her jawline. His thumbs moved up and down across the side of her neck, and she winced once he hit a tender part of it. “Shit, Meagan, I’m so sorry.”

Oh no. No, no, no…

“Don’t be. Please don’t stop.” She reached for him again, but he sat up again and kept a safe distance between them. “Coop?”

Shit!
She felt like kicking herself for ruining the moment, and it had been such a good moment while it lasted. She bit her bottom lip to fight off the sting of rejection. It was ridiculous to feel that way, but still there regardless. He cursed again when a stray tear fell down her cheek.

“You know I’ve been dreaming about kissing you since the moment I laid eyes on you.” He smiled and stretched out onto the bed beside her, and then he reached out to do nothing more than hold her. She had her body nestled next to him and sighed as she laid her head against his chest, listening to the soothing sound of his beating heart while he held her.

“Then why didn’t you?”

“Because I knew you’d been burned, and I wasn’t sure you’d be ready for anything I was ready to give you. But I couldn’t let you walk out my door without knowing I could see you again, and it worked out perfectly that you needed a job and I had one available. I also knew I needed to go slow with you and that if you wanted me, I’d have to let you make the first move. I’m not sure how you feel, Meagan, or what place I’ll have in your life for sure, but I’d rather have you as a friend than nothing at all.”