Saving Each Other (BWWM Romance) (21 page)

“I don’t ever want you to cry, or hurt for that matter. Now here I am being a jackass and saying things that hurt you.”

He focused on her eyes waiting for a response.

“I’m fine, Cooper, I am really.” She reached up with her right hand and placed it over his and gave him a half smile.

The smile was his undoing; without thinking, he pressed his lips against hers, kissing her. He breathed in the scent of honeysuckle and let the kiss linger. The kiss held her shocked to the core as he turned her head to deepen it. He nibbled on her lower lip slightly before pulling away from her and letting his hands drop.

“Cooper, I don’t know…I mean what…“she could do nothing but stammer as she looked at him. “I need to head inside before… well, just because.”

She scurried toward the door of the house but not before she heard him say, “I’m not sorry, Faith.”

She waited as he moved towards her. He had a skill about managing to get to her in just the right time. He stood in front of her. She felt the cold of his belt buckle against her stomach and she waited for him as he undressed slowly. Neither of them said a word, simply waiting for the other to say or do something but they didn’t. He suddenly slid his hands into her hair and pulled her mouth to his, crushing and bruising her lips. They were flesh on flesh and neither of them knew what to say, only how to feel.

It was what they found comfort in and where they were most compatible. She didn’t need his words to comfort her, she only needed to feel her hands on his body. She reacted to his every movement, the heat radiating from him into her. He found her breasts in his hands and tugged playfully at her aching nipples as he kissed her neck, nibbling his way down her body. Nothing else mattered but the two of them right now. He left no part of her untouched as he loved her. It was different that time, more relaxed and slower than before. It was almost loving and deliberate.

“We should stop, Cooper.” She whispered it to him as his mouth continued to travel the length of her body.

“I can’t… not with you, Faith, I can't.” He moved his mouth on her then finding her most secret place. She arched her back once more as he loved her with his mouth, giving her the ultimate pleasure. She found release and she yelled it out as she felt him move up and push into her once more. He filled her completely. Had he been any larger, it would have been too much. She felt him moving and moaning her name. He found a rhythm and she moved with him. No matter what may happen next, they had each other and they had that moment. He climaxed with such force she shuddered with him. The two lay on the ground facing the sky, neither able to speak. Finally he raised up to tell her exactly what he was feeling.

“You can’t leave, Faith. I won’t know what to do if you’re gone. I have to figure out the issues with the estate and you…you keep me feeling normal.”

“What issues with the estate? You have Cynthia…can’t she fix that for you? I can't bee hooking up with someone who has a fiancée, it's not right.” She couldn’t keep the bitterness out of her voice.

“I don’t want Cynthia. I want to be with you. I will end things with her.” He sighed heavily as he pulled her close.

Chapter 11

Mrs. Robinson knew love more than anyone else. She had been very much in love with her husband and all the tensions flying around the house was making it difficult for her to concentrate. There was nothing left for her to do but address it once and for all. She moved with ease along the upper banister and made her way downstairs. Faith's physiotherapy had been working and she was making significant improvements every day. As she rounded the railing, she heard the gunshot ring out.

Faith could not remember a time in her life when she prayed so much. There were many situations in her childhood, of course. Going hungry or being picked on at school. More often than not, Faith prayed to be taken away. There were many times when she would sneak off to church on Wednesday nights, unbeknownst to her aunt. Church had been the only place where Faith knew she was right where she belonged. Since then, there had never been any place else where she felt like she was in the right place at the right time…until now. Cooper had been in the hospital for two weeks. He had been shot in the chest and because of the delicate location of the wound, he had been placed in a medically induced coma. The doctors were finally going to tell the family what the next step was.

“Linda, he will be okay.” Faith placed her hand on Linda’s shoulder.

“We don’t know that, Faith, I should have been there, I could have done something!” She threw herself into an overstuffed chair by the door and put her face in her hands.

Faith could certainly understand what she was feeling. They both loved him and were worried. Maybe it was the way Faith had hardened herself to tragedy because of her career that helped her hold up a little better. Whatever it was, Faith was grateful for it.

Linda sobbed for a few minutes more and looked up at Faith. “How do you know he will be okay? How do we know if we are even safe in this house?”

“He has to be Linda, he has to be…”she trailed off. “I have to have faith in that.”

Linda looked at Faith for a moment longer and sighed. “We are a mess, you and I, Faith, both loving him the way we do.” She hung her head down.

“I don’t love him Linda… there is…” Linda held her hand up to stop her mid-sentence.

“Don’t deny it, Faith, I already know and I have known for a long time. I’ve seen the way he is with you. Plus there was the garden.” She shrugged.

So Linda knew about the garden. Faith blushed from her neck into her hairline.

“I…I don’t know what to say, Linda.” Faith sat down on the chair adjacent to Linda. “I never planned anything and I have tried over and over to deny it. It doesn’t matter anyway, he is getting married to Cynthia Wilson.” Faith leaned back in the chair, exhausted.

“If he wakes up, Faith, I don’t think that wedding is going to happen.” Linda stood and gathered her stuff. “I can't be here anymore. All of this was just too much for me,” she said sadly. “You shouldn’t give up on him, Faith, he loves you back, I can tell in how he looks at you.” Linda left the room leaving Faith bewildered in the chair.

“How long have you been in love with my son?” Mrs. Robinson blurted it out, no better way than to be direct.

“What!” Faith was surprised and jolted out of her seat.

“Oh dear, I may be old but I’m not stupid. It’s apparent in every action and move you make.” She smiled slightly at Faith.

Faith knew better than to lie to her, it was obvious she knew much more than she let on.

“Probably the first time I walked in the front door.”

“I see.”

“Cooper is marrying Cynthia Wilson, he loves her.” Faith started to pick at the upholstery on the chair.

“Yes, Cynthia Wilson.” Mrs. Robinson frowned. “Exactly where has she been I wonder?”

“I know she has been working on some major movie deal in Hollywood, I called her when it happened and she hasn’t called back since. She is an interesting woman.” Faith looked up at her.

“Oh I imagine that she is. I look forward to that conversation that’s for sure... Cooper is so much like his father.” She sighed heavily.

“I can’t imagine him another way than who he is, but then I’ve only known him for a few months. He always seems stern but can be loving.” Faith said as she looked down.

Mrs. Robinson had noticed how she was acting, so there was a little romance going on. It was good to know.

“Well as a boy, Cooper was a good enough child, he loved family time and he worked hard. He was the apple of his father’s eye.

“He enjoyed getting dirty in the mud and had quite the collection of grubs and small pets in his room. Never a dull moment with him.” She paused, remembering. “Cooper changed over time; by the time he was 17 he had dated half the girls in the area, he was known by all the parents in the community, but not for good reason. He was a rake I suppose and never wanted to settle down. He found himself aligned with a group of boys who weren’t a good bunch. They got into trouble all the time and instead of taking things seriously, Cooper found himself getting arrested for a crime he had no part in, but had been present when it happened so he was equally guilty.”

“Oh my.” Faith was listening and hanging on every word. The more she learned about Cooper, the closer she felt to him.

“Oh yes, dear, it was quite the thing. Cooper was angry and rebellious, he refused to follow instruction and got probation for 6 months. When he came home, he was nothing like he had been. He was hard and angry.

“Cooper’s new attitude had made him shrewd and calculating. He was able to focus on the business and picked it up quickly. James was proud of him but they always seem to butt heads, both stubborn as mules and James would never tell him so. When we finally retired and moved, he left the business in Cooper’s hands, but their relationship was never like it had been. Cooper was dark and moody for long time and then they grew closer until they were inseparable. Until he died.”

“Cooper talks about him with such love.”

“Well then there is hope yet, my dear.” Mrs. Robinson patted Faith’s hand. “Tomorrow is a big day, dear. I would like you to join us when we go in to see the doctor, I think Cooper would like that. I have a feeling you’re very important to him.”

Elated, Faith stood up quickly “Oh thank you, Mrs. Robinson, thank you so very much.”

Chapter 12

All of that in such a short time and now Faith stood waiting for the doctor to come tell them something. Tell them he was going to be okay. Finally a tall man with thin hair came out and called for the “Robinson family.”

As Mrs. Robinson strolled past her, she watched her closely, thankful for her clarity these days. They made their way into the conference room. The room was stark white and had chairs grouped together on one side. Faith made her way to the one the furthest away.

“We have decided to slowly and gradually take Mr. Robinson out of the coma. His wound has healed nicely and I don’t think there will be any reason why he can’t breathe and function on his own. We started the process this morning and he should be waking up sometime this afternoon. We will still keep him sedated, he will be awake and talking, but I’m sure most of it will be incoherent. We will take him off more and more gradually over the next few days until he is only on pain medication and sleeping soundly on his own.”

She was the first to speak. “So does this mean he is fine, or he will be? What about brain function and all that? I’m no doctor, but being in this coma for two weeks now will that hurt him mentally?”

The doctor smiled. “Yes, he is showing brain activity and I believe he will be fine. He will just need time to recuperate and then he will be good as new.”

“Thank you, Doctor, thank you so much.” Mrs. Robinson shook his hand as they filed out of the room.

Good as new. He had said good as new. Faith decided to pray for Cooper as she sat there in the chair in the corner.

“Hello, Faith, what happened?” Linda was obviously on edge waiting to hear the results the doctor had given her. After she gave them the news, they all chatted for a few minutes and Faith gave Mrs. Robinson her afternoon medication. She asked Linda if she’d like to join them.

“Oh no, I wouldn’t be even a little comfortable with them, Faith. It just doesn’t suit me. I’m quiet and wouldn’t even know what to talk to them about.” She was cleaning up the tray as she said it.

“Is that why you have not come to dinner? I’ve missed having you there, Linda. This is your home as much as anyone else’s you know.” She stopped Linda from working and Linda looked up at her and blushed.

“I know, Faith, and I appreciate you asking I really do, I’ve just been busy is all, that’s why I haven’t been there. I've  been seeing someone, he can be very insistent on things that’s all.” She went back to straightening up.

“I hope you’re being careful, Linda, I’m here if you want to talk you know? I know we had that talk the other day I hope it doesn’t change anything...”

“Oh no, not at all, Faith. We are fine.” She interrupted Faith mid-sentence. “I’m being careful and we will have to have a sit down about it soon, I promise.”

“Okay then, well maybe I’ll just pass on lunch too. I feel like I’ve been putting so much extra work on you since this all happened with Mr. Robinson.” Faith made a move to empty the trash by the bed.

Chapter 13

Faith and Mrs. Robinson went to the café around the corner. Faith had never been there but she had always heard great things about it. They enjoyed a lunch of Caesar salad and tea as well as lemon cakes for dessert. Stuffed, Faith sat back in her chair. “I don’t think I’ve eaten a regular meal since Cooper was shot. I certainly made up for that didn’t I?” She laughed.