Chasing Elliott - Published

chapter twenty one ... please stay

Aeipathy (n.)
an enduring and consuming passion.
———

Once the bar closed, the four of us made our way out to the parking lot. Cooper had his arm slung around my shoulders while Benjamin and Kingsley walked ahead of us with their hands intertwined. I smiled to myself as I glanced down at my feet which made Cooper squeeze my shoulder gently.

"What's on your mind, beautiful?" He asked as he brought us to a halt a couple feet away from his car. I watched as Benjamin opened the passenger door for Kingsley and she slid in with a smile on her face.

"Nothing," I said as I bit my lip and wrapped my arms around his waist. "I'm just happy."

"Good," Cooper whispered as he wrapped his arms around me and rested his forehead to mine. "That's all I can ever hope for."

I looked up into his eyes through my eyelashes and smiled but I noticed a conflicted look on his face. I pulled back slightly to get a better look at him and noticed his eyebrows were furrowed together causing some creases to form on his forehead.

"Are you okay?" I questioned quietly as I started rubbing one hand down his arm. Cooper sighed loudly as he ran a hand through his hair before stepping out of my grasp and grabbing my hand to pull me towards the car.

We stood there on the passenger side with my back pressed against the door while I stared up into his brown eyes. His hand that was on my shoulder now rested on the roof of the car as he stared at me intently. I cocked a brow and tilted my head slightly as I waited for him to speak.

"Can I ask you something?" Cooper implored as he bit his lip. I nodded as I swallowed the lump in my throat, growing slightly uncomfortable with his sudden seriousness. "Have you ever thought of being in a relationship?"

"Sometimes," I told him after I thought about it for a minute. "But not really. I just don't think I'm cut out for something like that."

"Why not?" He asked as his face fell. I sighed as I brought my arms up to wrap around his neck as he stayed bent down and I ran my hand through his hair.

"I tend to ruin every good thing in my life, Coop. The minute someone turns serious on me all I do is hurt them," I said sadly as I closed my eyes before the tears could fall.

"Do you think that could ever change? Like if the right person came along?" Cooper questioned as he moved a hand to brush some of the hair away from my face before cupping my chin to tilt my eyes back up to his.

"I don't want," I stopped and sighed in exasperation as I felt my eyes start to well up. "I don't want to hurt you."

Cooper grabbed my face between his hands and used his thumbs to brush away the tears that had fallen onto my cheeks before he pulled me firmly into his chest. I gripped his shirt tightly as he rubbed soothing circles on my back while his other hand cupped the back of my head.