PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 02, 2021
❝ Your life is your own. Don't waste it trying to be what others expect you to be. Don't sacrifice your happiness to make everybody happy. Don't give up on your dreams to build other people's dreams. Your life is your own...
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Mudita (n.) taking delight in the happiness of others, vicarious joy. ———
Cooper and I walked hand in hand out of the shelter over to my car. Stopping in front of it, I sighed as I ran a hand down my face and rested my forehead against his chest.
"You'd think this would get easier," I mumbled as I pulled away and looked up at him. Cooper smiled weakly and cupped my face in his hands before pressing a quick kiss to my forehead.
"Not at all, baby," he said softly as he gave me a weak smile. "You have such a big heart."
Shaking my head as a smile started to form on my face, I spun on my heel and walked toward the driver side. Slipping in, I quickly started up the engine and pulled out of the lot. Cooper reached for my hand and gave it a soft squeeze before he turned up the radio and started to sing loudly, causing me to laugh.
A while later when we pulled into the lot outside of his apartment building, I turned off the car and turned to look at him. He raised an eyebrow at me but remained quiet, waiting for me to speak.
"I know the other night you had said that you respected me more than that and that I was more than that when you stopped anything from happening but I have to ask," I rushed out as I trailed off. "What exactly did you mean by that?"
"El," Cooper said softly as he now held both of my hands in his. "Your entire life you've had men all over you and sleeping with you and none of them cared to get to know you. But I have and honestly, I'd love nothing more than to have sex with you and show you how a real man does it."
I burst out laughing as I shook my head at him, rolling my eyes while I bit my lip. Cooper gave me a coy smile as I cocked a brow at him, waiting for him to continue.
"For real though, I just want it to be something that happens more than once and I pictured it going differently in my head so I just want to wait for the perfect moment. I want you to want me for more than just one night."
"I already do," I told him softly as I looked up at him with a small smile. Cooper's eyes softened and next thing I knew, my face was in his hands as he kissed me passionately. I gripped his bicep as I deepened the kiss but just as quickly as it started, he pulled away.
"I'm so happy to hear that," Cooper mumbled as he rested his forehead to mine. "Maybe this won't take as long as you think."
Before I could comment on it, he opened up the passenger door and slid out to walk toward his apartment building. Flustered, I opened up the car door and stood up, one foot still in the car while the other braced the pavement.
"How long exactly?" I called out after him as I bit my lip to suppress my smile. Cooper turned around and flashed me a brilliant smile as he winked before he dipped into his building without a word.
