Page 5 of Summer Nights (The Kingston Brothers #3)

Chapter Five

Ivy

As much as I wanted to enjoy the sexy interludes with Cooper, I couldn't help but feel like I was being incredibly reckless. I never got involved with someone as intense as him. I stuck with guys that were looking for a good time, more like his twin, Shepard.

Cooper had taken control of our interactions, and I was powerless to stop it.

I couldn't resist the way he handled me, easily lifting me and pressing me against the door.

With him, I was able to block out everything: my worries, concerns, and the niggling self-doubt that were never far from my consciousness.

It was like he was wrestling the demons from my soul while simultaneously giving me the most intense orgasms I'd ever experienced.

Even though fucking against a door wasn't intimate, I still felt oddly vulnerable when I was in his presence. It felt like my walls were flimsier than usual. Like he had X-ray vision and could see through my fortifications.

I intended to confront him when I opened the door, but he'd immediately pressed me against the nearest solid surface and had his way with me. I'd forgotten my good intentions and all my objections. I was sure that was his goal. Instead of using words, he used his body.

Not that I was complaining, but I needed to put a stop to whatever we were doing and soon. The only problem was, my body was constantly humming with desire now, and I needed my next Cooper fix. He'd primed me to crave what only he could give me.

It was completely unprofessional, and if anyone had walked in on us, that would be the end of my career. But so far, the houses were vacant and under contract, so no one was booking showings.

The riskier proposition was my heart. I had never let anyone in outside of family. My father didn't stick around long enough to meet me. Why would anyone else care about me?

That was the cruel reality of life. My friends might have had softer upbringings, but I couldn't ignore where I came from. It shaped who I was today.

I prided myself on being smart and making good decisions. But somehow, Cooper erased all of that. I needed to take back control of the situation somehow. But I still wanted him. It was so infuriating.

On Friday night, I went out with the girls, dancing to the music and enjoying the flirting of the men at the bar. But I hadn't felt a flutter of desire because Cooper wasn't there.

Now it was Saturday, and there was a possibility I'd see Cooper. He'd texted to say he was planning to play basketball with his brothers, and he was looking forward to seeing Duncan again. I didn't pass that message along to Duncan.

I knew what it was like to wish and hope for something and never have it happen. I dreamed of my father coming home and apologizing for not being there sooner. That he loved me and never wanted to leave.

But it was a dream, not reality. I'd never even met my father. But if he showed up now, I'd have a few choice words for him. None of them would be welcoming. I didn't need him then, and I certainly didn't need him now.

"Will Cooper be there?" Duncan asked from the back seat as we drove toward the park.

"I don't know. He works as a contractor, so he might have had to go in to work. Or something could have come up."

He looked out the window. "He's busy."

"It will be a nice surprise if he is here." As we pulled into the lot, Duncan pointed and said, "It looks like Cooper's here."

Sure enough, the lot contained a few Kingston Construction trucks.

"Hold up," I said, but he'd opened the door and jumped out before I could caution him. I waited for Rae to get out and took her water bottle from her. "Are you going to the playground?"

She nodded. "Yup."

"I'm going to check on your brother."

"Okay," she said as she ran into the fenced area that surrounded the playground. A few years ago, they'd added sunshades, so I didn't have to worry about her getting too hot.

I followed Duncan at a slower pace. He came to a halt at the edge of the court, watching the men play. Half weren't wearing shirts, and of course, that was always Cooper's team. It was ridiculous that men this hot would play shirtless to drive all the ladies in the vicinity crazy.

But only one man had my attention, Cooper Kingston. He ran up and down the court, his muscles straining as he jumped to block a shot and bunched as he recovered the rebound and tucked it into his side until the rest of the players ran down the court.

"I think they're still playing. You want to play on the playground until they're done?" I gestured toward the structure behind us.

"I want to watch."

I glanced over at the court where the teams were thundering toward us, the team wearing shirts passing the ball around, looking for an opening to shoot. "Okay."

I didn't want him to be disappointed if Cooper was too tired to help him after his game or had other plans. When the team scored, Cooper called for a time-out. The men moved off the court to the bench, grabbing water bottles to drink and squeeze water onto their heads.

I didn't think I'd survive it if Cooper drained his bottle over his head. I didn't need to be thinking about licking the droplets off his skin.

Cooper grinned as he headed in our direction, but his attention was on Duncan. "Hey, buddy. You here to play?"

Duncan nodded eagerly.

"We'll be done here in a few minutes if you want to stick around."

"Okay."

"Are you sure you have time?" I asked him, and Cooper's gaze lifted to meet mine.

"I've been looking forward to hanging out with Duncan all week," Cooper said to me evenly.

Shep approached. "What's going on?"

"This is my brother, Duncan. Duncan, this is Cooper's twin brother, Shepard."

Duncan's forehead wrinkled. "You don't look like twins."

"That's because we're fraternal. We were born at the same time, but we don't look alike," Cooper said.

Shep smacked Cooper's chest. "I'd hate to look like this guy."

Shep meant his comment to be flippant, but something crossed over Cooper's face. Did it bother him when he said things like that?

Cooper shook his head. "Let's finish up so I can hang out with Duncan."

Shep raised a brow. "You're not letting this guy teach you how to play basketball, are you? Everyone knows I'm the best in the family."

Cooper's jaw tightened. "Don't go anywhere. We're almost done here."

I was fairly sure Shepard couldn't say anything to convince Duncan to not spend time with Cooper. He'd gotten a taste of his attention and was hooked. I couldn't blame him because I was in danger of being hooked myself.

Shep was the more outgoing twin, demanding attention wherever he went, but Cooper was the one who intrigued me.

"I'm going to check on Rae. I'll be back," I said to Duncan, but he didn't take his eyes off the court. "Yeah, okay."

Duncan was starved for male attention. How had I not noticed that before?

I didn't have any such affliction growing up at my mother's.

I wanted to deflect men's attention. One or two of mom's boyfriends were interested in me, so much so that I took to locking my bedroom at night.

Nothing happened, but I hadn't felt safe in my space.

I shivered at the memory, even in the heat. After watching Rae play hide-and-seek with a few girls, I headed back to the court where the guys had left, and it was just Cooper and Duncan.

They were playing a one-on-one game. I sat on the bench, snapping a few pictures for Mom. I wasn't sure she'd be interested but figured, if I was Duncan's mother, I'd want the moment documented.

I hoped Duncan and Rae were having a better childhood than I was. I worked hard to make that a reality. But I wasn't always sure I succeeded.

I watched them play for a while, and when they took a break, Cooper came to stand in front of me.

I blocked the sun with a hand on my forehead.

"There's a summer basketball league. Duncan should join."

"How much is it?" I was always conscious of price. I could only pay for so many things behind Mom's back before I risked insulting her.

Cooper tilted his head as if he was thinking about it. "I think it's free. It's just two pick-up games a week on Wednesdays."

I chewed my lip. I'd need to figure out the times and whether I could pick him up around my work.

"I'll forward you the link."

"Can I play?" Duncan asked.

"We'll have to see when the games are and whether I can fit it in."

"If you need help, I can pick him up too."

I shook my head. "I couldn't ask you to do that," and I never would. Duncan and Rae were my responsibility.

"Please, Ivy," Duncan asked, and for a second, it felt like he could have replaced Ivy with the word Mom, and it would have held the same meaning.

"I'll see what we can figure out," I promised him. I wanted him to have all the opportunities the other kids had, and I knew firsthand how important sports could be. I'd played volleyball despite not having the money for camps and summer leagues.

Duncan grinned before taking the ball back onto the court and shooting.

"He loves playing basketball."

"I think he likes the attention more than anything."

Cooper's forehead creased. "What do you mean?"

"He doesn't have any male figures in his life. You're becoming important to him." My heart rate picked up. Duncan would be upset if Cooper lost interest in him. I knew it was only a matter of time before that happened.

"Are you worried about that?" Cooper asked, his voice low.

"I'm always worried about my brother and sister. I don't want them to get hurt."

Cooper shook his head. "I don't want to hurt him."

"I'd say then don't, but you're not his father. You don't owe him anything."

Cooper was quiet for so long I wasn't sure he was going to answer. "I know you don't expect much from people, and I think I know why. But not everyone is going to disappoint you."

"I'm talking about Duncan." I needed to deflect him because he was getting too close to the truth.

"Just because you experienced life a certain way doesn't mean that they will too."