Cooper & Lennon

“Well… Does she know who you went home with tonight?” He asked, raising a brow before his expression softened, “I mean. If she doesn’t… you could just not go home. You could stay here for a while. I’m not exactly poor. I have more money and shit than I’ll ever need for just myself.” He spoke, watching her face, “It doesn’t have to be permanent, either. If things don’t… go well between us or whatever, I can just help you get back on your feet, then you can go do you, but…” 

He took her hands, running his thumb over her knuckles as he looked at her hopefully, “Don’t go back to her. Don’t go back to all of that. Just. Stay here and try your hand at the kind of life the rest of us are living. Where sex isn’t a pre-cursor to theft, and you’re allowed to feel things like guilt, or… romantic attraction or whatever this is.” He let out a tiny chuckle, “Just stick around long enough to know what it’s like, then decide if the life you’re currently living is the kind you want to continue living. And if at any point you want out, then that’s your choice.” 

“Is it that easy?” She asked, her voice soft and uncertain. Her fingers curled into his, feeling hope and comfort in his touch. “Walk away and never look back?” she couldn’t help a soft little laugh. It sounded ridiculous, but she wanted it. “She’ll be in town for a few more days, unless she takes my absence to mean I’ve been arrested or something. If I run into her, it might be risky; I don’t know what she can do without outing herself, too. I don’t want to put you in the line of fire if things get messy...” Her grip tightened on his hands just a little. “But I want to stay. I want to at least try for something...normal.”

Someone as funny, and charming, and beautiful as Fiona shouldn’t be fucking around just to steal shit. She was worth far more than that, and whoever had convinced her otherwise needed to seriously fuck off. 

Letting out a long breath, James chose his words cautiously, making sure not too come off the wrong way as he approached the subject. 

“So… You came home with me… because you wanted to steal my stuff?” He asked, looking at her eyes for a moment before chewing at his bottom lip, “Look, Fi, I don’t want to sound like a dick… Because I really like you, so I’m just. Trying to kinda process this whole thing. But, uh… You really need to tell your mom to get a better hobby… Like fucking herself for starters.” He said, gently shaking his head, and looking at her sincerely.”If your mom is directing you to use your body for extra cash, that’s like the shittiest kind of parenting I’ve ever heard, and you definitely deserve better than that… You know that right?”  

“No, you’re right. She’s never been a good parent, but it’s how I grew up. I don’t think I’ve ever stayed in one place more than a week or so. She supported herself through similar means; even my brothers stole, though they...didn’t have to...y’know.” She motioned vaguely to herself; they weren’t using their bodies to get what they wanted in the same way. 

What a strange feeling; simultaneously, her heart fluttered and clenched all at once. “I want there to be.” She’d never expressed such a thing before in her life. “I’ve never had an option to stop... I don’t really know if I’ve ever wanted to. But I want to see...what this could turn into. I don’t know what to do though.” She ran her hand through her hair.

Usually when a girl was emotional about something on their first night together, it wasn’t a good sign. But something told him to hear her out, so he swallowed back his natural reaction, and gave a little nod. 

“I...shouldn’t still be here. It’s not how I do things.” She started, twisting her hands in her lap. “Out before the sun’s up. But...I like you. I mean, I don’t wanna sound weird, we just met and had a night together, I know, but...I don’t usually want to stay in bed with someone once it’s all said and done. See them in the morning. All that.” 

Another sigh heaved from her lips. “You were supposed to be a target. I’m a theif; under my mother’s direction, I..relieve people of excess wealth. Usually rich people looking for affairs. I’ve been doing it since I was sixteen. Get them to let their guard down, wear them out, get my due and get out before I’m caught.” The words spilled out and she knew it was probably too much to be putting on him when he’d just woken up but she didn’t know how to deal with guilt.

“It’s usually easy. They’re assholes, they just wanna take and I can justify what I do. Like I’m some kind of...fucked up prostitute, getting payment, even if they don’t intend it.” She grimaced briefly. “But something drew me to you tonight, and God, no one’s ever treated me the way you did. Even as much as you had to drink,” She forced herself to smile, teasing him a little. “You wanted to give me as much as you were taking, maybe even more. You actually made me feel...good. Met me on equal grounds. God, I’ve never felt guilty about what I’ve done before. Never liked anyone enough to feel guilty about it.” She ran a hand through her hair. 

When he heard his name, and blinked awake, slightly startled. “Shit, hm? What?” He wiped at his eyes hazily, his vision adjusting to the darkness to see the silhouette of the girl beside him.

Fiona. He sat up a little, and gave a little smile. 

“N-no, actually, I...need to admit something. Only, I’m...worried about what you’ll think of me...and this, when I do.” Her voice shook and she cursed mentally. Her confidence was shaken, and it was disorienting. She looked up at him through her lashes.

Butterflies. This is what all the fuss was about, huh? 

“Took you long enough,” he teased against her lips, stealing another kiss, before moving the comforter to cover her, and turning out the light. Once comfortably on his side, facing her, he pulled her back to his chest, one arm draped over her waist, the other slid beneath her pillow. Without a second thought, he pressed a kiss to the small space behind her ear, whispering a quiet, “Goodnight,” before he closed his eyes and let himself drift into an easy, happy, peaceful sleep. 

Unfortunately, it wasn’t as easy and full as his. She envied him that when her eyes dragged open a few hours later, an ache in her chest that had likely woken her. 

As gently and quietly as she could, she worked her way out of his arms, doing her best to keep from waking him. Sitting up, she looked over her shoulder at him, smiling small. What it must be like, to wake up beside someone, lazily, no obligations, no care in the world.

Heaving a sigh, she stood up quietly, tiptoeing out of the bedroom. Any other day, anyone else, her keen eye would’ve been scanning, searching for something valuable, something she could sneak away with. But not this time.

She wasn’t dressed; she should’ve been. She was empty handed, hesitating, mind reeling. She could go home, empty handed, face her mother. Make up some extravagant lie. They’d move on, like they always did, and she’d endure whatever punishment her mother deemed necessary. He would be none the wiser, and lose nothing. But she would likely never see him again. God, why did he have to make her want to see him again?

She could tell him the truth, and risk him turning her away anyway; no need to mention risking a long, extensive list of thefts being traced back to her and her mother. But her conscience, a creature long since buried under her upbringing, had reared itself and wouldn’t let her make him a victim too.

Once she had made her way to the bathroom, James took a breath for a second to gather his thoughts. He actually liked this girl. That was strange for him to begin with, but now that he was allowing himself to feel it, he tried to figure out the best way to act so he didn’t fuck this up like he usually did. Pulling on a pair of sweat pants, but leaving his chest bare, James padded from the bedroom to the kitchen to fill two glasses of water and grab some aspirin. He was still decently drunk, and he imagined she probably was too. Girls were totally into the thoughtful, caring thing still right? 

But the feeling stirring around in her chest wasn’t. It wasn’t natural, and it wasn’t easy. Part of it was guilt. James had, thus far, treated her far better than anyone she’d been with before. He even wanted her to stay, and that was almost unheard of.

So was her desire to stay.

Sighing to herself, she chuckled a little when she heard him calling her. She quickly finished her shower, grabbing a few towels to dry off. Leaving the towels half-folded, she wandered back out with a playful smirk. “Impatient, aren’t you?” She teased, grabbing the t-shirt he’d left and slipping it on, before climbing up the bed to him, kissing him softly. “One little spoon, reporting for duty.”

For once in her life, she actually wished she had the nerve to turn her back on her responsibilities, if it even possibly meant enjoying nights like this more often.

She blinked, drawn out of her thoughts when he leaned back, and chuckled quietly. “That you did,” She teased with a little gleam in her eye; she clearly didn’t mind. She simply lay there, sprawled out, and watched him for a moment before sliding to the end of the bed. She stood, legs trembling for a moment.

Pumping in and out of her a few more times, allowing her to ride out her orgasm, he knew he was done for, and if he didn’t pull out now, they could possibly have a whole different mess on their hands. 

A little gasp escaped against his skin when he pulled out, looking down to watch him coming. A small smirk toyed at the corner of her lip and she let out another quiet moan, because fuck it had never been so hot to watch before. Chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath, she tilted her head up lazily in time for him to lean in and kiss her again. She smiled against his mouth, running her fingertips over the welts she’d left on his back.

Fuck, he hadn’t felt this good in a long, long time. 

The minute her hands were free, they were on him. One buried into the hair at the base of his skull, the other grabbing at his back, nails scraping roughly against skin. His lips and teeth taunted her, but it was his voice, that purr in her ear that finally made her snap. 

It was easy enough to unfasten his slave’s bikini top, letting it drop to the floor, exposing her gorgeous breasts to his hungry, blue gaze. It was so damn convenient having a pet like this, to use and play with whenever he felt like it. He was determined to make her moan and scream so loud that the surrounding village would be able to hear. With a smirk, Tristan tugged down her bikini pants, letting them pool around her ankles so she was completely on show for him, naked and vulnerable, just how he liked her.

Even if she felt like she was sometimes. Warm skin exposed to the cool air, she shivered, biting her lip under his gaze. He always looked at her in a way that was both familiar and newly exhilarating; no one had made her feel so out of control before. Shifting against him, she disentangled her feet from the fabric and kicked them to the side, looking up to meet his eyes. 

The younger blond nodded, leading the way out of the coffee shop. His face broke out in a wide smile and he laughed slightly. “This is true. He’s still ridiculously extravagant. ….Or maybe I should say sextravagant.” He pushed the door open and held it for Tristan. “It’s just a few blocks walk this way,” he said, taking a right and walking. “So, why’d you come looking for us, Trissy?” 

He snorted slightly and shook his head. “I think both of those are correct. He’s just extravagant in every way.” He chuckled, stepping outside and blinking in the sunlight for a moment before turning to follow after Manny. Blinking at the question, he was silent for a moment. “Honestly? It just felt like something I had to do. Y’all have been like family for the last few years and, I mean...” He shrugged, taking a drink before continuing. “Maybe it’s some level of Stockholm where Kris is involved but, you guys are all I’ve got left.” 

He chuckled and nodded, “I’ll be overly stalkerish. I have no shame.” He took a sip of his coffee, wiping at his eyes. He hadn’t slept much since he’d left the island. His mind had been racing non stop. 

“I’m glad you’re safe, man…” He said finally, glancing over at Tristan with a tired smile, “We were all worried sick when you up and poofed.” 

“Yeah, I wish I could’ve done that differently.” He ran a hand through his hair, glancing over at him and returning the smile. “But it’s good to see you in one piece, too. Still hard to believe it’s all...actually over.”