Noah didn’t reply to that. He wasn’t sure what to say. He could usually tell when someone swung his way, and he’d had no idea about Braden. And Wes had given Noah his number that first night, even after he’d pretty much kicked him out because of Coop. If he’d wanted Braden to have his number, he would have given it to him.

“I’m tired.” Cooper rubbed a hand over his forehead before licking his lips. “I’m going to go shower. I’ll be back in a few.”

When he walked by Noah, he grabbed his wrist. “Come here.”

Cooper’s blue eyes held a stormy haze, sadness and thought. Still, he came easily, bending toward Noah so he could take his mouth. Noah kissed him slowly, teased Cooper’s lips with his tongue before delving inside. Cooper moaned into his mouth before their tongues dueled.

When Noah pulled away, Cooper leaned his forehead against Noah’s. “I needed that.”

“There’s more where that came from. Go take your shower. I’ll be here when you get back.” His already throbbing erection begged him to go follow Cooper upstairs. To join him in the shower and show him exactly what he needed, but more than that, he knew his friend…his lover… He knew Coop needed some space right now. Otherwise he wouldn’t be going upstairs to shower, when he’d obviously had one at work.

When Noah let go of Cooper’s hand, the other man walked away. Christ, he was in over his fucking head here. Noah wouldn’t put a word to the emotion spreading through his chest but he knew it was there. It had always been there, because he’d always cared about Coop in ways he didn’t anyone else. But now? Now it pulsed through his veins, giving life to his lungs.
He’d never really had to fight to hold his emotions in check before. Noah knew what he wanted out of life. He wanted companionship, loyalty, and incredible sex. Interspersed with that, was his need to keep that cage around his heart. It had always come easily to him, but then, he’d never been with Coop before either.

“Hey, you in there, man? I asked if you wanted a beer.” Cooper’s hand came down on his shoulder.

“Nah, I’m good.”

“Yeah…me neither.” Cooper stood beside him, freshly showered in a pair of low-slung shorts with no shirt. Noah’s watched those sinewy muscles move as the other man stretched. Fuck, he was sexy as hell.

“The place looks good. I feel like shit that you’re out here working on my house without me.” Coop’s eyes didn’t veer Noah’s way.

“Keeps me busy. I miss working with my hands. I miss making things. I need to figure this shit out before I go crazy.”

At that, Cooper turned, peering over his shoulder at Noah with a sexy as sin smile on his face. There he was. The storm in his eyes had been washed away. “I got something to show you.”

“What is it?” Noah crossed his arms.

“Get off your lazy ass and come see.” Coop took the few stairs leading off the deck. Curious, Noah stood and followed, as Cooper walked around the side of the house. He headed toward the edge of his property, to that old building he’d spent so much time in, alone.

“I had an electrician come and check everything out before I started.” Coop’s feet crunched in the leaves that had just begun to fall. “He had to make a few upgrades, but nothing major.”

A surge of energy zipped through Noah. Had Cooper done what he thought he had?

Before he could ask, Cooper unlocked the door. He stepped inside, with Noah right on his heels. “I didn’t know exactly how you’d want things set up. I guess I should have asked but… fuck, I’m not even sure if I knew what I was doing this for, when I started.”

Noah cased the room with his eyes. The freshly sanded counters, the benches. A few cabinets that looked like they’d been newly painted, hung on one of the walls, with another, unfinished set on the ground that needed to go up.

Cooper had even thought to put a sawhorse and racks for tools. Yeah…he was really fucking lost over his man.

“It’s not perfect, and I know it still needs some work. It’s not a store, but it’s yours if you want it. It gives you a place to get back to, work at home… Or hell, make all your stuff here. Then you can check into that shop in town we saw. It might be a hassle hauling stuff back and forth, but we have my truck. You can use it whenever you need.”

Each of Cooper’s words did two things to Noah: made his cock hard, and made that feeling in his chest, the one he didn’t want to name, expand and grow until it damn near took him over.