She knew that none of this should've never happened. None of the kissing, touching, moaning should be happening. It should've never even started.

Cooper pulled away and looked into Kate's eyes. He brought a light to her life that was absent before. He saw a side of her that no one else had.

Kate dug her nails into Coop's back as he moved inside of her. No one else had gotten to her the way he did. He knew the way to touch her to make her beg for me.

She breathed his name against his neck before their lips connected in a sensual kiss. This is how it always was. Nothing about their lovemaking was rushed. They took their time exploring each other's bodies, their kisses long and slow.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kate could remember the first time she and Coop were together like it was yesterday. She was at Jake's drinking her sorrows away after another fight with Olivia about how Sonny should know that Dante is his son. She stood up to leave when she accidentally bumped into the guy in the stool next to her. She said her apologies but the guy wasn't buying it.

He was a big, burly man of about 300 pounds and was at least 6'8". Kate literally had to look up to him and she could feel her drunkenness slowly slipping away.

"So because your some uppity bimbo, you think you can just bump into us lesser folks?" the guy glared down at her.

"I... I didn't mean it. I'm sorry," Kate said, adverting her gaze.

"I'll show you sorry," the man said, raising his hand.

"The lady said she was sorry," a guy said as he walked up behind Kate. Kate turned and saw the most perfect pair of brown eyes.

"I don't care what she said," the guy bellowed.

"If you insist, I can arrest you for assault," the man said calmly. "Now leave before I call for backup."

Not wanting to face getting arrested, the man turned and left.

"Thanks for that," Kate said, turning to face her savor.

"It's just my job," the guy told her. "I was just leaving. Do you need a ride home?"

Kate nodded and followed him out.

"I never did get the name of my hero," Kate said as she sat in the guy's car.

"Coop. Cooper Barrett," he answered.

"Well Coop, I need to officially thank you for saving my ass tonight," Kate told him.

"Don't worry about it, Ms. Howard," Coop said.

"How did you know my name?" Kate asked him.

"My sisters and aunt read Couture religiously. You're a hard face to forget," Coop smiled at her. Kate could feel butterflies in her stomach as she looked at his smile.

"You really should let me thank you somehow," Kate insisted.

"There's no need."

"Yes there is. If it wasn't for you, who knows what would've happened."

"How about dinner then. My treat," Coop offered.

"Dinner sounds good," Kate smiled at him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Coop," Kate moaned as her body arched into his, his thrust bringing on her climax. Coop continued to thrust into her and his release soon followed. He rolled off of her and pulled her against his body.

"I love you," he whispered as he nuzzled her hair. A few tears escaped from her eyes as she thought about all she had been through. She deserved this, every second of being in the arms of the man who loved her for her. She had to allow herself to be loved and to love him back.

"I love you, too," she told him, believing for once in her life that she could love someone as much as they deserved. She never again had to lie about her true feelings for someone. What she had with Coop was all she ever wanted.

FIN