Page 26 of Peer & Coco

"Sure." She'd go anywhere to have an ear to listen to her sob story and help her figure out what she was supposed to do with Peer.

A few minutes later, they were settled on a bench, staring at the traffic going by on the street. Coco crossed her arms and her legs and blurted out what had happened last night. How Peer had swept her off her feet with the kiss he gave her.

"I really thought last night was our moment. It wasn't even that I knew we'd have sex. It was something more. I swear on my life, though the words weren't spoken, it was like this big confession of love in one freaking kiss." She shook her head. "I'm not saying this right and trust me, I know he's not saying he's falling in love with me. But I know him better than I've known any man. Peer can set aside his emotions for sex. I get that. But he wasn't doing that last night with me."

"Well, you've lived with him for a year." Lizzy sipped her coffee. "You know the good and the bad. It's been long enough that you have things that irritate you about him. You see all his bad habits."

"He's not perfect. I know that." She looked down at her cup. "But he's perfect for me. And, it's not just that we work together as a team so well. There's an attraction between us that drives me forward every day. I wake up, so I can go into the living room and see him and Tyr. I look forward to getting off work because I want to go home with him. You know me, I'm affectionate and touchy, and I find myself using excuses to touch him. When it gets to be too much, and I try and avoid him, then I turn around, and he's straightening my earring or coming up close when I have Tyr—granted he's playing with the baby, but he's touching me. I know he is, and not reacting to him is the hardest thing I've ever done. Then, last night, he was right there. Then, he wasn't."

"You're going insane," said Lizzy, nodding.

She lifted her hand and slapped it on her thigh. "Yes. I knew you'd understand."

"There's one thing I don't understand," said Lizzy softly. "What happened last night? I'm assuming something stopped you from finally sharing yourself with him and your feelings."

She pressed her lips together. To go into what happened, she'd need to divulge Peer's life, and even though it was Lizzy and she trusted her with her whole life, she couldn't betray Peer.

"I can't go into what happened, but I will say it wasn't my choice or Peer wanting to stop." She gazed at Lizzy, hoping she understood what she wasn't saying and would help her with what little information she'd given freely.

"Ah." Lizzy squeezed her hand. "Say no more. I get it. I think."

A car honked. She lifted her gaze, frustrated at all the interruptions. She wanted to purge her soul and show Peer everything she'd held back from him.

"I think you're going to have to have some patience with him." Lizzy leaned closer and nudged her shoulder against Coco. "It would be simple if it was only you and Peer. Add in Slag Motorcycle Club and a baby, and I'm afraid a relationship—even the steps to get there—are going to go slow."

"A year slow?" she muttered.

"Hanne's five months old. To me, it seems like I gave birth yesterday. I can't tell you what day it is or what I fed Roar last week, but I can tell you every little coo, smile, and dirty diaper Hanne has given me. It's the most wonderful time of my life and the craziest. The only thing that makes it possible, for me, is Roar is right there by my side experiencing the same thing. He understands that it's not always him I'm happy to see when he comes home but the fact that I get to close my eyes because he's there, and I know he'll watch the baby."

"You're saying Peer's on his own schedule because of Tyr?"

Lizzy nodded and holding her cup, tapped her hands together. "You two will come together when the timing is right. It all depends on if you're willing to wait."

"Absolutely." She inhaled deeply and blew out the air. "I can't lose him."

She drank her cold coffee to keep from blurting that Peer was thinking about running off to Norway and leaving the life he had built here. And, leaving her.

She might not have any option but to let him go, and if that happened, how would she go on?

She shifted on the bench and threw her arms around Lizzy. Without any question on what she was doing, Lizzy hugged her tightly. Sobs caught in her chest. She refused to let them out.

"I'm going to get you wet." Lizzy leaned back, holding her an arm's length away.

She followed Lizzy's pointed finger to the wet spot on the front of her shirt and burst out laughing. "Girl, I can't take you anywhere. Let's get you home, so you can feed that baby."

Lizzy linked her arm through Coco's and walked to the car. She came to get everything off her chest and receive advice, and although she kept most of the details secret, being with Lizzy helped tremendously.

Knowing someone listened, supported her, and only hoped for her to have the best was exactly what she needed. She headed home stronger than when she'd fled to protect her heart.