by JoAnn Durgin
“Please be careful,” Amy said, feeling the strong urge to run to him, throw her arms around his neck and kiss him hard on the mouth. Instead, she sat and twisted her fingers together. “Please don’t do anything foolish. Come back to me, safe and sound.”
“I’ll do the best I can, little lady.” Stuffing his Stetson on his head, Cooper gave her a shaky grin and headed to the door. “Lock it behind me,” he said before departing.
After doing as he asked, she sank back onto the bed and lowered her head to her hands. Lord, this day has been . . . well, one of the most crazy, fun, adventurous, terrific days of my life. Please keep Cooper safe. Be with Tam tonight, wherever she is. Help her to realize her self-worth and not get involved with men in a way she shouldn’t. Help her to see how special and valued she is in Your eyes. Raising her head, she frowned. She knew her self-worth and yet she’d been tempted by a man. A pretty girl like Tam with no spiritual training with no one to really care about her? Her heart ached. Lord, I pray my words today will somehow reach her and she’ll seek You in her life. Help her, watch over her and my greatest prayer is that she might someday come to know You in a very special way and hold You close in her heart.
Thirty minutes later, Cooper blew back in the room. “Man, it’s wicked cold out there!”
She looked up from her position on the bed, startled. “Wicked?”
A puzzled expression crossed his face as he removed the Stetson and brushed snow from the shoulder of his jacket. “I thought you’d be more concerned about what happened instead of my choice of a word.”
Removing his jacket, he strolled across the floor and hung his Stetson over the knob on the side chair.
“Of course, I want to hear what happened. I’ve been praying since you left, but I didn’t expect to hear that particular word. It sounds . . . odd coming from a Texan.”
“I do business with a lot of northeasterners. Now do you want to know what happened?”
“Sure. I’m all ears. Sit. Talk.” She watched as he tugged off his boots and peeled off his socks. Mitch had a habit of smelling his socks, and she prayed Cooper didn’t share that disgusting practice. She blew out a sigh of relief when he dropped the socks over his boots. Climbing on the cot, he sat cross-legged and propped his elbows on his knees.
“Okay, so a guy and his brother were in a fight. Both pretty much drunk out of their minds. No guns involved. The night manager was the one with the gun. He shot it in the air a couple of times to get their attention and hollered for them to open the door. Then he burst in the room a few doors down from here. I waited outside until he yelled for me to come in and help. Thankfully the manager’s a bruiser in terms of size, but it still took both of us to haul the younger guy off his brother.”
“Do you know what they were fighting about?”
“Always thinking like a journalist, huh? Give you one guess.”
“Hmm . . . Let’s see. Which one has a bigger truck? Which one can hold the most beer? Has the most loyal dog? The best—”
“Come on. After three and a half guesses, you can do better than that.” When she didn’t speak for a few seconds, he quirked a brow and grinned. “Guess which one has the better looking girlfriend, and you’ve got it.”
“How old were these guys, anyway?”
He shrugged. “Twenty-something, I’d guess—the younger one, anyway.”
“And were the girlfriends in attendance at this little brawl?” Why that mattered, she didn’t know.
Pulling back the sheet and blanket, Cooper crawled beneath them. He stretched out and crossed his arms behind his head, emphasizing those distracting upper arm muscles. “Not supposed to ask that one.” His yawn was exaggerated.
She found it difficult to concentrate. “Why not?”
“Trust me when I say I would have won that little competition, hands-down.”
“But I’m not—”
He turned his head, and his eyes met hers. “Good night, Amy.”
“Cooper?”
He shifted and faced her again. Those sleepy eyes and disheveled hair mesmerized her. I’m a goner. “Yes?”
“That was a really brave thing you did tonight, helping keep the peace. You’re . . . well, you’re my hero.”
Cooper’s lips slid into an irresistible, sexy smile. “Why, shucks. Thank you kindly, ma’am.” He tipped an imaginary hat. “Tomorrow I’ll dig out my class ring and we can go steady.”
Amy’s mouth fell open. She turned her head, swallowing her memory of the hansom ride in Central Park with Landon when she’d said practically the same thing. Her heart rate escalated to a dangerous pace.
“Remember when I said I could very easily fall in love with you?”
“Ye—es,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady, but failing. “Kind of hard to forget.”
“Well,” he said, “it’s a whole lot easier than I thought.” With that, he turned his back to her and tucked the bed covers around him like a cocoon.
Those words silenced her. Knowing Cooper, he probably said it for that very purpose, stemming the possibility of anything else happening between them. After turning off the light, she snuggled under the sheets and closed her eyes tight. As if that would help. Of course, all she could think about were his sweet words, those fabulous, taut muscles, his sensitivity, generosity and protective instincts . . . those muscles. Fat chance of concentrating on anything else. You’d think I’d never seen an attractive man before. Punching her lumpy pillow to make it more agreeable by pounding it into submission, she finally rested her head.
Was that subdued laughter coming from the man on the cot? “Everything okay over there?”
“Everything’s fine,” she snipped. “See you in the morning.”
“Sweet dreams.”
Amy was aware he tossed and turned a bit during the long night because she did the same thing. She must have dozed some because she awakened with a start in the middle of the night. As her eyes adjusted to the moonlight filtering through the slightly-parted drapes, her gaze fell on him.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” His voice was thick and husky, hazy with sleep.
“Hey there,” she said. “Can’t sleep?” Both on their sides, they faced one another.
“Not really, which is surprising since I was bone tired when I crawled into bed last night.”
“Wanna trade? I don’t mind taking a turn with the cot.” Although it served its purpose, it couldn’t be comfortable. She hoped he wouldn’t wake up with a sore back later in the morning.
“A very sweet and generous offer, but no. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m generous to a fault.”
She laughed a little. “Humble, too. Maybe you should try the bathtub. I could make it real nice and cozy for you.”
“You look very pretty bathed with moonlight, Amy.”
“Good night. Try to get some rest. You need your beauty sleep.”
“Just talking a little Texan with an incredible woman.”
“Texan?” she repeated. “Should I ask?”
“Use your imagination and I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
Her heart skipped a beat. On the cot, he turned over, and she heard his soft chuckle. Closing her eyes, she knew she wouldn’t get much sleep. And this is why God gave us daydreams.
Chapter 29
Early in the morning, Landon finally gave up trying to sleep and slid out of the bed. Throwing on a hooded sweatshirt, he pocketed the key and headed out, determined to run off his frustrations and talk to the Lord. It wouldn’t absolve his guilt, but it would help expend excess energy and clear his head. After running five miles, he slowed to a jog and focused on praying about when to tell Amy the truth. He knew he had to do it today, but trusted the Lord to give him a clue when the time was right.
An hour later, freshly-showered, he pushed aside the heavy drapes to allow the first rays of sun into the room. Crossing the room, he sank onto the cot. Still asleep, Amy’s lips were parted and her hair partially covered her face. Beautiful. Sh
e was even more gorgeous in the glow of dawn. Walking over to the side of the bed, he brushed silky dark strands away from her cheeks. With his fingertips, he softly traced them down the length of her jaw to the curve of her neck with a light touch but enough to awaken her. Amy stirred and whispered, “Hmm. That feels good.”
He withdrew his hand. That hadn’t been his intention, but a thrill of satisfaction rushed through him.
“Do it again, please.”
Against his better judgment, he did as she asked. Her eyes opened and she gave him a look of relaxed contentment. He’d almost expected her to shoot upright and demand he get away from the bed, but the expression she wore now was much more of a threat in an entirely different way. Amy was the most tempting woman he’d ever met; her physical beauty was undeniable but she possessed a sweet innocence and purity of spirit that naturally drew him to her.
She yawned and stretched her arms high above her head, blinking hard a few times. “Did you really mean what you said last night, or was it a way to shut me up?”
“It was an effective way to prevent something from happening.”
“Thank you for protecting my virtue. You’re a very special person.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t think I was so special if you knew the thoughts in my head last night. I was awake half the night confessing to the Lord.” In more ways than one.
“My, but someone’s awfully honest in the light of morning.”
“Here’s honesty for you, Amy. You’re entirely too enticing in every single way.” Time to change the subject. “I’m going to be a good cowboy now and rustle up two strong cups of coffee and give you some privacy to get ready. Do you take anything in your coffee?”
It seemed to take her a moment to catch up after his little speech. Shaking her head, she stared at him with those wide eyes that looked greener than ever in the morning light. “How do you know I even like coffee?”
Hoping his expression didn’t resemble anything close to guilt, he cleared his throat even while his pulse escalated. “An assumption. Don’t all New York girls like coffee?”
“You’re right.” She giggled, and it went a long way toward making him feel more relaxed. “I crave it most mornings, actually, but I doctor it so much it’s not really coffee. Two creams and four sugars. Don’t forget your jacket.” She slid out of the bed, obviously not thinking about the fact she wasn’t wearing her robe. Crossing the room, she retrieved his jacket and held it out to him.
The light coming through the half-opened curtains revealed more than she could know. For his sanity and peace of mind, he needed to get out of there. Now. “I’ll be back in thirty minutes. Be sure and lock the door behind me.” Taking his jacket, he made sure his hand didn’t touch hers or it might spontaneously ignite. Mumbling his thanks, he shrugged into it, knowing he couldn’t get out of the room fast enough. Opening the door, he welcomed the cold rush of air and blew out a deep breath. He waited outside the door until he had the satisfaction of hearing the lock click in place.
~~**~~
“Here you go. Hope you don’t mind, but I went ahead and added the cream and sugar,” Cooper said.
Amy accepted the cup with a grateful smile and took a tentative sip. The hot liquid warmed her, and she wrinkled her nose as it slid down her throat. “Are you sure you didn’t put in four creamers and two sugars instead of the other way around? Not to sound ungrateful.”
“Um, yeah, maybe. Sorry. Call me a coffee dyslexic.” Cooper sat in the uncomfortable-looking chair by the small table, watching her through narrowed eyes as he sipped his coffee.
“That’s probably politically incorrect, but thanks for the morning humor. And the coffee.”
“Happy to oblige. Here,” he said, digging into the pocket of his bag. “Have a granola bar until we can stop somewhere for a meal later on.”
“Thanks.” She caught it when he tossed it to her. “I’m not that hungry, anyway. The chocolate cake last night was enough to tide me over.” Unwrapping the end, she nibbled it. “You know, this tastes a lot better than it should.”
He held up one hand. “Wait a second. You’re not allergic to anything, are you?”
“No allergies that I know of. Why?”
“We’ve had enough adventure lately, and I’m not sure where we can find the closest ER or a doctor. Just trying to keep us safe.” He waved his hand. “Carry on. Enjoy.”
She met his eyes with another grin. “You’re doing a great job of keeping me safe.”
“Yeah, well, I try.” He grunted and chewed off a big bite of his granola bar and they enjoyed a few minutes of companionable silence. “Ready to go after our little coffee break?” he asked, tossing the empty wrapper in the trash can under the table. When she crumpled her wrapper, he held up the can and she made a perfect basket. “Good aim.”
“Yeah, well, I try.” They shared a grin. “And yes, I’m all packed. Oh, you forgot your shampoo in the shower. Here.” Retrieving it from the top of her suitcase, she handed it to him.
“Thanks.” When he took it from her, their fingers touched. Never in her life had she felt what she’d consider anything more than static electricity from the touch of a man’s hand, but she felt his touch everywhere.
“Do you feel it?” She put her half-empty cup on the table.
Cooper cleared his throat. “I’d have to be deaf, dumb, blind, dyslexic and numb not to feel it.”
A grin curved her lips. “Stand up, please.”
Accepting her hand, he rose to his feet, but he wore an expression of skepticism. “I’m having a second déjà vu moment here in less than a minute. Something about this scene feels very familiar.”
“Need a reminder?” Amy pushed aside her conscience. She’d never acted this flirtatious, but she was enjoying every single second.
He chuckled under his breath. “Wow, you sure are a morning person, aren’t you?”
She shrugged. “I guess I am, but I never had the opportunity to find out before.”
“Glad to hear it, but I can’t. Sorry.”
“You can’t because you don’t want to?”
“Oh, I want to, trust me.”
She backed away. “Oh,” she groaned, dropping his hand. “I’m completely without shame. Might as well call me the TeamWork Tramp and get it over with. Please forgive me. I hope you know that I’ve never acted like this with any man before.”
Bringing her into the circle of his strong arms, Cooper’s nearness and warmth were overwhelming. Amy’s breath caught in her throat as she looked up at him, her sleepy gaze drinking in every detail of his freshly-scrubbed, smooth-shaven face. “You want to know why I can’t?” His eyes caressed her face, and unless she was mistaken, they were hungry with unspoken need. No man had ever looked at her this way, especially from such close proximity. His arms tightened around her, a good thing since she was melting again inside.
“Uh, huh. Please.”
“Because,” he said, “number one, my coffee breath is probably pretty disgusting. Second of all and most important? The way I feel right now, if I kiss you the way I want—and the way I think you’re asking—I won’t want to stop. I won’t stop. I know better than to start something we can’t finish. I respect you too much and I’m trying my best to be a strong man of honor here. But I have to say, sweetheart”—his slow smile easy and warm—“you make it difficult for a guy without trying. For the record, I meant what I said last night. I’m already dreading taking you to Houston and I won’t want to let you go, but as much as I’m enjoying this,” he said, pulling out of the embrace, “I have someone lined up to drive us into Austin. We need to get moving.”
“Well, why didn’t you say so?” Zipping her suitcase, Amy sat on the bed and started to tug on her boots. “That was quick work. How’d you find us a ride so soon?”
“When I stopped by the office to drop off the key, a woman named Jacinda was talking to the desk clerk and happened to mention she was headed into Austin. The clerk must have heard our story and all ab
out the ruckus last night, and she told Jacinda we might need a ride. She freely offered and considering she had a tattered New Testament sticking out of her top pocket, I figured we could trust her.” His smile was blinding. “The Lord is good on a cold December morning in Nowhereville, Texas.”
Amy shook her head. “It must be nice, everything coming to you so easy. And yes, the Lord is good.”
He grunted. “No illusions here. Not everything comes so easy. Besides, I figured I needed to come up with an idea to get us to Austin before you suggested hitchhiking with that pretty thumb of yours. Texas may be great for a number of things, but hitchhiking definitely isn’t one of them.” She laughed and he raised a brow. “You think I’m kidding?”
“I’d never suggest such a thing, especially here in Texas, but you’re misguided if you think my thumb’s pretty. That’s a new line. Last time I checked, hitchhiking was never a good idea.”
Cooper snorted and unzipped his case to toss his shampoo inside. “Ready to go?” Hoisting her bags and his overnight case, he headed to the door. Pulling it open, he stood aside, waiting.
“Yes, sir,” she said. Retrieving her purse and hanging bag, she followed.
~~**~~
An hour later, Amy sat sandwiched between Cooper in the front seat of a blue pickup truck driven by Jacinda, the sister-in-law of the best friend’s brother’s wife of the clerk in the small motel. She listened as they carried on a lively debate about freshwater versus saltwater fishing, but chose to remain silent since she couldn’t contribute anything. Cooper attempted to include her in the conversation, but then Jacinda raised another topic of which she knew nothing.
With a start, Amy blinked and looked out the window when Cooper gave her a gentle nudge. She must have dozed for a few minutes. Yawning, she sat up straighter.
Jacinda pulled the truck to a stop at the valet entrance of a stately hotel in downtown Austin. A bellman headed toward them with his cart and an eager smile. Grabbing his Stetson and stuffing it down on his head, Cooper opened the door and slid out of the truck. Not long after, the bellman wheeled the cart into the hotel with her bags, but Cooper held onto his suitcase.