“Can I sit with you?”
She nodded.
I took a seat beside her on the couch and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Hailey sighed but didn’t look at me. “Nothing.”
“Nothing my ass. Is it something that I did?” When she hesitated,” Please, you can talk to me.”
She looked up at me. “I don’t even know you.”
“Well, we get to know each other by talking to each other,” I said a matter-of-factly.
“True,” she replied slowly.
I sensed a “but.”
“But,” I prodded for her to continue.
“But I don’t see the point of us getting to know each other better. We are from two different worlds,” she informed me, frowning.
“Two different worlds?” I repeated. “Not necessarily.”
She wrinkled her brow. “What does ‘not necessarily’ mean?” she asked.
“We both live on Earth. The same world.” I tried to joke but she wasn’t having it.
She just looked at me and sighed a deep, long sigh and then looked back to the fire and sipped on her wine. I wasn’t getting anywhere with her. I wasn’t used to a woman not falling into my arms if I wanted her to.
This was perplexing. I had to take another angle.
“Okay. Can we just hang out and talk like friends? It’s alright to be friends, right?” I asked.
I needed to start somewhere. If I could just get her to lighten up some...
She looked at me. I gave her my best “let’s be friends smile.” Finally, I got a small smile out of her.
“Okay,” she agreed.
“Thank, God. I need a beer. Please, come back to the bar with me?” I asked her.
To my astonishment, Hailey agreed. “I could use another glass of wine before all the guests start to stare at me again,” she commented.
“Oh, geeze,” I said. “Hailey. Okay, I have to agree with you there. They do come from a different world. But, please, don’t judge me from the way they are acting. That’s not me.” I promised, referring to everyone else in the dining room.
She nodded at me.
“Give me a chance to show you. As friends,” I made sure to add.
“Alright,” she agreed.
I wanted to take her by the arm as a man should their woman, but she made it clear that she was uncomfortable with me, so I didn’t want to force it. Instead, I waved my hand and said, “After you.”
I followed Hailey to the bar, and we took two of the stools. I was horrified to see that several of the bridesmaids were also at the bar, so I turned to face Hailey. I prayed that they would get the hint and stay out of our conversation.
I was never so unlucky.
“So, who's this, Cooper?” Elsie asked. “Isn’t she one of the Wedding Planners?”
The way she said “wedding planner” was to put Hailey down.
“Why yes, this is Hailey. Hailey. Elsie. Hailey is one of the finest Wedding Planners in the country. That’s why my mom selected her,” I informed Elsie with a very serious face.
Elsie just looked at Hailey. Her eyes went up and down. Hailey nodded at the introduction because that’s what polite people do.
I rolled my eyes at Elsie and turned back to Hailey. Hailey saw me do it and giggled. I knew that Elsie was pissed off right now and the thought made me smile.
Until I saw her walk straight over to my mother. Fuck.
The music was playing a waltz and many of the couples were dancing. To take both of our minds off of the shitty situation that my family was causing us, I asked Hailey to dance with me.
“Please?” I almost begged her when she shook her head no. “Let’s have some fun. Forget about them.”
I saw Hailey contemplating if she should be bold enough to dance with me or not.
I raised my eyes at her. “Come on,” I repeated, getting up to take her hand.
To my surprise, she put her delicate hand in mine and allowed me to walk her to the dancefloor. I lead Hailey right to the center of the floor and put my arm around her waist. My other hand grasped on to hers and we began to twirl about the floor.
We put on a show. I was happy to learn that she was a wonderful dancer. Let them watch us now, I thought and grinned at Hailey. She was smiling too.
Hailey
All eyes were on us as Cooper and I waltzed around the dance floor. And this time around, I didn’t care. Cooper was a breath-taking dancer, and I was loving every second of it.
I had taken dance lessons as a child. I’d started off in tap, as most kids did. But then I had moved on to ballet and then on to ballroom as I’d gotten older. I never considered dancing professionally; I just loved to dance.
And now, I saw that Cooper enjoyed dancing as much as I did. How perfect this is, I was thinking as he twirled me around the dance floor.
After the waltz, came on the Tango. Cooper gave me questioning look and I nodded, yes.
We gracefully moved into the Tango, sensually moving about the dancefloor. Some people were cheering us on. I was sure it was the Hunters and not Cooper’s family.
My eyes stayed locked onto my partner's sexy blue gaze. I didn’t have time to worry about the other guests as our bodies moved to the music in unison.
But I knew that they were all watching.
And judging me.
And somehow, as Cooper and I put on our show, I was loving their judgement and envy. I’d never had a feeling like it before.
I felt utter exhilaration.
After the dance, the DJ played more of a slow song. This time, Cooper didn’t ask. He pulled me to him and held me close. I let him, partly out of exhaustion and partly because I was actually enjoying my time with him now. Being close to such a handsome man was very enjoyable.
I laid my head on his shoulder and he hugged me close as we slow danced to the music. We were both breathing heavily from the Tango and our breaths slowed and became one.
When the song ended, I looked up at Cooper and smiled. He was giving me a sensuous smile in return.
I wanted to tell him what a lovely time I was having, but the rest of the room slowly began to unfold in front of me and I became aware of all the envious stares once again.
“Thanks for the dance. It was perfect,” Cooper whispered.
“It was,” I whispered in agreement.
“Let’s get a drink,” he suggested.
“Okay. I could use a drink.”
Cooper took me by the hand and led me back to the bar. I let him hold my hand. As we were waiting on drinks, Congresswoman Stone came up to the bar.
“Miss Voortman, what a fine dancer you are. Who would have known?” she commented.
“Thank you, Congresswoman Stone,” I replied. I wasn’t sure if she was actually complimenting me or being sarcastic.
I didn’t have a chance to find out because she told Cooper that she needed to talk to him in the other room. It was of an “urgent” matter, as she had put it.
Cooper sighed and turned to me. “Please don’t move. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay,” I agreed.
“Promise me?” he pleaded.
“Promise.”
“Cooper,” his mother called him impatiently.
He gave me a quick, embarrassed smile and turned to follow her.
“What was that all about?” I turned to see Oakley standing beside me.
“I think that the Congresswoman is mad at Cooper for dancing with me,” I confided in Oakley.
“Hmm,” she said, shaking her head. “You two looked wonderful out there, by the way. So elegant. I think that you have finally found the dance partner that you’ve been searching for. Don’t let her get to you.”
I smiled a thank you to Oakley. She really was a good friend to me.
She smiled back and sipped on her beer.
“How are things going between you and Dax?” I asked. Then added, “You two look really happy together.”
“I’m not going to speak for Dax
, but I am super happy. As happy as can be,” she said grinning ear to ear.
“I’m pretty sure that Dax is just as happy. It shows every time he looks at you,” I told Oakley.
Her grin got wider when I told her that.
After a long ten minutes, Cooper came back. I could tell that he was upset from the way he was walking. He usually stood tall and walked with long, confident strides. Now, he was looking at the floor and taking his time.
He reached his stool beside mine but didn’t sit. Instead, he reached for his beer and emptied it in several long gulps. Then, he ordered another beer and guzzled it down, as well.
Finally, he set down the empty bottle and turned to look at me.
His bright blue eyes had a sadness to them. And anger, as well. I could see all of his emotions play right through his eyes as he was thinking of what to say to me.
He took a deep breath and shook his head.
“What did she say?” I asked.
I didn’t want to ask, but he wasn’t telling me anything and I wanted to know where I stood in his mother’s eyes.
“She said all kinds of nonsense,” he began. “Have you ever had someone in your life who thinks that they know what’s best for you? But, really, when it comes down to it, they don’t even know you?” he asked me.
I nodded.
“Well, that’s my mother,” he said.
I wasn’t sure how exactly I looked at him, but I watched as a look of worry flashed in his eyes.
“Please, don’t go back into your shell. I had to listen to her bullshit but that’s all it was. Bullshit. I told her to back off and that I can make my own choices. And that’s just what I’m going to do,” he informed mem his eyes taking on a determined gleam.
I didn’t know what to say. So much emotion was running through Cooper right now. But when it came down to it, he’d defended me to his mother.
Cooper wore his emotions on his sleeve. And I knew that whatever she had said to him about me, it had made Cooper angry.
I could feel his protective nature of me seeping from his pores.
I was grateful. It made me happy. And, when I smiled, Cooper finally smiled, too.
I realized then that I should give him a chance.
Cooper
My mother had really stepped over the line tonight. I almost couldn’t believe that she had had the nerve to tell me to stay away from Hailey. Almost. Though my mother tried her best to put out the impression that she was “every woman”, she was most assuredly not. Her dinners with her own staff were shows. They were strategically planted setups for later sound bites for her future campaigns.
“Miss Voortman is hired help. You are a Stone. We don’t hobnob with the help,” she said matter-of-factly.
“Hobnob? Mom, seriously?” I’d asked disgusted with the conversation.
She nodded.
“Hailey is a beautiful, polite, smart woman. I won’t stay away from her,” I informed my mother.
My mom frowned deeply. “Miss Voortman is a standard below us. You will not embarrass me by socializing with her. I mean it, Cooper.”
“A standard below us? As in she’s not good enough for me?” I was starting to get angry.
“You said it. Not me,” Mother replied.
“But that’s what you meant by a ‘standard below us.”
“Cooper, we have to maintain our high standards. There are plenty of our kind of nice girls for you to spend your time with. I won’t have you fraternizing with the hired help!” she’d practically yelled at me.
Like I was a little child.
“Mother, I am a thirty-year-old man. You will not tell me who I can and cannot spend my time with.”
She gave me a dirty look.
“You might be a man, Cooper. But you are still my child and you will obey my wishes. I am a public figure, and as so, our family is under extra scrutiny. I expect you to cut ties with her and stop this foolishness,” my mother commanded me.
Foolishness!
“I will not. I like Hailey. She’s ten times above standard of any of your so-called, high-class bitches,” I yelled back.
Her face expressed utter shock. “How dare you talk to your mother in that tone?” she snarled at me. “Cooper, I’m warning you.”
“Warning me? What if I don’t ‘cut ties’ with Hailey. What are you going to do to me? Disown me? Go right ahead,” I retorted and walked away from her.
“Cooper! Cooper, you get back here right this instant. This conversation is not over.”
“It’s over, Mother,” I told her and went back to find Hailey.
What nerve! I couldn’t believe that she would say those things to me! I was beyond angry. And this was the last time that she would ever say those awful things to me about Hailey.
I promised myself.
Hailey took the news better than I had thought. I didn’t want to tell her exactly what my mom had said, but she got the gist of it. I was relieved when she didn’t get up and walk away from me.
I stuck like glue to Hailey for the rest of the evening. My mom had sent over several of her “nice ladies’ to try and get between us. I knew it was going to happen, so I warned Hailey about it.
Even though it pissed me the fuck off, Hailey seemed to get some amusement out of it. It made me like her even more. I needed to get this wonderful girl alone somehow.
I thought that the stupid party would never end. Thankfully, my brother and Bethany announced their retirement. The morning would come early, and Bethany needed her beauty sleep, as she put it.
Thank God for beauty sleep.
As everyone left, I saw my mother and father waiting for me at the doorway. Slowly only Brad, Cole, Dax, Oakley, Hailey, and I remained in the room. Someone turned the lights back on and it was time for cleanup.
There was no way that I was leaving with my mom and dad. Finally, after long minutes, they got the hint. With one last scowl from my mother, they turned to leave.
I wanted to spend more time with Hailey. So, as I suggested earlier, I helped to clean up from the nights’ event and to set up for the ceremony formal lunch the next day.
Hailey moved right into step to get the transformation done. I was impressed with her organization and motivation skills to get it done perfectly. I had never thought about the effort of “planning” a party of this magnitude.
When we finished, I asked her, “Come to my cabin for a while. For a nightcap. Maybe a movie. I want to spend some more time with you.” I asked Hailey.
I half expected her to say no. Especially after my mother’s escapade. But, to my surprise, she didn’t even think about it.
Hailey agreed instantly.
Outside, I heard Hailey say her goodbyes. Dax asked if she wanted a ride home. She told him and Oakley that I was going to drive her back. They nodded and went to Dax’s truck.
Grinning happily, I waited for Hailey and then took her by the arm and led her to my truck. I opened the door and helped her get inside.
We went back to my place and again, I helped Hailey out of the truck, and we went inside. I was thrilled to have her all to myself, finally. I’d been waiting for this moment since I had laid eyes on her yesterday at lunch.
I started a small fire in the fireplace and then poured Hailey a glass of Merlot and grabbed myself a beer.
I pulled out my laptop and told Hailey to pick a movie. We sat back on the couch and watched the movie a little and talked a lot.
I got to ask her where she was from, how long she’s been doing the wedding planning thing, and so much more. She liked to tell stories about her family and friends, and I enjoyed listening to every second of them.
A couple of hours went by like nothing. Hailey was super easy-going and laid back. Just like I had thought she would be. She didn’t come across as high maintenance or as needy.
She was perfect.
Even though we were sitting on the couch together, Hailey was keeping her distance. I didn’t want to be pushy or scare her away, so
I let her take the time that she needed to feel comfortable with me.
Anyway, even though we were only going to be at this resort together for a couple of more days, I had plans on spending more time with Hailey in the long run. She just didn’t know it yet.
I was feeling elated. So, I guess I was just smiling at her as she talked because, at one point, she looked over and smiled and said. “What?”
“Nothing. Just thinking of how much I’m enjoying your company. And, how beautiful you are. I’m just happy, that’s all,” I answered.
She must have believed me because before I knew what was happening, she had slid over and was kissing me.
Hailey
When Cooper told me that he was enjoying my company and that he was happy, well it made me swim with pleasure. And, he had said, yet once again, that he thought I was beautiful.
I was happy with Cooper. I had decided to come to his cabin to get to know him a little bit better. After everything, I had felt that I had at least owed him that much. But I had wanted to spend some more time with him, as well.
I was pleased when he acted like a gentleman. He didn’t smother me or try to make any moves. He let me have my space and he listened while I talked.
How many men do you know who actually listen to every single word you say? I didn’t know any. It was impressive. And he really seemed to be enjoying my company.
With that all said, I knew that he didn’t only want a fling as I had wondered earlier that day. He seemed to be really into me.
And I was getting more into him with every minute. I knew that I was talking a lot. The wine had that effect on me. But while I was talking, I was imagining what it would be like to kiss Cooper. To touch his strong, hard body.
It got to the point that I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to find out. So, I took my chance.
I slid over on the couch, closing the distance between us quickly. Before Cooper had a chance to say anything, I planted my lips on his.
I might have surprised him by moving quickly, but he reacted just the way I had hoped. Cooper pushed his lips back to mine and kissed me passionately in return.
Take a Mountain Man Home for Christmas: A Mountain Man Romance Christmas Collection Page 52