“I’ll bet you’ve had your share of women.” The way Riley looks at me makes me believe that she wants to be the next in line.
I look around the bar but I don’t see any signs of Jake or Harley. The place is really getting packed and Tucker is trying to man the bar on his own. He looks swamped. Just as I’m about to get up to help him, I see Harley hurry out from the back room. She looks a little disheveled and she’s trying her best to piece herself back together as she makes her way behind the bar.
A few seconds later, Jake emerges from the back and he’s trying to tuck his shirt in and straighten his messy hair as he ducks behind the bar.
“Oh, hell no!” I’m practically screaming as I jump up from my table. I make it to the bar in what seems like only a few huge strides.
“What’s going on?” I hiss as I grab my brother’s shirt collar.
“Let go of me, Coop,” he demands as he wriggles out of my grasp.
“Do you mind explaining what’s going on with you and Harley?” I’m so angry I can feel myself shaking.
Jake grins and I want to punch the smirk right off his smug face. “There’s nothing to explain.”
“She’s like our sister, Jake.” I’m disgusted by the thought of the two of them together.
“She’s not a little girl anymore,” he says. “Obviously.”
“You’re a real piece of work, you know that,” I spit through clenched teeth.
The only reason I haven’t punched Jake in the face is because I can see Riley watching us.
“Why don’t you ask Harley if she minds? It was her idea.”
When I look over at Harley, she’s flirting with a group of guys who just walked in. I don’t know why I find it so hard to believe that she seduced Jake.
“You’re a lot older than her Jake. I guess I just expected more from you.”
He raises an eyebrow. “You expected more from me? That was your first mistake. You’re the one who always calls me a dog. Woof. Woof.”
“But it’s Harley.” I still can’t believe Jake and Harley are hooking up.
“Harley’s a wild girl, Coop. She does want she wants. And if she wants to do me every once in a while, I’m not going to stop her.”
He actually winks at me and I can feel my stomach knot. I can still remember Harley playing with her Barbie dolls. Truth be told, she always did seem to prefer playing with her Ken doll a lot more.
“So, you’re like friends with benefits? That kind of thing?”
“I wouldn’t exactly call us friends. Maybe hookup buddies is a better term. I don’t know. Does everything have to have a label? Do you have to have everything in a neat little box?”
Yes.
“So do you take her out?” I ask.
Jake laughs. “Just because Harley offers and I take her up on it, doesn’t mean I have to take her to dinner afterwards. She’s not into all of the romance shit, anyway. She likes more of a hit and run approach.”
“I think we just entered into TMI territory,” I say.
Jake shrugs. “You brought it up. Don’t ask if you don’t want to hear the answer.”
It hasn’t taken me long to remember why I left for the city and vowed never to come back. Yet, here I am, not even back a full twenty-four hours but right back in the middle of all of my brothers’ drama.
“You’d better get back to your girlfriend,” Jake says with an edge to his voice.
“I don’t have a girlfriend,” I shoot back.
“And you won’t have Riley if you don’t get back to the table. Two guys are hitting on her and I’m sure there’ll be a lineup if those two fumble. That girl is not going to leave this bar by herself, I can guarantee you that. If you want it to be you she goes home with, you’d better get your ass back over to her and don’t leave her alone again.”
I never take advice from my older brother but I know instinctively that I need to take his advice now. As soon as I look at the table and see Riley laughing and flirting with two patrons, I feel like I want to punch both of them in the head. It’s not a feeling I have to deal with very often—jealously. And I’m not sure why I feel it now. But it’s almost overpowering.
I march back over to the table in just a few wide strides. The two guys glance up at me as I fold my arms across my chest and glare at them. I want to look intimidating but I’m not sure I’m successful at it. The guys frown at me like they can’t figure out why I’m standing there.
“You’re at my table,” I state. I hope my cold tone also implies they should get the hell up and leave.
“We’ll be over by the pool tables if you want to join us,” the bigger of the two guys says. I don’t recognize him but that probably doesn’t mean anything. The bar crowd seems to have changed a little since I’ve been gone. More young people seem to be in the mix than when my dad ran the place.
Riley doesn’t acknowledge the guy’s comment. Her eyes are planted firmly on me. It’s as if she’s searching my face for something but I have no idea what.
“Nice meeting you, Riley from New York,” the smaller of the two guys says.
When he puts out a hand for Riley to shake, it takes every ounce of restraint I have not to grab it and push it away. Riley quickly shakes the guy’s hand but she keeps her eyes on me. I realize she’s trying to gage my reaction. Was she trying to make me jealous? If so, she’s doing a great job.
The guys get up and head over to play pool. Neither one of them acknowledges me in any way but I notice they do look back at Riley several times and shake their heads.
“I didn’t invite them,” Riley says quickly. “They just sat down.”
I take the seat next to her and grab her hand. I know it’s a possessive gesture and I want it to be. I don’t want there to be any question that I want her.
And, oh, do I want her.
“I see you’ve finished your drink.” I point to her drained glass. Then I push my untouched drink in front of her. “Ready for number two?”
Riley nods and I catch a glimmer of mischief in her eyes. I wonder what she’s thinking. Before I have a chance to ask, she grabs the drink and downs it.
“Now what do you want me to do?” She smiles.
She’s got a great smile. It’s contagious. I can’t help but smile back. “Now for the test,” I say. “Recite the alphabet backwards.”
She purses her sexy lips like she’s thinking about it then says, “Z, Y, X…hmm…W, V…umm…U,T, P…No, that’s not right. It’s U, T, S, Q, P…”
I grin. “Are you sure about that?”
She frowns. “Pretty sure. Why?”
“You skipped R. Which is kind of funny considering your name begins with R.”
Her frown turns to a scowl. “Does that mean I lost the bet?”
I nod. “That’s exactly what it means.”
“And I have to stay in New Jersey until Monday?”
I continue to nod. “You know what I think?”
“What?”
I lean in close so I can whisper into her ear. “I think you lost the bet on purpose because you wanted to stay the weekend with me.”
She laughs. “Nothing could be further from the truth. The last place I want to be all weekend is in rural New Jersey.”
Rural New Jersey is the last place I want to be too, but I can’t let her know that. Not yet, anyway. She already has her mind made up that she doesn’t want a Wall Street wannabe and that’s exactly what she’ll think I am. She has to see me as more than that.
Much more.
When I look back over at Riley, I can see she’s pouting. “What’s that look for?”
She blinks at me with her big doe eyes and I can feel my heart skip a few beats. She could ask me to do anything right now and her wish would be my command. She’s practically irresistible.
“Does this mean I won’t get to see you play with your brothers’ band?”
“Maybe I can be persuaded,” I offer.
She raises an eyebrow. “Do you have any suggestions?”
I have plenty of ideas. All of them involve Riley naked. “How about a kiss?”
She looks around the now crowded bar. I’m not sure what she’s trying to ascertain but whatever it is it’s going to have to wait. I reach for her chin and carefully turn her to face me. I look into her eyes for a long moment. I’m not sure what I’m hoping to see but what’s there completely ignites a flame I never realized was inside of me.
In her eyes, I see pure desire.
I decide to make our wants a reality as I lean in and touch my lips to hers. The entire room and everything around us seems to disappear as we kiss. Our connection is beyond Earth-shattering. It’s completely dematerializing. For the briefest of moments, I feel like we’re alone in another world made only for the two of us.
Riley doesn’t just rock my world; she completely transforms it.
When I open my eyes, I see Harley standing over us, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes narrowed in judgment.
“What the hell is going on?” she snaps.
“What do you mean?” I say innocently.
“Since when is Mr. Conservative into public displays of affection? With her?” The way Harley says her makes it sound like Riley is a criminal, and I don’t like it. I also don’t like her accusatory tone. For someone who rarely shows emotion, I suddenly feel like Mr. Expressive.
“Aren’t you a kettle calling the pot black Miss Getting It On in The Back Room?”
Harley’s face goes completely white. When she starts blinking back tears, I realize I may have gone too far.
“How did you know?” she whispers as she wipes at a tear that has escaped down her cheek.
I’m not one to mince words and it looks like I’ve already upset her anyway. “It was pretty obvious when you and Jake both walked out of the back room with your clothes half undone.”
Harley turns away and it looks like she’s trying to wipe away tears again. I feel like a real jerk, even if she’s the one who started it. When Harley finally turns back around, her face is like stone.
“It’s not what you think,” she insists.
I want to laugh because knowing my brother as well as I do, it’s exactly what I think. But I’m already in enough trouble with Harley, so I refrain.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” I warn. “Jake’s a player.”
“I’m an adult now, Cooper,” she seethes. “I can handle myself.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” I fire back.
We both glare at each other for a few moments until Harley places her hands firmly on her hips and stomps away.
“I guess we’re not getting any more to drink,” Riley says.
I’m completely embarrassed that I let things get so far out of hand with Harley in front of Riley. But everything to do with Jake pushes my buttons even though I know I shouldn’t let it anymore.
“I can go up to the bar and get us another round,” I say but Riley grabs my arm before I get up.
“I’m fine,” she says.
“Yes, you are.” I grin.
She’s looking at me strangely. “What?” I ask.
“It doesn’t happen very much but I really love it when you smile,” she replies.
“I smile a lot,” I state.
“You rarely smile,” she counters. “And when you do, it’s usually a thin half-smile. Not one that lights up your face.”
I place my hand on her face and run my thumb down her cheek. She takes in a quick breath. “You, Riley, bring out that smile.”
Now she’s the one who’s smiling. And her smile doesn’t just light up her face, it lights up the room.
I know it’s crazy because I’ve just met her, but there’s something about Riley that I find completely captivating. I want to kiss her again—but not in front of prying eyes.
“You must be tired. Maybe I should take you back to my parents’ place so you can get settled.”
She furrows her brow, like she’s giving my suggestion some thought, and then she nods. “I am a little tired. Are you sure it’s not going to be any trouble staying with you?”
“I don’t think you have that much of a choice,” I say.
She frowns.
“You lost the bet, remember?”
“Oh, yeah,” she says coyly.
I don’t want to drive Riley back to the farm in my BMW. I don’t want her to know that I own it until she gets to know me better. After she completely falls for me.
“Wait here for a minute,” I say as I jump from my chair and head toward the bar. I wait until Jake is done serving beers to a couple of girls to ask about borrowing his truck.
“What are you afraid of getting your new baby dirty?” he teases.
“Yeah,” I lie. I guess it’s only a half lie. I don’t want to get my car dirty but I want Riley to see it even less.
“And how am I getting home?” Jake asks.
“Get a ride with your girlfriend.”
Jake frowns. “You know I don’t do girlfriends.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Does Harley know that?”
“Do you want to use my truck or not?” he asks.
“Yes.”
“Then stop being an ass.”
Jake hands me the keys to his Dodge.
“Thanks,” I say. I’m about to take off when I turn back toward him and say, “Oh, you know Riley is coming back to the farm with me. I invited her to stay the weekend. I’ll take her back to the city on Monday.”
“Sharing a guest bedroom?” Jake winks.
I don’t give him the satisfaction of a response.
Six
Riley
“Do you mind if we make one stop before I take you to my parents’ place?” Cooper asks.
“Where are we going?” I wonder aloud. “You’re not going to take me cow tipping, are you?”
Cooper laughs. “I’ve never been cow tipping. Where did you get that from?”
I shrug. “Some movie, I guess. I can’t remember. Can I have a hint?”
“It’s a surprise.”
When I glance over at him, I can see he’s smiling. I take that as a good sign. I’m in favor of anything that can bring out his smile.
The scenery is beautiful and I’m surprised by how many of the fields are covered with sunflowers. I would have thought there’d be more corn, or alfalfa, or whatever else they grow in country fields. Not here, though. All sunflowers.
I could do without so many curves in the road, however. When my stomach starts to get a little queasy, I’m glad we’re turning off the main road but the secondary road seems even worse. It’s narrower, bumpier and even windier than the previous road.
“Where are we?” I ask.
“Stokes State Forest.”
“I’m not sure how much longer I can take these roads,” I admit. My stomach is starting to do flip-flops. It’s probably not just the roads. I’m sure drinking so much alcohol didn’t help either.
When Cooper glances over at me, his brow furrows with concern. “Don’t worry,” he tries to assure me. “We’ll be there soon.”
I breathe a sigh of relief when we finally stop in a small parking area.
“Sunrise Mountain is the second highest peak along the Appalachian trail in New Jersey,” Cooper says as he turns off the engine. This is a great place to hike. But you’re not dressed for that today. Plus, it’ll be getting dark soon. I just wanted you to get a bird’s eye view of my hometown.”
Cooper hops out of the truck and quickly makes his way over to help me down.
There are a number of hikers milling around. Cooper grabs my hand and leads me toward a rocky pathway. I notice I’m the only one who’s not in sneakers and casual clothing. It’s not an easy walk in my business suit and wedge heels but when we get to the overlook, it’s worth it.
The landscape is breathtaking and Cooper was right when he called it a bird’s eye view. The bucolic scene is a panorama of lovely trees, rolling hills and picturesque meadows as far as the eye can see
.
“This must be magnificent at sunrise,” I observe.
“Hence the name,” Cooper teases. “It’s pretty spectacular at sunset, too.”
The sun is getting lower in the sky but it’s probably an hour until it fully sets. Still, the sky is beginning to get some golden hues that will no doubt look even more magnificent as the sun disappears.
Cooper pulls me into a tight embrace as we enjoy the lovely scenery. His masculine scent seems to be magnified in the cool, summer mountain breeze.
“You can see three states from here,” Cooper informs me. “New Jersey, of course, but also New York and Pennsylvania.”
For some reason I don’t want to think about New York. I just want to enjoy being in the moment, in the woods, at the top of a mountain, with a gorgeous guy.
Cooper must be having similar thoughts because he gives me a sly ghost of a smile then leans down and kisses me.
I can feel my entire body heat when he deepens the kiss pushing his tongue into my mouth. The guy certainly learned some things being raised in the country and one of them was definitely how to kiss. As he pulls me into his growing erection, I can’t help but think about all of the other things he learned growing up in the country. I have a feeling I’ll be finding out about those when we get back to his parents’ house.
At least I hope so.
***
The Wilde Farm isn’t like any other farm I’ve ever seen. The most obvious reason is because there aren’t any so-called farm animals anywhere to be seen. And much like the other farms in the area the only “crop” planted on the acreage are fields of sunflowers as far as the eye can see.
“It’s a gentleman’s farm,” Cooper says as we stop outside of the massive and beautifully restored Colonial.
“This isn’t what I was thinking when you said farm,” I admit.
“What were you thinking? Like Old MacDonald?”
I laugh. “Yeah, kind of.”
“This house and land have been in our family for generations.”
“So, do you live here with your brothers?” I ask. The place looks big enough for a dozen people to live in comfortably. My parents are well-off but their house is not even half the size of this place.
Wilde Riders (Old Town Country Romance) Page 5