Joe set his coffee mug down on the post of a rundown wood fence and turned his full attention on Rock. “And I mean, don’t you think it’s a good retirement for you? Were you planning on jumping over buses your whole life?”
Rock scratched his head, still not used to feeling so little hair there. “I don’t know why everyone is so fixated on buses.”
“Either way, it’s not exactly a living you can do forever.”
“Most stuntmen do end up retiring, one way or another,” Rock said, realizing drearily that he’d never really thought about it. Maybe he’d always thought he’d just die during a stunt. How selfish was that?
“Poor Ros,” Joe muttered, and Rock’s ears perked up.
“What was that?”
“I just mean I’ve seen how she looks at you, but you don’t deserve her. You don’t care about yourself half as much as she cares for you. That’s gotta be devastating.” He put a hand on Rock’s shoulder and gave him what he thought was a reassuring thump. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of her. You don’t have to invest.”
Joe walked back toward the house down the hill, and Rock stormed after him.
“What do you mean don’t worry, you’ll take care of her? And who else is going to invest?”
“I don’t know, maybe Riker?”
“You think he wants to come back here?” Rock asked. “With the memories we have?”
“I don’t know,” Joe retorted. “I haven’t asked him, but I could. I mean, don’t you think it’s an interesting way to deal with your family’s legacy? A way to help kids who may feel trapped like you did? A way to give them something good?”
“To give them access to the town that tortured me? I don’t know.”
“Your family can’t have been all bad,” Joe said. “Despite the black spot that is the Brawl and all it entails, this town is beautiful, and many people depend on it. Not to mention all the tourists who pass through and get a break and a chance to enjoy all the beauty.”
Rock folded his arms and spread his legs shoulder width apart. “So which is it? A tourist trap to make you money or a camp for troubled children?”
“I was thinking both,” Joe said. “A tourist resort with lodges to bring them into town and provide some more income for the people here, as the tourists staying would visit the town. And then also a camp, which I would get a partner, hopefully you, to manage and that is subsidized in part by the tourists.”
Rock scratched the back of his head furiously and then forced himself to stop. Distraction wasn’t helping anything.
“I don’t know if anyone told you this, but we Brolins don’t want to stay in Bear Canyon. That’s why we got Francis.”
“Right,” Joe said. “But Ros kind of changes things for you, doesn’t she? When you held that interview, I realized you were perfect for my plans. You were in love with her, didn’t know it, and just needed an excuse to stay here and something to do. If you stay distracted, maybe you won’t just be trying to drink away all the memories.”
“How do you know so much about me?” Rock asked, perplexed.
Joe grinned and gave a small wink. “Town gossip. It’s rampant. Might as well use it to my benefit.”
Rock frowned. “Right. Why do I get the idea you use everything to your benefit?”
Joe’s grin widened. “It’s my business to understand people. That’s all. But anyway, think about my proposition, because it would be a full-time position.”
Rock’s cheek muscle twitched. “Fine.”
“Go take a look around. Walk in the wilderness. See what you think. And just remember, I win either way. If you stay, I get a great partner to do good things with.”
“And if I leave?” Rock asked skeptically.
“I get Ros,” Joe said, locking eyes with him with just a hint of a smirk. “Speaking of which, I think I’ll go call her now, see if she wants to come up here.”
Rock took and released a deep breath, trying to stay calm. Joe wasn’t the first person to try to set him off, and he wouldn’t be the last.
And he was right. If Rock didn’t figure out a way to stay here, he’d lose Ros to Joe, and nothing could be more painful than that.
Before she got here, he needed to take a minute to calm down, so he stuffed his hands in his too-tight pockets and started off toward a break in the trees. Time to take a walk and do something he rarely allowed himself. Think.
9
“He’s what?” Ros asked Joe, who looked utterly calm as he bit into an apple and went through some paperwork, not even looking her in the eye.
“Exploring,” Joe said. “Seeing what he thinks of the lay of the land, considering I basically offered him a full-time job here.”
“I don’t understand,” she said, putting her hands on the desk and waiting for Joe to look up at her. “Why are you doing this?”
Joe’s eyes were a startling gold color as he looked up at her, tilting his head slightly. “Isn’t it obvious? Rock Brolin can bring a lot of people up here.” He stood up to go around her, but she moved in front of him, stopping him.
“Wait,” she said. “What’s the project you want him to invest in?” She’d been curious since yesterday and even more curious after Rock hadn’t wanted her to know what it was.
Plus, he’d called her yesterday and said he intended to stay in Bear Canyon. Did this job have something to do with it? What would make him want to stay here?
A cynical part of her wondered if he just wanted to hook up with tourist chicks, but she knew that was stupid. Rock had never really appeared that involved with women, outside of his stupid fake proposals to her.
Only last night on the phone, he had sounded so serious.
She felt a flush creeping up her face and turned away from Joe to deal with it.
He came closer, always seeming to pick up on any awkward situation. “How do you feel about him?” he asked, craning over her, making her slightly uncomfortable.
She stepped back. “I don’t know.”
“Don’t you?” Joe asked, backing her up slightly.
She stepped back automatically, trying to get out of his way. She trusted him, but at the same time, Rock could walk in any moment and take things the wrong way.
Or was that Joe’s whole point? She looked up into his twinkling eyes. “Why are you asking me this?”
“I’ve been using you as leverage,” he said, finally backing her into the wall and putting his arm up above her, making her feel short. Perhaps he was more masculine than she’d thought. “I guess that’s not really fair of me when I don’t know where your feelings lie.”
“I don’t have feelings for Rock Brolin,” she said, more to convince herself than anyone else. “He’s just a friend.”
Joe’s hand came down to tilt her chin up gently, making her look in his eyes. She swatted his hand away, and he caught her again. “Come on. I’m your friend. Tell me the truth.”
She shoved him away, harder this time, and got out from around him, huffing. “Fine, okay? I like him. I’ve always liked him. Is that what you wanted to hear?”
“Yes,” Joe said. “Because if so, I’ve got a plan for you.”
She bit her lip. “What kind of plan?” She shook her head. “I don’t know how this worked out this way. You were supposed to be a part of Rock’s plan, not the other way around.”
Joe grinned brightly, going back behind his desk and rummaging in some papers. “I know, but I like it better this way. And no offense, but it’s going to take more than Rock Brolin to get ahead of me. He has too much baggage holding him back to outthink me.”
She wrinkled her nose in slight disgust. “That doesn’t make you better than him.”
“Oh, I agree,” Joe said. “But it does make him the perfect person to work with and arrange things for the kids.”
“Kids?” she asked.
Joe raised an eyebrow, one corner of his mouth quirking up. “Oops. Did I say that? I meant women. People.”
Had he just slipped
that on purpose? And why? “What kind of kids?”
“I don’t know. You better talk to Rock,” Joe said. “If I tell you any more, he’s going to walk out on me. And I can’t really afford that.” He gently took her by the shoulders and pushed her toward the open front door. “Now go out there and convince Rock Brolin to stay here.” He’d nearly shoved her out when he stopped, catching her arm and whirling her around.
“Wait,” he said. “Gotta fix you up a bit first.” He ran a hand through her hair, ruffling it up and shaking it loose from her ponytail. She reached up, trying to fix it, and felt his hand wrap around her waist and pull her close.
Before she could protest, his lips were on hers, drawing in her lower lip and biting it gently, then a little harder. She pushed on his chest, and he finally released her. She reached up to swipe at her lips, realizing she’d totally ruined her lipstick.
He reached in his pocket for a napkin and handed it to her, and she took it and then slapped him across the face, leaving a pink mark.
“Sorry,” she said, putting a hand to her mouth, unable to believe what had come over her. It was just a kiss.
“No matter. I deserved it,” he said, sitting behind the desk again, dabbing at his mouth with a napkin as if the kiss were no big deal now that it was over. “You two are entertaining. I’m glad I decided to get involved with you.”
She frowned, her heart still pounding from the kiss. “Don’t do that again.”
He raised a blond eyebrow at her. “Are you sure? After you go see Rock, you might thank me.”
She smoothed her hair with her hand and touched up her lipstick as best as she could with the napkin. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“He’s out by the trees. Just go see him, sweetheart.”
“I’m not your sweetheart,” she said, balling up the napkin and throwing it at him. He dodged, still wearing that irritating grin. “And go get a haircut. You look terrible.”
Then she stormed out of the cabin, using her bear senses to scent the air for Rock Brolin. When she got a hint, she headed off to a small path that wound through the trees.
She touched her lips, wondering if she’d somehow betrayed him. But no, she hadn’t done anything, and besides, she was a free agent.
She told herself to remember that as she went to find her erstwhile friend.
Rock could tell Ros had been touched as soon as he turned around to see her coming toward him.
Her footsteps in the brush behind him hadn’t even been subtle, so he knew she hadn’t been trying to sneak up.
Still, why hadn’t she even tried to wipe away the evidence of her lover?
Rage boiled through him, cooled only slightly by the cold mountain air around him, as she tentatively tucked her mussed blond hair behind both ears and took a step closer to him.
“Rock,” she said. “Joe told me I could find you here.”
Rock leaned against the tree he’d been looking at, folding his arms and staring at her laconically. “Oh yeah? What else did Joe say?” That traitor.
Or was he a traitor? He’d said he’d take Ros if Rock left here, but he didn’t say he wouldn’t take Ros if Rock stayed.
Perhaps it was a competition after all. Well, that was fine with Rock. As long as he could manage to stay in Bear Canyon, no one could win against him where Ros was concerned.
“Are you okay?” she asked, coming a little closer, looking embarrassed.
She should be, still carrying the scent of another male bear. He could see a slight bruise on her lower lip and had to stop himself from charging past her and challenging Joe on the spot.
“You kissed him,” he said, not caring to dance around the subject.
She considered her words carefully. “It’s not your business, Rock.”
“Like hell it isn’t. I dealt with nightmares all night last night, all for a chance to be with you, and you’re off kissing Joe the cowboy.”
“He kissed me,” she said defiantly. Then she looked like she wanted to take it back.
Was that to protect Joe?
“Oh, is that right?” Rock asked, pushing off the tree and stepping forward ominously. “So I should take it up with him, then.”
He kept walking until he was right in front of her, and she placed her hands on his chest to stop him. It was futile, though, and he just kept moving forward until her back bumped a tree, trapping her in front of him.
Her eyes were stormy blue as she stared up at him. “Rock, you don’t own me.”
“I think I do,” he said.
“That doesn’t make it true,” she said. “There are a lot of things you think that are outright wrong.”
He pushed away, leaving her by the tree as he turned his back to her. “Hm.”
He wasn’t really in the mood to hear criticism from lips that’d been kissed by another man.
“So you had nightmares last night?” she asked quietly.
“Obviously,” he threw over his shoulder. “Though it’d be worth it for a chance with you.” He looked over his shoulder at her, glaring, and then turned to face her again. “Or is there any chance? Maybe you’d prefer that big cowboy after all?”
She stepped toward him, reaching for the crooked collar of his leather jacket. “This is getting all scratched by the branches. We really should get you some more appropriate clothes if you’re going to be wandering around up here.”
He snorted and gently swatted her hand away. “Why? Trying to make me into a cowboy?”
“Trying to make you safe,” she said. “If you’re in human form out here, you should really have boots and proper jeans with no holes in them, and a jacket is more for protection than show.”
“What if I’m not planning to stay around here?” he asked. “I mean, if you’re going to hook up with Joe—”
She put a finger up to his lips, shushing him by just how good even that tiny touch felt.
She couldn’t be Joe’s. She had to be his. She just had to be. No one else could make him feel like this.
“I didn’t hook up with Joe, so just cool your pants,” she said, removing her finger.
He grinned. “Cool your pants? What the heck is that?”
She flushed. “Nothing, I just—”
He caught her by the hand as she tried to turn away and pulled her in against him, wrapping his arms around her. As he held her, he realized for the first time how perfect this was, how good it felt out here in the trees, with the fresh air and the plants and the good, clean dirt underneath them.
Was this really Bear Canyon? Maybe he could stay there after all.
As long as it was with her.
That was probably too fast of an assessment, considering he’d only made it through one night so far, and just barely. But it was one night he hadn’t run away to the bar or a hotel, so it was a first.
She looked up at him, pushing away slightly from his chest so she could see him. “So the nightmares? Were they bad?”
“Let’s not talk about it,” he said. “Trust me. It doesn’t help.”
“Maybe if you let someone in, it would.”
“You know, the usual. The ones I used to talk about when I would sneak over to your place and climb in your window.”
“Right,” she said.
Damn, they’d been together a lot when he’d been a teen here. Before the big incident that made him vow to leave the minute he was old enough.
And every time he’d come back to the town to help with the Brawl, it had only enforced his fears that he couldn’t stay here. He always ended up drunk and embarrassing Ros or himself or his brothers or all three.
This trip was different, though.
Perhaps the thought of having, touching Ros made everything different.
“So he kissed me,” she said nonchalantly. “You want to kiss me, too?”
He perked up at that. “Always.”
“Then tell me about this secret project you’re doing with Joe.”
“I haven’t decided if I’m do
ing it yet.”
“If you tell me, I’ll let you kiss me.”
He pouted. “But not if I don’t tell you?”
“Oh, come on. You know how much I hate secrets. Why do you think you’ve always told me yours?”
“Because I wanted to?” he asked, a teasing lilt to his voice as he scratched the back of his head. “Okay, fine. But no laughing. And no pity. And just no comments at all, okay?”
He could feel himself blushing, making all of this worse.
“Of course,” she said. “Whatever you want. I won’t even say anything about it until you want me to.”
“And then I want my kiss. A really long one. No, more than kissing. I want—”
“A kiss,” she said. “But fine, a long one.”
He wrinkled his nose. “When did you become such a hard ass?”
“Since I had to deal with you for the past twelve years.”
Fair point. “Okay. It’s a camp for disadvantaged kids. Troubled kids. Whoever we can get to come up here. You know, to get some fresh air and nature. City kids, I guess. I mean, Joe has left a lot of the research up to me, if I want to be involved in it, but—”
He stopped, his breath cut off as she threw her arms around him, hugging him tight.
“Oh, Rock, that’s wonderful. That’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever—”
He gently set her back. “I haven’t said I’m doing it yet.”
“But you’re considering it,” she said. “You’d be perfect. You always draw people in, and I know the kids would love you.”
“But would I love them?” he asked. “Or would I be too busy zombie walking around this place to do any good for them?” Or would he end up getting drunk all the time and set the wrong example?
One clean day wasn’t much to go on when there were kids at stake.
“I don’t know,” she said. “But I would think so. I think it’d be perfect. Something to keep you focused while you are in Bear Canyon, a way to change everything around.”
“Now that I think about it, it sounds a little too perfect,” he said. “I don’t know.”
“You said you wanted to try staying for me,” she said. “Isn’t this a good way to do it?”
Craved by the Bear (Trapped in Bear Canyon Book 2) Page 8