Page 26 of This Time Around
Ten
Cooper
That was a pretty great date.
She didn’t mean it like she said it.
My head knew that.
Other parts of me burned all over at her words right before she passed out.She was facing me, head resting against the back of the seat.Her pale pink lips were slightly parted and infrequent, but cute as hell, murmuring sounds came from her every time we hit a bump in the road.
I stopped drinking hours ago so I was able to safely get us home, but I also quit drinking because I was so wrapped up in laughing with Brooke and Rebecca that I didn’t even think of drinking.
When I worked next to her, she appeared to be content, even with the despair evident in her eyes.It was plain to see that she loved her land and her life on the ranch and had never wanted anything else other than to take it over someday and run it with her husband by her side.He was gone, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t still her dream.
Tonight, I saw something different in Rebecca Splendid that made it difficult to resist the overwhelming urge to wake her up by sliding my mouth over hers.She was full of fire—piss and vinegar like my mom used to say when I was being sassy.She and Brooke told stories all night long, fun and innocent stories of shenanigans they used to get up to, and while Rebecca more than once rolled her eyes and claimed every crazy idea was Brooke’s, it was bullshit.
Rebecca had at one point gripped life with both hands and lived it to the fullest.Maybe she hadn’t traveled the world—or much outside of Kansas—but that didn’t mean she didn’t enjoy every opportunity, every thrill life threw her way.
At least she used to.
Knowing her more after a night she spent most of reminiscing with her best friend proved how much she’d changed.I obviously wasn’t the only one to see it.
At one point when Rebecca had gone to the restroom, Brooke had turned to me, sadness in her expression watching her friend walk away.
“I hate what life has thrown her way.Hate it even more she’s not even attempting to crawl out from beneath it.Joseph would hate that.”She’d turned to me then, still talking, “You didn’t know him, but he was a good guy.A strong guy.She didn’t need someone strong because she’s strong as hell, but the two of them together, nothing could break them.Hate, freakinghate, that without him, she’s forgotten who she was before him.”
And that was all it took.My decision was made.
She might not want me, not like I wanted her, but I had two and a half months left with her and I was going to give her all of me she’d take.I would make damn sure that by the time I left and went back to my life, she knew exactly how strong and capable she was.
I would do whatever necessary to put a fire back in her eyes.It was the least I could do for her and Max, but mostly, I wanted it for me.
I was falling for a woman I’d never be able to have, but I could still take care of her.
“Damn it.”I needed to fall for a woman with an end date stamped bright and clear on a return plane ticket like I needed a hole in my head.
It was still happening.
I pulled the truck down her drive, careful of the bumps and potholes on the dirt and gravel drive, and slowed to a stop without pulling the truck into the detached garage.Hopping out, I shut the door quietly and moved to Rebecca’s side, opened her door, and reached across to unbuckle her.
She jumped as I did it, eyes fluttering open.“Hey.What’s going on?”
“We’re home.Thought I’d help you inside.”
She moved slowly, nodding and twisting toward me.I took her arm in my hand.Heat slid through my fingertips, but I pushed past it and guided her to her feet.Once out, I locked the truck with the key fob.
“I can do it,” she whispered, looking down at her feet.
“Sure you can, but you don’t need to do it alone when you have help, either.”
She stiffened in my hold before swaying into my side.Crazy woman.Brooke wasn’t wrong when she called her strong.Even half awake she didn’t like taking offered help.
I used the keys to unlock her door, followed her in and held her steady while she kicked off her sandals.
When she was barefoot, I let go, ignoring again, the coolness that slid through me as I released her.
“Thank you for tonight,” Rebecca said.She pushed back her long black hair, pulling it off her neck and draping it over one shoulder.She was stunningly beautiful, with soft curves in all the right places, trim and firm muscles in her legs and arms.Her large black eyes carried the weight of her life usually, but currently they were dull.Most likely from too much wine and needing sleep, but I still clenched my teeth together as I took her in.
