by Silver James
“Look at me,” he yelled when she wouldn’t meet his glare. “What were you thinking?” He bent closer to her so they stood eye-to-eye. “Oh, wait. You weren’t thinking.”
She pulled against his hold, her anger splashing her cheeks with bright pink. “I was doing my job.”
“Your job? Where in your bloody job description does it say you have to be so damn close to a storm that you have to run for your life when it drops a tornado on top of you?”
“I’m fine.” Britt spat the words from between gritted teeth.
“You could have died.” The words tore out of him, wrenched from the very depths of everything he felt for this woman, for who and what she was to him.
She rolled her eyes and huffed out an aggrieved sigh. “But I didn’t.”
“No, by the grace of God you didn’t. Did you stop to think what would happen if Zoe got hurt by your stupidity?”
“My what?” She arched up like an angry cat and all but spit at him. “I’m not stupid, Cooper. I was paying attention. But sometimes, spin-ups like that happen in places where they shouldn’t. It happens all the time.”
“Spin-ups? That wasn’t a spin-up, Britt. That was a freaking F-3 tornado. And it chased you. For miles. I watched. Because you were live streaming the whole damn thing. Was getting views and likes more important than your safety? Than Zoe’s?”
“Of course not. We’re fine, Cooper. Zoe has an awesome story to tell when she’s interviewed. Leo got amazing footage.”
“Nope.” The normally affable cameraman held up his hands and backed away from the little group. “You leave me out of this because you know what? I happen to agree with Cooper, Britt. Given those roads and the way that storm was spinning, the gust front that built up? I may not be a degreed meteorologist like you, girl, but I’ve done my share of watching from the co-pilot’s seat. We should not have been that close.”
Britt’s lip curled up in a snarl and her nose crinkled. Once upon a time, Cooper might have thought her expression cute. Now? Now it just caused his anger to boil over. Before he could speak, she turned on Leo.
“Thanks a lot, Leo. I thought you were a team player. Good to know that you believe I can’t do my job. I’ll let the station know you won’t be riding with me anymore. In fact, you better just call them right now to get a ride because I’m done with you. I know what I’m doing. I’m good at what I do. Stuff happens. It happened today. But I got us away. Because. I. Know. My. Job.”
She stepped back from Tucker and jerked hard. He let her go because to hang on would mean tightening his grip and he didn’t want to hurt her. He was so mad he wanted to hit something, but it wouldn’t be Britt. Cooper glanced around. Tucker had Zoe snugged up close to his side and Coop recognized the dawning realization in her expression. Leo just looked disgusted with the whole thing.
“I’m fine. We’re all fine. Whether anyone wants to admit that or not. You know what. I’m done with this. That storm is still out there. My truck is running fine and I’m going back out.” She jabbed a finger at Leo. “With or without you.” Then she whirled to Cooper. “And you don’t have a say in this. We’re done.”
Britt stood there breathing fire like she had a reason to be angry at him. She might be done, but he wasn’t. “We aren’t done, Britt. I have every right to—”
“You have no rights, Cooper.” She threw up her hands. “I’m so outta here.”
He clenched his fists to keep from reaching for her. “You’re having my babies, Britt.”
She grimaced, eyes narrowed, cheeks flushed, hands on her hips. She had to loosen her jaw to speak. “Trust me, I’m totally freaking aware of that.”
He pointed to her truck. The back seat window on the driver’s side was cracked. The hood was peppered with dents from the hailstorm they’d been caught in. The tailgate had a huge gouge where a piece of debris, driven by tornado-force winds, had slammed into it. “You. Could. Have. Died. And killed my children. Our babies.” His voice dropped and he leaned toward her again. “Zoe was in that vehicle with you. My sister-in-law. The love of my brother’s life, the mother of his little boy. And Leo. Your friend and colleague. He has a family too. But even if they weren’t there, even if it was just you in that truck, you. Could. Have. Died. You, Britt.”
Britt inhaled and he braced for another one of her tirades—about how it was her job, about how she was perfectly capable, about all the total bullshit she’d spouted at him for the past six months. But he beat her to the punch.
“I sat there, watching that damn tornado running up your tailpipe, Britt. Praying you got away. Knowing there was no way in hell you could. And I knew.” He thumped a fist against his chest over his heart. “I knew right here that I was going to lose it all. You. Our babies.” The breath he sucked in sent shudders through his body. “You wanna know what was going through my head?”
She blinked up at him, wide-eyed, the rosy color draining from her face. “What?” she whispered.
“Picking out your coffin. Buying a burial plot. Music. Flowers. All the stuff that goes with planning a funeral instead of a wedding and a honeymoon.” He had to stop, to blink the sting from his eyes because he wanted to see her face, wanted to see her expression. “I faced my worst nightmare, Britt. I sat there thinking that I would have to bury you and our babies before I ever got the chance to meet them. To love them. To love you. Except I already do.”
Someone sniffled but it wasn’t Britt. Probably Zoe. And knowing Zoe, the woman would most likely turn this whole fiasco into a song. He stared at Britt. She stared back. Her blank expression shouldn’t have surprised him. She was so determined to prove that she was always right, that she could do everything all on her own. What she didn’t understand was that he admired her. He thought she was a little crazy, but he respected her intelligence and her drive. But she was having his babies and being reckless was no longer an option. When she gave him no response, he turned to walk away but paused for one last comment.
“Losing you? Losing them? I’m not sure I could survive that.”
* * *
Britt stood there in shocked silence, her anger melting away into...something she didn’t quite recognize. Remorse? Maybe. She was a woman in a man’s field and she constantly fought for every scrap, standing up for herself, asserting her independence and abilities. And then she’d gotten pregnant. By a man with old-fashioned values. A man who understood responsibility and was willing to step up and accept his. He was also overbearing and irritating and pushy and if she wasn’t careful, she’d hand him her heart and he could crush it so easily. Just like she’d crushed his.
I sat there thinking that I would have to bury you and our babies before I ever got the chance to meet them. To love them. To love you. Except I already do.
Those words had seared her ears and burned their way into her brain. To love them. To love you. Did he mean that? He’d told her that more than once and she just blew him off for trying to manipulate her. She closed her eyes, fought the urge to rub them because she knew she was perilously close to crying. Except I already do. What did he mean by that? That he loved the twins? That he loved...her? That couldn’t be. He didn’t know her. Not really. Oh sure, they’d shared a bed, lived in the same house. Had sexual chemistry hot enough to set off a four-alarm fire. But how could he love her?
Losing you? Losing them? I’m not sure I could survive that. She’d started to scoff but then the force of his emotions slammed her like hundred-mile-an-hour straight winds. He meant every word. He loved her. Loved their babies. And losing them? That would be the end of his world. And she knew that feeling so freaking well because their babies meant everything to her too.
She opened her eyes to realize that Cooper was walking away. Leo stood near her truck looking aggravated and disgusted. Tucker and Zoe stood in a tight embrace, their faces hidden. Her vision blurred as understanding washed over her.
“Yo
u’re right. I’m sorry.”
She saw that her soft admission shocked Cooper when he turned around, brows raised, mouth slightly opening as his jaw dropped.
“What did you say?” His voice was whisper quiet but held a hard edge, like he didn’t quite believe her.
“I said that you’re right and that I’m sorry.”
Cooper pushed a booted foot forward as if he was stepping toward her but then halted, frozen in place. His arms hung limp at his sides and his expression held both confusion and despair. And yeah, he was still angry. She supposed he had a right to hang onto some of his mad. Most of all, though, she could see the fear and hopelessness. She remembered that look on her father’s face when her little brother had been hit by a car. He was in a coma for three days and her dad kept a constant vigil before Bruce came out of it. Her mother had been long gone by then.
Britt had adored her dad and appreciated everything he’d given up to raise her and her brother. He’d never remarried after the divorce and died while she was in college. She and her brother drifted apart and she was a bit jealous of the close family ties Cooper had. Still, if a single man could raise two kids, she could raise the twins. She wasn’t going to be like her mother. No way.
But what if her mother had taken her away when she abandoned the family? It would have killed her dad. And seeing that same look on Cooper’s face now? Yeah, she had to fix this.
If Cooper wasn’t going to come to her, she’d have to go to him. She supposed it was about time because truthfully? He’d always been the one to reach out to her and she’d swatted him away each time. No wonder he was a little gun-shy.
She took the first step toward him. Then the second. Slow. Easy. Like she was approaching a scared dog. She almost smiled as she thought the words, “Easy, boy.” But she didn’t. Cooper wouldn’t understand a smile at this point. She stopped in front of him. Slowly, she raised her hand and brushed her fingers along his jawline, her eyes glued to his. Deep blue, his eyes. All the Tate brothers had blue eyes but Cooper’s were a blue that reminded her of the twilight sky.
“I’m sorry, Cooper. I’m sorry I yelled. I’m sorry I took chances. I’m sorry I scared you.”
His hand captured hers so fast she gasped. He raised her fingertips to his mouth and he kissed each one before lowering their hands to his chest. He pressed her palm over his heart. The thump-thump-thump beat against her hand, slightly erratic like he’d been running, but strong and true. Just like the man.
“Feel that, Girl Wonder?”
She nodded.
“That’s what you do to me.”
A surprised smile tugged at one corner of her mouth and she felt her expression soften with no effort on her part. “Good to know,” she murmured, looking away.
His arm curled around her back and she looked up at him. Now it was her heart’s turn to beat erratically. This man...he undid her. She wanted to kiss his full lips, to lean into his warmth and find shelter there. And then he spoke.
“Marry me.”
Again, it came down to the line she couldn’t cross, the leap she couldn’t take. She’d caught a brief glimpse of his fear, his vulnerability, maybe even his love for her. But were they really any closer to seeing eye-to-eye, or would they go back to bickering once the crisis blew over?
“I’m sorry, Coop.” She backed away from him and all but ran to her truck. She leaned on the hood and called, “I just can’t.”
Nineteen
Coop stared out the window of his office and considered his options. He had to admit that maybe he shouldn’t have mentioned marriage right when Britt was admitting she’d messed up, one, by taking Zoe storm chasing, and two, by getting too close to that supercell. She’d stormed off, pun totally intended, because all he had left was a warped sense of humor.
Someone cleared their throat and he glanced at the reflection of his office in the glass, surprised to find his boss’s wife there. “Jolie?”
“Cooper.”
He turned to face her and discovered compassion rather than censure in her expression. “Let’s hope you haven’t totally mucked this up.”
“I probably have.”
“You know what Cord and I went through. I left town without telling him I was pregnant. I even managed to get through nursing clinicals while I was pregnant. I also raised CJ as a single mom until he was four.” She flashed him a wry smile. “Not the brightest thing I ever did, but I managed. What I’ve seen of Britt, she can pretty much do whatever she wants. You need to remember that. Pregnancy isn’t a handicap.”
He turned back to the view outside his window and leaned his forehead against the glass. He knew that. But Britt’s job—what she did when storm watches were issued—could be dangerous. And she was carrying twins. His twins. He loved her and wanted her safe. Wanted their babies safe. No one would believe him if he admitted that he awoke in the middle of the night, heart pounding, breath caught in his chest. His nightmare? That Britt was out in the middle of nowhere, a tornado bearing down on her while she was in labor and he couldn’t get to her. Just like two weeks ago.
“She scares me,” he admitted, his voice hoarse.
“No. What she does scares you. Y’all need to work through this, Coop.” Jolie came up behind him and slipped her arms around his waist for a loose hug. “I’ve got faith in you. If the Bee Dubyas can help, all you gotta do is holler.”
He patted her hands where they rested on his abdomen. “I know. And it’s appreciated.”
Jolie slipped out of his office as quietly as she’d come in, leaving him alone with plenty of time to think. As long as Britt was at his house, he knew where she was. As long as she was at the station, he knew where she was. As long as she was with him, he knew where she was. His brothers said he was crazy. Except maybe for Tucker and Deacon. They had wives and kids. They’d get it.
It had been two weeks. Britt had reverted to refusing his calls and texts so he’d stopped after the first couple of days. And she’d been storm chasing. He almost couldn’t watch Channel 2 when the weather turned bad. Which was turning out to be almost every day. Thunderstorms with torrential rains leading to flooding. Thunderstorms with hail ranging from quarter-to baseball-sized. Thunderstorms with high winds and tornadoes. And Britt was out there, confronting the storms and relaying information back to the station.
She was out there. Day and night. Dark circles were constantly present beneath her eyes when he caught her on-screen. It was like Britt had to prove herself, over and over. Which wasn’t true. Cooper discussed things with Tucker. Both the station manager and head meteorologist would happily make a spot for her on air in the studio but she was such an adrenaline junkie she refused every offer.
His cell phone pinged from where it sat on his desk. He glanced over. A weather alert. Great. He debated deleting the app, knew he wouldn’t. Ever. Because Britt would always be out there in it, facing danger. Picking up the phone, he read through the warning. Severe storms, yada yada. He flipped to the radar portion of the app and hit his intercom.
“Nikki, you watchin’ the weather?”
“Yessir. I have radar up on my computer. I’m in the process of calling our people now.”
Coop let out a half laugh. “Why do I even bother?”
“Well, in that case, how about a raise?”
“Don’t push your luck, Nickelodeon.”
“Can’t blame a girl for trying, bossman.” She chuckled and muttered, “There’s always diamonds.”
He clicked off and returned to the windows, circling around for a different view. From this angle, he could see the front moving in from the southwest. Something twisted in his gut. This was going to be a bad one and Britt would be right in the middle of the storm. There was no way he could sit still. He grabbed his phone and headed out.
“I’m going to check on the rigs. Send the staff home early.”
“But�
��”
“Tell Cord to check radar. This storm is shaping up just like those monster Moore tornadoes. Nobody needs to be caught out on the highway.”
“Says the man who’s going toward the storm.”
He ignored her and headed toward the elevator.
* * *
Britt awoke that morning feeling out of sorts. So what else was new? Even Ria was put out with her. Leo refused to get in the truck with her until she got her temper under control. She’d argued that she didn’t have a temper, while promptly losing it. Men! They were good for opening pickle jars, reaching stuff on the top shelf and zipping up dresses. Nothing else.
She stayed in the shower for longer than normal. Her back ached—so what else was new with two potential soccer stars in her womb. She was angry. Two weeks. And he hadn’t come after her. But he totally loved her and the babies. Right.
Okay, to be honest, she had walked out on him without a word. He’d tried to talk to her but she hadn’t responded. Nor had she accepted his calls. And she wasn’t one of those women who played games. Yet here she was doing just that. What was wrong with her? She rubbed the side of her belly where one of the terrible twosome had just hit her with a roundhouse kick. “Swear to God I’m gonna name you guys Chuck and Norris.”
The babies settled a bit. Distraction over, her thoughts returned to her very complicated relationship with Cooper. She truly hadn’t left with the intent of him following to beg her to stay. But he’d been so persistent in his pursuit. Why would he suddenly stop? Had he found someone else? Someone skinny and beautiful? Or sweet? All three of those criteria could be met by ninety-nine percent of the female population of Oklahoma City and surrounding environs.
Coming out of the shower, she’d found her phone blown up with texts, missed calls and several voice mails. She listened to those while reading her messages. Great. A big storm front with all the signs of producing multiple supercell thunderstorms was amassed in the southwestern part of the state, moving northeast toward the metro area. The skin on the back of her neck prickled as goose bumps rose on her skin. She didn’t believe in psychic stuff but she had a bad feeling about this storm.
