“It is?” Connor asked in fake surprise.
“Yeah.” Faith nodded.
The little girl led Abby to the middle of the carpet at the reception area and tugged on her arm, so she’d sit down. Abby handed the brush to Faith, undid her ponytail and sat cross legged on the floor while the little sweetie proceeded to brush her hair. This was a tactic she used with all of her young clients to get them to let her “play” with their hair. Most of the time, it worked.
“Coop, I almost forgot why I asked you to meet me here. Daddy brain strikes again.” Connor chuckled. “I wanted to know if you’d be interested in helping me out with the spring roundup. You were a huge help last fall. I can sure use a California cowboy like you. Spring is around the corner, and I’m trying to line up my roster.”
She knew Cooper’s parents had owned a ranch, but she could never imagine the tough SEAL as a cowboy, until she’d seen him riding at the McCall’s ranch last month while she was there helping to plan Stef’s upcoming bridal shower.
Didn’t seem to be anything the guy couldn’t do.
“Yeah, absolutely,” Cooper replied. “I’m sure Mac will give me the time off.”
Connor chuckled. “I can guarantee you he will.”
After Abby fished a handful of barrettes from her pocket, she handed them one at a time to Faith, whose little brow furrowed as she concentrated hard to clip them on.
“Great job, Faith,” Cooper said quietly.
Smiling, Abby glanced up at him, and her pulse hiccupped for two reasons. First, at the admiration in his gaze. She told herself not to read too much into it since he’d made it very clear last night that he’d never touch her again.
And secondly, because he held a now sleeping baby in his arms. God…it was just too adorable. The guy looked so natural and comfortable it took her breath away…and she was inundated with the urge to jump his bones.
Heat rushed into her face and she quickly averted her gaze before he could read it.
Because he could. It was one of his superpowers.
“Yeah, baby girl, great job,” Connor said, quietly. “But you need to finish up because Mommy is waiting for us at Stefanie’s.”
The tiny darling sighed as her father got up to pay the bill. “Okay.” She grabbed Abby’s face in her chubby little hands and stared into her eyes. “Like it?”
“I love it,” she said, swishing her hair back and forth. “Thank you.”
Faith treated her to a big hug, then helped Abby to her feet.
“What do you say to Abby?” Connor asked his daughter.
The little girl turned to smile at her. “Thanks for making me pretty.”
Her dang heart melted. “Ah, honey, you’re always pretty.”
She glanced over at Cooper, who was waiting with the sleeping baby by the door. A smile tugged his lips and his eyes were still full of that warmth that somehow spread from him to her entire body.
Another superpower?
He had many.
Abby nodded to him, not wanting to make him talk, and waved to the others as they left the shop.
“Well, dang me.” Oliver sighed.
Smiling, she pulled the barrettes from her hair and set them back in the drawer at her station, along with the brush.
“That little girl is just as sweet as her mother,” the elderly woman in Sophia’s chair said, smiling wide enough to show her dentures.
“She sure is,” Abby agreed, putting the booster seat back before heading to her office for a fresh coffee.
Oliver breezed in behind her and shut the door then leaned against it. “Heavens and stars.” His blue eyes were wide as he shook the lapel of his yellow shirt that matched the color of his hair. “Those two men were hotness personified.” Her office manager inhaled while fanning himself with his hand. “I had to have myself some iced tea because it was too hot in there for coffee.”
Abby chuckled. “They are handsome.”
A knock sounded on the back door.
“Come in,” she said, figuring it was Mel or Stef, but the instant the door opened her body began to tingle.
“Dang me,” Oliver said under his breath.
Cooper nodded to the guy. “Hi, Oliver.” Then he glanced at her. “Hey, Abs. Got a minute?”
“You’re in luck,” Oliver replied for her. “She’s got ten.”
Her office manager turned toward her and winked before disappearing back into the salon, shutting the door behind him.
And her in the office with Cooper.
Alone.
Chapter Five
Abby turned to face Cooper, then forgot how to breathe when he stepped close, a grin tugging his lips and warming his gaze. Holy crap. What was he doing? Last night he’d told her he wouldn’t touch her and yet, here he was lifting his hand to…pull a barrette from her hair?
“You missed one,” he said, a grin still gracing his lips.
She blinked and heat rushed up her neck and into her face. Great. “Thanks.” She held out her hand.
Nothing embarrassing about this.
He placed the bright orange barrette into her palm, her skin tingling where his finger brushed over her. She didn’t worry about blushing since it hadn’t left her face yet.
“So…” She cleared her throat and shoved the barrette and her hand into the front pocket of her jeans. “I’m guessing you didn’t come back here to pluck barrettes from my hair.”
His grin turned lopsided. “No. That was an added bonus.”
Refusing to read anything into that statement, she walked over to her coffee pot and poured herself a cup. “Would you like one?” she asked over her shoulder.
“No. Thanks. I’m not staying,” he said, moving closer.
She could feel him. All six foot two inches of hotness. Turning to face him, she frowned. “Then why are you here? Is something wrong?”
He shook his head. “No. Nothing’s wrong. I just wanted to give you this.” He held up a small white paper bag with a Champion Bakers logo on it.
Abby sucked in a breath. “I smell chocolate.” Her mouth watered. “Is that a cupcake?”
How in the world hadn’t she noticed it sooner?
Because she was too busy noticing him.
“Indeed, it is.” His grin returned. “Loni told me it was your favorite.”
He’d asked Loni what she liked?
Her pulse leapt. Why would he do that? Did he change his mind about…touching?
“I felt bad about last night and wanted to make sure things were okay between us,” he said, placing the bag on the table by her coffee mug and things back into perspective.
She needed them both. Big time.
“Thank you, but you didn’t have to.” She smiled. He really was a sweet guy. “We’re always good.”
He could never make her feel bad about him.
“So…are you saying you don’t want the cupcake?” he asked, reaching out to grab the bag.
She swiped it off the table before he had the chance. “I didn’t say that.”
His chuckle filled the air and drew another smile to her lips. “Remind me never to come between you and your cupcakes. You nearly took my hand off.
“That’s right.” She nodded, faking a frown. “And only when it’s a chocolate cupcake.”
He placed two fingers to his temple and saluted. “Roger that.”
She laughed. “Think you got me confused with your military brothers.”
“Nah.” He shook his head. “I could never do that.”
The interest was back in his gaze again, driving her nuts.
“Thanks. I think.”
He nodded toward the front of the building. “You were great with Faith,” he said out of the blue.
“You were pretty good with the kids too,” she said. “How is that? Some kind of secret SEAL training?”
Laughter warmed his expression. “Sort of.” He shrugged. “Babysat for a lot of my SEAL brothers.”
“Ah…Uncle Cooper.” She grinned.<
br />
“Exactly,” he replied.
They stayed there smiling at each other until the air heated and tingled around them.
His smile started to fade. “I’ve got to get back to work. Just wanted to drop the cupcake off and apologize again for last night.”
Darn man confused her. She could feel his attraction and his reluctance.
She swallowed a sigh. “None necessary.”
He nodded, then walked out the door, leaving her bewildered and hungry. And not just for the cupcake.
***
Two mornings later, Cooper stood in the ESI supply closet taking inventory, one of his utmost favorite things to do—not. But, it was on his list of things to tackle today.
Up at the crack of dawn, he’d already put in a good workout…thanks to Mother Nature, who was drunk. It was the end of January, but the weather was mild. It was supposed to hit sixty today and rain later. Taking that into account, he’d put in a good run on the beach, then a brisk swim in the gulf, before returning here for a shower. Afterward, he’d ended up in this closet.
Although the task was tedious, he’d been inventorying for almost an hour now and he found it was somewhat calming. Quiet with no outside distractions…only what he brought in with him. His mind. And he had a lot on it.
Correction.
He had a blonde on it. The way Abby had handled things at her salon the other day—watching her work—had given him a new insight to the beauty. Confident and sure, she’d thrived in her element, and he couldn’t take his damn eyes off her.
It had been a big turn-on. One he hadn’t expected or needed. But Connor had sent a text asking him to meet at the salon, and he’d ended up sitting there shooting the shit, holding the guy’s baby boy, while his gaze remained on Abby.
Mesmerized.
Her interaction with Connor’s young daughter had been sweet. His lips twitched as he recalled the sight of her sitting patiently on the floor while Faith clipped brightly-colored plastic little girl barrettes in Abby’s hair.
She’d make a great mother someday.
His insides tightened at that thought. Those children would never be his. That tightening spread through his chest. He loved kids. He had no problem playing with someone else’s, but they weren’t in the cards for him, so the unexpected thought of having them with her sent a sharp pain through his chest.
Pity wasn’t something he tolerated. He didn’t like people pitying him, and he sure as hell didn’t pity himself. Damn waste of time.
Things were black and white. Bad DNA lived in his blood. No way in hell would he pass it on to a child and chance creating a monster like his birth father. Cooper had no idea what made someone abusive. A wire crossed in the brain. A gene.
Was it inherited? Could he pass that down?
No clue.
He wasn’t about to take that chance. He’d even considered a vasectomy.
His favorite body part promptly cringed behind his zipper.
A few years ago, he’d almost gone through with it. Made the appointment. Was set to go, but the team caught a mission with Mac’s men, and this crazy CIA bitch nearly had them all wiped out. There’d been a lot of local casualties. Innocents.
Children.
He recalled that day as if it were yesterday. The sights. Screams. Stench.
Muttering a curse, he scrubbed a hand over his face and inhaled. The smell of cleaning products, polished floor, and coffee hit his nose, reminding him of his surroundings.
Coffee?
Setting his clipboard down on a shelf next to the printer ink he’d already counted, Cooper fished his phone out of his pocket with his free hand to check the time.
Seven-thirty. The girls would definitely have coffee brewing and something baked on the breakroom table by now.
His stomach growled, reminding him he’d had a protein bar two hours ago, and that he’d stashed two bags of Doritos in the breakroom cupboard. Slipping the phone back into his pocket, he reasoned it was okay to invade their space long enough to grab a coffee and a bag of Doritos then head back here.
Satisfied with that thought, he killed the lights, shut the door then headed for the office section of the building. Bringing his coffee back here would definitely keep him out of the estrogen zone and allow them their privacy.
As he opened the door to the office hallway, he immediately heard their voices.
“You have a bucket list, Abby?” Stef asked. “What made you write it?”
“My friend, Mindy,” she answered, her voice sounding a little hesitant. “She was dying of leukemia and said she’d make one if I did, too.”
Cooper slowed his steps, his heart squeezing tight. He’d been dealing with his adoption bombshell at the time, and only vaguely remembered Abby helping her friend fulfill things on her list.
A trip to Catalina to feed the seals. Ride in a hot air balloon. A weekend cruise to Puerto Vallarta. He remembered that one clearly because Carter had been freaking out over the two young, beautiful, blondes traveling alone, and had managed to grab leave and conned Mac into going with him to shadow the women. A smile tugged Cooper’s lips. Apparently the girls had enjoyed themselves, and had never known they’d been chaperoned.
Cooper hadn’t been aware Abby had created her own list, though.
“I’m sorry about your friend.” Stef’s tone was soft and full of compassion. “When did she pass?”
“It’ll be a year this coming Monday,” Abby finally replied. Sadness dulled her voice, and it twisted his gut to hear it.
He leaned against the wall. Monday was going to be hard on her.
“Life sucks sometimes,” Mel said, sadness ruling her tone, too.
He understood from Carter that she’d lost both her father and brother. The woman was right. Life did suck at times.
“So, tell us…what’s on your list?” The eagerness in Stef’s voice made him smile.
“Yeah? Skydiving? Holding a tarantula? Swimming with sharks?” Mel asked in a fast succession of questions.
Abby laughed. “No, nothing like that. And it’s not a big one. There are only three things on it.”
“Still, that’s so cool,” Mel said.
“What’s cool is that she’s already crossed off two items,” Rylee told them, and he could hear a smile in her tone.
“Oh my God. Already? That’s terrific, Abby,” Stef gushed.
“What are they?” Mel asked.
“Nothing all that adventurous, although they were important,” Abby told them. “Move out of state. And open my own salon.”
They were part of her list?
Cooper smiled. Good for her. Admiration warmed his blood. Those were big steps and definitely risky.
“That’s terrific,” Mel said.
“Yeah,” Stef agreed. “That was brave. Trust me, I know.”
According to Mac, that’s exactly what his fiancée had done. Stef had moved to Texas from Nevada and started up her own business last year too.
“Me, three,” Mel said.
“Me, four.” Rylee laughed. “Although I didn’t exactly start my own business.”
“But you became an agent, or investigator at ESI,” Abby stated, admiration lining her tone.
“Yeah,” Mel agreed. “The only female one, too.”
And she was damn good. Cooper had no reservations allowing the woman to take the lead on her current investigation, which was a follow-up to the dog-fighting ring Gabe’s girlfriend had uncovered last month. He found it kind of funny how the two women in his buddy, the sheriff’s life were taking down bad guys.
First his girlfriend. Now his sister.
Rylee was great at sniffing out a paper trail and following the money, though. If there were more assholes running dog fights, she’d find and uncover them.
“So what’s the third item on your list, Abby?” Mel asked.
He didn’t know why, but he could practically feel the beauty cringe.
“Umm…nothing I expect to ever cross off,” she fin
ally answered. “And I feel kind of bad, because Mindy made me promise to try.”
“Maybe we can help you with it.” Stef’s tone was soft again.
“Yeah. Why don’t you tell us what it is and we’ll make sure you do,” Mel said.
Guilt clawed at his gut. He pushed off the wall. This wasn’t right. He shouldn’t be hearing these things. It was bad enough he’d stayed in the hall for the past few minutes. But he’d gotten the sense the women were helping Abby and he hadn’t wanted to interrupt.
Now, though, it was time to make his presence known.
“What’s your third item?” Mel prodded.
“It’s silly, really.” Abby’s voice had gone quiet.
“Oh…it involves a man, doesn’t it?” Mel asked.
Two feet into his advancement down the hall, Cooper halted.
Abby had a guy on her bucket list?”
His chest tightened and an unexpected possessiveness stormed through him.
Christ. Maybe he was like his father. Women weren’t meant to be possessed.
Still, he couldn’t deny the strong feelings overtaking him at the thought of her with some damn guy.
“Is it Cooper?” Stef asked, completely knocking the wind out of his sail…and lungs.
Why the hell would he be on Abby’s list?
“Yes,” Abby whispered as if she thought he might be listening.
Which he was, and he was also slammed off his axis. He slumped against the wall and blinked.
He was the guy on her list?
“How’d you guess?” Abby asked.
Pulse rushing through his veins, he tried to make sense of it. She was too good for him. So, why? What could she possibly want with him?
“Stef and I didn’t believe for one minute that bullshit you and Rylee tried to sell us about him being like a second brother to you when he’d first arrived in town,” Mel said. “The way the two of you look at each other when you think no one is watching is kind of cute and it gives you away.”
Busted.
Shit.
“What, exactly, did you write about Cooper?” Stef asked.
“It wasn’t much,” Abby said, and even though he couldn’t see her, he felt her shrug. “I just listed I wanted to kiss him in the rain. Oh my God, I can’t believe I’m telling you all this.”
Cooper (HC Heroes Series Book 5) Page 6
