****
“Did you say something, Cooper?” Chloe asked him.
“No. Not a thing.” Cooper muttered. He should have asked Kendra to dance. He stared at Chloe when she snickered. “Something funny?”
Chloe batted her eyelashes at him. “Nope.”
Cooper narrowed his eyes. She smiled at him and shrugged. “Want to dance?”
“You’re asking me to dance?” Chloe asked him.
“I’m sure as hell not asking Storm.”
Chloe laughed. “Sure.” She stood and took his hand. They walked toward the dancefloor and found a spot. Since it was a slow dance, the floor was crowded.
Cooper glanced around and found Lincoln and Kendra. They were dancing a little too close together for his liking.
“My hips would appreciate it if you’d ease up a little, Coop,” Chloe said to him.
“What?” He glanced down at her and frowned. “Oh. Sorry.” He loosened his grip on her hips.
“Maybe we should switch partners.”
“Why? Do you want to dance with Linc?”
Chloe shrugged. “It doesn’t matter to me, but you look like you’d rather dance with Kennie.”
“What makes you say that?” Cooper scowled.
She laughed. “You can’t keep your eyes off her. I’ll gladly dance with Lincoln.”
“Fine,” Cooper muttered and pulled her behind him toward Linc and Kendra. He stopped beside them. “We’re switching partners.”
Lincoln frowned at him and glanced down at Kendra. “Are you okay with this, Kennie?”
Kendra shrugged. “It’s fine.”
Cooper took her hand and turned away from the other couple. “Don’t act so damn happy about it,” he growled.
“We can sit down, Cooper. Why did you want to switch partners if you’re going to bitch about it?”
“I am not bitching.”
Kendra grinned up at him. “Really?”
Cooper tried not to grin. “Well, maybe a little.”
Kendra laughed. God, he loved her laugh. They swayed slowly to the music. Her hair smelled wonderful. Like sugar cookies. He’d always had a weakness for sugar cookies. Fuck! This was not the place for his dick to snap to attention.
“Song’s over, Cooper,” Kendra told him.
“What? Oh. Let’s sit down then.” He felt like an idiot. They were about the only people left on the dancefloor. They took their seats at the table and ordered more drinks.
“You’re not drinking?” Kendra asked him.
“No. I’m driving.”
“I am too.” She told him. “I’ve had two and now I’m on to plain soda. Chloe drove us here but she wanted to have a few drinks.”
“How’s the motorcycle business, Coop?” Chloe asked him.
“Great. My favorite part of it is taking the bike on a test drive when it’s finished.”
“Well, if you ever need a riding partner, I’m game.” Chloe innocently glanced at Kendra.
“Really? I was hoping to get Kendra on a bike again.”
“Again?” Chloe exclaimed in a surprised voice.
“She didn’t tell you?” Cooper asked. When Chloe shook her head, he grinned. “I gave her a ride home from Mackie’s while her tire was being repaired.”
Chloe abruptly stood, making the men jump up too, and causing Storm to knock over his chair. “Sorry. Let’s go to the ladies room, Kennie.”
Cooper frowned and watched them move through the crowd and disappear.
****
Kendra knew she was in for the third degree as she followed Chloe into the Ladies room. She didn’t have long to wait as she watched Chloe stop and spin around to face her. Kendra put her hand up.
“I told you about needing a ride home from Mackie’s.”
Chloe folded her arms. “You did, but you failed to mention that Cooper gave you a ride home, and on a motorcycle.”
Kendra shrugged. “It didn’t seem important.”
Chloe stared at her in disbelief, and then burst out laughing. “It didn’t seem important? Oh my God, Kennie, you are priceless.” She leaned against a stall. “You have your legs and arms wrapped around the man of your dreams and you didn’t think it was important to tell me about it?”
“I did not have my legs wrapped around him!”
“Was he or was he not between your legs?” Chloe smirked.
Kendra sighed. “Technically, yes, but...”
“Did it feel good?” Chloe asked softly.
“I am not answering that question.” She narrowed her eyes.
Chloe grinned at her. “You just did.” She walked out of the bathroom grinning.
Kendra clenched her hands into fists as she followed her friend back to the table. Lincoln and Cooper stood, but Storm wasn’t there. As they took their seats, Kendra glanced around and found Storm standing at the bar talking with a woman. Kendra reached for her glass and noticed Chloe staring toward the bar. When Chloe noticed Kendra staring at her, she smiled at her. Kendra frowned but Chloe picked up her glass and sipped from it. Kendra noticed how her friend’s eyes kept straying back to Storm. Kendra leaned toward her.
“You get after me for not going after Cooper but yet, you don’t go after Storm.”
Chloe leaned back in her seat. “Why would I do that?”
This time, it was Kendra’s turn to laugh. “Because you can’t keep your eyes off him. Admit it, Chloe...you have it bad for Storm.”
“I told you I’d go for him if he didn’t hate women so much.”
“He doesn’t hate women. He’s been hurt so he’s cautious. His wife was an idiot. She had it all with him. A beautiful ranch, a gorgeous husband, and a beautiful little girl. I don’t get it.”
“So, why did she leave him?”
Kendra shrugged. “She thought she could talk him into selling his ranch and moving away from here. To a bigger city. I don’t get leaving her daughter behind though.”
“I don’t understand it either but I’m not going for it with him. He’s not looking for long term and I may act like I don’t want it, but I do. I want it all. Husband, home, and family.” Chloe sighed.
Kendra noticed Storm walking back toward the table without the woman. He took his seat and took a long pull on his beer.
“Shot down, Storm?” Cooper teased.
Storm smirked. “No. She wanted to go to my place. That’s not happening.”
“How is Mandy?” Kendra asked him. She knew Storm would never take a woman to his ranch for a one-night stand when his daughter lived there with him.
Storm grinned at her. “She’s beautiful, of course. At my mom’s for the weekend.”
Kendra laughed. “She is beautiful. What is she now? Two?”
“Yes. Just turned two.”
“I’ve never seen your daughter. Do you have pictures?” Chloe asked him.
“Of course I do. What good daddy wouldn’t have pictures of his baby girl?” Storm told her as he reached for his wallet. He held out photos of his daughter. Kendra watched as Chloe leaned toward him, and bit back a smile. Chloe had it bad.
“He’ll bore her to death now,” Cooper said and laughed.
Kendra smiled. “Mandy is a gorgeous little girl. She looks like her daddy.”
“So, you’re saying Storm is gorgeous?”
Kendra laughed. “He is.”
Cooper growled. “If you like his type.”
“Oh my God! Are you kidding me? There’s not a woman in this place who doesn’t like his type. I mean, look at the man. He’s tall, dark, and gorgeous.”
“You’re pushing it, darlin’,” Cooper said to her.
Kendra burst out laughing. “Oh, come on, Cooper. You are too.”
He grinned at her. “I am?”
Kendra waved her hand. “All of you bad boys are.”
Cooper groaned. “Please don’t call us that.”
She grinned. “It’s what you’re all known as. You were hellions.”
Cooper ran his hand down his fac
e. “From bad boys to hellions. Thanks Kendra.”
She leaned toward him. “But you’re all good men, Cooper. You’ve all done well for yourselves.”
“We have. I can’t believe how happy Lucas and Mont are. I never thought they’d be happy being married and having kids. Emily and Isabella are great for them.”
“Yes, they’re all happy.”
“You weren’t in your marriage?”
“No. I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I’d like to know about it, Kendra,” Cooper said in a low voice.
Kendra stared at him. Why tell him about a time in her life she’d rather forget? “Just suffice it to say, I wanted out.”
“Bullshit. There’s more to it than that. One day, you’ll tell me.”
“Awful cocky, aren’t you?”
Cooper grinned at her. “I want to take you out to dinner, Kendra.”
Kendra’s mouth dropped open. “Why?”
“Because I think you’re beautiful, and I’d like to take you out. As long as you don’t kick me in the balls again.”
Kendra choked on her drink, and then shifted her gaze to him. “I’m sorry about that.” She ruined the apology by laughing.
“Real funny, Mattingly.”
She burst out laughing. “I am sorry but you deserved it. What made you think you could just kiss me like that?”
When Cooper didn’t answer her, she glanced around the table to see Chloe, Storm, and Lincoln staring at her. She mentally groaned.
“Something else you forgot to mention?” Chloe asked her.
Kendra shrugged and glanced toward Cooper. He had his drink up to his mouth but she could see a grin behind it. Chloe would never let her live this down. Storm and Lincoln were smiling at her. Great. Now they all knew Cooper had kissed her and took her for a ride on a motorcycle. The Dry River grapevine would be in full swing tomorrow.
Chapter Four
“She’s here at the local bar. Lang is here too. Sitting with her and some other chick. There are two other men too.” Tyler Conrad’s voice reported coming across the line.
“Did she go there with him?” Jasper growled.
“No. I followed her and the other woman here, and they were sitting alone. Two cowboys asked them to dance and Kendra danced with one, but then sat down when she spotted me.”
“You let me know if she leaves with Lang and you follow them. Do you hear me?” Jasper yelled.
“Yes. Christ! Everyone can hear you. Calm the fuck down, Jasper.”
Jasper took deep breaths to calm himself. He hated the idea of any man touching Kennie, but especially Cooper Lang. He knew how she felt about Lang. When Kendra’s mother sent her a box of her things right after they were married, he opened it while Kendra was sick in bed. The box had her old high school notebooks and a diary inside of it. In them, she’d written hers and Lang’s name in hearts. Kendra Lang in big letters was everywhere. She’d been obsessed with him. It didn’t matter to Jasper that it was from a time when she was younger. What mattered was the thought of her ever loving another man and he couldn’t trust her. It was then he decided he’d never let her go anywhere or do anything without him knowing. He had tons of money so he hired men to guard her and follow her. She’d been angry about it and told him to call them off, but he hadn’t. He couldn’t risk the chance of her leaving him to find Cooper Lang again. But he suspected he went too far when he started locking her in their bedroom every time he left the house because everything went to hell when her father came to visit. He told Jasper he was taking his daughter to lunch and he’d have her back in two hours. Jasper let her go with him, but sent a man to follow them. It turned out to be a huge mistake. Hudson Mattingly took his daughter back to Dry River, Wyoming. Jasper went after her but Hudson stepped onto his porch with a shotgun, and told him if he ever stepped on his ranch again, he’d use it.
“You just do what the fuck I tell you to do, if you want your money,” he hissed at Conrad.
“I am doing what you’re telling me to do. I’m here, aren’t I?” Tyler muttered.
“You just make sure you stay there until she leaves, and then follow her home. If she goes home with Lang, I want to know right away.” Jasper hung up.
****
Cooper took a long drink from his glass and tried his best not to laugh at the look on Kendra’s face. Everyone at the table was staring at her.
“It’s not like it sounds,” she told them.
“It sounds like Cooper kissed you,” Chloe said with raised eyebrows.
Cooper chuckled, and then sobered when Kendra glared at him. He shrugged. “Tell them the truth.”
Kendra stared at him. “The truth?”
Cooper grinned at her. “Of course. Tell them why I kissed you.”
“I told him he didn’t appeal to me and he tried to prove me wrong by kissing me.”
Lincoln and Storm burst out laughing. Chloe wore a smirk on her face, and Cooper narrowed his eyes at her.
“What’s that look for, Chloe?”
She leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. “Not a thing.”
Cooper noticed she didn’t look at Kendra. Women. Men just had no clue how their beautiful minds worked. He glanced over to Lincoln and he had a confused look on his face too. Lincoln glanced at him and shrugged.
“Then she kicked me in the balls,” Cooper added.
Storm and Lincoln stared at him, and then laughed. “You deserved it,” Storm told him.
“I know I did. I was being a jerk. She didn’t want my help and it pissed me off so I might have gotten a little cocky.”
“A little cocky?” Kendra said.
Cooper tried not to grin. “Okay, maybe more than a little.” He saw Kendra stiffen up as she looked toward the door. Cooper glanced over and didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. People were coming in and going out, but Kendra didn’t tear her eyes away. He touched her hand. She flinched and looked at him. “Are you all right? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I’m fine,” she told him.
“How about going for a ride tomorrow, or Sunday?” Cooper suggested.
“I can’t Sunday, but tomorrow would be nice.” Kendra smiled at him.
Cooper raised his eyebrows. “Really?”
Kendra laughed. “Yes. I loved it.”
Cooper shifted in his seat. Christ! Her laugh made his dick hard. “Could you come to the shop around noon or would you rather I pick you up?”
“I’d love to see the shop, if that’s all right with you?”
All right with him? He’d love to show her his bedroom too, but that can wait...for now. “That’s fine, Kendra. I have some things to do in the morning and sometimes time slips away. I’d hate to have you thinking I was standing you up.”
Kendra smiled at him. “I’ll be there around noon.”
“Great.” Cooper grinned.
****
Kendra glanced over to Chloe and saw her staring at her with a smile on her face. Kendra shrugged, making Chloe laugh.
“I’m going to go outside a minute to get some fresh air. I’ll be right back,” Chloe announced.
Kendra noticed that Storm watched Chloe weave her way through the crowd. He stood and without saying a word, followed her. Kendra sighed and glanced at Cooper. He was looking at her. What could it hurt to go for a ride with Cooper? She’d enjoyed the ride. The rush she felt sitting behind Cooper with her arms around him had been wonderful. For years, she’d thought of touching him, and riding with him on the motorcycle was pure heaven. At first, she thought it was torture but now that she knew Cooper wanted to take her out, she was more than willing to go on another ride with him.
A little while later, she picked up her drink and glanced around. Where was that man now? She couldn’t get over the thought he was there to see her. Mentally shaking her head, she knew that couldn’t be right. How would he even know she was there? Unless he was following her. Her stomach rolled. Could he be following her? Why? She’d n
ever seen him before the day in Clarice’s. When she spotted him, he was staring at her. She set her glass down with a thump making everyone at the table look at her. She quickly stood.
“I’ll...be right back,” she said softly as she headed toward the bathroom. Once inside, she snatched a paper towel out of the holder, ran water over it, and then pressed it to her forehead. The bathroom door flew open and Chloe marched in.
“Are you all right?”
“That man keeps staring at me,” Kendra put her hand up when Chloe started to interrupt. “I know you think it’s nothing, but I don’t. He’s following me. Where have you been?”
“Kennie, honey. Why would he be following you? Maybe he’s just passing through town and decided to come to the bar tonight. He saw you at Clarice’s and maybe he was interested but you didn’t show any interest in him. He just happens to be here tonight. That’s all it is.”
“It’s not it. I know something is up with this man. He doesn’t just happen to be here. Jasper could have sent him here. I’ll show him to you and hey, you didn’t answer my question.”
Chloe sighed. “I told you, I needed some fresh air. Let’s go home. We’ll see if he follows us. If he doesn’t, then you need to let it go. You’re being paranoid and I can understand that after what you went through with that piece of shit you were married to, but let’s not jump to conclusions.”
Kendra nodded as Chloe rubbed her back. “Did you see Storm when you were out there? He went out right after you.”
Chloe glanced away from her. “No. Come on, let’s go.”
“All right.” Kendra frowned at her but mentally shrugged and followed Chloe out.
As they walked back to the table, Kendra looked around and tried to point him out to Chloe, but it was too crowded. Cooper and Lincoln stood when they got to the table. Storm was nowhere around again.
“Aren’t you sitting back down?” Cooper asked them.
“No. We’re leaving,” Chloe told them.
“Early, isn’t it?” Lincoln asked them.
Kendra glanced at Chloe, and then to Lincoln. “I have a headache.” She looked at Cooper. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Cooper smiled at her. Chloe and Kendra started to make their way toward the door when Kendra felt someone grasp her arm. She swung around ready to kick someone when she saw it was Cooper.
Cooper Bad Boys of Dry River, Wyoming Book 3 Page 4
