by Lavada Dee
The intensity of their attraction eased, and her voice held laughter as she added, “I know you’re just afraid all the fresh air will give me a huge appetite.”
“You’re on, lady. And if it gives you that kind of appetite, I may walk you up and down this hill ten times a day.”
Laughing, they set out through the trees. The driveway looked like a picture postcard. The road dipped, and when it crested, the lake came into view, completing the picture. Galynn sucked in her breath and stopped. All around, the trees were dressed in white. No track marred the road before them. It felt like they’d been transported to a pure, innocent place. A voice, even a whisper, would have felt like sacrilege. Cooper stood slightly behind her, sharing the moment in quiet harmony.
By the time they reached the house, Galynn was freezing. It didn’t go unnoticed by Cooper. Taking her by the arm, he guided her to a kitchen chair. “Here, let me help you with these boots.” Kneeling down, he made fast work of getting them off, but then his fingers lingered at her ankle.
She felt a shiver, and it wasn’t from the cold. Still, she tried to pass it off as such. “I guess my blood is still thin from living in a warmer state.”
This was the first time Galynn had offered any information about herself, and when she realized what she’d said, she bit back saying anything more.
Cooper set the thermostat up and went about getting the steaks out for dinner. Even though it had only been a couple days, Galynn felt comfortable, and together they got dinner done in record time. Like he'd done the day before, Cooper turned on the news and got out TV trays. Galynn didn’t mind, but it seemed strange until she gave it some thought. She’d bet Cooper hadn’t been in a live-in relationship, or if he had, it had been awhile. That he used the TV for company said a lot. She wanted to ask, but it seemed too personal. She stared at the TV and tried to gain some perspective so her emotions wouldn’t take over. She would only be here for a few days, a couple of weeks at the very most. It would be better if they didn’t get to know each other too well.
Cooper finished off the last bite of steak. “Ummm this tasted good. I guess I was hungrier than I thought. I get to working and forget about eating.” Looking over at her, he added, “That’s got to change. I need to eat more often and so do you.”
The moment played out in silence. His body language said he didn’t just want to just feed her. He wanted to take care of her in every way.
She shifted in her seat. Warmth stole over her. And something more, something she’d never felt. He made her feel special, and pretty, and she wasn’t sure what. Mundane words spilled out. “I’m okay. I never usually eat breakfast.” Her hands shook when she raised the cup of coffee to her lips. “Want to talk about tomorrow? Is there anything specific you want me to do in the office?”
Cooper’s smile said he knew what she was doing. He was way above average looking when he wasn’t smiling, but now he’d make any woman catch her breath. He was taller than Mick, she guessed him at just over six feet. Broad shoulders, hair the color of midnight, and a full, sensuous mouth completed the picture. Signature blue eyes were a bonus. Her gaze caught and held his.
With a visible effort, Cooper picked up his plate and reached for hers. He was uncomfortably close when he answered her. “Anything you do will be a help.”
“I’ll finish filing the paperwork. I have maybe another hour at the most, and it’ll be done. If it’s okay, I’ll log the accounts into the computer instead of the hand ledger you were using. I can format it so it will supplement the ledger but you won’t have to use the adding machine for totals.”
They discussed the details of the office work while they cleaned up from dinner. Galynn wasn’t sure either of them would be able to maintain a distance if they lapsed into silence. It didn’t seem possible that she could be having these feelings for Cooper. After Mick, she should have been running for the nearest door. But then she’d never been attracted to Mick, or for that matter, any other boy or man. She attributed her lack of interest to not having a normal boy-girl relationship in her growing up years. Her mother’s health really took a downturn her sophomore year in high school. To help with the finances, Galynn had worked after school and on weekends. As her mother’s pulmonary disease progressed, Galynn put in long hours with school, a job, and helping her mother.
“A penny for your thoughts.”
His easy manner made it clear to her that Cooper wasn’t having the same problem she was. Turning, she braced herself so she wouldn’t give away too much. “Just thinking back, nothing interesting.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” He handed her a glass and kept hold of it when she reached for it. His gaze dropped to their hands, and his voice deepened. “I find you very interesting.”
Just a touch and Galynn felt the heat. She swallowed and pulled the glass out of his hand. It might be early, but with things heating up like they were, it was late enough to call it a day and put some space between them. “Do you have time to do my back? I think I’ll turn in a little early tonight. Maybe read for a while.”
* * * *
It was still dark when Galynn woke up, but the clock on the nightstand said six thirty. She’d only managed a couple of chapters of her book before falling asleep. With a full night’s sleep, she felt rested. Sleep deprivation had been one of Mick’s tools to keep her what he called “in line.” With her mother so sick, it had been a couple of years since she’d gotten a full night’s sleep, so she’d conditioned herself to it. Or she thought she had, until Mick started waking her up during the night. He had been good with her mother, but almost as soon as she passed away, he started changing. Maybe he thought he would lose his hold on her. Who knew? He worked the graveyard shift, and since he was out in the car on patrol, he’d stop in at the house and wake her up. Sometimes it would only be for her to get him a glass of water. Sometimes he’d insist she make him something to eat. There were days at work that she felt more like a zombie than a third-grade teacher.
When she had made a run for it, she’d spent most nights on a bus, only stopping once to throw him off her track. She’d stayed in a middle-class motel that was comfortable enough and even had a coffee shop, but she hadn’t slept well. That first night with Cooper had opened a new door for her. Here she felt safe, even cared for.
She listened but didn’t hear anything. Cooper seemed to get up early and had probably already gone up to the office. He’d told her not to worry about the time and that eight would be plenty early enough to start but nine or ten would work, too. Maybe she’d run down and get a cup of coffee to drink while she got dressed and straightened her room.
She had on a tank top and flannel short bottoms she liked to sleep in. Traveling light, she hadn’t packed a robe. Humming to herself, she entered the kitchen and stopped short.
Cooper’s spoon paused just short of his mouth. Galynn’s voice was almost a whisper. “Huh, I thought that you’d already left. I…um didn’t. Uh, the house was really quiet.”
The spoon clattered back into the bowl of cereal in front of him. He swallowed as his gaze took in the skimpy tank top. Was it the cool temperature that had her nipples exposed through the material?
Galynn turned away and reached for the coffeepot. Neither one spoke. Silence filled the kitchen as Galynn filled her cup before fleeing the kitchen like something was chasing her.
Chapter 5
Galynn fussed around the house, hoping that by the time she got to the office Cooper would have left for the job. It was almost nine when she opened the door to male laughter. A huge guy held up the doorframe between the main office and Cooper’s. He turned toward the open door, and his eyes widened. He recovered quickly and gave her a smile that lit up his face. “Hi, I’m Gus.” Turning, he hollered, “Coop, you’ve got company.”
Almost at once, four men and Cooper filed out his office. Galynn couldn’t believe that many men had managed to be in there. Gus moved closer to give them room. He seemed oblivious to his boss’s glare.
&
nbsp; Cooper moved across the room to Galynn’s side and introduced them all. He explained that the five men made up Blackhawk Construction.
Speaking to the men, he went onto explain the office situation. “Bev’s intentions were to only be gone about three weeks, but she called Friday morning and said she would be making a permanent move.” He held up his hands. “I know we’ll all miss her, but she deserves retirement.”
One of the guys laughed and said, “I knew something was different in here when we walked in. Now I see there isn’t a paper blizzard all over every flat surface.”
The others joined in and good-naturedly kidded Coop. He took it, giving as much back. “Okay, okay. Have you goons ever thought why we don’t get help in here? You big lugs scare them all away.”
There were mumbled sounds of agreement from the men. Gus spoke up, his voice full of hope. “So is Galynn going to take over the office?”
“She’s helping out for now.” Looking down at her, he winked. “But I’m working on it.”
The crew left almost right away. Cooper told them he’d be out to the job around noon, after he got some calls and other paperwork done. There was some teasing and offers to do the office work for him. When the door closed behind the men, the quiet seemed deafening. Cooper’s smile lit up his face. “So you’ve seen the mornings. We meet here. More or less just to touch base and pick up the work vans. At night when we come back they make short work of picking up their rigs and heading out.” His voice grew serious. “You’re one of us now, and we take care of our own. Do you really think anyone will get to you through that gang?”
A shiver of fear, mixed with longing, raced through Galynn. If only she dared. She shook her head in resignation. “They look like wonderful guys, and they’re even more of reason why I can’t risk staying here.” She looked up meeting his gaze. “You don’t understand, Coop. I don’t think Mick is sane…” She hesitated. She hadn’t meant to say his name again.
Her voice dropped, and she twisted her hands together. “I’m positive he’s taking steroids and they’re affecting his mind. He will kill me and anyone else that gets in his way. I had nothing to lose in leaving him, but you, your family, and friends do.” She fought the tears threatening to fall and again locked gazes with Cooper. “Please.”
The one simple word said it all. Cooper was across the floor in a second, enveloping her in his arms. But she pulled out of his embrace and moved behind her desk.
He held up his hands. “Okay, for now you’re safe, and we’ll let it go.” He turned to the kitchen. “How about a cup of coffee, and then I’ll let you get to work.”
The morning passed in a blur after Coop went back into his office. Galynn finished comparing the invoices against the check register and got everything filed or into a stack for Cooper to take care of. Before he left, he’d told her to run down to the house and get something for lunch. He gave her keys to the office and house with a slip of paper with his cell number on it. “Call if you have any questions or anything comes up. I’ll see you around five.”
The office felt empty without him there. Galynn wasn’t hungry but knew it was important to be as physically healthy as possible when she set out on her own again. Cooper had it right. She needed to eat.
* * * *
The rest of the week followed Monday’s schedule. Galynn would get to the office just before or as the crew was leaving for the job. Sometimes Cooper went with them, but usually he had a couple of hours of office work to do first. On Wednesday they started something new, and Galynn found she liked it. Around noon they would walk back down to the house for lunch together. Given the cold weather and the extra time it took, it would have been more practical to pack a lunch. But with her tendency to become absorbed in what she was doing, the walk down to the house felt good and provided her with a much-needed break. Having company was an added bonus. Having his company made it even better.
Today was Friday, just a week since Cooper had found her on the road. It seemed like so much longer. She had forgotten how good it felt to be rested. Nights no longer held terror for her, and she slept straight through to morning. To make it even better, she was dreaming, and they weren’t the nightmares she had become used to. If a certain beautiful man haunted them, so much the better. It made falling asleep something she increasingly looked forward to.
Galynn had started automating the office. Deep in thought, she didn’t hear Cooper until he stood right next to her desk. At his voice, she jumped and held up her arms to fend off a blow. Cooper’s voice turned husky with emotion. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. You’re going to ruin your eyes working in the dark like this.”
She hadn’t realized it had gotten so late. The day had been sunny, and there hadn’t been a need to turn on the desk light earlier. Stretching, she didn’t think about how the fabric of her sweater showed the contours of her figure until she looked up and saw Cooper’s eyes. Her face heated up, and she quickly lowered her arms. Cooper didn’t move. She saw him take a deep breath and swallow. The muscles clenched low in her stomach, and she felt an unfamiliar pressure. Her eyes widened as her gaze lowered to his lips.
Doors slamming jolted her back to reality. Reaching over, she snapped on her desk lamp. Cooper held his stance for a second longer, whispering, “Later,” as if it were a promise.
Gus, as usual, was the first one through the door. Taking off his hat, he raked his hand through his hair. “Wow, I think it’s dropped twenty degrees in the last hour. Bet we’re in for a doozy of a storm tonight. What’s with Fridays anyway? The last couple have been stormy.”
Ignoring Cooper, he leaned a hip on Galynn’s desk. “So, have any plans for tonight?”
Gus was young, she guessed at a maybe a year older than her. But that was in chronological years, not in experience, where she had a good ten years on him. The other men had all gotten in from outside, and a few eyebrows rose. What could the kid be thinking? You didn’t ask a lady out with an audience.
Galynn didn’t miss a beat and quickly defused Gus’s faux pas. “Plans, sure, everyone has plans for Fridays.” She winked at him to ease the rejection, and he rewarded her by a big grin that said he would try again.
It didn’t take long for the men to file back out for home. Cooper had told her earlier that for the last couple of months they’d worked six and sometimes seven days to beat the weather and get the mall to the point where they could work inside. They would be busy all winter, but they wouldn’t be under the pressure of earlier. With their workweek back to normal, the men could give into fatigue. They were obviously looking forward to a weekend off.
“Let’s follow their example and get out of here. I still can hardly believe all you’ve gotten done.” Cooper pulled Galynn’s snow boots out of the closet.
Galynn went about turning off the computer and rinsing out the coffeepot. By the time they stepped out the door, it had started snowing again. The first few nights, Cooper asked if she wanted to drive the truck down to the house, but she always declined and now he didn’t ask anymore. She loved the walk even when the wind was blowing and it felt like twenty degrees below freezing. Tonight there wasn’t any wind, and the snow came down in huge, fluffy flakes. As they crested the hill, the lake came into view and Galynn sucked in her breath at the sight. “I feel like I’m in a picture postcard.”
Branches bent with the weight of snow, and the dock was a blur under a blanket of white. In unison, they both stopped as time stood still. Cooper moved behind Galynn and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned back, resting her head against his chest. She knew she should pull away like she’d done before, but she couldn’t make herself move. This moment felt just too perfect.
“We have to move, or they’ll find us frozen to this spot in the morning,” Cooper whispered as he moved his lips close to her neck.
His words, even as quiet as they were, broke the trance, and together they moved down the drive. As they opened the door, the scent of dinner greeted them. Galynn had put a chic
ken in the Crock-Pot that morning, and within a half hour, chicken and noodles were on the table. Galynn enjoyed Cooper’s appetite. She’d gotten to where she hated to cook because nothing ever satisfied Mick. More often than not, it sparked a violent fight.
Usually Cooper seemed to prefer eating in front of the TV while watching the news. Tonight he’d filled his plate from the stove as usual, but sat down at the kitchen table. Whether they were talking or quiet, there was a comfortable feeling to just being together. It would be hard to leave all this, and especially Cooper. Mentally, Galynn shook off the gloomy thoughts that leaving brought. They made small talk about the upcoming weekend. Coop wanted to take her over to his folks’, and she was resisting. “I’m not going to be here much longer. It’s better for everyone if I stay in the background.”
Cooper finished eating and pushed back his chair to get up and pour a couple cups of coffee. Bringing them back to the table, he set one down in front of her but didn’t sit back down at the table. Instead, he leaned against the counter, casually crossing his legs at the ankles. “They want to meet you. And, I want it, too.”
She rubbed her fingers against her forehead. This was so hard. She wanted to make Cooper happy, but going to his parents’? Not a good idea. She smiled up and him and said, “I’ll think about it.”
He knew he’d won. She saw it in his quick smile. Darn the guy. They communicated like she’d never been able to with anyone else, ever.
Pushing away from the counter, he said, “Come on, let’s get this kitchen cleaned up and catch the last of the news.”
“You go ahead. I won’t take but a minute, and I’ll join you.”
“Not on your life. It’ll take even less time with two of us.”
Surprisingly, he was right. They worked in perfect tandem. Coop took a last swipe across the counter and then poured them fresh cups of coffee before heading for the living room. Snapping on the news, he sank down on the end of the sofa, leaving room for her to sit with him. She felt tempted, but at the last second, she chose the chair.
