“Oh, she’s a beauty,” Becca swooned as she moved in close, grabbing both of Tessa’s hands in hers and then pulling her in for a hug. That was his mother. She didn’t have any respect for personal space whatsoever when it came to the people in her life.
“Woman, let her be,” David said with a laugh after a good thirty seconds or so.
“Why don’t y’all head on out to the table on the back porch and Tessa and I will bring the food out.” Cooper held the door open for his parents as they disappeared outside.
“Dalton up yet?” he asked Tessa when he turned back to face her.
“I heard him moving around, but I haven’t seen him yet. Want me to go get him?”
“Nah. Once he smells the food, he’ll come runnin’.”
By the time the four of them were sitting at the table on the back porch, Dalton came cruising out the back door, sniffing the air with a grin on his face. “Mornin’, Mr. and Mrs. Krenshaw. Tessa. Thanks for calling me for breakfast, jackass.” Dalton aimed the last jab at Cooper, making the entire table laugh.
“Dalton,” David greeted. “Good to see you, boy.”
“You too, sir,” Dalton grinned as he pulled out the chair between Tessa and Becca. “Y’all saved me the best seat in the house.”
Definitely a charmer, that boy was. For the next few minutes, everyone ate, the conversation surprisingly comfortable. Tessa joined in when the questions were directed at her, which a lot of them were considering Cooper’s parents were obviously interested in getting to know her. Surprisingly, she didn’t seem at all bothered by answering them.
“Tessa, would you like to help me clear the table?” Becca asked once all of the plates were emptied and pushed away, signaling everyone had gotten their fill.
“Yes, ma’am,” Tessa said with a grin.
“I’ll get it,” Cooper offered, pushing his chair back to help.
“No, sir,” his mother said, pinning him with a glare. “You boys have stuff to talk about. We girls will be fine.”
Cooper nodded, his attention redirected at his father. This was the reason they’d shown up unexpected. Maybe not entirely unexpected because Cooper fully anticipated his father coming to see him soon. He didn’t spend a lot of time away from his parents, usually stopping in to visit at least once every two weeks when he wasn’t on tour.
“Tell me more about this equestrian center,” David insisted as the three men sat at the table, glancing out to see the dogs rumbling in the yard.
“See the barn out there?” Cooper asked as he pointed in the direction of what was left of the old barn.
“Ain’t that a little close to the house?” David asked, leaning back in his chair with his hands resting on his flat stomach. At fifty-one, the man was still in top form.
“It is. I’m looking to tear it down and rebuild farther out. I’ve got just over two hundred acres to play with, so I think I can make it work.”
“How far out? What about that direction?” David asked, looking out toward the tree line that hid the pond Cooper and Tessa had made love by a couple of weeks ago.
“Yeah?” Cooper asked, interested in what his father had to say.
“I think we put in a road over there, that’ll keep the traffic away from the house.”
“Traffic?” Cooper asked, glancing between the two men.
“You know once the media gets wind of this, they’re gonna descend on you. If they know the boys you’ve got helping you out, it’ll be sooner rather than later.” David added, his expression serious.
True. And thanks to Dalton and several phone calls, they had more volunteers than they needed. The materials were on order and would be delivered in the next week, coming in by the truck loads. Although he and Dalton had only briefly talked about the plans, the man had run with the idea. He’d even spent Sunday nailing down the help they would need.
When Dalton Calhoun got involved, things moved pretty quickly. Cooper’s original concept of an equestrian center focused on working with disabled children and adults came from one of their more in depth conversations, he knew Dalton was fully onboard with the idea.
“All right,” Cooper agreed. “I’m game.”
For the next half hour, the three of them talked about the logistics, even mapping out the location on a copy of the land survey to ensure they had everything placed within the appropriate boundaries.
When Tessa came back out with Becca and a full pot of coffee, Cooper was already missing her. Before she could take her seat in the chair she’d commandeered earlier, Cooper pulled her onto his lap. When she started to squirm and tossed him a look that guaranteed retribution later, he put his hand on the inside of her thigh and she immediately stopped squirming.
Exactly how he planned it.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
“What are you boys up to?” Cooper’s mother asked as she returned to her seat.
Tessa couldn’t believe that Cooper had trapped her on his lap, but each time she tried to move, his hand moved up higher on her thigh. She knew no one could see beneath the table, but she wasn’t about to risk him making her turn bright red. Not in front of his parents anyway.
“What’s that?” Tessa asked when she noticed the land survey sitting on the table in front of her. There were some red marks on it, clearly marking the location of the various outbuildings needed to support the farm, including the stables and a separate barn.
Pulling the paper closer, she studied it for a moment before glancing up at the others at the table.
“Look good to you?” Cooper asked.
“Would you mind if I make a couple of suggestions?” she asked, suddenly feeling as though all eyes were on her. Which they were, obviously.
“Not at all,” David said, leaning forward. “What’s your take?”
“See this here?” She pointed to one of the buildings on the paper. “I think you need to bring in the road from this side,” with her finger Tessa circled the road that ran along the south side of the property. “That’ll keep Cooper’s house off of the beaten path. No matter how you design it, there will be people who want to insinuate themselves into his life, even if he tries to keep them off the property. Being that the center will be open to the public, that’s not gonna be all that easy.”
Tessa could feel Cooper’s eyes burning into her, and she turned to look at him. The smile he gifted her with made her heart beat rapidly, probably heard by everyone at the table. “What?” she asked, wondering what he was thinking.
“I think that’s a brilliant idea,” David answered for Cooper. “Never even thought about that. That way Cooper will have one way in and out from his house while the public can come from the other direction. Good idea.”
For some reason, David Krenshaw’s approval made her feel light headed. Granted, she’d given the plans for this center, as well as the farm, a lot of thought over the years, and just because it now belonged to Cooper, she wanted to provide insight if they’d let her. With a renewed sense of self confidence, Tessa leaned forward and outlined for David and Cooper all of the ideas she’d had. When they were finished, they had used about fifty percent of her suggestions and come up with several more collaboratively.
“Can I talk to you for a minute?” Cooper asked, sounding serious as he took her hand in his and stood, pushing her to her feet.
Tessa glanced at his parents and then back at him, her confusion probably more than obvious.
“Excuse us for a minute,” Cooper said to his parents and Dalton before leading her inside.
Once they were in the darkened hallway, Tessa was about to apologize for monopolizing the conversation when she found herself pressed up against the wall, Cooper’s hot mouth on hers. The moan that escaped was followed by her arms going around his neck automatically, holding him closer.
“Woman, I’m not sure I’ve ever wanted you more than I do right now,” he whispered in her ear, making her clit pulse as she thought about him taking her right there in the hallway.
; Feeling a tad rebellious and a whole lot lighter because of last night’s conversation with Cooper, Tessa leaned her head back, lining her mouth up right by his ear and whispered, “Prove it.”
Cooper’s body hardened beneath her hands and he pulled back, his whiskey brown eyes pinning her in place, a smile tipping the corners of his mouth. When he grabbed her around the waist, pulling her against him and then turning so they were just inside his bedroom, Tessa had to swallow her squeal.
“I’m going to make you wear skirts in the future,” he growled as he unbuttoned her jeans while she toed off one of her boots. Without letting one another go, they managed to ease her jeans from one leg while Cooper shoved his down over his hips.
“Turn around,” he growled against her ear and Tessa quickly turned to face the wall, her hands flat. “Just remember, you have to be quiet, or my parents will hear you.”
The warning sent a shiver down Tessa’s spine. Last night had been hard enough knowing Dalton was in the house. But what if his parents came inside? What if they heard them?
When he kicked her foot out to the side, widening her stance as he put his hand on the middle of her back and forced her down slightly, Tessa wasn’t sure she could wait until he was inside of her so she would just have to be quiet. His rough touch set a fire inside of her unlike anything she’d ever felt before.
Sure, she’d felt desired when they made love, but never like when he wanted her fast and hard. Like the man couldn’t wait another second to have her. This was beyond explosive, and she wanted nothing more than to have him inside of her.
Luckily, she didn’t have to wait much longer. His fingers were teasing her pussy seconds before his cock slid home, driving into her and forcing her to hold herself away from the wall. When he leaned over, his mouth brushing against her ear, she turned her head slightly.
“Fuck me, Cooper,” she whispered so low, she barely heard herself, but his answering growl had her pussy spasming.
“Tessa.” Her name on his lips sounded like a warning, and when he stood back up, gripping her hips before slamming into her, she braced herself.
She felt the tingles in her core almost immediately, and they slowly radiated outward, growing stronger as they went until she was sweating and hanging by her fingernails to the fragile edge of an orgasm that was going to rock her to her very core.
“Darlin’, I could do this forever,” Cooper growled, but he never slowed, slamming into her as she pushed back against him.
She had to grind her teeth together to keep from crying out as her orgasm detonated, making her legs weak and her arms even weaker. She barely managed to remain standing as he slammed into her once, twice, three more times before his body was motionless behind her, his fingers gripping painfully on her hips. The pain disappeared abruptly as he filled her.
“Darlin’, you do that to me much more, and I’m not sure I won’t have a heart attack,” he joked, his voice still just a whisper so no one else could hear them. “Go get cleaned up and I’ll meet you back outside.”
With that, Cooper pressed a light kiss to her cheek, lingering a second before he pulled out of her and disappeared out the door. She heard the door to the other bathroom close, and she smiled before limping into the surprisingly spacious bathroom that was in Cooper’s bedroom.
Being an old farmhouse, and one that Mr. Deluth had never wanted to remodel, Tessa was surprised to see that, at some point, they had made some significant changes to the bathroom. Tessa never had met Mrs. Deluth, she had passed away when Luanne was just a baby, but she knew from her talks with Mr. Deluth just how much he had loved her. Didn’t surprise her that he’d made a change like that for the woman he loved.
Tessa knew all too well just what lengths one was willing to go through for love.
When she stood in front of the mirror, she froze, noticing the woman whose smile was radiating from her flushed face, her hair a tangled mess. She looked different. Well fucked, maybe? No, that wasn’t it. Tessa felt different too. Like the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. Like she was… in love.
Tessa was beginning to think that life was finally taking a turn for the better. Right where she’d always hoped it would be. And, for the first time, she actually thought she might have a chance at finding the happily ever after that had been eluding her for so long.
Chapter Thirty Two
The following Saturday night turned out to be the equivalent of an unchaperoned teenage dance.
A full week had disappeared quickly, everyone busy, including Cooper’s parents who had remained in town for several days to help Cooper get things in order.
Thanks to his mother, his house was in much better shape. And thanks to his father and Dalton, they had everything on order to get the fences mended, the concrete poured for the new stable as well as the barn, and they had an outpouring of volunteers coming the following week to help with what was needed.
And somewhere along the way, Dalton had decided to do a benefit concert, donating all proceeds to various organizations that Tessa worked with. Maybe the guy felt guilty that his questions had spurred her breakdown, or maybe Dalton was just being Dalton, Cooper didn’t know. But either way, trying to keep up with the man wasn’t easy.
On Thursday, Dalton had informed him that he was working with the local radio stations to announce the benefit concert in order to garner more attendance.
Because The Rusty Nail could only hold so many, Dalton had asked Cooper if they could set things up on his property. After learning that Dalton had targeted radio stations that spanned three counties, he hadn’t had much of a choice but to agree. There was no way to handle it otherwise.
So, after Friday was spent setting up a sound stage and various tents for a BYOB party, everyone was enjoying the fruits of their labor.
“Where’s Tessa?” Cooper asked Eric when he managed to break through the horde of women and men currently surrounding the stage where Dalton was gearing up to play. With a full blown band.
The guy had pulled out all the stops tonight, including an entire tent that was being manned by a couple of famous locals whose sole focus was on collecting money. The concert was free with a donation. Cooper didn’t even want to think about what it would look like tomorrow when everyone left. Thankfully, he had some time to kill before then.
“She said she needed a break,” Eric told him, his voice raised to be heard over the ruckus.
“Thanks,” Cooper mouthed and then headed back through the sea of bodies until he reached an empty space on the other side of one of the tents.
“There you are,” he said when he found Tessa pacing back and forth, her attention focused inward. “You all right?”
“Never better,” she said with a huge grin. “This is amazing.”
“You’re telling me,” he agreed. “That’s Dalton for ya. The man doesn’t do simple and easy.”
“I see that.” Tessa peered over her shoulder where they could see the crowd growing. “I’ve called in backup. My cousins usually fill in as security at the bar, so they said they’d help us out here. Tonight they’re bringing their friends. They assured me they had it covered.”
Cooper nodded, pulling Tessa up against him. “I had no idea he’d do this, I swear.”
“Well, since it’s for a good cause, I’m not sure I can complain. But I will say I’m looking forward to a few quiet hours after this.”
“Quiet, huh?”
“Yes. You know… You, me, a truck bed and a starlit night. How does that sound?”
“Like heaven. Can we just sneak out now?”
“Not a chance, cowboy,” Tessa said, placing her hands on his face and forcing him to look at her. “But I promise to make it worth your while afterwards.”
Cooper’s entire body heeded her words. He wasn’t sure he could wait that long. He knew for damn sure that he didn’t want to wait that long.
“Are you going to sing tonight?” Tessa asked as she took a step back.
“
I’m thinking about it,” he answered simply. Dalton had asked him to and honestly, the scene was getting into his blood. The excitement was filling him, and he craved it.
“Well, good luck. I’ll be listening for you.”
Cooper leaned down and kissed her, gently at first and then he couldn’t stop himself. Tessa amazed him in so many ways, and he found that he looked forward to seeing her every minute of every day. To the point that he wanted to make it permanent. Only he was scared. Not of what that meant, but of what Tessa’s reaction would be if he suggested it.
They’d certainly mended some rifts between them in the last couple of weeks, but he knew she was still scared. Tessa had spent more years than not trying to atone for her mistakes and even though he could tell she was getting better, she was still holding herself back.
Shaking off the thought, Cooper broke the kiss and stared down at her, running his finger down her jaw. “I’ll check on you in a bit. Try to stay close to Eric,” he told her. “Oh.” Cooper grabbed her hand before she could get away. “I don’t care what happens, don’t talk to any reporter’s.”
Tessa’s eyebrow cocked in question and Cooper smiled. “You shouldn’t have to deal with them. I’m not worried about what you’d say, but I don’t want them hurting you.”
Her subtle nod didn’t reassure him that she understood his reasoning, but at least she agreed for now. Planting a quick kiss on her lips, he pulled a strand of her hair gently and turned to leave her in peace.
Two hours later, all hell broke loose.
Cooper had just come off of the stage when he noticed two guys near the donation tent going toe to toe. He couldn’t see much, but based on the crowd gathering, he knew he wasn’t going to like what he found. Glancing around, he glimpsed Eric at the same time the man noticed what was going on. The two of them made a beeline for the fight, both of them coming from different directions.
After forcing himself through the wall of bodies forming a circle around the fight, Cooper came up short just a few feet away from Jack.
Chasing Dreams (Devil's Bend) Page 28
