Boot Scootin' Boogeyman

by Lily Harper Hart

  The expression that took over Cooper’s face was pained. “I don’t want to screw this up.”

  And there, Tyler realized, was the crux of the matter. Cooper, who never doubted himself no matter what, was afraid to scare Hannah away. He already needed her, to the point where it would break his heart to lose her, but he was just starting to realize that for himself despite the fact that everyone else at Casper Creek had been talking about it for weeks.

  “It’s going to be okay,” Tyler reassured his friend, resting his hand on his shoulder and staring directly into Cooper’s frustrated eyes. “You guys are going to have the best date ever. You’re going to eat good food, take a romantic walk, and do a little dancing.”

  Cooper frowned. “We’re not going dancing.”

  Tyler’s eyebrows hopped. “How come? Women happen to love dancing.”

  “Yeah, but ... I’m not a good dancer. I can’t do any of those line dances or anything.”

  Tyler snorted. “You don’t have to take her line dancing. I’m talking about a bar that plays power ballads. Women love power ballads. Then all you have to do is take her into your arms and sway back and forth a little, your bodies pressed together.” Tyler held out his arm to an invisible partner and showed Cooper what he was suggesting.

  Honestly, although he was loath to admit it, Cooper didn’t think it was out of the realm of possibility. He liked the idea of holding Hannah close, and even he could sway back and forth in time with the music. Still, he didn’t want to commit to that possibility until after dinner.

  “We’ll see how things go,” he said, pushing himself away from the fence and shifting his eyes to the apartment over the saloon. That’s where Hannah was waiting for him. “I should probably get going. I don’t want to be late.”

  “Definitely not,” Tyler agreed, the twinkle back in his eyes. “Don’t worry about Jinx when you bring her back. I’ll keep him with me so you guys can have some alone time.”

  Cooper merely shook his head. “Not on the first date. I’m not an animal.”

  As if registering what he said, the goat let loose a bleat and finally managed to get on top of the table, which was enough to send Jinx flying in the opposite direction as he whimpered like an eighty-pound baby.

  “Just play it by ear,” Tyler suggested, grabbing the goat before it could tear after Jinx. “Let your heart be your guide. You’ve got this.”

  Cooper desperately hoped that was true.

  2

  Two

  Cooper couldn’t remember the last time he was so nervous. He’d served overseas, found himself in a bevy of life-and-death situations, and yet the sight of Hannah in the pretty dress was enough to make his mouth run dry and his heart flutter.

  “Where are we going?” she asked after securing her seatbelt.

  “It’s a surprise,” Cooper shot her a wink and hoped it came off as flirty rather than deranged. He wasn’t the best when it came to flirting. He had a natural charisma but wasn’t strategic when using it. People either liked him or they didn’t. He was usually fine with that. He wanted Hannah to like him, though.

  Of course, she already did. “I like surprises,” she beamed ... and then her smile faded. “Actually, I don’t like surprises. I’m a little nervous I’m underdressed ... or maybe overdressed. Am I dressed okay?”

  That’s when Cooper realized she was as wired as him. He should’ve noticed it when he picked her up and her hand shook as he gripped it. For some reason, he felt better knowing it.

  “You look beautiful.” His eyes were keen as they looked her up and down. “You always look beautiful, though. As for the restaurant we’re going to, you’ll be the prettiest one there ... and not over or underdressed. You’ll be perfectly dressed.”

  The smile she shot him was rueful. “Well ... if you’re sure.”

  “I am.” Nervously he reached over the console and rested his hand on top of hers. She didn’t pull back. In fact, she turned her hand over so they could link fingers. It was a sweet moment and it made something inside of him ache. Tyler was right, he realized. He wanted this to work out so badly that he was turning himself into a nervous wreck. That’s not who he was, nor who he wanted to be. “How was your day today?”

  She looked taken aback by the question. “I didn’t really do anything today.”

  “You were upstairs by yourself for a long time.”

  “Yeah, well ... Abigail.” Hannah smiled at the memory of her grandmother practicing her staying power. “She’s obsessed with being more visible when she hangs around. She wants to interact with the other workers and even serve as an entertainer for some of the performances.”

  Cooper cocked his head to the side, surprised. “I ... um ... never really considered that an option. I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad thing.”

  “I think it’s a good thing.”

  “You do?” He arched an eyebrow. “How come?”

  “Well, I’ve been giving it some thought. She wants to feel as if she’s part of the town. This place was her life for so long that she can’t bear to leave it. If she’s involved, she’ll be happy ... and there’s no reason for her not to be happy.”

  Cooper slid her a sidelong look. “I think she hung around for more than the town. She hung around for you, too.”

  Hannah swallowed hard. She was still bitter about never getting to meet Abigail in life. She couldn’t help but believe that things would’ve been massively different for her if she’d been allowed to know her grandmother. As it was, though, Hannah’s mother had been estranged from her mother. Then, when she died, Hannah was left with a father who tried really hard but couldn’t always summon the emotions Hannah needed. She felt stunted in some ways, but there was no way to go back in time and fix it.

  “I like spending time with her,” she admitted after a beat. “I just ... it’s weird. I never thought I would be hanging out with my dead grandmother’s ghost.”

  “I think it would be weirder to spend time with the ghost of someone who was alive.”

  She snickered at the joke. “True. It’s just ... my life has changed so much.”

  “Do you have regrets about coming here?” Cooper’s heart sank at the prospect.

  “No. Not at all.” She fervently shook her head. “I know it probably sounds strange, but I felt like this was my home almost from the start. Sure, it was weird. I mean ... I live in a replica of a western town, which just happens to be located on top of a mountain, and I can take a ski lift to work every day if I want but ... it feels like I always belonged here.”

  “That’s not weird.” Cooper pulled onto the main highway. “I feel like I belong in this place, too. I’m guessing the pull is different for both of us but it’s overwhelming all the same.”

  “It’s definitely overwhelming.” She slid her sea-blue eyes to him. “Do you think you’ll want to stay here forever?”

  Cooper hesitated before answering. He understood what she was asking, what was at the core of it. He knew how he wanted to answer but it seemed a little early in a burgeoning relationship to delve too deep. “I love it here,” he said finally. “I don’t want to leave. It’s hard to answer questions about forever because you never know what might happen, but right now, I can’t see myself ever wanting to land anywhere else.”

  Her smile was serene. “Me either. I just wish they had some shopping close by.”

  He laughed. “I can take you someplace to shop at some point.”

  “You don’t strike me as much of a shopper.”

  “Yeah, but I like spending time with you. I think I can take a day or two of shopping if it means we get to spend time together.”

  Hannah went warm and gooey all over. “Well ... it doesn’t have to be right away. Eventually, though, I’m going to need a few things.”

  “Then we’ll make it happen.”

  “Yeah.” She leaned back in her seat, suddenly much more relaxed than she had been. “Where are we going again?”

  “I told you it’s a s
urprise.”

  “I don’t like surprises.”

  “You’re going to like this one.”

  COOPER WAS RIGHT. SHE DID like this surprise. When he parked at a beautiful restaurant on a nearby lake, one that had a balcony that overlooked serene water, she openly gaped.

  “Look how beautiful that is,” she gasped. The lake looked as if it was on fire thanks to the setting sun. “I didn’t even know this was here.”

  “That’s why it’s good you have me.” He hopped out of the truck and rushed around before she could open her own door and extended a hand to help her down. “I thought maybe we could take a walk around the lake once we’re finished. The road that leads through town is right over there.” He pointed. “It’s cute and quaint.”

  “Is there shopping?”

  He grinned. “And ice cream.”

  “Who doesn’t love that combination?” She was careful as she stepped down, lifting her chin when her chest bumped against his. In the moment, as they stared into each other’s eyes, there wasn’t another soul in the world. It was just the two of them, oxygen being stolen from their lungs, and sexual chemistry buzzing through the air.

  “You look really beautiful tonight,” Cooper finally choked out, slipping a stray wisp of hair behind her ear. She’d worn it up, off her shoulders, and he had to keep fighting the urge to rub his hands over the taut muscles. It was too proprietary this early in a relationship. “Have I told you that?”

  She nodded, her mind blank. “You look really handsome, too.”

  “I’m a handsome guy.”

  The joke had the intended effect and they both laughed, relieving some of the tension.

  “You are,” she agreed, taking a step back. “This restaurant looks amazing. What do they serve?”

  “It’s a surprise.”

  She frowned. “Really? Even the food is a surprise?”

  “Every moment with you right now is a surprise,” he replied. “Come on.” He held out his hand. “I reserved a table on the balcony. You’ll be able to look over the menu yourself in a few minutes.”

  “I guess I don’t really have a choice because I’m starving.” Her fingers slid through his, a perfect fit. “If I forget to tell you later, this was an absolutely amazing night.”

  His heart pinged at her earnest expression. “Yeah. It really was.”

  The hostess was congenial, although the smile she sent Cooper was of the flirty variety. She was long-legged, brunette, and wearing a dress with a plunging neckline. He barely looked at her because he couldn’t look away from Hannah.

  “Here are your menus.” The hostess kept her smile firmly in place even when she realized Cooper wasn’t interested. “Your server will be with you shortly. I hope you enjoy your meal.”

  “We will,” Cooper reassured her, grinning as Hannah eagerly snagged the menu and started looking through it. “What do you think?” he asked her after a few minutes. “Do you approve?”

  “It’s an amazing menu,” she confirmed. “It’s really expensive, though.” Her eyes were earnest when they locked with his. “You didn’t have to go all out like this.”

  “Why not? It’s our first date. I think it deserves to be marked with a special meal.”

  “Yeah, but ... we’ve spent time together before this. Any number of those meals we had in my apartment could be considered a date.”

  “True, but this is official ... and I don’t want you worrying about the money. Get whatever you want. It’s not as if it’s convenient for us to come here on a regular basis. I happen to believe there will be plenty of diner food and tacos in our future. Enjoy this for what it is.”

  “Okay,” Hannah’s smile was sunny, to the point of eclipsing the fiery display happening over the water. “In that case, I’ll probably get dessert, too.”

  He chuckled. “Good. I like a woman with a healthy appetite.”

  “Yes, well ... .” She went back to studying the menu. “What are you going to get?”

  “Oh, no,” he wagged a finger and made a tsking sound with his tongue. “I don’t want you to do that woman thing where I pick something and you make sure to come in with something cheaper. I want you to get what you want.”

  The problem was, Hannah had no idea what she wanted. She was hungry because she’d gone the better part of the day without eating. She was so nervous about the date she could focus on nothing else. There were so many items to choose from, though, she didn’t know what to settle on.

  “I was kind of thinking about the prime rib,” she admitted after a beat. “I haven’t had good prime rib since ... I can’t remember.”

  “They didn’t have prime rib in Michigan?” he teased.

  “They did, but Michael wasn’t a fan of beef. He said it wasn’t an elegant meat.” She realized her mistake too late to take it back. It was generally considered bad form to mention a previous fiancé on a new date. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

  He frowned as he lifted his chin. “You’re allowed to say whatever you want. I’m not offended because you were with someone before me. I know he was a jerk — and there are things I would like to do to his face with my fists — but I’m not threatened by him. If you belonged with him, you’d still be there. You’re not. You’re here with me.”

  Her lips curved in delight. “That was a really good response. Still, I don’t want to talk about him. I don’t even like thinking about him. I feel like an idiot where he’s concerned.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I knew he was bad news practically from the beginning and yet I forced myself to try to hold onto him anyway. I convinced myself I could fix him, change him. That’s never possible. You need to find someone who you don’t want to change. That’s the key.”

  Intrigue lit his handsome features. “Is there anything you want to change about me?”

  The question made her giggle. “I pretty much like you as-is. The only thing I might change is how bossy you are. Since you’re the head of security, though, I don’t think that would work.”

  “I guess that means we’re going to have to compromise.”

  “Yeah. I’m fine with compromising.” She sipped her water and narrowed her eyes, suddenly suspicious. “Is there something you would change about me?”

  “Just one thing.”

  “What?”

  “That thing you do where you ignore advice from the security chief and run headlong into danger. I would appreciate it if you’d stop doing that.”

  She snickered. “It’s kind of funny that our ‘one things’ play together, huh?”

  “Fancy that.” He leaned back in his chair, stretching his long legs out in front of him. “I think we’re going to be okay, Hannah.” He found he was no longer overwrought and nervous. Sitting across from her this way was comfortable, familiar even. “This is going to work out.”

  His words surprised her, even though she’d been thinking the same thing. “I’m definitely getting the prime rib ... and the garlic mashed potatoes ... and the asparagus.”

  “You’re going to make me suffer through the garlic, huh?” His eyes twinkled. “I guess I could get the garlic mashed potatoes, too. Then neither one of us will even notice.”

  “That sounds like a plan.”

  “Yeah. It really does.”

  THEY WERE BOTH STUFFED AFTER DINNER, and when Cooper brought up walking downtown, Hannah jumped at the chance. So far, she’d seen very little of the area, only visiting one town. This was a new experience for her.

  “It’s really cute,” she noted, her hand in his as they crossed in front of an ice cream shop that had gingerbread trim. “I like it.”

  “You can’t possibly be ready for ice cream. We just ate slices of cheesecake and lava cake that were as big as our heads.”

  She laughed at the exaggeration. “They weren’t that big, although they were really good. As for ice cream, I think I need to digest a little bit before I do anything.”

  “You and me both.” Cooper release
d her hand and slid his arm around her back. She was slim and lovely, and he adored the way she curled into his side, as if she was always meant to be there. “As for the town, there are other places to eat, too. Like that place right over there.” He pointed to a log-cabin-style building with a huge chicken on the roof. “That place may look ridiculous, but the chicken is amazing.”

  “I like chicken.” She snuggled in a little closer to him, absorbing his warmth. “What about the Mexican place?”

  “Also good. You’ve had the Chinese before because I’ve picked up takeout for us here.”

  “Really?” She was intrigued, although the bulk of her focus was on his strong jaw. “That’s cool.”

  “Yeah.” Slowly, as if feeling her gaze on him, he slid his eyes to her. He wanted to kiss her. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t already done it ... and more. He was afraid, though. If he started now, he might not stop. They might be arrested for public indecency before the night was over if they weren’t careful.

  “Um ... .” She cleared her throat, all rational thought fleeing.

  “Screw it,” he said finally, making up his mind. He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers, sighing as she returned the kiss with enough urgency that he felt his heart begin to pound harder. It took everything he had to pull back at some point, and when he did, her cheeks were flushed and her eyes wide.

  “That was ... interesting,” she noted.

  He laughed at her response. “Yeah, well ... you do things to my head.”

  “You fuzz up my brain, too,” she admitted. “It’s kind of nice, though. I’ve never really had it happen before.”