Cotton: Satan's Fury MC (4 page)

Henley was sitting at the bar with her hand resting under her chin, looking like she hadn’t slept in days. I sat a bottle of water in front of her and asked, “Are you going to tell me why you have those dark circles under your eyes?”

“I don’t know. I’m just tired, I guess. I’d do just about anything to sleep in my own bed tonight,” she pouted. “I mean… I’ve enjoyed being at the club and all, but this lockdown is getting old. I miss my big, fluffy pillows and my soft down comforter. Maverick’s stupid mattress is hard as a rock.”

Laughing, I said, “Well, tell him it’s time to get a new one.”

“It is a new one! Apparently, he didn’t get the memo that beds are actually supposed to be comfortable.” She took a sip of her water, then said, “Don’t mind me. I’ll get over it.”

“Maybe you’re coming down with something. You don’t look so good, sis.”

“Yeah, it’s probably just a bug or something. I’ll feel better in a couple of days,” she assured me.

“If you aren’t feeling better by tomorrow, you should let Doc check you out.”

“Okay. Enough about me. You gonna tell me what the
Old Man
had to say?” Henley smirked. I rolled my eyes at her, and when I didn’t immediately answer her, she kept at it. “You know, you took the whole
old man
thing to another level,” she laughed.

“Stop it, Henley. Cotton is not
old
!”

She leaned forward and with a mischievous grin, she whispered, “Don’t get me wrong. The man is hot…  and since he shaved that god awful goatee, he’s smokin’… but yeah… he’s still old.”

“He’s only forty-four years old. That’s not old!” I knew she was just trying to mess with my head, but I couldn’t help but feel defensive. I was crazy about him, and since she was my sister, a part of me needed her approval. “And I kinda liked the goatee.”

“No, you didn’t! He looks way better without it. Besides, now I’m not so tempted to call him
sir
,” she laughed. Feeling frustrated, I grabbed a towel and started cleaning the counter. My mind instantly went to Cotton, remembering some of the moments we’d shared together over the past year, and I realized I never really thought of Cotton as old—far from it. I’d seen glimpses of another side to him—a fun, youthful side—where he was truly happy, and I actually got to see him smiling. I can still remember the deep rumble of his laughter when he took me out on an unexpected day of exploring. It was one of the last warm days before winter, and we were just supposed to go for a quick run for the club, but his little detour took me on an adventure I’ll never forget.

“Got something I want to show you,” he announced as he turned down a gravel road. His SUV jolted from side-to-side when it hit one of the many potholes along the old road, but Cotton never let off the accelerator. I had no idea where he was taking me, but he was obviously eager to get there. When the truck started climbing up the mountain, making the engine hum as it resisted the steep incline, curiosity started to get the best of me.

“Where exactly are we going?” I asked.

“A special place,” he announced, and when he smiled, I could see the kid in him, carefree and ready for anything. “It’s somewhere I used to go with my brothers when we were kids.”

When I was hit with the familiar scent of the ocean, I realized we were headed to Cape Flattery. I’d been there many times with my family, but we’d never taken the route Cotton was taking. It was filled with sharp turns, and once we’d made it to the top of the mountain, we began our descent. It was fast, but I felt safe with Cotton. Even back then, I trusted him with my life and knew he’d never let anything happen to me. It took almost forty-five minutes for us to reach our final destination, and it was worth every second.

As soon as he put the truck in park, he got out and walked over, quickly opening my door. He took a hold of my hand and helped me down out of the truck, quickly leading me toward an old dirt path. I’d been on several trails at the Cape, but never like the secluded trail Cotton was leading me down. The path was winding and steep, and covered with fallen leaves and branches, and I was captivated by Cotton’s smile as he rushed us toward our destination, dodging and jumping over any obstacles that blocked our way. We were like two kids searching for lost treasure on a deserted island, both of us excited by the thrill of the hunt. The path was less than a mile long and ended abruptly at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. The view was spectacular. We were just a few steps away from the crystal clear water when Cotton reached for me, wrapping his arms around my waist so I wouldn’t fall.

“Whoa,” he laughed. “It’s farther down than it looks.”

I looked out at the rolling waves and crystal clear water, and I couldn’t wait to put my feet in. “Can we get down there?” I asked.

“Yeah,” he answered with a devilish grin. “But it isn’t exactly easy. Are you up for the challenge?”

“Are you doubting me, Cotton?” I asked as I placed my hands on my hips.

“Not for a minute.”

He took a few steps forward and then eased himself down onto a large rock. As soon as he had his footing, he reached out his hand and helped me down. It took several tricky moves before we made it safely down from the cliff. When I was done brushing the dirt from my shorts, I looked up to him and said, “You’ve done that a time or two, haven’t you?”

“A time or two.”

The waves were too rough for a swim, so I just took off my tennis shoes and walked along the edge of the water. When he walked up next to me, I asked, “Do you come out here often?”

“I used to when I was a kid. My brothers and I would spend most of our summers out here exploring. I just don’t have the time to come down much anymore.”

“It’s really beautiful. I can see why you like it.”

“My dad used to love it out here. We’d pack a picnic and spend the entire day collecting rocks and shells…” his voice trailed off.

I placed my hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him in some way, and said, “Sounds like a really nice memory.”

He nodded, then quietly continued down the shoreline. When he came across a black rock, he knelt down and picked it up. He reached for my hand and placed it in my palm as he smiled and said, “My mother used to say the black ones were good luck, but I’ve always been a fan of the white ones. They’re harder to find.”

I ran the tip of my finger over the smooth surface and said, “They are really pretty. I’m not sure which one I’d like best.”

“Then we’ll get some of both.” We spent the next hour searching for the beautiful black and white rocks Cotton used to collect as a kid. By the time the sun started to set, we’d gathered quite a collection.

I looked down at our pile and said, “You were right. The white ones are amazing.”

“I’m glad you like them,” Cotton smiled. He looked back at the sunset and said, “We’d better get going. You think you can make the climb back up?”

“Yeah,” I answered, feeling a little disappointed we were already leaving.

Once we made it to the top, Cotton said, “You’re going to want to see this.”

I followed him over to a large, flat rock that rested on the edge of the cliff and sat down next to him. I was caught off-guard when he reached over and pulled me closer to him. I nestled into his side and rested my head on his shoulder. We watched in silence as the sun set over the ocean, making the sky turn beautiful shades of pink and deep orange.

I looked over to him, noticing the sparkle in his eyes as he watched the sun fade from the sky, and said, “It’s really beautiful, Cotton.”

“I thought you might like it. It’s almost as beautiful as…” he started, but stopped himself.

I wanted him to finish that sentence, but decided not to push and said, “I’m glad you brought me here. Maybe I can show you my special place sometime.”

“Yeah? Where’s your special place?”

“I know it sounds a little silly, but I always loved my grandmother’s backyard. It overlooks the ocean, and she has this unbelievable tree that sits right off to the edge of her yard. It’s so tall, seems to go for miles, and I loved to climb as high as I could before my dad would fuss at me and make me come down. And there was this swing… I guess my place pales in comparison to yours.”

“I think it sounds pretty amazing,” he smiled. Darkness slowly began to cascade around us as the sun set, and my heart sank when I realized our time together was about to end. As expected, he turned to me and said, “It’s time to head back.”

“Okay.”

“Maybe next time I’ll take you to one of the caves we’ve found. It’s on the other side of the Cape, and you’ll need some boots,” he smiled, and just the thought of being alone with him again excited me.

“I’d like that.”

He stepped closer, really close, then rested his hands on my hips as he pulled me over to him. My mind began to race with a million thoughts as he lowered his lips to mine, kissing me for the very first time. I wanted to hold him there, savor the moment, but before things became heated, he pulled back and studied my face for just a moment. After several seconds, he finally said, “You’re really something, Cass.”

I was remembering the thrill I got from that first stolen kiss when Henley thumped my arm and said, “
Hey
. Don’t get your panties in a twist. You know I was just teasing. I think Cotton is awesome.
Really
. I can see why you’re crazy about him.”

“Um hmm,” I grumbled.

“Seriously. I think you two are great together. I’m just ready for y’all to get on with it. You know? It’s time for him to throw you over his shoulder and claim you as his woman,” she laughed. She sat there, staring at me for a second, and when I didn’t say anything, she asked, “Seriously… are you going to tell me what happened when he took you to the back or what?” Heat rushed to my face the second I thought back to what he’d said earlier, and the second Henley noticed, she leaned forward and smiled as she said, “Never mind. You don’t have to say a word. It’s written all over you face.”

“Whatever. No, it’s not,” I said defensively.

“You’re blushing, Cass. I don’t know if I’ve ever even seen you blush before,” she mocked. “So I guess it went well.”

“Yeah, you could say that,” I told her as I tried to suppress my smile, but it was no use. I couldn’t remember when I’d been so relieved, and there was no point in trying to hide it. Before I could say anything more, Henley’s attention was drawn to the end of the bar. Even though my back was to him, I didn’t have to look to know it was Cotton standing there. I could feel the heat of his stare against my skin.

Henley confirmed the feeling when she said, “Well, speak of the devil.”

I leaned in toward her and whispered, “Okay, Henley. This is where you
don’t
act like your usual self. Rein that shit in when it comes to Cotton.
Seriously
.”

“Who, me? I don’t know
what
you are talking about,” she laughed.

When I turned to look at Cotton, I could see the same look of lust in his eyes I’d seen earlier. Damn. I would never get tired of that look. I took a deep breath and tried to settle myself before heading toward him. I’d only taken a few steps when Henley said, “You kids have fun.”

After giving her a warning look, I walked over to Cotton and asked, “Everything okay?”

“Better now,” he growled as his eyes slowly roamed over my body, causing a slight quiver between my legs. He looked toward the end of the bar and asked, “How’s Henley hanging in?”

“The lockdown is getting to her a little bit.”

He smiled and said, “I’d say it’s getting to us all. Hopefully, things will get back to normal soon.”

“That’d be awesome. I could use a day away from all the testosterone,” I laughed.

His eyes dropped to my mouth as he teased, “Too much testosterone?”

“Oh yeah… there’s only so much a girl can take. It’s like running a daycare around here sometimes. You’ve gotta admit… your boys are messy and the hallways smell like feet.” His head fell back as his laughter rumbled through his chest. I couldn’t help but smile. I loved seeing him laugh. For just a brief moment, it looked like the weight of the world had fallen from his shoulders.

Still smiling, he looked back over to me and said, “Yeah, the bathrooms can get pretty bad.”