Reckless for Cowboy (3 page)

That’s why when he shows up on the third night it throws me for such a loop that I give him the cold shoulder, like it’s his fault I’ve been stupidly on the lookout for him for the last few days. Worse than the way my heart spins a pirouette in my chest at the moment I see him, is the fact that he sits at the bar, drinking his whiskey-free drinks, talking to Denny all night long…about me

“Brooke’s looking mighty fine in those Daisy Duke’s,” Denny says, making sure I can hear him.

“Yep,” Cooper agrees, “but, I prefer the short, short jean skirt from the other night.”

I ignore them and fill my latest order without making eye contact. But I can’t control the way my pulse zings through my veins and my heart pounds in time to the loud music.

“She’s a great kisser. Definitely in my top ten list.” Denny pipes up.

“Denny!” I spin around and make as if to kick him with the pointy toe of my cowboy boot. Just because we mess around sometimes doesn’t mean I want him swapping stories with the cowboy.

“Hell, she’s number one for me.”

Denny slaps the bar. “You two made out?”

“Haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.”

Boom. I’m wet. Just like that.

I march off with my drink order only half-filled. I can’t stand around listening to them a second longer or I’ll definitely be in danger of repeating something I’m trying hard to forget. Not that I can forget. That kiss has been playing on repeat in my brain for the last two days. Cooper’s lips, soft and sure. His tongue making a slow leisurely pass through my mouth. His hands directing me.

Stop! Good lord, I need to get a grip!

Next time I return, Cooper’s gone. The weird feeling that washes over me is
not
relief, like it should be. Denny’s busy making cocktails and filling pints, but I get his attention by shouting, “So the cowboy finally left, huh?”

“Nah, just went to the men’s room.”

Now the relief comes. Not good. I hurry around the edge of the bar right up to Denny.

“What do you want?”

“Lift your shirt. Show me your abs, quick.”

Denny gets a funny little smirk on his face. “I knew it. You’re soaking wet for him, aren’t you?”

“No.”

He playfully lifts a corner of his tight t-shirt and does this little hip twist like he’s a stripper or something.

“Hurry up.”

He pulls up his shirt, showing off his awesome six pack. It’s not just that he’s ripped. He’s hairless and smooth and beautiful. I run my hands over his warm skin to the hoots and hollers of the nearest patrons.

“You are so weird,” he says. But he loves it. As long as someone’s admiring him, he’s happy as a cat with a bowl of cream.

“I think I need a kiss too,” I say, a little out of breath.

Denny wraps his hand around my waist and pulls me close, gyrating his hips against mine. He takes my right hand and kisses the back of my knuckles. “You wanna kiss someone?” His mouth is close to my ear as if whispering something naughty. “Kiss the cowboy.”

“I can’t.”

“This one’s different.”

“That’s what they all say.”

Before I’ve had my fill of hard male body pressed up against mine, Denny steps out of my embrace and turns to the people hanging around the bar. “Okay, show’s over.”

That’s when I notice Cooper. His hat’s pulled down low but I can still see the glow from his irises. When I pass him, he says just loud enough for me to hear, “If that was meant to deter me, Miss Hamilton, it didn’t work.”

Why does the use of my surname make me instantly moist? And, who told him my whole name anyway? I scowl at Denny, the obvious culprit.

He winks at me and says to Cooper, “The reason she won’t go out with you is because she had her heart stomped on by a poor excuse for a man.”

“No kidding?”

“Rodeo boy.”

“Who?”

“Hello?” I interrupt. “This is
my
personal life you’re talking about.” I flick a half-melted ice cube at Denny. “
Not
to be divulged to perfect strangers.”

“Strangers are the best people to divulge secrets to. I know. I’m a bartender.”

I growl at him but I have no time to argue because my tray is loaded and people are thirsty. When I come back ten minutes later, Cooper’s looking at me weird.

“Brandt Thompson?” he says, his voice higher than I’ve ever heard it. “
You
were with Brandt Thompson the bull rider?”

Oh to have a very sharp implement that I could impale Denny with. “You told him?”

Denny ignores me and speaks directly to Cooper. “Yep. Fell for him hard. He charmed the boots right off of her and strung her along for six months. Inviting her on the road, talking marriage, kids, the whole nine-yards.”

I am going to die. I swear. I am going to die. But not before I kill Denny first. How am I supposed to forget the biggest mistake of my life when Denny keeps bringing it up all the time?

“Brandt Thompson is a dick.” Cooper removes his hat and swipes a hand through his dark hair.

It is completely unfair that he should look even hotter with his hair all messed up and all I can do is picture him looking exactly as he looks now, except naked and in my bed.

“No wonder she hates cowboys,” he says.

“Yep. Won’t touch them. Well, except for Simon Billings, Cody Shelton….I think there was one other.”

“Stop talking about me like I’m not here,” I hiss. I cannot believe he’s gone and mentioned those other two losers.

“It’s not like she slept with them,” Denny adds, totally ignoring me. “The minute she said no, the guys tucked tail and ran. Assholes. But if you want to know what I think—”

“No, we do
not
want to know what you think,” I interrupt through gritted teeth.

“The girl needs to get back in the saddle, with a real man. You know what I’m talking about.” Denny waggles his brows and then fills a couple more drink orders.

With an exasperated grunt, I pick up my tray and leave again. I’m furious, but I still have a job to do. I can’t concentrate, though, because I know the minute I return to the bar they’re going to pick up the conversation where they left off.

The next time I’m up there, Denny calls over to Cooper, “How’s your arm?”

“A little tender. But fine.”

“I’m glad Brooke
took care of you
. Maybe, if you ask nice, she’ll
take care of you
again tonight.”

I mouth the words, “Stop it,” to Denny. No luck.

“I hope so,” Cooper says. “Hey Brooke, what are you doing after work tonight?” Even though my back is to him, I know he’s smiling because I can hear it in his voice.

“Going home, taking a shower and going to bed.” I try to sound as off-hand as possible.

“Sounds perfect. I’ll join you.”

Instead of glaring at Cooper, I throw my irritation Denny’s way. “Would you please stop encouraging him?”

“Well, he isn’t going for me—though I’ve tried—so I thought I’d do the next best thing. Then I can live vicariously through you.”

Cooper leans on the bar. “How do you know I wouldn’t go for you?” He’s got a playful smile twitching at the corners of his lips and I hate how much I like it.

“Oh, umm, let’s see.” Denny ticks his fingers. “A. You’re a cowboy and B. You’re a straight cowboy. I’ve spent too much money on my smile to have my teeth knocked out because of some homophobe.”

“You think I’m homophobic because I’m a cowboy?” Cooper places a hand on his heart. “I’m hurt.”

Picking up my next tray of drinks, I say in parting, “Sounds like you boys have a lot in common. A little man on man action might do you both some good. Have fun.”

For the next hour or so, Denny’s too busy to talk and Cooper just sits at the bar, not saying a word, watching my every move. It’s worse than before. I can feel his eyes on me, sweeping over my exposed skin and, though the bar is smoking hot, I’m covered in goose bumps. His constant stare unnerves me so much my hands shake and I end up tipping over a bottle of beer. His hand whips out, fast and steady, and he grabs the bottle before it can smash on the floor.

“Thanks,” I mumble. I snatch the bottle from him and hurry away. Why did he have to do that? Why does he have to continue doing things that make me wet for him? Why can’t he pick his nose or scratch his balls or something? Sheesh! He’s driving me flippin’ crazy.

“Hey Brooke.” Sydney sidles up to me. “That guy’s back, huh?” She motions with her head toward the bar.

“Looks like it,” I say.

“You going for him?” she asks with a gleam in her eyes.

“Ah, no.”

“Mind if I take a stab? I know what you said, but goddamn, that man is fine.”

With my free hand I wave her on. “Go for it. But don’t say I didn’t warn you when he turns out to be a lying, cheating dirt bag.”

With a sinking gut, I watch her push through the crowd and up to the bar, ending up at Cooper’s side so she can talk to him while she waits for her drink order. Nasty, catty thoughts about Sydney flash through my mind until I shake them out of my head. Sydney’s great. Pretty. A little naïve but sweet. If she wants to ignore my advice and is dead set about being initiated into the
cowboy club,
well, there’s nothing I can do about it.

So why does it eat at me so much?

As the evening wears down and the crowd begins to thin, I see Sydney stopping more and more often to talk to Cooper. Watching her make her move bolsters my resolve to stay away from him. Even from a distance I can see he’s charming her and she’s totally falling for it. Gullible, gullible, gullible.

Finally the lights come up and the bouncers herd the stragglers out the front door. However, Cooper’s still there while I’m cashing out.

“So, do you and Sydney have a date?” I ask all casual.

“Maybe. Are you jealous?”

I blow air out through my lips. “No.”

“Really?” he says softly, pushing himself up from his stool and coming to stand behind me. Right behind me. He’s so close I can feel his presence with every tiny hair on the back of my neck. I realize how big the dude is. Too big. I bend my knee so my boot is aimed at his shin and give him a nice little nudge to back him up.

He makes a grunting sound but he’s not deterred and sits down on the stool right next to me. “What if I told you I had a date with Denny?”

A laugh explodes out of my chest. “Denny? Now that’s something I’d like to see.”

“Hey Den,” Cooper calls across to where Denny’s cleaning up. “Brooke says she wants to watch.”

“I told you she’d go for it. For all her,
I’m-an-uptight-frigid-cowboy-hater
façade, she’s as nasty as they come.”

I’m shaking my head. “I’m not nasty.”

“No?” Cooper says with a little smile on his too-handsome face. “Too bad.”

“Not nasty?” Denny laughs as he cleans the bar in front of us. “She only feels me up every chance she gets.”

“Do not.”

“Umm, hello? Everyone in the whole damn bar saw you. Including Coop.” Then Denny leans way over the bar, catches hold of my cowgirl kerchief and pulls me close. He kisses me nice and deep. Denny’s a good kisser and we’ve had more than a couple make out sessions just for fun and so neither of us loses our touch during the in-between-times. While Denny’s got me lip-locked, my nasty gene wakes up and I’m suddenly kissing him back. Maybe because I know Cooper’s watching.

Just then Sydney joins us, and I pull away from Denny. She’s taking off her apron and wiping her hands on it. Her smile is enigmatic as she asks, “What’s going on here?”

“Nothing.” I say. But there’s some little nugget in the pit of my stomach that’s heating me up from the inside out, showering my girlie parts with dew.

“Are you guys going for a threesome or something?”

“A threesome!” I laugh. “Right.”

“Hey, boys,” Sydney calls to the other two. “If she’s not game, I’ll play. I’ve never had one with two
guys
before.” She winks at Denny first and then at Cooper. So much for thinking Sydney’s a fresh, young innocent. Apparently the girl can teach
me
a thing or two.

“Sorry Darlin’. Maybe some other time.” Cooper smiles at her and she blows him a kiss.

Then his come-hither gaze fixes on me. “What do you say, Brooke?”

“What do I say to what? A threesome? Are you kidding me? As if
that’s
going to happen.”

In unison the men ask, “Why not?”

I point at Denny. “You don’t want to get with
me
.” Then I point at Cooper. “You don’t want to get with
him
.” Next I tap my chest. “And I don’t want to get with either of you.”

“Liar,” Denny says with a laugh.

Cooper is laughing right along with him.

I’m looking back and forth at them like I’m watching a tennis match.

Leaning over the bar, Denny says, “Just because I’m gay doesn’t mean I don’t think you’re hot as wild-fire. And Cooper?” He visibly melts at the guy’s name. “The thought of the three of us together?” He knocks on the top of the wooden bar. “I’m this hard.”

I lean over and smack Denny on the arm. “You’re just saying that because you want to see Cooper naked.”

With his hands up in surrender, Denny says, “Of course. What can I say? But I’m not opposed to seeing you buck either, hot thing.”

Cooper can’t seem to stop laughing until I poke him hard in the shoulder. “And you! Don’t encourage him.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re not gay.”

“Maybe I’m bi.”

I poke him again. “No you’re not.”

“How do you know?”

“Because…”

“Because I’m a cowboy?”

“Yeah. No. I don’t know.”

“Cowboys can’t want a dude every now and then? Have you ever lived on a ranch?”

“Oh, God!” Denny puts a hand to his chest and falls against the bar looking like he’s died and gone to ranch-hand-heaven. His eyes glaze over with whatever fantasy Cooper’s words have brought to mind.

“You guys are full of it, you know that?” I say, having had enough of this conversation. “As if you two really want to get it on.”

“I’d like to get it on with
you
,” Cooper says. “If Denny needs to be there for it to happen, so be it.”