Cowboy 12 Pack Page 29

  “I’m not most men.”

  “You can say that again,” she muttered, sliding the brush over the palomino’s coat.

  “What was that?” Cooper asked.

  “Nothing,” she replied as she stroked harder.

  Cooper smiled. He’d heard her comment and his ego swelled just a little. The woman may not want a relationship, but she was aware of him. A step in the right direction, if he hoped to change her mind about giving him a chance.

  His hand stopped in mid-stroke.

  Did he want a chance with Emma?

  She’d been up front about not wanting a relationship. He glanced over the stallion’s back. Her long thick braid was still damp from their swim in the creek and her face was pink from the sun. Her hands moved over the horse with strong, sure strokes. She wasn’t a girly girl and she wasn’t afraid to break a nail or get dirty. An image of her in her white, lacy panties and bra had his groin tightening all over again. Beneath her tough exterior was a soft, warm and beautiful woman.

  She straightened and leaned over the top of her horse. “Thanks for playing along with the boys today.”

  “Sorry the date didn’t quite work out the way you wanted.”

  “That’s okay. You didn’t know. And we’ll make the plan work.”

  Cooper finished off the stallion and led him to his stall.

  Emma held out her hand for his brush.

  Their fingers collided. Cooper felt that spark again and forced himself to drop his hands at his sides. He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her.

  She stepped away and practically ran to the tack room to deposit the brushes. “I suppose you’d better say your goodbyes to my brothers.” Emma led the way out of the barn and up to the house.

  All four brothers sat on the back porch, feet up on the railing, sipping longneck bottles of beer.

  Brand grinned. “How was the swim?”

  “Great. Nice place y’all have here.” Cooper pressed a hand to the small of Emma’s back as they walked up the steps.

  Once on the deck, she turned. “Thanks for the help hauling hay and for a nice picnic, Cooper.” She leaned up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “See ya in a few days?”

  He bent his head and smiled, caught her around the waist and pulled her against him. “You can count on it.” Then he lowered his lips to claim hers in a deep, soul-satisfying kiss.

  Beside them, her brothers whooped.

  At first stiff beneath his hands, Emma’s muscles eventually slackened and she melted against him, her mouth opening to let his tongue slide in.

  A rush of warmth filled Cooper’s body and he forgot for a moment where he was.

  “Eh-hem. Still here,” Colton said.

  “Yeah, could you keep it G-rated?” Ace chuckled. “You might offend Dillon.”

  “Seein’ as he’s still a virgin,” Brand added.

  Cooper broke off the kiss, heat rushing into his cheeks and places farther south.

  “I’m headed in for a shower.” Emma spun and ducked into the house. “Thanks again.” The screen door slammed behind her.

  Her boot heels clicked across the wooden floor, fading as she turned a corner.

  “Well, Coop.” Ace pushed to his feet. “Let me get you a beer.” He ducked into the house.

  “I really shouldn’t,” Cooper called out after him, thinking he needed to leave before the brothers noticed the bulge in his jeans.

  Ace didn’t respond, disappearing into the shadows of the interior.

  “I probably should be headed back.” Cooper glanced at his watch. “Takes a good thirty minutes to get home.”

  “What’s your hurry?” Brand stood and draped an arm over Cooper’s shoulder. “The Aggies game is on in ten minutes. You watch much football?”

  “On occasion.” His football scholarship with Texas A&M had been his ticket to a higher education and Cooper had made it count. He’d planned on watching the game after his date. If he left now, he’d only miss the first quarter.

  “Then it’s settled, you’re staying for the game.” Ace reappeared and shoved an ice-cold bottle into his hand.

  Brand held open the door. “Come on. We can catch the tail-end of the commentaries.”

  Cooper stepped into the Jacobs’ home, glancing at the hallway he was sure Emma had disappeared down, wondering what she’d say when she found him watching the game with her brothers. He shrugged. Since the guys had invited him, he guessed her opinion wouldn’t matter. Not as if they were broken up or anything. Hell, they weren’t officially together.

  “I’ll get the nachos.” Colton turned toward what looked like the kitchen.

  Cooper settled onto one end of a bomber-jacket brown leather couch.

  The Jacobs brothers spread out around the room, all drinking bear, eating peanuts and nachos and commenting on the commentators until kickoff. Then the shouting began.

  Before long, Cooper was shouting right along with them.

  EMMA STOOD UNDER the shower spray for longer than normal, letting the cool water chill the heat simmering low in her belly since Cooper had first taken off his shirt hauling hay and later, when he strode past her naked, flaunting his stiff…

  She turned the handle to a cooler setting, trying to wash away the memory of Cooper’s…tight abs and even tighter butt.

  No matter how cold the water, she couldn’t shake the burning in her belly. Thank goodness, she wouldn’t have to see him for a few days. Maybe she’d tell him she couldn’t see him at all. So what if her brothers kept setting her up with prospective husbands? At least, none of their attempts had made her feel as uncomfortable and sexually aware as Cooper Johnson had.

  By the time her skin had pruned, Emma felt in reasonable control of her libido and she stepped from the shower, towel-dried her hair then wrapped it turban style.

  Shouts from the living room made her smile. The Aggies must be playing. She hoped she hadn’t missed anything. While most women she knew would rather spend a football afternoon out shopping, Emma enjoyed watching the game with her brothers. Marcus used to watch with them, although he preferred University of Texas over the Aggies. Emma hadn’t held that against him.

  She tossed her towel into the hamper, slipped into a baggy Aggies T-shirt that hung halfway down her thighs, grabbed a brush and padded barefoot into the living room. “Who’s winning?” The words had barely left her lips when she spotted Cooper, and the heat she’d fought to cool flamed all over again.

  The Aggies defense snagged an interception and ran for a goal.

  All five men shouted at once, pumping fists in the air and high-fiving each other.

  Cooper glanced over his shoulder. “Aggies are up fourteen to ten.”

  Ace patted the seat beside him. “Sit. You’re missing a great game.” No sooner had he said the words, his attention returned to the game.

  The seat Ace patted happened to be on the couch, between Ace and Cooper. Emma glanced down at her shirt and remembered her hair was still in wet tangles. “I should go put on some more clothes, since we have company.”

  “Just Cooper. You two went skinny-dipping. You’re wearing more now than you were then.” Brand snorted. “Girls.”

  “Since you’re up, could you make some popcorn?” Colton asked.

  “And bring us a fresh round of beer,” Dillon added.

  “What am I, your maid?” She fisted her hand around her brush and propped it on her hip, glaring at her brothers.

  “Well, now that you mention it…” Brand grinned and ducked as her brush sailed through the air, aimed at his head. “Hey! Watch it.”

  “Right, next time I won’t miss.” She shook her head, a smile replacing her glare. “Men.” She spun on her bare heel and headed for the kitchen, glad for the respite from sitting on the sofa with Cooper. She could deliver the requested popcorn and beer and make some excuse to return to her room for the rest of the evening.

  She really thought her plan would work. Until…

  “Where d
o I put the empties?” Cooper’s deep voice said behind her.

  Emma had been in the process of opening the box with the popcorn when Cooper walked in. Her hand jerked and the individually wrapped popcorn bags flew across the room. “Holy hell.”

  Cooper set the empty beer bottles on the counter and dropped to his haunches, his hand closing around the same bag Emma grabbed.

  She jerked back her hand, her eyes wide as a shot of electricity bolted up her arm and that crazy heat singed her insides.

  Cooper chuckled. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “It’s okay. The bottles go in the corner trash can.” She hoped he’d take the hint and leave her to pick up her mess. Alone.

  Instead, he gathered two other packages and the box and handed them to her.

  Their fingers brushed together and Emma almost threw the box again. She jerked upward at the same time as Cooper, crashing foreheads. Pain arrowed through Emma’s skull, making her stagger backward.

  “Here.” Cooper slipped an arm around her waist. “Lean on me. That had to hurt. I’ve been known to have a hard head.”

  Forced to accept his offer or fall on her ass, Emma leaned into his muscled chest and blinked her eyes until the gray fog around the edges cleared.

  Cooper’s fresh, outdoorsy scent overwhelmed her senses, and the warmth of his hand on the small of her back sent shivers of awareness across her skin. All that stood between his hand and her skin was a T-Shirt.

  As soon as the thought registered, Emma pushed away. “Why are you still here?” she demanded, relying on anger to hide the confusing signals her body was sending to her brain.

  He grinned. “Your brothers invited me to watch the game.”

  Emma shoved a bag in the microwave and jammed her finger on the correct button then faced him, her hands fisted on her hips. “So?”

  He shrugged. “I’d planned on watching it at my house, but our date ran a little longer than expected.” Cooper held up his hands. “Not that I was disappointed. I have to say skinny-dipping in the creek was the highlight of the day. I wouldn’t have missed it for a game.”

  Her cheeks heated and she snorted. “Well, don’t get too cozy. Our arrangement is only temporary.”

  “Do you want me to leave?” His brows rose up his forehead.

  Hell yes, she wanted him to leave. His very presence made her twitchy, confused and…damn it…horny! “No. That would be too obvious. You might as well stay for the rest of the game.”

  He tipped his head, his lips twisting. “Thanks…I think.”

  “If you’ll grab the beer, I’ll bring the popcorn.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He gave her a mocking salute, dumped the empty bottles in the trash and pulled five bottles from the fridge. “You sure I can’t help you here?”

  “No,” she said, the word a little harsher than she’d intended. What was wrong with her? She was never this rude to guests. She added in a softer tone. “I can handle this.”

  His lips tipped upward. “You sure?”

  Emma’s gaze captured Cooper’s. “Positive.”

  As soon as he left the kitchen, Emma sagged against the counter. Who was she kidding? She could handle the popcorn. It was the man who had her belly turning cartwheels. The sooner their deal was over, the sooner she could get back to normal.

  COOPER HANDED OUT the round of beer and settled on the couch, sure to leave room for Emma between him and Ace. With all the other chairs taken by her hulking brothers, she’d have only one choice. Based on her reaction in the kitchen, his presence was causing her some discomfort. Hopefully, in a good way and in his favor.

  The scent of seasoned popcorn filled the air.

  Cooper settled back on the sofa in an attempt to appear casual and focused on the game when all he could think about was Emma and the sexy curve of her thighs as her T-shirt brushed across them with every step she took.

  Then she was there, carrying a bowl full of fluffy hot popcorn, her hair still tangled and damp.

  She handed the popcorn to Colton, snatched up her brush and turned to leave.

  Ace patted the seat beside him. “Sit. I’ll brush while we watch the game.”

  Her gaze went from the space on the couch next to Cooper and then the game.

  At that moment, the A&M quarterback spun a thirty-yard pass.

  Emma’s eyes widened and her face grew intense.

  When the receiver caught the ball, he ran for another twenty yards before being tackled on the twenty-yard line.

  “Come on, you can’t leave now.” Ace held out his hand.

  Emma slapped the brush into her brother’s palm, dropped to the floor in front of him and lifted her long hair off her neck.

  Cooper missed the touchdown for watching Ace as he brushed his sister’s hair.

  After only six strokes, Ace handed Cooper the brush. “Gotta make a pit stop. Wanna take over?” He leaped from his seat and made a beeline for the center hallway.

  Emma glared at her retreating brother, then faced Cooper with her hand extended. “I can do it myself.”

  He held the brush out of her reach and slid down to the end of the sofa, positioning his knees on either side of her shoulders. “I don’t mind.”

  “But I might,” she whispered.

  Cooper leaned close and spoke into her ear. “Consider it part of your plan.” Then he lifted a strand of already drying hair and worked the brush through the tangles, easing out the snarls without tugging on the roots.

  “Ummm.” The starch washed out of Emma’s shoulders the more Cooper brushed.

  Ace dropped onto the couch a few moments later. “I can take over again.”

  “Uh uh,” Emma said. “Cooper’s much better at it. At least, he isn’t yanking all the hair out of my head.”

  Ace patted Cooper’s back. “A man of many talents. I take it you have sisters?”

  Cooper’s chest tightened as he lifted another strand of hair and worked the brush through it. “Nope. But I’ve brushed enough horse’s tails to know how to work out a knot.”

  Dillon guffawed. “Hear that, Em? He’s comparing you to a horse.”

  Emma glared back at Cooper.

  Colton laughed out loud. “Not making points, are ya, buddy?”

  “A bit rusty at romance, cowboy?” Emma queried.

  “Just the facts, ma’am.” Cooper planted his hand on her head and turned it back to the game. “The Aggies just scored.”

  “Something you won’t do at this rate, huh, Coop?” Brand winked at Emma.

  Emma tossed a pillow at her brother, her face bright pink. “Shut up, all of you. I’m trying to watch the game.”

  Even after he’d worked out all the tangles, Cooper couldn’t bring himself to stop brushing Emma’s hair. The game went on and Emma shouted a couple times when the quarterback threw an interception or the kicker missed a field goal. On those occasions, she leaned right or left, her shoulders bumping against the insides of Cooper thighs.

  The contact made his body react in ways it shouldn’t while he was in the same room as Emma’s four strapping hulks of brothers.

  At one point, Emma handed Cooper his beer and he downed the last half in one gulp, hoping to take the edge off his growing lust. Nothing seemed to help. Emma was not only beautiful, but she liked sports and rode horses like a natural. The perfect woman as far as Cooper was concerned.

  Her only drawback was that she was still in love. With a dead man. A war hero, at that. How could Cooper compete with a memory?

  Chapter Five

  ‡

  BY THE TIME Cooper left, they’d all had supper together, feasting on the steaks her brothers grilled and baked potatoes Emma shoved into the microwave. If anyone else had viewed the scene, they looked like one big happy family.

  Emma knew different. That night, she crawled into bed and lay on her side, staring at the picture on her nightstand.

  “Marcus, why did you have to die? If you were still here, this whole date thing wouldn’t be an issue.
By now, we’d be married and have a baby or two on the way.” At the thought of her belly growing with child, her chest ached with a hollowness she couldn’t fill. She and Marcus had wanted four children. Two boys and two girls. Heck, they’d have taken anything God had seen fit to give them. But that hadn’t been in His plan.

  Emma sighed and closed her dry eyes. After the initial shock of Marcus’s death, she’d refused to shed another tear. Tears were for weak women, not Emma. A soft breeze lifted the filmy curtains around the open window. At times like this, she could almost feel Marcus touch her shoulder and reassure her everything would be all right. Marcus had a way of gentling horses and people that Emma had never mastered and always appreciated.

  Her last thought as she drifted off to sleep was not of Marcus, but of the dark-haired, blue-eyed blind-date she’d spent the day with. An image of him rising out of the water, completely naked, filled her last waking thought and sent her into dreams so erotic she tossed and turned throughout the night.

  By five o’clock in the morning, she’d given up on sleep, slipped into her jeans and boots and headed to the barn. After a long ride across the pasture, greeting the morning sun, she found herself pulling to a halt at Willow Creek where she and Cooper had been skinny dipping the day before. Heat rose in her body before the sun’s rays could warm the ground.

  “Shoot.” She reined around her horse around and rode hard all the way back to the barn, brushed and settled her horse in a stall and headed for the house, entering through the kitchen.

  “Up kinda early, aren’t you?” Ace stood at the stove, frying bacon. “Want a couple of eggs?”

  “I’m not hungry.” She grabbed a glass, poured it half full of orange juice and downed it in one gulp.

  Ace flipped the bacon, his back to her. “Love has a way of ruining your appetite.”

  Anger surged and Emma slammed the glass on the counter. “I’m not in love. I only just met Cooper.”

  Ace shot a glance over his shoulder, a grin spreading across his face. “But he got under your skin, didn’t he?”

  “Why can’t you guys get it through your thick skulls?” She tossed back her wind-tangled hair and braced her hands on her hips. “I loved Marcus and I’ll never forget him. No other banker, insurance salesman or cowboy will ever take his place. Got that?”