Doug, is never going to be a hundred percent. Even though I’m at ninety-eight percent. The docs cleared me for duty. But that’s not good enough for the Secret Service.”
Since he didn’t want to see the mixture of pity and embarrassment guaranteed to wash across her face, he turned back to the bay. The setting sun spread pink and purple streaks across the sky. A dull, gray pall hung over the water. The bulbous head of a jellyfish broke the surface.
Darcy’s arms encircled his waist. Coop jerked in surprise, then relaxed into the loose embrace. An empathetic hug had not been on his list of expected reactions. In fact, he’d kind of expected her to walk away from his worthless, sorry ass. Instead, she pressed her chest into his back, cheek pillowed on his shoulder. It soothed him like aloe on a bad sunburn. Not registering any judgment from her soothed him even more.
“Coop, I don’t know what to say.”
Now that, he had expected. “Join the club. Nobody knows what to say. How to deal with me. That’s why my family sent me out here to our beach house. Give me some time and space to get my head together.”
“That could take a while. How together was your head before all of this?”
The teasing jab, delivered while she still hugged him, gave him a dose of normalcy his family didn’t. They all walked on eggshells when they spoke to him. It was about time someone yanked his chain. Coop tugged on her arm until she moved between him and the rail.
“Maybe I don’t need space after all. Maybe what I really need is someone to share my space.” He caged her in with his arms. The scent of lemons and vanilla floated off her waves of hair. Coop buried his nose and took a good whiff. Now he wanted to smell that on her everywhere.
Darcy arched her neck, giving him better access. She flattened her palms against his chest. “Are you asking me to move in with you? Because I think we should at least have dinner before making that sort of commitment.”
“Let’s start small.” Coop used his finger to lightly trace the outline of her bottom lip. It teased a full-body shiver out of her. “Let’s try sharing this space right here.” He moved his hand to anchor in her silky, frothy mass of hair. A light tug lifted her chin and widened her eyes. Coop hovered, a breath away from her lips.
His phone rang. The phone he’d almost left at home. But he’d had faith that his sister would spread the word. Yet a tinny rendition of Tina Turner screaming “We Don’t Need Another Hero” blared out of his hip pocket. Definitely a sister. The good thing about personalizing ring tones to all of them was that he immediately knew who to be pissed at. Either something better be on fire, or somebody be in the hospital.
Darcy laughed and ducked her head. “Go on.”
He punched on the speaker. “Cammie, didn’t Candace talk to you? You’re all officially supposed to leave me the hell alone.” Not willing to let the moment be officially shattered, Coop kept his hand at the back of Darcy’s neck, rubbing with his thumb in a slow stroke.
“I know. I’m sorry. But I had to let you know that Bradley’s on his way.”
“On his way where?”
Darcy smiled at him. Then she palmed his biceps and squeezed. If his sister didn’t state the nature of her emergency fast, the phone was going straight into the bay. A willing woman in his arms was the best pick-me-up he’d found yet. A loving but nagging sister, not so much.
“Bradley’s coming to stay with you,” Cammie said.
The hell he was. Not that Coop had anything against his cousin. They’d grown up as close as brothers. But things were going well with Darcy. Assuming he didn’t screw it up, they’d hopefully need an empty house all to themselves in the next few days. Plus, Brad came with a bucket full of his own shit to deal with right now. Whoever came up with this bright idea better not expect any presents from Coop come Christmas. “Sticking all the problem kids in
Since he didn’t want to see the mixture of pity and embarrassment guaranteed to wash across her face, he turned back to the bay. The setting sun spread pink and purple streaks across the sky. A dull, gray pall hung over the water. The bulbous head of a jellyfish broke the surface.
Darcy’s arms encircled his waist. Coop jerked in surprise, then relaxed into the loose embrace. An empathetic hug had not been on his list of expected reactions. In fact, he’d kind of expected her to walk away from his worthless, sorry ass. Instead, she pressed her chest into his back, cheek pillowed on his shoulder. It soothed him like aloe on a bad sunburn. Not registering any judgment from her soothed him even more.
“Coop, I don’t know what to say.”
Now that, he had expected. “Join the club. Nobody knows what to say. How to deal with me. That’s why my family sent me out here to our beach house. Give me some time and space to get my head together.”
“That could take a while. How together was your head before all of this?”
The teasing jab, delivered while she still hugged him, gave him a dose of normalcy his family didn’t. They all walked on eggshells when they spoke to him. It was about time someone yanked his chain. Coop tugged on her arm until she moved between him and the rail.
“Maybe I don’t need space after all. Maybe what I really need is someone to share my space.” He caged her in with his arms. The scent of lemons and vanilla floated off her waves of hair. Coop buried his nose and took a good whiff. Now he wanted to smell that on her everywhere.
Darcy arched her neck, giving him better access. She flattened her palms against his chest. “Are you asking me to move in with you? Because I think we should at least have dinner before making that sort of commitment.”
“Let’s start small.” Coop used his finger to lightly trace the outline of her bottom lip. It teased a full-body shiver out of her. “Let’s try sharing this space right here.” He moved his hand to anchor in her silky, frothy mass of hair. A light tug lifted her chin and widened her eyes. Coop hovered, a breath away from her lips.
His phone rang. The phone he’d almost left at home. But he’d had faith that his sister would spread the word. Yet a tinny rendition of Tina Turner screaming “We Don’t Need Another Hero” blared out of his hip pocket. Definitely a sister. The good thing about personalizing ring tones to all of them was that he immediately knew who to be pissed at. Either something better be on fire, or somebody be in the hospital.
Darcy laughed and ducked her head. “Go on.”
He punched on the speaker. “Cammie, didn’t Candace talk to you? You’re all officially supposed to leave me the hell alone.” Not willing to let the moment be officially shattered, Coop kept his hand at the back of Darcy’s neck, rubbing with his thumb in a slow stroke.
“I know. I’m sorry. But I had to let you know that Bradley’s on his way.”
“On his way where?”
Darcy smiled at him. Then she palmed his biceps and squeezed. If his sister didn’t state the nature of her emergency fast, the phone was going straight into the bay. A willing woman in his arms was the best pick-me-up he’d found yet. A loving but nagging sister, not so much.
“Bradley’s coming to stay with you,” Cammie said.
The hell he was. Not that Coop had anything against his cousin. They’d grown up as close as brothers. But things were going well with Darcy. Assuming he didn’t screw it up, they’d hopefully need an empty house all to themselves in the next few days. Plus, Brad came with a bucket full of his own shit to deal with right now. Whoever came up with this bright idea better not expect any presents from Coop come Christmas. “Sticking all the problem kids in
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