Cooper's Charm (Love at the Resort #1)

“Get paid much for making out?”

Cooper laughed. God, they were hilarious together. “You two should take that show on the road.”

“Or,” Ridley said, “we could at least take it inside?”

“Do you two always squabble?”

“No,” Ridley said.

Phoenix countered, “Yes.” Then she added, “Because Ridley always thinks she knows what is best for me.”

“I am older,” Ridley pointed out.

“Only by three years.”

“Still older.” She smiled at Coop. “Lead the way, BS.”

“BS?” Had he just been insulted?

“Big Sexy? Never mind. It does lose something when it’s just initials, doesn’t it?” She looked up at the sky and shivered. “Let’s get out of the dreary weather before my hair starts to curl.”

Coop turned to Phoenix. “She’s going to your cabin?” He wouldn’t make any assumptions, even though he assumed her pique was over the timing, and not any real animus toward her sister.

Phoenix opened her mouth, and Ridley cut her off. “Of course I’m going to her cabin. She can’t give me hell if we’re in two different places.”

“Exactly.” Phoenix tried to take the lead, all but marching down the long drive to the resort.

Catching up with her in two long strides, Coop took the smaller case from her. She gave it over with a huff, and then carried on.

He followed, Ridley at his side.

Behind her sister’s back, Ridley kept smiling at him.

“You really are a big one, aren’t you?” she whispered.

“Don’t talk to him,” Phoenix growled without looking back.

With a roll of her eyes, Ridley mimicked her, her mouth moving as she mimed, Don’t talk to him.

Coop grinned at her antics, but at the same time, he wondered if his size was a problem for Phoenix. The men who assaulted her wore masks, so the only clear description was big.

Like him.

He frowned, bothered by the thought, until Ridley spoke again, her voice carrying on the night air.

“She always sulks like that. Been doing it since she was in diapers. I ignore it.”

Phoenix snapped, “You have never ignored it. Instead you egg me on—as you’re doing now.”

Ridley grinned in satisfaction. “And it always works.” Then to Coop, she added, “She’s hiding it well, but she’s happy to see me.”

Phoenix snorted. “So what if I am? Doesn’t change anything.”

Coop asked politely, “How long will you be with us?”

“I haven’t yet decided.” Then louder, obviously to tweak her sister again, she said, “I’m thinking a month or so.”

Phoenix stiffened, but didn’t respond.

“We could use the comic relief,” he promised, “but if you do decide to stay, I can set you up in a fifth wheel or a cabin. Just let me know.”

“Give her a tent,” Phoenix said, and she even glanced back with a big grin. “Ridley loves roughing it, remember?”

“Actually,” Ridley said, looking around as they walked down the center lane, “I had no idea an RV could be remarkable. Some of these are huge, and they look really posh.”

Phoenix unbent enough to say, “You should see the insides.”

“Could I?”

“Tomorrow I’ll show you around,” she promised. “Everyone here is friendly, so a few campers might be happy to let you in.”

It amazed Coop that Phoenix could be so annoyed one minute, then let it go the next. Nice that she didn’t hold on to a grudge. He smiled when he thought of his wife’s temper and how she could stay mad for a week when it suited her. Never at him, but over any injustice—

He drew up short, appalled at himself for that observation. I will not draw comparisons. Jesus, he felt disloyal for the brief thought.

Kissing Phoenix was one thing; he was human after all, and she was smokin’ hot with her lush body and shy smiles. He didn’t blame himself for not being able to resist her.

But to draw parallels between her and his wife? That was as taboo as it got, and unfair to both of them.

Ridley bumped her hip into his, much as Phoenix had earlier. “Solving world peace?” she asked in a whisper.

Damn it, Ridley was as perceptive as her sister. He shook his head. “The few campers we have for rent aren’t the nicest, but they’re clean and functional.”

“Hmmm. Is there any place around here to buy one?”

Phoenix whirled on her. “No!”

Ridley sniffed. “I will if I want to.”

“It would be a ridiculous expense.”

“Robbie left me a ridiculous amount of cash. You know that.”

“Robbie?” Coop asked.

Phoenix brushed a hand through the air. “Her scumbag ex.”

“You’re divorced?”

“Very much so. I ditched his name, so I’m back to being Ridley Rose.” She leaned toward him as if in confidence, saying low, “But I saw no reason to ditch his money, you know? The bastard wanted out, his parents wanted him out, and together they paid a small fortune to see it happen.” She shrugged.

“I take it he was wealthy?”

“Disgustingly rich, yeah.”

Phoenix moved closer to Ridley, as if in support. “What Robbie Rhodes had in financial riches he completely lacked in character.”

Coop wondered what had happened, but he didn’t ask. “I see. Then it sounds like you came out ahead in the deal.”

“Absolutely,” she said with conviction.

But he heard the hurt.

Frowning in worry, Phoenix hooked her arm through Ridley’s, saying, “Maybe a nice long visit is a good idea after all.”

Rolling her eyes, Ridley turned to Coop. “See, now that she thinks I’m the one who needs to unload, it’s all fine and dandy for me to be here.” Sotto voce, she added, “Phoenix doesn’t like to look needy.”

“She mentioned that once.”

Eyebrows raised, Ridley pulled back. “She did?”

He nodded.

“Well, well, well.” She slanted a look at a silent Phoenix. “Looks like you’ll be riding that bike in no time.”

Phoenix tried to frown, but ended up laughing, and that got Ridley laughing, too.

Coop smiled. He didn’t understand the joke, but he liked the sound of their mingled amusement. “Here’s Phoenix’s cabin.” He gestured at the small wood structure just ahead.

“Oh, uh...” Ridley stared in horror.

Phoenix hauled her on. “There’s no backing out now.”

To ensure they got inside safely—or so he told himself—Coop followed. When they got to the front door, he frowned at an excess of mud on the deck boards. “What happened here?”

Phoenix slanted him a look. “What do you mean?”

“It looks like you entered a mud wrestling competition.”

Ridley looked back and forth between them.

After clearing her throat, Phoenix said, “I assumed you stopped by—”

“And cleaned my shoes on your deck?” Not a good impression to give her sister. “I wouldn’t do that.”

Now she frowned, too. “Well, I didn’t do it. It was like that when I stopped by here earlier to grab a shower.”

Suspicion brought his brows together. “Stay put a second.” He stepped off the small deck and cautiously walked around the building. Where there used to be a dirt border circling the lattice skirt, Phoenix had planted flowers.

Beneath one window, those flowers were trampled.

More quickly now, Coop finished the inspection. Though most vacationers left the windows open for the fresh air, Phoenix had them secured. If that was because of the rainy weather or her past, he wasn’t sure.

He returned to the women and saw by the porch light that Phoenix’s expression had tightened with some unnamed emotion. As casually as he could, he asked, “Mind if I take a look around inside, just to be sure...?”

“That no muddy-footed goons broke in?” She handed him the keys with a grand gesture. “Be my guest.”

Ridley, no longer teasing, put her arm around Phoenix, and together they stepped back to wait.

There weren’t many hiding places in a cabin so small, so Coop unlocked the door, flipped on an inside light, and glanced around. Tidy, just as he’d suspected it would be.