“Makes them cowards to do either, and I can’t see a coward facing me man-to-man for any reason.” He met Baxter’s gaze. “Sneaking around, though, that I can imagine.”
Would the creeps dare to slink into the park after hours, maybe to commit acts of vandalism? It seemed possible.
“Let Daron know so we can all keep an eye out.”
“I could go back to the creek.” He’d relish the excuse to burn off some energy. “Maybe cross the trestle, take a look around. They probably live nearby.”
Coop was already shaking his head. “It’ll be dark soon. And when I speak with the cops, I don’t want them to think we were looking for trouble.”
Much as Baxter hated to admit it, he had a point. “You’re calling them tonight?”
“I had to prioritize. The dog was covered in mud and too many ticks and fleas for me to want her in the house without cleaning her up first.”
And no doubt, Phoenix had been shaken. “I’ll call Daron soon as I leave here. I’ll let Maris and Joy know, too.”
“Thanks.” Coop lifted the dog out onto a towel spread over the top of the dryer. When she shook, she sprayed them both—as well as the walls and cabinets—making the men laugh. The dog barked in what sounded like happiness.
Baxter smiled at her. “You like being clean, do you, girl?” Clean and safe.
“She has a cut on her ear,” Coop said, drying around the area very carefully, “but I think it’s okay. My guess is she scratched it while running or hiding from those assholes, maybe on a piece of fencing or something.”
While Baxter checked the ear too, the dog’s butt swayed back and forth in bliss. “Yeah, a small cut. Doesn’t seem to bother her.” He saw the gentle way Coop dried her and guessed, “You’re keeping her?”
“Yeah.” He set the dog on her feet. She stared up at him with enormous, adoring brown eyes, still wiggling, waiting for direction. Coop shook his head in amusement, then led her to the kitchen by patting his thigh.
They entered the room, and Baxter stalled.
Phoenix was just opening a pizza box. She smiled at the dog while saying, “Guess what? Maris brought us a pizza, plus cupcakes for dessert. She said it’s her contribution to the dog rescue.” Phoenix set down a food dish and the dog attacked it. “Guess that proves she didn’t eat a chicken!”
Coop didn’t seem to see anything wrong with the impromptu dinner. “Smells good.” He got down plates, handing one to Ridley and shoving one at Baxter.
He automatically took the plate, but said, “I need to get going.”
Ridley shot him a disbelieving look, but he avoided her gaze. He didn’t want this, didn’t want to sit around the table taking part in cozy conversations with friends.
That reeked of something more than hot sex.
More than superficial.
Ignoring his statement, Phoenix dropped a slice of pizza on the plate. “You’ve got a few minutes to eat, right?” Holding his gaze, waiting for an answer, she pulled out a chair and sat.
He felt put on the spot big-time—and damn it, she did it deliberately. He stared back at her. “Maybe one piece.”
Approval curled her lips. “Great.”
Ridley, her back now stiff, gave her sister a dirty look as she took the seat beside her. Mouth tight, eyelids half-closed, she affected a brooding expression. It seemed she didn’t like the situation any more than he did. For reasons he couldn’t understand, that added to his pissed-off mood.
While Baxter stood there arguing with himself, Coop snagged the chair next to Phoenix.
Now he had no choice but to sit by Ridley.
And why the hell was that such a problem?
Because I wanted to fuck her, not engage in social chitchat.
“I can keep her tonight, but let me know if you want a turn.”
Baxter’s gaze shot up, a scowl in place, a protest ready...and he realized Coop was talking to Phoenix about the dog.
Luckily, Coop was watching the antics of the animal, and Ridley had her attention fixed on her plate.
But Phoenix didn’t miss a thing, and she gave him an evil grin.
How had he never noticed her mean streak?
*
Bright moonlight spilled through the window, painting soft shadows on the ceiling. The air-conditioning kept the small cabin cool. Phoenix and Ridley were up in the loft, side by side, neither of them sleeping yet.
She felt her gaze the moment Ridley looked at her, and she almost sighed. Truthfully, she was surprised her sister had held back so long.
Phoenix’s body was tired, but her mind wouldn’t settle. What-ifs ran through her thoughts at Mach speed—and in every scenario, she came up lacking.
“You made yourself at home in Coop’s kitchen.”
Well, that was an innocuous enough comment, not at all what Phoenix had expected. “He asked me to make the coffee.”
Ridley turned on her side, propping her head on her hand. “He keeps a photo of his wife on his desk.”
“I’m sure there are photos in other places, too.” His TV room...and his bedroom. When Phoenix thought about the image of his wife, soft was the first description to come to mind. Soft blond hair, soft dark blue eyes, soft smile. Cooper’s wife was a lovely woman—and he’d lost her. It made her heart ache for him.
It made her think about her fiancé, the man she’d pushed away.
She would always feel bad for what she’d done to David, but she knew in her heart that she’d made the right decision when she’d broken the engagement. David deserved someone who would love him as Cooper had loved his wife.
She wasn’t that woman.
Oh, she’d cared for him. A lot. But that she’d wanted away from him after the attack spoke volumes. He couldn’t console her because she hadn’t wanted him to. She hadn’t wanted anything from anyone. Not even her future husband.
Letting him go was the kindest thing to do.
“It didn’t bother you to see the photo?” Ridley asked.
She shook her head. “I think he’s still grieving for her.”
“You,” Ridley said, “are an amazingly wonderful woman.”
Phoenix turned her head to see her sister, not sure what had brought that on. “Thank you. You’re pretty wonderful yourself.”
Ridley was silent a moment, then asked, “Do you know how she died?”
“No.” Phoenix also rolled to her side, but she was too tired to prop herself up and instead just snuggled into her pillow. “Do you?”
“Baxter told me.”
Her sister’s hesitation bothered her. “And?”
“There are...similarities.” She held Phoenix’s hand. “To what you went through, I mean.”
Catching her breath, Phoenix half sat up in denial. “What are you saying?”
Ridley squeezed her hand tighter. “She was shot during a robbery. It was an accident, I think.”
Her heart slammed in her chest. “Shot?”
“Caught in the crossfire is how Baxter put it.”
“How tragic,” she whispered, reclining to her back again. In only minutes, a senseless act of violence had upended Cooper’s life, changing it forever. She couldn’t imagine the heartache he’d suffered.
The sudden urge to go to him, to comfort him, chased away her tiredness. Not that he struck her as a man who would take comfort. No, he was the type of man who would suffer in silence, then push forward through sheer will. A strong man.
A gentle man.
As he’d proved today, a hero.
“Has he ever mentioned her to you?” Ridley asked.
“No.” Phoenix studied the shadows on the ceiling. “Why would he?”
Ridley loomed over her. “Because he’s interested in you, that’s why.”
Maybe he was, but probably not like that. Not for anything beyond a physical relationship. She was okay with that. She couldn’t get involved anyway. A week or two of sex? That sounded about right. Actually, it sounded incredible.
But anything more wasn’t on the agenda.
Right?
That thought was so unsettling, she asked, “What about you and Baxter?”
Ridley sighed dramatically. “We’d been well on our way to getting down and dirty, and I have a feeling it would’ve been sublime.”
Phoenix turned again. “And? What happened?”
“No idea, really, except that Baxter is a dumbass who’s afraid of conversation,” Ridley complained.
Phoenix snorted a laugh. “What does that mean exactly?”
“You didn’t notice how he froze up at dinner?”