So what if he was a private guy? Did that make him a bad person or something?
He shoved all thoughts of Bree from his mind, trying to focus on the workout, the burn in his thighs and the slap of his shoes against the dirt.
That goddamn nightmare. Was it any wonder he couldn’t commit to the instructor position on the base? Every time he thought he was close to forgetting that op in Afghanistan, his subconscious shoved the memories directly into his brain, reminding him that his screw-up had cost a good man his life. How the fuck was he supposed to train other soldiers, teach them to trust their instincts, when his own instincts had failed him so abysmally?
He promptly pushed those thoughts away, too, but that only opened the door for more Bree thoughts to slither into his head.
Damn it. What was wrong with him? Ever since he’d watched Bree with his mother yesterday, he’d been overcome with emotions he had no idea how to decipher, and when Bree had come back later that night, his confusion had only deepened. They’d had yet another round of incredible, body-numbing sex, but when she’d been about to get dressed and go, he’d convinced her to spend the night with him. And not just because he’d wanted to fuck her again—which he had—but because he hadn’t wanted her to leave.
Twelve years ago, he’d done everything in his power to keep shit casual between them. Now, he found himself wanting to get to know Bree. He had plenty of carnal knowledge, but that didn’t seem to be enough anymore. He wanted to know about her life, her job, her favorite movies, what made her laugh, what pissed her off.
What the hell was up with that?
He slowed his pace, steadying his breathing as he neared a familiar clearing. Squinting, he peered through the trees and caught sight of the one-story cabin in the distance. Cooper Grady’s place. Man, he’d run a lot farther than he’d planned.
At the thought of Cooper, Jake was reminded of Lexie Price’s visit the other day, and he found himself moving through the trees toward Cooper’s ramshackle home. Lexie might be his brother’s friend, but her revelation about her relationship with Cooper had rubbed Jake the wrong way. Cooper was a total player, and the guy could be a real asshole when it came to women. Love ’em and leave ’em was the guy’s middle name, for fuck’s sake.
So yeah, maybe Lexie was Nate’s buddy and not Jake’s, but someone had to look out for the ice princess what with her BFF being outta town.
Jake was surprised to find Cooper on the porch when he approached the cabin. The black-haired man was leaning against the railing, holding a steaming mug in one hand and a lit cigarette in the other.
“Did I order a wakeup call?” Cooper drawled when he caught sight of Jake.
Wiping beads of sweat off his forehead, he jogged up to the rickety porch and grinned. “Naah. I was out for a run and figured I’d stop by.” He glanced at Cooper’s hand. “Got one of those for me?”
“The coffee or the cigarette?”
“Both.”
Cooper tossed him a smoke. “Hold up. I’ll grab you some coffee.”
Jake lit up as the other man disappeared into the house. While he waited, he studied the exterior of the cabin, his gaze drifting over the weathered logs, the chipped paint on the front door and the uneven slats of the porch. Then he pictured Lexie Price’s place, the big, modern house surrounded by a perfectly manicured lawn, and the difference in accommodations got him all confused again. What was Lexie Price doing with a guy like Coop? And vice versa.
Cooper returned with a second mug and handed it to Jake, then swiped his cigarette from the ashtray he’d left it in. “How’s it going, Bishop?”
“All right. You?”
“Pretty good. Work’s been busy, but that’ll slow down now that winter’s coming.” Cooper shrugged. “I’ll probably pick up some shifts at the lumber mill once that happens. Don’t wanna starve, after all.” He sipped his coffee. “You’ve stuck around in town longer than usual. When you heading overseas again?”
“Not sure yet.” Jake swiftly changed the subject. “So what’s going on with you and Lexie Price?”
Cooper looked taken aback. “What’d you hear?”
“Nothing much. But Lexie was over at my brother’s place yesterday and she let it slip that you two are seeing each other.”
“I doubt that.”
“That’s what she implied…”
“Yeah, well, seeing each other implies a helluva lot more than what she’s giving me. It implies saying a fucking hello in public, don’t ya think?”
Whoa. The bitterness oozing from Cooper’s rough voice was unmistakable.
And the pain in the guy’s coal-black eyes said more than Cooper had probably intended to reveal.
“You really like her,” Jake said, shaking his head in amazement.
“Why do you sound so fucking surprised?” Cooper lifted his cigarette to his lips, the orange tip flaring as he inhaled deeply. “You think I’m incapable of liking a woman? Or is it Lexie you find so unlikable? Because you don’t know shit about her.”