Black Hills

through her very thin smoke screen, she said nothing else, but went back to heat up her mother’s care package.
    Since it made for easy conversation, she told him about Cleo while they ate.
    “She’s lucky it ate a dog and not a toddler.”
    “Actually, that’s true enough. Cleo may—and probably did—start out playing. Then instinct took over. Wild can be trained, and they can learn, but they can’t and won’t be tamed. Rhinestone collars and satin pillows don’t make a pet out of the wild, even when they’re born and raised in captivity. We’ll bring her in, give her a big splash on the website. A new animal always generates more hits, more donations.”
    “Will you include her taste for pups in her bio?”
    “I think we’ll leave that out. What were you working on? On your laptop?”
    “Spreadsheets. Just basic outlay, income, projections.”
    “Really?”
    “You sound surprised I’d know what a spreadsheet is. I ran my own business for five years.”
    “I know. I guess it’s one of those gaps I still haven’t jumped. Private investigating. Is it anything like TV? I know I asked before, but you were being snotty when you answered.”
    “I recall being honest. No, it’s not like TV, or not much. It’s a lot of legwork and sitting-on-your-ass work. Talking to people, computer checks, documenting.”
    “But still, solving crimes?”
    Amusement at her hopeful tone warmed those ice blue eyes. “That’s TV. We handled a lot of insurance claims, checking them for fraud. Divorces. Surveilling cheating spouses. Missing persons.”
    “You found missing people? That’s important, Coop.”
    “Not everyone who’s missing wants to be found. So it’s relative. And it’s done. Now it’s horses, feed, vet bills, farrier bills, tack, insurance, crops. They need a full-time hand at the farm. They need a Farley.”
    She jabbed her fork at him. “You can’t have Farley.”
    “If I tried to take him, he’d turn me down anyway. He’s in love with your parents.”
    “Among others. He’s got his eye on Tansy.”
    “Tansy?” Coop considered it. “She’s hot. Farley’s . . .”—he searched for a word—“affable.”
    “And charming and reliable, and very, very cute. He flusters her. I’ve known Tansy since we were eighteen. I’ve never seen her flustered by a man.”
    Intrigued, Coop angled his head. “You’re rooting for Farley.”
    “Mentally I’m shaking pom-poms and doing C jumps.”
    “Interesting image.” He drew his loosely closed fist down her braid. “When’s the last time you were flustered, Lil?”
    Since the answer was right now, she slid off the bench, and took the plates to the sink. “I’ve got too much going on to be flustered. Dishes are yours. I’m going up. I need to finish my article.”
    He caught her hand as she passed, yanked enough to throw her off balance so he could pull her across his lap. He took her braid again—no loose fist this time—and tugged so her lips lined with his. Took her mouth.
    Irritated at being caught off-guard, she pushed, twisted. He was much stronger, his body a lot tougher than it had been once upon a time.
    And his mouth, his hands, considerably more skilled.
    Lust wrapped around irritation. Need lit a fire to the mix.
    Then he softened the kiss, enough to add a layer of sweetness that bruised her heart.
    “’Night, Lil.” He murmured it against her mouth before drawing back.
    She pushed to her feet. “No physical or sexual contact. That’s a rule.”
    “I’m not going to agree to that one. Pick another.”
    “It’s not right, Coop. It’s not fair.”
    “I don’t know if it’s right or not. I don’t care if it’s fair.” His tone was the equivalent of a shrug. “I want you. I know how to do without what I want, and I know how to go after what I want. It’s about deciding.”
    “And where am I in this decision?”
    “You’ll have to figure that out for yourself.”
    “You’re not going to do this to me. You’re not going to break my heart again.”
    “I never broke your heart.”
    “If you believe that you’re either seriously stupid or emotionally stunted. Don’t bother me anymore tonight. Don’t bother me.”
    She strode away, up the stairs, into her bedroom, where she shut—and locked—the door.

14
    Lil waited until she heard Coop start his truck in the morning before she came downstairs. The delay put her a little behind, but the lack of stress made it worthwhile.
    She’d done a lot of work,