Slow Ride (15 page)

It didn’t take Kyla long to settle in and start having a great time with Sarah, Maggie
and some other women Sarah worked with.

There was only one hiccup the entire night and that was when Marla finished her set
and came up to the bar, topless and in only her thong. She’d pushed through the crowd
and ordered a drink. Instead of leaving to go into the back room like most of the
dancers did, she stayed and glared at their group. Kyla tried to ignore her, but that
was nearly impossible when Marla, after her third drink, pushed into their huddle.

“Well, look who’s decided to slum it tonight. How are you girls doing? Looking to
join the other team for the night? Maggie, you want a lap dance?”

Maggie snorted. “Fuck off, Marla. You know I come here to hang out with Sarah. Now
what is it you want?”

Kyla kept quiet, as did Sarah, which might not have been a good thing, since this
gave Marla the opportunity to speak again. “So, Kyla, how are you finding the town
of Ashten Falls? Cooper finished with your car yet so you can get the fuck out of
here?”

She blinked at her. “Sorry, but I don’t know you, and I don’t really want to talk
to you given your earlier comment. And whether Cooper is done with my car or not is
none of your business anyway.”

Marla snorted, something totally not attractive coming from her. “Of course it’s my
business. He and I are together. Well, not officially but you know, he’s got to sow
his oats before we settle down and get married, have babies, and all that.”

Sarah choked on her cranberry vodka while Maggie laughed. Kyla just stood there, dumbstruck
at Marla’s pronouncement.

“It’s not funny, Maggie! You know he and I are meant for each other. I don’t know
why you bitches don’t see that. No one ever fucking sees that.”

Sarah finally got herself under control and moved between Kyla and Marla. “You are
so unhinged, Marla, it’s a wonder you haven’t floated off this planet. Cooper is not
yours. Everyone knows you two fucked, when you were both in high school and then it
was over. But you can’t seem to get it out of your head that the two of you are meant
to be. So let me give you a clue, some friendly advice. He does not want anything
to do with you and only lets you hang around because he feels bad for what happened
to your brother. Now get your drink and move the fuck out of our air before I find
Felicia and tell her you’re acting crazy and harassing paying customers.”

Marla’s fist balled at her sides. “You whore! Mind your own business, Sarah, and stop
lying. Cooper and I will be together and trust me, honey, the chances of that happening
are way higher than Tommy ever taking back your skanky ass. So watch your mouth.”

Kyla saw Sarah pale even in the dim light of the bar, but it was Maggie who stepped
in. “I’m telling Felicia about this, Marla, so you might want to look for another
job. Now get out of here.”

Marla threw one final glare at the three of them and stomped away, stumbling in her
heels as she did. They were silent for a few minutes before Kyla finally spoke. “She’s
a few fries short of a happy meal. Holy hell, what is
with
that woman?”

Sarah and Maggie started giggling, which lifted the veil of tension that had descended
when Marla rolled up. Soon the three had almost forgotten about the incident and were
well on their way to having a good time again.

Around eleven fifteen Kyla noticed Cooper and his friend Tommy had come in. But other
than flashing his devastating grin at her and raising his beer bottle, he hung out
with his friends, apparently letting her have her girl time. If it had been Frank,
he’d have been all over her and not let her out of his sight. He also would have called
her a whore for the outfit she wore.

After hours of dancing, laughing, and drinking, she was finally on her way out the
door, having outlasted Cooper’s stay by quite some time.

“Hey,” a voice called to her from the mouth of the alley.

“Cooper?” she breathed, taking a tentative step toward him. She didn’t pull away when
he tugged on her hand, instead she curled her fingers into his. “I thought you left.”

“Not letting you walk home this late alone. I had to go outside and talk to Tommy
about something. Besides, didn’t get to spend much time with you tonight, but I liked
watching you. The other guys did, too.”

She arched a brow as she glanced over at him, a smile on her face. “Is Cooper Moretto
jealous?”

He snorted but avoided her eyes. “I don’t get jealous. I know what I got right here
in my arms. As long as guys are just looking, I can handle that. If they were touching,
well, then I’d have to punch people in the throat.” His eyes burned with an intensity
that made her insides go all liquid. “So don’t make me have to punch anyone in the
throat.”

“Cooper. . .” She started to pull back but didn’t get anywhere. “I wouldn’t do that.
I’m not that kind of girl at all. Even if my head wasn’t all over the place, I would
never do that.”

Cooper squeezed her hips and dipped his head down, his dark blue eyes pinned on hers.
“Your head is fine, Kyla. Beautiful, in fact. I think you’re scared of you and me
and what we could be, but I don’t think that makes you fucked up. I’m scared too,
‘cause I’ve never had anything this real before.”

“Cooper, we should probably talk. I should tell you about my past so you know what
you’re getting into. It’s kinda bad.” It was more than kind of, but she didn’t elaborate.
Not yet.

He shook his head. “I love that you want to do that, but not tonight. And if it’s
bad, when we talk about it, I want you to be sure you’re ready. Because I don’t want
you more haunted than you already seem to be. I’m not going to run just because of
something you have in your past. It’s probably not half as bad as you think it is.”

It was her turn to snort. “It’s bad. I let down my friends, my family, everyone I
ever cared about, Cooper. But I let down myself most of all. And I’m scared that I
can’t ever undo the damage.”

“But, if you did something bad, or that you think is bad, that doesn’t make
you
bad. I already know whatever happened, it involves a corrupt cop, and I assume he
was a boyfriend. You mentioned he didn’t care. You flinch, or your body gets tight
whenever I get angry or startle you. So, I’ve already got an idea.”

Kyla bit her bottom lip and took a breath. She could continue to hold off from telling
him about Frank. Or she could just get it over with and rip off the Band-aid. Avoidance
sounded good to her, to continue to hide, but a bigger part of her just wanted to
get it out and be done with it. She chose the latter. “I was with Frank a long time.
Everyone tried to get me to leave him. I didn’t. I was too scared of what he’d do,
of what he’d done already. I figured he was the best I was ever going to get. I mean,
I
let
him hit me, punch me, heck, I let him beat me over and over again. I let him control
me, tell me what to do, what to wear, who to talk to and be friends with. And I never
tried to leave. Not until the last time and when I did that. . . .” She shook her
head, eyes closed, as she paused to collect her thoughts. “I thought I could get all
this out. I thought I could just tell it all to you right now, all about Frank and
the fight, and me trying to leave. And what happened to my brother. But this is harder
than I thought. Can I have a couple more days to get the rest of this out?” Her voice
was barely a whisper and she leaned her forehead against his strong chest.

His hands slid up and down her bare arms. “Kyla, thank you for telling me. It doesn’t
have to come out all at once.” He bent down and kissed her deep before tucking her
against him and moving out of the alley and down the sidewalk.

“Ya know, I gotta say, one of the other things about you that I like is that you’re
the perfect height for me. Not too short, not too tall. Not many women who can fit
that requirement.”

She let him lead her toward the motel in a daze. It had been a long day, she was exhausted,
but holy hell she was enjoying this and wasn’t going to pull away. It felt too good.
“Glad you can check that requirement off your list, Coop.”

He grinned down at her. “Tits, ass, attitude, your height, the way your eyes get soft
and fire up all at once when I’ve got my arms around you. You’re the total package.”

She rolled her eyes but laughed. “Lucky me.”

She was silent the rest of the way to the motel, stopping as he started toward the
stairs by the office. “No, wait, not those. I go up the ones farther away but closer
to my room . . .” she trailed off and saw his jaw clench as he followed her gaze to
the office. The light was on and Morris was in there, staring out at the two of them.

Cooper guided her back on to the sidewalk.

“He bothers you, you call. Hear me?” He pulled her tightly to his side, sending a
scathing glance at Morris when they walked by. When they reached Kyla’s door he took
her key, not letting her go as he unlocked it. “I want to come in tonight, but I have
something to take care of. And I don’t think you’re ready for that yet, Kyla. But
soon, I will. So whatever you gotta do to let me in, do it fast.”

She stared at him, stunned at his bossiness, which by now she should have been used
to. She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could Cooper’s mouth covered it.
“Don’t forget about our date. Now get inside and sleep sweet.”

• • •

Kyla’s dreams were not sweet that night.

“You will never be able to leave me. Ever. I will always find you.”

She squirmed as she felt his breath on her ears, tears rolling down her cheeks as
she struggled against the solid mass in front of her.

“Kyla . . . Kyla. . .”
The voice was sing-songing her name.
“Stop fighting me. It will be so much better if you just would stop fighting me.”
She blinked away the tears, unable to wipe them from her face as she heard someone
else enter the room.

She heard a soft voice in the distance, a whisper almost, the word “no” repeated over
and over. As it got louder she twisted and turned, pulling hard against him.

Kyla’s eyes flew open she found herself crumpled on the floor next to the bed, the
bed sheet twisted around her legs, soaked through from sweat and tears. The lamp had
fallen over, the glass from the shattered light bulb scattered on the floor. She stared
at the pieces for several moments as she took deep breaths to get herself under control.
That had been by far the worst of all the dreams she’d had since that night. But she
remembered what Jane had been telling her during her counseling sessions: she had
to put herself out there, to go with her gut and trust people.

Shaking, she picked herself up from the floor and glanced at the clock, groaning as
she saw it was only three in the morning. The messages she was getting were creeping
into her subconscious, invading her dreams now and bringing back that night in Technicolor
it seemed. Would it ever end? She had no idea but she was determined to not let them
stop her from moving forward. Knowing she’d likely not fall asleep anytime soon, Kyla
changed into workout gear. She hoped a yoga routine would settle her mind some. Maybe
then she could get some sleep before she had to go into work.

• • •

Kyla’s lack of sleep the night before was making the screen fuzzy. She reached for
her nearby glasses, pushing them up on her nose. Or it could be the fact that Cooper
was standing close behind her chair and leaning down, his cheek right next to hers
as he looked over the accounting software she’d convinced him to buy. “Babe, I don’t
have time to be working on a computer, so this is your deal. You get it, that’s fine.
But make it worth me spending my money on it, yeah?” She had agreed and set it up
so it tracked invoices, payments, and receipts and she could use it for both the garage
and the music store since the computers were networked.

Her eyes were on Cooper now, staring at his mouth and the small grin there. She sighed,
thinking how good he looked when he smiled like that.

“Thanks, Kyla,” he said.

Kyla slapped a hand over her mouth, not realizing she had said that aloud. She sat
frozen as he straightened and pulled her up from the chair, his hands circling her
waist, and then stuttered out, “Sorry.” He didn’t pull her tightly against his hips,
he didn’t have to. He only grinned wider when he felt
her
settle against him.

“Don’t apologize. I like knowing you think I look good. Makes my work day that much
better.” Cooper ducked his head down, his nose sliding along the side of her cheek
to her earlobe. “I better get in there and help Phil. And speaking of Phil, he mentioned
to me your ideas for the music store. We need to talk about that soon. Until then
holler if you need me.”

Kyla was almost disappointed as he pulled back. Scratch that. She was completely disappointed.
She couldn’t deny she liked him near her, the way he smelled, the way he looked at
her, and how his hands felt on her skin. It hit her hard in the gut—she wanted to
kiss him again, slow and deep so she could explore and savor every moment. When she
realized he was staring at her, his eyes burning with an intensity she hadn’t seen
before in him, she felt her cheeks warm.

“Will do, boss,” she murmured, ducking her head but only for a moment since his finger
was under her chin and lifting it up to look at him.

“If there weren’t a garage full of men a few feet away, I might have to do something
about what I’m feeling right now. As it is, I don’t have the privacy to do just that.
Not now, but soon.” He stepped back, the front of his jeans straining against his
erection. “I’ll be in at one to take you to lunch. We’ll go to the diner to see Sarah,
best food in town.”

Kyla sucked in a breath, hearing the determination in his words and not taking any
offense to it. She fought the urge to start tearing his clothes off right then and
there, but not with an audience. Instead, she focused on his offer to take her to
lunch to keep her hands to herself. “Okay.” She grinned at the surprised look on his
face. “I don’t say no or give attitude about everything, Cooper.”