War Woman (18 page)

As his farm had thrived, he’d been able to purchase more and more of the surrounding land, all of it an attempt to reclaim as much of it from the government or prospectors as he could. He had also assisted the Cherokee that still lived in the area as much as possible, whether with supplies or shelter when they needed it. Sometimes it was done illegally but Jonathan hadn’t given a damn for the legality of it.

Isabelle was thrilled that Cooper had decided to fund the construction of a Cherokee cultural center on his land that would tell the story of the events that had taken place in the area so that people would know the truth and the fallen could be honored. In addition to the cultural center, Cooper had come up with the idea of constructing an entire Cherokee village. It would be a working village situated next to the cultural center and people could visit it to experience what daily life was like for the Cherokee in the nineteenth century. There would also be workshops and other such activities provided so that people could learn traditional skills such as woodcarving and weaving, the same way that Jonathan had. The protestors were equally delighted with Cooper’s plans, as were the local Cherokee residents.

However, Isabelle was still unclear as to how she fitted into the big picture so she had carried out three full days of painstaking research on her family background and had made a shocking discovery. She was descended from Atsila, the War Woman that Jonathan had fallen in love with. She had somehow escaped when her village was attacked and had traveled to Oklahoma during the forced Indian removals. She had married and had children, just as Jonathan had, and their descendants were now staring at one another, unsure what to say.

“I’m going to stay at Vivienne’s for the last few days before I have to go back to Atlanta.”

“You don’t have to go.”

“My job is done. There’s no need for me to be here anymore. Everything is sorted out.”

“That’s not true, Isabelle.” Cooper reached for her hand but she withdrew it, causing him to frown slightly. “When am I going to see you again?”

“I’ll be pretty busy with Vivienne…”

“We need to talk. I’m not saying we do it now. But before you leave we have to discuss what’s going to happen with us.”

“There is no ‘us’, Cooper.”

He leaned back in his chair, an unreadable expression on his face. “I thought lawyers were better liars than that.”

Isabelle looked daggers at him. “How dare you call me a liar!”

Cooper shrugged. “If the shoe fits…”

Isabelle pushed back angrily from the table and stood up. “I’m going to pack. I’ll be gone in fifteen minutes.”

Cooper watched her stalk out of the kitchen and heard the guest room door being opened and shut loudly a few seconds later. Rising slowly from the table, he calmly walked out the kitchen and down the hall before opening the guest room door, stepping inside and closing it behind him.

Isabelle looked up from packing her suitcase on the bed and glared at him. “I’m going as quickly as I can.”

Cooper walked over to the bed and grasped her arm firmly. “You’re not going anywhere.” Then he tugged her towards him, causing her to collide against his hard chest as he curled his hand behind the back of her neck and pulled her mouth to his. The kiss was angry and demanding and desperate all at the same time, with a wild energy that invaded her, mind and body. Breaking the kiss off suddenly, he glared at her, a mixture of aggravation and desire on his face. “Now, go on and lie to me again.”

Overwhelmed, Isabelle acted on instinct – and kneed him in the stomach. She heard the air whoosh out of his mouth as he doubled over. Turning around, she quickly zipped her suitcase shut before picking it up and stepping around him. As she reached the door, she felt the suitcase being jerked out of her grasp. He moved so quickly that he had her backed up against the door before she could react. Pinning his arms on either side of her, he stepped up so that his body was pressed against hers. “This isn’t how I wanted to do this but I don’t want to get the wind knocked out of me again.” He grimaced slightly. “All of a sudden it’s not that difficult to believe you’re descended from a War Woman.”

“Cooper, let go of me.”

“No. You’ll try to assault me again.”

“Me assault you! You’re the one who grabbed me.”

“You’re the most stubborn person I know. I was trying to make you see reason.”

“Yeah, well, so was I  when I kneed you.” She smirked before struggling against him, making him box her in tighter though he was careful not to hurt her.

“Will you stop that?” It was impossible to miss the exasperation in his voice. “I’m trying to have a conversation with you.”

“Well your conversation skills need serious work.”

“You’re the lawyer, that’s your forte.”

She felt his arm sliding down her side as his hand pressed against the door behind her, then a click sounded and he stepped back, pocketing the door key as he did so.

“Did you just lock us in?” She scowled at him as he pulled out the chair desk, turned it to face her and sat down.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“So we can have a conversation without you trying to run away.”

“I’m not running away from anything.”

“Of course you are. You’re scared.”

“Oh am I? About what?”

“Your feelings for me.”

“What makes you think I have feelings for you?”

“You wouldn’t be running from me if you didn’t. You like being in control and you feel like you’re not
in complete control when you’re around me. You said so yourself. But you don’t need to be in control all the time.”

Isabelle moved away from the door and sat down on the bed. “This whole situation was outside of either of our control. Do you think we’re meant to be together just because our ancestors were in love? Have you ever considered that what you think you feel might just have been part of the greater plan to unearth the truth about the history of your farm and the Cherokee village that came before? Atsila and Jonathan’s story has come full circle. You’re going to fulfill Jonathan’s ultimate goal by establishing the cultural center and the village. Atsila and the village have received justice, so to speak, for the wrongs done to them.”

“I’m not some modern version of Jonathan and you’re not a reincarnation of Atsila. You’re right. Their story has come full circle, thanks in part to their efforts, our efforts and some fantastic inner power you didn’t know you had. But that was their story. We have our own and it’s just starting but you need to give it a chance to develop.”

Isabelle sighed. “Okay.”

Cooper looked at her questioningly. “Okay?”

“I’ll try to give us a chance. It’s just a lot to take in at the moment, you know? So much has happened over the past few days.”

“I understand.”

“I guess I’ll unpack.” She unzipped her suitcase and started removing the contents. She rolled her shoulders. “I could really do with some caffeine about now, intravenously supplied if possible.”

“I’ll make us some coffee.” Cooper stood up and unlocked the door.

“Thanks. I’ll finish unpacking and come through to the kitchen. We can attempt a more civilized discussion.” She smiled softly.

“Sure, sounds good.” He returned her smile and headed to the kitchen. After the coffee was ready he set her cup down on the table and sipped his own while he waited for her. Hearing the sound of a car engine, he cocked his head slightly. It didn’t sound like the Land Rover… A split second later he had placed his coffee on the table and was running out the back door. He sprinted round the side of the house and spotted the car already at the bottom of the driveway.

“Isabelle!” He shouted but she didn’t stop, and he knew he would never catch her. She had too much of a head start. “Damn it!” He cursed as he watched her car disappear into the distance. He took it all back. She could lie with the best of them.

It had been two months since he’d last seen Isabelle. He’d decided to give her a couple of days to cool off before he went to see her at Vivienne’s but when he arrived unannounced Vivienne informed him that Isabelle had returned early to Atlanta and had left the day before.

If that was how she wanted to play it, then so be it. He wasn’t going to go chasing after her. She’d only slam the door in his face, or possibly knee him again. He agreed with her on one thing though; sometimes she couldn’t see what was right in front of her.

He’d stewed for a week in open aggravation until Jim had threatened to spray
him
with the hose. From then on, he’d just stewed. Why did she have to be so stubborn? It was both one of her most appealing and most annoying qualities.

As the weeks had passed, his aggravation had given way to hope that she would come around to her senses and contact him. She didn’t. He considered calling her at her office but decided against it. He didn’t want to risk annoying her by contacting her through her work. Besides, you could lead a horse to water but you couldn’t make it drink. Well she could sure as hell drive him to drink…

By the time six weeks had passed, he began to accept the hard truth that she wasn’t going to contact him. He tried to lose himself in work, either to do with the farm or the construction of the cultural center and village, but it was difficult. Still, each day it was slightly easier than before to harden the part of him that looked for her car every evening he came back to the house.

The sun was beginning to set as he emerged from underneath the waterfall. The feel of the water pounding on his shoulders and neck helped to soothe some of the tension in his body and the sound blocked out everything around him, helping his mind to focus on the power and energy of the water and nothing else.

Swimming until his feet could touch the bottom, he began to wade towards the edge of the pool until a voice stopped him.

“The cultural center and village are really coming along.”

He spun around and spotted Isabelle sitting on the rock that overlooked the pool. Taken aback, all he could do was stare. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m ready for that conversation now.”

“It’s been so long since we last talked, you’ll have to refresh my memory.” He kept his expression neutral as he reached the pool edge and his bundle of clothes.

“You’re angry with me. I get it.” Isabelle descended down the rock and made her way towards him, stopping next to his clothes. “You have a right to be, but I’d still like to talk.”

“Do what you like. I’m putting my clothes on.”

Isabelle bent down and snatched them before stepping back.

“What are you doing? Give those back,” Cooper snapped, trying to grab them from her, but she stood just out of reach.

“I’m trying to have a conversation. I believe the last time a conversation was attempted you locked me in a room. This time, you can stay in that pool until I’m finished.”

He glared at her but stood motionless.

“These past weeks I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. You can’t deny that the circumstances surrounding your farm and Atsila and Jonathan were extraordinary. I needed some time to process everything.”

“Look, that’s great that you were off finding yourself, Isabelle,”  his sarcasm was evident, as was the annoyance on his face, “but you left me hanging for two months.
Two months
and you didn’t bother to pick up the phone or even email me.”

“I’m sorry, Cooper.”

“Yeah, well, sorry doesn’t quite cut it.” He waded out of the water, causing her eyes to widen as she averted her gaze from his nudity.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting my clothes,” he walked up to her and snatched them back before bending down to start putting his boxers on.

“Why do you have to be so stubborn? I’m trying to fix things.”

At her words he straightened again. “
I’m
stubborn? Do you even hear yourself when you speak? Sometimes I think – ”

Isabelle closed the distance between them and pressed her lips against his, wrapping her arms around his neck as she angled herself snugly against him, not caring that the water from his body was seeping into her own clothes.

Stunned, Cooper stood absolutely still. “What are you doing?”

“Shutting you up,” she replied, pressing her body more firmly against his.

“You’re playing a dangerous game, Isabelle.” Cooper ground the words out as he stared at her, trying not to move.

“Who says I’m playing?” She let her hands drift from his neck down his back, his skin slick with water as she glided her fingers over the rise of his buttocks.

“Isabelle, whatever you think you’re doing, please stop.” Cooper’s voice was strained and she could feel the tension in his rigid body as he closed his eyes. “Just let me be.”

“Cooper, I love you.”

His eyes flew open at her words. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because it’s true.”

“What about before? You asked me how I could be sure what we were feeling wasn’t just a means to an end.”

“What you said is true. Our story is just beginning. We’re not Jonathan and Atsila. I love you because of who you are, not who your ancestor was. I love your kindness and your generous nature. I love your patience and your understanding…” Isabelle slowly pulled her shirt off and let it drop to the ground, “and I love the way you push my buttons.” Leaning forward, she pressed her breasts against his chest as she pulled his mouth down to hers, kissing him softly and teasingly as she trailed her fingers down his sides and pressed his hips against her own.