Page 37 of You Can Make Me

I smiled so wide, he laughed at me.

“Every night sounds good to me. I’ll be right back.”

I left a chuckling Cooper doing stretches on the bed. That was a good sign. He hadn’t been moving nearly enough. I thought perhaps he was ready to be pushed a little more, but I suspected he’d push himself now.

And damn, he made my mouth water, the sight of the sheet sliding down to uncover the space between his navel and the top of his lounge pants, which was filling in nicely with reddish-blond hairs, so goddamned tantalizing. I wanted to taste him so bad, I nearly covered him with my body. To hell with our visitors.

I took the briefest shower possible, just so I could see him again. I shaved and dressed in jeans and my last clean t-shirt. I’d have to go into town sooner than I’d wanted. Maybe Cooper would feel settled enough for me to leave him with his folks for a little while?

I got coffee started and set out Cooper’s medicine before opening the front door. The sky was gray, which usually meant the morning would be cool, so breakfast in the backyard probably wouldn’t be a good idea. A few minutes later, there was a light tapping on the door.

“Dennis? May we come in?”

“Come on in. Cooper’s getting ready.”

Sam, Deb, and Frank entered, looking uncertain.

“What’s up?”

“Gene didn’t want to wake you,” Sam said. “He had to head back early. There’s been a development in the case. I’m going to stay with the Harrises and ride out with them when they’re ready. I don’t have anything scheduled that I can’t take care of from my computer.”

I frowned. It felt so wrong to not be mounting up with Gene and riding off to chase down leads or to conduct other sheriff’s business. Then again, leaving Cooper would feel even more wrong. I was where I was supposed to be.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye.”

“He said he’d call you when he’s back in the office.” Her tone was loaded. It was odd not being in the know, but Cooper was my priority.

“Copy that.”

The bathroom opened and Cooper came out looking the most Cooperesque I’d seen him since the day of his attack. He’d put on a pair of what he called his casual slacks and a long-sleeved UNLV polo. His family and best friends were obviously the medicine he’d needed.

Maybe I should have invited them sooner?

We all stood in the doorway to the kitchen, Cooper hugging his parents and Sam.

“I’m sorry there’s not much space in here for breakfast,” I said.

“Actually,” Deb said. “We thought we could host in our RV. There’s a nice big booth we can all fit in, if you don’t mind.” She looked around and wrinkled her nose just the slightest bit. “And it’s a little brighter than this place.”

Frank bumped her and frowned, but I chuckled.

“Believe me, I didn’t choose this cabin for its quaint country charm.”

Deb blushed. “I didn’t mean to criticize.”

“By all means,” I said with a grin. “It was the best option for us at the time: easily defendable and unlikely to be discovered by uninvited guests.”

Her face paled, and she looked between Cooper and me. “He’s still in danger, isn’t he? Gene said that Virgil Evans could be connected to what happened.”

“I won’t let anything happen to him. That’s why we came out here. That’s why I’ve been careful, going into different towns each time to pick up supplies and do laundry, which I need to do?—”

“Oh, we have a washer in our RV. I can do laundry for you. Let me help.”

I recognized her need to be productive. Doing something always made me feel less edgy.

“Thanks, Mom,” Cooper said.

“I’ll go start setting things out,” Frank said, while Deb and Cooper headed into the bedroom to grab laundry, coming out with a bundle of clothes wrapped in the sheets from the bed.