intent. “Okay, how do you know?”
“Those scrape marks? That’s cougar, but they’re old, probably from a male marking his territory last mating season. He’s moved on, at least for now. They don’t stay with the female or the family. Screw and hit the road. That’s a guy for you.”
“About this informal poll.”
She laughed, and clucked to the mare.
4
It was easy to fall into a routine, into the comfortable zone of it. Hot days, hard work, and sudden storms. Lil spent nearly every free moment with Coop, on horseback or hiking, batting balls, or on fast rides on his bike. She lay in the grass with him and counted stars, sat on the banks of a stream and shared picnics.
And he never made a move.
She didn’t understand it. She’d barely looked cross-eyed at Jesse and he’d been all over her. Dirk Pleasant, too, when all she’d done was take a couple of spins on the Ferris wheel with him at the carnival last summer.
She knew the look a boy got in his eye now when he thought about a girl that way. She’d swear she’d seen that look in Coop’s aimed in her direction.
So why wasn’t he all over her?
Obviously it was time to take the bull by the horns.
She drove the bike, carefully, nearly to the end of the farm road. Concentrated, muttering instructions to herself on the turn, then drove it back to where Coop stood, watching her.
She kept the speed dignified, only because the couple of times she’d burned it, he’d gotten really mad.
“Okay, I’ve driven back and forth six times today.” Though her hand twitched, she resisted gunning the engine. “You’ve got to let me take it out on the road, Coop. Get on, let’s take a ride.”
“You almost ditched it on the turn.”
“Almost doesn’t count.”
“It does on my bike. I’m still paying for it. You want a ride, I’ll drive.”
“Come on.” She got off, took off her helmet. Deliberately shook back her hair before taking the Coke bottle from him to drink. She tried on the sultry look she’d practiced in the mirror. “One mile up, one mile back.” Smiling, she traced a finger down his throat, moved in a little closer. “It’s a straight shot, and . . . I’ll make it worth your while.”
His eyes narrowed. “What’re you doing?”
She cocked her head. “If you have to ask, I must not be doing it right.”
He didn’t step back; she didn’t move the hand that rested lightly on his chest. His heartbeat speeded up a little. Surely that was a good sign.
“You need to be careful how you come on to guys, Lil. They’re not all me.”
“You’re the only one I’m coming on to.”
Temper—hardly the reaction she’d been after—lit in his eyes. “I’m not your practice dummy.”
“I wasn’t practicing. But I guess you’re not interested.” With a shrug, she set the Coke on the seat of the bike. “Thanks for the lesson.” Insulted, embarrassed, she started for the first cattle gate.
She supposed he just went for city girls, with their city ways. Mr. New York City. Well, that was fine, that was just fine, she didn’t need him to—
His hand gripped her arm, and he spun her around so fast her body plowed into his. Temper sparked off him just as it did her.
“What the hell’s wrong with you?” he demanded.
“What the hell’s wrong with you ? You don’t trust me to drive your stupid bike for a couple of miles, you don’t want to kiss me. You act like I’m still nine years old. If you’re not interested that way, then you should just say so instead of—”
He yanked her up to her toes, and his mouth was on hers. So hard, so fast. Nothing like the others, she thought, dizzy. Nothing like the other boys.
His lips were hot, his tongue quick. Something inside her went loose, as if a knot gave way, and every inch of her—inside and out—flashed with light, with heat.
It felt as if her heart would beat its way right out of her chest.
She shoved him back, trying to catch her breath. “Wait a minute, wait a
“Those scrape marks? That’s cougar, but they’re old, probably from a male marking his territory last mating season. He’s moved on, at least for now. They don’t stay with the female or the family. Screw and hit the road. That’s a guy for you.”
“About this informal poll.”
She laughed, and clucked to the mare.
4
It was easy to fall into a routine, into the comfortable zone of it. Hot days, hard work, and sudden storms. Lil spent nearly every free moment with Coop, on horseback or hiking, batting balls, or on fast rides on his bike. She lay in the grass with him and counted stars, sat on the banks of a stream and shared picnics.
And he never made a move.
She didn’t understand it. She’d barely looked cross-eyed at Jesse and he’d been all over her. Dirk Pleasant, too, when all she’d done was take a couple of spins on the Ferris wheel with him at the carnival last summer.
She knew the look a boy got in his eye now when he thought about a girl that way. She’d swear she’d seen that look in Coop’s aimed in her direction.
So why wasn’t he all over her?
Obviously it was time to take the bull by the horns.
She drove the bike, carefully, nearly to the end of the farm road. Concentrated, muttering instructions to herself on the turn, then drove it back to where Coop stood, watching her.
She kept the speed dignified, only because the couple of times she’d burned it, he’d gotten really mad.
“Okay, I’ve driven back and forth six times today.” Though her hand twitched, she resisted gunning the engine. “You’ve got to let me take it out on the road, Coop. Get on, let’s take a ride.”
“You almost ditched it on the turn.”
“Almost doesn’t count.”
“It does on my bike. I’m still paying for it. You want a ride, I’ll drive.”
“Come on.” She got off, took off her helmet. Deliberately shook back her hair before taking the Coke bottle from him to drink. She tried on the sultry look she’d practiced in the mirror. “One mile up, one mile back.” Smiling, she traced a finger down his throat, moved in a little closer. “It’s a straight shot, and . . . I’ll make it worth your while.”
His eyes narrowed. “What’re you doing?”
She cocked her head. “If you have to ask, I must not be doing it right.”
He didn’t step back; she didn’t move the hand that rested lightly on his chest. His heartbeat speeded up a little. Surely that was a good sign.
“You need to be careful how you come on to guys, Lil. They’re not all me.”
“You’re the only one I’m coming on to.”
Temper—hardly the reaction she’d been after—lit in his eyes. “I’m not your practice dummy.”
“I wasn’t practicing. But I guess you’re not interested.” With a shrug, she set the Coke on the seat of the bike. “Thanks for the lesson.” Insulted, embarrassed, she started for the first cattle gate.
She supposed he just went for city girls, with their city ways. Mr. New York City. Well, that was fine, that was just fine, she didn’t need him to—
His hand gripped her arm, and he spun her around so fast her body plowed into his. Temper sparked off him just as it did her.
“What the hell’s wrong with you?” he demanded.
“What the hell’s wrong with you ? You don’t trust me to drive your stupid bike for a couple of miles, you don’t want to kiss me. You act like I’m still nine years old. If you’re not interested that way, then you should just say so instead of—”
He yanked her up to her toes, and his mouth was on hers. So hard, so fast. Nothing like the others, she thought, dizzy. Nothing like the other boys.
His lips were hot, his tongue quick. Something inside her went loose, as if a knot gave way, and every inch of her—inside and out—flashed with light, with heat.
It felt as if her heart would beat its way right out of her chest.
She shoved him back, trying to catch her breath. “Wait a minute, wait a
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