“So I’ll call you when I’m ready. Okay?”
Her mom fell silent. It seemed like she finally believed her. And then…
Another phone rang. Cooper’s phone. And it was loud. Cooper scrambled to silence it, but it was too late. Her mother heard it. “I knew it. You’re not alone.?
?
Kayla sank onto the bed, looking at Cooper with panic coursing through her veins. “Mom…”
“Did you bring him? Is Cooper with you?”
He must have heard the question, because he grabbed Kayla’s arm and nodded rapidly. Then he mouthed, “Say yes. Tell her I’m here.”
“Um…” Kayla blinked at him and shook her head. He nodded more enthusiastically. “Well…”
She took a deep breath. Did she dare? Was he suggesting she say her boyfriend was here? With her? But then what? Was he ready and willing to play the part? That seemed insane. He sighed and reached for the phone, but Kayla slapped his hand away. “You’re right! It’s Cooper! We wanted to…to…” Kayla looked at him.
He whispered, “Surprise you. Say it.”
“We wanted to surprise you all,” Kayla finished, watching him the whole time. “So don’t come get me. We’ll come together.”
Cooper nodded.
“Oh, this is the best surprise ever.” Her mom clapped and let out a whoop. “We’re finally meeting him. I can’t believe it! I’m going to tell everyone.”
Kayla winced. “You don’t have to—” The line clicked off. Her mom had hung up on her. “—tell everyone,” Kayla finished to the dead line, lowering her phone to her lap.
Cooper grinned at her. He looked way too cheerful considering the circumstances. “So, I’m coming to the wedding?”
“Are you insane?” Kayla lurched to her feet. “Why in God’s name would you offer to go to my sister’s wedding with me?”
He shrugged, then his gaze dipped over her body. “I was the one who ruined your cover story. It felt right. You needed help, so I offered it.”
“It felt right?” She threw her arms out to the side. “The knight in shining armor act was cute last night, and it was well-rewarded, I’d say.” She gestured to the rumpled bed. “But now, even with the booze out of your system…how can you be this…this…sweet? Seriously?”
He cocked a brow. “I’m not fucking sweet. Puppies are fucking sweet. Not me.”
It wasn’t until Cooper cleared his throat and forced his eyes northward that Kayla remembered one tiny little detail. She was freaking naked. He might have seen it all last night when she’d had the courage of vodka in her, and she might have been A-Okay with that then.
But now, in the light of day?
Yeah, not so cool with it.
She whipped the comforter off of the bed and wrapped it around her shoulders. “Fine. You’re not sweet. But what the hell are you?”
He shrugged. “I’m in town earlier than I need to be, so I have nothing to do besides wait to ship out. You needed a man, and since your family heard me over the phone, I offered to fill that position. We already get along nicely, and I’ve obviously enjoyed spending time with you,” he said dryly. “So it’s hardly a hardship for me to spend more time with you. That’s who I am. That’s me.”
Kayla watched him. This guy, this man, was an anomaly. She couldn’t read him at all. Ninety percent of single men would say anything—hell, do anything—to get laid. And the married men weren’t much better. But that wasn’t what he wanted. He’d already gotten that without asking. But he seemed to care.
What was she supposed to do with that?
He got out of bed, obviously not worried about his state of undress, and strode across the room wearing nothing but his tattoos. Grabbing a glass off the counter, he filled it with water. She knew she should look away from his bare ass, which was not inked, but she didn’t want to. She wasn’t that hung over. And, hell, if he was going to walk around with it all hanging out…who was she to complain?
“Let me guess,” he said, his eyes on her as he crossed the room to his luggage. “You’re no longer drunk, and now you’re ready to bolt from the mistakes you made last night. In my car. In the bed that you’re now refusing to look at. And, if I recall correctly, on that wall right next to you.”
“Oh, God.” She closed her eyes, each detail he named coming back with crystal clarity. “It’s just…I don’t know you.”
He laughed. “You knew me well enough for me to make you scream my name repeatedly. Isn’t that enough?”