Chapter 8
Cooper
“So can you guide us in the right direction?” the blonde says sweetly. It’s a little forced, but I don’t mind because she’s the prettiest woman I’ve ever set my eyes on.
I drag my tongue along my lips, wondering if she’d ever give me a chance. Just a small taste, and I think I’d be gone for life. “I’m heading on the road for a few weeks. You still going to be here when I get back?”
Her eyebrows raise, and I watch her ponder my question. “Why? Plan to make some big promises?” she asks, a tense teasing in her tone.
Duke throws his arm over my shoulders. “We both can.”
I stifle the cringe on my face. He always speaks before taking a second to think.
Her nose crinkles. “I can still smell the woman from last night on you. At least have the decency to wash it off before trying to pick up someone else.”
His arm tenses around me, and then drops off with a swaying limp.
I wait for him to explain that nothing like that is going on between him and Delilah.
I feel a strange need to explain and defend my friend, but my heart sinks when he walks away without another word.
It clearly upset him more than I can fathom.
“Thanks for that. Now he’s going to pout the entire ride,” I say with a sigh.
Guilt flashes on her face before it’s wiped clean, and then she rolls her eyes, stepping closer to me. “The ranch?”
Without thinking it through, I grab the waistband of her shorts and pull her even closer. She gasps as I stare down at her playfully.
“How about a kiss first?”
The other omega lets out a rush of words that I don’t catch. I take in the blonde’s distress and let go of her.
“Sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”
She takes a deep breath, shaking her head. “No, it’s okay. It just surprised me.”
I don’t believe her, but I’m not going to push, so I keep my hands to myself.
“How about that kiss for directions?” she says.
Something about my move threw her off, and I genuinely hope she’s still here when we get back. I don’t want us to have a bad first impression. “You know you don’t really have to kiss me. I was just flirting to rile Duke up.”
The smile on her face is warmer, and this time I believe her when she teases. “And what if I really wanted that kiss?”
I blow out a breath, trying to steady myself as I adjust my hair under my cap. “Then I’d say I really want that kiss too.”
Grabbing her waist, I pull her into my chest with a quick yank.
I slide my hands up her body to cup the back of her neck, tilting her head back before our mouths crash together.
It’s like an explosion of sunshine and citrus, light and full of happiness.
She gasps, and I circle my tongue around hers, desperate for a deeper taste.
I press her against the truck, my hand catching her leg and tugging it to wrap around my waist as I rock my hard cock into her.
Even through her jeans, I can feel the teasing heat of her cunt.
She pulls away, both of us catching our breath as I watch her lips.
I slowly let go, afraid I’ll take even more, and I don’t need us arrested for public indecency.
My face is heated as I shyly look away from her, adjusting my cock into a more comfortable position because I don't think it's going down as long as I can taste her.
She clears her throat. “Well…I can’t lie, that was one hell of a kiss.”
I nod, the next few moments a blur as I give her the directions she needs. I’m stuck in my spot as I watch her walk away, and something in my chest aches letting her go. As their cherry-red car drives down the road, I take a deep breath and gather myself. It’s going to be a long drive.
When I open the truck door, Duke doesn’t say a word as I climb in and start it. I pull out and head toward the freeway, trying to think of a way to approach the subject.
Every time I think about breaking the tension, I glance over at Duke’s pouty face, smirk, and leave us in another twenty minutes of silence.
“So that omega—”
“Shut up, Coop. I don’t want to hear about the kiss.”
I can’t hold back my laugh. “You should have told her Delilah was just a friend.”
Duke rolls his eyes. “Fuck no. That would make me look even more pathetic. I doubt we’ll see her again anyway.”
“I hope we do. She was something special.”
He grunts. “She was pretty.”
My fingers tighten on the steering wheel, debating if I should say what I want.
I think she’s more than pretty. I think she’s mine.
And I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s his too.
Duke and I have always been close, friendship is as easy as breathing with him.
If he became pack, it would be like living with my best friend forever.
I clear my throat. “No, like something special.”
He frowns. I can see it in the side mirror. “You think she’s your omega?”
“I mean, I don’t know. Did you get a scent off her?”
Duke looks out the window for a moment before his eyebrows furrow. “No, not even that weird chemical scent you get when they’re on suppressants.”
I nod. “Exactly. I got a hint of something… I can only explain it as sunshine.”
He snorts. “Sunshine, huh? Well, I think I’d want that to be mine too. Marley smells like a thunderstorm, prickling with electricity.”
I reach over and shove him. “My sister does not.”
“Maybe not to you, her baby brother Cooper.” He coos, making his lips pouty as he talks in a childlike tone.
“Shut the fuck up. You’re just jealous that your brother doesn’t love you as much.
” It’s a joke, but for a moment I regret the words.
He may be my best friend, but Dallas is his twin brother, and they have a relationship I’ve never understood.
He’s more outgoing and charismatic, while Dallas is a little more introverted.
I think even the few weeks he spent with us on the road confirmed that this wasn’t the life for him.
Duke sighs. “Maybe, but at least we’re not trauma bonded.”
I snort. “Marley and I are not trauma bonded.”
My best friend laughs. “Never met two people so worried about the other that they don’t even notice their own health.”
I frown. It’s not a crime to worry about my sister, and I know she worries about me too.
More than once she’s asked me to quit bull riding, saying it’s too dangerous.
I’ve never understood why she would ask that of me when the money is more than any of us could ever make having a job in town instead.
My time in the spotlight will be short-lived until the sponsors move on to the next rider. It’s better to ride it out while I can.
“Okay, what about you and Dallas? You stay on the ranch because you know he loves it when you don’t.”
Duke frowns. “I don’t hate working at the ranch.”
“You don’t love it. Don’t pretend that you are coming on the road so much because you would miss me.”
His jaw tics. “What else would I be doing? We’ve been working here since high school and I got injured. If anything, our parents hate that Dallas sticks around me, that I’m the one holding him back.”
He reaches down, grabbing a bag of chips to snack on.
“And people think that Marley just mooches off me when she won’t even accept a dime.”
With raised eyebrows, he shakes his head. “That’s dumb on her part. If anyone hates working, it’s your sister.”
I snort. “You try working with the ex that broke your heart and see how you do.”
“Tracy broke her heart?”
“No, Jax,” I say, a little amused. “Tracy?”
He shrugs. “I can see it, you know?”
I roll my eyes. “Sure. So about that kiss—”
“Oh, shut up,” he says with a laugh, pushing at my shoulder. “I know I blew it. I’ll probably have to make it up to her when we get back.”
That colors me surprised. “You want to?”
He shrugs. “I mean…maybe. I don’t know.”
“So no buckle bunnies this trip?” I ask him, toeing the line of what we’re thinking.
Duke is silent for a moment. “Is that what you want? Close off your dick to an omega who may not even be interested.”
“There’s no harm in it. I know you’re getting sick of the random hookups as much as I am. Sometimes just getting a bed to yourself is more rewarding.”
“Yeah, and not worrying about protection breaking. I get it,” he says, chuckling under his breath.
“Plus, what if she is? Have you thought about settling down with an omega?” I’ve barely thought about it myself.
Outside of the rodeo and working at the ranch, my thoughts only stray to Marley and our mom.
Everything I do is to help them, even if she doesn’t want to accept.
My knuckles tighten on the steering wheel.
It’s been a while since I checked in with Marley.
When we get back in town, I need to visit her before I attempt to court a potential packmate.
“Sometimes, but I’m not sure how good of a father I’d be.”
Duke’s words hit me a little harder than I expected, and I glance over at him. “Well, if we’re in a pack, at least we wouldn’t be doing it alone.”
His eyebrows raise. “You’d be in a pack with me?”
“Yeah? You wouldn’t?”
“Nah, if I had to be stuck with someone for life, I’d choose you too.”
I snort. “Thanks. I can feel the love.”
He laughs. “The problem is… Does the omega want to be stuck with us?”
God, I can only hope, but the next time we’re in town, I’m going to try to convince her to give us a chance.