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Cooper watched Sair as she moved away from him. Her trim, delicate figure glided, moved with a sensual unconscious grace that had his balls tightening, his cock throbbing. Hell, if he jacked off much more he was going to risk pulling off his dick.
He stayed quiet as they moved past the beverages. Pulling a six-pack of beer from the cooler at the end, he caught up with her at the checkout, remaining quiet as she spoke to the few mothers in line.
They were wary. It was a small town. Sair was the interloper and it would be years before she was fully accepted, unless someone intervened.
And he had hurt that process. The warning he had put out not to touch had somehow morphed, as it did in little towns, to a message that she was to be pushed away. Hell if he had meant for that to happen. Sometimes, he just forgot what home was like, though.
“Miss Maggie, that baby’s growing.” He moved behind Sair and stared over her shoulder at the precocious little boy waving his hands at Sair as she turned to amusing the baby rather than trying to push past the reserve of the mother.
Maggie’s brown eyes sharpened as he all but laid his chin against Sair’s shoulder. Sair was still, silent in front of him.
“Cooper, are you being bad again?” Maggie narrowed her eyes at him.
He had gone to school with Maggie. She was several years older than he was and had several kids now. She had brothers, a husband, and sons. Maggie Fallon was a damn scary woman.
“I’m always bad, Maggie.” He flashed her a quick smile, his hand moving to Sair’s hip to curve over it as he moved closer and made a face at the baby.
Maggie laughed and little Kyle Fallon gave him a drooling smile. The kid was cute as hell. Sair was as tense as a board.
“Has anyone warned Miss Fox about you yet?” Maggie’s gaze warmed a little as she looked at Sair. “You have to be careful of that rogue behind you. He’s a heartbreaker.”
“So I’ve figured out.” Sair’s voice had just the right amount of husky interest in it, and wary reserve.
He wished he could see her face. Her eyes. Maggie glanced back at him with a smile and wagged her finger at him. “Ethan Cooper, don’t go running off the new girls in this town with broken hearts. This town is small enough.”
Cooper laughed, and he played. He let his fingers grip Sair’s curved hip. His hand pressed against it and he inhaled the fresh scent of her hair, wishing he could let it down.
“If you need any advice where that wild man is concerned, Miss Fox, give me a call.” Maggie shook her head at Cooper, amused indulgence filling her eyes. “I’ve known him since he was born.”
“She likes to brag she changed my diapers,” Cooper drawled in Sarah’s ear, laughing at Maggie. “She was the first girl to get in my pants.”
“Ethan Cooper!” Maggie was scandalized, but too amused to do much else but laugh at him. “You’re getting worse in your old age.”
And Sarah was blushing. He could see her profile, could see the wash of the flush rising in her cheeks.
The cashier was chortling. Mark Dempsey owned the grocery, and worked it often, along with his wife and two children.
But both Mark and Maggie were more relaxed now, their gazes more curious as they watched Sair.
Maggie paid for her purchases and Sair’s moved down the conveyor belt where Mark scanned them quickly and rang up her bill.
“Thank you, Mr. Dempsey.” She paid him quickly.
Were her hands shaking just a little bit? Cooper wondered.
“You’re welcome, Miss Fox.” Mark smiled back at her. “You watch out for that one behind you, too. Maggie’s right. He’s a rogue.”
“I’ll be sure to do that,” she promised.
She must have flashed those pretty, hidden dimples, because Mark’s hangdog face softened for just a minute as he gave her change back. And Sarah was walking away, quickly.
The soft dark-blue summer dress, sleeveless again and buttoned to the neck again, swished around her hips and calves as she moved from the store with her purchases.
“She seems like a nice kid.” Mark was watching him expectantly.
“Neighbor of yours, ain’t she?”
“She’s a good woman.” Cooper nodded sharply. “I don’t think she likes me much, though.” He laughed.
