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Shaking her head, Anabella leaned back in her seat and watched the miles pass by. When she saw a sign for Milwaukie, she asked, “Where the hell are you taking me?”
“You heard Seth. The honeymoon cottage on the sunny shores of Lake Michigan.”
He said nothing more. He was the most irritating man. “You’re not going to give me a serious answer? Is this some kind of test to see if I’ll obey you without question? Am I just supposed to sit here and let you do whatever you want with me?”
Coop chuckled in that deep, dark, sensual way she was coming to really enjoy as he arched an eyebrow at her. “I can only dream of that day.”
“You are such an arrogant prick. I don’t know what kind of clients you’re used to working with, but I’m not anything like them.”
“No kidding. I knew that the moment you ran into the office and knocked me on my ass, both figuratively and literally. But it’ll be fine, Anabella. We’ll find our way and take down the bad guys.”
Anabella was fuming, mostly because she realized she was far more interested in finding a way with Coop than she was in taking down Blackwood Industries.
CHAPTER8
COOPER
It didn’t take a genius to know that Anabella was pissed. What Coop couldn’t figure out was why. Okay, maybe the crack about her obeying was a little out of line, but he didn’t think it was that obnoxious, and she was the one who said it. He took the next exit to stop and get gas and reach out to Seth. The phone call was brief but gave them good news: the car that cut them off was nothing more than a young guy showing off for his friends. It had absolutely nothing to do with Anabella, and King had put the fear of God into him. SUV fueled up and conversation with Seth ended, Coop got back into the vehicle and got back up on the highway.
“Are you ever going to tell me where we’re going?” she demanded, clearly trying not to sound too petulant.
“Of course I’m going to tell you.”
She waited for him to continue and when he didn’t, she asked, “When?”
“Right about the time we get there,” he quipped.
“Are you trying to drive me mad?”
“Nope. I’m trying to keep you safe.”
Again, she waited for him to elaborate; again, he said nothing. “Who were you talking to on the phone?”
“Seth.”
“About what?”
“He ran the plates of the sedan, and before you ask, it had nothing to do with you. Just some kid showing off for his buddies.”
Anabella shook her head in disbelief at his cavalier attitude. “Do you and your colleagues always chase down the people who cut you off in traffic?”
“Well, now, that can be a dangerous question to ask someone who works for Cerberus. The last time someone asked that, they were never seen or heard from again, but then we never really liked that client,” he said with a grin.
“But you like me, right?” she asked, not sure whether he was joking or not.
“When you’re not being a pain in the ass,” he teased.
Anabella might have been able to resist him until he waggled his eyebrows at her, and then she couldn’t. She just couldn’t and she began to chuckle quietly, trying to hide it from him, but there was no way to do that as they were in an SUV and Cooper McCullough was a very observant man.
“I was beginning to think either you didn’t laugh, or you were too freaked out. Don’t get me wrong, though, I think you’re handling all of this remarkably well and you’d certainly have cause to be freaked.”
“I think at this point I don’t know what to make of any of it. I’m sort of surprised you seem interested in making me laugh—I expected calm down, shut up, do as you’re told, but not genuine humor. I really thought you were one of those macho alpha, tough guys who wouldn’t know a joke if it walked up and slapped you in the face.”
“I believe you called me an alphahole.”
Time for a little honesty. “Yes, I did, but only when you were acting like one. Miley says you’re a stand-up guy and can be trusted, so I’m going to believe her. And for the record, I didn’t slap you in the face; I hit you with a bulletproof door and knocked you on your ass. God, that sounds so much more dramatic than the reality of it.”
“Personally, I liked it better when you were squirming around underneath me.”
