One More Night (2 page)
“Doc someone to see you. Mister just head down there and you'll find her.”
The word Doc caught him completely by surprise, but Nate didn't hesitate in walking towards the direction the boy was pointing. Surely, that wild little tempest couldn't be a doctor? No, he shook his head in denial. He didn't believe it for a second.
*~*
When Darrell yelled out, Cooper let out an annoyed growl, she was going to have to speak to him again about his lack of reception skills. She'd been hoping for a quiet night, but it didn't look like she would have one.
It didn't matter what night of the week it was, there was always something going on even in this small community. She never wanted to return, but once her grandmother died there wasn't anyone to look after Sandie. And guiltily she thought just how well she's managed to do that. Her half-sister was tall, model thin and beautiful, but she was as clueless as a babe.
Their mothers drinking heavily while pregnant with Sandie saw to that, still her sister knew right from wrong. However, against a practiced seducer the poor kid probably didn't stand a chance, well the damn man was going to pay for it one way or another, and she would make sure he would.
THREE
Cooper shut the file on her desk and rose to her feet just as the door to her surgery was pushed open. One look at the giant filling the doorway made her heart actually stop, the harsh features of his face left her with no doubt the reason why he was here.
Retaliation.
For a few trembling breaths, she let her fear escalate until she remembered what this fiend did to her little sister, and indignation and fury filled her. “You have some nerve coming here Mister.”
Nate could only stare at the woman in confused disbelief, surely this little angelic looking woman wasn't the same insane, mad woman that stormed into his conference room, accused him of foul deeds, insulted him and attacked him. But seeing those familiar eyes hitting him with thunderbolts, he didn't doubt it. Without speaking, he stepped inside the office and closed the door. “I suggest lady, that before you say another word or think to attack me, you listen to what I have to say.”
He saw her hesitate for a few moments and then give a quick jerk of her head. “After your attack and spouting accusations against me, when I finished speaking to you woman, you just better hope I accept your apology.”
Something about the man and the look in his eyes made her agree to listen to him, but at his threat, because that's what it sounded like, Cooper forced herself to bite back a scathing remark.
Nate placed his hands firmly down on the desk and leaned over it, his eyes bored into hers. “I am not the man that seduced or took advantage of your sister. I wasn't even in the damn country. I suggest before you go around accusing people of such crimes you get your damn facts right.”
Cooper leaned back in her chair, he was so big and tall that he practically covered the width of the desk. His anger was an entity all on its own, and she could taste it. Could she truly have been wrong, was this man really telling her the truth? His dark gaze shone with righteousness and with mortification, she remembered all the things she said and did to this man.
No wonder he was in a rage
.
Well, all she could do was admit to being wrong and hoped it would pacify him, and he would go away. “Okay saying you're telling me the truth. I'll apologize, but my sister wouldn't lie to me and she swore that a McGregor seduced her.
A Nate McGregor in fact."
He was going to beat his cousin senseless when he returned home for using his name
. Damn little weasel
. “She's probably not lying and if a McGregor did seduce her, it was most likely my cousin. And lady if you think I'm going to accept such a pathetic apology think again.” Nate straightened up and shoved his hands in the front pockets of his faded jeans.
Cooper listened to his words, however unable to help herself, she watched the long massive body uncurl, and those big hands jam into the pockets of his tight pants, stretching them even further. It made her a little breathless and it was an effort to tear her gaze away and meet his. “What exactly are you expecting? For me to get down on my hands and knees to beg your forgiveness?”
“Damn right I do.” Nate growled out, but he wasn't feeling any of the outrage his words held. He could only keep staring in appreciation at the pocket Venus in front of him. It was ridiculous to feel such a fierce attraction towards this woman. For Christ sakes she wasn't even his type.
Too small, too delicate and way too wild for his taste
.
He liked his women tall, slim and placid
. Without a thought or idea in their empty heads, this woman sitting defiantly before him would be none of those things. Yet, he could not deny the stirring of his body or the heat swimming through his veins. When she finished speaking, he knew exactly how she was going to apologize to him. “On your hands and knees will do for starters sweetheart.” He grew hard just picturing what she would be doing on her hands and knees.
Her stomach hit bottom and a strange sensation started to trickle through her limbs. Her breasts tingled over the image that flashed through her brain. However, the sexual suggestion infuriated her. “Why you crass egotistical bastard. But then again I shouldn't have expected anything else from someone like you.”
Her insult felt like another slug to his jaw and Nate grew livid, pulling his hands free from his jeans, he moved with speed around her desk and grasped her arms tightly and lifted her out of her chair. He grinned smugly at the shock on her face and her struggles to be free. “Lady for someone who is meant to have a kind soothing bed manner, you have a foul mouth and a temper to match.”
Cooper was sure she only blinked once and she couldn't believe the incredible swiftness in which a man of his size could move. It didn't take her long to realize that twisting to break free was completely useless and stopped, she met his glare with one of her own. “Look, you can't blame me for being upset and I truly do apologize. Now will you please put me down?”
Nate watched those full soft lips move and wanted to taste them, but denying himself, he placed her back on her feet and let her go. “Still not good enough lady. But we'll discuss how you can make it up to me later. I think first we better talk about your sister and my cousin and work out what we're going to do about the situation first.”
Now free, Cooper took a couple of wobbly steps back, desperate to put some distance between herself and the overbearing beast. Standing so close to him, his size and heat were a little too over powering for her liking. Now with much needed space separating them, unflinching she managed to meet his gaze. “I don't finish here until eleven.”
“Fine I'll meet you somewhere afterwards.” Nate informed her. Already he was planning how he was going to persuade this woman into his bed, because he wasn't going anywhere until he did. There was something about this tiny volatile woman that intrigued him, and set a hunger gnawing at his gut. And no other woman had ever managed to do anything like this to him before.
What she would prefer to do was kick that gorgeous butt all the way out of town. However, she knew he wouldn't give her any other choice but to do as he asked. However just for now she told herself, once they talked about the situation between Sandie and his cousin then, he could take a walk.
A very long walk
. “Fine I'll meet you at the Bra and Panties. You'll find it a few miles north of town.”
“You're kidding right? Bra and Panties sounds like a strip joint to me.” Nate couldn't stop his reaction. Suddenly all types of wicked thoughts were flashing through his brain, and he could feel himself starting to grow aroused.
“Yeah well, I start work at twelve.” Cooper couldn't help herself from teasing him. He truly looked stunned and she would have to be blind not to miss the hot hungry fire in his eyes. It turned even hotter and hungrier when she replied. She knew exactly what he was thinking and it gave her some satisfaction knowing that he would be very disappointed when he found out the truth.
Nate couldn't help his gaze roaming over her small body but he couldn't see much, and he didn't stop his imagination from visualizing this woman standing up on stage removing her clothes. It bought an instant hard on and he shifted uncomfortably, and swept up his eyes to meet hers.
Damn little witch was laughing at him
. “So you moonlight as an exotic dancer do you?”
It was hard, but Cooper managed to keep her amusement under control and shrugged in answer. Let him think what he liked, the man was just too arrogant for his own good, and needed to be taken down a peg or two.
“Well I'll see you there. And I'm looking forward to the entertainment.” Nate winked at her and spinning around opened the door, and left the room.
Oh, she'd give him entertainment all right
, she would just love to give him another good sock to the jaw. Retaking her seat, she let out a sigh. Damn why did the blasted man have to be so good looking? She let out another sigh just picturing his thick dark hair, brows and lashes. Those piecing dark eyes and Lord help her, that sensual mouth.
Pity,
she thought if he wasn't so full of himself and so big she might have been a twinge attracted to him. However, he was the kind of man she detested, and she'd met too many like him to let herself feel anything towards him. As soon as she finished that thought her conscious screamed liar, and her mouth tightened, she refused to acknowledge the taunt.
Four
No matter how many times she told herself that she disliked McGregor, Cooper couldn't help feeling excited when she stepped into the smoky, dimly lit bar. It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust and when they did, she swept the room with breathless exasperation. When she realized what was happening, she let out a growl of aggression and quickly moved forward and picked up a pool cue as she passed one of the pool tables. She stopped in front of the three men and raised it in the air.
“Smudge, Boots, damn it let him up. I swear I'll knock both your brains out if you don't this minute.” She threatened, but didn't lower the pool cue when they let go of McGregor.
“Ah hell Coop, the damn slick tried to crack on to Debs.” Smudge winged as he backed up, and away from the weapon.
Cooper snorted. “I doubt that very much, and besides the damn slick was waiting for me.
Now nick off."
Only when they moved away did she lower the pool cue, and turned her attention to McGregor. “Are you all right?”
Nate wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, and peeled himself off the pool table. He eyed the little bundle of womanhood with distaste. “Why the sudden concern? After all I'm sure you knew something like this would happen.”
Well not quite this,
Cooper silently admitted, but she wasn't going to tell him that. She turned away and placed the cue down on the table, and held up two fingers before she turned back to him. “Come on let's sit down. And no I didn't know this would happen. Maybe if you hadn't tried to seduce Smidges wife they would have left you alone.”
“
Seduce her?
” Nate snorted in derision and pulled out a chair, and sat down. “All I did was smile at the blasted woman and thank her for my dinner and drink.” He snarled out and thought he couldn't wait to get out of this hellish town fast enough. Forget all about the aggravating woman, and the hunger he felt for her. Nothing, not even sex with this woman would be worth another minute in this hick town.
Cooper gave Deb a tight smile when she arrived with the beers and when she left turned her attention back to McGregor. “Smudge is very protective of his wife.”
“That Neanderthal? Give me a break.” Nate couldn't believe she was protecting those thugs and it irritated the hell out of him.
In answer, Cooper just shrugged. “Look we have more important things to talk about than those two, so let's get to it, mmm?” She lifted her bottle of beer and took a sip.
Through narrowed eyes Nate watched her, he'd never come across another woman like this one and he very much doubted if he ever would again. Sitting across from him, she looked like a sweet innocent eighteen year old and yet throughout this crazy insane day, he'd seen so many different layers of the woman. He wondered what else this little pocket Venus would spring on him. He shifted in his seat as excitement swam through his veins.
When she saw that he started to relax, Cooper took another drink before she spoke. “I have tried to talk Sandie into taking a pregnancy test, but she adamantly refuses to take one. It will be another few days before we find out if she might be pregnant. I would like to know what you plan to do about your cousin if she is.”
Her blunt statement caught him off guard for a heartbeat, but Nate quickly recovered. “Well you're the blasted doctor, why didn't you see your sister protected to begin with?”
The scathing reply set her temper to near blasting level, however, knowing it wouldn't help the situation Cooper managed to control it. “Not that it's any of your damn business, but because of health reasons, Sandie can't use protection. If your cousin owned any common sense he would have used his own protection.”
There eat that you egotistical smart ass.
“You're a damn smart mouthed woman aren't you? Think you know it all. Well let me tell you darling, you don't.” God, Nate thought, how could one woman irritate and rub him the wrong way so much, and yet at the same time make him want to rip the clothes off them both, toss her on the table and bury himself inside her until they both had their fill of each other?
His angry snappish answer drifted past her, Cooper could only shift in her seat restlessly when she noticed the hot luring heat of temptation spark up his dark eyes. God, how long has it been since she felt this need?
Years
. Her body hadn't felt this type of sexual yearning for over six years, and she forced herself with every drop of blood inside her to ignore it.
But it was hard, nearly impossible
.