The bruise on her cheek would be there for a while. Every time he saw it, rage coursed through him. The man who’d attacked her had a name now—Potts McDonald—and it was attached to a long list of priors. Gibb promised that McDonald, who was wanted in two other states for robberies, wouldn’t be a problem for a very, very long time.
Across from them on padded lawn chairs, Ridley sat with Baxter. After the long night, they’d all been too wired to sleep. There’d been endless questions and confusion, not only with the attack against Phoenix, but with the fire. After McDonald was taken away, the four of them had worked with Maris and Daron to calm the guests and ensure the safety of the resort. Joy had also wanted to help, but with a young son, they’d all agreed she had more important priorities.
They’d ended the long night with cold sandwiches, chips and tea, eaten outside.
Sugar stirred, crawled out from under the chair and peeked at Phoenix. Seeing her, she wagged her butt—not just her tail, but her entire bottom half—then went under the chair again, collapsing with a contented sigh.
Phoenix gave a tired smile. “Poor baby. She’s still shaken.”
“We all are,” Ridley said, lounging limply against Baxter. “I swear, my heart about stopped when I realized what had happened.”
Baxter stroked Ridley’s arm, but he was looking at Phoenix. “How did the dog get out, anyway?”
“I saw McDonald’s shadow in the hallway before he reached the kitchen. I opened the door to try to get out but he reached me too quickly. Since he had a gun—”
Coop squeezed her, and she patted his arm.
“I didn’t dare run. But luckily, Sugar did.” She reached down with her other hand to rub the dog’s head. “I was hoping she’d go down to the store and that someone would figure out that there was a problem.”
Baxter nodded. “I guess she did, but before that happened, Coop had already realized it was a setup.”
Coop wanted to stay calm for Phoenix, but thinking about that moment of charged panic wouldn’t help, so he changed the topic, saying to Baxter, “The chapel here at the park would make a nice setting.”
Ridley frowned. “Setting for what?”
“For the wedding,” Baxter explained.
“I haven’t agreed to marry you.”
Baxter grinned and kissed her temple. “But you will.”
“I don’t know—”
“I do,” he insisted. “You love me. I love you. We’re having a baby, so—”
“You love me?” She twisted to face him, all kinds of doubtful. “That’s the first I’m hearing it and you have to admit, given the timing, it seems suspicious.”
“I could say the same to you. Recall that you told me you were knocked up and that you loved me almost in the same breath.”
Ridley drew herself up, glaring. “I recall that you didn’t return the sentiment.”
He groaned. “Use that sharp brain I admire so much, okay? I didn’t get a chance to reply because Daron interrupted us to say we had a building on fire.”
“I love you,” she said fast, then cocked a brow. “Huh. That took like, what, two seconds? But you’re saying you didn’t have time to—”
Baxter kissed her. Not a little kiss, but a long, openmouthed, bend-her-over-his-arm kiss that successfully silenced her.
Coop chuckled. He’d wanted a switch in topic, and now he had it.
Soon as Baxter released Ridley’s mouth, he said, “I more than love you. I like your company. I admire your gutsy attitudes. I lust for you nonstop. I relish your arguments as much as I do your laughter. And I’m already anticipating having a baby with you. If I was a little slow to say all that, I promise to make up for it every day for the rest of our lives.”
“Aww,” Phoenix whispered. “So sweet. Come on, Ridley, cut him a break.”
Ridley, still draped back over his arm, said, “It can’t be that easy. Nothing is ever that easy for me.”
“Only because, until now, you didn’t have me.” Baxter kissed her again, softly this time. “Marry me. If not here, then anywhere. But soon. I don’t want to wait for months.”
After a deep breath, Ridley smiled sleepily. “All right.” She turned to Phoenix. “What about you?”
“I’m thrilled for you.” To Baxter, she said, “Welcome to the family.”
Because that wasn’t at all what she’d meant, Ridley aimed an imperious look at Cooper.
He grinned, happy to take the bait. “I’m sorry, Phoenix.”
She twisted toward him, her brows pulled together. “Sorry for what?”
He lightly touched the bruise on her cheek, his heart breaking all over again. “When we heard about the fire, you wanted to go with me.” He had to clear this up before they moved forward. So he admitted, “I thought I knew what was best for you and I was dead wrong. If I hadn’t insisted you stay behind, none of this would have happened.”
“Oh, Cooper.” She sat up to smile at him. “Don’t you see? If I’d gone with you, that goon would still be loose, still harassing me, still a threat. Yes, it was scary for a few minutes, but because you’re protective, because you were thinking of me, because you’re you, you realized what was happening.” Phoenix put her small hands on either side of his face. “You not only saved me, you ended the threat.”
He swallowed heavily. “Are you saying that you don’t mind my overprotective tendencies?”
“I love you, everything about you, especially how much you care.”
Smiling, so content with life it was almost scary, Coop put his forehead to hers. “I love you the same.”
“Now it’s my turn.” She gave him a sweet kiss. “I’m sorry for bringing so much trouble here.”
“Don’t.” He couldn’t bear it.
Softly, her words a breath of sound, she said, “I love you, Cooper. I’d like to spend the rest of my life showing you how much.”
Because he wasn’t sure he could do anything else, he kissed her. Mindful of her hurt cheek, he kept the contact extremely gentle.
Smiling, Baxter stood and tugged Ridley to her feet. “I think that’s our cue to grab an hour or two of sleep before we get our day started.”
Coop managed to end the kiss. “Thank you both for your help today.”
Ridley leaned down to give him a hug. “Thank you for saving my sister.” To Phoenix, she said, “I’m going to be extra clingy for a while and you’re just going to have to put up with it.”
Phoenix stifled a grin. “I’ll do my best.”
“Thanks.” Her expression softened. “I love you, sis.”
Nodding, choking back emotion, Phoenix whispered, “I love you, too.”
With that settled, Ridley turned to lean on Baxter and together, they walked down the hill.
Once the other couple was out of sight, Coop kissed Phoenix again. He had to keep touching her, reassuring himself that she was okay, that they were still together.
As if she understood and maybe felt the same, she burrowed close.
Feeling as if he had to cement things, he held her face between his hands and stared into her beautiful eyes. “Not to steal anyone’s thunder, but will you marry me?”
Without any hesitation, she said, “Yes.” Then again, with more excitement, “Yes.” She squeezed him so tightly, he could feel her heartbeat.
“God, I love you, Phoenix.” It was enough, more than he’d ever expected, but he needed to know, so he tipped up her face yet again. “You and Ridley are content to stay here? At the park, I mean.”
“Of course.” She smiled so bright, so beautifully, he caught his breath. “Cooper’s Charm is more than a good place to get away. It’s also a perfect place to stay.”
“And to raise a baby?”
She touched his face. “Will it bother you?”
He understood her meaning and appreciated her consideration. “Babies are always a blessing.” Turning his face to kiss her palm, he said, “I’d like it if we had a few of our own.”
Her expression lit with a smile that showed in her light blue eyes. “They could all grow up together. Close cousins. Oh, I love that idea.”
“I’m glad.” They’d both come to the resort to escape their pasts, but in the process had found a way to live again. Cooper’s Charm...it was more than a getaway.
It was a future, as long as they were together.
*
Mary Daniels has a job to do. And she won’t let anyone stand in her way—not even arrogant, infuriating, and unbelievably sexy Brodie Crews.
Keep reading to get a sneak peek of Driven to Distraction, the first book in Lori Foster’s Road to Love series.
Driven to Distraction
by Lori Foster
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