Copper (13 page)

“You’re worth the effort, so I’m going that extra mile, but only for you, darlin’.”

She turned around until they were facing each other.  She stood on her tiptoes and brought her mouth a mere inch from his.  “That’s good to know, because I think you’re worth it too.”  She leaned in closer until their lips were touching. 

Copper’s hands left her waist and traveled up her body until he was cupping her face. “Open for me, darlin’.”  He thrust his tongue inside her parted lips.  Their tongues met and tangled. 

Marla pressed against him trying to get closer.  She’d probably crawl inside him if she could.  A honking horn broke the spell, however, and the two lovers sprang apart from each other.  She looked at him through dazed eyes from a passion-induced fog.  

“I’m not much on public displays of affection. But you make me forget where I am, what I’m doing, and everything that’s going on around me.”

“That makes two of us. When you’re in my arms, it’s just you and me, everything else fades into nothingness.” 

Wow.  She actually felt weak in the knees.  If Copper wasn’t holding her up, she might very well have melted into a puddle of goo on the asphalt of the parking lot. Then she realized that Copper wasn’t smiling.

“Is that a bad thing?” She was confused now. Marla felt her desire and confidence take a nosedive.

“I’ll always be honest with you, sometimes even brutally so.”

“And this is one of those times?” she asked bracing herself for his answer.

“Losing control is hard for a man like me in any circumstances,” he admitted. “It’s totally unacceptable when the stakes are so high. Until your ex has been dealt with, I need a clear head, especially when we’re in public.  The consequences of failure are too steep a price to pay.  I can’t let anything happen to you,” he insisted in a voice heavy with emotion.

Her emotional high was restored. She hugged him quickly before putting a little distance between them. “I’ve never felt safer than when I am in your arms,” she told him. “But you’re right, we should be more careful. I couldn’t live with myself if you were hurt because of my crazy ex.”

Copper’s cockiness was back in spades.  “That’s not going to happen,” he said with a smug grin.  “But I know better.  I jumped all over Chrome yesterday for not being as vigilant as he should have been, and what I just did was so much worse.  The honking horn could have just as easily been a firing gun.  Hands off unless we’re on Metal Cowboys’ property,” he firmly stated. 

Knowing that she got under his skin made it easy for Marla to graciously give in to his request.  She captured his hand with her own, and they walked toward the beach with fingers entwined.   Once they reached the sand, Marla laughingly removed her boots and socks, and rolled up the legs of her jeans until they were above her knees.  “I have to dip my toes in the water at the very least,” she insisted when he gave her an amused look.

For the next thirty minutes, they strolled hand in hand down the beach.  The crashing waves, cooling breeze, and smell of salt water helped to soothe her frayed nerves.  Her steps were light and her smile easy and bright.

Marla’s carefree laughter caused several people to look their way, but it didn’t inhibit her at all. She was having too much fun.  She dodged in and out of incoming waves, avoiding the largest ones to keep from getting soaked head to toe.

A pair of frolicking dolphins in the distance diverted her attention from the shore line. A rather large wave came in fast.  She almost didn’t see it in time and lost her balance trying to get away from it. Copper was there for her. His strong arms wrapped around her waist and held on tight.  The next thing she knew, he was swinging her off her feet and out of reach of the wave.  He put her down on the firmly packed sand once the danger was over and the water retreated. 

“That was close!” she squealed before dancing away from him and chasing more waves.  About half a mile down from where she almost took a spill, they came across a huge sand castle complete with moat.  “Natalie spends hours playing in the sand sometimes.  She’d love this work of art.” 

Marla took her phone out of the wristlet she was carrying.  “I’m going to take a photo to share with Natalie, so she knows what she missed by staying home and moping.”

“Since you brought it up, there’s something going on with your sister.”

“Well, I know she’s worried about me.” Marla frowned. “That’s probably all it is.”

“I don’t think so.  I can’t put my finger on the problem, but she’s been much more reserved at work lately, not her normal vivacious self at all.”

“I’m always physically and mentally drained by the end of the school year.  I’m not as attuned to things around me as I should be.  I’ll try having another heart to heart talk with her when we get back to your place.”

NINE

By the time they spent an hour on the beach and returned to Copper’s bike, Marla felt like a new woman.  Instead of restless, scared, and full of dread, she was looking forward to whatever came next. She was definitely in the intoxicating and happy phase of new love. She felt strong enough to conquer the world.  That high lasted until she pushed open the slightly ajar door of her apartment.

“Oh my God!” she exclaimed in a high-pitched voice.  One hand flew to her mouth and the other to her throat. She blinked, hoping the view in front of her would change. Unfortunately it didn’t.

“I think we’ve been robbed!  And look at the awful mess they left behind.  Whoever’s responsible didn’t even try to hide the fact a crime was committed.”

A cold chill swept down her spine, and her entire body trembled as a sudden thought occurred to her.  What if this wasn’t a robbery but something else?  She gripped Copper’s arm so hard, she was surprised her fingernails didn’t break his skin.

Copper didn’t even flinch from the pinch of her nails. He moved in front of her, discreetly placing himself between her and danger.  Marla wasn’t stupid enough to argue with him. He was much more capable of handling the situation than she was.

“Shit!  Stay out here.  I need to see if the intruder’s still inside.”  He pulled a concealed handgun from an ankle holster.  “And I don’t want you in the line of fire.”

Marla eyed the gun with a mixture of trepidation and relief. Copper never seemed to be without a weapon.  She was wary of guns, especially since someone tried to kill her with one such a short time ago. But she knew Copper was more than capable of handling the gun, and she needed him to face any potential armed intruder on equal footing.  She shook her head. Marla couldn’t imagine Copper being unequal to any man, no matter the circumstances.

She fumbled inside the small wristlet that contained her wallet and phone.  “I need to tell Natalie about this.”  Her sister was rightfully going to be as upset as she was. Their home and personal sanctuary had been invaded and none too gently from the looks of things. 

“Call the sheriff’s department first,” Copper told her in a stern voice.  “Speak only to Sheriff Davis, no one else. Give him your address, and tell him I’m going inside to check things out.”

“Okay!” She wanted to talk to her sister, but what he was saying made sense.

“When you talk to Natalie, remind her not to leave the house alone.  I’m sure Chrome will be more than happy to drive her out here.” He placed a quick kiss on her lips, slipped inside the apartment, and firmly shut the door behind him. 

Her hand was shaking so badly, she had a hard time finding the correct number to call.  She sighed in relief when her call was finally answered after the third Ring. 

“Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office,” a female voice greeted. 

The voice was oddly comforting, the perfect sound for frazzled people calling into the sheriff’s office seeking help or filing complaints.  Instead of responding to the friendly greeting, nerves made her giggle.

“Hello, whose there?” The voice was much brisker and more business-like this time.  “Speak up,” the woman demanded. 

“Um, hello.  I-I need to speak with Sheriff Davis, Please.  It’s an e-emergency.”

Then you need to hang up and dial 911,” the person on the other end of the phone instructed.

“No!  This is Marla Taylor.  I’m with a SEAL buddy of his.  Copper told me to call Sheriff Davis directly.” 

The voice softened. “Hold one moment please.”

The phone rang again, this time the sheriff answered on the first ring. Marla explained everything and begged him to hurry. She gave him the address twice before hanging up to call her sister.

Natalie answered on the fifth ring.  Marla almost hung up, thinking that Natalie didn’t have her phone on or was ignoring all her calls.  “Hey, you should be out enjoying your time with Copper, not calling to check up on me,” her sister admonished. 

“I wish that’s why I was calling.  Um… we’re at the apartment.  The door was standing ajar when we arrived.  I’m afraid somebody’s been inside. Copper’s checking it out now. He wants Chrome to bring you out here, the sheriff’s on his way too.”

“Copper better not let anything happen to you!  I swear it’s been one thing after the other!  This is shaping up to be one crappy summer.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want any of this to happen,” Marla said with a sniff.

“I didn’t mean it that way,” Natalie insisted. “This is all on Rob, and you better not forget that. None of this is your fault.” She sighed. “I haven’t seen Chrome since this morning. If he’s not here, I’ll drive myself over to the apartment.”

Marla’s teeth worked her bottom lip. “No, don’t do that! What if Rob’s erratic behavior is escalating?  He has to know that hurting you would just about kill me.  Please, don’t do anything stupid,” Marla begged her sister.

“I’ll be fine.  Copper and Sheriff Davis are more than enough protection for anybody.”

“But you have to get here first,” she reminded her sister. “Just be careful, Natalie.” Marla let out a deep breath and disconnected the call.

Copper joined her by the front door several minutes later.  He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight.  “The place is clear.”  He kissed the top of her head.  “It’s trashed all to hell,” he warned her.

Marla buried her head in his chest and groaned.  “Why won’t he leave me alone?”

Strong hands rubbed up and down her back.   “He will, darlin’, one way or the other,” Copper promised.  His embrace momentarily tightened.  “I will stop him.”

The sound of tires crunching on gravel made Copper instinctively move her behind him.  He relaxed his stance when he recognized the sheriff’s SUV.  He put his gun back in the holster and called out a greeting to the man when Sheriff Davis got out of the vehicle and walked toward them.

Standing on her tiptoes, Marla stared at the approaching sheriff from over Copper’s shoulder.  The tall mountain of a man was menacing enough to be one of the Metal Cowboys.  She didn’t have any trouble at all believing he served in the SEALs with Copper and Chrome. 

The two men nodded at each other when the sheriff reached them. “Ma’am,” he greeted before turning his attention to Copper.  “You’re standing out here calm and collected, so I take that to mean the perpetrator has long since fled the scene.”

“Looks like it,” Copper agreed.  Flying gravel and screeching brakes made him stop talking.  He glared at the small compact car that raced onto the scene.  The glare was followed by a fierce frown when a solo Natalie stepped out of the car and rushed over toward the assembled group.

“I told you to tell her to catch a ride with Chrome,” he said in a hard and uncompromising voice. 

“I did,” she said with a small shrug. “She said Chrome was MIA. I guess she didn’t want to wait for a babysitter.  She’s been touchy about that all day,” she reminded him.

Copper growled.  “She has a good head on her shoulders, she better start using it before her carelessness gets one or both of you killed!”

A week ago, the aggressive noise and statement would have scared Marla half to death.  But she was getting better at reading Copper, and she knew he would never do anything to hurt her or Natalie.  This was from concern and fear for their safety with a little anger over the situation mixed in. It wasn’t directed at her personally.

The two sisters embraced as soon as Natalie reached the trio.  “How bad is it?”

Marla hugged her sister as hard as she could.  The women gave and received comfort from each other.  “I haven’t been inside yet, but Copper said it’s trashed.  I imagine it’s pretty bad.”

“That stupid jerk, I hope he gets what’s coming to him and soon!” She glanced toward the sheriff and had the good grace to blush.  “Not that I’d take the law into my own hands or anything,” she mumbled under her breath. 

“I doubt you’ll get the chance anyway, with the Metal Cowboys lurking around,” Sheriff Davis said with a snort. “They have a code when it comes to this kind of harassment.  It’s a code I share with them.   I won’t be standing in Copper’s way when the time comes for him to do what he has to do.”

Copper nodded his thanks to the sheriff and then butted into the conversation.  “Natalie, you shouldn’t have come here alone,” he chastised.  “That sadistic son of a bitch could be anywhere, including between here and Metal Cowboys’ property.  He’s got to know where the two of you are staying by now.”

“No one else was around,” she said defending her decision. “I wanted to be here, so I came.  I’m no shrinking violet, as well you know, Christopher Ellison!”

****

Copper narrowed his eyes at the use of his given name.  He didn’t let just anyone get away with crap like that.  “You won’t be so feisty when Chrome hears about your latest stunt. And you better believe I’ll be telling him the first chance I get.”

“I don’t know why you’d bother,” she said in a huff.  “He is not my keeper!  And you don’t strike me as a tattle tell,” she taunted.

“Somebody needs to rein you in and make you see sense.  Rob Storey is seriously unhinged.  Making yourself an unnecessarily easy target does nothing to help your sister or the situation.”

Marla stepped between him and her sister.  “He’s right, Natalie.  Let’s go inside and see what kind of damage Rob managed to do this time,” she said with a sigh.  “I can’t believe I thought I loved that sadistic jerk,” she said in disgust.