Wandering Heart (20 page)

Cooper suddenly
stood over her, looking at her. "You know, we haven't danced all
evening."

"You didn't ask
me."

"I'm asking you
now."

"Okay, but
there's no music."

"We'll make our
own. I didn't ask you because I'm not a very good dancer. I have
two left feet." He smiled gently at her, and pulled her up by the
hand.

He took her in
his arms, holding her close, and they swayed as though a beautiful
waltz was playing. She could feel his heartbeat, hard and fast.

"I haven't
given you a present yet, either," he whispered in her ear.

"Oh, of course
you have. The party was a beautiful present."

His eyes shone
into hers. "Was it?"

She looked at
him breathlessly. "Yes."

"Josh promised
to do his studies, and hit the sack early," he said huskily looking
deep into her eyes.

"Did he?"

The sun had
set, but it left an afterglow that bathed them in a golden hue. His
arms tightened around her and his lips found hers with unerring
accuracy. She had ached for this kiss for days. Her hands wrapped
slowly around his neck, and played against his nape. His hair
tickled her fingers, sensitizing her.

He deepened the
kiss as his tongue encircled hers, tasting her sweetness, as his
hands moved over body methodically. He pulled away to look at her
and smile. Taking her hand, he said quietly, "Come on. I've got
another surprise for you."

"Oh, Coop, you
shouldn't have," she began to protest, but he continued pulling her
off the porch and toward the barn.

Opening the
barn door for her, he motioned her inside. As she walked inside,
she saw a dim glow from one of the stalls.

"Come on," he
encouraged, pulling her by the hand over to the lit stall.

She stood in
awe as he opened the gate and waited for her to enter.

"W…what's
this?" She half laughed, half sighed as she took in the
candlelight, with red-checkered tablecloth and desert and wine.

"It's sort of a
private little party. A romantic dinner for two. Sorry it's in the
barn, but nowhere else seemed appropriate. I temporarily moved
Elmerine and her bunch out of the barn." He gestured for her to sit
on the soft pile of hay on one side, while he took the other side
and glanced at her.

She was
speechless. She watched through dampened lashes as he poured her
wine, then his. When he offered her the wine she took it shyly.

"I'm not sure
we got off to the right foot, Angel. Neither one of us were
thinking straight the other night. Not that I didn't enjoy every
moment of it. But, we left out a few things. Like getting to know
each other. Like sharing a few thoughts, hopes and maybe even
dreams."

Her face went
scarlet. Was he apologizing? Was he sorry?

"I'd like to
give you my present now," he murmured lowly.

"You don't have
to . . ." she began, only to half strangle on her words as he
pulled a delicate chain necklace from his shirt pocket, with a
diamond dangling at his fingertips.

She gasped.
"Oh, Coop, you shouldn't have done this. Really."

He smiled,
turning her around and fastening it around her neck. "I wanted to."
Then he gazed at her, and kissed her lightly on the nose. She was
hungry for more, but dared not.

From the mere
sparkle of it she knew the diamond was real, and that it had to
cost a small fortune. A fortune Cooper could not afford.

Her hand fell
against the diamond, and she closed her eyes for a long moment,
then shook her head. Her eyes pleaded with him. "You can't give
this to me. It's much too expensive. I can't accept it, even though
it's the loveliest thing I've seen."

"You can, and
you will. You really like it?"

"Like it? I
love it, but I can't accept this. I'm sorry. But you can't afford .
. ."

"I can afford
it," he replied easily.

"Not on a farm
manager's salary," she began only to be stayed by a firm hand.

He slumped
against the railing. He hung his head in silence a moment, waiting
for his heartbeat to slow, waiting for her eyes to search him
out.

"I guess it's
time I let you in on something. I'm not just a poor farm boy,
Angel. I should have told you sooner, but there were some things I
wanted to know about you first."

"You're not
just a poor farm boy?" She sat up once more, fingering the delicate
chain as she stared at him blankly. The gravity of his voice made
her look into his eyes.

"No, and I'm
sorry if I let you believe otherwise. It was wrong to deceive you
in any way. It wasn't meant to deceive you. But, if I had told you
earlier, you might not have hired me. Well, you wouldn't have. And
I wanted this job, Angel. I didn't know at the time why, but I knew
I wanted to be here."

Angela watched
him closely now.

"I told you I
was in electronics. I just didn't tell you how much into it I
really was. While I was in the service I concentrated on my
education. It afforded me an opportunity I would get nowhere else
in this world, so I took it. I studied. While most of the guys were
out chasing women, I was studying. I got my degree before I left
the service. When I first went to work for the firm, Jordan
Electronics, I was a lowly employee. Not because I was stupid, but
because I felt I needed to learn everything from the ground up. I
took one of the lowest jobs, all the time continuing my education.
Not just in electronics, but management. It didn't take long to
work my way up the corporate ladder. Way up. You see, with hardly
any expenses, I was able to invest my money back into the company.
Oh granted, it was a small company capable of growing bigger. Much
bigger. So, before long I became a somewhat major stockholder.
Before I left I was Chairman of the Board of Directors."

Angela's mouth
was hanging open. "What happened? I mean, why did you leave?"

"The owner of
the company wanted me to marry his daughter. And I gave him every
right to think I was interested. She was pretty, intelligent, and
at the time there was no one in my life. I simply hadn't the time
to find a woman. Everything was fine, until one day I found out all
she really wanted was to assure her family's small fortune in the
company by marrying the Chairman of the Board. When I found that
out, I left. I'm until the major stockholder in that and several
other companies. You see I educated myself into making money. But
what I really wanted in my life was a stability I never had. I've
found that here, working on the farm, where I belong."

"Then you were
never destitute?"

"Never. And I
apologize for letting you think so. That was wrong. But, you see, I
quit trusting people for a long time. I'm happy to tell you that
has changed and mostly because of you and Josh."

"Did you love
the girl?"

He shrugged
heavily. "I thought I did, yes. I'll admit it left a few scars. I
quit mostly because of wounded pride though. But, I'm not sorry.
And I make it a practice to never look back. So, you see, I can
afford the necklace, and I do want you to have it. Happy Birthday,
Angel."

She stared,
wide eyed at him.

"You see, you
and Josh taught me to trust again.I wasn't sure I was capable of
trusting again. I was wrong."

"But how could
you give so much up?"

He shrugged and
shook his head. "It wasn't that much. It was money. That's
all."

"I don't know
what to say."

He switched on
the small radio that Josh had loaned him and smiled. "You don't
have to say anything. Just eat your cake, and talk to me. Then I'll
walk you home, kiss you goodnight, and I'll go home alone and dream
about the rest."

Again she
blushed, but this time it was because she knew he was sharing
something with her - himself. This was a side of Cooper she never
knew existed, and it warmed her to know he could talk about it. It
was their first date, and he was treating her like a lady, and she
understood it.

CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN

Angela woke to
the trill of a mockingbird, and the bright sun of an early spring
morning.

The office was
bubbling over with excitement as Angela walked in. Greg would be
starting his tour Monday, and all last minute preparations were
being taken care of. Everything was going on schedule and he was in
the best of moods with all the office personnel.

Spring was
everywhere today.

Everything was
going splendidly until Maxine came over to Angela's desk and
started raving about what a good time she planned to have with
Cooper tonight.

Angela hadn't
had time to assimilate all of Cooper's news. Nor how she felt about
it. They had spent the entire evening talking and laughing
together. Even though he had confessed his secrets, there had been
no declarations of love on his part. Not in words at least. There
were no commitments. She had no right to be jealous. No right at
all. But she was.

Perhaps all the
romance of last night was merely an attempt on his part to show her
he wasn't serious. Perhaps he wanted to slow things down. And why
not? She had practically invited herself into his bed. What was the
big difference in her and Maxine, anyway? She had wanted him in her
bed, hadn't she?

Maxine smiled
as she pulled her chair up to Angela's and parked her
carry out chicken dinner atop her desk. "Do you think Coop
will like the dress I bought, Angie?"

The chicken
smelled wonderful, and Angela's mouth watered.

Opening her
meagre sack lunch, Angela nodded dully. "Why not? It's beautiful.
What's not to like?"

Maxine purred.
"What's he like, Angie? I mean what's he really like?"

"Why ask me?"
Angela protested as she bit into the peanut butter and jelly
sandwich she had hurriedly made this morning.

"Why not? You
know him better than anyone."

"I don't know
about that. I mean I don't know what he prefers in women. All I can
say about him is that he's a nice man. He is kind, gentle, and easy
spoken. I think it's safe to say he's been hurt a few times. Maybe
marriage shy."

Maxine grunted.
"I'm sure. I've never met a man who wasn't marriage shy. That's no
problem."

Angela
attempted a weak smile.

"But what does
he like in women?"

"How would I
know?" Angela shouted a little too loudly. Some of the other girls
in the office turned their heads.

"He's bound to
have dropped a few hints, here and there."

Angela studied
the question a minute. "Well, I know he's not crazy about too much
make up. I think he kinda prefers the natural look."

Memories of the
night she had dressed for Greg interrupted her train of thought.
She could until feel his fingers on her lips as he wiped the
lipstick away. Oh, she had to stop thinking like that. Cooper was a
dynamic man, but she wanted more than just a romp in bed with him.
She had fallen in love with the man. Not just his looks, or his
lovemaking, but the man he was. He was a man who could carry on a
lengthy conversation with her ten-year-old son. A man, who at the
first sign of trouble, could patch a gash in a dog like a vet. A
man who could plan a surprise birthday party for someone he cared
about.

Maxine cupped
her French twist. "That I can manage easily enough. But what are
his interests? What does he like to talk about?"

Angela studied
Maxine for a moment. She hated admitting it, but she liked Maxine,
despite everything. Maxine was herself and put on no airs. That was
what Greg found hard to deal with at times. But even Greg had to
admit, she was a trooper in getting along with the brass.

"I don't know,
Maxine. He has an ongoing love affair with the land. You can see it
in his eyes. Whatever you do, don't talk politics. He isn't too
keen on that. He's a very uncomplicated man, which makes him more
complicated, I think."

"Yeah, I know
what you mean."

"The old Coop
liked big boobs and no brains, but this one I'm not sure about.
He's grown up. Has more sense about him. He takes a lot of pride in
his Harley. When he isn't working, or with Josh, he's out in the
barn polishing his bike. He can play baseball like a pro. He loves
kids, and animals. He's been in the Air Force, too."

"Well, I've got
the boobs, honey. And I can be pretty witless at times. But he just
doesn't strike me as a shallow kind of man who's not interested in
some type of female. He's too deep for that. And quit being such a
prude. He's got to be interested in some kind of female."

"Oh, he's
interested in females." She let her tongue slip. "I don't think
he's had a serious relationship in a while. Maybe he's just
picky."

"Well, that's
in my favor. But you aren't much help. I suppose he hasn't spent
any of his time on you, though. I mean you've been engaged to Greg
all this time. Or practically."

Angela didn't
comment. She couldn't. Obviously, Greg hadn't mentioned their
breakup, and she wasn't about to.

"Oh, let's face
it, Angie, honey. The only things you know about this guy is that
he's a nice guy. I just thought you might shed some light on it for
me. I'm looking forward to tonight. And don't you dare fire him
'cause he might be a little late to work tomorrow."

Angela felt a
twinge of jealousy, but she squashed it. "No, I won't. I…I hope you
enjoy your evening, Maxine." That was probably the most bald-faced
lie she had ever told. She didn't hope any such thing.

"Thanks. You
know, Angie, you're really not so bad. I hate to say it, but I'm
beginning to think a lot of you."

Angela glanced
at her this time with open eyes. "Why thank you, Maxine. I've
always hoped we could be friends."

Maxine took off
early that afternoon. She acted as though she were staging herself
for the entire evening. Well wasn't she? Angela wasn't looking
forward to going home. But she was a grown woman, and she had to
face it sooner or later.