Tall, Dark, and Bad Read online

  “A Lace Panty?” Summer said, arching one blond brow. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that one.”

  “Trust me, you’ll love it.”

  “You want me to hang that up for you?” the bartender asked, nodding toward her coat. “It looks like it’s worth some bucks. I’d hate to see it get ripped off.”

  Cooper handed it to him, and the man disappeared behind a curtain.

  When her drink was served Summer took a sip. It had a caramel flavor. “That’s delicious. What’s in it?”

  “Oh, a little of this, a little of that. Harry and I came up with it some years back. It’s our secret recipe. I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”

  She took another sip and licked her lips. Cooper watched her pink tongue dart along her bottom lip, and something inside him quickened. He took a long drink of his beer.

  One of the band members started playing a fiddle, and the place went wild. Cooper suddenly had an urge to get as far away from the noise as he could. “You ready to go?” he asked Summer.

  Summer, trying to see over the crowded dance floor, looked surprised. “We just got here.”

  Harry slid another draft in front of Cooper. “What’s your hurry, man? The lady’s having a good time. You ready for another one?” he asked Summer, motioning to her empty glass. She nodded.

  “You drank the first one already?” Cooper asked as Harry hurried away to fix another.

  She shrugged as she tapped her fingers against the bar, keeping in time with the music. “It was good. Tasted like a liquid candy bar.”

  “Well, they’re not as innocent as you think,” Cooper said as Harry set another drink in front of her. “Go easy on her, Harry. I don’t think she’s used to the stuff.”

  “Would you chill out, for Pete’s sake!” the other man said, sticking a straw in her glass.

  Summer smiled at the bartender, who seemed to be going out of his way to be nice to her. Cooper, on the other hand, acted as if she were cramping his style. “Would you like to dance?” she asked him.

  “We couldn’t get on the dance floor if we tried,” he said, noting her eyes were unnaturally bright. She put her lips on the straw and sucked greedily. “Hey, slow down.” Cooper took the drink from her and asked Harry for a glass of water.

  “Why are you acting so paranoid?” Summer demanded. “You all but accused me of being a stick-in-the-mud earlier. I’m just trying to have a good time, and you’re doing everything in your power to prevent it.”

  Cooper glared back at her. “Fine. Don’t let me stop you.” He slid her glass in front of her and got up from the stool. “I’m going to the bathroom.” He walked away without another word.

  “So how long have you and Cooper been seeing each other?” Harry asked.

  Summer blinked at him. His face looked slightly fuzzy and off balance. “We just met tonight,” she said, picking up her drink. “I doubt we’ll see each other again.”

  “How come?”

  “He thinks I’m dull.” She shrugged. “Maybe he’s right. Even my grandmother accuses me of taking life too seriously, and she’s seventy years old. Do you know, I haven’t been out on a real date since—” She paused and tried to count the months on her fingers, then got confused and had to start over again.

  “Excuse me, miss?”

  Summer stopped counting and glanced over one shoulder, where a man stood wearing a cowboy hat. “Yes?”

  “Would you like to dance?”

  “Dance?” She looked across the dance floor, where couples were gathering for a slow number. “Gee, I don’t know.”

  “Go ahead,” Harry urged. “I’ll keep Cooper company while you’re gone.”

  She followed the man to the dance floor.

  Cooper returned from the rest room and frowned when he noted Summer’s empty stool. “Where’d she go?” he asked the bartender.

  “She’s dancing.”

  “Dancing?” Cooper turned around and found Summer in the arms of a cowboy. “I told you to keep an eye on her,” he blurted.

  “Hey, she’s over twenty-one. She can dance if she feels like it. What’s wrong with you, buddy?”

  Cooper sat down on his stool but didn’t take his eyes off Summer. He felt his anger flare at the way the cowboy held her, the way he whispered in her ear. Summer laughed, and the sound reached Cooper’s ears. She was obviously having the time of her life. Well, to hell with her, he thought. Warren had asked him to fill in for a couple of hours, not play baby-sitter. He gritted his teeth and turned to Harry, who seemed to be enjoying the whole thing. “Let me pay up.”

  The other man looked surprised and a little startled. “You’re not leaving?”

  “She can find her own way home. From the looks of it, she shouldn’t have any problem.” Cooper pulled several bills from his wallet, tossed the money on the bar, and, grabbing the helmets, made his way out the back door. The cool night air was refreshing after sitting in the smoke-filled club. He unlocked the chain securing his bike, taking his time, just in case Summer decided to stop playing belle of the ball and come looking for him.

  Once it was obvious she had no intention of looking for him, Cooper strapped the extra helmet to the back seat. He pulled on his helmet, climbed onto his bike, and roared out of the alley. Like Harry had said, Summer was over twenty-one and could do as she damn well pleased.

  Cooper had gone only a couple of miles before he pulled off on the side of the road and killed the engine. “Dammit to hell!” He sat there for fifteen minutes, wondering what he should do. He couldn’t just leave her back there to fend for herself in a room filled with horny men wearing ten-gallon hats and pointy-toed boots. The last thing she needed was a bunch of losers pawing on her. Not that Harry wouldn’t look after her, but he had no business dumping her in his friend’s lap when he was the one who’d brought her there in the first place.

  As Cooper started his engine once more, he realized he was angrier with himself than with anyone else. He should never have taken her into such a dive. What could he have been thinking? He turned the motorcycle around and headed back to the bar.

  When Cooper walked in the back door, he muttered a sound of disgust. Summer was literally surrounded by men. As he stalked toward her, he noted there were several drinks in front of her as well as two or three empty glasses. Harry spotted him right away and grinned.

  “We haven’t had this much action since Tanya Tucker came in and agreed to sing us a song.”

  “I hope you’re proud of yourself,” Cooper shot back angrily.

  “Hey, you brought her here, pal.”

  “Get me her coat and call a cab.”

  “What about your bike?”

  “How far do you think we’d get before she fell off?” he snapped, then realized he had no business being angry with his friend for the predicament he was in. “I’m leaving it out back,” he said a bit more gently. “Everything’s locked up.”

  “Nobody’s going to lay a finger on it once they know who it belongs to,” Harry said confidently.

  “And I’m supposed to feel proud of that fact?” Cooper replied, before moving in on Summer’s pack of wolves. He and Harry had an unspoken agreement not to talk about the past or even make references to it. He had to assume it was a slip on his friend’s part.

  Cooper nudged one of the men ogling Summer. “Get lost.” The man looked for half a second at Cooper, and then stepped aside without another word.

  Summer smiled lopsidedly the minute she spotted Cooper. “Hi, I was beginning to think you’d left me.”

  Cooper glared at the men circling her like predators hunkering over prey. “Party’s over, guys,” he said, and was met with a great deal of grumbling. “The lady is going home now to her husband and six kids.” Harry passed him Summers clutch and coat over the bar, and Cooper held it in one hand as he helped her from the barstool. She stumbled and he caught her. “Come on, now,” he said. “You know how Junior frets when you’re not there to rock him to sleep.�
�� Several of the men stared at her.

  Summer gazed back at Cooper dumbly, unable to make sense of what he was saying. “But I’m not finished with my drink,” she said, slurring her words. “And I told that nice man with the rhinestone vest I’d dance with him.”

  “Well, you’ll just have to come back another night. Besides, you’re scheduled to take that blood test first thing in the morning.”

  “Blood test?”

  “So we can find out how you got that rash you know where.” Some of the men moved away.

  Rash? Summer was still trying to figure out what was going on as he helped her toward the front door. She was unsteady on her feet, but he managed to lead her across the room without mishap. “Hurry up,” he said, shoving her through the front door without benefit of her coat. The cab was nowhere in sight.

  “It’s cold out here,” she protested, a shiver snaking up her body. Her teeth chattered.

  “Here’s your coat,” he said. “Put your arm in this sleeve.” He held it out, and she aimed at the opening several times without hitting it. Finally, Cooper muttered an obscenity and worked at getting her arms in the sleeves. It was like trying to force a cooked fettuccine noodle through a straw. He glanced over his shoulder several times to make sure the rednecks hadn’t followed them out. Where was that damn cab? He buttoned Summer’s coat and noted she was swaying. “How many drinks did you have?” he demanded.

  She offered him a blank look. “I don’t know. Three or four. Maybe more.”

  “Damn, Summer! Do you realize there are two shots of booze and more in each drink?” She looked shocked. “Just because you can’t taste it doesn’t mean it’s not there.” He let out a sigh of frustration. “I can’t take you back to your grandmother’s house in this condition. She’ll have me locked up.” His eyes clouded with uneasiness.

  Summer stood there quietly, noting his worry and indecision. “I’m sorry,” she said as a sense of inadequacy swept over her. “I acted like a fool back there. I embarrassed you in front of your friends.”

  Cooper, still in a dilemma as to where he was going to take her, responded impatiently. “What?”

  She colored fiercely. “I humiliated you in front of your friend Harry.” She was so ashamed of how she’d acted that she buried her burning face against his shoulder and burst into tears.

  Cooper suddenly felt a strange surge of affection toward her. “I shouldn’t have brought you here in the first place.” Why had he? What had he hoped to prove?”

  He saw the cab a distance away. “Hush your crying,” he said gently, and tipped her head back. Her eyes were wet, her cheeks tear-stained. “It’s okay,” he tried to assure her. “We need to get you home and into bed. You’ll feel better in the morning.” Even as he said the words, he doubted it was the truth. She was going to feel like hell when she woke up.

  Once the cab had pulled to a stop, Cooper helped Summer inside and closed the door. He got in on the other side. She automatically leaned against him. He put his arm around her, feeling very protective toward her at the moment.

  “Where to?” the driver asked.

  “Summer?” Cooper shook her slightly. “Where do you live, honey?” She mumbled something incoherently, and he had to ask the question twice before he understood her answer. He repeated it to the cabdriver.

  Five minutes into the ride, Summer was sleeping soundly. Cooper could hear her even breathing; smell her perfume, and the fresh, clean scent of her hair. As before, his body stirred in response to her nearness; his whole being was filled with a sense of longing, a feeling of urgency that tied his gut in knots. And to think, only moments before he’d felt quite chivalrous toward her. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that one of her hands was curled in his lap, so close to the part of his anatomy that was giving him the most trouble at the moment.

  He didn’t need this, didn’t want it. He was suddenly eager to get as far away from the woman as he could. He was relieved when they arrived back in Buckhead, Atlanta’s ritziest area, and not far from Henrietta. The property was surrounded by a tall, wrought iron fence with a gated entrance.

  When a security guard stepped out of a small booth, Cooper introduced himself and explained that Summer was ill and he was seeing that she arrived home safely.

  The guard took a closer look at Cooper, stepped forward, and peered into the window. “Miss Pettigrew, are you okay?” he asked. “Miss Pettigrew?”

  Cooper shook her once more. “Summer, wake up.”

  “What’s wrong with her?”

  She opened her eyes and tried to focus. “What s’matter?”

  Cooper motioned to the guard. “Please tell the man that I’m not trying to kidnap you.”

  Summer looked at the uniformed man. There seemed to be two of them. She blinked several times, and the two bodies seemed to merge into one that she suddenly recognized. “Eveything’s ’kay, Jack,” she said, slurring her words badly. I went dancing at a cowboy bar, thas all. Drank bunch a’ Lace Underwear.”

  “Panties,” Cooper corrected.

  The guard frowned. “You’re not making sense, Ms. Pettigrew.” He looked at Cooper. “Is it possible that someone slipped Ms. Pettigrew an illegal substance?”

  Cooper tensed. “If you’re asking if I drugged her the answer is no. She had several drinks and was in no condition to drive.”

  Jack frowned. “Would you like me to call your grandmother, miss?” he asked.

  “Thas not n’sary. Mr. Garrett here is a pur-fec genelman. He’s welcome any time so add his name to the list.”

  The guard looked doubtful. “Mr. Garrett, may I see your driver’s license and any other form of ID you might have on you?”

  Cooper sighed and reached into his pocket for his wallet. He pulled out his license and social security card and handed it to the man. “Is this how you welcome all your visitors?” he asked.

  “I’d like to make a copy of this if you don’t mind.”

  “Suit yourself.”

  The guard was gone several minutes. When he returned, he handed Cooper his IDs. “Just so you know, I plan to run a check on you, Mr. Garrett, to see if you have a criminal record. We’re real careful about who we let in here, especially when it comes to our single ladies.”

  “May I deliver Miss Pettigrew to her door now?” Cooper asked. “Or do you plan to frisk me as well?”

  The guard waved them through without another word, but he did not look happy. “Man, oh, man,” the cabdriver said. “You’d think we had royalty in the backseat.”

  “Which condo is yours?” Cooper asked.

  Summer gave him the number. The driver pulled into a slot and put the car in park.

  “You’re home,” Cooper said. “Do you think you can stand?”

  Summer suddenly felt dizzy. Her stomach churned. “I don’t feel well.”

  The cabbie suddenly looked alarmed. “Get her out of my cab before she pukes on the seat,” he said quickly.

  Cooper all but dragged Summer across the seat and out the door, then leaned her against the cab—taking care that she did not fall forward—while he paid the driver and included a hefty tip. It occurred to him that he did not have a ride home, but he didn’t have time to worry about it at the moment.

  “You’re a real pain in the ass,” he told Summer, trying to help her toward her condo, which like the others had been painted colorful shades and resembled the historic Georgian homes along the popular Rainbow Row in Charleston, SC. The drive leading past the guard gate was cobblestone. A street lamp stood in front of each house, the bulbs flickering like candles. Cooper figured each condominium had a sticker price of a half million bucks or more.

  “I’m going to be sick,” Summer said.

  “Yes, you probably will be,” he agreed, “but try to wait until we get inside. Take a deep breath.”

  Summer did as she was told, but it didn’t seem to help the feeling of nausea.

  Cooper led her to her door, pulled a set of keys from her clutch and un
locked the door. As he unbuttoned Summer’s coat, he took in his surroundings with a great deal of curiosity. A round table in the foyer held a tall vase of fresh flowers that sweetened the air. From where he stood, he could see the living room that had been decorated in various shades of white, cream, and beige, accented with a splash of color here and there that added eye appeal. White saloon-style doors led into another room, which he suspected was the kitchen. A flight of stairs stood to his left. “Where’s your bedroom?” he asked.

  Eyes half closed, Summer pointed to the steps. Cooper shook his head sadly. As he figured, he was going far beyond the call of duty. He draped her coat over a highly polished mahogany coat rack, shrugged off his jacket, and lifted her high in his arms. She opened her eyes and shot him a frantic look. “I have to throw up.”

  “Ten seconds,” he said.

  He took the stairs as quickly as he could and entered the first bedroom he came to. He was only vaguely aware of the soft mint paint on the walls that added a soothing touch to the room. He found the bathroom easily enough, set Summer down in front of the toilet, and lifted the lid. “Go for it,” he said.

  #

  Summer awoke the next morning to a full bladder, but as she raised from the bed, the room seemed to tilt dangerously to one side. She groaned aloud at the dull throbbing at the back of her head, and then realized her stomach didn’t feel so good either. Was she coming down with something? She stood woozily and made her way into the bathroom. Once she’d relieved herself, she washed her hands and reached for her toothbrush. Her mouth felt and tasted as though a herd of gazelles had grazed on her tongue during the night. She brushed her teeth twice, dried her mouth, and looked into the mirror.

  Her bloodshot eyes and wild hair startled her. She was a mess! But the real scare came when she realized she was wearing her bra and panties from the night before. Why hadn’t she slipped into a gown before going to bed?

  Her mind searched for answers. The last thing she remembered was going into a cowboy bar with Cooper Garrett. She had danced with a man named Tex or Rex who wore an enormous cowboy hat. She had danced with others but could not remember their names. She did not even remember how she had gotten home.