Storm Warning Read Online Free PDF Page B

he was concerned. “Heard anything from him?”
    When her eyes met his, they were shining with the promise of tears.
    “Shit, Ellie May.” He reached for her, resting his hand on her arm. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.” Now he kind of wanted to kick himself in the nuts.
    “It’s fine. You’re fine. I’m…” She waved a hand between them before she lied one more time about being fine . He raised his hand to wipe away a tear she’d let slip with his thumb and then palmed her cheek gently.
    The way she was looking up at him, like she needed him, gutted him, and it didn’t help matters that she’d leaned her face into his hand. He’d held back for so long. Want and need twisted inside of him, demanding that he pull her closer.
    He wanted nothing more than to claim her sweet mouth as his. He was pretty sure she’d only been kissed by one guy. Actually, he knew it. He’d been there when Kyle gave Seth Milner a black eye two years ago.
    It might not have been Seth’s fault that the bottle landed on Ella Jane, but he was the one who had spun the damn thing. Personally, he was going to wear whatever wounds her brother gave him with pride. Because he knew it was going to be so worth it.
    His other hand found her cheek, and for the first time, Coop felt a sense of confidence. She wasn’t pushing him away or pulling back. No. Her blue eyes were inviting him to continue. Her lips parted as he slowly inched his way closer.
    “Coop,” she said softly, the ache in her voice bringing him to the present and stopping his forward motion dead in its tracks. He didn’t want to take advantage of her, but he’d held out as long as he could.
    The roar of an ATV behind them cut off whatever else she was about to say.
    Coop closed his eyes and swore. “What the—”
    “Kyle! You’re back!” Ella Jane scrambled to her feet as her brother exploded out of the timber behind them.
    Coop leaned back and cast his line out, as if the only thing Kyle Mason had disturbed was the fish.
    “I am.” He chuckled as his sister jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Damn, EJ,” he managed to get out despite the fact that she was cutting off his air supply. “You miss me or what?”
    Ella Jane stepped back, releasing her brother and shrugging. “Eh, maybe a little.”
    “Mom is looking for you back at the house. Something about the Rogers’s account.” Kyle handed her the keys to the four-wheeler and stepped over toward Coop. “Y’all fishin’ without me now?”
    Cooper propped his pole in the dirt and stood. “You snooze you lose. What, no hug for me?”
    “Get over here.” Kyle reached for Coop, pretending to go in for a hug before landing a backhand right between his legs. “Still want a hug?”
    “Naw, man,” Coop grunted out, trying to avoid the indignity of bending over in pain. “I’m good. So glad you’re back.”
    “So, um, I’ll see y’all back at the house?” Ella Jane asked, ignoring the boys’ obnoxious antics. “Coop, you coming over for dinner?”
    “Yeah, Coop,” Kyle chimed in with raised eyebrows. “You coming over for dinner?”
    “Er, probably not tonight. Lots of work to do at the farm. Matter of fact, I should probably be heading back about—”
    “Stay a minute. I need to talk to you about something,” Kyle said as he cracked open a beer.
    Coop swallowed hard and his eyes shot to Ella Jane. He knows. He must have seen us. He was tempted to ask her to stay so there’d be someone to witness the murder. Once she was out of sight, he turned to his best friend. “What the hell, man? That shit hurt.”
    “Oh, did it? My bad, dude.” Kyle took a long pull on his beer and let his eyes rake over his friend. “You know I trust you, right, Coop?”
    Before he could answer, Ella Jane barreled right through the middle of them and gave Kyle one last hug. “I’m so glad you’re home,” she whispered, barely loud enough for Coop to hear. “Okay, now I’m going for real. Behave