Scent : Animal Senses Series Book 2

Chapter 30

30

"You look like shit."

Gage spun around to see Cooper leaning against the fence, watching.

"It's been a long week."

Cooper looked at his wrist to check the time, he wasn't wearing a watch. "Since when do we work in the moonlight?"

Glancing back at the backhoe he'd been pressure washing he shrugged. "Just trying to get caught up."

Cooper came over and stood beside him. "And since when do we spit shine the rigs?"

Gage dropped the sprayer on the ground as his chin hit his chest.

"You can't avoid going home, son. She's still going to be there."

Gage turned off the compressor and glanced at him. "That's the problem."

"I figured." Cooper looked around the yard for a minute before looking back at him. "You have a fight?"

Picking up his shirt, Gage wiped his face off. "I don't know what the hell you'd call it."

Cooper chuckled. "Give me the word to define it then."

Gage squeezed the back of his neck trying to ease some of the tension. "Clusterfuck."

Cooper laughed, which should have pissed him off, but he found himself smiling.

"It's a fucking mess, Coop." He threw up his hands. "I kissed her when we went for that walk." He rubbed a hand across his forehead. "The heat shocked both of us, but I thought..." He shook his head. "I thought..."

"She'd do an about-face and come running into your open arms?" Cooper had a huge smile on his face.

"You don't have to say I'm a fool. I know I am."

"This is Kelsey we're talking about, Gage, have your hormones made you forget that?" Tucking his hands in his pockets, he stood there waiting.

Feeling awkward, Gage sat on the wheel of the washer tank. "She's in her cycle, Coop. Not full blown, but..."

"When?"

Gage looked down at his hands resting in his lap. "I was checking around the house..." he realized he didn't need to give him a play by play, "I found her pressing her chest and face against the counter trying to put out the fire."

"Shit." Cooper yanked his hat off and rubbed a hand over his head before jamming it back on. "Did you just leave her there like that?"

Gage noted how strained the older man's voice was. He was glad it was dark sure even he would blush before the end of this conversation. "No."

Cooper's head snapped up, his eyes boring into him.

Holding his hand up, he shook his head. "Not like you're thinking." He sighed. "I helped her out and threw myself in a cold shower."

Cooper nodded but didn't comment.

"She..." Gage lifted his hands, "demanded answers and..." he closed his eyes. "I gave her all the wrong ones. I'm pretty sure she hates me now." He leaned back against the water tank, trying to cool off, as he'd been trying to accomplish unsuccessfully for hours.

"I doubt she hates you." Cooper finally said quietly. "She's just pissed you're the main cause."

Gage snorted. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Cooper shook his head. "No. I doubt anything I say will do that."

"You'd be right there." Gage started to wind up the hose. "I don't know what to do, Coop."