Cdaence Falls Read online

  He cocked his head. “What bar?”

  “I work at the Dew Drop Inn,” she said. “Every night but Sunday and Monday.”

  Now he was the one confused. “How does Cooper feel about that?”

  “Why would Cooper feel anything about where I work?”

  “Aren’t you and he…”

  He tapered off the question when a shuttered look came down over her face.

  “No, Everett,” she said. “Lots of things changed when you left. I’m not with Cooper. I’m not with anyone. I’m a bartender at the Dew Drop and I rent an apartment above it. May not be the best, but at least I’m never late for work.”

  For once in his life, he was speechless. Every idea he had, every vision of what Cooper and Amanda’s life was like without him, had just been blown to smithereens.

  “We have to go, Officer Apisi,” Marshall Fletcher said from behind him.

  Everett balled his hands into fists. For the first time since he’d joined law enforcement he didn’t want to do his duty. He wanted to stay right here and hash this out with Amanda, find out what the hell had gone wrong between her and Cooper.

  But the rational part of his brain reminded him of why he was back in Pine Bluff in the first place.

  Fuck!

  “All right,” he muttered. “Give me one more moment, please.”

  Fletcher nodded. “I’ll be waiting with the task force in the SUV.”

  He waited until the man was gone before giving his full attention back to Amanda. Holy hell, she was still beautiful after all these years. Her hair was still the color of the sun, worn shorter now, but still just as wild as when they were teenagers. Not a wrinkle marred her flawless skin.

  She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “You’ll never cross the mountains in trucks.”

  “I know,” he said. “We’ll need horses.”

  “Cooper has horses.”

  “He took over the ranch?”

  “Yes,” she replied. “It’s still a cattle ranch but he’s got good, sturdy horse stock.”

  “Then I’ll go talk to him.”

  “Why do I have the feeling horses won’t be the only thing you’ll be discussing?”

  Everett ran a hand over his face. Hadn’t even started his job and already he was weary. “Why aren’t you married?”

  “Why did you leave?”

  He wanted to grin at her grit. Amanda always did have one helluva backbone.

  His phone buzzed in his pocket.

  “Damn it,” he said. “I have to go. Can we…talk again?”

  She shrugged. “You know where to find me.”

  Suddenly, the tension was back between them, and it was painful to feel. All Everett wanted to do was pull her into his arms and kiss her until they both passed out from lack of oxygen. Even after all these years, she still moved him in ways no other woman ever could. She hadn’t even touched him, yet all he felt was her presence wrapping itself around him.

  “All right,” he said. “I’ll see you later, Amanda.”

  She let out a rueful little sigh. “There was a time when you called me baby. Guess we really are different people now.”

  She turned and left the way she had come in, shutting the door behind her with a soft click. Her departure had him feeling empty and frustrated. This wasn’t the result he’d had in mind. His phone buzzed again, and with a low curse, he went to work.

  Chapter Three

  Cooper drove back to his ranch as if the hounds of hell chased him, pissed beyond anything. If truth be known, he’d been angry for quite a while now, ever since Everett had left. Ever since Amanda had broken it off. Ever since his father had up and died, leaving a nineteen-year-old boy in charge of a ranch with a debt hanging over his head. The bank had come calling three months after he’d buried his dad, and fuck if he remembered what he’d said, but somehow he’d convinced them to give him more time.

  The only way he’d been able to save the main part of his home had been to sell off most of the land. He was still bitter over that part as well, but it was easier to compartmentalize everything, and since Everett had shown his face back in town, might as well go with the obvious compartment. It had been so fucking easy for Everett to just walk away, leave all his problems behind. Forget all about him and Amanda. A tiny voice of reason chattered away in the back of his mind, telling him he was being an unfair prick, but he didn’t care. Not right then. Not when the love of his life, and his ex -best friend, had been in the same room with him for the first time in a decade. Sure, he’d seen Amanda around town, as well as down at the bar a time or two. But with Everett there, it had brought back the sharp pain of lost love and a summer that he’d give his right arm to relive.

  The three of them had once been inseparable.

  Nothing could’ve torn them apart.

  Funny how the one thing that Cooper would’ve sworn was solid as a rock had become their weakness.

  He screeched to a halt in front of the generations-old farmhouse and hopped out of the cab, taking much-needed gratification in slamming the pickup door shut. He eyed the front door of his house. The last fucking thing he wanted to do right then was be cooped up inside, so he diverted his course to head around back to the stable where his horse greeted him with a friendly neigh.

  “Hey, Coop,” his stable hand, Pete Red Feather, greeted. “How was the meeting?”

  Cooper grabbed a saddle blanket. “Great. Super. We have a maniac convict running loose somewhere in the wilderness. Which reminds me, I want you and the others to wear guns. Grab the ones from the tack room.”

  “We all carry shotguns,” Pete said. “Mandatory when riding the fences.”

  “No, I want pistols on them.” Cooper ran a hand down the horse’s flank before setting the blanket on his back. “At all times, until this convict is caught.”

  He heaved the saddle off a stand and settled it onto his horse before buckling and tightening the cinch.

  “No problem.” Pete scratched the scraggly hair growing on his chin. “I’ll let them know when they come in for the night. Looks like a storm coming so they’ll probably be in soon. So, who’s tracking down this convict? Do we need to set up patrols?”

  “Nope. Federal Marshalls are here. And they brought in their own expert tracker.”

  “Expert tracker, eh?”

  “Yep,” Cooper replied grimly. “A former resident of Pine Bluff. Go figure.”

  “You don’t say?” Pete sniffed. “Wouldn’t be Everett Apisi by chance, would it?”

  Cooper glared at him. “How the hell do you know Everett?”

  “Because I’m older than dirt and know everything,” Pete said smugly. “I knew Everett’s grandfather, Walking Bear, who was an amazing tracker. And I remember when he was your best friend. Only one other person was able to put that frown upon your face, and that was that little áápi girl you two ran around with.”

  Cooper stomped over to grab a bridle. “Maybe you should retire, Pete. After all, the dinosaurs died out eons ago.”

  Pete flipped him off. “Yep, must have seen both of ’em.”

  Cooper ignored him and led his horse from the stall. He mounted and headed off toward the northwestern border of his ranch, the one that that backed up to the mountain. The one that the Federal Marshall had said the fugitive Mock had to be running through to make his escape into Canada. Although it sounded like a plot from a bad movie or something, the one thing that stood between the border and a jail cell was exposure and starvation, and his ranch was close enough that it might tempt a desperate man to do something stupid.

  The wind was kicking up mighty fierce as he rode across the wide open plain. Clouds moved rapidly through the big, blue sky, casting shadows upon the ground. If he squinted he could see some of his cattle grazing the distance. Wasn’t as much as what his father and grandfather had raised, but it was enough to keep his family land in the black.

  Inevitably, his thoughts strayed back to Amanda. And Everett. And the last time they
’d been together. They’d ridden across the land, much like he was doing now, until they’d hit the falls. They’d gone swimming in the pond, had food, drank a little. And when the sun had slipped over the horizon to bathe the range in twilight, the magic that existed between them flared into uncontrollable lust. He remembered that Amanda had initiated it, kissing Everett first and then him. He hadn’t known exactly what was going to happen, that it would lead to them all losing their virginities, but all he’d known was that somehow it was meant to be.

  Everett slid his hands around Amanda, cupping her breasts and filling his palms with the heaviness of their weight. He massaged the plump mounds until she thrust out her chest, moaning with rising passion.

  Cooper leaned over her, kissing his way down her body as he unbuttoned her shirt and peeled it from her body. He nipped and licked all the way down, until he fell to his knees in front of her, unsnapping her pants and pushing them down, exposing her inch by inch to his gaze.

  “Her pussy is so pretty, Everett,” he murmured as his fingers slid through the blonde curls that protected her femininity. “I’ve never seen anything as lovely.”

  Amanda bucked her hips as he touched her slit, sliding with ease at the wetness he encountered. His heart pounded with excitement because he couldn’t believe she was naked, in front of both him and Everett, letting them look at her. Touch her. He’d never had sex before, but he knew the mechanics of it. Having Everett watch, however, was almost too exciting.

  “How does she taste?” Everett asked in between the kisses he laved against her neck.

  Cooper pulled away and stuck his finger in his mouth. “She tastes like honey.”

  “I want you both,” Amanda gasped, arching against the hands playing with her body. “Please.”

  Cooper lifted her away from Everett and laid her on the thick grass near the creek. He spread her legs wide and kissed her inner thighs, working his way up until he latched on to her pussy. She let out a strangled moan as he swept his tongue into her channel, licking up and down, easing his middle finger into her. She came, crying as she convulsed in pleasure, and he knew now was the time. They were both about to lose their virginity. He glanced up at Everett and saw his best friend watching through aroused black eyes, his gaze locked on Amanda’s beautiful body.

  Cooper rose onto his knees between her thighs to drape her knees over his arms. The position thrust her hips up, and all he could do was stare as he slid his cock tip up and down her fold. He was holding on to his sanity by a lick and prayer.

  Then he pushed forward.

  She cried out and when he glanced into her eyes, saw pain shift over the pleasure. His body tightened up.

  Holy fuck!

  She was squeezing his dick hard, but she was wet and warm, and all he wanted to do was pound into her until he came. However, he knew he had to make this good for her. So he looked once more at Everett for help.

  “Take a deep breath, Amanda,” Everett murmured.

  “It hurts,” she gasped.

  “I know, but relax your muscles. Just breathe.”

  Amanda did as he said, and Cooper felt her body relax, little by little. Thank fuck!

  Slowly, Cooper pulled out, only to push back in again.

  “Oh,” she moaned. Her eyes flew open and he saw her desire reawakening.

  “You feel so good, Amanda,” he said. “I love you. I love you so much.”

  “I love you too!” she gasped.

  They came together, his world exploding into such fierce love it left him winded. He vaguely remembered Amanda reaching for Everett. He lay on his back, gasping for breath, as Everett took his place. He and Amanda moaned together, declared their love for each other, and all he knew was everything was right in his world. Nothing could tear them apart.

  Cooper shook his head to clear himself of the memory and grimaced as he shifted in the saddle, trying in vain to alleviate some of the pressure his hard-on was giving him in the unyielding seat. His cell rang, thankfully diverting his attention. Cooper brought his roan to a halt before digging the phone out of his pocket.

  “Yes?”

  “Boss, we got company,” Pete said.

  “Company?” Cooper asked. What kind of company could make Pete recall him to the homestead?

  “The badge kind,” he answered. “And the kind that pisses you off.”

  Everett.

  “Keep them busy,” he replied. “I’m on my way back.”

  “I’d suggest not taking the scenic route.”

  “God damn it,” he snarled and hung up. He turned his horse around and rode back the way he’d just come.

  Chapter Four

  The first thing Cooper saw as he crested the homestead hill were three black SUVs and men wearing dark vests with the words Federal Marshall splayed in bright white across the back. They swarmed around a pop-up tent, which had been placed smack dab in front of his house, like hungry ants seeking any scrap of food. Anger burned through Cooper and he nudged his horse forward, intent on getting the fucking assholes off his property.

  “Boss!” Pete shouted at him, and Cooper came to a stop as the old man hobbled out of the barn.

  “Pete, what’s going on?”

  “Showed me a paper.” Pete thumbed toward the cops. “Something fancy and legal looking saying they were going to be using the ranch for their base camp.”

  “Son of a bitch!” Cooper glared at the assembled law enforcement angrily. “We’ll see about that.”

  He dismounted and handed the reins to Pete before stomping toward the so-called base camp. He saw Marshall Fletcher staring at a map. Beside him stood a man dressed in army fatigue pants and a black T-shirt with the word Police to the left. A patch beneath the lettering showed a wolf in profile, a feather hanging from its fur…

  Everett.

  “What are you doing here?” he demanded.

  Both Fletcher and Everett looked at him.

  “I’m glad you showed up, Mr. Haith,” Fletcher said, with a generic insincere smile plastered on his face.

  “Cut the bullshit,” Cooper snapped. “Get off my land.”

  Fletcher shook his head apologetically. “Afraid I can’t do that, Mr. Haith. We’ve need of some horses.”

  “There are other ranches,” Cooper replied.

  “Yes,” Fletcher agreed. “I’m actually surprised to see a white man running a ranch on tribal land.”

  “My great-grandmother was Piegan Blackfoot,” Cooper replied, with a shrug. “Why don’t you use dogs to track this fugitive?”

  “Because dogs can’t do what I can,” Everett said.

  Copper ignored him. “Like I said, you can bother other ranchers for horses.”

  “Not at this particular location.”

  Cooper frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Mock’s last GPS ping was at Cadence Falls,” Everett said. Cooper glanced at him and their eyes met. Held. Everett was a blank slate, not revealing anything he might be feeling or thinking. Once upon a time, they’d been able to share anything. As close as brothers.

  It was just one more thing that pissed him off.

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “So what, you provide all your inmates with cell phones?”

  “Trackers,” Fletcher corrected. “Under the skin. The last location was at Cadence Falls, which Officer Apisi tells me isn’t too far away.”

  “Not far at all,” Cooper replied grimly.

  “Excellent.” A satisfied gleam settled on Fletcher’s face. “We’ll need several horses, Mr. Haith—”

  “No,” Cooper said immediately. “I’ve got four wheelers you can use. Not my horses.”

  Everett shook his head. “Too noisy for this job. Mock would hear me coming and hide. We can’t use helicopters because of all the natural canopies. I’m afraid this job is all by hoof.”

  “Can I talk to you in private?” he asked Everett.

  Everett hadn’t even finished nodding before Cooper turned and marched away, not c
aring in the least if he followed. Actually, he did care. He needed to know why.

  When they were far enough away from Fletcher so as not to be overheard, Cooper turned and put his hands on his hips, tensing for a showdown.

  “What are you doing here, Everett?”

  Everett glanced at the mountains behind him. “My job.”

  “Bullshit!” he yelled, focusing Everett’s attention on him. “Not one God damn word in all these years and now you act like nothing matters?”

  “Finding Mock is all that matters right now,” Everett muttered. “But…once, you and Amanda were all that mattered to me.”

  “Again, I say you’re full of it. You walked away without looking back. Without once calling, or writing, or even leaving a fucking note. It destroyed her, Everett. It destroyed us.”

  His anger boiled over and without even realizing what he was doing, he struck out at Everett, pushing him in the chest with a mighty shove that caused him to stumble. That definitely knocked Everett off his emotional flat line. Before Cooper knew it, Everett was pushing him as well, causing him to flounder a few steps.

  “I did what I had to do, Coop!” He advanced, his face contorted with anger. “I saw the way she looked at you and you at her. You loved her.”

  “You loved her too,” he snarled. “Don’t even try to deny it.”

  “I’m not. I can’t!”

  “You asshole.” Cooper charged, taking a swing that Everett easily ducked. “She refused to have me without you, and that’s the reason why she’s not here now. That’s the reason I lost her!”

  Everett blinked. “But…I made it easy for you to have a normal relationship. I left—”

  Cooper took advantage of his distraction and swung his fist again. It landed on Everett’s chin and the man went down to one knee. The punch made him feel a hell of a lot better, even though his hand now ached like a motherfucker.

  Everett cupped his jaw. “I thought I was doing the right thing for both of you.”

  Cooper sighed and glanced at the endless big blue sky. The sun warmed his skin and the smell of the earth seeped into his bones. This was the only life he knew, living on the land, and all he’d ever want. He looked down at Everett, who still knelt on the ground, rubbing his face.