Page 258 of Her Reluctant Hero
He dragged his hands over his face, his usual stalling tactic, still not believing he’d come to that decision. “Yeah. I mean it.”
“Let me just get dressed—”
“There might be something to be said for doing a naked interview,” he teased, needing a touch of humor after what felt like a momentous decision.
“Right.” She reached for her underwear and jeans, clearly not willing to give it a shot. Still, she moved with a lack of modesty he appreciated. “You’re just wanting a distraction.”
“Not me.” He rolled onto his side to watch her. Even the way she dressed was such a feminine task. He let himself enjoy the show, and she allowed him to, not speaking until she was decent.
“Are you going to get dressed?” She looked pointedly at him.
He folded his hands behind his head and leaned back on the mattress.
“Nope.”
“All right. Well, you know my first question.”
“I thought your first question might be what just happened here.” He sure had a question or two about those three little words. Still, he kept his tone teasing.
She dragged her eyes over his body with lazy approval. His instinct was to cover his reaction to her perusal, but he resisted. “I bet you’d prefer that off the record.”
“Oh, you shallow, shallow girl. Aren’t you going to get your notebook?”
Facing him, she sat cross-legged on the bed. “I can remember. And I believe you’ll be more comfortable talking if I’m not writing everything down.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I’d hate to be misquoted.”
She mimicked the expression. “You won’t be.”
“All right, the reporter question.” He took a deep breath, another delaying tactic. This memory he didn’t want to revisit, but he’d started this, he’d finish it. “Why I hate reporters.”
She drew one leg up and rested her chin on her knee. “You’re stalling.”
He grinned. “I know.”
“I think there’s a specific incident which caused this animosity, am I right?”
“Yeah.”
“Pulling teeth here, Cooper.”
“Okay.” He reached for his boxers on the floor, wanting just another moment. “Do you remember Angel Ridge?”
“Howard told me you were there.”
“Yeah, well, Howard has a big mouth.” This was not something he wanted to be discussing so soon after making love with her. The images—he didn’t want to sully the memory of Peyton with the memories of horrible death.
While his reluctance was nothing new to her, she gave him a minute before pressing. “He wanted to help me understand you.”
“So hearing this, it helps you understand me?”
“It made you the man you are.”
He couldn’t deny it. “All right. Anyway, Angel Ridge was a huge mess. The fire should have—could have—been put out days before. Do you know the story?”
She nodded. “Fourteen died.”
“The ones who escaped ran for their lives uphill. You know how it had to feel, you were there not long ago. Only they were running through brush and high grass. Shelters wouldn’t have saved them, there was no safety zone.”
