Page 68 of No More Spies

Having her sit next to him in the copilot’s seat had been…Well, it was his two favorite things together. Chocolate and peanut butter.Flying and Kala.

Now he wondered what she’d been thinking about the wholetime. What had she worked out in that magnificent brain of hers? She wouldn’ttalk about what his mother had said, waving him off with promises of notgetting her butt hurt. She’d been more willing to talk about a contract. He nowhad the right to hold her hand when she didn’t need it to stab someonewith—she’d insisted on the wording—and the right to sleep next to her when theywere in the same place at the same time. Because it was easier than making twobeds.

His girl was so fucking romantic.

“You thinking he could be in trouble?” The store owner wascoming around. It was clear Kala’s openness was winning him over.

Kala nodded. “I do. I think he’s in serious trouble, andhe’s my friend. I understand if you want to contact her and tell her we’recoming, but she could help us help him.”

“Oh, I can’t contact Joyce. When she goes off the grid,she’s really off the grid,” the man said. “But if I hear anything, I’ll letHenry here know and he can contact you.”

Henry had their sat number. “We’ll be monitoring thesituation from Bliss. If anyone needs help, we’ll be able to come in viachopper if we need to.”

“We aren’t going to need a chopper.” Kala stepped away fromthe van and picked up her kit. They’d carefully packed the night before, Kalachecking his twice. Not because she didn’t trust him, but because it was kindof her love language. Making sure he had the things he would need so she didn’tworry. Because she would worry. Now he wondered how worried she was about Zach.About the whole team.

Despite all the sex of the last few days, there wassomething brewing inside his baby. Some storm she wouldn’t talk about until itturned into a hurricane. He intended to calm that storm before it blew themboth away. “We’ll be fine.”

He picked up his pack and looked out over the trail. Itbegan behind the store and would take them into the Rockies. Henry had giventhem a map with the known trails, but both he and Kala knew they would be goingoff the beaten path. Henry and some of the citizens of Bliss had marked uppossible places where she could be camping. And there was a place theyshouldn’t go into because of alien mating practices. He hadn’t completelyunderstood what that old dude had been saying, but Kala had listened to him carefullyand promised she would allow no aliens to breach Cooper’s… Well, he was prettysure she’d been talking about his asshole when they’d discussed probing.

It was a weird place. He’d only been to this part of theworld a couple of times, when his parents had visited the Taggarts during thesummers they spent here. The family owned a cabin in Bliss, and Kala had gonewith her dad even after her sisters had stopped.

He’d missed her those summers.

And sometimes he’d been relieved because he didn’t have tobe “him” when she was around. His youthful self had enjoyed playing the popularkid who didn’t ask the hard questions, who didn’t have to feel the way shealways made him feel. Kala challenged him. She poked and prodded and forced himto be better. When he was younger it sometimes rankled. Now he understood howgood she was for him. How she made him a better man. Like his parents had donefor each other.

Now all he had to do was convince the most stubborn woman inthe world that he was good for her, too.

“We’re hiking the main trail to Big Meadows, and we’ll campthere tonight,” Kala explained. “I’ve talked to the park rangers and they’veagreed to help, but no one’s seen her since three days ago when she was campedout near Alberta Falls. We can get there in the morning and that’s where we’llstart. Thanks for the ride, Henry, and please tell your daughter I said hello.”

Henry snorted. “Really? We’re pretending I only have theone?”

Kala settled her big pack on her shoulders. “You have alovely daughter named Poppy, who is the best, and you somehow ended up withLucifer.”

Henry’s sigh spoke of long suffering as he turned to Cooper.“Lucy. Her name is Lucy. Lucy Brooke Flanders.She’s… Well, she’s actually a lot like Kala, so they don’t necessarilyget along. I’ll send her your well wishes.”

“For her hair to fall out,” Kala quipped.

“Well, that’s progress. The last time she hoped for Lucy toget stabbed. And offered to be the one to do it.” Henry slapped his shoulder ina manly fashion. “I’m going to have to go with Kala’s dad on this one. Wear acondom, man. Kids will kill you.”

“Lucifer certainly will,” Kala grumbled. Cooper wanted thatstory out of her, but it would have to wait because he planned on spending thistime they had together talking about the future. And the past.

They began down the trail.

Day One

Hours and hours later, Cooper settled in by the fire Kalahad made with a practiced hand. He’d passed all sorts of survival courses, gonecamping with his family, and learned how to survive, but Kala thrived out here.She seemed beautifully settled as she stared into the warm glow of the fire. Hestudied her profile, loving the strong line of her jaw.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

They’d had a shockingly good meal of rehydrated beef stew,and he’d learned Kala made it herself. She owned a dehydrator and apparentlytested out new recipes from time to time. It was a hell of a lot better thanthe prepackaged MREs he bought. He’d eaten the food she’d cooked and felt…takencare of. So often the people around her didn’t realize she was taking care ofthem in little ways. They only saw the warrior.

She settled back against the log they’d dragged over to forma sitting area. “I was thinking about trying this meatball recipe, but I’m notsure how well it’ll dry out. I was also wondering if it might not be fun to trya couple of recipes and have a dehydrated dinner party, but then Lucas wouldget all chef douche on me and stuff.”

“We could have a sub dinner,” Cooper offered. “You know theywould love to see you in a more relaxed setting.”

Her nose wrinkled. “I want to hate that idea.”

But she didn’t, and it gave him an excellent way to bringsome domesticity to their new paradigm. “We can have it at my place since itappears I’m living alone again. Nate was supposed to take over Aidan’s room. Ithought Zach might move in for a while.”

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