The scrape of the tailgate lowering caught his attention, and he turned to see Tessa climbing up into the bed of the truck.

“What are you doing?” he asked, no longer caring to be kept in the dark.

“Just get in, would ya?” she called to him as she proceeded to throw a blanket down into the bed of the truck.

That’s what she’d been carrying. Blankets and pillows. Oh, and a six pack of beer.

Would she ever cease to amaze him?

Cooper climbed up into the bed of the truck, waiting until she sat down on one side before he lowered himself beside her. She popped the cap on one of the beer bottles with the skill of a professional and then handed it over. He grabbed the bottle but never stopped looking at her.

“Now relax,” she commanded, fluffing one of the pillows up against the cab of the truck.

They both got situated, propping themselves up and staring out at the water.

Holy shit.

Out in front of him was nothing but darkness. Well, except for the white light of the giant moon as it reflected off of the black water.

“Perfect, ain’t it?” she asked, her voice quieter than before.

Cooper glanced over at her, thinking that she certainly was perfect. For him.

“I’m talking about the night, Cooper,” she said with a chuckle. “Now be quiet and just breathe.”

Cooper did as she instructed, drinking his beer and watching as the moon rose higher in the sky, the reflection on the pond shifting on the glassy water. Up above them, the stars shone brightly and the warm breeze moved through the trees. Aside from the rustling of branches and the sound of crickets, there wasn’t another sound.

So this was what peace was. A perfect night, a cold beer, and a beautiful woman. It was the antidote to all of the anger he’d built up just a short while ago. And exactly the place he felt he needed to be. After years on the road, nights spent in front of hundreds of people, singing his heart out, this was what actually filled Cooper with that peaceful serenity he’d been searching for.

He had no idea how much time had passed, but he didn’t budge until Tessa shifted beside him, setting her beer bottle down as she moved to lay flat in the bed of the truck. Cooper followed suit, getting comfortable beside her, their arms touching as they stared up at the sky.

“I used to love to sit outside under the stars. Ok, that’s not entirely true,” Tessa said quietly. “I still love it. There’s more light at my house, so the sky isn’t quite this clear from my yard. Sometimes I’ll grab a blanket and join Havoc and Harmony on the grass, just enjoying the peace and quiet.”

Cooper wasn’t sure he’d ever seen the sky so clear. A sea of black, dotted with bright stars and a brilliant moon overhead. He could imagine Tessa laying on a blanket beneath the stars, the two massive animals cuddled up to her side, seeking her protection and offering their own.

“This is what it means to slow down, Cooper,” Tessa told him, her head turning to the side. He turned his head to face her, utterly in awe of her.

“I could get used to this.” If she were beside him, Cooper was pretty sure he could get used to anything.

“Me too,” she admitted, her eyes never leaving his.

The only thing better would be if he had her in his arms. And honestly, now that the idea had planted itself in his brain, he couldn’t think about anything else.

Chapter Seventeen

Tessa’s heart was thumping against her ribs as she stared over at Cooper. Even in the darkness, his eyes glowed, and the way he was watching her made her chest swell with a strange feeling. One that she hadn’t felt in years. Not since…

Knowing that she was the one to bring him here, to show him the place she used to love to come and watch the stars and that he enjoyed it as much as she did… well, Tessa felt more complete than she had in a long time.

This particular spot was one she loved to visit, especially in the summer when the water was warm enough to get in. That was what she considered being the perfect night – skinny dipping under the stars, nothing to hinder her body or her mind.

When Cooper moved, propping himself on his side, and his warm hand cupped her face gently, Tessa wondered if tears would spring up to her eyes. Her emotions were running rampant, and the only thing she wanted right then was to be as close to this man as she possibly could. Only she couldn’t get the words out.

“Tessa.” The way he said her name sent a shiver across her skin, made her heart skip a beat or two as she waited anxiously to see what he was going to do or say next.

She hoped he could read her mind, could sense what she needed because she was sure if she had to ask him then she was going to lose a piece of herself that she so desperately wanted to keep securely in place.

When his mouth brushed over hers, Tessa slid her fingers into his hair, letting the warmth of him ground her. Whatever was happening between them right at that moment felt like something different. Something she wasn’t sure she wanted, but knew down deep that she needed.

It was a connection.

As his tongue caressed hers gently, easing into her mouth and tentatively exploring, she sighed. Keeping her touch gentle, she allowed the soft strands of his hair to tease her fingers while the heat of his chest seared her breast. The farther he leaned over her, the safer she felt, and she didn’t want his touch to disappear.

“God, Tessa,” he whispered against her mouth. “Darlin’, I –”

She had no idea what he was going to say, but she was grateful that he locked the words up tight. Right now, she just wanted to feel. Words weren’t needed. The moment was just right, his body was more than perfect against hers, and the lost look in his eyes told her that he was feeling the same thing she was.

When he managed to prop himself over her, one knee pressing between her thighs, she eased his t-shirt up and over his head, leaving her hands free to roam the taut, smooth skin of his chest. Her fingertips traced down his neck, over his collarbone, then over the muscled planes of his chest.

They were staring into one another’s eyes, neither of them saying anything, their mouths not searching for the other because their eyes were saying more than anything else possibly could. Tessa knew she wasn’t going to survive this experience with her heart intact. This man was quickly getting to her, embedding himself in her soul, which terrified her.

She reveled in the gentle scrape of his fingers as they deftly unhooked the buttons down the center of her blouse, moving ever so slowly. As each button escaped its mooring, his fingertips raised goose bumps on her sensitive flesh and her breath lodged in her throat.