to end as
quickly as possible. Stewart had known
exactly what to say to get to me, and I felt
like an idiot for trying to one up her. Now
the only thing I’d think about during my
lesson with Cooper was whether or not he
was sleeping with my probation officer’s
sister.
At least that would keep my mind
away from the money in my account and
what disasters I could blow it on.
The meeting with Stewart lasted
another few minutes, and then she set up
our next appointment—in a month on, no
surprise, my birthday. As she walked me
toward the front of the building, she turned
to me and said, “I called Dave to verify
your community service hours this
morning and he said you haven’t checked
in yet.”
When I didn’t reply, instead feigning
interest in a tattooed guy slurping down
water at the fountain outside of the
bathroom and sweating profusely, Stewart
handed me a business card with an
address scribbled on the back.
“I’ve set you up an appointment with
him, today at noon.” She shrugged and
gave me a little smile. “Just so you can
meet him.”
“I’ve got a surf lesson,” I said
automatically, and her polite smile
faltered a bit.
“I’m sure Cooper will understand.
He’s the best, after all.”
Right. The best. With her fucking
sister.
But when I gulped in the taste of fresh
air a few minutes later, not sparing the
probation office another glance as I rushed
to the Kia, I didn’t know what Cooper
would think. Yesterday during our lesson,
he’d been quiet, focused only on work.
There had been no flirting, very little
touching, and I’d found myself confused
and wanting both.
Today, the moment I stepped into the
front of his shop and he gave me a
dizzying smile from behind the counter
where he was going through a surfboard
catalogue with a couple around my parents
age, I realized I would leave just as
frustrated as I’d been yesterday.
“Give me a few,” he mouthed,
gesturing his head to the back of the house.
I nodded. I walked out to the deck, where
I began stripping down to my suit.
I was unbuckling my high, wedged
Steve Madden sandals when I heard him
come outside. I didn’t immediately
acknowledge him, but I could feel the heat
from his gaze running from my ankles, and
up my bare legs. When I felt it skim past
my breasts, I lifted my chin. If he was
ashamed at being caught watching me, he
didn’t show it. Instead, I was the one who
blushed all over as I folded my sundress
into neat creases and sat it on the deck
bench.
“I’m impressed, Wills. You’re on time
and I didn’t even have to ca—”
I cut him off. “I’ve got to leave early
today.”
I expected a smart-ass “would-you-
leave-shooting-with-Dickson-early”
response, but he slid down on the bench
next to me, draping his arm around the
wooden handrail, and looked into my
eyes. “You’re alright, aren’t you?” There
was a genuine concern in his voice that
caught me off guard. Nodding, I tucked a
loose strand of hair behind my ear,
suddenly conscious of his scent—coconut
and sunblock.
My voice was husky when I said, “I
had my first probation meeting this
morning with Officer Stewart.” I paused
to let her name sink in for him, but his
expression didn’t change and his body
stayed relaxed. “I’ve got to go meet my
community service boss this afternoon.”
He nodded his head slowly and started
to drag his shirt over his head. “What
time?”
“Noon.”
He half-laughed, half-groaned,
shrugging his shirt back down. I gave him
a blank look and he said, “Then why did
you have your bodyguard drop you off?
It’s 10:45 now.”
Honestly? Because I hadn’t paid the
slightest bit of attention to the time. I’d
been too rattled by the meeting with
Stewart and the money in my account. I
reached for my bag where I’d slid it under
the bench. “I’ll call Miller and—”
Cooper’s hand closed around my
wrist. A shiver
quickly as possible. Stewart had known
exactly what to say to get to me, and I felt
like an idiot for trying to one up her. Now
the only thing I’d think about during my
lesson with Cooper was whether or not he
was sleeping with my probation officer’s
sister.
At least that would keep my mind
away from the money in my account and
what disasters I could blow it on.
The meeting with Stewart lasted
another few minutes, and then she set up
our next appointment—in a month on, no
surprise, my birthday. As she walked me
toward the front of the building, she turned
to me and said, “I called Dave to verify
your community service hours this
morning and he said you haven’t checked
in yet.”
When I didn’t reply, instead feigning
interest in a tattooed guy slurping down
water at the fountain outside of the
bathroom and sweating profusely, Stewart
handed me a business card with an
address scribbled on the back.
“I’ve set you up an appointment with
him, today at noon.” She shrugged and
gave me a little smile. “Just so you can
meet him.”
“I’ve got a surf lesson,” I said
automatically, and her polite smile
faltered a bit.
“I’m sure Cooper will understand.
He’s the best, after all.”
Right. The best. With her fucking
sister.
But when I gulped in the taste of fresh
air a few minutes later, not sparing the
probation office another glance as I rushed
to the Kia, I didn’t know what Cooper
would think. Yesterday during our lesson,
he’d been quiet, focused only on work.
There had been no flirting, very little
touching, and I’d found myself confused
and wanting both.
Today, the moment I stepped into the
front of his shop and he gave me a
dizzying smile from behind the counter
where he was going through a surfboard
catalogue with a couple around my parents
age, I realized I would leave just as
frustrated as I’d been yesterday.
“Give me a few,” he mouthed,
gesturing his head to the back of the house.
I nodded. I walked out to the deck, where
I began stripping down to my suit.
I was unbuckling my high, wedged
Steve Madden sandals when I heard him
come outside. I didn’t immediately
acknowledge him, but I could feel the heat
from his gaze running from my ankles, and
up my bare legs. When I felt it skim past
my breasts, I lifted my chin. If he was
ashamed at being caught watching me, he
didn’t show it. Instead, I was the one who
blushed all over as I folded my sundress
into neat creases and sat it on the deck
bench.
“I’m impressed, Wills. You’re on time
and I didn’t even have to ca—”
I cut him off. “I’ve got to leave early
today.”
I expected a smart-ass “would-you-
leave-shooting-with-Dickson-early”
response, but he slid down on the bench
next to me, draping his arm around the
wooden handrail, and looked into my
eyes. “You’re alright, aren’t you?” There
was a genuine concern in his voice that
caught me off guard. Nodding, I tucked a
loose strand of hair behind my ear,
suddenly conscious of his scent—coconut
and sunblock.
My voice was husky when I said, “I
had my first probation meeting this
morning with Officer Stewart.” I paused
to let her name sink in for him, but his
expression didn’t change and his body
stayed relaxed. “I’ve got to go meet my
community service boss this afternoon.”
He nodded his head slowly and started
to drag his shirt over his head. “What
time?”
“Noon.”
He half-laughed, half-groaned,
shrugging his shirt back down. I gave him
a blank look and he said, “Then why did
you have your bodyguard drop you off?
It’s 10:45 now.”
Honestly? Because I hadn’t paid the
slightest bit of attention to the time. I’d
been too rattled by the meeting with
Stewart and the money in my account. I
reached for my bag where I’d slid it under
the bench. “I’ll call Miller and—”
Cooper’s hand closed around my
wrist. A shiver
Similar Books
