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I conte around, but just at that moment he looked in my direction

My stubborn pride refused to allowwalk on the beach because of him

I kept walking toward him

The wo to Cooper as he played with her dog, and the closer I got to theed

My stomach flipped unpleasantly

See, I told s It’s not like you’re any different to him than any other woman

I was nearing him when I started to panic

Should I say hello and keep walking?

Should I stop to say hello?

Cooper looked up at me as the woman continued to talk and I couldn’t work out what his expression

As I passed I heard the woht?”

Disappoint to hear his answer So Golden Retriever Woht before, he’d been trying to add me to the list

Jerk

“Well, that was a little rude”

I jumped as he suddenly appeared atpants, and the T-shirt was soaked with sweat “Do you ever sleep?” I blurted out, thinking about how late he worked, how early he apparently rose, and the myriad of women in his bed rotation

He ignored my question “Why didn’t you stop to say hello?”

I scowled out at the water “You were busy I didn’t want to interrupt”

“What if I wanted you to interrupt?”

I snorted and smirked up at him “Oh, you really looked like you wanted me to interrupt”

Cooper’s blue, blue eyes lit up “You’re jealous”

Infuriated, I could barely get the words out at first “Jealous? What? Why I would be jealous?”

“You thought I was flirting and it bothered you,” he said, looking s

“It did not bother me”

“Leanne is just a friend”

“Yeah Right Like the kind of friend you wanted ht”

“I had intended only to walk you back to the inn last night What happened—”

“Shouldn’t have You’re right But thank you for seeingto be impolite since apparently his intentions had been honorable

So what had the parting shot meant? This isn’t over, Doc

“Home?” Cooper said

“Sorry?”

“Hoht, too You called the inn ‘home’”

I blinked, surprised, not even realizing I’d done that “A slip I meant back to my room Thank you”

“You’re welcome”

He stared down at me ar to hisand masculine he was

My fantasy ca now, if you want”

He grinned “I will But firstI was thinking just because you have a ht?”

Confused by his sudden change of deuy like Cooper, who could get practically any wo time with hi friendswith him for the rest of h

I stared into his rugged face, getting caught in those blue eyes

“Right,” I said

Oh, crap

“It’s my day off tomorrow Have you been to the fun park yet?”

“The fun park?”

Cooper recognized the uncertainty on my face “We’re in our thirties, not dead”

I laughed at his teasing, totally surprised that Mr Flannel, alpha man, bar owner extraordinaire, wanted to take me to a fun park “What about the Devlins?”

His expression grew serious and I wanted to kickit up “Bailey filled you in”

“Just a little,” I hurried to assure him

“Don’t worry She didn’t tell you anything the rest of the toouldn’t fill you in on sooner or later”

“Right Small town I just didn’t think you would want to spend time at one of their establishments”

“If I o to in this town They own a lot of real estate”

“So I’ve been told” I studied him, not completely convinced by his offer of friendship “You really want to spend the day at a fun park with me?”

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t,” he said, all gruff about it

It was kind of cute and hot at the same time How’d he do that?

Damn

I should not spend ti naked time with this man “Great I’ll see you tomorrow then”

“Great” He threwbackward “See you tomorrow, Doc”

I stared after hi in the opposite direction

“What are you doing, Doc?” I murmured to myself

“Thanks for lettinghere,” I said to Emery as I stopped at the front desk of the bookstore on my way out