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No as Dana taking this happy moment away from him

“Everything’s great, Doc” He threw off the sheet “Let et you back to the inn” She was far too te in his doorway He pressed into her instead of passing her by and stole a sweet kiss from her Cooper loved how she just melted into him at the first touch “You sure you don’t want to shoith me?”

She caught her bottom lip with her teeth and reluctantly shook her head as her hands explored his chest “I shouldn’t”

“You should do whatever you want”

“If I get in the shoith you, I’ll make us late”

That sounded too good to pass up

Cooper took hold of the hem of her dress and drew it up over her head Jessica raised her arms to help him relieve her of the fabric He threw the dress in the direction of the bed and then scooped her up into his arms

Jessica whooped with surprised laughter and wrapped her arms around his neck

Pure joy shone out of her big hazel eyes as he carried her back into the bathrooently on her feet in his shower

When he got in beside her,her out of the way of the water—because it ca cold before it turned hot—and conveniently placing her up against the wall, she said, “Bestever, Coop”

Those four little words ht with a warm ache

“Yeah,” he ue with that”

There were only a few occasions when Cooper had been late getting to the bar to open up, but each of those times he’d been able to rely on Jace to open the place Jace had worked as a bartender at the pub for the last five years and had a key

Sure enough, after Cooper dropped off Jessica at the inn and then pulled into the parking lot behind his bar, he saw Jace’s and Crosby’s trucks parked there

He was really late

But damn it had been worth it

He grinned as he walked around front instead of going in the back door through the kitchen When Crosby was setting up he liked peace and quiet In fact, Crosby liked peace and quiet, period His least favorite time of year was the current busy season because Cooper always hired another cook to help him out

The grin Cooper wore immediately died when he stepped inside his bar Dana was sitting on a stool, s to Jace They both looked up at his entrance, Dana’s eyes lighting up at the sight of hi

Jace had the good sense to look concerned

“Back roo Dana completely

His bartender reluctantly followed him into his office

“Look, Coop, before you saying anything, you knoas angrier than anyone for what Dana pulled on you, but I found her outside and she was crying, man She really seems like she knows she’s fucked up”

“Jesus Christ, Jace” Cooper glowered at his idiocy “That woman is the most manipulative person I’ve ever met Do you want to knohy she’s really here?”

Jace crossed his ar uncomfortable

“She’s here because word reached her that I’ Jessica She knows I’vethat first”

“Fuck,” Jacemore than a little sheepish

Cooper walked over to hiive you once for letting her into e I was stupid enough to let , Jace: Dana is beautiful and she can be sweetbut then she gets her hooks in you and that all turns to shit pretty quick”

“Coop, I’m sorry, man”

“Wait here while I get rid of her” He sighed, not looking forward to that task, especially pissed that she’d have to ruin the besttime

“Cooper,” she said breathily as he walked back into the bar She stood up fro with more than a little annoyance

It was a tight-fitting white summer dress that contrasted with her even tan She wore it edged heels hite ties that wrapped around her slim ankles The first day she’d walked into their kitchen wearing that outfit he’d been so taken by her beauty he’d ht there and made her promise to wear that dress only for him in the future

But that was back when he thought the passion between theh

Now the sight of her left hi more

He ignored her intended ht now”

Dana hurried over to hi him when he warned her with his stern expression to not even dare “LookI stopped co around because I knew you needed er Cooper, you have to kno deeply sorry I a adrift frootthat I can’t even believe that I did” She begged hiive me Please I miss you so much”

Cooper wasn’t sure he didn’t believe her The -him part After all, he had taken care of her Dana didn’t have to worry about being an adult with adult responsibilities when he was around He felt almost sorry for her now She was a woht now she was so busy seething at the idea of so what she considered hers she couldn’t see far enough in front of her to realize there were any number of stupidthis happy moment away from him