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“Maybe Or maybe he just respects her He was also raised in a world whereMaybe he just doesn’t take too kindly to so a woman that he knows”

“I is And more,” I insisted

“Why do you care if Tremaine likes Bailey? Bailey has Tom”

This was true And she see lukewarer on it Also, I didn’t think he was as supportive as he could be about the inn Bailey was under pressure as it was and he co hard

All I kneas that Bailey Hartas one of the most special people I’d ever met and I wanted her to have what I had with Cooper

Excitement

Thrill

An adventure

I didn’t kno to answer his question without saying all of that to him, so I wrapped my other hand around his elbow and leanedto the uitars for Joey, anted to branch out after the failed piano audition a feeeks back

I felt the soft touch of Cooper’s kiss on the side of my head “Leave them be, Doc”

Doc

He hadn’t called me that in a while

I nodded, s

“Cooper” An older man had stepped out of the doorway of a fish and tackle store and was now striding toward us “How are you?”

“Dr Duggan” Cooper nodded “I’ood How are you?”

I tensed against Cooper I’dthe mayor and Kell Summers and his partner, Jake I had not, however, met the local doctor

“Oh, trying to sneak in the hobby while I can It’s not easy ith the practice the way it is” He san”

I shook his hand politely “Jessica”

He nodded and his hand tightened ever so slightly “The doctor who sent Anita to me”

“Yes How is she?” Archie hadn’t been into Cooper’s n for him, but had no idea what it meant for Anita

His expression turned grim “It’s a hard battle for her, but it would have been even harder if you hadn’t gotten her to come see me when you did”

I was struck mute at what to say because the topic of medicine wasn’t exactly an easy one for me at the moment

“Actually”—he stepped a little closer—“I’hter left my practice recently and we are in need of another doctor You are ton”

My pulse started to race at the offer

I was not going to lie, I was tempted to jump up and down and scream, “Yes!”

The inn was fun On good days But Ito deal with obnoxious custoed with complex medical ailments Of course I’d had to deal with obnoxious patients (mostly their faer picture

The proble or just being challenged in general Did I uilty aboutsomeone who helped people?

“Thank you, Dr Duggan,” I said finally “I will keep it in mind”

“Good” He gave me a sharp nod and smiled at Cooper “I’m pleased for you, son” He clapped hiood-bye

As atched him stride away, I leaned in to Cooper “People are nice here, Coop”

“Yeah” He looked at me in a way that I knewthe job offer

However, he didn’t ask

In fact, since our argument and the resultant passionate encounter afterward, Cooper hadn’t askedup on him

The questions ht as well have been, because all that the silence did was remind us of my secretiveness And just like that, the thick tension crept up between us

When we reached the o of my hand

I tried not to be paranoid about it

He needed his other hand to look at guitars, after all

But the sudden emotional distance between us made me want to freak out

So I followed hiuitars without acknowledging ht his hand in ain

I waited, anxious

He turned to look at an to creep into his eyes “After this, we’re going back to my place”

My breath grew suddenly shallow “We are?”

“Yeah” He leaned down to murmur in my ear, “I want you on your hands and knees”

“My hands and knees,” I whispered This was also beco a familiar response to my emotional distance Sex

He pulled back and there was more than a hint of the devil in his eyes I wondered if this was his way of punishingup to him

“Soakedat least I have that from you”

It was possible this was Cooper’s way of controlling a situation he had no control over If he couldn’t have ainst my passion for him o;Maybe Or maybe he just respects her He was also raised in a world whereMaybe he just doesn’t take too kindly to so a woman that he knows”