Playing With Trouble (Desire Bay 1)

She didn’t know when he’d come in, but he didn’t take his eyes off her from across the room.

“I was just going to sit,” Laura said, hoping to put some distance between her and Gabe and his flirty smile. Crap. Flirting was bad. He took a step in her direction as if joining her uninvited, but the radio on his uniform went off.

“Copy that,” Gabe said into the radio on his shoulder. “I’ve got to run out.”

“Serving and protecting,” Laura said in understanding.

He kissed her cheeks and squeezed her hand. “I’m glad you’re back. It’s been a long time.” He let her hand fall, and Laura couldn’t shake the look in his eyes. Like there was a lot more Gabe wanted to say to her. But her capacity for handling men tonight was maxed out. “I’ll call you,” he said loudly as he left, and Laura’s cheeks heated.

This was not good. Especially since she wasn’t dating and she didn’t owe explanations to anyone, but she had to get away from the scrutiny of Jake’s gaze.

Laura moved to a small table near the corner. At least this way, no one was openly staring anymore and she could hide in the shadows a bit.

When she glanced around, she realized that most of the patrons were friendly and enjoying themselves.

Tipping back her glass, she drank down her mixed drink in record time.

Hannah nodded at her from across the room, and Laura nodded back, holding up her empty glass. She was going to need a few more before she not only felt the overwhelming chaos of today fade, but the chilling heat Jacob left behind earlier today disappear.

Jake had walked into the bar ten minutes ago, and the first thing he’d seen was Deputy Gabe making moves on Laura. Figured. Thank God he saw his buddy Cal sitting on the corner stool so he could do his best to stay interested in what Cal was saying instead of staring Laura down.

Gabe had kissed her cheek. Which pissed Jake off. He’d felt her skin beneath his lips. Where Jake had been so damn close to her heat he could still feel it. And good thing Gabe had left when he had—Jake was ready to go over there and be a nuisance because he was . . . well, he wasn’t jealous. Hell, he’d outgrown Gabe years ago. But this wasn’t about size or build or the fact that Gabe had been captain of the football team once upon a time. He was just curious, was all. Because hadn’t Laura just said that she wasn’t dating? Did that include not dating Gabe? Because yeah, he’d heard her give him her number.

“Took you long enough,” Cal said, sliding him a beer just as Jake sat down.

“Sorry, got held up.” By held up, he meant that he’d stared down a super-sexy, super-pissed-off Miss Baughman in nothing but a towel and he’d needed a few minutes to recover from that experience. But he’d made it. And Friday night or not, it was business as usual. Because Cal wasn’t just his friend, he was on the board of Custom Cabin Construction and the main manager on the ground who was overseeing the building of a new subdivision of log cabins.

“Still looking for a lumber supplier,” Cal said.

“I haven’t even taken a drink of my beer yet and already you’re after me again?” Jake asked.

“I just don’t get your problem, Lock. This is major money and a major project I’m throwing at you. And you keep giving me the brush-off.”

“I’m not brushing you off, I’m telling you no.”

“You have a thing against money and success?” Cal asked.

“Not at all. I just know my business. And while I’d love to be your lumber supplier, your big subdivision endeavor would tie up supplies and manpower for the next six months. I already have a customer base, and I can’t take away from them.”

“Then expand! Hire more people, order more lumber. I want you on my team.”

“It’s not that simple and you know it.” And judging by the look on his friend’s face, yeah, he did know it. Jake had a good thing going with the business. But Yachats was a small town. It wasn’t like he could hire someone to take his place tomorrow and more men to oversee all the work. “And I won’t leave Baughman.”

“Yeah, no shit. You’re never going to leave that place. This is the chance to work on something that’s yours. Has your name on it. And you’re staying at Baughman. It’s six months. And I have steady contracts. Come be the foreman for yourself.”

“It’s still your gig,” Jake said.

“Our gig. I’m the architect. You’re the hands. This is your baby if you want it.”

“I don’t,” Jake said. Sure, the idea of something for himself was appealing. But he loved Walt and Baughman, and the warehouse was his baby because he’d built it that way. He just didn’t have the last name Baughman . . .

“I’m still holding out for you,” Cal said. “I have time. I just need you to see reason.”

Jake shook his head and smiled. His buddy had been captain of the debate team back in the day and had a knack for getting his way. But Jake was set in his decision. The smart move was to keep the business he had. Stable. Successful. Reliable. He didn’t need to compromise that. And he didn’t need to outsource his job at Baughman to take six months off to work on this new endeavor. Especially since Walt was looking to retire for real. Jake needed to be there to take over.

Solid, steady wins the race. No flashy, no crazy, no risk.

He glanced at Laura.