The One Real Thing (Hart's Boardwalk 1)

Cooper.

I contemplated turning around, but just at that moment he looked in my direction.

My stubborn pride refused to allow me to be deterred from my calming, soothing, relaxing walk on the beach because of him.

I kept walking toward him.

The woman appeared to be chatting to Cooper as he played with her dog, and the closer I got to them, I realized there were a lot of flirty grins being exchanged.

My stomach flipped unpleasantly.

See, I told myself, this is why you don’t complicate things. 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 meant so I decided to go with a nod of hello and keep walking.

As I passed I heard the woman say, “We should have dinner again. Maybe tonight?”

Disappointment flooded me as I picked up speed, not wanting to hear his answer. So Golden Retriever Woman was one of his “women.” I got it. And the night before, he’d been trying to add me to the list.

Jerk.

“Well, that was a little rude.”

I jumped as he suddenly appeared at my side. He wore a T-shirt and jogging pants, 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 smug.

“It did not bother me.”

“Leanne is just a friend.”

“Yeah. Right. Like the kind of friend you wanted me to be last night.”

“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 seeing me home,” I added, not wanting to 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?”

“Home. You said that last night, 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 with warmth in his eyes and with him all sweaty, his T-shirt clinging to his muscles, I was suddenly very aware of how big and masculine he was.

My fantasy came flooding back and I flushed. “You can go back to running now, if you want.”

He grinned. “I will. But first . . . I was thinking just because you have a man doesn’t mean we can’t be friends, right?”

Confused by his sudden change of demeanor I had to wonder if this was a trick. But why would a guy like Cooper, who could get practically any woman he wanted, have to resort to tricking me into spending time with him? And if it wasn’t a trick could I risk the temptation? Being friends meant interacting with him for the rest of my vacation. That wasn’t a lot of days, but it was enough.

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 kick myself for bringing it 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 town wouldn’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 made that a rule I’d have very few places to go 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 time with this man when I was fantasizing about spending naked time with this man. “Great. I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Great.” He threw me that sexy, crooked, and now cocky grin as he started to jog backward. “See you tomorrow, Doc.”

I stared after him as he turned and began jogging in the opposite direction.

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

“Thanks for letting me spend the morning here,” I said to Emery as I stopped at the front desk of the bookstore on my way out. r.

I contemplated turning around, but just at that moment he looked in my direction.

My stubborn pride refused to allow me to be deterred from my calming, soothing, relaxing walk on the beach because of him.

I kept walking toward him.

The woman appeared to be chatting to Cooper as he played with her dog, and the closer I got to them, I realized there were a lot of flirty grins being exchanged.

My stomach flipped unpleasantly.

See, I told myself, this is why you don’t complicate things. 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 meant so I decided to go with a nod of hello and keep walking.

As I passed I heard the woman say, “We should have dinner again. Maybe tonight?”

Disappointment flooded me as I picked up speed, not wanting to hear his answer. So Golden Retriever Woman was one of his “women.” I got it. And the night before, he’d been trying to add me to the list.

Jerk.

“Well, that was a little rude.”

I jumped as he suddenly appeared at my side. He wore a T-shirt and jogging pants, 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 smug.

“It did not bother me.”

“Leanne is just a friend.”

“Yeah. Right. Like the kind of friend you wanted me to be last night.”

“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 seeing me home,” I added, not wanting to 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?”

“Home. You said that last night, 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 with warmth in his eyes and with him all sweaty, his T-shirt clinging to his muscles, I was suddenly very aware of how big and masculine he was.

My fantasy came flooding back and I flushed. “You can go back to running now, if you want.”

He grinned. “I will. But first . . . I was thinking just because you have a man doesn’t mean we can’t be friends, right?”

Confused by his sudden change of demeanor I had to wonder if this was a trick. But why would a guy like Cooper, who could get practically any woman he wanted, have to resort to tricking me into spending time with him? And if it wasn’t a trick could I risk the temptation? Being friends meant interacting with him for the rest of my vacation. That wasn’t a lot of days, but it was enough.

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 kick myself for bringing it 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 town wouldn’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 made that a rule I’d have very few places to go 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 time with this man when I was fantasizing about spending naked time with this man. “Great. I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Great.” He threw me that sexy, crooked, and now cocky grin as he started to jog backward. “See you tomorrow, Doc.”

I stared after him as he turned and began jogging in the opposite direction.

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

“Thanks for letting me spend the morning here,” I said to Emery as I stopped at the front desk of the bookstore on my way out.