The One Real Thing (Hart's Boardwalk 1)

Left some food in the fridge for you in the kitchen, Sleeping Beauty. See you in the morning. B. xoxo.

God, I loved her.

I thought about going downstairs and getting the food, but I wasn’t really that hungry. Looking back at the clock, I considered my options. If I was quick, I could probably catch Cooper as he was closing up. We didn’t need to do another all-nighter, but maybe we could talk a little until I felt better.

I considered my wardrobe. The dress I’d been wearing was wrinkled badly from sleep.

“Screw it.” I didn’t have time to change.

Instead I threw on some flats and a sweater, grabbed my keys, and dashed quietly out of the silent inn. I hurried along the boardwalk, loving the soothing breeze that moved through my hair and caressed my flushed skin. The waves lapped gently to shore, and with them a sense of calm whispered up toward me.

I already felt better about my decision.

Seriously, the boardwalk was like some kind of seductive sentient being.

I laughed softly at the thought and tried to ignore the couple who looked at me like I was crazy as they strolled by.

There weren’t many people about at this time and it was more than kind of nice. The past few days, the boardwalk had been packed with people as the high season kicked in and, as cool as it was to see it so alive, I’d also missed the quiet.

My heart sank as I approached Cooper’s. The lights on his signage were switched off and the blinds were down on the windows and door.

Had I missed him?

I picked up my pace, hurrying to the front entrance.

I knocked hard. “Cooper, it’s me!” I called.

At the sound of heavy footsteps beyond the door, I relaxed. When he unlocked the door and opened it for me I relaxed even more.

I remembered back to when we first met and how I hadn’t seen him as the kind of guy I’d be attracted to. Sure, I’d thought, Wow, amazing blue eyes, but I hadn’t thought, Wow, he’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever met.

Now I was thinking, Wow, he’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever met ever.

Cooper gave me a bemused look but stepped aside to let me in. “You okay?” he said as he locked up behind me.

Most of the lights in the bar had been turned off.

I suddenly felt bad for imposing on him. “You were heading home. I should let you head home. You’ll be tired.”

“I’m fine,” he said. “Are you?”

“I just woke up.”

“You want a drink?”

“Water, please.”

All the chairs had been placed on the tabletops. I pulled one down and sat up on the table with my feet on the chair. Less than a minute later I had a glass of water in my hand and Cooper was leaning against the bar, watching me.

“It’s been some day for you, Doc.”

I gave a little laugh. “I’ll say.”

“You still freaking out?”

Staring at him, just being with him, I had the overwhelming realization that I wasn’t freaking out and all evidence was suggesting his presence was the reason. “I was. Until I got here.”

Cooper’s eyes warmed.

I smiled before taking a sip of my water, studying him as he studied me. Those blue eyes of his traveled over me, lingering on my legs awhile, before slowly making their way back up to my face.

My breasts suddenly felt too tight against the fabric of my dress.

I finished the water and moved to get up.

“Don’t move.” The way his voice had turned suddenly deep held me captive.

He approached me slowly, carefully, and I felt my heart rate start to speed up as I waited for his next move.

I knew what move I wanted him to make and also suddenly realized that I’d come here for more than reassurance. I’d come here because I’d woken up turned on after a sexy dream about him.

Cooper gently took the water glass from me. “Stay right where you are,” he demanded.

His tone brooked no argument and the heat in his eyes and his serious expression were an incredibly hot combination.

My breathing grew shallow as he strolled casually back to the bar to deposit the glass and then he turned back, his gaze burning through me.

“Cooper?” I whispered, somehow unable to raise my voice, fearing if I did I’d put a stop to whatever was about to happen.

He prowled toward me, his eyes never leaving my face. He stopped, his body pressed against the back of the chair my feet were on. “I had a dream about you a few nights ago.”

There was a flip deep and low in my belly and an answering tingle between my thighs . . . because there was no mistaking what kind of dream he’d had. The sexual hunger in his expression told me everything.

My God.

I’d never had a man look at me like that before.

He made me want to strip off my dress then and there and let him feast on me.

“We were alone. In my bar,” he continued, carefully moving the chair out from between us so that I had no choice but to scoot forward and plant my feet on the ground. “And you were on a table just like this.” He moved closer and goose bumps rose up all over my arms as his fingertips trailed across the bare skin of my thigh. Cooper gently pressed against the inside of my legs there and moved into the space he’d created.

“Cooper,” I murmured, my chest rising and falling quickly. I stared up at him, completely open to whatever he wanted to have happen next because at that moment my body was on fire for him. I wanted him to help me escape all the seriousness of the decisions I’d made that day. some food in the fridge for you in the kitchen, Sleeping Beauty. See you in the morning. B. xoxo.

God, I loved her.

I thought about going downstairs and getting the food, but I wasn’t really that hungry. Looking back at the clock, I considered my options. If I was quick, I could probably catch Cooper as he was closing up. We didn’t need to do another all-nighter, but maybe we could talk a little until I felt better.

I considered my wardrobe. The dress I’d been wearing was wrinkled badly from sleep.

“Screw it.” I didn’t have time to change.

Instead I threw on some flats and a sweater, grabbed my keys, and dashed quietly out of the silent inn. I hurried along the boardwalk, loving the soothing breeze that moved through my hair and caressed my flushed skin. The waves lapped gently to shore, and with them a sense of calm whispered up toward me.

I already felt better about my decision.

Seriously, the boardwalk was like some kind of seductive sentient being.

I laughed softly at the thought and tried to ignore the couple who looked at me like I was crazy as they strolled by.

There weren’t many people about at this time and it was more than kind of nice. The past few days, the boardwalk had been packed with people as the high season kicked in and, as cool as it was to see it so alive, I’d also missed the quiet.

My heart sank as I approached Cooper’s. The lights on his signage were switched off and the blinds were down on the windows and door.

Had I missed him?

I picked up my pace, hurrying to the front entrance.

I knocked hard. “Cooper, it’s me!” I called.

At the sound of heavy footsteps beyond the door, I relaxed. When he unlocked the door and opened it for me I relaxed even more.

I remembered back to when we first met and how I hadn’t seen him as the kind of guy I’d be attracted to. Sure, I’d thought, Wow, amazing blue eyes, but I hadn’t thought, Wow, he’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever met.

Now I was thinking, Wow, he’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever met ever.

Cooper gave me a bemused look but stepped aside to let me in. “You okay?” he said as he locked up behind me.

Most of the lights in the bar had been turned off.

I suddenly felt bad for imposing on him. “You were heading home. I should let you head home. You’ll be tired.”

“I’m fine,” he said. “Are you?”

“I just woke up.”

“You want a drink?”

“Water, please.”

All the chairs had been placed on the tabletops. I pulled one down and sat up on the table with my feet on the chair. Less than a minute later I had a glass of water in my hand and Cooper was leaning against the bar, watching me.

“It’s been some day for you, Doc.”

I gave a little laugh. “I’ll say.”

“You still freaking out?”

Staring at him, just being with him, I had the overwhelming realization that I wasn’t freaking out and all evidence was suggesting his presence was the reason. “I was. Until I got here.”

Cooper’s eyes warmed.

I smiled before taking a sip of my water, studying him as he studied me. Those blue eyes of his traveled over me, lingering on my legs awhile, before slowly making their way back up to my face.

My breasts suddenly felt too tight against the fabric of my dress.

I finished the water and moved to get up.

“Don’t move.” The way his voice had turned suddenly deep held me captive.

He approached me slowly, carefully, and I felt my heart rate start to speed up as I waited for his next move.

I knew what move I wanted him to make and also suddenly realized that I’d come here for more than reassurance. I’d come here because I’d woken up turned on after a sexy dream about him.

Cooper gently took the water glass from me. “Stay right where you are,” he demanded.

His tone brooked no argument and the heat in his eyes and his serious expression were an incredibly hot combination.

My breathing grew shallow as he strolled casually back to the bar to deposit the glass and then he turned back, his gaze burning through me.

“Cooper?” I whispered, somehow unable to raise my voice, fearing if I did I’d put a stop to whatever was about to happen.

He prowled toward me, his eyes never leaving my face. He stopped, his body pressed against the back of the chair my feet were on. “I had a dream about you a few nights ago.”

There was a flip deep and low in my belly and an answering tingle between my thighs . . . because there was no mistaking what kind of dream he’d had. The sexual hunger in his expression told me everything.

My God.

I’d never had a man look at me like that before.

He made me want to strip off my dress then and there and let him feast on me.

“We were alone. In my bar,” he continued, carefully moving the chair out from between us so that I had no choice but to scoot forward and plant my feet on the ground. “And you were on a table just like this.” He moved closer and goose bumps rose up all over my arms as his fingertips trailed across the bare skin of my thigh. Cooper gently pressed against the inside of my legs there and moved into the space he’d created.

“Cooper,” I murmured, my chest rising and falling quickly. I stared up at him, completely open to whatever he wanted to have happen next because at that moment my body was on fire for him. I wanted him to help me escape all the seriousness of the decisions I’d made that day.