Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
“I’m only here on vacation,” I remind him. Actually, it’s myself I’m reminding.
“Then you have nothing to lose,” he points out.
My only other plan for tonight was to write a hot love scene and if Wally’s time estimate will be anything to go by, I definitely have time for a date. It might even inspire my love scene. I nearly snort at the idea. Like I’ll be getting naked with him. I’ve never gotten naked with anyone. At this rate, I’ve started to wonder if I’ll ever lose my V-card.
He seems to sense my mind is made up because he gives me a sexy wink. “I’ll pick you up this afternoon.”
Before I can answer, Patty calls his name. He pays for his coffee and the scone that he’ll probably just sniff. He whistles as he goes out the door, and I can only watch him leave. The man looks good coming and going in that tight fitting uniform that’s perfectly sculpted to his tight ass.
“Brock is a good guy,” Patty says, oblivious to my dirty thoughts.
I’m tempted to ask her how she knows then decide I may not want to hear the answer. For all I know, Brock dates his way through the visiting tourists and I’m just another name that will be added to the roster.
4
BROCK
I’ve just relaxed into my chair at the office when Piper comes bounding into the room. She doesn’t bother to knock, a leftover from our childhood. I guess some things never change no matter how old you get.
“I heard you had a cheesecake Danish for me.” She does that thing where she bats her eyelashes. She’s ten years younger than me which means she’s always had me wrapped around her finger.
I pass her the bag from the bakery and take a sip of my too strong coffee. I don’t care much for Patty’s coffee but the thing about a town where you know everybody is that you learn to keep your opinions to yourself when it comes to the small things.
Piper plops into the chair across from my desk and takes a big bite out of the pastry. “I also heard you have a date.”
Dammit, small town living sucks. This is why I spent years in the big city where no one knew my name or asked questions about my dating life. It was easier that way.
I grunt and shake the mouse for my aging computer.
“The description of the woman matched a certain tourist you called in earlier.”
“Don’t you ever have work to do?” I grumble at her. The truth is, Piper is probably the hardest worker this station has ever seen. Even before she officially came on as a dispatcher, she was here helping out every afternoon.
“I can’t believe you have a date with a romance writer.” She pauses to dust crumbs off her jeans. “Have you ever read one of her books?”
My phone dings with a notification, temporarily distracting me. I glance at it and fight a wave of irritation. I broke up with Amanda over a year ago. But when she’s between boyfriends, she starts texting and calling me again. It’s not like I’ve ever taken her back. I learned my lesson the first time I stepped in that mess. Yet it doesn’t seem to stop her from bugging the shit out of me every time she’s single.
“Brock,” my sister calls my name sharply. “You need to read one of her books so you can discuss what she does. I’ve brought a few for you to choose from.”
For a second, I think my little sister is joking. When I realize she’s serious, I say, “That’s ridiculous. It’s not like I expect Zoey to brush up on local law enforcement policies and procedures before our date.”
My phone dings for the fifth time in the last sixty seconds.
Piper stops digging in her canvas tote that’s filled with paperbacks. “Is that Amanda again? Do you need me to tell her to leave you alone, woman-to-woman?”
I can’t help grinning at her outrage. She’s never liked Amanda and Piper likes everyone. That should have been my clue that we wouldn’t last. “I don’t need my little sister to fight my battles for me.”
“Well, it’s not right for her to keep showing up at your place unannounced and waltzing in or texting you all hours of the night. If you were a woman, we’d call that stalking and sexual harassment.”
Amanda isn’t dangerous, and I’m not worried about her in that sense. Still, I hate to see my sister get upset on her big brother’s behalf, so I point back to her canvas tote. “Which one do you recommend I start with?”
Zoey
“I just did something stupid,” I admit as I step into Emmy’s cabin. She’s a fellow author also here for the Galentine’s Getaway. We’ve been close since we met. She’s so vivacious and bubbly. She writes contemporary steamy romance books. I’ve always loved her dirty-talking heroes with a heart of gold.