Dee, Lavada - Nothing to Lose [Blackhawk Brothers] (BookStrand Publishing Romance) Read Online Free PDF Page B

be stuck with me for the duration of the winter.”
    His laugh was contagious, and she joined him. The morning had been so normal. She’d slept in again, and by the time she’d gotten downstairs, he was ready to go. Not giving her time for even a cup of coffee, he grabbed one of his jackets for her and hurried her out to the truck. She’d been surprised to find it warm. He’d actually started and warmed the truck for her? Were there really men like him out in the world? First stop had been a little café where the waitress and few patrons greeted him like a regular and her with curiosity. She liked that it seemed he didn’t bring new women in with him on a regular basis, or at least not enough to have the patrons take it as the norm. After breakfast, they’d gone to the mall where Coop had patiently waited while she found just the right pair of shoes and a warm coat.
    The morning and now the shared laughter heightened her awareness of him. The way his eyes crinkled in the corners, his mouth. Her gaze locked on it now, and she drew in a breath. The room receded until there was only the two of them. Cooper closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Reaching for her jacket, he tried to lighten the mood. “Here, give this to me before you bolt for the door.” He held out his hand, and she shrugged out of the coat.
    His voice deepened when he turned back to her. “And for the record, I wouldn’t consider it ‘stuck’ to have you with me through all the seasons, fall, winter, spring, and summer.”
    Without giving her the chance to reply, he continued. “I’ll turn up the thermostat and get a pot of coffee going. Why don’t you tackle the desk and see if you can make any sense of it. But first let me give you a quick tour.”
    The office was a double-wide modular. They had parked on the side and walked along a full patio to enter through the utility room. Cooper gestured to the right. “I lived here while I built the house, and kept the washer and dryer. Probably should take them out and use the room for files.”
    The large kitchen had stainless-steel appliances and room for a long table that held piles of papers and boxes. The open floor plan made it possible to eliminate hallways that would have taken up square footage. When they went into what would have been a living room, Galynn could see it was being used as the main reception area. Cooper pointed to the large room to the left. “That’s my office. The main bath is to the right. What used to be the master bedroom and bath is on the other side. I’m not using it for office space right now. There’s a big sofa that I’ve fallen asleep on more times than I like to admit and a few pieces of furniture. Again, I should probably clean it out, and I will when I need more office space.”
    Turning, he headed back to the kitchen. Calling over his shoulder, he said, “So what do you think? Cancel that. I think I’d rather not know what you’re thinking right now.”
    Galynn laughed. “Actually, I’m impressed. This is really a nice layout. All you need is some help.”
    It didn’t take Galynn long to lose herself in the work. When she stopped and looked at the clock, she couldn’t believe the time. Almost three o’clock. Where had the day gone? Her back ached, a reminder of her injury. Getting up, she went into the kitchen and rinsed out a couple of the cleanest cups. She made a mental note to tackle the kitchen on Monday when Cooper wouldn’t be there to stop her.
    She took one of the cups of coffee into Cooper’s office. Pausing at the door, she said, “About ready for a coffee break?”
    “You’re a lifesaver. What time is it anyway?” When he looked at the clock, he whistled. “I can’t believe it. Where did the time go?”
    “Well, you know what they say about how time flies when you’re having fun?”
    “Yeah, right.” He leaned back in his chair and took a drink of coffee. Letting out a sigh, he said, “Did you pour yourself a cup?”
    She