I like him.

How does that even happen?

I’d been feeling guilty and I know he has to deal with my dad a lot, so I wanted to pave things over. Instead I find myself laughing and enjoying being with the big dummy. He’s funny, and sweet and those two things even manage to make me forget that he’s a tall drink of water, with bedroom eyes—at least every once in a while they make me forget.

I’m only human!

We’ve had lunch and we’re still sitting in the diner talking. I know he needs to get back to work and I really need to go too. I need to check on some applications I submitted. I need a job and I’m really hoping to put my degree to use.

“My company boring you, Princess Addie?”

I jerk my gaze back to him. My breath catches in my chest as once again I’m blown away by those beautiful eyes of his.

They really should be illegal.

“I’m sorry?”

“You keep staring at your watch, darlin’. From my experience, that’s never a good thing.”

“Oh! I have an appointment in Redmont—soonish.”

“New client?”

I stumble for a second. I should just tell him the truth, but we’ve been having such a good time, I don’t want him to know who my dad is yet. My whole life people have been nice to me because Dad’s money or because of who my family was. While Black might not be interested in my money, he might treat me differently if he knew that my dad is essentially in control of his money requests and other things. Dad controls everything when it comes to the budget of the police station. Somehow, I think knowing my dad is the mayor would make Black stay away from me and I don’t want that.

“I’m hoping it will be. I’m trying not to be nervous, but I hate these interviews.”

“Do you usually have to interview to get hired to take care of lawns?”

“You have to interview for everything these days,” I tell him, feeling horrible for not just confessing everything. Someday soon this will all blow up in my face.

I really don’t want to think about that right now.

“Fair enough, but I mean what are you going to do? Hop on a lawnmower and show them how you mow?”

“You really have a hang up about women landscapers don’t you?”

“No—”

“Yeah right,” I mumble, looking around the table for the bill.

“Seriously, I don’t,” he says grabbing my hand when I would reach for the bill.

“You—”

“I just wanted to know if I should call 9-1-1. You know, just to get an ambulance on standby,” he says with a smirk.

“You really are an asshole, Black.”

“Words hurt, Addie,” he replies and I giggle. I never giggle, but here I am--sounding like a school girl.

“Hey! What are you doing?” I ask when he grabs my phone off the table. My heart starts beating faster. If he looks at my contacts and sees my dad’s number, will he recognize it? He will if he sees my pictures. I’m in the middle of a mini-panic when he asks me for my code.

“Why?” I ask, almost whining.

“I’m going to key in my number so you can call me and let me know if you got the job.”

“Why would you care?” I ask him, studying his face.

“You’re full of questions, but I’ve yet to get your number…” he hedges and he may be mostly looking at my phone, but I get the feeling he’s studying me.

It’s a gamble, but I find myself telling him my code to unlock my phone.

“Thank you,” he says with a smile. Men with eyes that deep shouldn’t smile—especially when they have dimples and laugh lines that make a woman’s insides tingle.

“De nada.”

His left eyebrow quirks up and somehow that makes him even sexier.

“You speak Spanish?”

“I’m fluent with several words,” I brag.

“Words?”

“I can count to three. I know the meaning of de nada and I can say one or two very explicit curse words.”

“Where did you learn those?”

A picture of our maid Rosa comes to mind. She left the states not long after my mother died. I miss her too, but we keep in touch through emails. I don’t really want to explain that to Black though, so I shrug.

“That’s a story for another day.”

“I’ll hold you to that Princess. There, now you have my number. So you can call me to let me know if you got the job, or…”

“Or?”

“Or if I need to come bail you out of jail because you ran over the homeowner,” he says standing up. He instantly helps me up and puts his hand at my back. He’s tall, a good five inches taller than me, and he’s broad. I feel tiny beside him and it’s a feeling I find that I like. I can’t stop myself from looking up at him.

“You’d pay my bail? It almost sounds like you like me, Black.”

“I’m a cop it’s my job to protect and to serve.”

“To serve… me?” I ask with a smirk. “Sounds kinky.”

“To protect innocent bystanders from you,” he says with a wink and I roll my eyes—but I do it with a smile.

Really, I smile the whole time Black pays our bill, refusing to let me help. I smile as he walks me outside to my car and I smile as he opens my car door for me. And I really smile as I head out of town, looking in my rearview mirror to see Black’s ass in those tight uniform khakis he’s wearing. I slow down to watch as he walks toward the sheriff’s office.

Any girl would really… I just happen to be the lucky one.