Political Prick

A Cocky Hero Novel

Magan Vernon

Political Prick is a standalone story inspired by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward’s Cocky Bastard. It's published as part of the Cocky Hero Club world, a series of original works, written by various authors, and inspired by Keeland and Ward's New York Times bestselling series.

Text copyright© 2020 by Magan Vernon

All rights reserved

www.maganvernon.com

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Political Prick

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Part II

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter Ten

Part III

Epilogue

About The Author

Acknowledgements

Copyright © 2020 by Magan Vernon and Cocky Hero Club, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the authors’ imaginations. Any resemblance to actual persons, things, living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

Summary:  Adrian Chase s like something out of a fantasy. Well, if my fantasies included a sexy smirk and a guy working at city hall.

But anything further with the charmer is quickly squashed when I find out he’s on city council. The exact guy who is trying to stop the building of a new dog park that the animal shelter desperately needs close by.

It’s literally my job as an intern to get this project seen to completion before the summer’s over. Now if only I could get this political prick out of my head long enough to do that.

First Edition:  2020

Cover Design by Beautifully Broken Books

For more information about the author:

Website: www.maganvernon.com

For Luka,

May you find your own furever.

Chapter 1

“So, as you can see, it’s all about the grip.”

Words I never thought I’d hear my new boss, Aubrey Bateman, utter as she took the hose to the back of a pickup.

When I first met the California lawyer, she was a regular at the Starbucks I worked at. Always in polished suits and designer heels with her brown hair swept in a stylish fashion.

Now, in the back of the animal shelter she owned, she stood in a wet polo and jeans, barefoot as she sprayed the hose, laughing even when rogue droplets got to her ponytail and her goat, Pixy, tried to lap them up.

“You know, when you told me you had an internship opportunity, I expected something at your animal rights law firm or behind a desk...” My worlds trailed as I looked down at the white button-down shirt and black dress pants that I still hadn’t taken the tags off. Just in case I’d need to beg for my job back at Starbucks downtown.

“Don’t worry, there’s plenty of desk time, but if I sit for too long, Pixy gets restless and does things like make a mess in the back of the truck.” She waved one of her hands dismissively as if she just said something as normal as her coffee order.

She hosed down the truck bed, clumps of dirty and whatever else the goat gathered up, sliding down to the cement puddle waiting below.

“Emma does have some documents for city council that need to be dropped off.”

She ditched the house and her wide eyes scanned me from the top of my brown hair all the way down to my toes.

“Probably a better idea to do that then take the dogs out. Maybe tomorrow just dress casually? Or in something you don’t mind getting torn up by a bunch of pups?”

I forced a smile, truth was, I was relieved to not have to worry about refreshing my wardrobe. But would this internship just be cleaning dog crates and maybe passing out flyers.

I needed the hours, and the internship, to finish my last semester, but everywhere I applied for an internship either rejected me or didn’t pay. That would mean I’d have to take double shifts at Starbucks while still working another, unpaid job.

Which I’d done all through school since I guess financial aid doesn’t take into account the market crashing and your parents almost losing everything but somehow you still have to take out a million student loans for a piece of paper.

Luckily, as always, Chance Bateman, Aubrey’s husband, came in like the Australian angel he is and said he was sure Aubrey had something for me at the shelter and her law office.

Now, there I was, standing there next to a woman in a dirty t-shirt petting a goat. My own, wet savior.

“Yeah. I can definitely do that. Sorry. Didn’t know the uniform requirements...”

I chewed on my bottom lip, wishing I had a better response.

Aubrey snorted. “There’s no real uniform here and stop acting so nervous like I’m going to fire you for wearing real pants.”

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding in. “Right, sorry, it’s just. Thank you, really for all of this. I appreciate it so much.”

She smiled, wiping her wet hand on her shorts before putting it on my shoulder.

Aubrey was a few inches shorter than me, but her smile, and infectious personality were larger than life. I’d seen it the first time she walked into the coffee shop, then as Chance tried to woo her and brought along all of his crazy, it was the perfect storm.

“You’re going to save the world, right? You can just think of me like Yoda to your Luke. Or is it Obi-Wan? CJ is on a Star Wars kick lately, but for the life of me, after the millionth time that kid watches it and tries to hit everything with a light saber, I blur my facts.”

I couldn’t help the smile stretching across my face, thinking of Aubrey and Chance’s adorable kids. And the fact that she actually remembered what I said I wanted to do with my life.

Dad wanted me to go to law school, said it was a ‘recession proof’ job. Unlike his in-tech investments.

The only thing I was for sure I wanted to do was to make the world a better place. So, girls like me wouldn’t have to deal with their parents’ mistakes. Or those in even worse situations.

We both settled with me going to State and majoring in Political Science.

Just wished that after almost four years of school I really knew what ‘saving the world’ was.

Maybe this internship would be just what I needed.

At least it had to be better than getting yelled at for people who had the most complicated coffee orders of all time.

After helping Aubrey storeSinc the hose, I followed her and Pixy through the path lined with palms back to the front of the Spanish-colonial style building.

I’d always admired the architecture of the place when I drove by on my way to work downtown. But since Aubrey took over the place, it really started to shine. She and Chance  worked on the landscaping, added white stucco walls and a red pitched roof. If it wasn’t for the large LED animal shelter sign against the wrought iron gate, it might have looked like just another house. But once stepping past that gate, it was anything but.

As soon as we walked through the courtyard then through the sliding glass doors, a cool wave of air hit me straight in the face. Followed soon by the smell of puppy breath and lemon cleaner.

A larger than life woman sat behind the rounded desk. Literally, larger than life because she was wearing the loudest pink cheetah print shirt I’d ever seen. Her dark hair somehow still maintaining its halo of black curls while a beagle puppy sat on her lap, trying to nip at her hair.

“Hey, Emma, how’s Luka doing?” Aubrey asked as soon as we strode up to the counter,

That’s when I noticed the bright green bandage wrapped around the little guy’s paw. Though that didn’t stop him from trying to wriggle his whole body as he turned toward me, giving me a little head tilt.

Emma gave an ‘are you serious’ look, trying to push the pup’s snout from her ear as he nipped. “Well, the doctor says his paw’s healing, and I think he’s getting cabin fever in his cage. I couldn’t take the crying in his cage to get out, but I’m starting to regret that decision.”

“What happened to him?” I asked without even thinking as I gently put my hand out, palm up, toward the dog.

He leaned forward, sniffing my hand before snorting then licking it, nipping at my fingers.

Emma scratched him behind his chin, holding him by the collar with her other hand, I’m guessing so he didn’t jump over the counter. “He was brought in by a good Samaritan who found him in a known dumping area after he was attacked by another dog. He has some pretty nasty punctures and two of his toes were fractured.”

A chill crept down my spine as my eyes widened. “Seriously? That’s horrible. He’s just a puppy. How could people do that?”

Emma looked at the dog, somehow a big smile still on her face. “The world can be shitty sometimes, but knowing that this dog has a second chance, makes it all better. Even if he is going a little crazy since he hasn’t been able to run around.”

She then turned her attention toward Aubrey. “When is city council voting on that dog park? If we get it soon, maybe we could actually take him out there instead of me trying to hold onto his leash while he pulls me to every palm in the courtyard.”

Aubrey smiled. “I was just about to have Melanie look over the paperwork and bring it to city hall.”

“Maybe she could give Luka a walk too?”

Emma stared at me, blinking her false eyelashes slowly as she jutted her chin as if she were saying ‘go on, try to tell me no, and I will whip out my claws’.

“Well, I can’t take a dog into city hall...”

Aubrey laughed. “Of course, you can. I take Pixy all the time. It’s just a quick run in and out. You’ll be fine.”

I looked from my smiling boss to Emma’s raised eyebrows then finally to Luka. He tilted his head, blinking those big dark eyes....and...

What could I say? I was a sucker for a puppy look.

Chapter 2

For a dog with a broken paw, Luka moved incredibly fast.

I dodged uneven dips in the sidewalk and clumps of grass from newly mowed lawns as Luka happily pranced along like he’d finally gotten his freedom ride.

My shoulders fell as realization dawned on me.

This wasn’t his freedom ride. He’d just have to go back to the shelter and the little yard he relieved himself in and then went back to his medical boarding.

I glanced down at the folder in my hand. I didn’t get to read over as much of it as I wanted since Luka was bouncing at my heels, ready to go for his walk, but from Aubrey’s explanation, I knew they were trying to  buy a vacant lot on Main and turn it into a dog park that could be used by the city, but especially the shelter dogs.

It would only be a block away from the shelter and they’d have a sectioned off area for older dogs and meetings for the dogs waiting to be adopted, especially the more timid ones who weren’t sure of big crowds.

To me, it seemed like the perfect use of that flattened space that had been nothing but a dumping ground as long as I’d known it.

City Hall loomed over the sidewalk, like a stucco beacon.

It wasn’t a scary looking building by any means with its manicured palms lining the sidewalk and even a little porch complete with wooden rockers.

But the only time I’d ever been in there was for a parking ticket and now I was about to walk in with a dog and had to pretend I had enough confidence to know where I was going and drop off this folder for Aubrey. My first task as an intern.

I guess if watching as she cleaned out the truck didn’t count.

Looking down at the beagle’s puppy dog eyes, I squared my shoulders. “Think we can do this, Luka?”

He wagged his tail in response.

“All right, let’s do this.”

I held my head high; careful my heels didn’t get caught in the ruts of the path as we made our way to the glass doors.

Of course, Luka didn’t get the memo we were trying to be professional.

He tugged on the leash with each step, panting hard while his paws skid against the sidewalk then slid as soon as they hit the tile floor inside.

“Luka, come on, calm down boy,” I whispered, trying to grasp the folder tightly in one hand and grip as much of his leash as I could with the other.

“What is a dog doing in here?” A deep, husky voice echoed.

My shoulders shook as I turned about to defend my case, but as I turned, Luka got a wild hair, deciding to wrap the leash through my legs, locking my legs together.

Before I could think of a way to get out of the tangle of fabric, twisting my body out, my head hit a brick wall. My feet slipped underneath me and I had to decide whether to catch myself or the folder that was now slipping through my grasp.

Luka decided that for me as he tugged on the leash before I could right myself and documents went floating around me like a paper snowstorm.

The brick wall vibrated underneath me.

Oh shit.

This wasn’t a wall.

This was warm.

And ridiculously hard.

I looked up to meet a hazel gaze, only accentuated by a pair of aviator style glasses.

Holy hell, the guy was smiling at me.

A freaking dimpled smile like out of a fantasy I didn’t know I had.

Trying not to stare, I did a quick assessment of the man in front of me.

Effortlessly styled, short cropped hair? Check.

Suit molding to his broad shoulders and that hard chest like it was made for him? Check.

Staring at me like I was the craziest thing on the planet? Also check.

“Oh, I’m, um, sorry.” My face flushed as I bent down, trying to untangle Luka with one hand and grab the fallen papers with the other.

“Here, let me help you.”

He crouched down in front of me and the manly scent of his cologne hit me. Or maybe it wasn’t cologne and he just smelled that woodsy and clean.

“No, it’s fine. Really, I got it.”

Someone else noticed the smell too because as soon as the man was close enough, Luka whined, tugging at his leash, only to get caught short because he’s already wrapped himself around me.

The little beagle whined, his tail thwapping against my back.

“Luka,” I chided, unwinding the leash from my legs, and staring at the little face next to me so I wouldn’t keep checking out the man in front of me.

“Hey, I know this area.” The man’s husky voice had me pulling forward, holding Luka with one arm as I looked up to see him staring at a paper with a map of the empty lot.

“Yeah, that’s where the shelter is proposing a new dog park be placed. Thus, why I’m here with Mr. Luka, dropping off the proposal. He needs a new place to run and heal this broken foot.”

Dammit I was babbling.

In my head I had this whole speech prepared that I was going to tell someone if they asked about the area, but instead I was just trying to hold a dog back and staring at possibly the sexiest man I’d ever seen.

Even if he did have glasses that looked like the ones my dad wore in the 80s. Somehow that just added to the whole suit-wearing-sex-on-a-stick thing.

He smirked. A smirk that brought out a damn dimple on his chin.

Why did he have to have that little signature?

It just made me want to lick it.

And this was definitely not the place or time.

“Ah, so you’re the one trying to get in the way of my strip mall.”

My shoulders tensed as I blinked hard. “Your what?”

He picked up the last of the papers shuffling them on his leg, that damn smirk still on his face as I just sat there with my mouth open.

“My company, Chase Properties, put in a bid to build a strip mall there. But I guess your organization is who I’ll be seeing at the city council meeting.”

Chase Properties.

Adrian Chase.

The most eligible bachelor in the area.

They did a full spread on him in one of the local magazines.

City councilman, billionaire, and bachelor at the age of twenty-five.

I guess they also forgot to add besides being at the top of his political game, he was also kind of a prick.

A political prick.

“Yes, yes you will,” I snapped, ripping the pages from his hand. “And I hope you sleep well knowing you’re trying to keep a park from some defenseless animals.”

He had the nerve to laugh.

“It’s just politics. Nothing personal.”

“Seriously? You’re saying that as a dog with a broken foot is staring right at you?” I gritted, my heart pounding in my ears.

“Well. Technically the dog isn’t supposed to be in the building.”

Ugh. I groaned, snatching up the last of the papers and clutching them against my chest.

“I have to go deliver these and then my dog and I will be out of here.” I stood up, glaring at the damn man who still had that dimpled smile that I was trying not to stare at.

“But we will see you again at the next city council meeting.”

He laughed. “I look forward to it.”

Chapter 3

The papers may have been full of dog hair and not in the right order when I dropped them off to the wide-eyed, blue haired lady at the desk, but I didn’t care.

I was still running on adrenaline as Luka and I ran back to the shelter where a smiling Aubrey was waiting for us in her office.

Pixy barely looked up from his perch where he was sleeping at the corner of her desk, but as soon as I came in, Aubrey raised her head, a small gasp emitting from her lips.

That was when Pixy let out a little snort and Aubrey sprang into action.

“Is everything okay? Did Luka get hurt?” She rounded the large oak desk, Pixy barely stirring and Luka already making himself comfortable by curling up on one of the many pet beds littered across the floor.

“He’s fine. But city council man Adrian Chase is anything but.”

Aubrey’s shoulders relaxed as she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against her desk. “I may be married, but I do know the man is more than fine, even with those Dwight glasses.”

Heat flushed in my cheeks, my heart still pounding in my ears. Now was not the time to talk about how incredibly good that man’s body felt when I was pressed against him.

“Attractiveness doesn’t make him any less of a jerk. Did you know he wants to build a strip mall a block from here? Exactly where the park proposal is?”

She blinked hard, pushing off the desk. “That’s where the strip mall is going? I thought it would be near the highway. When the hell did that happen?”

Each word blended into the next as she talked, pacing in front of her desk.

NOW she finally got it.

“I have no clue; I just know that stupid Adrian Chase said that was where his new strip mall was going. I mean, that spot is literally perfect for a dog park. Why would we need another coffee shop or nail salon when we could keep a beautiful green space?” I shook my head, my heart thumping in my ears.

Maybe a few days ago if someone told me we’d have a closer Starbucks to the house I might have done a little dance and forgot about the fact that there was one only a five-minute drive into the city.

But now it was personal.

This was MY project and I wasn’t going to let some guy ruin it. Just because he had a smile that belonged on a dental commercial.

Nope. Wasn’t even going to think about how long it had been since I got laid and what that one little look was doing to the butterflies in my stomach.

“Okay, we need to go over our options. Come up with a plan.” Aubrey nodded, her eyes focused on the floor and I swore I could see smoke coming out of her ears.

“Yes, exactly. What’s the plan?”

She raised an eyebrow, slowly looking up. “I didn’t say I had one, yet. But we can do it. We just...”

She glanced around as if the answer would somehow be in the framed photos of her kids in their matching soccer uniforms or one of her diplomas.

“You know what?” Her head jerked up and she grabbed her purse off the desk. “Let’s go for a walk, clear our heads, and see the park for ourselves so we can come up with some points to bring up to city council.”

I pulled my shoulders tight to my neck.

If this guy was on the city council and had his mind made up, how the hell were we going to change that?

I sighed.

This was also the internship that could open future doors for me, if I failed at this, what did that say my future resumes and employment?

I’d be back working at that new Starbucks down the road, living in my parents’ pool house forever.

Not. Going. To. Happen.

“Okay. A walk it is.”

“Come on, Pix.” Aubrey grabbed a leash from the desk and the goat immediately hopped up from his bed, stretching like a cat that just got into the sunlight.

“We’re bringing Pixy?” I asked, even though it was a silly question since she was already hooking a harness over his torso.

“Well, yeah, he needs a walk too and he’ll be the best judge of things. An animal always gives the best opinion of their surroundings.”

I couldn’t argue with someone with ten years’ experience and a law degree, but the logic on that one was far from making sense.

Still, we needed to figure this out, so I reluctantly followed her out the back door and down the sidewalk.

“See the yard back here?” Aubrey pointed her free hand toward the small are of chain-length fence.

It was a small square with a swatch of grass lining one side, cracked cement, and a small patio cover on the other part. If it were for rent it would probably get a few million in the city, but outside here? It looked more like a sad driveway in a back-alley bodega.

“That’s the only real play yard we have for the dogs. Sometimes we have as many as forty dogs in the shelter, all using that same little play area.”

I blinked hard, trying to imagine even more than one dog squatting on the dying grass.

“Aside from the conference room, it’s the only place we have to do introductions when people want to adopt dogs, too. Unless we want to walk the dogs a mile or two in the heat to the nearest park, but even then, it isn’t fully fenced so we can’t let the dogs run around.”

“So, what do you do if this park doesn’t pass?” I asked the question that was weighing heavily on my chest.

She shrugged. “Keep doing what we’re doing and hope maybe we can eventually add on.”

As we rounded the corner, I glanced at the buildings surrounding the shelter.

There were a few grassy areas, but mostly those were to pretty up the store fronts for a dentist office or esthetician. Nothing that would work to take a dog out to have them roam around.

My parents’ two little chihuahuas could probably eat the grass in a matter of a few hours if they really wanted to.

“Can’t Mr. Chase just put the strip mall somewhere else? There’s enough infrastructure and he doesn’t need the grass.” I threw my hands up, as if it could encompass the rows of buildings we passed along each palm-lined sidewalk.

“That’s what we have to convince him of.”

Aubrey finally stopped in front of a rusted metal gate, a vinyl sign read ‘Keep out, property of Parks and Recreation’.

The lot behind it was a square dirt mound, surrounded by more sidewalk, leading up to a neighborhood of quaint bungalows.

There were a few patches of grass and a smattering of trees, but nothing else that jumped out and said, ‘ideal location for something that the Parks and Recreation Department would need to put a fence around’.

“So, this is the spot. It used to be a large pit, but then too many kids started daring each other to jump into it, got injured, and the city covered it up.”

“This...is where you want the park?” I asked, trying to imagine any bit of green in this area, aside from the weeds.

She pointed a manicured finger through the fence. “I mean, we’d need to obviously raise some funds for a new fence and sod, but just imagine all of the space. We wouldn’t even need to fence it all in and keep part of it as a dog park, add a nice little swing set for kids, some benches, and tables for picnics. It could be a real little oasis in the middle of the city.”

If I squinted really hard, maybe I could pretend the weeds were grass and the fence wasn’t so rusted that it glinted a bright red color against the sun.

“How much would the shelter need to raise to be able to do all of that?” I asked quietly, trying to do the math in my head.

My parents had turf near the pool for the dogs and that was at least ten dollars a square foot. Plus fencing. Plus the equipment for this place?

As I rattled off numbers in my head, Aubrey’s voice sliced through my thoughts. “Sixty-thousand to get it started, plus the cost of maintenance”

“And...how much does the shelter have now?”

She pressed her thumb and forefinger together, forming a circle with her fingers.

“Zero?” I choked out.

“Dogs medical bills, plus our own building maintenance, and Emma as an employee take up most of what we bring in. I was just lucky you were willing to come on as an unpaid intern, or else...” her words trailed as she looked back to the rusty fence.

For one of my last semester classes, we had to come up with a successful business plan and implement it in a virtual environment. I successfully came up with an online video monitoring system for dog parents to keep an eye on the fur babies while at work. The project netted me an A and the eye of Aubrey, who after I told her about it during one of her Starbucks runs, immediately offered me this job.

I guess I should have asked more questions, like how much of a budget I had, for starters.

“Okay. Yeah. Um. We might just need to get creative, especially if we figure out how much Adrian Chase is planning on buying the lot from the city for. Do a cost benefit analysis. Maybe even survey some other people around the area, people with families, seeing if they’d rather have a park to take their kids here or another building.”

Aubrey’s hand squeezed my shoulder and I finally relaxed the tension gathering along in my neck. “I knew you were the best person for this job.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Did anyone else apply.”

She laughed. “No, but that’s because you should have had it all along.”

I blew out a slow breath. “We’ll see. You might not be saying that if I can’t figure this out.”

She smiled, squeezing my shoulder again before dropping her hand. “You will. Now come on, it’s almost quitting time and I’m going to put in a to-go order at Vinny’s.”

“That’s right around the corner isn’t it?”

She nodded, already starting back down the sidewalk. “Yeah, which makes it the perfect place to stop for a drink while we wait for my order.”

I glanced down at my watch, a chill creeping down my back. “Um...well...it’s almost five, but I probably shouldn’t have a drink while on the job.”

“My best ideas always come after a few drinks and you’re almost off the clock, so it’s a win-win for both of us.”

I glanced back at the mound of dirt again, trying to imagine it as a green space with dogs and kids running around.

It was going to take a hell of a lot more than a bunch of puppy dog eyes and sixty-grand to turn this place around.

Was I really up for this challenge?

“Are you coming?” Aubrey yelled, as Pixy pulled her along the sidewalk.

I tried to push through my mental fog and forced a smile. “Yeah, coming.”

Chapter 4

Vinny’s was a staple of the neighborhood for as long as I could remember.

Every Friday night, my dad used to come home with one of the brown boxes, a picture of a mustached man on the cover as the warm smell of mozzarella and marina wafted from inside.

My parents’ house was a few blocks over from the squat, stucco building, the only change to the exterior in the last twenty years being the small covered patio in the back where Audrey and I now perched on a set of bar stools. Vinny’s nephew, Frankie, stood behind the bamboo bar shaking us up a few limoncellos.

“Oh, don’t forget to put in my to-go order too,” Aubrey tapped her finger on the granite bar top.

Frankie smirked, barely visible behind his burly beard. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Aubrey, we’ve always gotchu.”

Frankie looked almost identical to his uncle, but with less gray hair. Both squat men usually covered in flour from their slicked back hair down to their massive biceps, each one covered in fur and tattoos of the Italian flag.

“You’re the best, Frank. How’s your Mom? She still doing good with the Pekinese?”

He laughed as he set down two martini glasses, filled to the brim with bright yellow liquid.

I’d never seen such a heavy pour and knew I should probably stop at one if I wanted to get home tonight.

“Ma loves little Gnocchi. She even got her a dog stroller from Amazon so her little paws didn’t need to touch the pavement on walks.”

Aubrey’s genuine smile bloomed. “I’m so glad she finally adopted her. I think Gnocchi was definitely the right pick.”

“Yeah, maybe next time though you could swing her toward one of them bulldogs or something instead? Ma might love the stroller, but Pops said people are looking at him funny when he walks Gnocchi down to the bodega with him.”

“You know...” I interrupted, swirling my finger around the cool glass. “If there was a dog park near here, you wouldn’t have to worry about the hot cement on Gnocchi’s feet.”

His dark gaze turned toward mine.

If I hadn’t known Frankie all of my life, I might have found that flare of his nostrils intimidating.

But it was the exact same thinking face he’d had since we were in Kindergarten. The teddy bear of a man hadn’t changed a bit and I could read him like a book.

If only everyone were that easy.

“Yeah...you know that would work out for Mom and Pops, but how the hell would that happen around here? Adrian Chase was yapping in the bar about putting a new strip mall in that empty lot on Center street and that’s the only thing in this neighborhood that hasn’t been bought up for a nail salon or doctor’s office.”

My fingers tightened their grip on the glass as the hair raised on the back of my neck. “Adrian Chase?”

Frankie hitched a thumb behind him at the screen door. “Yeah, in there now, probably still flapping his lips to anyone who will listen.”

A million thoughts raked through my brain as a cold chill crept down my fingers, now tightly entwined with the cool glass.

The man who was standing in the way of the biggest obstacle of this internship was only a few feet away.

My heart thumped hard against my chest as Frankie kept talking but I only got every other word, most of them of the swearing variety.

“Hold on, Chance is calling me,” Aubrey’s voice pushed through my fog as she bounced off the bar stool.

But even as her words echoed, there was a part of my brain that was fixated on one thing: Adrian Chase.

I didn’t even realize my hand was moving until my glass clanked against the counter and Frankie stopped ranting to grab it. “Need a refill, Miss Melanie?”

The lemon liquor burned down my throat, sloshing in my belly as I stood up.

“Yeah but put it on Adrian’s tab and tell Aubrey I’ll be right back.”

I glanced over my shoulder, her back to me as she leaned against the railing, deep in conversation that had something to do with the color of a berry that a kid ate.

She might give me hell for this, but I figured it was better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Swinging off the stool, I scooted past the umbrella cloaked tables and through the back swinging door of the restaurant.

The burst of cool air conditioning attacked my face and I sucked in a deep breath through my nose.

But that was the only bit of calm I had before I spotted him at the end of the polished bar.

His hand gripped around a half-empty pint glass, the sleeves rolled up and his jacket swung over the chair.

His smile highlighted those high cheekbones and were those freaking dimples he was flashing at the waitress?

Dammit. Stop. Checking. Him. Out.

Frankie emerged from the kitchen, holding another full martini glass that he slid in the empty spot next to Adrian’s chair before he looked over at me with a two-finger salute.

Adrian’s gaze went from the still talking waitress down to the glass then slowly raked through the bar until his eyes were combing over me.

I squirmed, shifting my weight from one shoe to the other, trying not to let him see my nerves.

I had absolutely no plan on what to say, but there was enough limoncello coursing through me that I’d be able to get something out.

With all the strength I could muster, I barged through the space between us then leaned on the stool next to him, trying to ignore how good his woodsy cologne smelled. “You need to drop your proposal for the empty lot and give it to the animal shelter.”

He nodded for a second, slightly narrowing his eyes before he shook his head, that smile splitting across his face.

“Yeah that’s not going to happen,” he muttered before taking a swig of his drink.

“It is if you want to get re-elected.”

I grabbed my own drink, taking a big gulp and hoping the liquid courage could do something before I lost my nerve.

He raised an eyebrow, leaning his chin on his hand. “And tell me, how would denying the members of this community and neighborhood a new coffee shop and other amenities do not get me re-elected.”

I plopped down on the bar stool, racking my brain for everything Aubrey and I had just talked about, and even Frankie, trying to ignore the heat that radiated off his body that was not doing favors to my already thumping heart.

“There is a Starbucks five minutes from here, but you know what there isn’t that close? A green space. Somewhere not only dogs, but kids could run around. Have you seen this neighborhood? Hell, even just this restaurant.”

I held my hand up, taking another big swig of my drink as his eyes darted behind those wire-framed glasses, hopefully noticing tables filled with booster seats.

“So, what you’re saying is we need to put in a fast food place with a play area?” He raised his eyebrows, that smirk visible behind his frosty glass.

“What? No. That’s the opposite of what this neighborhood needs.”

“And tell me, is it, Melanie? How do you know what this neighborhood needs?”

“Because I’ve lived here all my life. Right up the road on Maple. When I was younger the only park we had was going to the school or the minimal bit of turf in the backyard. Hell, even just walking my parents’ dogs or any dog for that matter, and they’re going to find the first palm tree they can that’s sort of green to relieve themselves. Wouldn’t it be better for everyone if they had a spot they could run and an area for kids to play too?”

I let out a breath, hoping my rant got through his thick head as he stared at me, nodding slowly.

I sucked down the rest of the drink, my brain now fuzzy. At least it was better that the adrenaline coursing through me was from anger and not whatever else was going on with the fluttering in my chest from that damn smile on Adrian Chase.

Another limoncello dropped in front of me, courtesy of a winking Frankie.

I needed to stop and get back outside before Aubrey knew what I was doing, but I was too far gone.

And by the smirk on Adrian’s face, he knew it too.

“Are you trying to invite me to walk you to your house, Melanie?”

I rolled my eyes, grabbing my drink before I could think it was time to stop. Better than the alternative of really thinking about how his words rolled down my stomach and into other places.

“That’s what you got out of all of that? God, you really are a political prick, you know that?”

He laughed a deep belly laugh that had the butterflies in my stomach doing somersaults.

Not good, especially now that I had a gut full of two and a half glasses of Limoncello.

“A political prick? That’s a pretty good one. What should I call you then? Do-gooder Damsel?”

“Please, I am not some sort of damsel in distress who needs your saving.”

“But you do need me to get the city to approve the park.”

His words sliced through me and a cold chill spread up my arms.

“I’m not going to sleep with you to get a vote,” I said, my hand shaking as I brought the drink to my lips.

He didn’t laugh this time, his gaze focused intently on me. “I didn’t say anything about sleeping, did I?”

I almost choked on my drink but quickly swallowed it. “Is this how everything gets done in politics? The boys club? If so, maybe I don’t want to be a lobbyist,” I muttered.

“A lobbyist?” His voice rose slightly.

“Yeah, you know the people who lobby to get things done?”

He nodded, the smirk softening to a half-smile. “I know quite well about lobbying, I worked as a page for Senator Samuels for a while and those ambulance chasers were always up in arms about something.”

“I’d hardly call someone trying to help a good cause an ambulance chaser.”

He leaned in and I swore his lips were close enough to brush against mine as I sucked in a breath.

“Most of the people coming to his office or the senate floor were trying to get more trans fats in restaurants. Arguing that we shouldn’t put calorie count on menus or take away MSG. The two years I spent there; I’d seen more people who thought the world needed more hamburgers than health food.”

“Well, that’s not all lobbyists,” I sputtered.

“What kind of lobbyist would you want to be, Melanie?” He cupped his chin with his hand.

This should have been when I excused myself. When I went back out to Aubrey and pretended like all of this never happened.

But the Limoncellos were really strong and this was the first person who asked me what I actually wanted to do.

Everyone else just nodded their head and gave me a small smile after I said I had a degree in Politics.

So, I took the bait.

And didn’t listen to the better parts of my brain.

“My original hope was women’s issues. The pink tax has got to be one of the most asinine issues.”

“Can’t argue that one.” He cradled his beer. “But why original hope? Thinking about a different career now?”

I sighed, my shoulders slumping. “I’m slowly learning that to get involved in any part of a political career you have to know someone, thus how I ended up interning at the animal shelter.”

“Longtime friend of the Batemans?”

I laughed. “I used to serve them coffee at Starbucks.”

“So, what you’re saying is, if this park doesn’t work out, I can see about you managing the new one at my strip mall?”

“You really are a prick you know that?” I snapped, but my words had no malice as I bit back the laugh trying to escape my lips.

“I may be, but I’ve also sat exactly where you are.” He tapped his fist on the bar top between us.

“You mean like this seat?”

“No, I mean I was trying to figure out where I fit in the landscape of politics and government. Started out paging, interning, then worked my way up to city council.”

“And how did you do that?” I blurted, wishing I could pull back a filter.

Before he could respond, a cold hand brushed my shoulder.

My eyes bugged out as I turned to see Aubrey standing next to Chance in all of his sexy, Aussie glory.

The former soccer star still kept his physique and that head of scruffy hair that matched his two little cherub cheeked kids in their double stroller, noming on some breadsticks as they looked at me with their wide brown eyes.

“Aubrey, hey, I was just about to go back out but heard...”

Before I could finish my sentence, Chance thrusted a hand between us, his stare directed at the man across from me. “Chance Bateman.”

The two men shook hands, a silent conversation rushing between them as their eyes locked across the bar.

“Adrian Chase, good to meet you Mr. Bateman, I’ve heard quite a lot about you around the office.”

Chance laughed, putting his arm around Aubrey who still had her skeptical gaze drifting between Adrian and me. “I hope all good things.”

“Mostly.”

“Melanie,” Aubrey piped up. “I was going to tell you that Chance and the kids decided to meet me here for dinner instead of doing takeout, if you wanted to join us.”

I glanced at the happy couple and their precious little kids. That was when an ache filled in my chest that I’d tried to ignore.

Adrian had the career I wanted.

Aubrey had the loving husband who would do anything for her, including buying her coffee every day from me to woo her.

I had this internship.

That was it.

And if I didn’t succeed in it, then what?

Maybe sitting here a bit longer with Adrian Chase was my ticket to getting this park situation figured out.

“You know, I was going to finish my drink with Adrian since he’s buying and talk a little bit more about the park proposal.” I offered a sweet smile to Aubrey but she just blinked slowly.

“You sure about that? Because we’ll be at a booth right over here if you need to wave a flag and get my attention.”

“I’m sure.”

She sucked in a breath and let it out slowly before nodding. “Okay, well, that invitation still stands and if not, I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”

The two men shook hands again, saying their pleasantries before the family went to their corner booth.

I kept my gaze on them until Adrian’s words tickled the back of my neck. “They’re a lovely family.”

I turned back toward him, smirking as I grabbed my new drink Frankie had set down. “They are. And they’re not far from here either. Wouldn’t it be nice for them to have a park to play in? Maybe even Chance could expand his soccer program? That would bring a lot more people out to the park and I could see sponsorships and city councilmen really getting more votes for that.”

He laughed, pointing a finger at me as he polished off his beer, Frankie already setting another one in front of him. “You’re good, I’ll give you that, but you’re not going to distract me from talking about you.”

“Me? We weren’t talking about me?” I squeaked, clearing my throat so I didn’t come out sounding like Minnie Mouse.

“Yeah. You have goals and it looks like you’re trying to pave the way from them, you might just need a push from a political prick, as you’ve so lovingly called me.”

I took a big gulp of my drink, wishing maybe he drank enough too so he could forget I called him that. “I don’t know where you’re going with this, but I have no interest in leaving my internship or losing the park proposal.”

“I didn’t say you had to.”

“Then what are you saying?” I tried to ignore the steady beating in my chest at each of his words.

Was it because of what he was saying or because the more he talked, the closer he got to me, his leg now ever so slightly brushing against mine and sending a jolt to places that hadn’t been jolted in a very long time.

“Did you know my internship was with the Parks and Recreation Department? I started my junior year of college, working for an overzealous department head who wanted to do the exact same thing you want to do with that empty lot.”

I put my hand to my chest in mock shock and tried to control the beating of my thumping heart. “And you didn’t get it done?”

He sighed. “We tried. We tried really damn hard and I thought I failed when we couldn’t get the position passed with city council. So, it led me to looking into real estate development after spending all that semester going up to these old dudes in suits, trying to convince them that their money and time should be spent on that heap of dirt.”

“And now you’re one of the old men in suits?”

He laughed, the vibration tickling my cheeks and I crossed my legs hard. Damn that laugh for being sexy when I was trying to hate him.

“I wanted to be the opposite of them. I wanted to listen. To really do what was best for the community. So, I got my real estate license the same time as I graduated and worked under some of the guys until I had my own capital and now I’m the youngest man sitting on city council at twenty-nine.”

“Wow, um, that’s impressive.” I tried to hide how impressed I exactly was by covering the flush in my cheeks with another long sip of my drink.

“I’m not just trying to blow smoke up your ass here, I’m just telling you, that’s what I did and it wasn’t easy and honestly half the time I don’t know if what I’m doing actually helps anything.” His gaze flickered through the table, a flash of something behind his lenses.

What was that?

Doubt?

Did this great, cocky guy really have something he regretted?

“Then why don’t you back the park project?” I asked carefully.

He shook his head, raking a hand through his hair so that a few stray strands fell over his forehead.

My hand itched to push them away, to see if they’d run like silk through my fingers.

“The park will cost the city money with maintenance. People say they want green space but no one actually wants to take care of it and when tax payers start complaining about it, that’s when it’ll get shut down and another developer will build the same thing I’m proposing in a few years. So why not get in on it first?”

I swallowed hard, my heart thudding.

Of course, he had a point that it could happen.

But it didn’t have to.

“But what if the animal shelter worked with the Parks and Recreation Department? Used volunteers from the shelter to help take care of it? Or even interns in landscape architecture. Wouldn’t that help with costs?”

He smirked, lifting his half-empty glass. “Now you’re starting to talk like a politician.”

“So, does that mean you’ll consider what I’m saying?”

There was a new fire in his eyes. One that had his gaze traveling to my lips. It was as if the air was whooshed out of my lungs then back in when he stared at me like that.

“Maybe.”

Chapter 5

One limoncello with my boss was a questionable idea.

Having a few more with my enemy was an even worse one.

“California Central? Yeah, I went there, too. Does the student union still have that food truck with the fish tacos?” Adrian’s voice was like a warm blanket wrapping me in a comfortable fuzz.

I don’t know when we went from talking about our backgrounds, but the more we talked, and drank, the more I found myself leaning into him and his heavenly scent of leather and woodsy cologne.

“Definitely the best Baja fish tacos this side of the boardwalk.”

“Think they’re still open right now?” He raised an eyebrow and something about the little dimple popping when he smiled had my knees turning into jelly.

“I... uh...I don’t know,” I stammered, pulling my phone out of my pocket.

When did it get to be past eight?

Shit. I had a few missed texts from my mom.

Mom: Are you coming home for dinner?

Mom: Just wondering how your first day went.

Mom: Called the animal shelter and someone named Emma said you left early with your boss for a meeting. Don’t worry, we’ll wait up so we can hear all about it.

“I need to get going home,” I muttered, quickly sending Mom a message that she was on her way.

Where the hell had the time gone?

I remembered Chance and Aubrey saying goodbye, but that wasn’t that long ago...was it?

I pushed off the bar, my knees locking.

Before I could topple to the wood floor below, a pair of strong arms enveloped my waist, straightening me against a firm chest.

Adrian’s chest.

I closed my eyes, trying to ignore the hard curves and edges of his body, molding to his dress shirt that was now firmly pressed against my back.

“Whoa, I don’t think you should drive after that many drinks. Let me get us some food and then I’ll take you home.”

My hazy brain liked that idea, my shoulders slumping back against his chest.

But the better part of me straightened up, shaking my head as I slowly pulled away, balancing my hands on the back of the bar stool. “No, it’s totally fine. My mom has food waiting and it’s only a couple of blocks from here. I can walk.”

I opened my eyes to watch his gaze rack from the top of my head, down to my heels. “You’re going to walk a couple of blocks in that? No way in hell. I’m driving you.”

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “Don’t get all caveman on me. I can walk.”

His hand shot out, gripping onto my bicep. My shoulders tightened as I widened my eyes, staring up at his tightened jaw. “I believe you can do anything, Melanie. But what kind of guy would I be if I just let you walk home alone at night?”

“Uh, one who I just met a few hours ago and probably wants me to get in the car so we can get frisky, which is not going to happen, sir.” I tried to make my voice stern, but the more I met that caramel-colored gaze of his, the more that jelly feeling in my knees was back.

He groaned, the sexy growl coming from his curled lips turned my knees into something other than jelly. Definitely something else I needed to tamp down.

“I’m not trying to get in your damn panties. If I wanted to, I wouldn’t need to get you drunk or force you into that.”

I took a step back, frowning as I tried to ignore the heavy thudding in my heart that had slammed into my stomach. “Oh, hell no. Just because we had a few drinks and talked doesn’t mean I’ll sleep with you. Ever.”

I pushed my phone into my pocket and straightened my jacket. “And on that note, I’ll bid you goodnight, Mr. Chase.”

I spun on my heel, heading toward the exit, but even though I kept my eyes on the wall ahead, I could still feel his presence. Hear the footfalls of his expensive loafers.

The sun had just started to set over the mountains, dotting the sky in a kaleidoscope of pinks and orange.

Under normal circumstances it might have even been a calm, breezy night for a walk. But not when I had a demanding man with wire framed glasses at my back.

“Look, my car is right there. You can even sit in the backseat while I drive if it makes you more comfortable.”

I glanced at the lot where Frankie’s moped was parked next to a sleek black sports car.

“Does that thing even have a backseat?” I asked, my voice wavering.

I had to stop talking and giving into him. Better to just keep moving.

“Not big enough for the two of us if you’re thinking about it.”

I scoffed. “Goodnight, Adrian.”

I thought maybe he’d given up when I closed my eyes, not hearing him behind me anymore.

Slowly I opened my eyes and the roar of a car blared behind me.

“Finally,” I muttered under my breath and took a few steps onto the sidewalk.

“So where are we headed.”

I froze, slowly turning toward the voice.

Adrian leaned out of the car window, one hand on the wheel, the other on the door, that dimpled smirk clearly painted on his face like he won something.

“I told you, I’m not getting in the car.” I crossed my arms over my chest, looking straight ahead instead of back at his sleek car or that damn smile.

“It’s nice and air conditioned in here. I could even put some music on while we drive to the food truck,” he pleaded, the car going at a snail’s pace beside me.

“No, thank you.”

“You know, you really shouldn’t be walking alone at night. A lot of weirdoes out there.”

“Says the guy following me and yelling out of his car window.”

“See? Makes sense. You should just get in the car.”

He continued moving next to me, even has I turned the corner down Elm.

As we approached the set of palms near the entrance to my neighborhood, realization sobered me.

“You really need to leave.”

I turned toward him, watching the lines in his forehead furrow. “Why? Got a boyfriend who you don’t want to see me?”

I snorted but covered my mouth so maybe he wouldn’t hear it. Though it was pretty obvious by his following smile that he did. “No, not at all.”

“Afraid if I see where you live, we might have future Romeo and Juliet moments and I’ll come to your balcony?”

“I’m sure my dad would love that.”

His eyes bulged. “You live with your parents.”

Letting out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding in, my shoulders slumped forward. “Yeah. Yeah, I do. And they won’t exactly like it if they see a stranger in a Jaguar following their daughter home.”

“Should I get out and walk you in then? Do the gentleman thing and introduce myself?”

Thrusting my hands forward with my palms toward him, I shook my head fiercely. “No. Please don’t. Okay? Can we just call it a night here?”

“What if I’m not ready for my night with you to end?” he asked, sliding the car into park before he leaned forward, both hands on the side of the car.

In the light of the setting sun his hair had turned to a more sandy brown color, his glasses reflecting the same shady brown of his eyes.

Damn the man was really attractive.

And fun to talk to.

He was everything I’d want in a guy right now.

But he was also everything standing in the way of my future and my internship.

“I think it has to, Adrian,” I said softly as my words trembled.

He put his hand out and without even thinking, I took it in mine, an electric jolt diving straight from his fingers and down to my core.

His eyes locked on mine in a smolder that could have melted chocolate.

I needed to stay far, far away from him.

Not look at him.

And definitely not touch him again.

Not if I wanted to keep this internship.

“Goodnight, then, Melanie.” His words were soft as he traced my knuckles with the pad of his thumb, the shiver now past the point of no return so I had to hold my legs together.

“Goodnight, Adrian.”

I let go of his hand, an empty feeling now in my palm and the pit of my stomach.

I expected him to still follow as I walked through the stone archway of Palisade Estates, but luckily, he didn’t.

Though he stayed parked there and I swore I could see his eyes blazing as I walked up the street to my parents’ house and around back toward the gate.

It was only then I lost sight of his headlights and my shoulders fell.

Letting out a breath, I didn’t realize I was holding in, I headed past the kidney shaped pool, lights from the patio doors casting shadows along the waterfall.

The squat, stucco building wasn’t much to look at, but it was separate from my parents. And they respected my privacy...sort of.

As soon as I opened the French doors, the scent of garlic and chicken wafted to my nose.

Turning on the light, I looked around the small white room, decorated with only a kitchenette and a set of bamboo bar stools near the counter. Mom had left a wrapped dish near the microwave, just as she had done for years when I came home late.

But suddenly I wasn’t as hungry as I thought I was, something else was gnawing at the pit of my stomach.

No.

Someone with a set of gorgeous brown eyes that was doing something to me I hadn’t felt in an awfully long time.

But Adrian Chase was not going to get in the way of my job.

No matter how sexy he was.

Chapter 6

My head was pounding.

No, not just pounding, it was as if a freight train had zoomed in front of maplthe windows and now was blowing its horn right in my ear drums.

As my foggy brain pulled me to reality, I realized the pounding was the front door of my little pool house.

Pulling myself slowly from the futon, my bones creaked as I walked out of my bedroom and padded past the love seat and bar until I got to the front door.

Mom stood there, already dressed in a skirt suit, her short brown hair swept into a bun, and her smile too wide for this early in the morning.

But at least she was holding two steaming cups of coffee.

“Morning, Melanie. Thought you might stop by the house last night, but I didn’t even hear you come in. Celebrate your first day a little hard?”

I yawned, taking the cup from her, and letting the caffeine hit my nostrils. “No celebrating. It was kind of a business meeting at Vinny’s.”

“A business meeting, already?” she raised her eyebrows, but kept her feet planted on the walkway.

I stepped back, waving my hand. She was going to hear all about this sooner or later anyway, so no point in not inviting her in. “Well, kind of.”

I closed the door behind her as she made her way to the kitchen, pulling out some English muffins and the toaster oven. “Would this kind of business meeting have anything to do with the serious looking man in a suit Mrs. Cauzzo told me you were talking to at the bar?”

I groaned, damn small neighborhood gossip.

“I was talking to Adrian Chase, he’s a city councilman that is against the new park my boss wants built where that old pit used to be near Maple Street.

Mom wrinkled her nose. “The one that all those kids fell into?”

“They didn’t fall in, they jumped, and that hole has been filled now. It’s kind of just a big dirt mound that really would make a great dog park and kid park, but he wants to put a strip mall with a coffee shop there. Like we need another one of those.”

Mom dropped the muffins in the toaster before taking a sip of her coffee. “A coffee shop would be nice there.”

“Mom. Not helping.”

She sighed, grabbing an avocado from a bowl. “I know how you can be about these sort of things, honey.”

I raised an eyebrow, my back curling like a feral cat ready to attack. “What do you mean ‘these sort of things’?”

Her eyes didn’t meet mine as she hulled out the avocado. “You’ve always been passionate about whatever you were doing and sometimes you can’t see all sides of an argument. That’s why your father always thought you’d be a good lawyer like your uncle Bobo.”

“Uncle Bobo is a real estate lawyer. He literally sits there and looks over people’s contracts before they sign onto their trillion-dollar beach houses and then gets a check. There’s no arguing.”

All my dad saw was that it was an easy way for my uncle to make money. When Uncle Bobo basically handed me an offer on a silver platter to work for him this summer, Dad couldn’t’ understand why I’d turn it down. Luckily, Chance came with the offer from Aubrey so I was able to say I had something else.

I wanted to make a real change, not just help rich people look over condo contracts and make sure they get those extra marble tiles in their humungous bathrooms.

“There’s a lot more to my brother’s job than you realize, but you’re right, your uncle didn’t want to do the trial or defense argument. His passions are different than yours.”

I took a sip of my coffee. “My passion for doing what’s right?”

She shook her head, plating our food before setting it in front of me, this time she actually did meet my gaze.

Mom and I looked a lot alike, aside from the twenty-five-year age difference and the wrinkles around her eyes, one of the few women in Cali who hadn’t gotten those botoxed out. “Melanie. What are you going to do if this park doesn’t go through? Is this going to be like when you lost out on the apartment bid?”

I flinched, staring at my coffee.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I muttered.

She laughed, but there was no humor to it. “Honey, when you got outbid on that place above Starbucks, you called up the landlord every day for two weeks, sent letters, and cried on the floor of our living room until we said you could move into this pool house.”

“I wasn’t that bad.” I rolled my eyes, but felt my cheeks burn.

So maybe I had a bit of a flair for the dramatic, but it was a great apartment, right downtown. I had the best letters of reference and reason for getting that studio. Then someone else came in with an all cash offer, paying the first year up front, and BOOM, there went my nice little studio downtown.

“This isn’t going to be like that, Mom. This time I’m working with a lawyer and it’s a great project. I just need to make sure I’m focused and ready to present my arguments.”

She sighed, shaking her head. “I hope so, honey.”

So, did I.

***

I left my car at the shelter the night before, but luckily it wasn’t too long of a walk from my house to work.

And it gave me a chance to walk by the pit.

At this time in the morning, people were out for the early jogs, or crammed in carpool, ready to head onto the freeway.

Like a beacon, the sun glinted off the rusted fence as if it was trying to show the world it’s untapped potential.

Those moms with their strollers could stop under a nice shade tree, take a break to let their kids run around the sandbox.

The early morning dog walkers could have a place to let their dogs run out some energy and do their business, instead of leaving it next to a palm tree for an unsuspecting runner to come along later.

It really was the perfect, quaint spot for a park.

Now I just had to convince everyone else of that.

Straightening my bag over my shoulder, I nodded to myself.

So, I was passionate? Sometimes overly so.

It’s what this project needed.

And with Aubrey to help guide me, we could do it.

I just had to get to work and pray that this headache still pounding in my temples would go away in a few hours.

Hopefully.

Instead of the suit, I did as Aubrey suggested and wore a pair of jeans, some sneakers, and one of the nicer tops I had. I didn’t want to be dressed too down, but I also wondered if I’d have to take another hike to walk a dog down to another park...or clean out goat poop. Again.

I breezed past Emma at the front desk, offering a quick wave since she had her phone pressed to her ear, her long, lime green nails tapping on the computer.

Aubrey’s office door was open and even before I got to the glass wall, I could hear her talking.

“Hey, don’t be greedy. We can share.”

I raised an eyebrow, slowly approaching, unsure of what the hell I was about to walk into.

I definitely didn’t expect her to be perched on her desk, a bag of sunflower seeds on her lap as she took one, then tossed another to Pixy, both of them spitting out the seeds in a black trash can between them.

“Um, am I interrupting something?” I cautiously stepped over the threshold, dropping my purse on one of the folding chairs.

“Just a little late breakfast. Chance and the kids had to be out early for soccer, so he didn’t get to make anything. We stopped at the bodega and Sammy was already out of croissants, so figured this would be a good substitute. Want one?” She held the bag out, Pixy bleating in response.

“Oh, you can share,” she reprimanded, puffing her lips out at the little goat.

“I’m good, thanks. I already had breakfast.”

“You did? Someone make it for you?” She raised her eyebrows, leaning back on her desk.

“Um, yeah, my mom?”

She blinked hard. “Oh. So, she picked you up last night and you didn’t go home with someone?”

“What?” I shook my head, swallowing hard as my throat dried up. “No. Why...no...I didn’t go home with anyone.”

She nodded past me. “I just saw your car in the parking lot and when I left, you and Adrian were pretty chummy. I’m not judging, I was young like you once, and I just wanted to make sure everything was going to be okay when we meet with city council this week.”

I shook my head so hard that I swore my ponytail was going to come out.

I dug in my purse, pulling out a stack of print outs. “Definitely not. I even did some research this morning.”

I handed the papers to Aubrey as she used her not-covered-in-sunflower-seeds-hand to thumb through them. “Real Estate listings?”

“Those are homes in the area that have sold in the last five years, all single-family homes. All with fenced in yards. All with demographics of people who would want a park space for kids and dogs. I figured I could start with going to those homes, maybe getting a petition together or just gauging interest who would want a park in that area.”

She nodded slowly as a smile crossed her lips. “Wow. That’s actually something I didn’t think of, I guess I owe you an apology for thinking Adrian Chase might cloud your judgement.”

Before I could open my mouth to respond, a knock came at the glass.

I turned around, coming face-to-floral with a large bouquet of yellow roses, Emma’s highlighted curls not even visible over them.

“These just came to the front,” she said, placing them on the opposite corner of Aubrey’s desk from where she was sitting.

“Aw, Chance still sends you flowers? That’s so sweet,” I said honestly, trying not to make my voice come out bitter.

It really was sweet.

I still remember him trying to woo her when she was dating that dipshit from her office who always complained about his coffee order, no matter what it was.

Thank God she ended up with the guy who tipped and knew her coffee order.

Emma shook her head, putting her hands on her hips so her bangles clanked against the hot pink belt holding back her cheetah print dress. “Nuh uh, these had your name on the tag, Melanie.”

“My name?” I choked out the words, my feet stuck to the ground like they’d been superglued there.

Aubrey had some cat-like reflexes as she reached for the card, buried among what had to be at least three dozen yellow perfectly bloomed roses.

“Well, let’s see who your admirer is.”

Before my brain could catch up to my feet and I lurched forward, Aubrey already had the card torn open, her forehead crinkling as she wrapped her fingers around the small sheet of pink paper.

“Melanie can’t wait to see you again Thursday. Looking forward to hearing more of your sass, just maybe not over limoncellos this time. – AC”

All of the heat that once gathered to my face from embarrassment now drained as a cold chill gathered through my body. “Aubrey, I swear nothing happened. This...this must be some kind of tactic to throw me off.”

“A pretty damn expensive one with that many flowers,” Emma quipped.

Gripping the vase, I held it over my head before slamming it in the trash can, causing Pixy to jump back, bleating fiercely.

Turning toward a wide-eyed Aubrey, I grabbed my stack of papers where she set them on the desk. “This is a game to him. A ploy he thinks he can win with his charm and flowers. But we’re not backing down. Okay? I’m not backing down.”

Aubrey’s throat bobbed as she nodded. “If you say so, then I’m one-hundred percent behind you.”

I nodded. “Good. Then let’s get to work before the city council meeting this week.”

Chapter 7

I poured every free minute I had at the office.

When I got home from work, I still spent time on my computer, looking up whatever research I could.

I knocked on doors, getting signatures from people in the neighborhood, requested quotes from landscaping services, and in between all of that managed to take just about every dog in the shelter for a walk, all the way to the nearest park.

Avoiding city hall or any path near it the entire time.

Until I couldn’t anymore.

Thursday morning started with a dark cloud hanging over the horizon. The ominous foreboding on what was to come for the rest of the day.

I dressed in a button-down shirt and a pencil skirt, putting my hair in a low bun before sliding on a pair of heels. I needed to look the professional part.

I also had to feel it today when Aubrey presented her points to the city council. Especially the dimpled member who I still couldn’t stop thinking about.

Every time I got a call from an unknown number, my heart skipped a beat, wondering if somehow, he got mine and now was calling to explain the flowers or anything.

But no. Always a telemarketer.

I hadn’t seen nor talked to him since Monday and now I was about to face him in the large oak room of city hall.

“You can do this, Melanie,” I told myself as I stared in the small bathroom mirror of the one-stall room at the back of the shelter.

I had everything prepared. Aubrey was going to present and I’d hand her the notes, making sure everything was ready to go.

We could do this.

As long as I didn’t look at Adrian, I’d be fine.

Easier said than done when as soon as we walked into the chilly meeting room, the first breath I took in was filled with his woodsy cologne.

My eyes immediately gravitated to the large stage where eight men sat behind a desk. A dark gaze immediately catching mine as a smile crossed his face. The smile that hit me right in the center of my chest.

Dammit.

Did I smile back?

What the hell was I supposed to do?

I kept my head down, taking my seat in one of the many benches with Aubrey beside me.

There were four more proposals on the agenda before ours. Each man in a business suit, approaching a small podium and presenting his points before the council asked questions.

Each time I looked up at the stage, the heat of Adrian’s eyes fell on me, a small, brilliant white smile aimed right in my direction.

What the hell did that mean?

Was he actually going to vote in our favor?

What was he trying to say?

Dammit, men were complicated.

By the time it was Aubrey and my turn to step up to the podium, it was as if I was swimming through wet cement, each step harder than the next.

Aubrey cleared her throat and I laid the leather portfolio out in front of her, each point highlighted clearly and another few notes I’d jotted on post-its clinging to the side.

We had this.

“Gentlemen of city council, I’m Aubrey Bloom-Bateman, from the local animal shelter, here with my intern Melanie Knopp, to talk about approval of a multi-use park on city lot 42.”

“Lot 42...” One of the old men held up a wrinkly finger. “Say, isn’t that that place you were going to put the strip mall, Adrian?”

Adrian had some sense, the smile fading from his face as he nodded but didn’t say a word.

Aubrey cleared her throat, drawing the attention back to us. “Yes, we are very aware of Mr. Chase’s proposal to buy the land for real estate development, but we have also done our research, polling residents of the neighborhood to see their interest in a park.”

She nodded at me, the cue to approach the desk and pass out the results of our door-to-door-surveys I’d freshly copied and printed this morning.

Still warm from the printer, I couldn’t tell if it was the copies or something else that definitely had the hairs on my arm prickling with goosebumps once I reached Adrian’s spot.

“Thank you,” he mouthed, the smile returning to his face.

My cheeks felt incredibly hot as I nodded, keeping my head down as I walked back to Aubrey and the podium.

Most of the old men pulled out a pair of reading glasses from their pockets, looking over the documents, but Aubrey was quick to get their attention back to her.

“My intern went to over two-hundred homes in the area, finding that most were young families with kids and dogs. All who would be interested in having an area of green space.”

“And what do you get out of this, Mrs. Bateman? What interest does the shelter have?” Another old man asked, barely looking up from the paper, but waving one of his wrinkled hands.

She nodded, ever the poised professional, she didn’t even flinch. “Mr. Waldorf, the animal shelter and the rescues in the area have had to walk over a mile just to give our animals a bit of green space. A dog park within a block of the shelter would give an opportunity for residents to see available dogs and get more space to interact with them than we can provide in our 12 by 12 fenced enclosure. This would help get more dogs off the streets with our shelter less full and a cleaner overall area with a designated spot for dogs and complimentary clean up baggies.”

“But who is going to fund this?” Another man piped up.

I flipped over the pad, revealing the next sheet of numbers I’d printed out for Aubrey. She mouthed thank you before turning back to the desk and I grabbed the copies, ready to hand them out.

“We’ve prepared a spreadsheet with a breakdown of costs to get the project started and how much it will be to maintain by the city.”

That was my cue.

I shuffled the sheets then approached the desk, handing one to each man as Aubrey explained each point. But I lingered a little longer than necessary at the last spot. A soft graze of Adrian’s thumb over my knuckles sending a warm shiver down my chest.

He didn’t say anything this time, but he didn’t need to, that damn smile said it all and I had to calculate each step so I wouldn’t face plant as I walked back to the podium.

Mr. Waldorf raised his hand. “Okay, Mrs. Bateman, I think we’ve seen what we needed, are we ready for a vote?”

He looked around the desk where all the men nodded in return.

“All in favor of using lot 42 as a park, say ‘aye’.” Four sets of hands raised up.

None of them Adrian.

All the color and warmth I once had now turned into a cold chill raking my body.

“All those opposed?”

Adrian’s hand was the first one to shoot up and this time I couldn’t even glance at that smile.

It wasn’t one aimed at me.

It was smug.

It was because he was about to win and he knew it.

“4-4 tie. We will table this discussion for our next meeting. Mrs. Bateman, Miss Knopp, will you be able to make our council meeting next month?”

Aubrey nodded slowly, the only trepidation a slight shake in her left hand. “Yes, sir, we’ll be there.”

“Good. I look forward to hearing from you then. Next.”

He banged the gavel and Aubrey and I shuffled to our seats as another person approached the podium.

“What the hell just happened?” I hiss-whispered.

“I guess we were wrong about Adrian Chase,” she gritted.

“You’re damn right we were.”

If looks could kill, I swore I could have burned a hole through that man’s forehead.

Still with that damn smug smile as he listened to each person give their argument.

They didn’t know how much of a prick he really was.

And it was time to show him that he might have swindled some other people, but this time, he wasn’t going to get to me.

No matter what.

Chapter 8

“I’m going to take an early lunch before heading back to the office. It might be a late night tonight,” Aubrey said solemnly as we exited the board room.

I half listened, but my mind was elsewhere.

Then I spotted exactly who I was looking for, standing by the door with a few other council members.

“Yeah, I’ll see you back at the office.”

I didn’t want for her response as I turned quickly, approaching the circle of laughing men.

“Mr. Chase, a word?” I interrupted.

Silence drifted in the circle as three sets of eyes locked on me, the only one I cared about, displaying that smarmy smirk.

“Of course, Miss Knopp, step into my office.”

He reached for the door handle behind him, turning it so a burst of cool air drifted into the hallway.

I froze, not wanting to be alone with him, but maybe this was what I needed. To let it all out.

“Thank you, sir.”

I nodded, politely to the other men before crossing the threshold.

The door swung shut behind us as I took stock of the room.

It wasn’t much bigger than a walk-in-closet with frosted glass windows taking up one wall, the other two lined with bookshelves. A large oak desk was framed by two leather chairs, ‘Councilman Chase’ proudly proclaimed on a bronze nameplate secured to the front.

“I wasn’t expecting you to come in here so quick, actually, I thought I’d hear from you earlier when I left my number on the card. You like the flowers?” Each word went to the same beat as my heavily thumping heart.

Clenching my hands into fists at my side, I whirled toward him, mustering up all the courage bubbling in my chest. “What the hell was that in there?”

He took a step closer, his hands in his pockets, biceps tightened. His long, lean body so close that I could inhale his woodsy cologne. “That was a council meeting. First one?”

I took a step back, my hip bumping against the desk as I tried to control the contrasting feelings of my fuzzy brain and heavily thumping heart. “You know what I mean.”

He nodded. “Ah, the vote. Well, like I told you the other night, you have some good arguments, but it’s a smarter business decision to make the lot into a strip mall.”

“You’re such a prick,” I spat, my jaw clenching as I shook my head.

“And you’re so fucking sexy when you argue,” he growled.

Closing the space between us, he cupped my cheeks in his rough hands, his mouth crushing against mine.

All of the air whooshed out of my lungs and slammed back in.

I wasn’t supposed to like this.

I wasn’t supposed to think how soft his lips felt compared to the roughness of his hands as his fingers threaded through my hair, pulling me closer.

When his tongue pushed against my mouth, reason left my body and into a gasp.

He tasted like peppermint and bad decisions; one this would definitely be.

I fought against my own pulsing heart, curling my fists between us as I pushed back, forcing his lips from mine.

“What was that?” I spat, trying to keep my gaze from his bruised lips. The ones that just deliciously assaulted my mouth.

Shifting my weight, I tried to dart to the side but his hand seized my wrist, pulling me against his hard chest.

“We can’t do this,” I whispered into his parted lips.

“Can’t do what exactly?” He murmured as his breath trailed down the sensitive skin of my neck.

“We’re basically enemies. We can’t be kissing...or other things.” My words faltered as his hand traveled from my wrist, tiptoeing to my waist.

“Are you talking about sleeping with the enemy?” His teeth nipped at my neck and I couldn’t hold back a gasp, my legs buckling beneath me.

His strong hands steadied against my sides, lifting me onto the desk.

This was like every damn fantasy I didn’t know I had, my heart beating heavily as the rational part of me tried to rack my brain for a reason to say no.

“Does this mean you’re going to vote ‘yes’ at the next meeting?” I managed to croak.

His smile spread across my neck before he slowly slid his hands to my knees, pushing them apart. “I’m not saying anything, Miss Knopp.”

Before I could argue another point his hand slipped up my thigh, all reason leaving my brain as his knuckles brushed against the silk of my panties.

“Your arguments, God, I wanted it to be you and that smart mouth of yours telling me off today,” he murmured, but I couldn’t focus on anything else but the buildup between my legs as he slipped his fingers inside me.

“I can keep arguing,” I breathed, gripping onto his shoulders, my body already building to the brink.

“Tell me why I shouldn’t fuck you on my desk right now? Why I shouldn’t give this greedy little pussy more of what its begging for against my fingers?”

Desire pooled deep in my belly as the brashness of his words hit me.

“I think it’s something else that’s begging,” I gasped, bringing my hands down to his cock, desperately pulsing against his dress pants.

He moaned, pressing his hardness against my palm.

“Do you know how fucking sexy it is when you argue? Fuck, Melanie.”

“I can keep this up. All. Day.” Massaging my fingers along his bulge elicited another long groan, his Adams apple bobbing as he tilted his head back.

This was a terrible idea and deep down I knew that, but as his fingers found my pressure spot, all reason left me in the moan I muffled into his shoulder.

“Fuck, did you just come on my fingers?”

I didn’t respond, the euphoric high of my orgasm now bringing me back down to reality.

Looking up to meet his hooded stare, he didn’t let me back away. Do anything put get wrapped up in his arms as he pressed his mouth to mine again.

His kisses desperate as our tongues tangled together.

This time I didn’t try to stop him when he pushed my skirt up, our mouths still fused together while his pants slipped off.

The only break in our fever was when he pulled out a foil packet, sliding the rubber over his length.

It was a silent agreement between us as our eyes met and he filled me completely, my legs wrapping around him as our heavied breaths met in the limited space between us.

Each meeting of his hips to mine had a bundle of pleasure traveling straight to my core.

The rational part of me knew this was a bad idea, but that part of me wasn’t thinking. And when another orgasm sailed me over the edge, crashing into him, all reason left.

This could have been the biggest mistake I made in my career.

Or maybe the best.

Once we’d both come down from our euphoric high, still pressed together with his head in my neck, I tried to think of what to say.

Where we went from here.

My phone buzzing from my purse quickly brought me back to reality as I pulled my panties back on. Then I grabbed the device from where it fell on the floor.

Aubrey’s name flashed across the screen and the once cloud I was floating on now came crashing down like a thunderstorm.

“I have to go,” I muttered, pulling down my skirt and fixing my hair, making sure I kept my back to Adrian.

“You don’t have to. We still haven’t finished that argument and I’m ready to go as long as we have to.”

A text appeared on my screen.

Aubrey: Hey, I’m running late to get back to the office. I think I’m going to work from home the rest of the day and we can meet to discuss the next meeting tomorrow if that’s okay?

“Well is it?” Adrian’s breath was hot on my ear.

The right thing to do was probably go home and plan for the meeting. But with Adrian pressed against my back, I dropped my phone, along with all my reason.

If this was going to never happen again, well, I could at least make the most of it.

Part II

Adrian

Chapter 8

My hands slipped between the silken sheets, wishing the pads of my thumbs were grazing something else. Or more like someone else.

After the longest dry spell of my life, I finally had Melanie Knopp not once, but twice, on my desk.

Ever since I first saw the brunette barista at the Starbucks across the street from my condo, I wanted to get to know her.

But she didn’t give me a second look, just went onto the next customer.

When she literally ran into me at city hall, I knew it was my chance.

But that sass wasn’t going to come easy.

Enemies?

Hell, no, we weren’t that, but we did have a different view on how Lot 42 should be used. And if every time we argued about it, the closer her lips got to mine, I’d take it.

My cock pressed against the seam of my boxers just thinking about the way she clenched her thighs around my waist. How if Councilman Stark didn’t knock on my door asking for some asinine thing, I would have demanded she come home with me.

The rising sun cast over the empty side of my California King.

I’d been alone in this bed every night since I bought the sprawling two-thousand-square foot place, overlooking the pier.

But I never thought of it as empty.

Until now.

Fumbling for my phone on the dresser, I grabbed the device, wishing the messages on my screen weren’t news briefs.

Should I have told Melanie I needed her number before she left my office? Said it was for business purposes?

She had my business card but still hadn’t used it.

My jaw ticked, knowing she wouldn’t. Knowing that she probably didn’t wake up this morning like I did with morning wood and the smell of her citrus perfume still on my neck.

Scrolling through my contacts, I found the number I called a few days ago.

Maybe this would get her attention.

***

After a shave and a shower, I put on a dark blue suit before heading into my office at city hall.

Normally I didn’t spend much time there unless we were getting ready for a council meeting, but I was hoping a certain brunette got my message.

What felt like the longest morning of my life, finally had a little bit of excitement when a knock came at my door.

My heart skipped but I tamped it down, clearing my throat and keeping my head down.

What the fuck? Why was I acting like a teenage girl with a crush?

Get it together, Chase.

“Come in.”

The door squeaked open, shutting just as loud again before a pair of red Chuck Taylors padded on the ground.

My gaze trailed up those long legs that were once wrapped around me and up to Melanie’s puckered lips.

Damn her for wearing jeans and some sort of button-down shirt and not that little skirt I hiked up her to waist the night before.

“You’ve got some nerve,” she grumbled, hands on her hips.

“Take it you got my flowers? I was going to go with three dozen again but figured your seven orgasms deserved seven dozen roses.” I leaned back, crossing my arms over my chest.

Her cheeks tinged red and if my cock wasn’t already aching for her, now it was begging.

“Look, what happened last night was a mistake. And it can’t happen again.”

I raised an eyebrow, my heart thudding down to my chest at her challenge. “So, you don’t want me to bend you over this desk? Would you prefer I take a long lunch and we head to my condo?”

She balled her hands into fists, throwing them down to her side. “Adrian. My internship is dependent on this park proposal and if you’re going to continue to vote against it, then we have nothing to talk about.”

I stood up slowly, watching her neck bob as my full height loomed over her. “Who said anything about talking?”

With a few quick strides, I was around my desk, cupping her face as I brought those luscious lips to mine.

She sighed into my mouth, her arms still at her side, but her body melted into mine. She fit so perfectly against me. Like it was exactly where she belonged.

I trailed my kiss from her lips, to her neck, inhaling the mixture of her lemony perfume and whatever heaven her shampoo was.

Those silky strands of her brown hair fell over her shoulders, gliding through my fingers as I pushed it aside to get a better feel for her sumptuous skin.

“Adrian,” she breathed my name like a prayer.

Running my tongue along the pulse in her neck, my cock twitched at the sound of her gasp.

“We...I...” Her words stunted as I trailed kisses down her skin.

“I couldn’t sleep last night,” she blurted breathlessly.

“Neither could I,” I whispered, trailing my lips back to her ear.

She stiffened. “I was up doing some more research. If you really want whatever this is to happen, you’re going to have to look over this park proposal.”

I snapped my head up, her eyes wide as she held up a set of stapled documents. When did she get those out?

“Can we discuss this after?” I breathed, tiptoeing my fingers down the buttons of her shirt.

Before she could answer, another knock came at my door.

She jumped back as if I was on fire, a smirk crossing her lips once her gaze traveled down the length of my suit. Guess she saw that she wasn’t the only thing jumping.

I groaned, adjusting my cock. “Whoever it is, I can get to them later. We have business to take care of.”

She put a hand out, waving her palm out toward me. “Nuh uh. Nothing further is happening until you actually read over what I researched.”

She sauntered toward my desk, setting the documents next to my computer monitor.

“My cell number is hidden in the pages, so I know you’ve read it before you call me to discuss.”

I threw my head back, letting out a deep breath. “Are you punishing me on purpose.”

She leaned forward, ever so slightly brushing her lips against my jaw. “It’s just politics, Mr. Chase.”

Before I could grab that perfect ass of hers and pull her back to me, she was already at the door, opening it to reveal two of the older council members.

Their eyes widened like Easter eggs behind their thick frames as they eyed Melanie.

I stepped forward, one hand on her lower back the other gripped tightly into a fist at my side. “Councilman Clark, Councilman Stark, I was just discussing the Lot 42 proposal with Mrs. Knopp, can we help you with something?”

I trailed my thumb along the thin fabric of her shirt, her back tightening beneath my grasp.

“I was actually just leaving, but call me after you go over that paperwork, Mr. Chase,” she called, skidding over the threshold.

I swore the woman winked and even added a little extra sway to her hips as she headed back down the hallway.

My mouth watered thinking of how close I just had her, if these two geezers didn’t interrupt.

Either Clark or Stark cleared their throat, bringing me back to the present.

“Don’t tell me you’re really considering voting for the park proposal?”

I snapped my head toward his. “I haven’t looked over the documents she brought me yet.”

Stark let out a laugh, putting a pudgy hand on my shoulder. “Adrian, let’s talk.”

I didn’t respond as we went into my office, the old men taking their perches on the wing back chairs as I leaned against my desk. Wishing I had Melanie up against it instead of listening to these blowhards.

“You know, we used to work with your father back when he was in hedge funds...”

Stark’s words trailed.

No one wanted to talk about my dad.

Forty-nine and drops dead on the golf course from a stroke.

I’d just finished my undergrad and was ready for law school, but instead found myself dealing with finances my mother couldn’t handle and a reason to grow up a lot faster than any twenty-one-year-old kid should have to.

“Yes, I’m aware,” I said as politely as I could.

My dad worked with all the old businessmen in town. The ones who called him at all hours of the night when their stocks weren’t going the right way.

I think half the reason I was elected to city council was because the men pretended to have a conscience, driving Dad to an early grave so they needed to throw me a bone.

“He was the one who always talked about putting more investments into this town. He said business is what would drive this economy and we were glad to see you continued his plan,” Clark added, folding his wrinkled hands together on his lap.

“There are a lot of things my dad thought of, but he isn’t here to continue them.”

Stark scoffed. “Get your head out of that do-gooder’s pussy, Adrian.”

My jaw clenched as I stared down the old man’s beady little black eyes.

“Do not talk about Melanie like that.”

Clark put one hand on his friend’s shoulder, the other palm out toward me. “I think what Saul is saying, is that we don’t want you going back on your investor’s just because the new intern at the animal shelter is sweet on you.”

I tried not to recoil at his old-fashioned use of words. Sweet on me?

More like the woman had entrapped every thought occupying my brain and if I didn’t have her in my bed soon, I was going to go fucking crazy.

“She does have a point, you know,” I said, clearing my throat as I glanced at the documents she left on my desk.

Somewhere in there was her phone number and as soon as this damn little meeting was over, I was calling her back here.

Stark let out a cough that sounded like he should really cut back on the cigars. “Bull shit, Adrian. You know damn well that a park will cost the city money when we could be making it. Who the hell wants a bunch of mangey dogs running around when those moms and their snot nosed kids could have a Starbucks and we can sit back in our Bali retreats with a nice tall glass or something strong?”

I shook my head, trying to ignore the fuzzy beating from my head to my chest. “Well, sir, I don’t have a place in Bali.”

He pointed a crooked finger at me. “Not yet you don’t. But you’re a smart man, Adrian. I’d hate to see you lose focus just because of a pair of gams.”

Clark nodded then turned toward me. “He’s right. We have us and Monroe on our side, now we just need to swing at least one of the other guys. Which one isn’t a dog lover or have grandkids?”

“Leviathan. That man hates dogs and kids, so why the hell isn’t he voting with us?” Stark added, leaning back in his chair, his fingers steepled.

“Maybe he needs a little persuading. He does still have a hand in some of those burger franchises. Maybe if some hot shot real estate developer talked to him about putting one of those in the new strip mall, he’d reconsider his vote.” Clark’s bushy eyebrows rose, those beady little black eyes narrowing like a menacing raccoon.

“Hey, add a playground, and it would win the community vote too,” I added with a laugh, but it was like a punch to the gut, my stomach souring.

Both the old men laughed. “Now that’s the spirit.”

Stark and Clark continued on jabbering about setting up a meeting with Leviathan but my gaze trailed to the door where a flash of red I hadn’t noticed before stared at me like a damn judgey grandmother.

Melanie’s purse.

She must have dropped it at some point.

Did she realize it or...?

My gaze flickered to the silhouette against the frosted glass window. She couldn’t see in but did she...

Oh. Shit.

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as I leapt off the desk, throwing the door open and ignoring the old men’s calls.

Melanie’s back was already turned, her shoulders shaking.

“Melanie...I...”

She whirled around, her eyes red and blurry, but her mouth forced in a scowl. “A burger place playground will satisfy the local moms? Is that what you think of all of this? That you can just buy people off? Flowers? Was that my buy off or was it the orgasms?”

The old men’s voices went silent, the air surrounding us stale as every hair on my body prickled into tiny goosebumps.

“Melanie, I can explain.” I took a step forward, but she shook her head, putting her hands out just out of my reach.

“No, Adrian. I’m done with your explaining. I just came to get my purse, but I got a hell of a lot more.”

Stark slowly walked out, holding the red leather bag in front of him. “Ma’am, I believe this is yours.”

Melanie’s face was about as crimson as the bag as she took it, but her gaze stayed on mind. “If you actually do even read the documents, I sent you, lose my number. Okay? I don’t need someone pretending to be on my side just so they can rip everything I worked for.”

“Melanie.”

Her name slipped off my tongue, but I also knew there was nothing I could say to make this better.

All I could do was watch the tears cloud her eyes before she blinked them away.

“I have to get to work. I’ll see you at the next city council meeting and look forward to hearing your vote.”

She didn’t let me get in another word before she turned on her heel.

My feet glued to the floor, Stark and Clark’s hands on my shoulders, whispering their condolences or their ‘good riddance’ but I wasn’t listening to a damn thing they said. Not until my heart got to my brain and I ran down the hall, only in time to see Melanie drive away.

My heart dropped down to my stomach.

There was no easy way to fix this.

Hell, the only way to do it as far as I could see was to vote ‘yes’ on the park.

But then where would that leave the investors?

My future?

Everything...

Chapter 9

I couldn’t sit another minute in the office. Every time I even tried to sit at my desk, I thought about Melanie splayed on top of it.

Melanie who ran out of the office.

I grabbed what I needed off my desk, shoving it in my briefcase before I decided to call it a day, seeing if I could work at a coffee shop or at home.

But instead of heading toward my car, I ended up turning right, then left.

It was late enough in the afternoon that the Camphors and mulberries shaded the sidewalks, bringing the temperature down another twenty degrees.

I didn’t know how long I walked before I realized the pain in my foot from trekking too long in Prada loafers, definitely not made for anything more than sitting in a board room.

A clearing of palms led to a small park, heavy on the word small.

It was nothing more than a bench, a grassy field about the size of a master bathroom with a rusted goal post and a jungle gym I was fairly sure had been there since the 1970s.

Since the place was empty, I plopped down on the bench, my briefcase at my feet.

Red marks on the document poking out caught my attention and I pulled the papers to my lap.

Melanie’s number was right in the dead front and center of page two, not much for hiding.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, skimming over the next paragraph. The one talking about her survey. About the investment in the future of the community.

Yeah, an investment that wouldn’t bring any money to the council members who would crucify me and my business.

“Excuse me, mate, mind if I have a seat? The other bench broke from under me,” a deep Australian accent forced my eyes forward.

Against the sun at his back, his coppery hair was like a halo, shining down over his well-worn jeans and stained t-shirt.

“Yeah, sure,” I muttered, scooting to the side.

“CJ, if you hit your sister with the ball again, I’m going to take it away,” he yelled, not even giving me a second glance.

I followed his call, two young kids with matching coppery hair, kicking a ball around the patch of grass.

“Pathetic area for soccer practice, but it’s the closest one to the house.”

That accent.

Those kids.

Turning sharply toward him, I tilted my head, making sure I was picturing the right guy. “You’re Chance Bateman, right? Aubrey Bloom-Bateman’s husband?”

He laughed, leaning back into the bench, his arms casually hanging against the wooden back. “Aye. And you’re that councilman, right? The one who was giving my Melanie a hard time.”

Oh, I gave her a hard time all right.

But as soon as I thought about her and the knowing smile Chance gave me, that sinking feeling was back in my gut.

“Yeah, I don’t think she’s a big fan of mine.”

“Aw, I wouldn’t say that. It seemed like you two were awfully chummy at Vinny’s the other night. I don’t think she even noticed anyone else was in the room but you.”

I swallowed hard, the memory feeling like a lifetime ago. “Yeah, well, kind of screwed that up when it came to the park vote.”

He nodded. “Ah, yes, Aubrey filled me in that you’re the evil corporate bad guy who doesn’t want a new park.”

I shook my head, smirking. “I wouldn’t say that.”

“So why else would you say you don’t want a park there?”

I sighed, leaning back on the seat. Tension had gathered in my shoulders and I probably should have just shut my mouth since that’s what got me into this mess in the first place.

But maybe it was the sun, or the guy’s carefree attitude, but I found the words slipping easily off my tongue. “I have a lot of investors on the board who want to see Lot 42 turn into a strip mall complete with a coffee shop and burger joint.”

“Isn’t there another one of those about five minutes up the road?” he asked, no sense of malice in his voice.

“Yeah. Five minutes one way. Three the other way.”

“Sounds like you’re not very convinced there needs to be another one either.”

I blew out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding in. “I don’t know, anymore.”

He put a hand on my shoulder. “Well, mate, I can tell you this much, there will always be coffee shops. There will always be other investments. But if you’re even giving this a second thought, whether it has anything to do with Melanie or not, you shouldn’t go forward with it.”

“Is this you talking or your wife who wants the dog park?”

He laughed. “This is coming from a guy who made a hell of a lot of mistakes in his relationships. But being honest, that’s the thing I wish I did from the beginning. Sometimes my head gets in the way of my heart and that is the biggest mistake.”

I nodded, even though his words weren’t fully hitting my fuzzy brain.

Losing the investors on this park could cause me to not only lose a shit ton of money, that I didn’t need anyway, but any future trust from the council.

“And, hell, if you really are looking for an investment opportunity, why not just have some of those food trucks do rounds at the park? There’s one that shows up to some of the kids’ soccer practices over on Palm Lane. Best damn waffles on a stick I’ve ever had. You’ll have to try them sometime.”

I blinked hard, turning to see Chance’s white, bright smile.

Maybe he did have a point.

Not just the food truck option, but about following my heart.

I stood up, grabbing my briefcase. I needed my computer and to have my assistant set up a few meetings. “Thanks, Chance. I think I’ve got some work to do.”

He held his hand out. “Happy to help, as long as you don’t tell my wife we had this conversation.”

“You’re secrets safe with me.”

Chapter Ten

I woke up, my face pressed to the oak desk in my home office.

I remembered shutting my eyes for just a second after I got off the phone with a man from Chile Camion out of some little beach town.

The man had talked for about two hours, half in English, half in Spanish, and mostly all of it going a mile a minute.

I glanced at the clock then froze.

Then jumped up.

I knocked down all of the sticky notes I had scattered, realizing it was way more than a few minutes I’d been sleeping.

“Shit,” I muttered, running to the bathroom, grabbing my toothbrush with one hand and my phone in the other.

A text from my assistant flashed on the screen asking if I wanted to put in another flower order and I hovered over the reply button.

No.

Flowers weren’t going to do it this time.

But I did have another plan.

I pulled up another document on my phone, looking over the legalese while I finished brushing my teeth.

By the time I shaved, I’d transferred a deposit to my condo manager and was ready to head into town.

This time I wasn’t going to let some council members cloud my judgement.

***

I’d never actually been inside of the animal shelter or seen the secretary with her lime green fingernails and ‘don’t fuck with me’ scowl.

“Can I help you, Mr. Chase?”

Okay, so she definitely knew who I was.

“Yes, I’m here to see Melanie.”

“Why do you want to see her? To make her cry again?”

Ouch.

Her words were like a virtual slap, my cheeks burning.

“I had an inquiry for her.”

“An inquiry isn’t a good enough answer for me to get this phone and call her up here.”

“It’s okay, Emma,” a soft voice broke through.

Like a breath of fresh air, Melanie came from around the corner. Her hair up in a ponytail wearing jeans and another one of those button-down blouses, she was the most gorgeous woman I’d ever seen.

In or out of her clothes.

If this didn’t work.

Fuck.

My shoulders fell just thinking about it, but I straightened them, licking my lips as I slowly rounded the desk.

“What do you want, Mr. Chase? I’m getting ready for our meeting tonight, even though I don’t see the point, but I’m still going to do my job.” She curled her lip, her eyes narrowed as if I was the lowliest bug beneath her tennis shoes.

Swallowing hard, I tried to tamp down the rapid beating of my heart with each step. “I was coming to see about a certain dog with a broken foot, but thought I’d talk to you first.”

She raised an eyebrow, blinking slowly. “Luka?”

I found a smile splitting across my face. “Yes, Luka. The dog who aided in helping me first run into the cute barista I’d seen at Starbucks across from my condo for years. I thought it was about time he needed a home.”

She shook her head, her eyes darting to the ground. “Adopting a dog isn’t just going to fix things.”

“Well, then who else am I going to bring to the new dog park, especially during food truck Friday? I’m sure Luka will be a big fan of the waffles on a stick.”

She snapped her head up. “What? Dog park? Waffles?”

I took two steps forward, closing the space between us as I took her hands in mind. “Yes. I’m voting yes to the park. I spent all night calling different food truck vendors and I think a new proposal with a rotation of food trucks will bring just as much business and a place for my girlfriend and I to take Luka for a walk.”

“Girlfriend?” she stuttered.

I laughed, brushing my thumb against hers. “Is that not the right word? What else should I call you?”

“You can call her whatever you want as long as you just kiss her!” I turned to see Aubrey and Emma both smiling behind the desk.

I turned back to Melanie’s reddened cheeks. “Well, what do you say, Melanie? Should I kiss you?”

She leaned onto her tippy toes, whispering into my lips. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Part III

Melanie

Epilogue

Eight Months Later

Two pink lines stared back at me.

“No. Not now, not today,” I whispered, hoping no one was standing in ear shot outside of the one stall bathroom of Vinny’s restaurant.

Today was the biggest day of my new career as assistant in the Parks and Recreation Department. The one I got because of my internship with Aubrey Bloom-Bateman and a successful implantation of a new park. And I guess with a little help from my boyfriend, councilman Adrian Chase.

The one who was also the source of my current problem staring at me from a stick I just peed on.

The ribbon cutting ceremony was in twenty minutes, yet here I was, sitting in the bathroom at Vinny’s.

I thought I was sick the past few weeks.

Even my office mates told me I should go home, but I had to press on.

Though they didn’t see me sneaking into the bathroom for nausea that I thought came from the stench of stale coffee wafting from the break room.

Well, there was another kind of bean and it wasn’t coffee.

“Hey, babe, are you okay in there?” Adrian’s smooth voice carried over the door.

How could he be calm in this moment?

It was a big day for him, too.

He took a big risk with this project and voting against the other council members. Though now that a few of them have invested in some companies with food trucks, they’re warming up again.

But I guess he didn’t know what else was going on.

He just knew about my late nights working.

The ones where I’d spent the nights at his condo, telling my mom I was at the office and not rolling in his 1000 count bed sheets before firing up my laptop.

We’d both talked about eventual next steps, or at least hinted at them.

But this...

This was jumping a few more steps ahead.

“Coming,” I called, staring again at the stick.

I could throw it away, but what if one of the staff collected the garbage and saw the test?

My brain not connecting with my fingers, I wrapped the stick in a wad of toilet paper and shoved it into my purse. I’d think of a way to dispose of it later.

After washing my hands, I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

Did I look any different than I did a few moments before I knew I was pregnant?

Would Adrian see it?

Letting out a deep breath, I smoothed out my hair, grabbed my purse and headed out the door to my awaiting leading man. Always in his three-button suit and those glasses I thought I hated so much. The appreciative smile on that chiseled face.

“Ready for your big debut?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

***

The mayor stood behind a podium on the newly laid out sidewalk.

A red ribbon wound its way through light posts and park benches to circle the new lot complete with fenced off dog park and brand-new covered playset, donated by a very apologetic Mr. Stark.

The mayor was talking, the high school band was playing, and everyone was genuinely upbeat. Except my former boss sitting next to me.

“Hey, are you okay?” Aubrey whispered, squeezing my knee.

Her eyes had been on her husband who was wrestling the kids from trying to jump the ribbon and get to the playground, but her voice was still, as always, a comfort.

Could I see Adrian wrangling some kids while I did ribbon cutting ceremonies?

I mean he did love Luka, who he affectionately called ‘our son’, even when he did hog the bed.

“Yeah...just...a lot on my mind,” I muttered.

“And I’d like to call up Parks and Recreation assistant director, Melanie Knopp, to say a few words.”

The crowd clapped as the mayor’s voice echoed in my ears.

I was walking in a fog, so much so that I didn’t realize I’d kicked over my purse, the contents spilling out onto the sod in front of me.

Only a few feet from where Adrian sat.

My breath caught in my throat as a wad of toilet paper unraveled, landing in front of him.

He stiffened, looking down as his brow furrowed.

Then, as if the world moved in slow motion, I couldn’t stop him from picking up the test. He blinked once then twice before slowly standing up.

He wasn’t smiling. Or frowning.

And I...

Was a giant mess that wanted to crawl inside of myself, yet found my heels glued to the ground.

“Is this yours?” he whispered, his words sounding like a foghorn in the silence that drifted around us.

“Yes...” I whispered, tears prickling my eyes.

Hormones. That’s what that was.

He sighed, shaking his head as he put his free hand in his pocket.

I widened my eyes, a cold chill raking my spine.

Shit. What did this mean?

“Well...I was going to wait until the party at Vinny’s afterward, but I guess now is as good of a time as any.”

Slowly he dropped down to one knee, holding a velvet box.

The crowd around us gasped, but their whispers and voices slowly drowned away.

This man who I thought was my enemy, turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me. Personally. Professionally. Everything.

“Melanie Knopp, will you do the honor of marrying me?”

And with that I did the only thing left to do to complete this journey.

“Yes.”

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About The Author

Magan Vernon believes that no matter what your story is, everyone deserves a happily ever after and tries to include that in all of her stories. She's had top 100 stories in everything from YA aliens to angsty New Adult tales.

When not writing, you can find her on her Texas ranch, trying to wrangle two kids, two dogs, and a colony of whatever other kids or animals ends up in her yard.

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Find her online at www.maganvernon.com

Acknowledgements

First and foremost, a big thank you to Penelope and Vi for creating this world and these characters and letting me be a part of it.

To Dan for helping to organize and with all of the struggles that is 2020, being so understanding.

Sharon and Kristen, for reading and helping me give a little more insight to these characters.

To the cast of Parks and Recreation for being the inspiration for this book.

My reader group, Feel The Vern, for always supporting me and helping me come up with things like ‘what do I call these glasses on Adrian?”

To the other Cocky authors, thanks for always being there for support and words of encouragement.

And finally, to YOU who picked up this book. Thanks for taking a chance on me.