The Bad Boy. Leah Vale

she said, “You’re going to have to meet him sometime, you know.”

      He turned again and picked up the bridle. “I know. And I trust you to keep him from causing trouble.”

      His faith in her filled her with warmth and renewed her determination. “I’ll do my best, Alex.”

      “You always do, Sara.”

      Sara left the tack room and stable nevertheless feeling as if she’d just been ordered to keep Judas in line. But that wasn’t the worst of it.

      How was she supposed to thwart Cooper when, despite her best intentions, all she could do was think about how attractive and rightly tormented he was?

      The memory of his handsome face near hers sent an unwelcome tingle along her skin and brought her up short at the beginning of the brick path. She took a deep breath and forced herself to concentrate.

      An image of Alexander’s pain-filled eyes came to mind.

      So like Cooper’s.

      Something in her heart shifted.

      Maybe thwarting Cooper wasn’t the right approach. Maybe she should try to soothe his wounded psyche. Once Cooper was no longer tormented by the circumstances of his birth, she could win him over to the McCoy team and give Joseph what he craved—the love of at least one of his newly found grandsons.

      Without becoming involved with him, of course, having learned her lesson with Rob Ward when it came to mixing business with pleasure.

      COOPER ONLY HALF LISTENED to Joseph rambling on about what a good boy his son Marcus had been. The old guy seemed to have conveniently forgotten what a sleaze of a man Marcus had grown up to be. Instead, Cooper focused on formulating a game plan.

      Revealing his intentions to the woman who had to be the best-looking secretary he’d ever had the pleasure of meeting had been a tactical error. But with her being ordered to treat him like a McCoy, she wouldn’t be able to hamper him much. Though she did have the advantage of undoubtedly knowing the workings of the family company, which would take him a while to figure out himself.

      He ran a hand over his whiskered jaw, considering his options, none of which would earn him any Boy Scout badges. He mentally scoffed. As if he had ever fit that upstanding mold. There had been one too many Dumpster fires and sweet cars in need of momentary liberation in his background.

      But he had to keep Sara distracted. Maybe he should ask Grandpa Joe if he could have her as his very own personal secretary. Who knew? Maybe with a little encouragement, a big desk like Joe’s and long lunch hours, they could redefine the term personal.

      A tapping sounded behind him, halting Joseph’s ramble down memory lane and pulling Cooper from his raunchy thoughts. He glanced over his shoulder to find the star of his fantasies standing between the doors she hadn’t bothered to close behind her when she’d stormed out.

      The color was still high in her sculpted cheeks and her rich, brown hair wasn’t as sleek and controlled as it had been earlier. Her full breasts rose and fell rapidly beneath her sweater as if she were out of breath.

      Hopefully, from thinking of him. The power to ruffle her would definitely be an asset to him.

      “May I?” she asked Joseph.

      “Of course. Come in.” Joseph indicated for her to take a seat in the other chair facing the desk. Right next to Cooper. “Did you find Alexander?”

      She settled herself in the chair and crossed her legs with a distinct air of determination. Even though she was wearing slacks, there was no doubt her legs were shapely. It was all Cooper could do not to smack his lips.

      Her attention studiously off him, she answered, “I did. In the stable.”

      Joseph nodded. “Not surprising. Will he be joining us soon?” Gramps appeared eager for Cooper to meet his half brother. His hope was plain to see. As far as Cooper was concerned, Joe was definitely alone in that hope.

      Sara finally looked Cooper’s way, and he was shocked by an unexpected softness that warmed her pretty green eyes to a deep jade. “I don’t think so.”

      His stomach muscles clenched and he pulled his chin back. Here he’d been expecting some high-sticking from her after his earlier shenanigans. The squishies surprised the heck out of him.

      Joseph let out a heavy breath, which drew Cooper’s attention. The old man’s disappointment was palpable.

      Cooper had to fight not to tell him that was what he got for making Alexander’s life one big, fat lie. But Cooper needed Grandpa Joe on his side for his plan to work, so he kept his mouth shut.

      Pushing to his feet, Joseph grumbled, “He should be here so we can discuss the role Cooper will take in the company. Excuse me for a moment.” He rounded the desk. “Sara, why don’t you go over our corporate structure with Cooper. Maybe one of the divisions will sound especially appealing to him,” Joseph suggested as he walked to the doors.

      Cooper looked at her in time to see her press her full lips into a thin line, as if Joe had suggested she hop up onto the desk and give Cooper a show.

      Thinking it a shame, he propped his elbow on the arm of his chair and leaned toward her to lessen the two-foot gap between them. He really should make an effort to smooth things over with her. “Aw, come on, now, I’m not all that bad.”

      Challenge sparked in her eyes and she mimicked his movement, bringing herself face-to-face with him in a way that made Cooper’s body hum. “I’m not going to forget what you said, Mr. Anders, and we both know darn well I didn’t misunderstand you.”

      Her expression softened again and she gently put a hand over his, the slight contact enough to warm his blood. “But I want you to know that I understand other things, also.”

      While the last thing he wanted was anyone’s understanding, he smiled, liking her spirit. Whether or not she had the power to make things difficult for him, he had to keep her focus elsewhere. His gaze strayed to her full mouth. She hadn’t put on more lipstick since he’d been a breath away from her earlier, so her lips were a dusky pink that tempted him like nobody’s business. Julia Roberts had nothing on this pretty woman.

      He pulled a lopsided smile. “Wouldn’t it be something if you ended up working for me? We could have a lot of fun, you know.”

      Those pink lips parted and she reared back, wide-eyed, wedging herself against the far arm of her chair. Before he could decide if the flare of her pupils meant the notion aroused her or horrified her, she narrowed her eyes and skewered him with a speculative look. “You were arrested for what again?”

      Appreciating her spunk, he settled back in his own chair. “Disorderly conduct. Should have been nothing more than a ticket, but it took them a while to sort everything out due to varying levels of intoxication and trustworthiness.”

      She made a very indelicate noise. “I can imagine. But didn’t you say something about sitting on the biggest guy in the place? Not exactly the most masculine way to fight, is it?”

      Loving that she was trying to take him down a notch or two now instead of coddling him, Cooper grinned at her. “‘Sitting’ isn’t a very accurate description of what I did.” He stood up and stepped in front of her. “Here, let me show you.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.

      She gasped, then protested, “No, that’s okay.”

      She tried to sit down again, but he turned her so her back was to him, slipped his arms under hers and brought his hands up behind her satiny neck to link his fingers, which forced her to raise her arms above her head.

      “Cooper!”

      Her sweet scent filling his head again, he put his mouth next to her ear. “It’s your basic wrestling move. Quick, effective and painless—right?—though I have to confess I wasn’t as gentle with the bozo in the bar.”

      He felt her spine stiffen. “But he