Blake still isn’t put off, though. He crosses his arms over his chest, his feet stepped out wide. It’s almost a bar bouncer pose, meant to intimidate, except no one in the history of ever has been intimidating in khaki pants. I don’t think it’s humanly possible. Especially when you’re as attractive as Blake Hale is.

“I’ll wait until you’re done. Then you can do the paperwork.”

I can tell he thinks that’s a negotiation. Now versus when I’m done. “I have plans tonight. I’ll get to it when I get to it.”

A twitch breaks out over his right brow, and I have to fight pulling out a victory dance and singing off-key . . . get to it when I get to it, and newsflash, that’ll be never.

Fine, I will do it. If I don’t, the county motor pool manager is going to be on my ass. But I refuse to do it when Blake’s being all Bossy McBosserson, telling me what to do and when to do it. No, thank you. I’ve had plenty of guys—deputies, usually—try to tell me how to do my job as if they have a damn clue.

But I hold my ground and do what I do best, handle my job the way Grandpa taught me. And right now, getting answers for Chad’s family is priority over some paperwork so Blake can get his passenger door fixed.

Holly suddenly holds her phone up, waving it around, and then presses it to her ear. “Oh, no! Is Olive okay?” She pauses for a dramatic moment to be sure we’re listening. “Of course, I can come home right now. Don’t worry, I’ll be there in a flash.” She takes the phone from her ear and puts it in her back pocket. “Sorry, I have to bail on our drinks tonight, Zoey. Olive isn’t feeling well, so I’m heading home to take care of her.”

It would all seem reasonable, if not convenient, except for one small, glaring detail. “Holly, your phone never rang and I could see your damn home screen.”

She shrugs, unconcerned. “Mother’s prerogative to decide to go home for snuggle times. You should consider some snuggle time yourself after you do Blake’s . . . paperwork.”

She does not mean the papers I have to fill out and file with the county secretary. That much is clear by the seductive way she says ‘paperwork’ even though it’s not a sexy word in the slightest. One more look passes between the two of us, and she damn near runs for the door, calling over her shoulder, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

As if there’s a single, solitary thing she would say no to.

Blake is smug as can be as he takes over the chair where Holly was sitting.