“I’m talking about my job,” she said quickly. “I’ve done what you hired me for. Your biggest problem right now is your lamebrained refusal to keep a bouncer near you.”

“I don’t need a babysitter.”

“It’s interesting that every other big-name jock who comes into the club brings along all kinds of hired muscle, but you’re too tough.”

“I can take care of myself.” He couldn’t have sounded more belligerent. “Are you really telling me you’re thinking about quitting?”

“It’s not quitting. Spiral’s clean. All that’s left is for you to hire a female bouncer. It’s not smart to have your men touching any of your women customers, no matter how drunk they are. You could end up with a big fat lawsuit for sexual assault.”

“Good point. You’re hired.”

She should have anticipated this, and for a moment, she let herself consider it. But she couldn’t work until early morning four nights a week and keep building her business, not long term. Before she knew it, she’d be a nightclub bouncer instead of a detective, and she hadn’t come this far to throw away her dream.

“No, thanks. I’m an investigator. You’ll have to find someone else.”

“This is about last night, isn’t it? You’re quitting because you—”

“Because I slept with the boss?” The other reason she couldn’t stay on.

He glared across the seat at her. “That is completely unethical on your part! As unethical as it would be if I fired you.”

“Report me to the EEOC,” she snapped.

“Stop being a smart-ass. You know exactly what I mean.”

She struggled to sound professional. “Coop, I want to end this on a positive note. I hope you agree that I’ve done a good job for you, and I’d appreciate it if you’d recommend me to your friends.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that, all right.” He snapped down his sun visor and grabbed his cell.

***

Coop tried to tell himself this was a good thing. She’d done her job—done it well—and he’d been waiting for the time when she’d no longer be working for him so they could launch a full-out affair. But now that time had come, and he was no longer confident that she’d cooperate.

He pretended to check ESPN on his phone. Spending a few weeks naked with her had become more important than it should. Maybe it had something to do with his retirement, with making certain the space between who he used to be and who he was now hadn’t changed.

She was new territory for him. Unsentimental and unpredictable. A woman who didn’t take him seriously—who didn’t care how many games he’d won, how rich he was, how famous. A woman who didn’t find him frickin’ irresistible!