He bought a beer, and another wine for Charlie, then leaned on the bar beside her and watched people. He often did this, and tried to work out what they were thinking, what their role in life was.

Piper had gone back to preppy boy’s side, and he refused to watch her; he’d done that enough. Watching her dance had made him seriously uncomfortable and that in turn had made him act the way he had. Totally out of character.

So we need to have sex, then we can settle into living in the same town without the tension for a while until I leave.

That was pretty bad, even for him, the man who had once been told by a woman that he had the emotional stability of a Pop-Tart. The problem was, Dylan had never really wanted anyone like he did Piper Trainer, and it was uncomfortable. He doubted it would last, but while it did, he’d need to avoid her now she’d made it clear there would be no one-, two-, or even four-night stands with him while he was in town.

It still stung that she’d said he had a stick up his ass and a look on his face that said he was better than her. Did he look like that?

“I’m just talking about the Coffee Run with Fin, Dylan.”

Pleased to be pulled from his thoughts, he looked at Charlie. The sparkle in her eyes told him she’d had a few glasses of wine and lost some of her reserve, and maybe managed to put aside the fact someone had set out to ruin her career.

“Do you want to enter?”

“Ah no.” He shook his head. “I think I’m getting my hair done that day.”

“Ha,” she said, looking from him to Fin. “The park ranger here says it’s fun, and that you get free coffee and donuts at the end. The winner gets a night at the lodge and spa. Plus, there’s the hot tubs. Come on, I want to do it. We were too young when it first started.”

Dylan pushed aside visions of a naked Piper in the hot tub. That breast he’d had his hand on would look pretty sensational naked, he was sure.

“It’s not really my thing, Charlie.”

“A bit too uncool for the big city FBI man?”

Fin was goading him, but there was an undertone of something there.

“I was born here, I don’t think you were.”

“Got me there, but then I always enter the Coffee Run. It’s for the local old folks’ home. All proceeds go to them.”

The challenge had been thrown down. If he didn’t enter he’d look like he didn’t give a shit about the elderly, and if he did, he’d look like an idiot.

“Plus, I usually win, so if you’re not—”