Igniting the Bad Boy Read online

  He was about to tear the tape off, but when she came closer, too close, and those big blue eyes looked at him with real concern, it stilled him. Because beneath that concern he spotted something else. Something that looked like mischief.

  Jesus Christ, was she fucking playing with him?

  His glance moved over her face, assessing her. Was it possible? Was good-girl Haley Jones purposely teasing him?

  He took a moment, thinking how different he was from the stuffed shirts she usually dated—educated, boring businessmen who paid more attention to their iPads and iPhones than they did her. Unlike him, those men might fit into her social circle, but if they were too damn self-absorbed to realize just how special Haley was, or that a woman like her deserved their exclusive attention, then they sure as hell weren’t worthy of her affection.

  Cole would never make that mistake.

  As he considered that, another thought struck. He’d always considered Haley out of his league, but now that he was a professional soccer player with a respectable salary, was it possible she’d give him a chance? That she’d been intentionally fucking with his mind and teasing his libido to the point of pain because she actually wanted him?

  Just then his cell rang, pulling his thoughts back before he could come to a conclusion. He twisted, looking for his pants. Haley grabbed them off the stool and handed them to him. Then she stepped back to give him privacy while she examined the exercise charts on the wall.

  Cole flipped his phone open, and with half his concentration on Haley as she moved about the room with innocent sensuality and the other half on the person waiting for him on the other end of the line, he bit out, “Hello.”

  “Cole, Drake Drummond here. Just wanted to confirm the time for our photo shoot tomorrow.”

  Cole furrowed his brow in thought. “I thought that wasn’t until next weekend.”

  He heard papers rustle in the background, then, “Nope, tomorrow, one o’clock at the soccer fields.”

  “I must have mixed up the dates. I made plans to go to the cabin, since it’s a long weekend.” Cole frowned, knowing he’d have to cancel, despite how much he was looking forward to getting away with Sean and Carter, to kick back and drink a few beers while they soaked up the September sun. Even though both his buddies were bringing their girlfriends, and Cole was going to be the odd man out, he was still looking forward to catching up with the guys. Of course, he could always bring a girl of his own along, but the truth was, now that he’d set sights on Haley again, being with another woman held little appeal.

  “Are we on?” Drake asked.

  “Okay, I’ll be—”

  Before he could finish the sentence, Haley took the phone from him. In her most professional voice she said, “Drake, this is Haley Jones. I believe you’re going to have to reschedule.”

  Surprised by her abruptness and this unexpected turn of events, Cole listened to her side of the conversation. He started to prop himself up, but she placed her hand on his chest and pushed him back down. He grinned at her forcefulness, quite enjoying this other, dominant side of her—a side he’d had no idea existed, but liked just the same.

  With hot determination lighting her blue eyes, she continued to lecture Drake, although Cole doubted the photographer was going to postpone the shoot. After all, the guy had a schedule to follow, and since this campaign was to raise money for charity, Cole would do what it took to accommodate him.

  “As his therapist, I insist,” she went on. “His cast was only just removed, and he’s not ready to kick a ball around or put undue pressure on his leg. Plus I’ve prepared an exercise schedule for him, and it’s imperative that he follow it for the next week.” A pause and then, “Okay, yes. I see.” She pursed her lips, and the sparkle in her eyes when they locked on Cole’s was a good indication that she wasn’t about to back down. “Fine then. I’ll take Mr. September’s pictures myself.”

  She’ll take the pictures?

  Haley let loose a frustrated breath, but her resolve never wavered, a trait Cole fully admired. “Are you forgetting that we were in audio visual club together, and I know a thing or two about photography?” Another pause, and then when her voice softened, Cole instantly knew she’d gotten her way.

  He shook his head and couldn’t believe that she’d been able to sway Drake, a guy who was known for his inflexibility. Then again, she did come from a powerful family, and Drake probably didn’t want to ruffle any feathers.

  She closed the phone, and he didn’t miss her self-satisfied grin when she handed it back to him. “He agreed to let me take a few photos, but he wants to reschedule for next Saturday so he can get some shots on the field.”

  “Why did you do that?”

  “Because,” she said, “as your therapist I decided that you need rest, and you also need to carefully follow my instructions for the next week.”

  “You do realize this frees me up to go to the cabin for the long weekend? And believe me, the last thing I plan to do is sit around with my leg up.”

  She leaned forward, giving him a nice, unobstructed view of her creamy cleavage. “Which is exactly why I’m coming with you.”

  Cole’s head jerked back with a start. “You’re what?”

  “I’m coming with you,” she said matter-of-factly. “I need to make sure you do everything I say.” She paused and aimed a stern finger at him, a gesture that instantly brought back old memories of his detention-room teacher, a woman he’d spent a great deal of time with in his senior year. “And I mean everything.” She glanced at his unflattering shorts and wagged her finger. “So far you haven’t been doing a bang-up job of that.”

  She was coming to the cabin?

  “Besides,” she said, as something passed over her eyes, something that looked a lot like disappointment. “I’ve never been invited to your cottage before.”

  “It’s not a cottage. It’s a cabin,” he clarified, then thought more about the oceanfront lodge he’d constructed with his father using nothing but scraps from the mill where his dad worked. “And it’s probably not what you’re used to.”

  No, it wasn’t at all what she was used to, which made him wonder about that wounded look on her face. Was she disappointed because she’d never been invited to his high school parties? Surely to God she wouldn’t have wanted to run with him or his crowd. Christ knows that good girls like Haley could only end up offended by the shenanigans that went down with the sun.

  She leaned forward, a challenging look on her face. “You don’t think I can rough it?” she asked, her voice holding a teasing lilt that had his cock twitching and his mind racing.

  What the hell was she up to?

  As he watched the way she moved with provocative sensuality, he once again got the sense that she was flirting with him. He scrubbed a hand over his jaw, trying to make sense of her. Was it possible that after all these years she wanted him? That she now saw him as something more than the poor boy from the wrong side of the tracks, even though deep down he would always be that boy?

  His glance moved over her face and he arched a brow. “I guess we’re going to find out then, aren’t we?”

  As she adjusted the dials she said, “Then it’s settled. I’ll meet you at the cabin tomorrow afternoon and we’ll begin your…therapy.”

  There was something about the way she said therapy that piqued his interest in the most delicious ways. Honestly, he had no idea what this good girl was up to, or what she really wanted from him, but God help her, because he planned to use every minute of the long weekend to find out.

  About Cathryn Fox

  New York Times and USA today Bestselling author, Cathryn is a wife, mom, sister, daughter, and friend. She loves dogs, sunny weather, anything chocolate (she never says no to a brownie) pizza and red wine. She has two teenagers who keep her busy with their never ending activities, and a husband who is convinced he can turn her into a mixed martial arts fan. Cathryn can never find balance in her life, is always trying to find time to go to the
gym, can never keep up with emails, Facebook or Twitter and tries to write page-turning books that her readers will love.

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  Also by Cathryn Fox

  Hands On

  Hands On

  Body Contact

  Full Exposure

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  Boys of Beachville

  Good at Being Bad

  Igniting the Bad Boy

  Bad Girl Therapy

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  Stone Cliff Series:

  Crashing Down

  Wasted Summer

  Love Lessons

  Wrapped Up

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  Eternal Pleasure Series

  Instinctive

  Impulsive

  Indulgent

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  Sun Stroked Series

  Seaside Seduction

  Deep Desire

  Private Pleasure

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  Captured and Claimed Series:

  Yours to Take

  Yours to Teach

  Yours to Keep

  * * *

  Firefighter Heat Series

  Fever

  Siren

  Flash Fire

  * * *

  Playing For Keeps Series

  Slow Ride

  Wild Ride

  Sweet Ride

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  Breaking the Rules:

  Hold Me Down Hard

  Pin Me Up Proper

  Tie Me Down Tight

  Take Me Down Tender

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  Stand Alone Title:

  Hands on with the CEO

  Torn Between Two Brothers

  Holiday Spirit

  Unleashed

  Knocking on Demon’s Door

  Web of Desire