One Man To Protect Them. Suzanne Cox
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I needed a haircut and told me to be at her place at four that afternoon. I’ve been going ever since.”
Jayden laughed aloud. A sound that made his body hum.
“Leave it to her to get the business of a good-looking man when he comes to town.”
Luke’s grin widened. Did she realize what she’d said?
“So you think I’m good-looking, huh?”
No, she hadn’t realized, until now. She colored a light shade of pink and her eyes darted downward, refusing to meet his.
“I’ve got to throw this away.” Nearly stumbling in her haste to leave, she tossed the paper plate in the garbage then hurriedly pulled an empty chair next to Leigh Fontenot. Jayden Miller thought he was good-looking. He tried not to puff out his chest and grin as he sauntered to the edge of the pool to join Pete.
“What do you think of Elliot’s coach?” Leigh Fontenot tilted her head expectantly toward Jayden, awaiting her reply.
“You know I like Pete. I told you that when you first dated him and when he proposed, and when I came home for your wedding, and fifty other times.”
Jayden ignored Leigh and tried to get comfortable in the lawn chair, but knew she never would. Not because the chair was too firm, but because she wanted to melt into the concrete beneath her feet. She’d admitted to a man she fully intended to dislike, that she thought he was attractive. A fact he’d probably heard from most of the women he’d come in contact with. Since he was Elliot’s coach, she couldn’t completely dislike him, but she had no business getting silly over him.
“Jayden.” Fingers snapped in front of her. “I’m talking to you, okay?”
She focused on Leigh. “I’m listening.”
“What did I say?”
“Fine, I wasn’t listening, but I am now.”
Her friend laughed. “Don’t worry. Luke has that effect on most women, maybe all women. And he’s the coach I wanted your opinion of, not Pete. But I’m sure you knew that.”
Jayden squirmed again, sliding lower in the chair. “I don’t have an opinion of him. I just met him, except of course he makes his living setting criminals free. I don’t know how Pete can coach with him.”
Leigh feigned shock. “And here I thought he was responsible for defending people who couldn’t afford to pay for their own council.”
“Well that, too, but don’t forget he’s the one who let Caitland and Robert’s killer go.” Jayden couldn’t let that rest, not yet.
“Come on, Jayden, it wasn’t like that. After the police report and lab work went missing, there was no case.”
“And I’m to believe he didn’t have anything to do with those things mysteriously disappearing.”
“Of course he didn’t. Luke’s a nice guy. He and Pete have agreed to disagree on a few cases, but in the end, he’s only doing his job.”
“And what a paycheck he must be getting to afford this place, the pool, the property, the barn.” Jayden swung her arm, indicating their surroundings.
Leigh made a face. “Remember, this is your nephew’s baseball coach we’re discussing. Besides, this house had been repossessed by the bank because the guy who owned it went to jail for drugs. Luke happened along at the right time to buy it, cheap.”
Jayden murmured, unconvinced. She wanted Leigh to stop defending him. As long as she could continue to dislike him, and continue to hold him responsible for the injustice of her sister’s killer being set free, she could ignore the rush of excitement she felt every time she saw him. Luke had way too much sex appeal. Through half-closed eyes she studied him while he laughed with Pete and the boys by the pool. What she honestly meant was that he had way too much sex appeal to ever be interested in her. This was a man she couldn’t trust, but she also couldn’t deny being attracted to him. Guys like Luke went for women with perfect makeup and stylishly clipped hair, probably even big hair. One of the single moms in tight-fitting shorts and an even tighter tank top joined the men, her hand sliding along Luke’s bicep as she talked. Luke listened attentively, and Jayden sighed. Yep, big hair and even bigger…
“She never quits. See that, Jayden?”
Glancing at Leigh, she pretended not to know what her friend meant. “See what?”
“Karen Singley has been chasing Luke since the day he came to Cypress Landing. You’d think she’d get the message. If he hasn’t asked her out in two years, well, he ain’t gonna.”
Jayden smothered a giggle. “I guess I can depend on you to let me know if I’m ever making a fool of myself over a man, Leigh.”
“Of course I will. Not that I’ll ever have to. You aren’t the type to do that, at least not anymore. I guess that one time you learned your lesson.”
Jayden clutched the side of the chair. She concentrated on the other end of the pool, this time not seeing Luke or Pete. Leigh touched her hand, but she had to ignore her for a moment longer, had to nail the lid on the nightmares that surrounded her last months in this town years ago.
“I’m sorry, Jaybird.”
Jayden nodded. She might have gotten angry if the comment had come from someone else, but not from Leigh, who’d been her constant support through their teenage years.
“I’m expecting uncomfortable moments now that I’m at the scene of the crime.”
“You don’t expect your best friend to trigger them. And there was no crime, either. No one thinks that.”
“Everyone thinks that, but I know what you meant and you’re right. I’ve learned plenty of lessons.”
Leigh gazed past her, eyebrows arching. “Here’s one lesson you won’t want to miss.” She inclined her head, and Jayden turned to see Pete and Luke stripping off their shirts to leap in the pool with the kids.
“I’ll tell you, my Pete is a looker—and he’s the only man I’m interested in—but Luke’s awesome, don’t you think?”
That was the understatement of the century. Pete was muscularly slim, like a model you might see in a men’s magazine. Luke’s body was much thicker, though not bulky, and tanned to perfection. She imagined his bare chest had captured the attention of every female here, but she couldn’t stop ogling him long enough to verify that. He tossed a water gun to one of the boys, then went under. When he surfaced, rivulets of water streamed down his face and he thrust the wet hair away from his forehead. His gaze locked with hers, and she felt herself blushing like a teenager. She hoped it was the sun. A slow smile curved his lips and he winked at her. A foam ball flew through the air, hitting him above the ear and he spun to attack the offender.
“Jayden, he winked at you. Did I miss something in the last few days?”
She still couldn’t stop contemplating the spot where he’d been and she racked her brain for a cure to calm her galloping heart. “No, he’s being ridiculous because I’m not fawning over him like I imagine half the women in town are.”
“He’s gone from that spot, in case you hadn’t noticed.” Her friend wore a wide grin. “You’re right. The single women, and a few married ones, are on the prowl for him. But Luke has never been ridiculous and he’s damned sure never winked at a female during one of his pool parties.”
Jayden poked Leigh’s leg. “Don’t get matchmaking ideas. I could never be with a man I don’t respect and I don’t have a high opinion of a guy who’s going to work hard to put Duke Swayze back on the street after he killed Eric Walsh.”
Her friend let loose a slow breath. “It is kind of difficult to get past the idea of him doing that, even though it’s what he’s paid to do. He doesn’t get to pick his clients. But the idea of Swayze killing Eric and getting