Slacker? Not even close. Inappropriately profane? Not a bad word passed his lips in front of the youngsters. Womanizer? Cisco hadn’t given a single female on site so much as a lingering glance…except maybe for her. Hilly hadn’t missed how his eyes constantly tracked her, and how he was always at her elbow to help when she needed a hand. It was flattering, and Hilly couldn’t pretend that his regard didn’t make her attraction to him even stronger.

As they walked toward the barn where the blow-up was stored, Cisco placed a hand on her arm to slow her down. It was clear he wanted to chat.

“I’m really enjoying myself here today,” he told her with a sincere smile. “This is a new experience for me. The only kind of camp I ever went to when I was young, were week-long sports-oriented ones, every summer during high school. But they were all about bettering our young, athletic selves for our upcoming competitive seasons. We didn’t have available all the fun stuff your camp has.”

Hilly tried to take the flattery as it was meant. For her camp, not her. But she couldn’t help the internal fist pump she gave herself.

“That’s a shame,” she commiserated. “Every camp should have a good balance of work and fun. What kind of sports did you participate in, other than soccer?”

She remembered him being a top-notch soccer player in middle school, and may have seen a write up or two in the paper about cross-country races he’d won during his high school years. But she couldn’t let Cisco know she had even the slightest inkling regarding his past accomplishments.

“I really loved that part of camp,” he told her with enthusiasm. “And I did pretty well for myself, even getting a partial scholarship to play in college because of my year-round practices. But mostly, believe it or not, I liked to run,” he enlightened Hilly. “I still do.”

“Nel and I run every night after the evening program is over and the kids are in their cabins,” Hilly blurted out.

Damn. Why had she said that? She was nowhere near Cisco’s skill level, and now she’d opened herself up to him asking questions.

“Oh yeah?” he probed; interest clearly written on his face. “Did you run in school, too?”

Hilly wanted to groan, because…not even close. The fat-girl-chip she’d shouldered during the cruel halls of middle school, had mentally followed her into high school and early college. There was no way she would have dared put herself out in front of classmates for fear of getting made fun of. Even though the atmosphere hadn’t continued to be abusive once she’d changed schools, she’d still had to work hard at making friends and outgrowing her awkward stage.

“No,” she finally answered. “It wasn’t until after college that I started running for pleasure.” And to keep her weight under control.

Cisco nodded. “I don’t suppose you and Nel would like a running buddy one of these nights?” he questioned with anticipation in his eyes.

Hilly was instantly both excited that he’d offered, and filled with dread that she might not measure up to Cisco’s idea of a run.

He had to have seen the doubt in her eyes.

“I don’t expect an all-out race,” he assured her. “I like a scenic jaunt or a moon-lit path just as much as the next person.”

Hilly wanted to groan. Why was everything about Cisco turning out to be so damned wonderful? Couldn’t he do something disgusting like…pick his nose or itch his junk when he thought she wasn’t looking?

Hilly sighed.

“Nel and I would love the company,” she finally managed. “But we don’t want to keep you out too late, especially since you start work at seven in the morning now.”

“Seriously?” he questioned with a raised brow. “Tell me, Hilly. What time do you start your day?”

Caught.

She actually chuckled. “I’m normally up at six to get things organized for the kids.”

“Exactly,” he responded. “Which means it’ll be no hardship for me, either, to be out until…what? As late as ten o’clock?”

Hilly ducked her head sheepishly. “Uh, yeah. I’m normally back in camp just before ten.”

He grinned. “Then I⁠—”

“Oh my God! Is that Officer Hottie McMotorcycle?”

A sharp voice squealing down the path cut Cisco off mid-sentence.

Officer…who?

Hilly turned toward the offensive comment-maker, and scowled. The camp nurse, Debbie Gorner, had obviously and finally made the effort to leave her cabin, but…just to spew invectives? Hilly took a closer look.

Shit, shit, shit. Was the woman…drunk?

There was no mistaking the flush on Debbie’s cheeks, the glassy eyes, and the way she was walking deliberately so she wouldn’t take a tumble.

And…what had she said about Cisco?

Hilly turned to her companion. “You know our camp nurse?” she asked quietly, taking a step closer to Debbie, and away from the man who may or may not have some kind of past with Nurse Gorner.

“Yeah. From a drunk traffic stop. That’s all,” Cisco practically growled, putting an arm in front of Hilly to stop any additional forward trajectory. “And it looks like she’s inebriated. Again.”

Wow. Cisco had stopped Debbie for drunk driving? Holy shit. Hilly’s ire rose as she confronted the nurse she’d hired, once again honing in on her less-than-steady gait. “Debbie. Have you been drinking?”

The woman chose to ignore Hilly, and instead, stumbled her way toward Cisco. “Hey, handsome. Fancy meeting you here. You were so mean, leaving me with those other officers. I wanted you to stick around.” She pouted, then placed a long, red-nailed finger on Cisco’s chest, running it from his sternum, down, down…

Cisco grabbed her hand before it reached critical territory, and pushed it away. “Cut the crap, Ms. Gorner. Your boss asked you a question,” he snarled.

Debbie shrugged, still not looking at Hilly. “I might have had a little wine before dinner,” she simpered. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Nothing wrong…? Dinner wasn’t for another four hours!

Hilly spluttered. “Alcohol of any kind is forbidden on camp grounds,” she managed. “You know that. You signed an agreement to that affect when I hired you.”

Debbie made a provocative moue at Cisco, paying no attention to Hilly or her assertion. With her eyelids lowered, she sidled toward Cisco until her tits actually touched his chest. “Did you know I’d be here? Is that why you came?” She batted her fake eyelashes at him as she simpered.

“No. I came because I’m the camp’s self-defense instructor,” he hissed, backing up. “And you reek.”

Hilly was done. She’d seen and heard enough.

“Nurse Gorner. Into my office. Now.”

Finally, the woman turned to regard her. “Why? Is there a problem?” she slurred.

“There is,” Hilly said through clenched teeth. “You’re drunk, and about to be terminated.”

Damn-it-all-to hell.

Now what was she supposed to do? Debbie was the only nurse the agency she used for summer hires told her was available. And legally she needed someone with at least some kind of medical training on premise in order to keep the camp open. Should she ignore Debbie’s infraction and…

No. There was no way the sloppy drunk was staying here. And that decision had nothing to do with the way the bitch was coming on to Cisco, which—if she were honest—also had Hilly seeing red.

“You can’t fire me,” Debbie told her with a sly grin. “You need a medical person at this stupid camp, and I’ll glarinfree, gwaurentree… I’ll bet you can’t find anyone else on short notice.” She looked pleased with herself and smug at her rebuttal.