The engine turned off, and one highly muscled leg encased in crisp khaki’s swung over the elongated saddle.
The man stood to full height, which was mouth-gapingly, Everest-ly impressive, before he finally turned his aviator-shaded eyes within his open-shield helmet, in her direction.
Hilly stumbled.
Holy shit. She knew that face.
Goddammit.
Cisco Andera, in full police regalia, was about to fuck with her head and her entire freaking summer.
CHAPTER THREE
Cisco eyed the woman who’d come out to meet him.
Stunning, was the first word that came to mind. Cautious was the second.
She hadn’t said a word to him as he’d approached her. She simply stood there with her arms crossed under her ample, perky breasts, eyeing him as if he were the last person in Maine she wanted to see.
But… She’d asked for a self-defense instructor, hadn’t she? Unless…
Huh. Maybe she wasn’t the director, but a counselor who had no idea why he’d rolled up.
Cisco took a long look. The woman certainly looked young, so… He glanced around, but didn’t see anyone else; a person of authority.
Shit. He knew he should have called first, but Cisco was the type of person who liked to get the lay of the land in a situation before he was politely shown the “good stuff”, which was what most people pushed on a visitor who was a cop.
So much for that plan.
He supposed he should have driven his truck instead of his loud-piped bike if he’d wanted to arrive on the sly, but his two-wheeled ride always made a better impression with the kids…none of whom were here yet, because, duh. Camp wasn’t due to be in session until Monday.
Now he was faced with the possibility that the woman in charge was absent, and he was about to have his ass handed to him by a young counselor.
“Hi,” he offered, approaching the pretty redhead with his hand outstretched. “I’m Officer Cisco Andera. I’m looking for the director.” He gave the name that—when he finally pulled the paper from his pocket—the chief had provided. “I believe her name is Hilly?” he read.
“That’s me,” the woman returned, not exactly coldly, but by no stretch of the imagination would Cisco consider her words a warm welcome. Not the greeting he normally got from the female population. And she’d ignored his proffered shake.
Well, damn. Cisco lowered his hand awkwardly. Maybe she was mad that he hadn’t contacted her before coming out. Some people worked on a rigid schedule. He’d just assumed—wrongly he could see now—that a camp director, being at the mercy of so many kids, would be one to roll with the punches.
“Right. I’m, uh, sorry I didn’t call first, but I have the day free, and it was kind of a spur of the moment decision to come see the camp before I start my job here.”
The woman’s face thawed just a single degree. “Not a problem,” she clipped. “It’s just that I’m in the middle of a meeting with my counselors, so…”
“I can wait out here until you’re finished,” Cisco offered genially. Anything to get the pinched look off her face.
She huffed a bit, then shook her head. “No. It’s fine. If you’d like to join us inside, I’ll make introductions.”
Cisco had seen the lookie-loos at the window. They appeared excited for his company.
Not Hilly. He figured the reluctant invitation she’d just given him was the most welcome she was going to make him feel, so he took her up on her offer.
“Sounds like a plan.”
He turned, removing his shades and helmet before tucking the first into his shirt pocket, and laying the second on his saddle. He automatically ran his fingers through his hair so it didn’t lay flat to his head. This was one of many times he thought that a buzz cut would, logistically, work better for him with his ever-pervasive helmet-head, but he was a little vain about his dark curls since it was one of the things about him the ladies loved. So he’d talked himself out of it every time he’d come close to telling his barber to shave it all off.
When he turned back, he could tell that Hilly had been watching him closely, and he couldn’t be certain, but she might have been checking out his ass in his khaki breeches. That, and the neutral look she’d adopted, lifted his spirits a bit. Maybe the woman wasn’t as cold and unapproachable as he’d first surmised.
She cleared her throat, and Cisco realized he’d been standing still, staring at her for longer than was polite, so he stepped forward and beamed the smile that always melted female panties. “I’m ready. I’d love to meet your crew.”
Her previously semi-accepting look deteriorated again.
Fuck. So much for pouring on the charm.
“Uh, lead the way.” He conjured more fake cheer.
Without a word she turned on her sneakered heel to head back into the building, and he found himself watching her ass this time. It was a lovely thing, high, round, and firm, but he couldn’t help think that a little more weight would do the woman some good. There wasn’t a spare lick of meat on her, anywhere. Still, that didn’t detract from the spectacular display that were her legs. Holy haunches. They were long and lithe, tanned and toned, and he’d bet anything they were as agile as they were fine. They’d wrap around his hips…
Shut it down, asshole, Cisco told himself. Not only is it inappropriate to fantasize right now, the woman clearly isn’t into you.
With a grunt, and a quick surreptitious adjustment to the front of his pants, Cisco followed a silent Hilly into the largest building he could see on site, blinking to let his eyes accustom to the shadowed interior as he walked in.
“Everyone?” This time when the woman spoke, there was more life in her tone. “I want you to meet Officer Andera. He’s the self-defense expert I was telling you about.”
There was a chorus of greeting from the ten young people, with—as he might have predicted—some lowered lashes and lip-licking from the females in the group. Cisco ignored them. Not only were these ladies far too young to interest him, he was here because he had a job to do, and there’d be no nonsense from this peanut gallery.
Their boss, on the other hand…
Hilly continued, not knowing where his mind had gone. “You’ll all get a chance to work with him alongside the kids in your cabin. So,” she paused until everyone’s eyes were on her, “if there are no more questions, I need to set up a schedule with Officer Andera. Which means you’re free to explore and get settled.” She pulled a stack of index cards from the back pocket of her cut-offs.
