Hayley POV
When I arrive back at work on Tuesday morning, it's immediately clear that news of my dramatic weekend has reached everyone in the office. There are a big bunch of flowers and a hamper of muffins waiting for me at reception. Everybody keeps hugging me which seems a bit over the top since I only started here six weeks ago and have largely kept to myself. Angela the receptionist has tears in her eyes as she goes in for a second squeeze and it dawns on me that they aren't happy that I am ok, but that Cooper is. He appears to be equally loved by all my colleagues and they genuinely appear to be shaken up by the whole thing. It makes me wonder who he is that everyone is affected by him getting hurt this much. She hands me a stack of messages to get through.
"Everyone wants to talk to you after that article in the paper yesterday. We've had reporters calling non-stop." She obviously expects me to be thrilled about being the local celebrity for a few days but it's the last thing I want. I want to remain anonymous but this article has potentially ruined that for me. Regardless, even if my cover is blown, I'm not moving again. I've had enough.
"Thanks, Angela. Can you keep pretending I'm not here unless you know who it is? I just want to get back to work." I ask her, and she looks disappointed. It's probably the most excitement they've had in the office for a long time and I'm shutting it down.
"Are you sure you're ok to be back in today?" Greg asks me with concern, peering over the top of his glasses at me as he steps out of his office to greet me.
"I appreciate you worrying about me, but I promise I am ok. They only kept me overnight as a precaution." I answer. He smiles brightly then and grabs one of my hands in both of his, a surprisingly warm gesture from my new boss, who has been friendly but quite formal since I started. Greg clears his throat and drops my hand as if remembering himself.
"Well, anyway, back to business, Cooper’s father, Jonathan Jones has dropped in some documents for us to review ahead of a potential acquisition. The Jones's already have two spa resorts and are looking at buying a third. Could you have a look? That's more your area of expertise than mine." He asks.
"Of course. No problem at all." I say, delighted to get stuck into something interesting for our largest client.
I have barely sat down at my desk when my office door bursts open and a glamorous lady with sleek brown hair barges in without knocking, closely followed by the dark-haired beauty that I saw with Ethan outside the hospital.
"Mom! You can't just walk in; you have to knock!" she says. Up close she is even more stunning, long shiny chestnut hair hangs down to the middle of her back, and her gorgeous sallow skin sets off hazel-colored eyes and full red lips. I take in the other lady and if she hadn't just announced this was her mother, I would have thought they were sisters. The benefits of good genes are clearly on display right in front of me.
"Hush Leila, everyone here knows me, they don't mind!" She tuts at her daughter and then faces me with a megawatt smile and my eyebrows shoot to my hairline as I am fixed with her laser-like attention.
"Hayley! Oh, thank you, thank you!" Another hug, she hangs on to me for dear life and keeps me there a few seconds longer than I am comfortable with, especially since I have no clue who she is. I flick my eyes up to meet Leila’s, who rolls her eyes and groans.
"Mum, get off her, she doesn't know who you are. You're scaring her," Leila chastises, answering my silent plea for assistance.
"Forgive my terrible manners! I am Cooper's mother, Marie Jones. And this is his sister, Leila." she says, still holding onto my upper arms but pushing back slightly to look me in the eye again. She beams at me, again staring a little longer than would be deemed normal as she checks me out from head to toe. Leila just shakes her head behind her mother's back.
"Ah, Mrs. Jones...or sorry, Marie, lovely to meet you," I correct myself when she scowls at me calling her Mrs.
"Would you like to sit down? How is Cooper doing?" I gesture to the two chairs in front of my desk, retreating to the safety of my chair behind the glass table. Leila goes to refuse but Marie immediately sits down prompting an exasperated sigh from her daughter.
"Mum, let’s go, I am sure Hayley has other things to do. Like her job, which we have just barged in on unannounced." She pleads, but Marie studiously ignores her.
"Oh, he's doing great, isn't he Leila? And it's all thanks to you." I shift in my seat, uncomfortable with the praise for doing what anyone would have done.
"Ethan tells me that you managed to pull him out of the water all on your own and brought him back to life. I will forever consider you as family for what you have done for mine." I am completely taken aback, that is quite a declaration.
"That sounds more like a punishment than anything else Mum," Leila teases and I have to stifle a laugh. Marie's lips tip up at the edges, but she ignores the dig.
"Wow, well, thank you for your kind words. I'm just glad I was in the right place at the right time. Please tell Cooper that I asked after him and wish him a speedy recovery, I'm sure I'll bump him at some point..." I am trying to wrap this up, the attention this has brought me already starting to make me nervous. The fact that his parents are wealthy business owners has no bearing on how I would have done things, but it does explain why there is seemingly so much interest from the local press.
"Leila's birthday, you must come! I won't take no for an answer. Leila, take Hayley out for lunch this week and let her know the plans." Marie insists, not leaving any opportunity for either of us to protest. I nod, and Leila grins encouragingly.
"That's actually a great idea Mum. Now let's leave Hayley in peace."
I know I've been trying to keep to myself but at the same time, it's nearly two months since I moved here, and I need to make some friends if I'm going to stick around. Leila seems friendly and it'll be good to have some proper non-work-related conversation. Just as they go to leave, a large shadow fills the doorway, and a deep, masculine voice booms out.
"Hey Hayls, I stopped by yesterday but ...," Marcus freezes the second he steps into my already tiny but now absolutely jammed office. He is a mountain of a man, probably 6ft 5 inches tall but built like a wall of solid muscle. "Leila, Mrs. Jones, apologies for interrupting." He nods politely, holding out one of the cups of coffee he’s carrying to me awkwardly, and the tension in the room is palpable as I reach out to take it. It doesn't escape my attention that he looks everywhere but at Leila, who is wringing her hands in her lap and studying them intently.
"I stopped by yesterday, but they said you were taking the day off. I need to get your statement about the accident." He continues, but we've already had this conversation on the phone, so I feel like he is justifying his presence there to the others rather than to me. I chance another look at Leila who is blushing to her roots, and I suppress a grin. Very interesting. Marie looks back and forth between me and Marcus and grins, clearly getting completely the wrong idea about where the awkwardness in the room was coming from.
"Oh, I see! Don't let us keep you, dear," she laughs and winks, waving goodbye while Leila practically runs from the office. I turn to Marcus who has a pained expression on his face and laughter bursts from my lips before I can help myself.
"Marcus, what was that? You and Leila, eh?" The man looks completely lost as he rubs a hand along the back of his neck and gives me a one-shouldered shrug. Marcus is the sheriff, and I went to visit him to explain my situation as soon as I came to town. He has been kind enough to check in with me each Monday since then to see if I have had any problems, and I suspect he drives by the house regularly as he always comments on the little bits of work I have managed to do. He is as close to a friend as I have in the town so far.
"No. I mean… it's complicated," he states, making it clear he has no intentions of elaborating further. The big man doesn't look quite so tough at this moment in time, flustered and desperate to change the topic of conversation. He clearly has some history with or a soft spot for Cooper’s little sister.
"I bet it is." I wink at him and laugh when he groans out loud.
Cooper POVThese have been the longest two weeks of my life. It has been absolute hell, but today I have a spring in my step because I can finally go and meet my beautiful Hayley. My nights have been filled with dreams of her. During the day, my thoughts return to her over and over, wondering where she is and what she is doing.I am getting no work done and my short temper is driving everyone around me crazy. Ethan has bumped into her a few times over the last couple of weeks, by accident on purpose, and some of the mated males from the pack have been keeping an eye on her house in the evenings. While knowing she is okay has kept me sane, it has not been even close to enough to satisfy my wolf and I am exhausted from fighting his urge to just go to her. My mother's insistence that she saw 'a spark' between Hayley and Marcus when she accosted her in her office has done little to help.I pick up the local paper from last week that I have kept by my side, staring a
Hayley POVWow. Just wow.I stay out on the porch for a good five minutes trying to work out what on earth just happened. When I heard the truck coming into the drive, I just assumed it was a delivery driver from the hardware store with my next load of supplies, but when I realised who it was, I felt butterflies in my stomach like a teenager with their first crush in high school.I had seen his picture printed beside mine in the local paper and had been drooling over it all week. I'm ashamed to admit this was on top of turning the thank you card that he sent me over and over in my hands as if it was my very first valentine's day card. Is it possible to fancy someone's handwriting? Was it possible that the card smelled like him?Yes, I sniffed it.Even I am embarrassed at my behaviour on that one. I was acting like a crazy woman, getting obsessed with a man I didn't even know. But then there he was, looking even better in person, and I knew instantl
Cooper POVAs I push through the door of Greg's accountancy office, all heads turned to look at me, and you could hear a pin drop. Even though I pride myself on being approachable and friendly to all pack members, wolves operate in hierarchical structures and most pack members are naturally submissive to the pack leaders. For those who rarely have reason to interact with me, this instinct to submit is hard to overcome and they feel on edge as soon as I enter the building. I smile politely and nod at everyone I pass, greeting anyone I recognize by name to try and put them at ease as I make my way through the open plan area to Hayley's office.I knock gently on the door, and then as the door is already ajar, push it open slowly without waiting for a response. Hayley is sitting behind her desk, which is covered in a sea of papers piled haphazardly, with brightly colored pens and post-it notes strewn everywhere. Her shoes are kicked off under the desk and her bare feet are
Hayley POVFor the last week and a half, Cooper has arrived early every morning, before the rest of the crew, just to 'keep me in the loop'. He appears just in time to enjoy a cup of coffee and a quiet chat on the porch before I dash off to work, and it has become the highlight of my day. Seeing his handsome smiling face as he climbs out of his truck cheers me up without fail, and just being close to him sets my pulse racing.No guy I have ever met has taken things this slow though, especially after teasing me with that kiss the first day we met. I would adore it if it weren't driving me crazy. I want him and I think that he wants me, so what is the problem? Maybe I'm reading the signals completely wrong. My current predicament is testament to the fact that I'm not always a great reader of people's true intentions.I already have two mugs in my hand as I hear his heavy boots hit the porch steps and my heart skips a beat. He turns straight for the porch swing to
Cooper POVIt hasn't been easy, but I have been taking things slowly with Hayley. After that first day where I lost control for a second and kissed her, I knew I needed to pull back and show her it's not just about sex for me. My restraint has been severely tested every morning as she greets me in her tiny shorts and tank tops, and light dressing gowns that do nothing to hide the amazing figure underneath from my hungry gaze.Something was different this morning though, and I could sense her desire and frustration as she watched me closely on the porch swing. Knowing those idiots were going to be arriving any minute was the only thing that stopped me from taking her in a deep kiss that would linger in her mind all day. I didn't leave any room for argument when I suggested dinner this evening. I let all the crew finish work early so I could tidy up her place, go home to shower and change, and head to the shops to get the food I needed and a nice bottle of wine.I
Hayley POV It feels like the words have barely left my mouth before Cooper lifts me, wrapping my legs around his waist as his mouth ravishes mine. His hands, lips, and tongue are everywhere as the passion that has been building between us just explodes and we can't seem to get close enough to each other. I cling to him as he moves us backward and props me up against the porch railing. One hand grips my breasts roughly, giving me the firm touch I so desperately need, squeezing and kneading as his other seeks the hem of my dress, lifting it and gaining access to my drenched panties. He runs a finger along my slit outside the material and my legs quiver, finally so close to getting his touch where I have wanted it for the last two weeks. "Damn, you're so wet for me Hayley." He growls his delight at finding my underwear soaked. "Does that pretty pussy of yours need to be taken care of?" Cooper whispers in my ear as he licks and bites my neck, still just lightly s
Hayley POV "I'm meeting Leila tonight for some drinks. She's bringing me to Taaffe's, is it any good?" I ask him as I gaze out the window at the woods passing by, soaking in the beautiful scenery. He doesn't answer for a few seconds, so I turn to look at him. His jaw is tense, and his hands are gripping the wheel tightly. Interesting, it doesn't seem like he is a fan. "It's ok," he answers slowly, "there isn’t much choice around here I suppose, but I don't think it's the kind of place you might be used to. It's not exactly classy, rustic might be a polite way of describing it. What's the occasion?" "Leila said that the party next weekend isn't really for her or Rex, it's just an excuse for your Mum to invite everyone she knows. She wants to let loose a little on her own I guess, and she was looking for a partner in crime," I admit. He laughs lightly, and the tension leaves his hands. "Well, that's true. Leila's birthday is just an excuse for my Mum to
Hayley POVAfter an hour of walking up the well-worn trail that Cooper has brought us to, he veers off the main path and holds his hand out to help me over some fallen branches as he follows some unmarked route through the trees. It's unnecessary but very chivalrous all the same. Although when he picks me up by the waist to lift me over a small stream, I suspect he is just finding excuses to touch me. And I am totally on board with that.We break through the trees to an open area of flat rock jutting out of the side of the mountain with an amazing view down the valley on both sides. The bright green of the spring foliage in the morning light is stunning, with mountains rising on both sides of the valley, some with small snow caps remaining. The bright blue sky reflects off the ribbon of small lakes below. It looks just like a postcard, and I can't help but gasp as I look from side to side, taking in the beauty of it all."Nice, isn't it?" Cooper says, coming up