“Well, no, but we have just acquired a replacement for Bruce, so you’ll be paired with Ethan now.”
Landon’s chipper personality at this ungodly hour in the morning wasn’t doing anything to improve her current mood. “Well, let’s hope that he’s a lot more careful than Bruce. Has anyone figured out just how he managed to electrocute himself?” Lacy found it very odd he’d accomplished that at all. The hotel was newly renovated, and even the local authorities hadn’t been able to deduce the cause of his electrocution.
Bruce had been incapable of speech at the time and suffered from severe burns on his hands, wrists and feet—the entrance and exit points from the massive charge he’d been exposed to—but Lacy’s captain had assured her the model would be questioned as soon as he was able to speak. With Bruce having been her partner on this case, Lacy was more than anxious to hear what he had to say about the events that led up to his “accident”.
“Nobody seems to know,” Landon replied, looking none-too-concerned with the matter. “Here’s your new man now.”
Lacy turned to glare at the newest hire and nearly whimpered aloud. The man was absolutely beautiful! He had the looks of an angel with sandy blond hair, a chiseled face and eyes that looked to be almost silver.
He walked over with a confident male swagger that screamed authority. As Lacy allowed her eyes to coast over his broad chest, she noted the uniform shirt he wore.
Her eyes narrowed, and she whirled back to Landon. “So he gets to play forest ranger while I pose as a half-naked twit lost in the woods?” she growled.
“Would you be happy to be found?”
Startled by the deep voice, Lacy swung around to see her new partner had not only made it to her side but had apparently heard everything they’d said.
“Not wearing this,” she replied, once again holding up the pitiful scraps she refused to wear.
“What the hell is that?” he asked, cocking his head to examine it closer.
“According to Landon, it’s a bathing suit.”
“It is a bathing suit, and you’re going to be so hot wearing it,” Landon insisted.
Landon’s eyes bugged a bit when an instant reply was given by both Lacy and the man next to her.
“I’m not wearing this!”
“She’s not wearing this!”
Lacy turned to the devastating man who was defending her. She heard Landon huff before he stomped off, grumbling about divas and impossible men. So, apparently, her new guy was giving Landon a hard time also.
“I’m Ethan, by the way.” He offered his hand, and she accepted automatically. His voice was deep and smooth…nice. It was almost soothing in a way, easing her frazzled nerves.
Lacy gave her head a quick shake to clear out those thoughts. Sheesh, she had to work with the guy…and she was on duty, as well. “I’m Lacy. So it appears that you’re stuck with me, huh? Sorry about that.”
“Why? I chose to be paired with you.”
His unexpected answer set off her warning bells. “What do you mean you chose to be paired with me? We don’t get a choice of who we work with.”
Ethan just shrugged. “You do if the photographer has been pestering you for weeks,” he replied. “I’m not a model at all, actually.”
“You’re not?”
“No. I live here, and when Landon and his higher-ups came to get their permits, he spotted me. He’s been hounding me ever since.”
Interesting. “So why’d you finally cave?”
“I saw you.”
Once again, his straightforward reply stunned her. “When did you see me?”
Ethan glanced at his watch, and Lacy noted his tanned skin, the light sprinkling of hair and the thickness of his wrist. “About ten minutes ago,” he answered.
Lacy rolled her eyes. “So you just saw me and decided to agree to modeling so that you could maybe get the chance to rub against some pretty girls? Nice.”
“No. I caved in so I could have the chance to meet you, maybe get to know you a little. I’m not a bad guy, Lacy, just not very practiced in trying to impress a pretty lady.”
This guy didn’t know how to approach a woman? Lacy gave an indelicate snort. “Oh, please! You’re telling me you can’t get a date? Sorry, but I’m not buying it.”
He smiled at her remark, and damn it, his smile was every bit as lethal as the rest of him. Suddenly, Lacy felt very hot. Disgusted with her errant hormones, she steeled herself and turned to leave.
“I never said I couldn’t get a date, Lacy.” His smooth voice wrapped around her, effectively sucking all the wind from her sails and causing her to turn back to him again. “Hastings is a small town, sweetheart, so you can imagine how it would be to date someone you’ve known your whole life. It’s like an extended family of sorts.”