I look up as the bell above the door chimes and my blue eyes lock in on Cooper as he takes his hat off and heads to his usual table in the corner. His eyes scan around the room, pausing on me and the familiar sparks fly between us as our eyes meet. He smiles secretly at me before he looks away and takes a seat.
Maybe it’s time that I stopped waiting for him to make a move and I came up with my own plan to show him just how perfect we are for each other.
Two
Cooper
I can feelHarley’s eyes on me as soon as I walk in and I love it. I wonder if she can feel my eyes on her when she’s not looking too? I look over at her and our eyes lock. The same current I always feel runs down my spine as my eyes meet hers. I look away quickly, taking my seat at the table in the back. I know that she’ll be over soon to ask me what I want. Unless she’s back to playing hard to get again.
I smile as I think back to that week a month ago when my girl had tried her hardest to pretend like she wasn’t interested in me. She had sent another waitress over to take my order and would barely look at me. I’m glad that she cracked first because I was close to dragging her over to my table and forcing her to sit with me, to talk to me and give me one of her bright smiles. Thankfully, things had gone back to normal before I had to do that though.
I’ve wanted Harley from the very first moment that I saw her. She was the most beautiful person that I had ever seen in my life with her blonde hair pushed off to the side and her big blue eyes staring up at me. She had freckles dotting across her nose and some on the tops of her tanned shoulders. I remember watching her for the rest of the day and was surprised when she stood up and was taller than most girls. That was good. At 6’5” I towered over everyone and while her height wouldn’t be a deal-breaker, I was glad that I wouldn’t have to break my neck every time I wanted to kiss her. And god, did I want to kiss her.
I wanted to ask her out even back then but then I found out how old she was. Only 14 while I was close to turning 18. I thought about dating her anyways but I wasn’t sure that I trusted myself not to take her before she was legal. I had always wanted to be a cop and I also knew that once I had Harley, I would never be letting her go. I needed to give her time to make sure that I, that being with me, was what she really wanted because there would be no going back.
I didn’t mind saving myself for her, there was never anyone else that could even compete with my Harley. I had wanted to give her time to see what else was out there. Our small town didn’t have many options, but maybe someone would catch her eye. If she started dating someone else and was happy with them, that would be ok with me. Oh, who am I kidding? I would have killed anyone who even looked in her direction. Luckily, she’s never shown interest in anyone else and I didn’t have to find a place to bury the bodies.
I had planned on pushing my entrance into the policy academy back a couple of years and waiting until she could go with me to Charleston but then summer came around and I had to watch as my girl ran around in bikinis every damn day of the week. It was too much temptation and I knew that I had to get out of there. I left a week later and signed up, completing the academy before I was assigned to the Charleston PD. I already knew that I would only serve three years there. As soon as Harley turned 18, I was coming back for her. As luck would have it, the Sheriff was retiring and I ran for his job, easily being elected. The Kiawah PD is small and filled with officers who like not having the responsibility that would come with the Sheriff title.
I saw Harley the very first day that I got back and she was still just as pretty as I remembered. She was standing with her best friend, Peyton, across the town square. I was going to walk up to her right then and there and ask her out, really stake my claim, but before I could, some girls came up to me to congratulate me and welcome me back. I had tried to be polite to them and when I looked back up at Harley, I could see the jealousy written all over her face. I had waited, wanting to see what she was going to do. Would she march over her and declare that I was hers? Or maybe just walk right up to me and kiss me?
I was getting excited just thinking about it and when I saw her taking a few steps in my direction, I couldn’t stop the smile from stretching across my face. We were interrupted though by the mayor and I reluctantly turned away so that I could join him on the small stage.
The next time I saw her was two days later when I walked into the diner. She had her hair pulled back and an apron tied around her waist that was covered in flour. Her eyes had met mine when I first walked in and I could see the hunger burning in them from all the way across the restaurant. She had practically tackled the waitress to get her out of the way so that she could take my order and I could barely hold in my chuckle. God, my girl was adorable.
It’s continued in much the same way ever since. I’ve thought about asking her out so many times but seeing her so wrapped up in me is too much fun. I know I should make my move so that we can finally start our life together but I like the slow build-up we’ve had going on. I promise myself I’ll ask her out soon, I just want to see what she’s going to do next first.
Three
Harley
I checkmy hair in the reflection on the window one more time before I head over to where Cooper is sitting. He doesn’t even pick up a menu anymore and I know that he’ll have the chef special no matter what it is. I smile at him as I reach the edge of the table and he looks up at me.
“Evening, Sheriff.” I drawl out in a terrible western accent.
“M’am.” He says back in his own cheesy accent.
I giggle slightly before I put my hand on the table, leaning in.
“How was your day?”
“Slow. Some tourists ran out of gas over on West Ashley Greenway. Mrs. Potts lost her cat again up that tree.” He shrugs as he finishes telling me about his calls.
School is in session now and there aren’t as many tourists this time of year so everything is going to be a little slow.
“What about you? Come up with any new recipes?”
“I’m working on a new soufflé one but I haven’t got it perfect yet.” I say frowning as I think back to how the chocolate soufflé seemed like it was missing something. Peyton had loved it but it just wasn’t quite there yet to me.
“You’ll have to let me try it. Tell you what I think.”
“Do you like chocolate soufflés?” I ask.
“Never had one but I’m sure I’ll like it. I like everything that you do.”
My cheeks heat at that and I look down quickly. I’m so confident in most things in my life but whenever someone compliments my baking, I get all shy.
I open my mouth thinking this is the perfect time to try to flirt with him a little bit. Maybe I’ll ask him out? Before I can open my mouth though, his radio goes off. He scowls down at it before he swipes it off the table and offers me an apologetic smile before he heads out the door.