The Off Limits Rule (It Happened in Nashville, #1)

by Sarah Adams

“Just get in the boat, Eeyore,”

Pooper Scooper Cooper. See? I’ll never forget his name now. My method works.

I turn to face Cooper and nearly fall over when I realize his eyes were on me that whole time, a soft grin tilting the side of his mouth, an indiscernible look in his eyes. Reserved and intrigued. Sort of like he either wants to pin me against the wall and kiss me into oblivion or help me do my taxes.

He tosses it aside, and every single one of his fantastic muscles winks at me. They have the same voice as Joey Tribbiani: How you doin’?

My ovaries are screaming, HIM! WE PICK HIM!!!

“Ohhhh. He thinks you’re on the phone with your sitter? Okay, I can have some fun with this. What color underwear do you have on?”

“You are so stupid, but I love you anyway.” No sooner do the words leave my mouth than I realize what I’ve just said. I freeze. Cooper freezes. His grip on my wrist loosens, and his eyes slowly cut down to me. “What did you just say?”

Cooper is a panther. He shoots up and has his arms around my waist before I can take five steps. He tosses me back onto the bed and pins his forearms on either side of me. His eyes are twinkling dangerously. “Say it again.” “No.” “Why?” I grimace. “Because it’s embarrassing to say it first.” “Say it.” His voice is dark and passionate, and it matches the look in his exotic blue eyes. I sigh, morning breath forgotten, and hold his gaze. Time to be brave. “I said…I love you. Because I mean it. I didn’t mean to fall in love with you so quickly, and it’s completely fine if you don’t feel the same way because it’s crazy-soon to be saying things like that, but—” “Lucy, I absolutely love you. No question about it.” He doesn’t smile yet, and my eyes eat up every bit of his serious expression. “I think it’s probably unhealthy, but since the day I met you, you’re all I think about, and I’m helpless to do anything about it.”

“I love you. And Levi. I want to be in your life as much as you’ll let me.”

Because here’s the thing about people you admire speaking into your life: sometimes you trust their opinion of yourself more than your own. But just because they say it, doesn’t make it true, and I’m done letting him tell me who I am.

“My darling Coop, please accept my sincerest apologies for doubting your character. I will never do it again. But also…if you leave my sister, I will beat you into dust.”

“Afraid not. You order, you assemble. Get to work, Bob the Builder.”