Page 8 of Catch and Release Groom

“Oh, you want facts?” If she clenched her teeth any harder, she’d crack a molar. “Here’s a fact for you—you’re a terrible teacher. You don’t have the patience or the temperament.”

A muscle in his cheek flexed, bringing out his strong jawline and his frustration, and Imogen bit her lower lip so she wouldn’t take it back, choosing for the second time in as many months to hold her ground.

Tension leaked from his posture, until a transformed man stood in front of her, one with a gentleness she didn’t think he’d be capable of. “You’re right. That was out of line. Truth be told, I’ve been a mite grouchy as of late.”

“Mite? You sure it’s just a mite?” Imogen’s eyebrows lifted along with her voice and chin, and when the hell had she gotten this bold? More, how did she hold onto it?

“Fine. I’ll strike the ‘mite’ from the record.”

“Oh God, you’re not a lawyer, are you?”

A laugh burst from him, full and deep and delicious enough it was a shame he didn’t let it free more often. “No, but my buddy is, and the rest of us give him shit for it. Then again, I can’t talk much. Despite my classmates’ assertions, I ended up in law enforcement.”

“Thus the handcuffs,” she said.

“Thus?” he asked, and the corner of his mouth kicked up. “Aren’t we fancy?”

Imogen flashed him a wry grin. “Compared to you, I’d say that’s always a yes.”

That sculptor she criticized earlier for not forging a smile? She’d been right—gifting this man with one on a permanent basis would be far too dangerous. It amped his attractiveness to panty-melting levels and left her locking her knees to prevent herself from falling at his feet.

“I also have a buddy who’s a teacher, and his assessment was about the same as yours. But if you’ll give me another chance, I promise I’ll work on the patience.” He extended the rod he’d prepared for her, with the fuzzy pink fly she’d chosen secured to the end and ready to go. “I’m afraid the temperament is what it is.”

Gator shoved her big snout between the two of them, glancing back and forth.

“Ain’t that right, GB?”

The dog lifted her head, literally forcing Easton’s hand—to pet her. A dozen mushy sensations tumbled through Imogen as she watched the wagging of Gator’s tail and the affection flooding Easton’s expression.

Okay, so the guy wasn’t a total lost cause.

As he positioned himself behind her and demonstrated the best grip to control the pole, she decided that in some ways, it’d be easier if he were.

A notion she doubled down on as he explained line tension and how to work the reel, using terms as foreign as the shock of awareness that’d seized her spine.

Her breaths turned shallow as his long fingers wrapped around hers. She gave in to his pull as he guided the rod back and then forward, over and over again. “Think you have the feel of it now?”

She feltsomethingall right. The sparks she’d always been missing with Brett fired and spread, until her entire body tingled with them. She didn’t dare wonder if Easton felt them, too—what good would that do either of them, and seriously,why him?

With her ability to form complete sentences compromised, she kept the answer simple. A hint false, too, since she’d been paying more attention to her body’s reaction than to his instructions. “Mmm-hmm.”

“Okay, now I’m going to step back and let you try it solo.” Instantly, she missed the heat of his body. “Remember. Nice and smooth.”

“Be one with the pole, got it,” she joked, and it took every ounce of her self-restraint not to glance over her shoulder so she could see if it’d made him smile.

The first cast was so pathetic that she quickly cocked her arm to try again. She flung forward with all her might, only the line didn’t land in the water.

In fact, she felt resistance from behind her, and at the harsh swear, she spun around.

And gaped at the fuzzy pink fly embedded in Easton’s ear.

Chapter Four

“Oh shit—I’m so sorry.”

Imogen rushed toward Easton, but with the flow of water working against her, it felt as though she’d never actually reach him.

At long last she did, and she quickly dropped the offending pole so she could assist with the hook.

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