Hill Country Hero by Ann DeFee Read Free Book Online

members act as chaperones—you and me included. And I should tell you that while you’re on staff, the co-eds are off-limits.” Even if that was insulting, she felt compelled to lay out the ground rules. She hoped against hope that his womanizer reputation was overhyped.
    Jake put his hands up. “Hey, I’m thirty. Way too old for college girls.” He narrowed his eyes. “You really don’t have a very high opinion of me, do you?” Her silence was eloquent, but two could play at this game. If she wanted to be snotty, he could be snotty right back. Too bad his libido wasn’t cooperating.
    The electricity surging between them was almost palpable, but considering who she was, he needed to ignore it. Fortunately, they were interrupted by the arrival of a tall, redheaded guy, who reminded Jake of a young Ron Howard.
    “Jake Culpepper. I can’t believe you’re here. I’ve watched you since I was a little kid. I’m Greg Anderson, the senior counselor.”
    Jake visibly winced at his “kid” comment, but shook the guy’s hand.
    “This is so cool,” Greg exclaimed.
    The sentiment was obviously shared by the two college girls who had joined the group. They couldn’t seem to taketheir eyes off Jake. That had to be nipped in the bud. Twenty-year-old groupies were nothing but trouble.
    “Yeah.” The brunette of the duo was the first to regain the power of speech. “Like, this is so sick.”
    Jake suspected that was a compliment, but he wasn’t quite sure.
    Greg sat down on the bench, not leaving any room for the girls. It took everything Jake had not to give them his seat. If there was one thing his mother had taught him it was manners. But this wasn’t the time to encourage any sort of attraction, so he remained seated. Even so, he felt like a big goober.

Chapter Eight
    Jake turned his attention to Greg. “I need to find a running route. Would you be willing to go with me?”
    “Sure. How many miles?”
    “Five if it’s hilly. Ten if I have to run on the flat. The Road Runner summer camp starts in a month and I have to keep in shape. I’m not as young as I used to be.”
    “Cool. How about starting this morning?” Greg asked.
    “Sounds like a plan to me. I just need to change into my running clothes.”
    “See you in thirty,” Greg said with a grin.
    A good run was a great way to clear a guy’s brain. And since temptation was probably going to be his constant companion, Jake needed his wits about him. What was it about CiCi Hurst that made him want to howl at the moon?
    Whatever it was, he had to get over it pretty damned quick. Texas Bob wouldn’t be amused if Jake made a play for his “baby girl.” Besides, and this was a huge caveat, chicks with trust funds that could pass for the GDP of a small nation were not his cup of tea.
    It was almost noon when Jake finally wandered down to the river, lured by the sounds of adolescent fun. CiCi had said they were going river tubing today. He wished there had camps like this when he was a kid, trying to keep body andsoul together in a neighborhood overrun with felons and crack dealers.
    There was no sense in bemoaning a misspent adolescence. It was his adult life that was important, and overall he was doing quite well.
    Today was one of those summer days made for lolling about in a hammock with a cold beer and a soft, sweet-smelling female. But Jake had no hammock, no cold beer and the sweet-smelling female would geld him if she got the chance. So he’d go tubing, and by gosh he’d enjoy it. Even if his companions were a bunch of wannabe car thieves.
    The cold, green water of the Guadalupe River made its way to the Gulf of Mexico through sheer limestone cliffs, past shrub cedar and live oaks, then meandered through pecan and peach groves. And in the process it provided a playground for tourists and locals alike.
    The calm currents hid the violence it could show when the rains pounded the Texas Hill Country. In this part of the world Mother Nature had been