Free Bad Girl Therapy by Cathryn Fox Page B

absence so you can work exclusively with me?”
    “Yes.”
    He gave a hard shake of his head. “I can’t let you do that.”
    “Which is why I didn’t ask you.”
    Incredulous, he looked at her long and hard, his heart racing as fast as his mind. “Why didn’t you ask me, Haley?”
    “Because you wouldn’t have let me.”
    “Damn right I wouldn’t have.”
    Haley turned to her dad. “See?”
    Her dad smiled and simply said, “I see.” And with that, he and his wife, along with Mark Peterson, excused themselves, leaving Haley and Cole alone.
    He gently cupped her face, a barrage of emotions squeezing his chest. “Haley, sweetheart, I can’t let you do this for me?”
    “You don’t have a choice.”
    “Your promotion—”
    “That’s why I met with Dr. Peterson. I wanted to explain the situation to him.”
    He let out a long sigh, amazed by the thoughtful, caring, beautiful woman he’d fallen in love with. “I have a confession to make.”
    Her body tightened, concern moving back into her face. “What?”
    “When I first saw you sitting here with your folks and that guy, I thought…well, I thought now that my career is on the line that maybe I was no longer good enough for you.”
    “You think I’m that shallow?”
    “No, I don’t, which is why I’m a total asshole for letting that thought into my head.” He pulled her against him. “You’re the most giving, caring woman I’ve ever met, but I’ve spent my whole life wanting you and believing you were out of my league.”
    “You…you spent your whole life wanting me?”
    He threw his head back and shook it. “God, girl, you have no idea. I’ve been in love with you since high school.”
    Her eyes widened with surprise and happiness. “I thought you never bothered with me back in the day because athletes didn’t associate with good girls on student council.”
    “No, sweetheart. I thought you were out of my league.” He winked and added, “Besides, you’re not that good of a girl anyway.” When she gave a sheepish grin, he drove his thumb into his chest. “And I might be an athlete with a successful career, but I’m really just a poor boy beneath the jersey. That’s the guy I want you to like.”
    Emotions moved over her eyes. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you money doesn’t buy love?” She gave a humorless laugh. “Just look at my parents.” Then she got quiet, thoughtful for a moment, and her voice was soft when she said, “I’m helping you because your job is important to you, you have a family counting on you. I’m not doing it because I need you to be some soccer star in order to be good enough for me. The truth is, Cole, you’re unlike any other man I’ve ever met, and maybe that’s because you really are that poor boy beneath the jersey. But it’s that boy who is sweet, sincere, attentive and so damn sexy he makes me wild.” She grinned and added, “I don’t care if you wear a jersey or work in the mill with your dad. I love you for who you are.” She tapped his chest. “In here.”
    “You love me?”
    She shook her head and laughed. “You didn’t happen to also injure your brain the last time you played, did you?”
    Cole laughed out loud and, discretion aside, planted a warm, loving kiss on her mouth. “Speaking of playing, that reminds me.”
    “Of what?”
    “Well, I never did thank you for getting me off the hook with Drake Drummond and freeing up my long weekend.”
    “Oh right. What did you have in mind?”
    Her pulled her impossibly tighter, his heart pounding with the love he felt for her. “Let’s just say it involves a game of snakes and ladders and a movie camera.”
    He felt a tremor of longing move through her before she said, “As delicious as that sounds, we have to get serious about your therapy. I plan on working you hard for the next month.”
    “Fine, in the days you can work me as hard as you like and I’ll follow your therapy, but at night you’re all mine, and that’s when