Free The Hometown Hoax (The Hoax Series) by Heather Thurmeier

feeling like herself as if cuddling with Logan had never happened.
    The fact that her back still tingled from where his pecs pressed against her was nothing more than a figment of her imagination and one she was about to delete from memory.
    “Everything okay?” he asked standing up and looking ready to go again as if nothing had transpired between them.
    “Yep. I’m ready to head home. I think the sun is stronger than usual. I’m not really feeling like myself right now.”
    “I’ll come with you. Are you able to paddle back?”
    “Totally. No worries. Let’s go, okay?”
    “Lead the way. I couldn’t even guess which way the cabin is now. I’m not even sure which way we came from. Nothing on shore looks familiar.”
    As Tessa headed toward shore, she gave herself an internal pep talk with every stroke of the paddle.
    You will not look at Logan’s deliciously muscular chest again or think of him in deliciously sexy ways.
    You will not be alone with him again except in your cabin.
    You will wear clothing around him at all times.
    You will stop imagining what the rest of him looks like naked.

Chapter Seven
    L ogan took another slug of his beer then propped his feet up on the edge of the dock railing. This was the life. Peace, quiet, nature, and nothing to do but drink a beer and relax in the setting sun. Today had been a great day, the best he could remember having in years actually.
    Usually his days consisted of running around from his apartment to the studio, then stopping to eat somewhere or hauling groceries home. It was a life filled with going all the time but rarely ever taking a moment to enjoy it. But here it was completely different. Of course, he knew everyone was in vacation mode and it wasn’t what real life was like, but people being on vacation was a change all on its own. People in the city didn’t take vacations often, and if they did, it was to somewhere flashy or noisy. They’d go somewhere there was always something going on, something to do, somewhere to be, needing to be constantly entertained. No one ever went somewhere to simply relax.
    This was certainly a relaxing kind of vacation. He loved every second of it. Already today he’d worked out, gone on a firewood run, paddle boarded, played a few rounds of poker and was now waiting to eat a home-cooked dinner and start a bonfire later. Did life get any better than this? The fact that by the end of the year it could be over hit him in the gut with ferocity. He’d just gotten here, hadn’t even started his job in the school yet, and already he was dreading the thought of having to leave if things didn’t work out teaching or with his gym.
    He’d never thought of himself in terms of where he lived making a difference to who he was. After living in a city forever and now seeing what it was like to live in a rural setting, there was no question he was happier here. If his term wasn’t extended at the school or if he couldn’t figure out a way to open a new training studio in town, he’d have no choice but to go back.
    Or was there another choice?
    He wasn’t qualified to do any other kind of work besides teaching or personal training, but surely he could get a job doing landscaping work or something else that would keep him moving. Something that would keep him in town even if he wasn’t doing his dream job. Would any job be fulfilling enough if it meant he could stay here and look at amazing sunsets like this all the time?
    Oranges, pinks, and deep purples filled the sky from the surface of the lake to edge of the stars. Never had he seen a sunset like this before. With so much open sky in front of him, he didn’t know which section to look at first.
    His gaze landed on a figure sitting in a folding lawn chair near the fire pit. Even in the darkening light, he knew it was Tessa, sketchbook on her lap and a charcoal pencil in her hand. She had been there since shortly after returning from the lake. Well, not that one specific spot