Free Hands-On Training by Paige Tyler

Chapter One
     
    As a cop, Blake Jordan couldn’t afford to be distracted, but
he couldn’t take his eyes off the gorgeous brunette in front of him. The only
woman in the Concealed Handgun License Proficiency course he was teaching, she
was all soft, feminine curves with long, silky hair and full, pouty lips. Not
to mention honey-colored eyes he could just about get lost in. Which made it
damn hard to concentrate on his presentation.
    He dragged his gaze away from the beauty in the front row to
scan the rest of the faces. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her studying
him.
    “We'll spend the first part of the day going over Texas
concealed carry laws, use of force laws, nonviolent dispute resolution and
general administrative matters related to maintaining your license.”
    Everyone groaned at that. Everyone, but her. She sat back in
her seat and got comfortable.
    Most of the time, the ten-hour course was taught over two
days, but as a full-time Texas State Trooper, Blake could only hold the class
on his days off. Those were few and far between, which meant he had to cram
everything into a single day. While he made some money on the side teaching the
CHL course, it wasn't the pay that made it worthwhile. It was the knowledge
that what he was doing would pay off in the long run, making the city of
Houston a safer place for everyone. Concealed weapons were a way of life in
Texas and he wanted to make sure the people who carried them were trained and prepared
to handle the responsibility that came with the license.
    “After that, we’ll do the written test, then grab lunch
before the hands-on portion,” Blake said. “I'll cover how to properly handle a
weapon, clean it, store it, and if the situation ever requires it—how to use
it. We'll spend the last two hours using the indoor range, where I’ll get a
chance to see how you handle your weapons. If I like what I see, you'll be out
of here by six o’clock with your certificates in hand.”
    His eyes lingered on the gorgeous woman in the front row
again before he turned to the PowerPoint slide displayed on the screen. Damn,
if her eyes didn’t sparkle like gold in the early morning sun coming through
the window. Was she wearing colored contacts? The question mystified him half
the morning. When they finally took a break, he found himself wandering over to
the vending machine where she was standing to get a Coke he didn’t want simply
so he could check.
    “I'd recommend something with a lot of caffeine,” he said.
    She turned to look at him and his breath hitched. Damn, she
was even more devastating up close. He could actually see the little, green
flecks of color in her gold eyes. Definitely not contacts.
    Her lips—which were not only full and pouty, but very
kissable—curved into a sexy smile. “I have a feeling listening to you talk is
going to be more than enough to keep me awake.”
    He pulled out a five-dollar bill and fed it to the vending
machine, then pressed the Diet Coke button twice. He flashed her a grin as he
handed her one of the bottles. “These concealed carry laws can be some riveting
stuff, huh?”
    She laughed. “I probably shouldn’t say this since you’re a
cop, and I’m here to get my license, but actually they’re really not. You make
the subject interesting, though. I think it’s because you have such a nice
voice.”
    He did a double take. Was she coming onto him?
    She looked up at him from under her lashes. “I’m Trista
Durant, by the way.”
    “Blake. Jordan.”
    His last name was already on his uniform, so telling her
again wasn’t really necessary, but it was already out. Being around her made it
hard to think straight.
    She opened her coke and took a sip. “I’m guessing this isn’t
the first time you’ve taught this class.”
    A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “What makes you
say that?”
    “You barely looked at the slides on the screen.”
    Because he’d been too busy looking at her. He took a