Hooked on You: An Annapolis Harbor Series Prequel Read online

  Hooked on You

  Hooked on You was previously titled Easy Moves. It is the prequel to the Annapolis Harbor Series.

  Gabe

  The new Assistant U.S. Attorney was the last person I needed in my business... or my bar. The way she walked in wearing a tight suit and red power heels, flashing that badge should be illegal.

  Asking her for help was a mistake. Wanting her was a complication, one that I couldn't afford. We were from two different worlds.

  Taylor was spoiled, privileged and in way over her head. I was just the bad boy that girls like her were attracted to, a passing phase. An itch to scratch.

  I was no good for her and never would be.

  Taylor

  New Orleans was a fresh start, a chance to reinvent myself and do some good. Too bad the first person I met was a grumpy bartender with a chip on his shoulder.

  He said I knew nothing about his city, the people or what they needed. But one look at the bad boy bartender and I knew exactly what I needed. Even if I refused to admit it.

  Gabe was a connection to the community. Offering to waitress at his bar in exchange for his help had nothing to do with his flexing biceps or tattoos.

  He thought he knew me, that I couldn't handle him or the city... but he was wrong.

  Download two free novellas, Swept Away and Worth the Risk, when you sign up for my newsletter.

  Hooked on You

  Previously titled Easy Moves

  Copyright © 2021 by Lea Coll

  All Rights Reserved.

  This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.

  All characters and storylines are the property of the author and your support and respect is greatly appreciated.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Editing by Evident Ink

  Proofreading by Horus Proofreading

  Cover Design by Okay Creations

  Photography by Wander Aguiar

  Table of Contents

  Books by Lea Coll

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Epilogue

  Bonus Epilogue

  Books by Lea Coll

  Only with You Excerpt

  About the Author

  Books by Lea Coll

  All I Want Series

  Choose Me

  Be with Me

  Burn for Me

  Trust in Me

  Stay with Me

  Take a Chance on Me

  Annapolis Harbor Series

  Hooked on You (previously titled Easy Moves)

  Only with You

  Lost without You

  Perfect for You

  Crazy for You

  Falling for You

  Mountain Haven Series

  Infamous Love (Releasing July 2021)

  Quick Snap Novellas

  Lucky Catch

  Trick Play

  Download two free novellas, Swept Away and Worth the Risk, when you sign up for her newsletter.

  To learn more about her books, please visit her website.

  Chapter One

  TAYLOR

  I rode the streetcar with the wooden plank seats to the Lakeview area of New Orleans and walked for several blocks along City Park before crossing Harrison Avenue, with its famously eclectic shops and restaurants. I stared longingly at the inviting storefronts, wishing I had time to stop and browse, but I had an appointment with the owner of a bar in a neighboring community. The farther I walked from the popular tourist area, the seedier the streets became—boarded-up houses, closed businesses, beggars—and I questioned my decision to volunteer for this particular project.

  Nothing in my background had prepared me for this. I grew up in Annapolis, Maryland and my parents sent me to private schools. As I walked, I realized how privileged and sheltered I really was.

  I figured I’d better get used to it, because I just started a new attorney position handling child pornography cases in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s office. In my interview I had stressed that I was primarily interested in the job because of the mandatory involvement in community outreach programs. Those programs usually meant talks in community centers, colleges, and law schools, but this assignment was more hands-on, which intrigued me.

  Dean, my boss, had met the owner of the bar, Isaac’s, during one of his talks at the local community center when Isaac Kershaw mentioned his concerns about increasing crime in the neighborhood and a seemingly indifferent police department. When Dean mentioned it at my first staff meeting, I’d volunteered to meet with Isaac to discuss it further. I wanted to impress Dean and I strongly believed in Project Safe Neighborhood, which consisted of all branches of law enforcement working closely with neighborhoods to identify crime and reduce it. If the police department in Isaac’s neighborhood was ignoring business owners’ concerns regarding crime, that was a problem.

  Following Dean’s directions, I turned onto Bragg Street, where the corner store’s sign read Omar’s General Store. I kept walking until I saw the neon blue sign, which read Isaac’s. The heavy wooden door to the bar opened and a man in a black T-shirt stepped out carrying garbage bags. His biceps bulged as he carried the heavy bags around the side of the buildings, making the ink snaking down his arms more noticeable. Thinking he was Isaac, I followed him a few steps before stopping at the entrance to the alley on the side of the building.

  He carefully stepped around strewn garbage, broken liquor bottles, and puddles of murky water until he stopped at the garbage bins. I tightened my grip on my brand new buttery soft leather briefcase, holding my breath as best I could with the overwhelming stench of garbage and liquor, questioning whether I should just wait for him in the bar.

  The man threw the large bags up and into the dumpster and when they landed with a thud, he brushed off his hands. He turned and walked back toward me. His lips tilted into a smirk as his gaze traveled from the tip of my head down my suit-clad body, my bare legs, to my red patent leather heels—my power shoes for days when I was out of my element.

  I took in his blond hair trimmed close to his head, his chiseled jaw, almost-black eyes, and arched my brow at the challenge I saw in them, licking my suddenly dry lips. This man had never seen the inside of an office. He might have seen the inside of a courtroom though—most likely from the opposite side of the one where I stood.

  Energy rolled off him in waves—like he knew I was judging him and he’d come
up short. I gripped the strap of my briefcase tighter as the initial interest I’d seen in his eyes dimmed.

  “What can I do for you?” He tilted his head. “You always approach strangers in alleys?”

  “I’m not in the alley.” I glanced pointedly down at the sidewalk beneath my stilettos. “I saw you come out of Isaac’s and I’m supposed to meet with Isaac Kershaw at ten.” I wasn’t sure if he was Isaac or if he worked for him. “We can talk inside the bar if that would be better for you.” I knew I wasn’t explaining myself very well but everything about this man—his intensity, his presence, his demeanor—made me nervous.

  He turned away from me, effectively dismissing me. “I don’t know anything about a meeting.”

  His T-shirt stretched tight over his broad shoulders and tapered to a narrow waist, and the ripped jeans, which looked like they were worn from hard work, hung over black scuffed boots. Everything he wore was for function, not fashion. I shook my head to clear it.

  “Mr.—” Ugh. I completely blanked on Isaac’s last name and I wasn’t sure this man was Isaac. “I’m Taylor Leeds, an Assistant U.S. Attorney.” I winced at the way my voice went up an octave with nerves.

  When the words Assistant U.S. Attorney left my mouth, his eyes hardened.

  “What did you say?” He turned to face me, his arms crossed over his chest, his feet wide, his body tense.

  “I said my name is Taylor—

  “Did you say you’re a U.S. Attorney?”

  Clearly, he was not happy about my job title, but hadn’t he come to Dean with his concerns? My job shouldn’t be a surprise unless he wasn’t the owner. “An Assistant U.S. Attorney—a federal prosecutor.” I pulled my badge out of my briefcase, and he took one look before opening the door to the bar. I shook off the embarrassment and rushed to keep up with him, slipping behind him into the bar before the door shut.

  He ducked behind the long bar and washed his hands in the sink before turning to find me. “I told you I don’t know anything about a meeting.”

  This was my first assignment and I wasn’t going to allow this man’s bad attitude deter me. “Isaac reached out to my boss, Dean Bernthal, about your concerns about crime in your community—”

  “My community? My concerns?” He braced his hands on the bar as he considered me.

  I hadn’t expected to meet resistance with a business owner who’d approached my office and agreed to this meeting. “Yes, your needs in this community.”

  He shook his head. “You think you’re here for some worthy cause, but you don’t know anything.”

  The air in the bar was chilly with the air conditioner blasting but my body temperature was rising with each word.

  “You’re not from here.” I couldn’t refute him—he was right. “You know nothing about this city, my community, or me.”

  Every word out of his mouth was technically true. “I am new to town, but—”

  “But nothing, princess. I don’t know if Isaac set up some meeting without telling me, but he’s not here. Tell your boss to send someone else next time—a local. You know, someone who understands the issues.”

  “This is my job.” I gestured around at his bar and realized my mistake when his eyes narrowed on me. “When Dean told me about Isaac’s interest in revitalizing this community and reducing crime, I volunteered to take lead.” Even if Isaac wasn’t interested, I knew Dean wanted to help this community now that Isaac had brought it to his attention. The proximity to Harrison Avenue and tourism made the area ideal for revitalization.

  “You’re the wrong person for the job.”

  Since Isaac wasn’t here, the smart thing to do would be to go back to the office and discuss my next step with Dean, and maybe un-volunteer myself from this task. I turned to leave, and my eyes snagged on a Help Wanted sign for waitresses in the window. If I helped him out, maybe he would return the favor. At the very least I could get a feel for the bar, the clientele, and possibly learn what the issues were.

  I was good with my autistic brother because I had years of hands-on experience. Getting to know the community was the same. I needed to immerse myself and get to know the business owners, residents, and customers.

  Decision made, I walked closer to the bar. Wood stools butted up against a high counter where the man was stocking stemmed glasses on racks on the ceiling. His arms stretched overhead, lifting his shirt to reveal defined abs. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to raise my gaze to his face. “I see you’ve got a waitress wanted sign over there. Let’s make a deal.”

  After stocking the last glass, his arms dropped down to his sides, and his eyes met mine. The eyes that had appeared black in the alley were now gray flecked with gold. His scent floated over me—liquor, leather, and man.

  “I’m listening.”

  “I’ll work here in the evenings until you find someone else. Dean said the other business owners respect Isaac and his bar, so they’ll be more likely to talk to me if one of you introduces me first.” I wasn’t sure that would be the case, but I’d run into resistance from this man just by announcing my job title and I wanted to make progress in the neighborhood without running back to Dean for help.

  He smirked at my suggestion. “You have yourself a deal.”

  Wringing my fingers, I hadn’t expected him to agree so easily. What had I gotten myself into? “I’ve never waitressed before.”

  “Of course not.” He sighed. “Have you ever worked a job that didn’t require a suit?”

  I wondered if I should I tell him I lived with my parents and rushed home after school and my internship to help them with my severely autistic brother? Something told me he wouldn’t care. “No.”

  “Be here at seven P.M.” He walked back to the stockroom, leaving me standing there alone.

  I’d moved here to take a brief respite from my life. I loved my family, but when I was living at home, I didn’t go out with friends and I didn’t date. I spent all of my spare time with my brother. We had a unique bond. I’d sit with him and watch TV or read to him. My parents wanted me to go out more, but the reality was that Caleb was calmer when I was there. It made things easier, but at the same time, I needed to do something for myself and I could only do that if Caleb wasn’t nearby. I couldn’t drop everything and go to him if I was halfway across the country. I’d wanted independence, an adventure, and New Orleans—this job provided that.

  Caleb was twenty-four and because of his size and needs he was already getting to be too much for my parents, so I’d decided to give myself a year or two at this job before I’d need to return home.

  I opened the door and stepped back out into the humidity. I knew nothing about this life or this city, but I wanted to learn. I wanted to make a difference. If I had to work at his bar—if I had to work with that man—then I would. This job was important to me and I wanted to make a good impression so Dean could help me transfer within the Department of Justice back to Baltimore at some point to be near my family. It was only when I stepped onto the streetcar that I realized I’d never gotten the man at the bar’s name.

  Chapter Two

  GABE

  When the door closed behind her, I breathed easy for the first time since I’d turned in the alley to find her—long blond hair, crystal-blue eyes, in her black suit and fuck-me red heels. She had curves in all the right places and when she flashed me her badge, holy shit, I’d never seen anything hotter. It was a sign of authority I hated, except when it came in the form of a hot woman.

  “Who was that?” Isaac asked, coming in the door Taylor just left. Isaac was in his fifties, trim beard, thinning hair, and stocky. He was sometimes mistaken for a bouncer, which came in handy when patrons were unruly.

  “An attorney from the U.S. Attorney’s office.”

  “Oh, shit. I completely forgot we were supposed to meet.” He glanced at his phone. “Our meeting was at ten. Did you talk to her?”

  “About how she wants to help the community?” There was no mistaking the sarcasm in my voic
e. I was annoyed at myself and my reaction to her. I wanted to hate her. She represented everything I’d always loathed—authority, the law, privileged rich people. “Fuck no.”

  “Sorry, I should have warned you she’d be coming. What’s wrong with community outreach programs?” He waited a beat and when I didn’t respond, he came around the bar. “The crime camera over the door is supposed to deter theft, but if police aren’t responding to our calls then it’s useless. Her boss was interested in revitalizing the street, which can only be positive for business.” Isaac stopped to study me. “You’re worried about Zach.”

  “Of course. Any time the law is sniffing around it’s bad news.” The moment that woman said she was a prosecutor, a weight had settled uncomfortably on my chest. I couldn’t have her around. I couldn’t let her find out—she saw things in black and white. She’d tell someone at the Department of Family Services and if she did, I’d never see Zach again.

  I had to tell him I’d agreed to allow her to work in the bar. I wasn’t the manager, so I’d overstepped. Not that I cared about her desire to be introduced to the other business owners, but I didn’t want to piss Isaac off. “She wanted to work as a waitress until we find someone.”

  “Why?” Isaac’s eyes narrowed on me.

  “She said the other business owners would respect her more if one of us introduced her around.”

  “She’s right about that, but why work here?”