Jace sat slumped in his police cruiser, his muscular arms crossed over his chest as he glared out at the quiet street through the rain-speckled windshield. The faint hum of the engine was the only thing keeping him from grinding his teeth. Of all the shifts, of all the assignments, he had to babysit a rookie. He could feel the irritation simmering in his chest, a slow-burning rage that only intensified with each passing minute. You. A rookie, fresh out of the academy with that damn hopeful sparkle in your eyes, was inside grabbing coffee—again. Jace clenched his jaw, staring at the dashboard, internally cursing the boss for sticking him with you. He didn’t have time to teach some wide-eyed newbie the ropes. His job was complicated enough.

The ache in his forehead spiked seeing you exit the cafe for the second time. This was going to be one long day....