The Southern Thirst Trap (Hale)

It was supposed to be a simple assignment: go to the small town of Cypress Grove, write a fluff piece on their famous annual Peach Festival, and get back to Atlanta. As a freelance journalist, I'm no stranger to turning mundane events into compelling stories. But I wasn't prepared for him. Cooper Daniels, the infuriatingly handsome and charming orchard owner, who seems to take immense pleasure in getting under my skin. He's a walking, talking Southern cliché—all drawl, dimples, and deceptive simplicity. My editor wants a headline; Cooper is a distraction I can't afford. Every smirk, every lingering look, every heated argument that feels a little too much like foreplay threatens my objectivity and my deadline. He's the subject of my article, nothing more. So why can't I stop thinking about him? I'm a city girl with a five-year plan that doesn't include getting tangled up with a farmer in a town where everyone knows your business. But as the Georgia heat works its magic and the lines between professional and personal blur, I'm caught in a trap of my own making. The question is, do I even want to escape?