by Leslie North
No one looked his way, and he was thankful for the anonymity. In his own town of Darby Crossing, he wouldn’t have been left in peace for long. Friends and townsfolk would have pulled up a barstool to have a drink with the sheriff—air their grievances, share some gossip. In a small town, people treated the sheriff like a free therapist. They liked knowing that their complaints were heard, even when they didn’t actually expect him to do anything about them. Normally, he was good with that. Not today. With the rodeo coming to town in a month, his office and small staff were swamped with security planning plus the usual stuff that went down.
He could manage the stress of that, but Jake’s brief phone call earlier in the day had pushed Brian over the edge. In his twin’s characteristic blunt language, he’d informed Brian that they had a half-brother they’d never known existed. A guy by the name of Cal Pierce, a bronc rider who was headlining the Darby Crossing Charity Rodeo and who had agreed to come to town early to do publicity work. Brian had seen plenty of unexpected shit happen, but nothing in his life had prepared him for that call. It was what had him driving thirty miles to the next town to have a few beers and mull over the news that his mom had given a son up for adoption before she’d ever even met his father.
And never mentioned it even after the funerals. Brian tapped the bar, getting the bartender’s attention, and signaled for another beer as he pushed down the inner grimace when he remembered the accident that killed his older brother and father and led the rest of them—Brian, Jake, Mom, and Luke’s widow and son, Amy and Henry, to cling even more closely together. It should never have happened. If he had only…
A disturbance five seats down from Brian drew his attention and he leaned back to get a better view. Brian might be off duty, but the instinct to sort out trouble never shut down. A man was standing next to a barstool, half-leaning over it, obscuring whoever was seated. Shapely legs and a pair of scuffed cowboy boots were all Brian could see of the woman on the stool.
“Not interested. Back off,” a feminine voice said, loud enough to cut through the noise of the bar.
Drunk giving a woman a hard time—and very clearly not backing off, even after she’d said no. Typical problem, and even though this wasn’t Brian’s town, he’d been raised to help someone in distress. He crossed the space between him and the drunk and plucked the guy by the collar, yanking him back, and spinning him around.
“Hey,” Brian said to the man, and blinked when the strong smell of whiskey came off the drunk. “Time for you to leave.”
“It’s a f…free country.” The drunk got in Brian’s face, slurring his words. “I’m s…staying.”
Brian had dealt with enough drunks to know that the best option was to defuse the situation and convince the guy that it was in his best interest to go. He was about to escort the guy to the door when the woman spoke.
“Brian? I can’t believe it’s you.”
For the first time, Brian swung his eyes to her. The pixie cut was a new look for her blond hair, but he knew those soulful brown eyes. Caitlin Baker. The younger sister of a good friend and the girl Brian dated in college. And the one woman he’d never gotten completely over. Damn, she was still so beautiful—maybe even more so.
“Caitlin,” he managed to get out, feeling suddenly tongue-tied. “Good to see you.”
“Same goes for you.” She smiled at him then. It was tinged with a little of that sadness she’d always carried. He’d wanted to change that in their time together, but he’d never had the chance. He remembered all too well how it ended between them.
“Ah, h…hell, no,” the drunk interrupted, puffing out his chest. “I saw her first. You can go to hell.”
“News flash, bucko.” Caitlin switched her gaze to him. “You weren’t going to get lucky with me, so get lost.”
“The lady wants you to leave,” Brian reiterated in a calm tone, hoping the guy wasn’t going to cause serious trouble. “I suggest you do it peaceably.” Brian counted to a slow ten, his eyes on the other man’s face, waiting. If he needed to get more physical, he would. When Brian was just about to help the drunk find the door, the guy spun on his heel, the rapid movement causing him to stagger a few steps, and stumbled out of the bar.
“I know him. I’ll make sure he doesn’t drive anywhere,” a middle-aged waitress said as she followed the drunk to the exit.
“Thanks,” Caitlin said, flashing Brian another smile. “But I could have handled him. He was nothing but a standard run-of-the-mill drunk guy.”
“I’m grateful to him.” Brian brought his full attention to her. She had on a scoop-neck blouse that clung to her curves and a short skirt, and appeared to have changed little from their college days. “I might not have seen you if it wasn’t for him.” And that would have been a damn shame.
“Well, then. I think we should drink a toast to the drunk guy.” She played with her dangly silver earring as she spoke, drawing Brian’s attention to the curve of her neck. She’d liked being kissed just below her ear. The rush of memory was so strong that he could almost hear the little sound of pleasure she’d made.
“On the house.” The bartender slid a beer across the bar to Brian.
“To old friends meeting in unexpected places, then,” Brian said, tapping her bottle with his. “Do you want to get a table? We can talk and catch up. Maybe share a plate of nachos.” The last thing Brian wanted to do was walk back to his barstool to drink alone. It had been too long since he’d seen her, and he wanted at least a little time with her.
“Why not?” She slid off the barstool and made her way to a booth. “Is this good?”
“Yeah.” He’d been too interested in watching the sway of her hips in the short skirt to care much where they were headed. His heart was beating fast, an effect she’d always had on him.
“I’m surprised to see you out of Darby Crossing, sheriff,” Caitlin said when they were seated and had placed an order for food.
He controlled his grimace. Location had been one of the obstacles between them. Even though they’d dated while in college in Austin, he’d always planned to return home while she had made it clear that she never wanted to see Darby Crossing again. But he wasn’t digging up that history between them tonight. “I get out of town occasionally. You still in Austin?”
A shadow crossed her face, but it was gone before he could analyze it. “That’s right. I’m only in the area for a baby shower. You remember Diana Innes? She’s Diana Wells now and expecting her first baby.”
“I hadn’t heard that she married.” Though it wasn’t a surprise. Four years after his graduation, many of their college acquaintances were starting families by now.
“Last year. They’re sweet together, and the shower was fun, but after an afternoon of mocktails, I thought I’d treat myself to the real thing.” Caitlin took a drink from her beer.
“Hard to imagine Diana settling down.” He remembered the attractive brunette. “She was pretty wild in college.”
“I guess everyone does eventually. Having a baby, though, that’s a big step,” Caitlin said. “I like the idea of it, but I’m not ready for the reality.”
“I hear you on that.” He loved kids, including his nephew, but family could be messy and complicated. Finding out he had another brother at the age of twenty-six was proof of that.
“Something wrong, Brian?” She tilted her head to the side and studied him. He fought the urge to squirm in his chair. She’d once been able to read him like a book.
“Nope.” He didn’t need to burden her, and he wasn’t sure what he’d say, anyway. He was still trying to work out his feelings about Cal. “Hear anything from your brother?” He and Ethan had been best friends since elementary school. Ethan had even lived with the Thorne family during his senior year of high school when his home life had deteriorated—although doing so had left Caitlin behind.
“He’s doing great,” she said, her features softening. “He loves being stationed in Germany. It’s given him the opportunity to tra
vel Europe. You know he was never satisfied with being around here.”
Something the siblings had in common. “I saw some pictures on Facebook,” Brian commented.
“His next leave will be in the fall and he’s promised to come to Texas,” she said. “You two should get together.”
“I’ll plan on it.” Brian wondered if she’d be part of that get-together, but he put the brakes on that kind of thought. What had been between them had ended more than five years ago.
“So how’s the job?” she asked. “Do you like being sheriff?”
“Keeps me busy, and, yeah, I like it.” It was all he’d ever wanted to do with his life. His brothers were born ranchers, but law enforcement had called to him ever since he could remember.
“You still in the tattoo business?” he asked. Though she was a year behind him, he’d heard that she’d left college during her senior year to pursue a career in tattoo art.
“Uh…yeah,” she said, unconsciously running her finger over the hummingbird tattooed on the inside of her left arm. It was delicate and ethereal. She gave the impression of being that way herself, but it wasn’t true. She had a core of inner strength. But he noticed a chink in that strength in the way she answered his question about her work. Why the hesitation?
“Caitlin?” he questioned, his tone soft.
“I’d like another beer. How about you?” She scooted to the edge of the booth as if she was ready to march over to the bar herself. What was she running from? If he’d been interviewing her at the sheriff’s office, he’d be convinced she was hiding something from him. But she was a friend, not a suspect, so he let it go.
“Sure, but let me get it.” He caught the eye of the server and held up two fingers. Just then, the music shifted to an upbeat song that had been popular while they were in college. He grinned at her, knowing she was remembering it too.
“Haven’t heard this in forever,” she said, all trace of tension gone. “Do you remember that night when we went to the Winking Armadillo and the biker group came in and mixed with the rodeo folk? I don’t think I’ve ever danced so much in one night or had so much fun.”
His memory of that night was just as clear, but it included one more detail. Their first kiss. Her brother had just left for basic training and they’d both been missing him. She’d insisted that they needed to cheer themselves up, so she’d dragged him out with a wider group of friends to the country-western bar.
“It ended in a good way, too.” She shot him a flirtatious look over the table, letting him know she hadn’t forgotten the kiss. “I have fond memories of that parking lot.”
They’d walked out of the bar at closing time into the coolness of the night, and he’d pinned her against the side of his truck and kissed her. Things had gotten heated fast. It had taken all his willpower to drive her back to her apartment and say goodnight without begging to be allowed to come in. Within a month, though, they were spending all their time together, including nights. They’d been good together. For a while, at least.
While they ate, they talked about old friends until the bar started to empty out.
“I should get going,” she said with a glance around. “It’s getting late and I need to drive back to Austin.”
“I should head home myself. I’ve got the early shift tomorrow. I’ll walk you out.” Brian settled the bill and walked out of the bar with her into the warm air. It was still spring, but already the nights were becoming hotter, headed toward the scorching temperatures of the summer.
“This is me.” She pointed to a small SUV, parked a row away from his truck. “It’s been good seeing you, Brian,” she said when she turned around to face him. “I mean that.” She put her hands on his shoulders and leaned closer to kiss his cheek. Her lips brushed against his skin, sending a shiver through him. “You always were one of the good guys.”
He knew he should say goodnight, step back, and prove that he was still a good guy. Yet everything in him wanted more. What could it hurt just this once? He put her hands on her waist, lightly so she could easily pull away, but still standing close enough to make it clear that he was interested in something more. “A real kiss for old times’ sake?”
Her lips quirked up and she slid her arms around his neck in answer. He pressed his mouth to hers, and just like the first time, a simple kiss went nuclear. What was it about her? He brushed his tongue along her lips as she opened to him. When he felt the tip of her tongue touch his, he went hard instantly and pushed her up against the car, well aware that they were repeating the past. Her body fit tight against his as he continued the kiss, and he lost all sense of time until he had no choice but to pull away to gasp in some breath.
“Backseat?” she whispered. “I want you. I need…I need to remember how good it can be, Brian.”
The way she said it made him wonder what she was trying to forget. And what about his own memories—was he letting them control him? They weren’t kids anymore. He should walk to his truck and drive away. That would be the smart thing to do, because it had taken him so long to get over her in the past. Did he want to reawaken those feelings? Just spending time with her had already cracked the vault open, but making love to her would bring all his feelings to the surface. He shouldn’t.
“I’m too old to have sex in a car, darlin’,” he said, hoping to defuse the situation with a little humor.
She chuckled, a sexy sound. “I doubt that.” She started the kiss this time, flooding him with need. He might still have resisted if she hadn’t whispered, “please.”
Ah, hell. He could never say no to her, and his body was screaming to be inside hers. He reached for the rear door and yanked it open.
Grab your copy of Sheriff’s Pregnant Ex (Thorne Ranch Brothers Book Two)
June 24, 2021
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BLURB
She’s home on the ranch, and turning up the heat…
Trevor McCall never wanted to settle down. But now he’s forced to take over his late parents ranch, and to raise his cousin’s four-year-old daughter, Jade. Sure, he can run the place for a year to satisfy his parents’ will. But take care of a kid? No way…
To make matters worse, Lacey Cameron, his sweet housekeeper, is leaving to open her own Bed and Breakfast. Desperate for help, Trevor makes Lacey a deal: stay and help with Jade, and in return he’ll help her fix up the B&B. But as the two of them work together, Trevor realizes the girl he’s known all his life has grown into a beautiful woman…
For years, Lacey’s been saving to start her business, and nothing’s going to stop her from leaving the McCalls. Not that she doesn’t love the family… It’s just that she loves one particular McCall a bit too much. But Trevor plans to leave as soon as his obligation to his parents’ will is over. And Lacey is forced to make a choice.
Keep things with Trevor strictly business? Or give in to their attraction, knowing she’s just setting herself up for heartache…
Grab your copy of The Rancher’s Inherited Family (McCall Ranch Brothers Book One)
from
www.LeslieNorthBooks.com
EXCERPT
Trevor McCall sped down the steep, winding road leading to his family’s ranch, only giving it a cursory amount of attention. The snow drifts shoved to the road’s edges by plows passed by as little more than a blur, and he hardly noticed the signs warning him to watch for wayward animals or falling rocks. He’d been seeing them for most of his life, and at almost thirty, he understood that life held more dangers than those he’d find on this road. Where the road was taking him, for starters.
“Giving the place too much credit, man,” he growled to himself, shaking his head with an impatient sigh. “Stop acting like you’re still a stupid kid.”
It was solid advice, exactly the kind he’d give either of his younger brothers if he saw them working themselves up over nothing. Unfortunately, he’d always been better at giving advice than t
aking it.
Not that he was particularly good at giving it, either. He let his eyes drop from the road ahead to the phone sitting on the passenger side of his truck, looking for some sign that he wasn’t the first to arrive.
“Whoa!” he cried, eyes darting back up to the road at the blare of a horn. Barely in time, he swerved out of the way of an old Jeep turning out of the drive onto the county road. Heart pounding, he squinted to see the driver of said Jeep. All he needed was for the guy to put it into park and get out to try and start something. In his current mood, he was more than ready for a fight. He would have welcomed such a diversion after the mess he’d been dealing with these past couple days.
Except the Jeep’s driver wasn’t a man. The woman behind the wheel was rolling down her window, already apologizing before he had his own window down enough to talk through.
“I’m sorry,” she said with a nervous smile, her eyes wide. “I thought you were going to veer into me. I shouldn’t have honked at you.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said gruffly, looking more closely at her face. He thought he knew her from somewhere, although he couldn’t put his finger on where. The way her bright blonde hair seemed to capture the light of the day stirred the beginning of memory, something he’d fought resolutely to avoid.
He cleared his throat and looked up the road for any sign of his brothers.
The woman he couldn’t quite place laughed shakily, and he found his eyes drawn back to her face. A beautiful face, no denying that. Had he met her under different circumstances, he might have tried to keep the conversation going. As it was, he needed to get on his way.
“Well, I’m sorry,” she said again, throwing her Jeep back into drive. “Have a good day, Mr. McCall. Or as good as you can.”
She turned bright red and stomped on the gas, her Jeep lurching forward before heading down the road in the direction of the town of Winding Creek. For a minute, Trevor just sat and watched her progress, wondering how she had known who he was. Then he took his truck out of park as well, forcing himself back to the task at hand.
