Behind the Badge

by Renee Harless

  “Sorry,” he said in a low rumble as he held the door open for her, but never looked up from his gaze on the ground. She was so distracted by the occurrence that she almost fell to the ground as Sydney wrapped her in her arms tightly.

  “I can’t believe you’re really here! Oh my gosh!” she said exuberantly. “Abel, you’ve grown so much since I last saw you. Are you driving yet?” she joked and her son laughed.

  “Hey, who was that just leaving?” Shelly inquired as she moved toward a small bistro table. “I didn’t recognize him.”

  “Oh, that was Landon. He is renovating the old bar at the end of the main strip. Pretty much keeps to himself, but he’s really nice, and generous. He orders a dozen pastries every morning even though he’s the only man working at the site.”

  “Hm. . .” Shelly murmured. One of the things she liked the most about Carson was that she knew most of the residents. Sure, she knew in two years new people would come and some would leave, but it was comforting and gave her a sense of peace to know who was who.

  “Anyway, what can I get you two this morning?”

  Abel spoke up first. “I’d like three cinnamon rolls, please.”

  “Three?” she and Sydney questioned at the same time, but Abel just shrugged his shoulders.

  “I’ll take a blueberry muffin and a coffee, please. Also, I’m meeting my new landlord here; can you tell me anything about him?”

  “Oh, Preston?” Sydney said with a hint of mischief in her voice that put Shelly on alert instantly. The baker turned to head behind the counter and gathered their order. “He’s great. And honestly, he works so much I doubt you’ll see much of him.”

  “Anything I should be worried about or should know?”

  Sydney didn’t answer right away, but as she brought out the cup of coffee and the two plates of baked goods, she said, “Not at all. Honestly, you have nothing to worry about. Let me know if you need anything, I’ll be in the back working on a birthday cake, but my helper Jessica will be in shortly.”

  “Thanks.”

  The food quickly disappeared and Shelly checked the clock on the wall to see that an hour had elapsed from their meeting time. Abel had been watching videos on her phone and he said no messages had come across.

  Just as Shelly was about to get up and head back to Cassidy’s house, a man strutted into the bakery carrying a small beagle puppy in his arms. He glanced around the small space until he noticed them sitting at the table in the corner. His eyes locked with hers and Shelly was struck with the oddest sensation. He had a familiarity about him that made the hairs on her arm stand on end. Her body became hyper-aware of his presence as he stepped closer to where they sat.

  “Shelly? I’m Preston. Sorry I’m late; this little one here decided to go exploring this morning,” he said as he gestured to the pup wriggling in his arms.

  “That’s okay,” she said as she reached out and rubbed the puppy’s head, the back of her hand brushing against his chest confined in a tight gray shirt. Shelly murmured an apology as she stood from her seat and grabbed her purse. “I’d love to see the rental if you still have time.”

  “Of course, my assistant is manning the calls at the office and knows how to reach me if it’s an emergency.”

  Nervously Shelly said, “Lead the way,” wondering why her stomach felt like a nest of butterflies had taken flight.

  “Bye, guys,” Sydney shouted from her station behind the counter. “Come back and see me soon. You too, Preston.”

  Shelly and Abel said their goodbyes to Sydney and headed toward the exit where Preston was holding the door open for them. Her body brushed against his as Abel shoved past and Shelly could feel her body warm from the contact.

  The summer heat was in full force as they made their way outside and Shelly wished that she had brought a scarf for her hair. She should have remembered how humid the town could get in the summer. When she gets the chance to unpack, that is the first box she plans to search through.

  “Mom, can we get a puppy?” Abel asked as Preston stopped and opened the door to a large pickup truck.

  “I’m not sure we can handle a puppy right now, but maybe in a few years, okay?”

  Her son stomped his foot against the concrete sidewalk, but Shelly was too distracted by Preston’s backside as he bent over to latch the puppy in a crate to reprimand him.

  She knew she was in deep trouble with this immediate attraction she seemed to have formed for her soon to be landlord, so much so that she was willing to give up the rental. Except she had her son to think about and knew she needed to push this crush aside and be the smart and independent woman her mother raised her to be.

  Ironically, Shelly’s car was parked just two spaces down from Preston’s and they quickly followed him out of the main town and down a winding road that left her nerves even more shot than before.

  She just had to remember that her best friend trusted him, and she was going to have to learn to trust too.

  Chapter Four

  Preston kept watching the silver luxury sedan in his rear-view mirror as it followed him back home. Shelly was just as beautiful as he remembered, and he wondered if she felt the same spark at their small contact as he had. It felt like an electrode sparking against his skin. But he had to consider that he was the only one affected. Shelly wasn’t someone he should or could pursue. She was in an entire league of her own and Preston was lucky enough to earn a smile from her.

  And that little boy with his wide, curious eyes scared the shit out of Preston. He had no idea how to act around children. Sure, his friends had them ranging from kindergarten age to newborn, but he was never around them for more than a few minutes. Abel, he recalled the boy’s name, was the spitting image of his mother. Preston had seen him the few times they had visited Carson in the past, but the boy was small and gangly at a younger age. This boy, though still skinny, was taller and had started to grow into his features.

  As he took one last turn on the side road, Preston flicked on the blinker for his truck and signaled that the driveway for his property was up ahead.

  The car followed dutifully behind him as he passed the main house and Preston couldn’t help but wonder what Shelly thought of the house he renovated and made his own. But before he had a chance to think about showing her the inside of his home, the small cabin came into view.

  Opening the small door to the travel crate, Preston grabbed the puppy that licked his chin as he latched the leash before they hopped down from the truck. He hadn’t quite settled on a name for the puppy, but with the way he had kept Preston up during the night with his whining and howling, he thought the name, Wolf, sounded appropriate.

  Shelly and Abel approached, the boy crouching down to scratch the top of the pup’s head while his mother stared at the cabin. Preston was having a hard time reading her expression. Her eyes were wide, eyebrows raised, but he wasn’t sure if that was because she was impressed or terrified.

  Squatting beside Abel, Preston handed the end of the leash to the boy and asked if he wanted to walk the pup around the small patch of open yard in front of the cabin while he showed his mom the cabin. The boy jumped at the chance to take care of the dog. It was when the two of them went running in the other direction that Preston realized his mistake. He was alone with Shelly, and in a minute, he would be alone with her in the cabin that he had spent too much money letting his friends decorate for her.

  “Ready to see inside?” he asked as he took a step toward her. His question must have surprised her because she jumped skittishly before turning her attention away from the cabin toward him.

  “Sorry,” she apologized. “I, just. . .is this really it?”

  Suddenly Preston felt like a child about to be reprimanded. He knew the cabin wasn’t going to come up to snuff for a woman that had recently traveled the world.

  “I. . .er. . .if it’s not right for you, I can call Cassidy and her brother Austin could probably help you find someplace to rent. If I remember correc
tly her younger brother Jameson bought a bunch of houses in a rundown neighborhood to flip them.” He was rambling. He always rambled when he got nervous and Shelly made him tenser than he had ever been around a woman.

  “Preston.” She interrupted his internal musing by placing her small hand on his exposed arm. “It’s beautiful. Honestly, it’s way better than anything I could have imagined. Are you sure you want to rent this? You could get a good a lot more if you sold it.”

  “Yeah, but then I’d have to share the land or sell a parcel of it. And I don’t know if you’re aware, but there aren’t a lot of people that want to live on the sheriff’s property.”

  “Which is strange because I would think a lot of people would think that would be a bonus.”

  “What about you?” He asked curiously.

  “What about me?”

  “Is it a bonus for you?” He hadn’t flirted with a woman in a long time. Usually, it wasn’t necessary to get his needs fulfilled, and with the way Shelly’s cheeks turned the faintest shade of rouge, Preston figured he hadn’t forgotten how.

  “I. . .um. . .” she started, then paused to lick her lips. Preston’s pants tightened around his hips as he watched her soft pink tongue brush against the soft flesh. He wanted to feel that tongue slide against his own. “I haven’t decided yet.”

  “Want to change that?” his voice sounded deep and husky to his own ears, and he wondered if she caught the double meaning.

  “What?”

  “I mean, do you want to see the inside and decide if it’s worth it to live on the sheriff’s property.”

  “Oh! Yeah, lead the way.”

  He took a step forward and walked up the small porch before opening the front door for her. What he really wanted to do was lead her back to his house and show her all the ways he was very good at changing her mind.”

  Standing to the side as she entered, he tried to hide his smile as she gasped in surprise, but he failed miserably.

  “Seriously?” she questioned, spinning on her heels to look at him. “Everything in here is exactly what I would have chosen. Everything.”

  “So, you like it?” he asked.

  “Love it! Preston, it’s amazing. How did you do all of this?” Shelly began to walk around the open living room and kitchen before her gaze landed on the large yard on the other side of her cabin, complete with a fire pit and gazebo.

  “I confess I didn’t do it all. I painted and made sure all electrical, plumbing, and HVAC were up to date, but Cassidy orchestrated an ambush on me this weekend. So, the furnishings were chosen by Sydney and Nikki.”

  “Ah, that explains it,” she replied with a knowing look, one he was sure her son received far too often. “Sydney gave me the weirdest look this morning, like she knew a secret. Makes sense now.”

  “Do you have any questions or see anything you want to be changed? I still have the receipts.”

  “My only question so far is which way to the bedrooms.” Preston joined in her chuckle as he pointed down the hallway where they came to Abel’s room first.

  He had asked the women to keep any themes to a minimum. He remembered how quickly he grew out of superheroes and race cars. What they had decided on was a room filled with navy blue and lime green accents. The entire far wall was filled with floating shelves so that Abel could fill them with whatever he wanted.

  “Hey, is this my room?” The young boy scurried into the room, holding the dog in his arms.

  “Sure is.”

  “It’s awesome! What do you think, Ace?” he asked as he stared down at the puppy.

  “Ace?” Preston inquired.

  “Yeah, I hadn’t heard you call him a name yet, and while we were walking, we decided on the name Ace.” The boy spoke as he looked down at the dog, he had bestowed a name upon, but then stopped and glanced up at Preston with wide eyes filled with worry. “Is that okay?”

  “Oh, yeah, sure. Ace is a great name for him. Thanks for helping me pick it,” Preston said without missing a beat, reaching out to rub the top of Ace’s head. “Ready to see the master?”

  “Abel, keep the dog in your room, please. Preferably in your arms so he doesn’t get dirt and hair everywhere, okay?”

  Preston wanted to chime in that it wasn’t a big deal, but Abel agreed without even the slightest hint of a temper tantrum.

  Preston guided Shelly from the smaller bedroom, pointing at the one full bath across the way that they would share, before leading her to the door at the end of the hall.

  “Now remember, the Connelly girls chose everything in this room. My only input was the paint color. So, if you hate it, you’ll have to take it up with them.”

  She giggled at his comment as she pushed past him into the room and Preston vowed that he would do his best to make her smile and laugh whenever he could. Just as he went to follow her inside the room, the phone in his pocket vibrated. Glancing at the number on the screen, he knew he’d have to take the call and told Shelly he’d be just outside taking a work call.

  As much as he hated the interruption, it served as a hardy reminder that he needed to keep his distance from Shelly. His job required him twenty-four-seven and that left no time for a relationship. It didn’t help that his assistant knew his whereabouts at all times.

  “Hey, Jackie. What we got?”

  ***

  Shelly was glad that Preston had stepped away from the room. Her body was wound so tight she was afraid she’d spring loose like a jack in the box. Leaning her hip against the queen-sized bed, Shelly pressed her hand to her chest. Her heart was pounding and she felt like she had run a marathon.

  It took a few deep and steady breaths, but finally, Shelly found herself relaxing. Well, as relaxed as much as she could in a room that smelled like fresh paint and Preston. His scent was everywhere and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to bask in it or run.

  “Mom,” Abel shouted as he came dashing into her room with the puppy tucked safely in his arms. “Look what Ace can do!”

  Without placing the dog on the floor, Abel asked the cute beagle to give him his paw, to which he complied dutifully.

  “That’s great, Abel.”

  “I taught him that like two seconds ago. He’s super smart. Do you think Sheriff Savage would let me watch him sometimes? That way I get practice for my own.”

  “Um. . .sure. We can ask him later though. I’m sure he has a lot going on. You know, as Sheriff, he pretty much keeps the entire town safe. Isn’t that neat?” she pried, enjoying how Abel’s eyes widened in awe.

  “Really? So, he’s like the town superhero.”

  “That’s one way to look at it.”

  “Wow,” Abel said with a dazed look in his eyes, until the puppy licked his cheek, causing them both to laugh. “I’m going to take Ace back outside. I love my room!”

  “Alright, just be careful,” Shelly reminded her precocious son. It’s not that Abel was in trouble frequently, but he had a knack for getting into things he shouldn’t be. She supposed that was like many children.

  Finally taking in the master bedroom, Shelly was surprised at how spacious it seemed. Though tiny compared to her bedroom in the condo in New York, which was surprising in its own right, Shelly felt a sense of ease in the space. The colors were muted to give the space a serenity for relaxation. But the icing on the cake were the two windows that looked out into the back yard. Despite her reservations at being so closer to Sheriff Savage, she couldn’t dispute the fact that the cabin was perfect.

  Taking a peek in the surprisingly deep closet, Shelly felt her phone vibrate in her back pocket. She had a message from Cassidy asking what she thought of the rental. Shelly couldn’t deny that her friend had done a wonderful job at finding her a home to rent and sent a thumbs-up emoji as a reply.

  She wasn’t sure how much time had passed as she took another tour of the house, amazed that he had even furnished the cookware. Preston had pulled out all of the stops and Shelly was incredibly impressed.

  She glance
d out to the small surrounding yard using the front door, but couldn’t find her son or Preston. A bark sounded off in the distance and Shelly followed the noise to the large landscaped back yard they passed on the way to the cabin. There she found Abel and Preston taking turns throwing a ball for the puppy to chase.

  Slowly she approached the group, standing behind Preston, and murmured a greeting, but neither of them noticed her. Preston grabbed the ball from Ace as the puppy dropped it at his feet, wagging his tail excitedly. Shelly was so lost in the moment, smiling at the good dog, that she didn’t notice Preston gearing up to throw the ball.

  He took a massive step back, his arm moving in unison, as he collided with her. His foot and leg crashing right into hers, knocking her to the ground.

  “Shit,” he exclaimed as he dropped the ball back to the ground and reached down to help her stand. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you there.”

  “That’s okay,” she replied, clasping his hand to stand. She tried to ignore the sizzle from his touch, but the moment their eyes met, she knew that he felt it too. This feeling was dangerous and she was worried about the ramifications of what that meant. He was a cop, and they had turned her stomach sour time and time again.

  But dammit, if his blue eyes didn’t sparkle as she stood close enough to catch a whiff of his masculine scent. He squeezed her hand that still held his before she slipped her palm free, instantly missing the feel of his skin. She brushed the back of her pants to break the spell he had her under.

  “It’s my fault. I got too close.”

  “Are you sure?” he asked, and when she glanced up, she noticed the confusion across his features.

  “Yeah,” she began, then her son ran over with Ace trailing closely behind.

  “Mom! Sheriff Savage said if we stayed here, I could play with the puppy whenever I wanted and if it was okay with you, I could come to the obedience classes with him. Isn’t that cool?” Shelly turned her gaze from Abel to Preston, who looked away sheepishly.

  “Not above bribery, are you?”

  Shrugging his broad shoulders beneath the tight T-shirt, he looked away in denial. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”