by Lee Rose
She just wanted more gossip to spread around town. Jane and her friends often started most of the rumors circling the gossip mill.
“We haven’t found him yet. We’re checking every possibility out so don’t worry, Jane,” he assured her, sipping on his coffee and going for the polite but not friendly routine. This was why he liked drinking coffee at home. No one talked to him since he lived alone, well unless you counted his dog Roscoe. Only Roscoe slept on the rug by the sink, leaving him alone to his thoughts.
“I get out from work late sometimes. Should I have someone walk me to my car?” she asked, batting her dark eyelashes at him. Abel knew she wanted him to volunteer for the job. No thanks, once she got her claws into him she’d never let go. He shuddered at the thought.
“If you have someone who can, then sure. It’s better to be safe than sorry, right?” He smiled politely. Jane was a nice girl who went to his church. His mother often listed every one of her attributes that would make her a good wife in her book. Abel told his mom over and over he would never marry Jane Lopez, but it went in one ear and out the other. He did not want to be tied down. He liked being absorbed in his job and not having anyone nag him about his schedule. Jane was the type to make out a schedule and expect him to follow it.
Jane walked away with a huff, her high heels clacking on the hardwood floor. Abel heard Becky chuckle. He looked at Becky with confusion. He thought he had been very polite.
“Your mama is hoping to call that girl her future daughter-in-law you know?” Becky chuckled, watching Jane stomp away in a fit.
Abel didn’t feel bad. His mom knew how he felt, she just hoped to nag him into changing his mind. “Lincoln just gave her Jessy to spoil, and Jessy’s little sister Lily is an added bonus. You think that would make her happy,” Abel grumbled, finishing up his coffee. “Being responsible around here takes up all of my time.”
“Jessy is a sweetheart. She joined our book club, but with her upcoming wedding she has missed a few meetings.” Becky smiled. “We’re starting to have them here on Thursday evenings now.”
“Mrs. Kensington banned you from the church rec room again?” Abel laughed. She was the pastor’s wife and got in a huff about something every other month.
Becky rolled her eyes and took his empty cup after he declined more. “She thinks our book was too racy and utter nonsense because it was about a werewolf falling in love with a human. She is telling the pastor to pray for us.”
Abel shook his head with amusement. This town was never boring that’s for sure. “See you around, Becky. Tell Mia if she needs anything to call me, okay?”
Becky nodded. He put some bills down on the counter. He resisted the temptation to visit Mia for himself. He could say he was just doing his job and checking up on her. He forced his mind back to his work schedule and walked back into the sunshine. Love was just a fantasy he had no desire to give in to.
Liar.
Chapter Three
Abel yawned as he drove down the empty main street. The dark clouds were ready to pour some heavy rain and he was glad he was heading home. Nothing like a good storm to help him sleep. He hadn’t slept well in the last week thinking of Mia. Another woman had been attacked at Kramer’s a few days ago. This time during the week. She had given up her purse and was unhurt, but people were angry and frightened. He had to place a few of his men patrolling the parking lot which left him shorthanded. The mayor was taking his sweet time in approving his request to hire more officers. Abel was determined to catch this guy before he hurt someone despite the bullshit of politics and budgets.
He had been up all night helping with a three-car accident on Highway Fifty heading out of town. He spotted a lone figure walking down the sidewalk. Who would be out so early in the morning all alone? None of the businesses were even open yet. As he drove closer he thought it might be Mia and his pulse began to speed up. Her blonde hair stood out like a shiny beacon among the gray clouds. He tried to be logical and tell himself to leave her be. It was a constant war between his brain and his heart. It seemed that fate was going to mess up his well-thought-out plans of avoiding one small, curly-haired woman.
She was looking down toward the sidewalk and had her arms wrapped around herself as if she was cold. His mind automatically thought of many ways to warm her up. He cursed under his breath. This was why it was smart to avoid her, but he could not leave her out on the sidewalk all alone. Especially not after what happened. The thunder sounded closer.
He frowned and pulled his cruiser up to the curve. He rolled down the passenger side window.
“Mia!” he yelled out, startling her. She turned to look at him with her wide blue eyes. He knew the moment she recognized him. Her shoulders sagged with relief. His eyes scanned every inch of her like a dying, thirsty man in the desert.
“God, you scared the hell out of me.” She placed a hand over her heart, drawing his gaze to her full, round breasts under her white sweater. He shouldn’t even be noticing them but he did. Despite the oncoming storm the air was warm and humid. Her hair was pinned on top of her head and it made him want to unpin it.
“What are you doing out here all alone?” His words came out harsher than he meant to, but she titled his world upside down. His brain turned to mush as soon as she was near so he avoided her at all costs. He knew from his sister she had gone back to work after a week home, but he had not had the courage to go visit her.
“My car broke down. I think it’s the battery.” She pointed to a small white car parked in front of the hardware store.
“It’s about to storm.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth the rain came pouring down hard. She yelped as the cold raindrops landed on her. He pushed the button to unlock the doors. “Get in here.”
She quickly obeyed and he rolled the window back up. He started heading toward the coffee shop.
“I’ll call Dylan to tow it to his garage as soon as I get to work. I was hoping to make it to the shop before the rain started.” She yawned and her voice sounded soft and a little sleepy. He wanted to take her home and put her next to him in his bed. He could imagine her small body wrapped around his much larger one. Damn, that sounded so good. The small confines of being in the car with her was difficult. He avoided looking at her and stared at the road ahead of him. Abel turned on the wipers and the heat.
“It’s not safe for you to be out this early all alone. No one is even open yet.” Great, now he sounded like a concerned father.
He could feel her eyes land on his body and he tried to hide how one glance from her made him so excited. His cock twitched behind his zipper. He had to exhale slowly, hoping she did not notice his body’s reaction.
“I hear you run a tight, safe ship around here. Are the rumors false, Sheriff?” He could hear the light teasing in her voice.
“No, ma’am, they are not,” he answered firmly, resisting the need to smile at her. “I just want you to be careful.”
Any tiredness he had been feeling quickly disappeared. His body felt alive and aware. He glanced over at her to see if she was listening since she was so quiet. She was looking straight ahead at the pouring rain. A bolt of bright lightning ran across the sky. She jumped in her seat and he wanted nothing more than to comfort her and promise to protect her. Dangerous thoughts.
“Wow that felt close. Is this storm going to be bad?” She looked worried and bit her full pink lip. He wanted to bite her lip, too. Jesus, he had to stop his thoughts from going this way.
He looked up the dark gray sky. “I hope not. I am just heading home to get some sleep. If this rain doesn’t let up I might have to go back into the office. Days like this are filled with car accidents and floods.”
“I should have listened to Becky. She told me to wait and see how bad the storm would be before I opened up.”
“So you’re stubborn?” he remarked, teasingly. He looked over at her for a second. She was rubbing her arms as if she was cold or nervous. Did she feel the electricity running through the air? Did she think
of him during the darkest hours?
“Maybe,” she answered with a light laugh. “Or I’d be curled under my blankets right about now.”
He pulled up in front of the coffee shop. He shook off the image of Mia in bed. What did she wear? A cute pajama set or a sexy one?
The brick building was dark. He didn’t want to leave her. He wanted to take her home and snuggle under the covers with her while the rain hit the rooftops. He was thinking of the kind of intimacy that did not involve cold hard sex. He wanted to feel her soft warm body snuggled against him. He wanted to bury his nose in her neck. He did not do romantic, but she was like a powerful magnet pulling him close. “You sure you will be okay all alone?”
“If I say no will I get another lecture?” she replied while digging into her purse and pulling out a set of keys.
“I’m known for them and people listen since I am the sheriff of this town. I know you don’t me, as well, but I mean business.” She laughed and he wanted to smile, but he used all his willpower not to. He turned off the car. The rain was hard and made everything appear blurry. The wind echoed through the air. The sound of thunder was getting louder.
“I’ll walk you in just to be safe,” he decided, all common sense and determination to resist her going out the window.
“You’ll get wet,” she stated, looking him over. He saw the admiration in her eyes and his body tightened with desire. Maybe the rain would act as a cold shower and help him to control his libido. “I’ll be fine, Sheriff.”
She reached for the door handle and got out. He followed behind her. Now he was being the stubborn one following her to the front door. He told himself he was being polite but he knew his motive wasn’t that simple.
“I wonder if anyone will even venture out of their house today. I wouldn’t.” Abel watched her walk. He should not be noticing how her faded jeans molded to her shape like a glove. Her round ass was hard to ignore. She unlocked the front door and he tried counting to ten. She shook her head and little drops of rain splashed his face but it did nothing to quench the flames inside of his body. He should not even be thinking this way.
He watched her turn the lights on right away. He closed the door behind him, making sure to lock it back up. She looked down at herself. She smiled proudly. “My sweater didn’t get too wet.”
He wished it had so he could offer to help her change. He needed to get out of here before he did something stupid like kiss her. His biggest fear was he wouldn’t have the willpower to stop. She was beautiful and desirable and too much of a temptation.
“Do you open up alone every morning?” he asked, taking a look around the decorated shop. Becky never decorated for the holidays but it felt like Halloween in here. He almost smiled at some of the silly scarecrows hanging from the ceiling.
Mia put her purse under the counter and focused those baby blues on him, making him feel as if someone turned the heat to high. “I love early mornings. Everything feels so new and fresh.”
She gave him a concerned look. “I heard another woman was mugged. So scary. Reva went back to Kramer’s but I haven’t been brave enough to go back.”
“I’m not trying to spook you, Mia, but stay alert, okay? This asshole can get brave and come into town.” He stepped just a little closer to her. He could smell her light scent. She looked up at him with her big blue eyes and he felt lost in them, like he couldn’t look away if his life depended on it. Here he was thinking like a schoolboy with his first crush.
“It would be foolish. Town is always busy.” She sounded like she was trying to convince herself. A strand of wet hair lay on her cheek. He moved it away, putting it behind her ear.
“Maybe,” he murmured, not thinking of her case, but just her. He wanted her safe. Her skin was pale but flawless and her eyes were wide and such a pretty blue. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. He needed out of here before he grabbed her and kissed her sweet lips.
“Well, I’d better go get some sleep.” He stumbled over his words feeling off balance. She gave him a curious look as if she knew he almost kissed her.
“Thanks for the ride, Sheriff. I’ll call Devon to give me a jump after the rain stops.” Her voice was low and soft and made him feel warm inside.
“Be careful, Mia. I don’t like the idea of you being here all alone every morning,” he warned.
Mia looked at the large clock on the wall. “I’m not here alone that long. Jed and his crew come in for coffee and muffins at six a.m. sharp. Reva gets here by eight.”
He stepped closer to her and heard her tiny gasp. He knew she was feeling exactly what he was feeling, and that excited the hell out of him. He moved her bangs out of her face. “Jed is a big flirt. Let me know if he gets out of hand. I went to school with him.”
“You’re a good sheriff, but I can take care of myself.” She gave him a casual, polite smile and took a step away from him. He was lost in her pretty blue eyes, and his eyes wandered down to her pink shiny lips. The temptation to kiss her overwhelmed him, making him feel like he couldn’t breathe. He had to force his body to move toward the front door before he made use of the leather booths. He wanted to strip her naked and worship her sexy body. Jed and his crew would be in for quite the show if they walked in on them. How long could he continue to resist her? One thing he knew for sure was being noble sucked.
* * * *
Mia smiled at Jessy Fallon, one of her regular customers. Jessy hung up her raincoat by the door and wiped her feet on the large black mat. It had not stopped raining and it brought many customers in for a warm cup of coffee or chocolate. They had a busy morning.
Mia liked Jessy a lot. Jessy came in to study and drink her lattes, which she admitted being addicted to.
“Hey, Jessy.” Mia greeted her, dropping the wet towel in the sink. “What’s new?”
Jessy smiled and slipped onto the stool. Her long brown hair was pulled back by a pink ribbon that matched her pink sweater. “Not much. I need coffee with a double shot of espresso.”
“Uh-oh. Sounds bad,” Mia said with sympathy. Jessy was marrying the sheriff’s younger brother Lincoln Ramirez. Jessy loved talking about her handsome soon to be husband, but today she looked frustrated.
Jessy nodded with a loud sigh, looking frustrated. “I had no idea planning a Christmas wedding was so hard. I just want to be done with it.”
Mia laughed. Jessy came in here often to study and get away from the wedding planning. Mia had no idea what went into planning a wedding. She would probably never marry if her present luck with men continued. Frank had a big family and Mia had built silly dreams of one day being part of that family. Frank hated having so many relatives get in his business, but Mia had often been so lonely during her childhood she would have loved to have someone care about her activities. “Doesn’t sound very romantic, Jessy.”
“I know. My only relative is my sister Lily, who is my maid of honor. Lincoln, however, has a million relatives and they all want to be in it. I’m afraid there will be no one left to witness the marriage,” Jessy complained as Mia set the cup down before her. Mia gave Jessy one of her favorite blueberry muffins.
Jessy bit into it and closed her eyes. “Mmm. I swear your Aunt Becky is the best baker ever. How do you stay skinny, Mia? I am so lucky she is making my wedding cake.”
“I jog at the park. Well, I used to before my attempted mugging. I know it is dumb to feel fear when he has stuck to the bar so far.” She had not been brave enough to run lately. She hated the feeling of being so scared and thinking there were shadows at every corner, but she couldn’t help it. She had just started feeling safe with the idea that Frank had given up on her and now she feared the thief would come after her again. The attempted mugging brought all of her old fears back to the front of her mind. Becky knew all the details of her old life in New York and had been so kind to Mia. Even though nothing else had happened, Mia still felt like someone was watching her at times. Then she convinced herself it was just her imagination. Watching Hal
loween movies with Becky probably didn’t help.
Jessy reached out and touched Mia’s hand with sympathy. “I know how you feel, Mia. I had a stalker last year. Made me jumpy as hell. I swear I saw shadows around every corner.”
Mia had heard some of the story from Becky. Apparently, it had been the big story over the summer. “Scary and crazy huh? But yours was caught, right?” Mia asked.
“Yes. It turned out to be my co-worker. He wasn’t trying to hurt me, but he was lonely and thought peeking into my window was a way to connect,” Jessy answered sadly. “He got some help and is okay now.”
“You talk to him?” Mia could not imagine ever being on friendly terms with someone who had scared her like that.
“Oh no. Lincoln won’t have it,” Jessy explained with a roll of her eyes. “I heard from Abel that he got help and is trying to move forward with his life after his mom passed away from cancer. Lincoln would flip out if I tried contacting him.”
“I’m glad he got counseling,” Mia agreed, feeling heat fill her stomach at the thought of the handsome sheriff. He was a few years older than Mia, but she found him rugged and all male. He had wide shoulders and thick arms that would make her feel safe. His black hair was longer than it should be, as if he often forgot to cut it. She just wished he felt the same connection she had felt. She had never run into him before, but she did stick mostly to herself on her days off, only going out with Reva every so often.
“Abel will not give up until he catches this creep,” Jessy reminded her firmly, unaware of Mia’s lustful thoughts. “He is good at his job.”
“He seems very dedicated to it.” Mia tried to keep from showing any interest in Jessy’s future brother-in-law. He obviously did not feel any desire for her. Mia knew Delores already had a possible future wife for her son. Mia needed to get him out of her mind once and for all. Men were more trouble than they were worth. Good looks meant nothing. Frank had dark, sexy looks and that ended badly.
