Justice for Boone: Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes, Book 6 (10 page)

“Boone—”

“And the thought of other men looking at you, seeing all your sexy skin, makes me crazy. Maybe you should put on a pair of jeans.”

“I don’t want to be with any other guy. And I still don’t think anyone else will even bother to look at me, no matter if I’m wearing shorts, jeans or a mini-skirt. Have you thought about the fact
I’m
concerned about other women eyeballing
you
? You say that you know you’re ‘not bad to look at,’ but Boone, I have to say, you’re six feet three of hot, sexy cowboy.” She fingered the red button-up shirt he was wearing. “All I can think about is ripping this open and seeing your broad chest. And I know if
I’m
thinking it, so will other women.”

Boone smiled down at Hayden, relieved that he wasn’t alone in his lustful feelings. “How about we make each other a deal?”

“What kind of deal?”

“You keep other women away from me, and I’ll keep the men away from you.”

“Deal.”

“Hell, Hay, you didn’t even hesitate.”

“Nope, you haven’t been listening to me. I like you, Boone. I admire the fact that you own your own business. You work hard, you’re tall and handsome, and you’re jealous of other men even looking at me. The chemistry between us is off the charts…and something I’ve never felt with anyone before. What more could a girl want?”

She watched as his face turned serious. “I have baggage.”

Hayden waved her hand in the air. “Dana? Pbsst.”

“I know it’s hard for you to understand why I let her do those things to me.”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not, but that’s a conversation we’ll have another day. Right now, we have a night out to get to…if you still want to go.”

“I still want to go.”

Boone stood and put a hand out to help Hayden up. “Right. Then let’s get going. And Hay?”

“Yeah?”

He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips. “You look absolutely amazing.”

Hayden smiled at him. “Thanks. You too.”

Hayden gathered her ID, some cash and her cell phone and put it in the wristlet Mack had given her, not liking she couldn’t bring her service pistol with her; she had absolutely no place to put it. Hoping she wouldn’t need it, and feeling more naked without her pistol than she did in the shirt she was sort of wearing, Hayden locked her door behind her and put her keys inside the little purse as well.

They walked silently to the car, Hayden more than aware of the warmth of Boone’s hand against the bare skin on her back. She shivered. She hadn’t thought wearing a shirt like this through. She’d had no idea how much of a turn-on it’d be to have Boone touching her skin.

It was going to be a long night.

H
ayden sipped
the screwdriver Boone had bought her and looked around the bar, not able to help scanning for trouble. She’d never been able to leave her job behind, especially not in a crowded bar like the Cow Town
.

“Would you like to dance?”

Hayden turned to the voice and suppressed a grimace. At first, being asked to dance had been surprising and flattering, but after the fifth man, and after losing the bet with Mack, it’d gotten old.

Now it just seemed disrespectful. She was sitting with Boone at a bar table, they were sitting very close together, even holding hands, enjoying each other’s company and the atmosphere, and every now and then a man would come up and ask her to dance right in front of Boone. She’d had enough.

“Look, cowboy. I have no idea what makes you think it’s okay to come on to me when I’m sitting here with my date. He’s had his hand on me all night and I think it’s pretty obvious we’re together. So you coming over here to ask me to dance is just rude and presumptuous.”

Thinking she’d delivered a pretty good smack down, Hayden was nonplused when the man laughed and clapped Boone on the back. “Pretty little wild filly you’ve got there. Enjoy the ride.”

“Plan to,” was all Boone said as the man nodded at him, tipped his hat at Hayden, and walked away.

“What the ever-loving hell, Boone? Enjoy the ride?” Hayden asked, scowling at the man at her side.

Boone leaned in. “You’re in cowboy country, Hayden.”

“Yeah? And?”

“It means they can ask, but I’ve got to be the one who agrees.”

“Huh. So you’re okay with them asking me to dance even though it’s obvious we’re out together? And they’re asking
me
to dance, but
you
get to answer?”

“Yup.”

“Okay, this is crazy. Did we somehow get transported back to the eighteen hundreds? I wish I was wearing my uniform. At least then they’d have some respect for me.”

Boone put his hand on hers on the table and waited until she looked up at him. “They respect you, Hayden. If they didn’t, they’d just come up and grab you and pull you out to the dance floor.”

“I want someone to try that. Just once. He’d find himself flat on his back before he knew what hit him.”

“Bloodthirsty little thing.”

“And another thing, why does everyone keep calling me little? That’s annoying too.”

“Because next to me, and a lot of the other guys in here, you
are
little.”

“Humph.” Hayden wouldn’t admit it, even if tortured, but she loved that Boone saw her as little. It made her feel more feminine. Somehow her uniform made her seem taller than she was. She’d never had a problem with men calling her “little” when she was wearing it.

“Do you want to dance?”

Hayden looked up at the sultry words, and decided to take matters into her own hands. Enough was enough. “Oh good Lord.” The slutty-looking woman standing next to their table was practically drooling over Boone. “No, he doesn’t want to dance. He’s mine. He’s got his hand nearly down my pants, I’m almost sitting in his lap. He’s fucking
mine
, so back the hell off already.”

The woman rolled her eyes, but backed off. “Okay, jeez.”

“Come ‘ere, Hay.”

Hayden stood from her perch on the bar stool and took the one step to plaster herself to Boone’s side. She’d never been the jealous type, but seeing the tall, skinny woman coming on to him while she was sitting right there made her blood boil.

She squeaked as he lifted her up and put her on his lap so she was sitting sideways over his legs. “There, now maybe people will leave us alone.”

Hayden laughed and relaxed into Boone. One hand was on her back and he ran his fingers along her waistband, up her back, then back down to her waist. The other hand was draped over her thighs. He’d occasionally lift it to take a drink of his beer, but then he’d rest it right back on her bare legs again when he was done. Hayden put one arm around his shoulder and the other on his forearm resting on her lap and relaxed into his hold, loving how it made her feel.

“Hey, Boone. How the fuck did
you
catch someone like this?”

Hayden looked up at another tall man—another
hot
tall man. If she wasn’t with Boone, she might have taken a second look at this guy. She estimated he was shorter than Boone, but not by much. He was wearing black jeans, cowboy boots that had seen better days, a black Stetson, and a black shirt that looked like it actually had snaps instead of buttons. He should’ve looked ridiculous wearing all black, but it made him look dark and dangerous instead.

“Hey, Tucker, how the hell are you?” Boone lifted his chin in greeting and shook the other man’s hand.

As Tucker pulled the stool Hayden had vacated closer, he responded, “Good. You know, same ol’, same ol’.”

“Hayden, this is my friend, Tucker Jacobs, but he goes by ‘Moose.’ He’s the firefighter I told you about. Moose, this is Hayden Yates. She’s a sheriff’s deputy.”

“Wait…Moose? Is that
you
?”

“Deputy Yates? Shit, I didn’t recognize you at all!”

“You two know each other?” Boone asked, confused.

Hayden blushed. Yeah, she knew Moose, and a lot of the other guys who worked at Station 7. “Yeah. We’ve seen each other at calls. Sometimes when they get dispatched to people’s houses for medical issues, they need law enforcement backup. I actually helped out one of the guys from his station a few weeks ago when there was a break-in at his house, and his girlfriend couldn’t be contacted. Remember, I told you about Beth and Cade?”

“Shit. That’s right. She’s okay though, right?”

Hayden nodded. “Yeah. She snuck out of the house, even though she’s fighting a wicked case of agoraphobia, and hid in the woods behind it.”

“Damn.”

“Yeah, Beth is amazing,” Moose said with a nod. “I heard from Sledge that you kicked Detective Chambers’s ass on that one training circuit the other day. He was extremely impressed.”

“Thanks. I got lucky.”

“I doubt that. Cade doesn’t throw out empty compliments. By the way…you look good, Hayden,” the large firefighter said with a grin and a wink.

Boone scowled at his friend and tightened his arm around Hayden’s waist.

The other man merely laughed and held up his hands in capitulation. “Hands off. I got it. No worries, I’ve already got my eye on a woman, I don’t need to steal yours. Hayden, what are you doing with this reprobate here?”

Hayden laughed and squeezed Boone’s arm. “He felt sorry for me and decided to educate me on what real cowboys and cowgirls do for fun.”

Hayden was actually glad Moose was there. She didn’t know him that well, but the fact he was a firefighter helped her feel a lot more relaxed. She felt more comfortable being around another person who worked in the service industry like her. She’d met a few people who’d come up to the table to say hello to Boone, but Moose was the first one she felt she could be herself around.

“Actually, she came out to the house when I had that last issue with Dana.” It surprised Hayden that Boone was so honest.

“Ah. That bitch still giving you problems?”

“Not really.”

“If you need help with that, all you got to do is say something. You know I’m there for you, man.”

“I appreciate it, Moose. Thanks, but I’ve got it under control.”

“Moose…can I ask a favor?” Hayden asked, knowing she was about to overstep her bounds, but she wanted to protect Boone as much as she could.

“Anything for a beautiful lady cop.”

Hayden rolled her eyes, but continued. “I’m not condoning violence against women, but Boone won’t defend himself against Dana. I get why, but she’s crazy. She could hurt him.” She stared at Moose, hoping he’d understand what she was saying.

“You know I don’t work on this side of the city.” Moose’s voice was low and earnest. He got her.

“Guys…”

Hayden ignored Boone. She leaned forward but Boone’s hand never left her body, she could feel his calloused fingers brush against the sensitive skin of her lower back as she moved. “Talk to your friends who work on this side then. Make sure they know what’s going on. If she calls the cops, or sets a fire, or puts one finger on him, I want it documented that it was
her
, and not Boone, that did it.”

“Done.” Moose’s response was immediate and heartfelt.

“Now, wait just a minute—”

Boone was again talked over when Moose told him, “I like this one, Boone. She’s damn good at her job and anyone who wants to take that bitch down is okay in my eyes. Don’t let her go. There’s just something about a woman who works in a typically male field that is sexy as hell.”

Hayden sat back and eyed the large firefighter. She didn’t think he was really coming on to her, but there had been something in his tone that seemed…personal. Deciding she wasn’t going to figure it out right this second, and wanting to enjoy her date, she leaned back and relaxed against Boone again. She picked up her drink and took a healthy swallow, squeezing Boone’s arm as she did in reassurance.

“Another drink, Hayden?” Moose asked.

“Yeah, I think so. I’m not driving.”

“Don’t even think about it, Moose,” Boone said in a semi-serious voice. “Mine. Got it?”

Moose laughed, knowing Boone was just messing with him…even if there was a bit of a serious edge to his words. “No worries. As I said, I’ve already got my eye on someone—and I’ve definitely got my work cut out for me with her.”

Hayden hadn’t looked away from Boone, and saw the irritated look flash over his face before it morphed into relief when Moose said he was interested in someone else. She ignored the fluttering in her belly at Boone’s protective stance and his possessive words. “While you’re getting me another drink, He-Man, I’m going to visit the little girls’ room,” she told him, needing a break from the lustful thoughts she was having about Boone.

“Make sure you use the one that says ‘Fillies’ and not ‘Bulls,’” Moose warned, laughing.

“Yeah, think I got it. I might be a greenhorn, but I
do
know the difference between a bull and a filly. Thanks.”

Boone helped Hayden stand up, and leaned down to kiss her lightly. “I’ll wait until you get back to go get our refills. Don’t want to lose our seat.”

She could taste the beer he’d been drinking on his lips and for once the flavor didn’t disgust her. On Boone’s lips, it was awesome. “Okay. Be back in a sec.”

As Hayden walked away from the table, she heard Moose whistle low as she left. She merely shook her head in exasperation and kept going. The firefighter was totally going to embarrass her the next time she saw him in the field, but somehow it felt good to be seen as feminine for once.

She headed into the ladies’ room, did her business, and was washing her hands when she was suddenly shoved violently into the counter.

Hayden reacted immediately and without thought, thanks to her training.

She whipped her leg around as she turned, knocking the legs out from under the woman who was standing behind her and who’d shoved her into the porcelain. No way was she letting some bar skank get the drop on her.

“Dana. I should’ve known,” Hayden said, looking down at the pissed-off woman getting to her feet from the dirty bathroom floor.

“Stay away from him, whore! He’s mine.”

“You aren’t allowed to be within two hundred feet of him, Dana. You’re in violation of the protection order just being in the same building. If you don’t haul your ass out of here within ten seconds, I’m reporting you,” Hayden threatened, knowing she was going to report her anyway.

Dana ignored the threat and put her hands on her hips and tried to stare Hayden down. “
You’re
the one who needs to leave. Boonie’s
mine
. I’m the only one who gets to suck his cock and I’m the only one he should be sticking his big dick inside of. He told me he’d never felt anything as hot and tight as my cunt.”

Hayden tried to stay calm, even though the mere
thought
of Boone being intimate with the crazy bitch in front of her made her want to tear Dana’s hair out then storm into the bar and ask Boone exactly what the
hell
he’d been thinking. The other woman was desperate and lashing out, reminding her that she and Boone had been intimate. Hayden knew Boone wasn’t a monk, he’d had a life before they met, one which, unfortunately, included dating Dana.

Hayden tried to be reasonable. “I don’t think you even really
like
Boone, Dana. Let him go. Find someone who loves you for who you are.”

Dana didn’t acknowledge her and continued her hate-filled spewing of ire. “
Boone
loves me for who I am and you’ll regret it if you don’t leave him alone. No one dumps me!
No one
.”

“That’s it. I’m calling nine-one-one.” Hayden reached to pull her phone out of her back pocket, and swore when she realized it was sitting in the little purse she’d left on the table.

Dana didn’t say anything, just glared at Hayden and abruptly turned and left the restroom. Hayden followed her out and watched as she quickly disappeared into the crowd in the opposite direction from where Boone and Moose were sitting.

Hayden sighed in relief. The last thing she wanted was to have to mediate a showdown in the middle of the bar, but she would still report Dana violating the restraining order. She wanted every single violation reported, for Boone’s sake.

She quickly walked back to the table, and saw two other men had joined Boone and Moose.

Boone held out his hand as she got near the table and Hayden took it. He leaned down and kissed her lightly, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her into his side before turning to the other men. “Hayden, this is Bub and Tommy, they work with me on the ranch.”

Hayden held out her hand to each, understanding that the brief kiss and him locking her into his side was to show his employees she was off limits. “It’s nice to meet you.” Hayden had met quite a few men who either worked for or with Boone. Each of them were polite and had nothing but complimentary things to say about him.

“Same.”

“You too.”

Hayden turned to Boone. “I need to tell you something.”