Shane (6 page)

He pulled away and looked into her eyes. Those were
real tears. He knew what they looked like. Shane flicked one away with his
pinkie.

“You feel better now?” he asked.

“Much.”

“That’s great to hear. Are you going to be okay
driving back to town?”

She nodded.

“I don’t know how long I’ll be sorting this mess
out, but I’ll try and stop by to see how you’re doing.”

****

It had been a stupid thing to do. She’d had no right
going off into the woods just to prove him wrong about her being up to the job.
He’d been right. Her losing her breakfast like that was evidence that she
wasn’t cut out of that sort of work.

Damn
it, he’d been right from the beginning.

She took a deep breath, trying not to remember that poor
man’s face or what was left of it. If that was a sheriff and deputy’s work, it
definitely wasn’t for her.
Which meant she’d have to start
looking for other jobs around town, or maybe go someplace else.
A bigger town perhaps where they’d be more employment opportunities.

But Shane wouldn’t be there. No matter how many
times she reminded herself she’d come here to forget all about the horrible
incident in Boston, and that she’d never get involved ever again, truth was the
cowboy was slowly breaking down her defenses.

Pulling the drapes back, she noticed that it was
snowing. She thought about supper and maybe bringing something back in and
eating it while she looked online for a job. She also thought about inviting
Shane to dinner. She’d pay as he’d been nice enough to buy her two meals
already.
 
And it would be the ideal way
to apologize for her stupid behavior earlier today. Yeah, she was slowly
crossing the line to getting in deeper with him.

Without giving it a second thought, Lacey reached
for her cell phone, and the business card she’d slyly taken off of Shane’s desk
when she’d stopped by his office. She dialed before she lost her nerve.

“Hello Sheriff Malone speaking.”

“Hi Sheriff.
It’s
your favorite pain in the butt.”

“Now I wonder who that could
be?
”

Even his voice was sexy and made her feel like a
teenager with a really bad crush.

“I was wondering if you’d have dinner with me
tonight.” She twirled her hair. Something she always did when she needed extra
courage.

“Is that your way of asking me out on a date?”

“If that’s what you want it to be?”

“Then sorry, no.”

Lacey heard a purring noise in her ear. She looked
at her phone, her bottom lip dropping.
Guess
cowboys are blunt and to the point.

She pressed the end call button and threw her phone
on the bed. Obviously she’d picked up the wrong signals from him. She bit her
lip. That brush off had been downright rude, and somewhat embarrassing for her.
Yeah, embarrassment was beginning to be her middle name. Her first time asking
a man out and she’d gotten not just the cold shoulder, but the frozen one.

The phone rang, and she wondered if it was her
parents who mentioned that they’d be calling her today.

“Hello.”

“I was wondering if you’d like to have dinner with
me tonight.”

It was Shane. She smiled.

“What happened, you realize how rude and arrogant
you’d been again, and worried that I’d go drinking?”

“Maybe, but the bottom line is around these parts
it’s the men who do the asking, and not the other way around.”

“I’ll have to remember that I’ve stepped
way
back in time.”

“So
you coming
out with me
or what?”

“Oh yeah, I’m accepting your offer.”

“I’ll be by your place around 7:00 p.m. and be sure
to wear a dress.”

“Another one of the local men’s
requirements for the women?”

“Nope, just mine.”

Chapter
Five

Luckily she’d brought along one dress for job
interviews. Most of her stuff was packed and ready to be shipped when she
finally found a place to settle and hopefully be able to support herself.

 
She held the
dress up. It wasn’t the best from her closet, but she’d slipped it into her
suitcase thinking it perfect for a job interview and was, therefore, definitely
not the sexiest one she owned. Damn. It would have to make do. At least she had
her black pumps.

She slipped on her earrings while hearing a vehicle
pull up outside. She walked to the window and pushed the drape back just a tad.
It was Shane, and he was heading her way. She swallowed. He looked sexier than
ever out of his sheriff’s uniform and in jeans, a white shirt, suede jacket and
matching hat and boots. Irresistible sprang to mind.

Not wanting him to know she’d had a sneak peek, she
let the drape fall and moved away from the window, waiting for his knock on the
door.

Five seconds later she was opening it to him. He
took off his hat and nodded to her.

“Evening ma’am.
You
ready for some dinner?”

While she was hungry, the thought of pulling him
inside the room and throwing him on the bed and doing all sorts of naughty
things had crossed her mind and made dinner an afterthought.

“I’ll just grab my coat and be right with you,” she
said.

She turned to walk toward the closet, willing
herself to behave.

“Are you really going to wear those fancy heels?” he
asked.

“Why?”

“It’s been snowing and some of the sidewalk is
slushy, even a little slick.”

“I’ll take my chances,” she said slipping on her
coat.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. And if you’re going to
be living here I think we should get you some proper footwear.”

They headed outside.

“Cowboy boots?” she asked.

“Now there’s a thought,” he said opening the
passenger door for her.

Tonight, it wasn’t the sheriff’s vehicle, but a
black 4x4 that she assumed was his personal one.

She had to yank up her dress somewhat to get up
inside the monster, and Shane held her arm as she did so. As she sat, her dress
bunched around her thighs. She saw him take a peak and then close the
door.
 
Once inside, he started the
ignition and turned up the heat. Country music blared from the speakers.

“And don’t even think about turning that off,” he
said pulling out from the parking lot.

“You’re sort of bossy and have lots of rules,” she
said.

He pulled down his hat a little and took a sideways
glance at her.

“You’ll learn to enjoy it,” he said.

She wouldn’t admit it, but she already did. “So what
sort of restaurants do you have around here?”

“Nothing fancy, but just plain good home cooked
food. And I think you’ll be pleased with my choice tonight.”

Lacey eased herself back into the seat, growing more
relaxed now that the truck was warming up. Even the music was growing on her.
Well, almost. She watched as he tapped his fingers on the wheel, keeping in
perfect time with the drums.

“Did you grow up here?” she asked.

“Yes, I’m fourth generation.”

“And you said your brothers ran a ranch?”

“Flynn and Rory, yes. It’s been in the family for
four generations too. Maybe I’ll show you around there someday, but definitely
not in those pumps.”

“And Flynn’s married?”

Shane shook his head. “Nope, his wife left him when
Emily was a baby.”

“That had to be terrible for both of them. I mean
with her being a special needs child too.”

“Not at all.
It
was the best thing that could have happened. She wasn’t right for him.”

“And Rory does he have a family?”

“Nope, never has.
Been too busy
looking after everyone and the ranch after my father passed away.”

Shane pulled into a parking lot of a restaurant that
boasted it served the best steaks and burgers in the county.

“Wait till you try this place,” said Shane turning
off the ignition. “You’ll never want to eat anywhere else again.”

****

Shane loved food, was almost in love with the juicy
T-bone in front of him, but his focus tonight wasn’t on the meal, but the woman
sitting opposite him. She’d captured his interest more than anything else. She
had a hearty appetite, and unlike most women he’d dated over the years, wasn’t
scared to eat. He liked that quality in a woman. She was obviously happy with
those lovely curves of hers. Something else he liked in a woman, self-confidence.
And Lacey sure had a lot of that.

The dress was sexy and suited her as it clung to her
body, especially around her hips and thighs. Just thinking about the glimpse of
the silky looking skin he’d gotten when she’d climbed into the truck made his
cock twitch. What he wouldn’t give to run his hands up and down them.
Maybe his lips too.

He couldn’t contain himself a second longer. Now
that she’d finished eating, he reached over and ran his fingers down the back
of her hand as it rested on the table. They looked into one another eyes. Had
it taken her by surprise? Had he made a mistake?
A little too
fast, and much too soon?

“Have you got room for dessert? Because they serve
the best apple pie a la mode here?” he asked.

He switched to tickling the palm of her hand with
just the very tip of his index finger. She began reciprocating by playing with
the cuff of his shirt, twirling her finger underneath it and exciting not only
the nerve endings in his arm, but every place on his body.

Sexy
foreplay.

“I shouldn’t, but sometimes I give into temptation,”
she said.

Malone
control
yourself
.

“Me either,” he said.

He called the waitress over to their table.

“We’ll share dessert and make it your famous apple
pie.”

“I’ll be right back with that.”

They continued touching one another’s hands, circling
their fingers on one another’s skin, and teasing while they kept their focus on
one another.

His groin grew heavy, almost achy, and his cock grew
harder by the second. He wanted to make love to her. Maybe it was too soon
after meeting her, but if he didn’t maybe she’d catch some other cowboy’s eye,
he’d lose her and regret it for the rest of his life. Sometimes you had to take
a chance in life.

The waitress placed the plate of pie in the middle
of the table, forcing them to finally quit playing with one another hands. She
put a spoon on each of their plates.

“Enjoy,” she said.

“We will,” said Shane.

Without asking permission, he dug his spoon into
some ice cream and reached across the table and fed it to Lacey. She pushed out
her tongue and let him drop it onto it. It was the most erotic thing he’d ever
seen.

“It’s wonderful,” she said.

He put the spoon into his mouth and enjoyed what was
left on it.

“Better than sex?” that had escaped his mouth before
he’d realized what he’d actually asked her.

“I don’t think there’s anything better than that.”

He liked that answer.

Yes, he liked it a hell of a lot.

****

Shane’s truck had been warm and cozy on the drive
back to her motel room. She didn’t have to ask him if he wanted to come up for
a nightcap. He’d followed her to the door and without saying a word, walked in
behind her. She’d taken off her coat. He’d taken off his jacket and cowboy hat,
after which, it had become obvious that the night cap wouldn’t be forthcoming,
but sex probably would.

He’d reached out, pulled her in close, and experienced
her first kiss with a cowboy. Lacey flicked her tongue over his lower lip,
tasting the last remnants of the beer he’d consumed at dinner. His cock pressed
into her belly and pulsated against her dress. They pulled away and looked at
one another.

“You’re a good kisser, cowboy.”

He smiled. “I do other things really well too.”

“Am I going to find out what they are?”

“You want to?”

“I think I might like to live dangerously tonight.”

“One thing you’ve got to learn is when I make
love,
I like to take the lead.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

“As long as you’re perfectly okay with that and
won’t accuse me of being a chauvinist pig.”

“Definitely won’t be doing that.”

He grinned and let go of her, grabbed his hat, put
it on and walked over to the chair and sat down. She thought about joining him
and sitting on his lap, but then he spoke which made her stop in her tracks.