Hot as Heller (Aster Valley 3)

After getting her into the house and settling her on the sofa with her favorite blanket, a glass of milk, a bag of fresh cookies we’d picked up at the vendor stalls, and the next episode in a sci-fi show she was into, I returned to the kitchen to look through some of my cookbooks. I’d forgotten to ask about any dietary restrictions he might have during a film shoot, so I decided to stick with something relatively light and healthy just in case.

When I was almost ready to head to the market to pick up the necessary items, the doorbell rang. It was Shawn Graham, looking sheepish.

“Hiya, Deputy,” I said with a grin, happy to see a face that might make Tess feel better. “How can I help you today?”

He was holding a small handful of wildflowers tied with ribbon. “Oh, uh… is Tessa here?”

I was so happy to see him, I decided to mess with him a little. “Are those for me? You shouldn’t have.”

He whipped the flowers behind his back. “Back off, Sheriff. You’re not pretty enough for flowers.”

I let out a laugh. “Please tell me Truman Sweet didn’t see you picking flowers on the highway. He’ll file a formal complaint, and then I’ll have to jail my own deputy for destruction of public property.”

He stepped past me when he caught sight of Tess on the sofa. “No, I actually bought these from a stall he had at the market today. It was either wildflowers or a bottle of smoked paprika.” His face softened as he handed the flowers to Tess.

She frowned and met his eye. “I’d rather have had the paprika.”

His face fell so fast, I laughed again. “She’s messing with you.”

Tess flashed Shawn a teasing grin, and I let out a sigh of relief. She was going to be okay. I’d make sure of it.

I turned and headed out the door to the market. When I returned, I showered, shaved, and changed into nicer clothes. Nothing fancy, but at least these shorts weren’t wrinkled, and the T-shirt had been replaced with a short-sleeve button-down. When I walked back into the living room, Tessa whistled, and Shawn, who was snuggled up with her watching her show, threw me a thumbs-up. I rolled my eyes and continued into the kitchen.

“Am I making enough for four?” I called out a few minutes later. “Shawn, you’re welcome to stay and eat with us.”

There was no response. When I wandered back to the doorway between the kitchen and living room, I saw Shawn kissing Tessa softly with a gentle hand behind her head. I cleared my throat just to watch Shawn jump away like a guilty teen.

“You staying for dinner?” I asked again. “I have plenty.”

Tess glanced between Shawn and me before murmuring something to Shawn and getting up to follow me into the kitchen.

“After Finn gets here, I’m going to, ah… go for a sleepover at Shawn’s.” She held up a hand. “And before you jump to any conclusions, I’m only doing this to give you and your man child some privacy.”

I held my tongue long enough to fake a serious nod. “So generous,” I murmured. “How can I thank you for sacrificing yourself this way?”

She punched me hard in the gut with a small fist. “Asshole.” Then she turned and walked out of the kitchen to continue her snuggle on the couch while I gasped for breath through my laughter.

14

Finn

Why was I nervous? It was just dinner. And sex.

Please baby Jesus, let there be sex, and lots of it.

I reached out to ring the doorbell and tried not to notice my hand shaking. Great. I was going to look like the young kid he already thought I was.

But when he came to the door, Declan made me feel the opposite of childlike.

“Fucking Christ, I want to strip you naked and tackle you to the ground right here.” His voice was low, so I was the only one who could hear it, but the look in his eyes broadcast the sentiment to anyone looking.

I gulped.

“You look amazing, Finn,” he continued. “Thank you for coming. I swore to myself not to treat you like a piece of meat, and now here I am with my steak sauce out and my knife sharpened.”

“Yes, please,” I managed to get out before he grabbed the front of my shirt and hauled me in for a kiss. I almost lost my footing, but Declan’s other arm wrapped tightly around my waist to hold me firmly against him. I made a sound of desperate appreciation into his mouth and surrendered to the power of his possessive mouth.

I loved this side of him. I wanted more of it.

“Let the poor man breathe, Declan,” a woman’s voice called from inside the house. “I want to meet him before you suck all the brain cells out of him.”