He glanced at the sunroof she just climbed through. “I was unaware you were back in town.”
“It’s not exactly news.”
Mia knew that a small town talks, but she also knew how to stay under the radar. But having a Deputy shove her through her car wasn’t exactly discrete. A Deputy she couldn’t place for the life of her.
Thank god it wasn’t the Sheriff out here because that would have been even more embarrassing. She had heard he was set to retire soon, so making a friend with the Deputy wouldn’t be a bad idea. She searched for his name tag, but it was too dark to see and she was running out of time.
“Well, I appreciate your help,” she said, swiping a lock of hair behind her ear.
“It was my pleasure,” he said and for the first time, there was a hint of something else in his voice. Something she didn’t even think he was aware of. But the sexy raspy tone made heat rush to her cheeks and her panties instantly damp.
Standing up straight, he pulled a booklet off his back holster and started scribbling.
God, was he really trying to give her his number? Not that she’d call. She didn’t have time for a man in her life. But he was hot and—
“Well, Mia,” he said, ripping off the piece of paper and handing it to her. “It was nice seeing you again. But you’re parked in a fire zone.”
Her mouth hung open as she looked at the—
“Ticket? Are you fricking kidding me?”
One-hundred-fifty dollars! That was the money she put aside for Kyle’s new cleats.
She opened her car door and got out to face him. After tonight, hell, after the past couple years she’d had, he was giving her a ticket? It wasn’t until she stared him down that she realized how he really rocked a uniform, but that couldn’t detour her.
“Deputy, I’ve had a really long day and so far the evening isn’t shaping up to be any better.”
She stepped a little closer. Prepared to find her polite side and try to just talk to the man. She just couldn’t afford this ticket right now because damn it, the cleats and the game came first.
“Can we just forget this unfortunate incident happened and I’ll pretend you didn’t hand me this?” Pinching the ticket between her thumb and finger, she lifted it, but just then, her left leg that had been tingling from the sunroof-shove incident buckled just enough to sway her balance.
She reached out to steady herself and her palm gently brushed his chest. His hard chest. His, holy crap the man was made of more steel than superman, chest. Hypnotized by his strength, she let her hand linger just for a second.
He looked down at where she touched him and raised a brow. “You assaulting a Deputy ma’am?”
His reaction shocked her.
“No, of course not,” she said quickly, removing her hand. “I just…”
“You just think you can bat your eyes and I’ll fall to my knees?” he shook his head. “We’re not in high school anymore and I’m not one of your admirers.”
Realization hit. High school. She caught a glimpse of his name tag: West. The only West she knew was an up
per classman. Trevor? No, Tatum West.
She looked at the Deputy again.
“No way,” she said. The Tate West she barely remembered was a lot smaller and kind of skinny.
“You figure out who I am yet?” he asked, the snare on his words zinging her a little.
“Is this some kind of joke to you? Or is your ego intent on being an ass and getting me back because I don’t remember you?” She gave him her best glare. “You’ve changed a lot. It’s not my fault I didn’t recognize you.”
“I’m not concerned with you remembering or recognizing me. But I remember you, and I know how you work. Apparently some things don’t change.”
“How I work?” She crossed her arms. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know that you try to use your,” he glanced over her once, “assets to get out of tickets. Same way you used to get your trig homework done.”