“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.”