Enticed (Two Marks 3)

“We are both aware,” Theo said. Both men remained standing. Calm. Focused. On me.

Far from showing any defensive posturing like I’d expected, they were angled toward me, standing a bit too close, like we were friends. Good friends.

“I’m from West Springs originally, as well,” Theo added.

I tried not to lose myself in his ocean blue eyes. This guy. He’d be the one I’d pick. Too bad he didn’t live here. Maybe that was a good thing. Like Trina had said, I didn’t have to like him to fuck him.

Well, I did. I liked sex, but I had to have some kind of connection, besides anger.

“Well, then you should know you’re barking up the wrong tree,” I countered, lifting my chin a touch higher. “My family is not a bunch of meth heads working out of some dilapidated house.” I fixed Holt with a challenging look. “We have far more important and lucrative business endeavors, Sheriff.”

“Of course, you do,” he soothed. “But remember, there are two sides to every story.”

Meaning what? That my father was wrong?

He winked. Winked! How could he be playful when I was angry?

Except it was hard to be angry at a guy who was flat-out gorgeous, with his dark ruffled hair and two deep dimples.

“Holt.” He pointed at his black t-shirt, which was snug over his sturdy frame and thick muscles. “You can skip the sheriff. Not on duty now.” Instead of addressing my concerns, he tipped his head toward the dartboard on the wall. “You play darts?”

I frowned. They were agreeing with me? Darts? “Um…”

Both men closed in, but not in a threatening way. More… eager.

“I might have been a DEA agent on your doorstep, but right here, right now, I’m Theo.” He touched my arm so lightly, it couldn’t be construed as anything but friendly.

“Theo,” I repeated.

“Darts?” Holt asked again.

I blinked. “Well, sure,” I said, swallowing hard at how good they smelled. “I play.”

I was rewarded with a pair of smiles that could melt all the panties in the bar. I stole a glance over at my friends. Of course they were watching. Melissa waved but didn't look mad that I had essentially claimed two guys for myself instead of sharing with her. Although sharing meant we’d be abandoning Trina, so I figured Melissa was the bigger person all around tonight. Right?

“I’ll get the darts,” Theo offered. “What are you drinking?”

“Just a soda,” I said, because I’d already had one drink, and something about these men made me not trust myself. I needed a clear head with them.

“I’m surprised we haven’t met before today,” Holt said when Theo headed to the bar.

“I just returned from Laramie,” I replied, the small Wyoming town being the location of the main state university.

“Returned for good? You’re sticking around?”

Why did he seem so terribly interested in my answer? It was as if the world was hanging in the balance. His dark eyes held mine as if I were snagged, caught, and couldn’t look away.

“Yes. My brother was supposed to run the ranch with my dad, then take over someday, but, uh, it wasn’t his thing. I’ll be the rancher you harass in the future.”

Far from taking offense, the sheriff just grinned, those sexy dimples winking at me. “Looking forward to it. I’ll try not to drive you too crazy.” Something about the way he said it made it seem like he meant the exact opposite. He adjusted his hat and kept right on staring.

Theo returned with three sets of darts and a glass of soda dripping with perspiration from the ice. “Ladies first.” He handed me the darts and my drink, and I had to look away.

I shook my head. “No, you.” I needed to know I had some control here.

“All right, then.” Theo opened his case and tossed one without taking his gaze off me. It hit close to center.

I set my glass on the table, untouched, and picked up a dart. Were these guys screwing with me? Just like they’d messed with my father earlier? Playing a game besides darts. Being nice to… what? Butter me up? But I’d approached them.

I threw the dart and it hit the bullseye.

“Nice one,” Theo said.

“Beautiful,” the sheriff agreed. His low rumble shot straight between my legs. Especially because he seemed to be talking about me, not my throw.

“I think you’re both messing around,” I asserted. I was riled from my father’s tirade this morning after they left. From the fact that seeing them again made me view them not as law enforcement officers doing their jobs, but as men. Attractive ones who kicked my libido into high gear. I shouldn’t be into them.

My father would kill me. What if he was right, and these two were out to get my family for some ridiculous vendetta? It wouldn’t lead to anything good. So I was grumpy when I said, “You didn’t even look before you threw.”