Molly's Man (Haven, Texas 4)

She purposely didn’t look at Jake. She didn’t like lying to him, she realized. “I wanted to see Savannah and Laken.”

“Do you check up on all your old patients?” he asked.

“Just the special ones.” She grinned. “Plus, after hearing about Haven I just had to come here myself. It seemed too good to be real.

”

He snorted as he pulled into the driveway leading to the house. “Not everyone sees it that way.”

“Then they’re idiots. I like the way people here look out for each other. Especially how the men take care of the women and children. It feels safe.”

“You didn’t feel safe before?”

“New York isn’t the safest city, but I didn’t feel unsafe exactly. Just more cautious. Here, I feel freer.” She turned to him. “Thanks for all your help, Sheriff.”

“Any time,” he said easily.

Feeling a bit daring, she reached over and patted his arm. His skin was warm, and her nerve endings tingled, her pussy clenched. He shocked her by grabbing hold of her hand. His palm was rough, not smooth like Richard’s had been. She shivered slightly, imagining the feel of his hands on her bare skin.

Calm down, Molly.

“You okay?” he asked huskily.

“Yep. Getting a little cold in here.”

“Really? Here I thought it was just heating up.” The look he gave her was filled with fire. And desire. Did he feel what she did? He moved in closer. She leaned in. This was it. He was going to kiss her. Anticipation flooded her then came to a shuddering halt as she heard a door slam. Jake immediately drew back, and she looked over to see Savannah flying down the stairs.

Before she could say anything to Jake, like, how about a rain check on that kiss?, he had the door open and was greeting Savannah.

Well, damn it.

6

Jake sighed as he saw the bright red car parked just three feet away from the stop sign. There was only one person in Haven with a car like that and she was becoming the bane of his existence.

He’d known she’d be trouble, what he hadn’t realized was that he’d spend most of his time trying to keep the damn woman from hurting herself.

A menace. That’s what she was. An absolute menace.

He pulled out his ticket pad from his car. This time, he wasn’t letting her get away with it.

“That’s Miss Molly’s car, isn’t it?”

He looked up as Fred and John Hollows moved down the stairs of the library. Some of the ladies met in the back room every Thursday afternoon to knit and socialize. He kind of thought more gossiping went on than actual knitting. Fred and John were married to Mildred, who came every week.

“Yes. She’s parked too close to the stop sign,” he said grimly. He was not going to be talked out of giving her a ticket.

“Now, son, there’s no need to give her a ticket,” Fred admonished him.

“Miss Molly wouldn’t have parked here if she’d realized,” John added. “She was probably just in a hurry.”

She was always in a rush and she very rarely paid attention to her surroundings.

“She broke the law. Doesn’t matter if she knew or not.”

“I’m sure she’d move her car if you just went and said something.” Fred gave him a look of disapproval.

“She probably didn’t want to walk too far because of her ankle and all,” John chided.