“I’ve been busy,” she responded. “Seems like you have too.” She extended her hand to Vanessa. “Hi, I’m Amanda. Welcome to Monroe Hills.”
Vanessa glanced up at Michael before she extended her hand to Amanda.
“Hi Amanda. I’m Vee. I’m a friend of Michael’s.”
“I hope our sheriff is showing you a good time. He can be sort of single-minded about his work sometimes, completely forgetting life exists outside of his office.”
Michael stared at Amanda through the narrowed slits of his eyes. That was a definite slight, no matter how friendly Amanda’s voice sounded. He didn’t take it personally, though. He’d been turning down her invitations to get to know each other better since he’d returned to Monroe Hills. Seeing how Amanda didn’t always think the word “no” applied to her, she didn’t seem bothered by him consistently declining her invitations.
He could feel Vanessa’s arm lift and circle his waist, and somehow the possessive nature of their embrace felt right.
“Well, I’ll have to do my best to keep him otherwise occupied, I guess.”
The false smile on Amanda’s face slipped a little, and Michael had to fight himself not to snicker.
“Well, good luck with that.” Amanda nodded in Michael’s direction as she stepped around him. “See you at the auction tomorrow,” she threw over her shoulder. “I’ve got my paddle ready to go.”
Michael suppressed the groan sitting in the middle of his throat.
“She seems a bit…”
“Jealous?” Michael countered as he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“I was gonna say possessive,” she answered, “although jealous works too. She was definitely trying to mark her territory. Something you wanna tell me? I know I don’t have any hold on you. It’s just… considering you kissed me in the middle of your sister’s shop yesterday and screwed me until the wee hours of the morning, I’d at least like to know if I’m stepping on another woman’s turf.”
He pulled her tighter into his arms, keeping her flush against him as he looked directly into her eyes.
“Like I told you when we were talking about the auction, Amanda is ambitious and won’t take no for an answer. She only wants me because she thinks dating the sheriff will up her standing among Monroe socialites. I’m not interested.”
“You sure?” The crooked grin on her face was enough to let him know she was teasing him. And the spark of something deliciously sinister in her eyes did more than amuse him. If he was honest, it was damn well turning him on and that was something he definitely didn’t need in the middle of the street.
He lifted three fingers in the air as validation. “Scout’s honor.”
She shook her head. “If anyone else had said that to me, I’d laugh until I cried. Yet somehow, I get the feeling growing up here in Mayberry, you probably were a Scout.”
“I promise if you keep trashing my town, I’m gonna forget all those lessons on good manners and duty the Scouts taught me.”
“Someone’s sensitive about his small town.”
He took a deep breath to answer her and held up a pointed finger to playfully make his point. “There you go, badmouthing my town again.”
“Badmouthing is a strong word,” she responded. “Especially consideringThe Andy Griffith Showmade Mayberry everyone’s favorite place.”
“So, you’re saying Monroe Hills is your favorite place?”
The air heated around them, and suddenly the amusement in him faded. He’d said it with just enough lightness that she’d think he was joking. Deep down, though, something he couldn’t name was tightening around his chest, making it hard to breathe while he waited for her answer.
She looked at him, her smile wide and her lids lightly closed with her long, dark eyelashes fluttering against her full cheeks. Sheplayed the coy, bashful role well. Then, when she finally lifted her eyes to him, he knew he’d lost the game they were playing.
“I’m saying,” she said, as she tugged the corner of her bottom lip between her teeth and that invisible band around his chest closed another notch, “Monroe Hills certainly has its attractions.”
His heart thumped harder and faster in his chest. If he wasn’t careful, her wordplay would be the death of him.
He shook his head, trying to remember this was only for fun. That’s all it could be considering who they were.
“Playing with fire gets you burned, Vanessa.”
His throat was raw and his voice like gravel. The sound should’ve been a warning for anyone close enough to hear. Instead of fear or retreat, however, he saw temptation swirling in the depths of her chocolate gaze.
