She’d been staring at him.
Zac craned his neck towards the flower shop next door as he waited to place his order.He’d been coming to this coffee shop for the past two weeks, suffering through one bad cup after another, but he’d finally gotten Maxine Miller’s attention.Or so he thought.
But what was he supposed to do now?
Wave?Say hello?Go into her store?This next step was crucial.
He’d been trying to find a way to meet her ever since he’d moved to town.The first time he’d spotted her had been at the welcome party the department had thrown for him.She’d been working at the time, placing arrangements and fixing centerpieces.She hadn’t even noticed him, but he’d homed in on her so single-mindedly, he’d nearly embarrassed himself in front of his new employees and constituents.Just watching her from across the room had made him hard, and he’d had to make sure his dress uniform jacket covered the evidence.
The same problem threatened to affect him now.
He let out a long, slow breath.The small-town girl had to be the most delicious woman he’d ever seen.Big brown eyes… An angel’s face with a siren’s body.If he hadn’t wanted her before, that shy little glance she’d stolen had put him on red alert.All he wanted to do was fist his hands in that long dark hair as he kissed her silly and—
Somebody behind him cleared their throat, and Zac snapped back to the present.He stepped forward to close the gap in the line.Yeah, he could suffer through a few cups of bad swill in order to get close to her.The problem was this coffee joint was as close as he’d been able to get.
Until today.
He needed to play this right.She was quiet, he’d learned.Unbelievably shy and elusive.
The night of the department dinner, she’d moved around the room like a ghost, straightening boutonnieres and plumping decorative bows.How someone like that could stick to the shadows was beyond him.All he’d been able to think of as he’d watched her were ways to make her get noisy.
With him.
“Good morning, Sheriff,” the blonde behind the counter said.“The regular?”
He blinked.“I have a regular?”
All that curly blonde hair bounced as the woman winked at him.“Coffee, black.Right?”
He nodded, wondering briefly if sugar or cream would help.
He pulled out his wallet.Did Maxie have a regular?He could buy her a cup and take it over to her.He rejected the idea.An offering of paint thinner probably wouldn’t make a good first impression.
The blonde smiled as she passed him an insulated cup.“Are you going to Park Art?”
“Hmm?”
“Park Art this weekend.It’s an Indigo Falls tradition,” she said, smile broadening.“Artists from all over showcase their work.There’s finger-painting for the kids, food, a talent show, and music.It’s fun.”
It clicked now.He remembered adjusting the weekend staffing schedule, but he didn’t think he’d put himself on duty.“I might drop by,” he hedged.
Especially if a certain florist had a booth.
“I’ll be there,” the blonde said, curls dancing.She giggled.“I mean Java Mama’s will be.”
He’d run right over for that.
“Thanks.”He glanced at her name tag.“Becky.Maybe I’ll see you there.”
With a blinding smile, she turned to the next customer.Definitely early morning spunky.
Lifting the lid on his coffee, Zac blew on the hot liquid.He glanced again at the windows, but he couldn’t see next door for squat.The angle wasn’t right, and a table of regulars blocked what little view he might have had.
Maxie Miller.
Hotter than his coffee and much harder to get.
He rubbed the back of his neck.He was usually better at these things.Before moving here, he’d made his living infiltrating drug rings and earning people’s trust, but Maxie wasn’t a target.Of an investigation at least.She was a drop-dead gorgeous, quiet woman.
