Chapter 1
Levi
“Officer Harrison!”
Fuck. My. Life. All I wanted was a Red Bull to get me through the rest of this shift, which is why I stopped at the gas station next to the only bar in Laurel Springs.
I knew I shouldn’t have.
Fucking knew it.
Turning around, I put on a pleasant smile. “Is there something I can help you with?”
It’s Ronnie, owner of The Laurel Lean-To. “I need you to get this woman off my table.”
Well now my interest is piqued, because I think I know what he’s talking about, but I need to verify first. “What are you talkin’ about?”
“There’s a woman dancing on my tables. She’s about five seconds away from taking off her clothes. I need you to come and get her down,” he throws his hands out to the side in exasperation.
“I’m Laurel Springs Fish and Wildlife. You want me to call my Dad? What about my grandpa? He’s Chief Harrison. Way more authority than I have over the humans in town,” I try to get myself out of this situation.
“Motherfucker, you’ve got a badge and a gun. Come. On.”
Sighing heavily, I know he’s right. I’m resigned to my fate. “Give me a sec, let me put my drink and snack in my SUV.”
Walking over, I prop open the door and throw them in. That Red Bull is going to be so good when I can finally drink it. Night shift sucks, and I am dragging ass. I need that jolt of caffeine, and I needed it three hours ago.
“C’mon, c’mon.” He hurries me along, his hand waving me toward him. “I’m worried she’s going to get hurt. There are drunk people in there.”
No shit. That’s probably why she’s up on the table. But I don’t say any of that. Instead, I follow him inside, and just as I’m about to ask him where this woman is, I see her. “Son of a bitch.”
“Yeah,” Ronnie says. “What am I supposed to do with this shit? It’s a fucking mess.”
Closing my eyes, I inhale deeply and then blow out the breath, before tilting my face up to the ceiling. Why me, God? Why me? “Alright, I’ll take care of this.”
“You damn right you will. Like I said, gun and badge.”
I turn my face to him. “Watch your mouth. Gun and badge,” I throw the words back at him.
He puts his hands up, and backs toward the bar.
Once he’s out of my way, I turn my attention back to the woman on the table. Rocky Mountain Way, the Godsmack version, is playing in the background as she shakes her ass, bending over at the waist. Ronnie wasn’t wrong, she’s got an audience. At least ten men are around the table, and they’re getting rowdy.
I stand back and watch for a few seconds, debating on whether I want to call my grandpa or not.
Then, the woman drops to her knees, her arms cross over what I know is a great fucking rack, and then those blue eyes meet mine. Those eyes have haunted my life for a long time. Since I got my first hard on, to be exact. Now that her hair is dark brown, the blue of her eyes is shocking.
“Levi, what are you doing here?” She yells. “Bring that gun over here, and let me show you how to fire it.”
Fuck it all.
I elbow my way through the crowd, hoping to get to her before she slips the shirt over her head. I don’t make it, but I do catch the shirt when she throws it. This is all the men surrounding her need to see. They crush in, trying to touch her. “Law enforcement, make a path,” I say, putting some bass and authority in my voice. It takes me longer than I’d like to get to her, but once I do, I shove the shirt in her hands, and grab her by the waist, pulling her down off the table.
“Levi,” she whines with a pout. “Why are you tryin’ to ruin all my fun? Aren’t men like you who wear fuckin’ hot thigh holsters supposed to be the life of the party?”
“This is fun?” I point to the men around us. “I think once you sober up, you’re going to be sorry you did this.”
She stares, her mouth in a firm line. “I won’t.”
