“Maybe I should do that.” Her voice was soft, but her gaze was direct. “Especially since there’s something else also worth coming back for.”
We both knew we weren’t really talking about the flowers. What if we could see each other more often? I wasn’t inclined to have a long-distance relationship, but with Caitlin? It could work. I’d stay here and continue as sheriff, and she could live the life she wanted in Austin. We could trade off where we spent time together. Other people managed relationships at a distance. It wasn’t ideal, but if that was all we could have, I’d take it.
I walked toward her, cutting a path through the field. When I reached her, I plucked a flower and tucked it behind her ear. The sunny color almost matched the shade of her hair.
“It’ll fade fast,” she warned. “They do after they’re picked.”
“Not this one. This one will stay beautiful.” I cupped her cheek, my thumb stroking over the soft skin.
“And you know that how?” She tilted her face up to mine, inviting a kiss.
“I’m sheriff.” I kissed her forehead and then the tip of her nose. “That gives me some special powers in my jurisdiction.”
She wrapped her arms around my waist. “You must be a mighty sheriff if even the flowers have to follow your orders.”
“It’s the law,” I said and kissed her fully.
I lifted her up and spun her around, catching her by surprise and making her laugh. Caitlin was right. There was something special about this flower field. That tattoo felt even more meaningful now.
Laying her down on the blanket of flowers, she looked like a nymph or a goddess, her short hair drying in spikes and curls. I joined her, kissing her slowly, wanting to memorize every inch of her including her reactions and the small sounds she made.
I was drunk on her kisses and desperately wanted more, but I didn’t have any more condoms with me. That meant we needed to keep our clothes on… but itdidn’tmean she couldn’t get off.
I slipped my hand under the waistband of her shorts and bikini bottoms, my fingers easily finding her swollen and needy clit. I rubbed it, making her moan and I swallowed those noises down, greedy for anything she would give me.
She reached for the button on my jeans, but I stopped her, lifting my head just enough to say, “Relax, darling. This is all for you.”
Caitlin’s hand dropped away, and she opened to me like a flower in bloom. Our tongues dancing while my fingers pressed into her heated flesh. I stroked faster, her kisses becoming more frenzied. She tensed, and I knew she was almost there.
I nipped at her lips and added more pressure. With a cry of my name, she threw her arms over her head, her back arching. She was a glorious vision of pure abandonment and pleasure.
I continued to kiss her in the bright sunlight, making each subsequent kiss less intense as I drew her back down to earth. It was with regret that I finally helped her up and waited while she straightened her clothes. Once she was ready, I led her back to my truck so we could head back to town.
“I’ll drop you off at home,” I said as I turned off Main Street onto South Chaska. “I want to check in with my deputies, but I won’t be long.” I’d pick up some paperwork and take it home to complete it. That way, I could spend more time with Caitlin before I had to go to work the next day.
“Hurry back,” she said. “I have plans for you.”
“I’ll need to work some.” But I could imagine her curled up on the couch next to me, maybe sketching as I’d seen her do often while I worked.
“See you in a bit.” She leaned across the seat and kissed my cheek before getting out of the truck. I waited until she was in the house to drive to the station. I couldn’t quite believe what had just happened between us. I was still processing what it meant for our relationship, our future. The thought that Ihada future with her put a smile on my face.
TWENTY
BRIAN
All of my good feelings vanished as soon as I entered the sheriff’s station and saw men in each of the holding cells. My chief deputy was on the phone, but Sofia gave me a nod and held up one finger, indicating that she’d explain in a minute. To top it off, my youngest deputy was excitedly pacing between the holding cells, his head swiveling between them as if he expected one of the men in custody to spontaneously combust at any moment.
“Kilpatrick,” I snapped out. “What’s going on?”
“Hey, boss.” Mack made a beeline for me. “You should’ve seen what happened. That guy had that guy in a headlock?—”
“In my office,” I said, not wanting this recitation to go on in front of the “guys” who seemed to be the problem. I waited until Mack had closed the door and taken a seat to pin him with a stare. “Start from the beginning.”
“Sure thing,” Mack began. “We got dispatched to the Squeaky Wheel at three minutes before one. I’d just concluded a trafficstop on Lariat Road, so I hustled back to that side of town, and got there ahead of Sofia.”
I didn’t want to even think how fast he had driven to beat someone who was likely closer. “What did you see when you arrived?”
“The guy in the denim shirt out there had the red shirt guy in a headlock, and it looked like they’d been going at it for a few minutes. Tables and chairs were shoved all over the place.” Mack gestured as he spoke. “Margie got sliced, too.”
