I sigh and stare down at my fingers, twisting them together. “He’s been gambling again.”
The sheriff sighs. “That’s why he owed money to that guy.” His eyes sharpen to laser points. “We don’t allow gambling in this county. Where the hell has he been gambling?”
Shrugging, I groan when it shifts my sore cheek. He immediately clasps my cheek lightly, holding me steady. “Hold still, angel baby.”
My breath stalls and I jerk my eyes up to meet his, surprised when I see the same look in his eyes that I hope like hell I’ve managed to hide from him. The secret that I’ve hidden from him for years.
Sheriff Grady O’Hurley is every dream man I’ve ever thought of come to life. Tall, dark and handsome as hell he draws me in like a moth to a flame. A dream that I know that I can’t have. A dream that nobody knows about except me.
Lifting my hand, I clasp it around his wrist, gently tugging his hand away from my cheek, sliding to sit up and back away from him. My eyes roam the room that I’ve never seen before. In all the years that we’ve known each other, I’ve never seen his place. Not even the living room that we’re currently sitting in.
It’s stark and simple. Bare, wood floors begging for a rag rug in colorful fabrics to soften the simplicity of the room. The couchI’m sitting on is comfy and a soft beige color that goes with everything and says nothing at all. Even the light fixtures are simple brass.
“Ummm. Could you take me home?”
“Nope. My deputies are at your dad’s place and the diner. They’re gathering all the evidence that they can find and of course, clearing out the bodies.”
“Bodies?” I gasp. “What happened?” I whisper breathlessly. Did I do something? The last thing I remember is pain….and a man. One I didn’t recognize.
“Your father had an…accident.” His pale gray eyes skitter away from mine and unease creeps over me.
“How?”
“I’m sorry, Fee.” His big shoulders round and he sighs, standing up to pace around the room. “He tried to stop me from getting to you and I punched him. He cracked his head when he went down. He’s dead.”
“He’s dead?” Everything’s blurred and his deep, rich voice is muffled, like he’s talking to me through water.
“Yeah. I’m sorry, sweetheart. Even if he was a filthy, dirty bastard he was your daddy. I’m so sorry.”
I can’t think. It’s like my head is full of cotton wool. But underneath the confusion is…relief.
No more making runs to go pick up beer for him when he’s already drunk. I can still picture the last time and the flush of anger on his face when he tossed a glass at me when I didn’t want to go since I had just gotten off a double shift.
The glass shattered right by my head and a piece hit my cheek, leaving a cut that dripped blood down my face and onto my blue uniform top. It took a lot of scrubbing to get the stain out before work the next morning and it was still wet when I went into work.
And when Grady came in for breakfast, his gray eyes sharpened and he asked me what happened.
I just shrugged and said I cut myself.
I don’t think he believed me but what could he say? I know you’re lying, tell me the truth or else?
He’s a good man. I couldn’t bear to see the sympathy in his eyes. Shame ate at me.
And now he’s gone and I’m free. My lips curl up into a smile and I turn my back so he can’t see it even though he’s not looking at me.
Standing up shakily, I reach out and touch his broad shoulder, marveling at the heat of his skin under his tan uniform shirt. My breath catches. His muscles shift under my hand and my mouth dries out.
Before I can drag my hand away from him, his head whips up and I’m trapped, caught in his blazing silver gaze. His hands come up and pull me into him and I gasp, my body fitting to his like it’s always belonged there.
Something big and heavy pushes into my belly and my brain scrambles, unable to process what’s happening right now.
Because I think that the Sheriff of Monroe County, the man I’ve lusted after for what feels like forever, is holding me tight against him and his dick is throbbing and hard against my belly.
If this is what concussion feels like…I don’t think I mind it as much as I should.
His silvery gaze searches mine and then his hard mouth lifts in a triumphant smile and his head dips, his mouth taking mine.
Claiming my breath and my sanity in one fell swoop.
