Author of sizzling hot romance with a touch of suspense. Long and Short Reviews erotic romance of the month winner for Hannah and the Dom Next Door and gold star recipient for Amy’s Redemption. I live in the Midwest with my husband, love dogs and enjoy reading and working puzzles. We have traveled extensively throughout the states, Canada and just once overseas, but I now much prefer being homebody. My favorite genre to read is suspense.
Struggling to swallow past the lump lodged in her throat, she kept her gaze on the sheriff. “What can I do for you, Sheriff?”
To her annoyance, he let Nick speak instead of answering. “Melinda, we need to talk. Honeycutt told me Cortez is out.”
The familiarity of his rough, deep voice washed through Melinda, warming her insides, threatening her composure. She tried to remain focused on the here and now, instead of drifting back to those days when she trusted him with her life. He still looked damn good in jeans and boots, his dark hair curling around his nape, his hat tipped low. He’d traded the sport coats and dress shirts he’d worn in Cheyenne for a work shirt with the first three buttons left open to reveal a sprinkle of dark, curling chest hair. It didn’t matter what persona he portrayed, though, she couldn’t let her guard down around him again.
“We don’t need to do anything, Detective. I’m not going to testify, so you and I are still done.” She dragged her gaze away from his tight, disapproving expression and looked at the sheriff. “If there’s nothing else, I have fish to clean.”
Sheriff McDuff was every bit as sexy and good-looking as Nick but that didn’t seem to matter to her traitorous body and heart. Both were still clamoring for Nick, even after all this time, and without ruling out the possibility he was the one who sold her out.
“Ms. Walsh, if I can find you, so can others. I would trust Nick Rossi with my life, and I wouldn’t have brought him here if I didn’t think it was in your best interest. Talk to him. I’ll drive around the bend but stay within calling distance.”
The sheriff slid behind the wheel as Nick shut his door, and Melinda’s mouth went dry when he sauntered toward her. She didn’t fear him, or being alone with him. Maybe that made her a fool, but it was her susceptibility to his nearness she worried about more than anything. Her strong reaction to seeing him again didn’t bode well for dealing with him, or keeping her distance.
Straightening her backbone, she held her ground as he stopped in front of her and she breathed in his earthy scent. “You’ve come a long way for nothing, Detective. I’m not going back into protective custody, and I’m not testifying unless the traitor in your department is found.”
She gave him brownie points for not flinching when his eyes went to her scars, and herself a pat on the back for maintaining her composure when his enticing lips curled up at the corners.
“Not so far, Melinda. I own a ranch just outside of Mountain Bend where I’ve lived the last year. And it’s no longer my department.” He cocked his head, that small smile disappearing. “I know Captain Honeycutt told you I quit.”
He lived here? How could she be so unlucky? If she believed in kismet, she would think this chance meeting was meant to be, that a force beyond her comprehension or control had a hand in her choosing this area to hide out. But she didn’t believe in fate, so she put it down to plain bad luck.
“He told me a lot of things, like I could trust the cops to keep me safe.” Moving around him, she walked over to the rough wood plank attached to the side of the cabin and plunked down the fish. Reaching for the large knife sitting on top, she started cleaning and deboning, hoping he got the hint and went away.
He didn’t. Nick’s large, warm hand landed on her shoulder, and, even wearing a T-shirt, his grip brought back the comfort of his firm hold the last time they were this close.
“It wasn’t me, Melinda. You have to know that.”
“No, I don’t.” She brought the knife down with extra force, removing the bull trout’s head. He sighed, and his breath tickled the back of her neck, raising goose bumps along her arms.
“Will you at least put that down, turn around, and talk to me?”
It was the hint of exasperation in his tone that prompted her to do as he asked, pleased she could get to him on some level, the same as he with her.
“What is it you want from me, Nick? Like you said, you’re not in law enforcement anymore, and it’s no longer your case. So, why are you here, and, for that matter, how did you find me?” She’d thought she’d done a good job hiding her trail, but what were the odds she’d come across Nick while trying to keep Cortez from finding her?
Lifting his hat, he raked his fingers through his hair then put it back on and fisted his hands on his hips. She didn’t need to see under the lowered brim to know his dark-brown gaze remained pinned on her.
“To finish what I started eighteen months ago, ensure your safety.”
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