The Sheriff Read online

  “Weeks.”

  Must’ve been the change in schedule. Damn, if Julie had just kept the original appointment she’d be in the clear. This guy didn’t like an audience. He was most likely planning a way to finish his interrupted work...on Julie. Then again, any crazy with internet access could be targeting her right now. Luke glanced around. “How safe’s the neighborhood?”

  “I had an alarm installed after you left...”

  He’d noticed the keypad earlier. “I think it’s best if you stay with a friend for a while.”

  “I’ve already thought about that. I have someone coming over later to stay the night.”

  “Who?” He told himself the only reason he’d asked was to make sure it was someone who would have her back if the killer decided to strike. Not that Luke planned on being far away.

  “A friend.”

  He said a quick prayer it was a female. The thought of another man sleeping in his bed shot a lightning bolt of anger down his spine. “Does this friend have a name?”

  “Alice.”

  Relief he had no right to own washed over him. Alice hated him. But she was a helluva lot better than Herb, the dentist. “What time is she coming over?”

  “She works until...” Julie checked her watch. Her hand shook. “Actually, she should be getting off soon. I’ll give her a call.”

  Before he could debate his actions, he covered her hand with his. A current he refused to acknowledge pulsed up his arm. He didn’t want to offer to stay in a place that brought back so many painful memories. He couldn’t count how many times they’d made love on this very couch before he shipped off. Or how cold the leather was against his skin when he slept there every night after his return. “I doubt anything will happen tonight. He’ll want time to regroup. I’ll be right out front as precaution.”

  “All night?”

  “Yes. I have an officer stationed out back, too.” Luke was almost certain she wanted to poke his eyes out for ever having to look at him again. She still looked damn sexy. Her robe opened just enough for him to see she wore his old AC/DC T-shirt to bed. And since every muscle in his body screamed to reach out and touch her, he figured he’d better put a brick wall between them for safety’s sake.

  “With this cold front it’ll be twenty degrees after the sun goes down. I can’t let you do that. You’ll freeze to death.”

  “I’ll keep the heat on in my truck.”

  “It just seems silly for you to be out there when you could set up right here.”

  She must be awfully scared to make that offer. “I’m pretty certain I’m the last person you want to see. Let alone have sleeping under the same roof.”

  She folded her arms. He could’ve sworn he saw a flash of regret or sadness darken her features. “True.”

  He made a move to stand. Her hand on his arm stopped him. An electric volt shot through him, warming places it shouldn’t.

  “I thought if I ever saw you again, it would be for different reasons.” Her lip quivered, but she compressed her mouth. Damn, it was still sexy when she was being stubborn.

  “Yeah. Me, too. For the record, I don’t like this any more than you do.” Scratch that. He liked this situation boatloads less than anyone possibly could, even her. He’d be lying if he didn’t admit to fantasizing about meeting up with her again once he got his head screwed on straight. This scenario had never once entered his imagination.

  “Luke.”

  “Yeah.”

  “You look...better. I hope you don’t mind me saying so.”

  He smiled and meant it. For some reason those words mattered to him.

  “And you seem different now,” she said. A melancholy note laced her tone.

  The anger was gone from her voice completely now, but the sadness was far worse. Anger he could handle, fight head-to-head. He understood anger. Her sounding broken was a sucker punch to his solar plexus.

  Her world had been turned upside down. She was reaching for comfort. He was still the same man she’d wanted to gut a few minutes ago. “Everyone changes a little, right?”

  “Nope. Not everyone.”

  Was she referring to herself or Herb?

  Reminders that he had no right to care didn’t hold weight. He stood and walked to the door. “I’ll check in with the officer stationed out back before I take my post.”

  Copyright © 2015 by Barb Han

  ISBN-13: 9781460344941

  The Sheriff

  Copyright © 2015 by Angela Platt

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