Page 61 of Sheriff's City Girl

“Well, you ladies have a nice time studying,” I said, shaking my head at the two of them.

“You wanna sit out on the porch?” Mason asked me, grabbing a couple of beers out of the fridge. “I was thinking we’ll let those two have their time—and we can maybe have some time to ourselves.”

“Of course,” I nodded to him, but then hesitated. “Could I have water though? I’m parched today.”

“Yeah, sure,” he said, putting a beer back and grabbing a water bottle. I took it from him, following him out the back door. He took a seat on the wooden porch swing, and I did the same, breathing in the crisp evening air.

“She’s trying a little hard, isn’t she?” Mason said with a chuckle, looking over at me. “She just likes you a lot.”

“Jess is a good kid, and she’s sweet. I think she just wants you to be happy. I can tell it’s important to her.”

“Yeah, I just…” his voice trailed off as we met gazes. “I don’t want to rush things. I ain’t been in a real relationship in a long time.”

I felt like I was sitting on the edge of my seat, about to get the answers I needed about the future of our relationship. “So… What do you want?”

“Well, I think we’ll go as a couple to this gala.”

“As a fake couple?” I clarified, having the courage to correct him.

“Yeah… About that…” Mason rubbed the back of his neck, a flash of guilt on his face. “I didn’t feel like that was the time to really mention that I might want it to be a real couple. I saw the look on your face—and I don’t want to rush you.”

A slight smile tugged at my lips. “I get it, and I also get how busy you are. It’s hard to balance it all.”

He let out a heavy sigh. “You have no idea. It’s been so damn crazy lately, and now we’re looking for a cow.”

“Well, lots of cows,” I pointed out, leaning back in the swing.

“No—I mean, yeah, but here, I’ll just show you.” Mason dug his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through the pictures before stopping. “See, this cow.”

I took in the sight of a red colored cow with a strange white marking on her face. “Is there something special about this one?” I asked, not quite able to connect the dots.

“Well, not really—I mean, to Annie Calvin, this cow means a lot. She bottle fed it and I think she’s special to her. But honestly, it’s the only thing we have to go off of to find the dang missing cattle.”

“Annie Calvin…” I repeated the name, thinking of an eccentric older woman who dressed in the cutest little floral-patterned dresses. “She comes into the café sometimes. She’s a hoot.”

He made a face at me. “She’s a mess, is what she is. I think she’s the crankiest old woman I’ve ever met. I got a dose of being on her bad side, and I have to admit, I am not a fan.”

“Oh, I would hate to be on her bad side,” I laughed, my dark hair bouncing as I shook my head. “It’s people like her that make the town so special though.” I took another look at the cow, sympathy rolling over me. “I sure hope you can find her cow. Whoever is doing this is heinous in their own way. It’s almost like they’re trying to cripple the ranches around town—but the Calvins were such a low blow.”

“I know. There was no reason to take their cattle. The only thing they did was take away their income. Just really messed up.”

“Yeah,” I bobbed my head, letting out a sigh before taking a sip of my water. It didn’t hit quite the way the beer would’ve, but that was something I needed to start getting used to.

“But Emma,” he said, his voice careful. “You know what’s not messed up?”

“What’s that?” I asked, chuckling as I turned to meet his gaze.

“Whatever is going on between you and me,” Mason replied, reaching out and grabbing my hand. His blue eyes held mine, the tension rising between us as the lightning bugs flickered in the dark of the yard. Mason leaned in, planting a soft, sweet kiss on my lips.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Mason

“Shh,” Emma giggled as I buried my lips into the nape of her neck, sucking a bit of her skin into my mouth. The jasmine scent of her body was intoxicating, and my hands wandered her curves, taking in every inch of her.

I used my foot to press the door shut behind us. “They’ll never hear,” I murmured into her, turning the lock on the doorknob. “We just have to be quiet.”

“Mmm…” she moaned in a near whisper, tugging my face back to hers. I latched onto her kiss and tugged at her shirt, wanting nothing more than to get my hands on her bare breasts. However, her hand flew up, stopping me short. “Shirt on.”

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