Page 3 of Naughty by Nature

Finally, Alicia set the drinks on the counter in front of them and they moved toward the tables. Desperately, Cheyenne looked for something on the bigger side, but these were all cozy little spaces meant for single occupants with computers or tablets. The sheriff was a big man, and she was tall. They would be bumping constantly.

Finally, she settled at a table and turned a little sideways in her chair so that she could cross her legs to the side. It put her in the aisle a little, but it allowed him to have the legroom he needed. He dropped his cream colored hat with the sheriff’s badge to the tabletop beside them.

He took a swallow of the cold coffee and grimaced. Cheyenne had thought it was pretty sweet, but maybe not. “You have a sweet tooth, huh?”

He glanced up, a smile tugging up the corner of his mouth. Cheyenne had never realized what nice lips he had. They looked exceptionally soft.

She jerked her gaze back to his face, but he was looking at the coffee. He hadn’t seen her ogling him like the rest of the women in town did.

“Yeah, I’m partial to those frap things. They’re basically milk shakes.”

“I’ve never tried one. They sound good.”

“Olivia got me started on them. Seems like she’s hanging out in here every day after school.”

Ah, yes. Olivia Lane looked very much like her father, with thick, dark walnut colored hair and bright green hazel eyes. She was a beautiful girl and would be an even more beautiful young woman. It had been several years since Cheyenne had seen her because the girl had moved on to the high school. She had to be at least fifteen or sixteen now. “Is she driving yet?”

The sheriff grimaced. “Not yet, and you ought to hear the raft of grief I’m getting because of it. She still has to take her final test and I’m dragging my feet.” He gave her a sheepish look as he took a drink from the coffee. “The idea of her driving scares me to death, though.”

Cheyenne nodded. “Well, you know as well as I do that crashes are the number one killer of teens. That young couple died over in Carter County just a few months ago.”

He nodded and swiped a big hand through his thick hair. “I know. I was called in to help with the accident reconstruction. It was a little beyond the local constable’s training.”

That made her heart ache for him. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that.”

“Part of the job,” he murmured, looking down to stir his drink.

Yes, it was. As well as coming to the rescue of women.

Cheyenne shut that line of thinking off, then she allowed it to flow again. This moment in time needed to be positive. It was time they all moved on from the mess her life had been.

“I’m sorry I jumped out there,” she told him abruptly. “I was pretty relaxed in here and you startled me when you grabbed my arm. It wasn’t you, specifically, though. I just wanted you to know that.”

He narrowed his eyes in thought, before nodding. “I know that. I’m a little shocked you’re even talking to me right now, though. What’s changed?”

Cheyenne turned to look out the window. Cars drove by slowly, trucks mostly, hauling feed or wire. There were a few people walking, but not very many. What hadchanged?

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I’m just tired of not being normal, I guess. It’s been six years. No, seven now. And I’ve realized how ridiculous I was being, jumping every time I see you.”

Sheridan cocked his head at her. “You can’t always make things better just because you want to.”

There was a glint of humor in his eyes that really appealed to her. She’d missed seeing him and talking to him. They’d been friendly years ago. “I know. We might just have to be happy with this little step for a while.”

They both smiled and took a drink of their coffees.

“Well, when you’re ready for more let me know.”

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