Page 4 of Wild Dreams

2

CHANCE

Tonight was our first book club meeting. I wasn't sure any of the guys were talking about it or calling it that. Any time we tried to meet at a bar or one of our houses, we inevitably talked about anything but the assigned book.

Marigold fed me book recommendations, and now she'd found us a place to meet where it was quiet.

I was off duty for once, and it felt strange to walk into the community building out of my uniform. I approached the children's desk, but Marigold wasn't in front of her computer screen where I'd usually spot her.

I searched the stacks until I found her kneeling next to a child. The mom stood nearby with a soft smile playing on her lips.

Marigold's hand traveled over the blue spines of a row of books. "These are the books you were looking for. This series is popular. Do you know which one you want?"

The boy began pulling one after the other out of the row and stacking them on the floor. "This one. This one. Oh, this one is good."

Marigold exchanged an amused look with the mother. Then she spotted me. She stood, pulling down her skirt that had ridden up from her position. I forced myself to keep my eyes on her face and not her legs.

Since when did I check out my sister's best friend? When I'd graduated, I saw Marigold occasionally on visits home from college.

I never understood why Marigold hung out with Scarlett. She seemed like a good girl, and Scarlett was the opposite. My parents thought she was a good influence on Scarlett.

When Marigold graduated from her master's program and moved home to fill the open position in the children's section, I was a deputy. I'd made my vow not to date women in Telluride. It would be too complicated since my plan was to run for sheriff. I kept any relationships to flings with tourists or women who lived in the next town over.

"Did you need something?" Marigold asked me.

"I didn't mean to interrupt." I nodded toward the boy and his mother.

"Thank you," the mother said to Marigold.

"Happy to help." Marigold moved to stand in front of me.

"You reserved a meeting room for us, but I wasn't sure which one." That wasn't exactly true. I remembered it was on the third floor, but I wanted Marigold to show it to me.

"I'll get the key."

I followed her to the circulation desk. I was used to making small talk. I shouldn't have felt off-kilter speaking to Marigold. I'd known her since she was in grade school. "Has it been a busy day?"

"It usually is in the morning, then again after school lets out for the day." Marigold bent down to get something under the desk, and her cardigan gaped open slightly, giving me a peek at the very edge of lace bra. I forced myself to look away.

"Just follow me," Marigold said as she straightened, heading toward the staircase. I was behind her, my gaze drifting lower to the view of her ass in that pencil skirt.

On the third floor, she opened the door. "You'll like this room. It's nice and private."

There were floor-to-ceiling windows on this level with views of the town and the mountain range in the distance.

Marigold clicked on the overhead lights, then turned on the gas fireplace. There were several leather, overstuffed chairs and end tables. "You can bring food and drink if you'd like to in the future. Just clean up before you leave."

"I can do that."

"Who all is coming?" Marigold stood next to the fireplace, her hands smoothing her skirt.

Was she nervous to be alone with me? "The Wilde brothers and me. We tried to convince Dax to give it a shot, but he's busy at work."

"I'm actually surprised the rest of you are serious about a book club. I don't think we've had a request like this from a younger group of men."

I winked at her. "Are you stereotyping people?"

Marigold flushed. "I didn't mean to."

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