Page 10 of Wanted by the Lawman

CHAPTER 4

PICKING UP THE dog bones, he tucked the box under his arm and headed down the aisle toward the shelf of cookies. Although he’d just eaten enough food to keep a small dog alive for ten years, he’d be hungry later. Rounding the end of the aisle, he reached out to grab the tin of chocolate chips and instead he caught something much sweeter in his grip. A soft, slender hand with short, pale-pink nails. He followed the delicate line of wrist, arm, shoulder to the woman whose eyes were wildly lit. He pushed back the brim of his hat as he moved his eyes over her beautiful chestnut waves framing her flushed cheeks, dazzling dark eyes surrounded by a fringe of thick eyelashes. Zander had a feeling her smile would be just as dazzling, but the downward turned corners of her lips told him he wouldn’t find out.

“Excuse me.” She jerked her hand back as if she finally realized he was holding it.

“No problem,” he said with a chuckle and dragged his Stetson back down his forehead.

She heaved a nervous sigh which automatically drew his gaze to where her breasts pressed against the front of the thin white shirt. She had his full attention, even before he noticed the outline of her erect nipples. Although probably from the cold, he’d like to think maybe her body was responding to his touch because he felt a stirring under his buckle. Her gasp made him bring his eyes back to her face where she tucked a wandering tendril of hair behind her ear bedazzled with a tiny, diamond stud. Speaking of jewelry…he lowered his gaze to her left hand. She wasn’t wearing a wedding band and he wasn’t sure why that made him so happy. Chances were, she was just passing through, although they didn’t get many passersby this far from the highway. In fact, most people didn’t even come through Crooked Creek unless they had business in the three-stoplight town.

Well, he shouldn’t get excited because her glare could cut him in half. Smudged-mascara-ringed dark eyes met his and his chest tightened. There was a fluttering there too that didn’t belong.

“Looks like this is the last box,” she said in a soft voice.

“No, there are a few.” He couldn’t drag his eyes away from her. Her lashes were so long they reminded him of a butterfly’s wings.

“You’re mistaken. This is the only mint chocolate chip box left.”

Damn, she was right, and those were his favorites. “Hey, Cat, do you have any more of these mint chocolate chip cookies left?” he asked the cashier.

“No,” she half-heartedly responded. She seemed more interested in the screen of her phone.

“Should we toss a coin to see who wins?” he asked.

“Maybe you’d like to try one of the other varieties?”

“But a man knows what he likes.” Damn! Did I just say those words? He was a bit rusty on flattering the opposite sex.

Her frown deepened. “You can have them.” She dropped her hand to her side.

“I can’t do that. By all means, they’re yours,” Zander said with a smile. It’d been a long time since he’d outwardly flirted.

She blinked and a tilt of her chin showed off the milky pale line of her slender neck, but the shifting of the semi-filled basket in the crook of her arm tore his gaze away from the silken skin. She brazenly raked him with those gorgeous eyes. “No, thank you. Your hand was closer. Fair is fair.”

Although any other time, he’d grab the box and hit the road, feeling satisfied knowing he’d be eating delicious cookies later, but he felt more irritated in how this beautiful woman looked at him like he was the plague staring her in the face. He was known to rub people the wrong way at times, but usually that came after he had a chance to open his mouth, or at the mention of politics. Not sure why her attitude bothered him, or why he cared, but he did. He never cared what people thought of him before, but the brown-eyed angel rolling her eyes felt more like a slap across the face. He and his brothers never had any problems getting women, so had Zander lost his touch? Lost his charm? Hell, he could use a shave, but he had showered.

She nibbled her bottom lip.

And his jeans got a little tighter.

Fuck, was he this desperate?

Feeling an itch to push that misbehaving tendril of hair off her cheek, he instead tucked his hand into his front pocket, feeling like a teenager standing before a crush. “I insist. The cookies are yours.”

She still worked her bottom lip and he wasn’t sure whether it was appreciation or irritation. “I’ll settle for these.” She chose another box of peanut butter and chocolate chip and dropped them into her basket, brushing past him, leaving a scent of sexy behind her.

Clearing his throat, he adjusted his hat on his forehead and followed her down the aisle, trying his best not to notice the hypnotizing sway of healthy hips. He liked a woman that had curves and she fit the bill perfectly. “Are you new around here?” He had no resistance. Zander allowed his gaze to journey down her slender back, to her small waist and the flare of amazing hips. The pockets of her jeans fit her bottom like denim gloves.

“If I say that I am, then what?” She stopped to scan the shelf of bread.

“Maybe I’d offer to show you around. I haven’t lived here long myself, so we could explore together.” She brought her gaze around on him and he swallowed against the tightness in his throat. Did he say something wrong? Something he couldn’t decipher lit in her remarkable eyes. Interest? Anger? Irritation? Man-hater? All the above?

“What sort of man approaches a strange woman in the cookie aisle and assumes she’s looking for a date? Well, I’m not,” she said and spun back on her heels, sashaying her way to the checkout.

For his own good, he stayed back and waited for Miss Huff to buy her items and push through the glass exit door before he stepped up to the counter, placing his items out, including the cookies.

After Cat rang up his items, he handed her a fifty and she opened the till. Reaching for another bill, she held it up to the light and her face paled. “Ah, shit!” The young woman darted from out behind the counter and ran for the door. “Shit! Shit! Where the hell did she go?”

“Who?”

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