Page 46 of Claimed by the Lawman

Chapter 14

“NOW CAN WE get in and talk?” Kace pointed at the passenger seat.

Her heart was beating so fast that it echoed in her ears. Her palms were sweaty and she had no clue why Kace was acting like a caveman. Could he really be this jealous?

Was she just hoping?

“Kace—”

“Get inside the truck, Sassy.” He smirked which sent a new frustration through her.

“Is that any way to ask?” She crossed her arms over her chest and stomped her toes.

“In case this should come as a surprise, I’m not exactly calm right now. So get in the truck or I’m going to have to pick you up and put you there.” His gaze was harsh and full of pent up emotion.

“Kace!”

“He touched you. I saw it with my very own eyes.” There was so much accusation to his voice as if they were married and she’d betrayed him.

Glancing back at the window of the restaurant, she saw that now people were staring again, and because she didn’t want to be the crux of rumors, she heaved a sigh and slid into the truck.

Kace slammed the door, came around to the driver’s side and slid in.

“He touched my hand and you act like you caught us in bed,” she said with a shaky voice. Why did she feel guilty? She had no reason to feel this way.

“You’re doing this to push my buttons,” he growled. His gaze was unwavering.

“What?” She twisted around to face him. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” She laughed, but it sounded weak to her ears.

“Really? You don’t think dating a man I work with might be a little too close for comfort?” He rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“You’re not being reasonable or fair. You’re acting like an insensible kid with a temper.”

“I might be unreasonable, I’ll admit to that, but maybe you should step out of the bubble and think about things.”

“There’s nothing between Jake and me. We were just having dinner.” Why did she cave? It wasn’t caving as much as just being honest. Although she was angry with Kace, she didn’t want him to think there was something going on with Jake. She didn’t want to make things awkward between the two men.

“I don’t think Payne got the memo,” he growled and her heart pounded in her chest.

“I was going to tell him until you barged in like the Titanic.”

“If you only understood how difficult this has all been.” He took his hat and laid it on his knee.

“How difficult what has been?” she asked, breathless. Would he admit that he still cared for her? Oh, how she wanted to hear it, and yet it scared her, real emotions outside of wanting sex. Once they voiced their emotions there would be no stopping the avalanche. When he didn’t answer, she sighed. “What are you talking about, Kace?” She could hear the fluctuation of tempo in her voice, matching the seesaw sensations in her body. Tyler wanted to push him, provoke him into explaining what was going on inside of him, but what if she was disappointed?

He turned his gaze to look at her. This was a new Kace. He looked like a man being held captive by his internal anarchy. “What it means is that I don’t want to like you. I shouldn’t want you, but every part of me wants you. I want to claim you. Make you mine. I’ve never been so damned out of whack, and that makes me hate you.”

She blinked, absorbing his words. “That made no sense. You can’t want me and hate me all at the same time. You’re sending the wrong message and it’s driving me batty.” She couldn’t think clearly. Couldn’t figure out if she wanted to cry or laugh, or both at the same time, which made her crazy. Her heart beat wildly in her chest.

“I forbid you to see Deputy Payne again!” His voice made chills race over her tingling skin.

“You forbid me? You can’t be serious. You’re out of your mind.”

“Yeah, that might be the case, but you should know that I can’t have you seeing someone right under my nose.”

With a smile, she shrugged. “Oh, and it’s okay that you’re seeing Sadie Mae? That you and her rut like rabbits and you smell like her stinky perfume for weeks. You can’t tell me who I see.”

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