Page 7 of Claimed by the Lawman

“Who said?”

“You’re not a criminal…yet. Now get your fanny out of there.”

She laid down on the cot and bounced around as if to find a comfy position, wincing when her tailbone hit a hard spot. “Not until we talk. Go grab a few winks because we both know how moody you get when you don’t get your beauty sleep. I’ll be right here waiting.”

He groaned. “I’m not fooling with you.”

“Now that’s a thought.” She smiled. “You haven’t “fooled” with me in a long time. That’s not what I’m asking for, Kace. I can’t rest easy until I know I’ve done all that I could. I’d think you above anyone could understand this. Remember when you used to say you’d never stop until every stone was turned?”

His misbehaving body came alert, but he wouldn’t allow his libido to win. “Fine, Tyler. Suit yourself, but trust me, I’ve slept on that cot a time or two and you’ll regret the accommodations when you wake up with a stiff neck. A girl like you doesn’t lay her head on anything less than five hundred thread count sheets. That rough cotton just ain’t for you.”

“Good try, but I’ve slept on a lot worse. Apparently, you’ve forgotten the nights we spent in the back of your truck. Did you hear me complain once? Not about the straw bed or the fact that you snored worse than a bear.” Her brow came up in accusation and when her tongue darted out to lick her bottom lip, his breath came out in a hiss.

Yeah, he remembered every single night she’d spent in his arms, and so did his body that reacted in a way that left him gritting his teeth. He hated that his body betrayed logic. This was her game. Suck him in and toss him out.

Wrong choice of words.

Before war broke out, and his zipper snapped, he turned and strolled back into his office, slamming the door behind him, glad he didn’t break the glass window.

Removing his gun for the second time, he laid it on the table and loosened the tail of his uniform shirt from the waist of his jeans. Plopping back down on the couch, he wanted at least a few hours before he had to face the past, but sleep was evasive. He tossed and turned, punching the arm of the couch as if that might help, but after attempting everything he knew, sleep was a lost cause. Several things worked against him. How could he ignore that just outside his door was a woman who’d turned him inside out years ago? Although he’d been with plenty of women since her, women far more skilled, none of them had come close to making him feel so alive. They’d both been inexperienced kids, caught up in the raw emotions of lust, thinking they loved one another. Hell, he’d given up on any thought of soul-mates and everlasting love. Now he preferred to follow his needs and leave his heart out of the equation.

Time had been good to Tyler. Still as beautiful as ever—hell, more beautiful. She could look at him, even when she was pissed, in a way that stroked every sensitive part of his body. He didn’t want her here in Bohannan—or Wyoming for that matter. This was no longer her home and the town wasn’t big enough for the two of them. When morning came he’d listen to what she had to say, but then he’d send her on her way, and hopefully she’d get back to whatever place she called home these days. She’d outgrown Bohannan and the lifestyle of a country girl. She’d realize that. Then he could get back to his way of life and seeing Sadie Mae on the rare occasion when he needed a release. The voluptuous blonde didn’t care that he wasn’t looking for a relationship and they were definitely on the same page when it came to matters of the bedroom. Maybe he’d give her a call tomorrow and take her out for a pizza and a beer that would most certainly end with a good time between the sheets Yeah, that sounded like a good Friday night.

However, as he closed his eyes, it wasn’t Sadie Mae that was tattooed on the back of his eyelids, but instead a saucy brunette that was holed up voluntarily in his jail cell, and brain.

~~**~~

Tyler stirred, rolling to her side and a sharp pain in her neck made her wince. Opening her eyes, she squinted against the bright light flowing in through the wall of windows from across the room. It took her a good ten seconds to remember where she was and what she’d done. She shifted and the springs of the cot squeaked loudly, making her temples throb.

“I thought that was you, Miss Tyler Posey.”

Lifting her head, she was met with the friendly smile of the grey-haired, sixty-something woman that wore large, black-framed glasses with thick lens that made her eyes three times larger. “Mildred? You still work here?”

“. Of course I do darlin’. I gave retiring some consideration when Mansfield got the boot, but the view is so much better around here these days, if you know what I mean. Kace Cade and vitamin B12 shots and I’m as spry as I was when I was thirty. ” Her cheeks flushed. “What in snail’s hell did you do to end up on the wrong side of those bars? Don’t tell me you were caught stealing fish from Old Man Evergreen’s pond again.”

Tyler blinked. “I wasn’t stealing the fish, Mildred. I was only following through with a bet.” Forcing her body to work, Tyler sat up, dropped her feet to the concrete floor and rubbed the sleep from her puffy eyes. She couldn’t complain because she’d stepped into this on her own free will and Kace had warned that she’d be hurting this morning.

“Anyone who knows Tyler knows you can’t call her a chicken. She’d jumped into a gator filled lake, or sleep in a jail cell, just to prove a point,” Kace said from the doorway of his office. Both women turned to watch him stroll into the room, monopolizing so much space with his strapping frame and self-confidence.

Tyler wished she didn’t feel a spark of excitement deep in her chest. He’d always been handsome, but Kace Cade had grown into a man. Standing at least six foot three and around two hundred pounds of solid, toned muscle, he filled out the tight uniform shirt and jeans like they’d been tailor made for him. Although he wore his white Stetson this morning, last night she saw that his coal black hair was now threaded with silver, but instead of looking older, he looked distinguished. Mature. Commanding. Striking. There were a few noticeable lines around his eyes and mouth, and a layer of whiskers on his strong jaw, but all in all, he looked healthy and fit—and insanely sexy. Had she expected anything less? After all, he was a Cade, and good looks and charm ran in their DNA as well as a powerful sex appeal unlike anything she’d ever seen in any other man she’d met. She was ashamed to admit that she’d involuntarily compared every man she’d met to Kace, and they never matched up.

The last she’d heard he was working as an undercover agent, so when she’d come back to Bohannan and learned he’d taken the position of Sheriff, she’d held out hope that he would take her seriously. He’d listen to the reasons why Susy wouldn’t take her own life.

Tyler watched him saunter to the outside of the cell door, a grim set to his mouth and jaw as he leaned one bicep against the bars. He tipped the brim of his hat and his brooding blue eyes warmed her blood. Even when he was upset he was still the best-looking man she’d ever seen.

“I’m confused. Did you say she’s in here to prove a point?” Mildred extended her thumb toward the cell door.

“You heard right, ma’am. It appears Miss Posey here thinks she can bully me into seeing her way on things.” He smirked and swiped his palm down his chin. The rasp of calluses meeting whiskers did amazing things to her inner thighs. Now she and Mildred both were flushing.

With a disgruntled sigh, she swore she wouldn’t let him ruffle her feathers. She had a goal and wouldn’t stray from it. Her sister deserved the truth. “This wouldn’t have happened if you’d returned my calls. I told you, I’m not going anywhere until you listen to what I have to say. If when I’m finished you still think my sister, without a doubt, hung herself, then I’ll walk away and never contact you again.”

His jaw worked. His eyes turned a shade darker. Kace never liked to be backed into a corner, but what choice did she have but to put him there?

“What if I decide to let you stay in there? It wouldn’t be any sweat off my brow.” He smirked. “What’s on the menu for inmates today, Mildred? Beans and franks?”

“That’ll be just fine with me, Kace.” Tyler shrugged haughtily. “I haven’t visited with Mildred in far too long anyway. I bet she’d be real interested in hearing all the juicy stories I have about her boss. After all, we’ve known each other for what? Twenty or so years? That’s a lot of back story.” Tyler smiled and rubbed her hands together. “Mildred, did you know that your brawny boss here is deathly scared of spiders? Once when we were in the back of his truck he jumped up, naked as—”

“Enough,” Kace growled.

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