Page 20 of Sheltered by the Lawman

This wasn’t like him. Not at all. Was he aging and losing his mind? Lack of sex was making him susceptible? He’d never had blurred lines between right and wrong, but if this was so wrong, then why did it seem as right as the sun coming up in the morning?

He couldn’t have her. He couldn’t allow his heart to get mixed up in the equation. She had a history, and future, that had no place for a lawman. She was paid to love which probably meant she had no emotions. Wasn’t he accused of having no emotion on more than one occasion?

His phone vibrated from his pocket again.

Pulling it out he read the screen. “How about a movie at my place? M.”

He gulped down air. It was Melissa and ‘movie’ was metaphor for sex. An image of the voluptuous blonde filled his mind just to be pushed away by the visual loveliness ten feet from him—Monica’s wide hips swaying like a pendulum as she continued to mop the floor. That one particular spot had to be clean by now, but he didn’t mind. He enjoyed the view.

Dropping his phone back into his pocket, he crossed his arms over his chest and widened his stance, demanding that his body take a chill because if he wanted sex, he’d have to visit Melissa as he’d done several months ago. It looked like he’d have to go another several months without holding a woman. He chalked up his overactive libido to that simple fact, he hadn’t been laid in too long. Three months equaled three years when it came to his Cade libido. He couldn’t count the number of times he’d yanked his own dick to ease the tension and self-pleasure certainly wasn’t a substitution for making love. Why didn’t he just turn around and walk, no run, to Melissa. After all, she was offering herself up like a delicious buffet and he knew he’d enjoy himself. He always did. So then why wasn’t he moving? His feet were plastered to the floor. If he wasn’t careful Melissa would stop offering since he’d turned her down the last three times. It wasn’t everyday a man found a woman that agreed to his terms—no strings and no bling. Finding someone in a small town who wasn’t looking for forever was a difficult task.

Everyone in Wyoming knew the Cade family. Women tended to enjoy their company, that was until his brothers all got hitched and were eyeball deep in pleasing their wives. He was the lone single Cade brother and he was determined to stay free and easy. However, that didn’t solve his itty-bitty—or rather large—problem of the moment. He looked down at his stretched zipper and sighed. He was misbehaving badly.

It was time to stop staring.

“Monica?”

****

Monica realized cleaning was a very traditional thing and some people might think her ridiculous, but she enjoyed scrubbing, the smell of bleach and taking care of a home. She’d spent most of the day scouring an already nearly spotless home and found it to be relaxing, and energizing. Every scrub here and polish there took her mind off her troubles and boy did she have a lot to clean away.

She also found that she liked to cook.

Searching through a recipe box, she’d found one for lasagna and, although she doubted it would taste as good as Beatrice’s who was an award-winning cook, it did smell amazing as it baked in the oven. She also made a cookie pizza made with fresh fruit, even blueberries picked that morning from the patches. Preparing something delicious was the least she could do for the family who had been so kind to her.

Turning to reach the spot in the corner, she saw a shadow and she jumped. Lifting her chin, she met the beautiful gaze of the man who’d paid her dreams a naughty visit last night. Weakened by his presence, she took a staggered step back, dropped the mop as her foot slipped on a wet spot.

A squeal slipped from her clenched lips as she felt both feet sliding out from underneath her. Flailing her arms frantically, she waited to hit floor, but in the next instant, a pair of strong, comforting arms were holding her as she looked up into that mesmerizing gaze. Cull had saved her from falling and now had her tucked closely against his broad chest. He smiled and her world lit up from the inside out. She felt as if she’d been graced with a gift. Seconds ticked by and neither made a move to peel their bodies away from one another.

“Sorry, I think I dirtied up your nice clean floor,” he said in a husky voice that made her nipples tighten.

My goodness, the man had the nicest, sweetest smile she’d ever laid eyes upon. All she could focus on was the masculine curve of his mouth, plump lips and those dimples that she could bathe in. Her axis tilted slightly, and she wanted to follow that mysterious draw to those amazing lips knowing she’d find joy in kissing him. She heard a soft sigh and realized it had come from her.

But there would be no kissing going on in the Cade kitchen that afternoon and the only heat came from the oven. He mumbled a curse and set her down, but he wasn’t in any hurry to release his hands from her. Did he sense that her knees were weak? Could he hear the pounding of her heart? She stared up at him, stumbling for something to say that wouldn’t be “Kiss me” or “You have the most amazing eyes”.

Knowing that he expected her to say something, anything, she had a hard time moving past the brain fog. Time slowed down to a crawl as she lost herself—truly lost herself. He looked so handsome in a white, dusty Stetson, a T-shirt that was a tad dirty too, but looked soft enough to cuddle in. Moving down the length of his worn jeans with the fist-sized hole below the left pocket, she could see the line of his thick thighs. Lord, he was the dictionary definition for stud.

As she continued to stare dumbly, she imagined what it would be like to know him well enough to drag that shirt right off his body and play with his ripped and sculpted abs. Sure, she’d never seen him naked, but her X-ray thoughts told her she wouldn’t be disappointed in what she’d find. He reminded her of one of those heroes she used to read in comic books.

Whoa! I read comic books?

Working her bottom lip, she hoped more memories would float into her brain, but they didn’t come, as always.

Finally, she broke through the mindless bubble. “You saved me from hitting my head again.”

A chuckle rang from him and before she knew it, she was smiling too. How did he do that? Make her happy. Make her delightfully off kilter.

“What are you doing?” He finally removed his hands from her and she instantly felt a rush of cold.

“I-I was mopping,” she muttered. “You’ve seen a mop before I hope.”

“Yes, I know you were mopping. But why?”

“I’m helping your mother. It’s the least I could do. I find it to be very—”

“Dirty?”

“Relaxing. And I’ve made dinner. I know it’ll be nothing like your mother’s, but I did follow the recipe closely.”

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