Page 11 of Taken by the Lawman

Some of her concern must have shown in her expression because he shrugged and said, “Fine, but let’s at least agree to let the black cloud pass so that we can concentrate on solving the case.”

“You even saying that tells me you think it’s not possible for me to focus on the investigation,” she said a bit bitterly, but his words had caught her off guard.

He looked at her for a long beat, then turned back to stare at the road ahead. “Don’t take it personal but I’d like to think that every time we’re together you’d stop shooting me with invisible bullets.”

She laughed. “That’s not true. I think you’re imagining things.”

“Am I really?” was his simple response.

“We made a mistake and there’s no way I’ll allow any mistake to detour me from a case. If you had your feelings hurt…”

“My feelings aren’t hurt.” Deegan jerked the steering wheel and pulled over on the side of the highway. Cars buzzed by and all she could do was stare at him with curiosity.

“What are you doing? Let’s get back on the road,”’ she huffed.

“Not until you lose the attitude.”

“Me? I don’t have an attitude. Have you looked at yourself lately?” She snapped up a brow. He really was good looking. Dark hair and eyes that always stared at her as if he could see straight into her soul. The intensity made her want to take a cold shower.

“I don’t get it. You say that you want to forget that one night we shared, but then why can’t you get over it? Admit it, you still think about it,” he whispered.

And there was that same reaction. Her nipples tightened and her inner thighs quivered. How could he have such control over her body? She couldn’t remember ever being affected the same way by any other man, which angered her. Frustrated her. Interested her. “There’s that ego. You’re so full of yourself that you think that one night is something more than a blip in space. Rest assured, I don’t think about that night. If you think I’m awkward around you, it’s because I think you take too many risks and put other people’s lives in danger. So let’s not mix personal and professional, okay?”

He leaned in, so close that she caught his scent—sandalwood and leather—and could see a small white scar on his forehead. The brown freckle in his right eye. The thick, masculine curve of his bottom lip. Her breath caught in her lungs and her heart beat so fast and hard. Would he kiss her? Would he touch her? No, he couldn’t. They shouldn’t, but why did her stomach twist and turn? Why did she ache to be near him? Her eyes floated shut until she felt the strap of the seatbelt come around her body and she brought her eyes open at the same time he locked it into place. Her cheeks heated from embarrassment…and something far more dangerous.

One corner of his beautiful mouth danced with a smile. “Now that we have that worked out.” He sat up, shifted the truck into drive and weaved back onto the highway. “Safety first, that includes seatbelts. But again, you should know all about risks.”

Kiersten searched her brain for a snarky comeback, but her mind drew a blank so she stared through the window and concentrated on the scenery and not the sparks flying between them.

Two sticks of gum and an hour later, she was finally feeling the Deegan-effects calming some. If it was the last thing she did, she’d prove to him, and herself, that she didn’t want him…that much. She didn’t think he was the sexiest man that walked the earth or had incredibly strong hands and perfect lips. Or eyes that had the intensity of a laser. No…he was just a man with a badge who would be a lethal injection to her career.

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