Page 16 of Taken by the Lawman

“I’m always positive.” She winked.

He laughed. “If you say so.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but the screeching of the microphone interrupted her.

“Who’s ready for some karaoke?” the portly announcer wearing a bright Hawaiian shirt and baggy beige slacks asked from the stage. The crowd hooted and shouted. Several sitting at the bar whistled.

Wow. Kiersten had no idea karaoke was this popular.

“So, this is the highlight in Folklore,” Kiersten whispered to Deegan.

“Didn’t you grow up in a small town? You should know that karaoke is always a hit at honky tonks.”

“So are mechanical bulls but I don’t see one here.” She smiled. “Do you sing?”

“If I’m smashed.” He laughed.

“When was the last time?”

“Being smashed or singing? Doesn’t matter. It’s the same answer. Never.”

“Well, considering I did grow up in a small town, I learned nothing goes better with karaoke than something strong.” She waved to the bartender and ordered two shots of Tequilas. She was breaking all kinds of rules since she’d met Deegan Bronx, but if she was going to make it through the night without making a fool of herself with him, then she needed something to ease the ridiculous tension in her body.

*

Her silken hair hung in waves around her glowing face. Deegan loved how he could see the twinkle in her eyes from where he sat at the bar. The overhead twinkling lights seemed to catch the brightness like diamonds from where she stood on stage, gripping the microphone as she sang a popular hit from the eighties. Her smile was wide and fascinating which only drew him in deeper. She’d drank too much and when she said she wanted to sing, he decided it was best she work it off.

The song picked up in beat and she started to gyrate her hips, which rewarded her with whistles and cat-calls from the men in the bar.

Deegan smiled, loving how this was a new side to her. She connected with the crowd, luring them in, just like she did to him.

He really didn’t know anything about her…nothing that he hadn’t heard through the grapevine at the bureau. She grew up on a ranch in a small town with five brothers who were known all over Wyoming for their skills in law enforcement.

Her singing voice wasn’t too bad. She tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and she met his gaze across the short distance. He gave her a thumbs up. She wagged her brows and stepped to the other side of the stage. The crowd responded with claps and whistles. He could understand how they melted under her attention because even when she was looking at him with daggers in her eyes, he still wanted to drag her into his arms and hold her…among numerous things.

Her eyes were remarkably blue and they sparkled from within when she was excited or passionate about a subject. He glided his eyes lower over her plaid shirt that was tied at the waist, exposing a sliver of flat stomach. The waist of the jeans settled low on her hips. She was slender, athletic, and he knew she took great pride in being in shape. She jogged every morning. She also kickboxed. He knew this because he’d been at the gym a few times and saw her working with a trainer. Her arms and legs were toned and she was strong which made her a good lover. She’d ridden him like a cowgirl, giving as much as taking, and he found he’d appreciated her lack of modesty when it came to sex. Some of the girls he’d dated in the past treated intimacy like a delicate matter that should be done modestly and silently. But Kiersten was the complete opposite. She’d been uninhibited, and he’d enjoyed taming her with a handful of orgasms that left her satiated and exhausted.

He felt himself growing hard and he shifted on the stool. Since he’d met her, he’d been a walking hard on.

Now she moved to the opposite side of the stage and worked that side of the room. Again, applause lifted the roof. He laughed. It was more than her looks that enticed him. She wasn’t a girly-girl, and yet she was feminine, a great balance of femininity and strength. He’d be happy having her watch his back any day. He’d witnessed her take down a few burly criminals without blinking an eye. She’d earned the nickname barracuda in the office, coming from a couple of guys who were threatened by her resilience and skill. She was fair and treated her subordinates that way, never asking any of them to do anything she wouldn’t do or hasn’t done.

Kiersten was also loyal to her career, and he’d guess she gave the same determination, compassion and loyalty to her family and friends. He found she didn’t have any problem calling things exactly as she found them, even against the bosses. He’d heard she’d gone toe to toe with a few of them when it came to cases.

The finale of the song came and she handled the high note like a champ, then left the stage with more cheering. When she swept up to the bar like a pleasant warm breeze, she looked at him, laughing. “I’d forgotten how much fun that can be. You should try.”

“I’m having a blast watching.” And that was the truth.

The bartender stepped over. “Can I get you anything?” He was a tall brute of a man with a pockmarked face and skull cap who didn’t bother hiding his appreciation for Kiersten.

Deegan wasn’t sure why that twisted his stomach. Did he think he was the only man who found her attractive? Beautiful. Amazing. Sexy.

“I’ll take a tequila on the rocks with a slice of lemon, please.” She slid onto the stool, lifted her hair off her shoulders and fanned herself. “It’s hot up there.”

“Yes, it was,” he agreed. She met his gaze for a mere second, but in that short time something passed between them, an erotic pull. The chemistry was obvious, and they’d been fighting the draw.

Once she had her drink, she took a long sip. Her cheeks glowed pink and her eyes dazzled. What he wouldn’t give to lean forward and kiss those plush, sweet lips that were made for a man’s kiss…his kiss.

Deegan felt a nudge on his shoulder and he looked up to a doe-eyed cowboy who had his sights on Kiersten. He pushed back the rim of his Stetson and smiled like he’d used it a time or two to catch a woman’s interest. “Hi there. I hope I’m not interrupting.” He didn’t even bother to look Deegan’s way.

---