Page 12 of Falling for the Sheriff

“Okay, I’m sorry. So the sheriff kissed you? I don’t see how that’s a bad thing. You said he was sexy.”

I flop down onto my couch. “He is sexy.”

“Then, was he a bad kisser?”

“He’s a freaking amazing kisser, Red.”

“What’s. The. Problem. Then?” she nearly yells.

“He’s my boss! I work with him. I can’t be kissing my boss! Before, it was just a little crush. I could ignore it and wait for it to fade away. But instead, I listened to you and tried to become his friend. Well, a lot of good it did me because he kissed me! And it was amazing, Red. His hands tangled in my hair, they roamed my body, and then he let out this growl as he picked me up against him and set me on the hood of my car. He stood between my legs and kissed the life out of me. It was easily the best kiss of my life. But it’s also bad because he’s my boss!”

“Okay, calm down. Just breathe.”

And I do.

“We talked about this, remember? He’s not always going to be your boss. Right now, just consider this as laying the groundwork. You’re friends now, so you know you’ll get along. You’ve kissed, and you found out you have amazing chemistry. So now, just hang back and wait. When you’re no longer working there, ask him out. Then you’ll be free to do as you please. Just be patient, Nina.”

I snort.

“I know patience isn’t your strong suit, but hang in there. Just think, if you can just be patient, you can have everything you’ve ever wanted.”

I sigh. I know she’s right, but damn it. I don’t want to wait. I’m pretty sure if he would’ve tried screwing me right there, I probably would have let him. It’s been years since I’ve had sex—well, since I moved to this town, and I’ve lived here for two years. It’s been way too long since I’ve been with any man, but he’s nothing like the men I’ve been with in the past.

I’ve always been the shy girl—the extroverted introvert, which meant the sexy guys didn’t want anything to do with me unless they needed tutoring. But Bryce? Hot damn, is he sexy! His tall body hovering over mine makes my knees shake. His muscles rippling has me ready to drop my panties and throw them at him. In my mind, I picture them landing on the top of his head.

I feel too amped up to go to sleep. I need answers. I mean, what was that kiss? Did he mean to kiss me like that, or had he just had a little too much to drink? Does he like me? Does he want to start something up? If he wants to, would I go through with it, even though I know it’s wrong? I need answers.

I stand up and grab my keys, heading straight for the car. I drive down the mountain just a bit until I find the place that’s been on the market for months. His truck is in the drive, so I know this must be it. I park the car, turn it off, and head for the front door.

I knock loudly on the wooden screen door, but nobody answers. Maybe this is a mistake. Maybe I shouldn’t have come. But I have to know. I have to tell him it was a mistake, that it was wrong. That we both need to forget what happened. We can blame it on the drinks. I mean, I was in no way close to being drunk, but I can pretend if I have to.

I’m just turning to leave when I hear the door open behind me. I spin around to find Bryce right in front of me. He’s only wearing a towel around his narrow, toned waist, and there is water beading up and rolling over his defined pecs and six-pack. I find his eyes first, but then I can’t stop myself from taking in the whole package.

My mouth is suddenly dry, and I lick my lips, really wishing I was licking the water rolling across his abs right now. I step toward him with my mouth open to tell him all the reasons why what we did was wrong, but that’s not what happens. I don’t know how I got from standing in front of him to being pressed against him with my mouth on his, but that’s where I find myself.

I’m not sure if I jumped into his arms, but I have a leg on either side of his hips, and his hands are cupping my ass as he tuns and carries me into his house. He sits down on the couch with me on top of him as both our mouths move at lightning speed. It would be so easy right now to pull his little towel away and find exactly what I’ve been searching for.

His hands massage my ass and make their way up my back. His hands tangle into my hair, pulling gently. He pulls until our lips break apart and my head tips back, exposing my throat to him. His lips move from my lips to my jaw, over to my ear, and down my neck, with his teeth lightly brushing against my skin. My entire body breaks out in goosebumps, and I find my hips rocking against him.

The moment his dick comes to life and pushes against me, his hands squeeze tighter, almost like he’s egging me on. A moan slips past my lips when I get just the right amount of pressure where I need it. While his hands move over my hips and up my sides to my breasts, his mouth moves lower down my chest to where the collar of my shirt cuts him off. His hands work the shirt up my stomach, pushing until he has it up abovemy breasts. His mouth moves back to my skin, kissing, licking, and nipping at the swell of my breasts. His hands kneed them, switching from a light caress to a firm squeeze. He lets out another growl that makes my stomach tighten, but then he sighs and pulls away, leaning his head back against the couch as his eyes find mine.

I’m nearly panting, my chest rising and falling as I look down at him.

“Nina,” he starts, and I know exactly what he’s going to say. He’s going to say the same thing I came here to tell him.

I let out a long breath and shake my head. “You don’t have to say it, Bryce. It’s the same thing I had on the tip of my tongue when you answered the door.” I push my shirt back down and try to get off his lap, but his hands tighten, stopping me.

I look at him once again, embarrassment washing over me. I was supposed to push him away, but I didn’t, and now he’s turning me down. I know it’s for all the right reasons, but it doesn’t stop the hurt that’s flooding my body.

“It’s not that I don’t want to, Nina. I’m very much attracted to you. I think you can obviously tell. But it’s wrong. We work together. It isn’t ethical. And I just moved here. I swore to myself that I’d do everything right this time.” He shakes his head. “But this isn’t right. You know that.”

I nod as I feel the threat of tears. “I know, and that’s exactly what I came here to say. I’m sorry this happened. It wasn’t intended.” I push myself off his lap and head toward the door. “I didn’t come here for this, you know,” I say, pausing with my hand on the latch of the screen door.

“I know.”

Without another word, I push through the door and jog to my car. I climb behind the wheel and peel out of his drive as fast as I can, needing to get away before the tears fall. I know we can’t act on our feelings, but it doesn’t stop the embarrassment of beingrejected or make it go away. I know better. I should never have gone over there. I should have waited and talked to him about it at work. Then I would’ve been able to say what I needed to say without jumping on him the way I did. If I were in the office, I would’ve been able to control myself better.

I shouldn’t be blaming my lack of control on him, though. Sure, I had every intention of going there to tell him we can’t act on our feelings. But when I saw him nearly naked with water running over those hard muscles, I lost track of my thoughts. They all started blurring together, creating a tornado of yearning, need, passion, and desperation, plus the added excitement of taking something forbidden.

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