Page 16 of Control Line

Barney felt like shit. Cap was right, as he usually was. Finally, he changed from his superior to his friend. “Just think for a minute, Barnes. Your life was dismantled and look at what it’s done to you. Would you honestly be willing to do that to someone else? I’m not saying let anything go, just think before you go burning down someone else’s life.”

Barney didn’t bother answering. He knew what he wanted to do and what he would do when finally faced with the opportunity might be two different things.

Cap slipped back into authority mode. “Now, let’s get this show on the road. Half the community is here ready to eat and work.”

He walked toward the makeshift podium set up for the event and addressed the crowd, assigning areas to groups as Emerson and Zee passed out maps to the group leaders.

How had he missed her appearance? He allowed his eyes to feast on her. Damn, she was beautiful. Her fiery red hair was cut short, which wasn’t something he typically found attractive, but suited her perfectly. She was sporting a camo baseball cap, a black and white baseball tee, and olive drab green knee-length cargo shorts.

Her tan legs made his mouth water. Barney had to shake his head to dislodge his wayward thoughts. Even her hiking boots and thick socks seemed sexier on her than a pair of spiked heels.

“Today is going to be a long one,” Barney spoke to himself, not expecting an answer.

“Why is that? Because you hate manning the food table or because you’re preoccupied with your new neighbor?” Leave it to Grant Malone to just get to the heart of the matter.

“Both.”

Grant and Barney each watched the teams take off on their missions while some folks stayed behind, ready to serve up chow and enjoy the band. The annual clean-up day always turned into an event. It’d started years ago to ready the area for campers and reduce the risk of fire. Now it was simply an excuse to have a mini festival.

“If I don’t give you a friendly warning, Emerson will have my ass. Be careful with Zee. She’s in a vulnerable state and the town needs her here. Ruck Up is going to add so much to our hidden gem. Not to mention, the Malones have already claimed her via Emerson, so mess with her and—”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Mess with her and suffer the full force of the Malones. You guys I can handle, but Miss Betsy scares the hell out of me.”

They shared a laugh. Barney occupied himself rearranging the dishes along the long tables and stirring the chili fifty times. It was driving him insane being left behind, but this was part of Yogi Patrol. It wasn’t being left behind that bothered him so much as Zee out there with all the single cops and firemen. He knew his buddies and she was a beautiful single woman.

He imagined how much interference he’d have to run when the object of his thoughts emerged from the trail with the rookie cop and a wet-behind-the-ears firefighter at her side.Figures. They were laughing, and he realized how much her entire body changed when she was amused.

She was breathtaking when she let go and was just in the moment. But he wanted her to share that with him, not the two yahoos with her.

“Hey, Zee, doll. Give me a hand and grab the extra paper towels from my place? You know where I keep them.” If that wasn’t lame enough, he freaking winked at her.Winked.

“Sure. I gotta go check on Norman, anyway. Be back in two shakes.” She bounced up the stairs like a giddy schoolgirl, and Barney was a cunt’s hair from losing his shit. Why, he didn’t know, but he couldn’t stand seeing her with those assholes.

Jefferson, at least he thought that was the rookie cop’s name, and Gambler approached him, bowls in hand. It was so tempting to miss the bowls and give them second-degree burns down their dicks. The thought made him smile. Instead, Barney angrily ladled chili with a feral smile when they asked about Zee. Seems they both thought they might have a shot.Fuck that.

“I think the lady is out of your league, rooks.”

Jefferson,again, was that even his name, had a set of steel balls, Barney would give him that. Stupid as shit, but brave. “Not a chance. She likes me. I can tell.”

A growl cut off whatever he was going to add to his asinine statement. Shit, the growl came from him.

“Barney, are you going to hike your leg and pee on her next? Geez, she didn’t say you two were an item. She was acting like a free agent. I think you are mistaken about—”

All thought fled and Barney was around the table in two point five seconds. It wasn’t lost on him he was confirming every syllable they were saying. His fist was curled, and he was about to hear the satisfying crunch of a nose breaking when Chief Malone stepped in between them.

Greg Malone was retired, but everyone still called him Chief no matter how much he protested. “Why don’t you two go check out the pie down that way? I hear they have the best chocolate cream pie in the state over there.”

When the two douche bags stepped away, Chief turned his way. “Son, what’s got you so wound up?”

“Nothing,” Barney pouted and went back to his station behind the chili pot.

“Nothing, huh? When grown men act like boys, that nothing is a woman.” The elder Malone leaned to the left to look around Barney to his door. Barney followed his gaze and saw Zee emerge from his place with paper towels in hand and Norman on her shoulder.

She smiled when she placed the roll on the table and bounced around to greet the older man. Maybe she did like Gambler or whatshisname. She damn sure didn’t bounce like that for him. He wanted to have that effect on her, damn it.

“Mr. Malone! Hi again.” She launched herself at him and he didn’t shrink back, even at the sight of Norman.

“Again?” Barney thought other than Emerson, he was the first to meet her. Now he felt jealous of an old man. He needed to get a grip.

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