Page 11 of Thirst in the Mountains

CHAPTERFOUR

Lucy

“Iknow it sounds crazy,” I say with my voice all wobbly, “but I swear, Cutterchoseme. He hated it there. They made him be mean but he has such a good heart. He’s a total sweetie. He didn’t deserve all that.”

I hope I’m winning this man over, but I have no idea. He’s just staring at me with those intense dark eyes. I’m not sure if he wants to throw me in jail, throw me out the door, or throw me over this desk and ravage me. His face is unreadable. Hisverygorgeous,verysexy unreadable face.

My pulse is racing as I desperately try to make this hot police officer see why stealing a dog was theonlyrational choice.

“He was cold and shaking all the time,” I say with my voice getting all high-pitched and crackly. “Theyneverlet him inside, even through the winter! And you should see how much he loves to curl up on the couch and cuddle. His cuddling game is legendary.”

Those sexy lips curl up into a half-smile. It gives me an ounce of courage to keep going. Maybe I can win him over. Maybe I can get some sort of protection here.

“Any kind, reasonable person would have done the same,” I say, squeezing my hands in and out of fists all nervous and guilty-like. “I didn’t even really steal him if you think about it.”

His eyebrow raises as he looks at me skeptically. That look on him is really freakinghot.

“Not technically,” I quickly add. “I just… opened the car door and he jumped right in. It was his choice really. I was just an innocent bystander.”

“Who cut the fence and drove the getaway car…”

I swallow hard but he’s grinning. I might have won Mr. Hot Cop over for the moment.

This man is incredibly intimidating. I must have caught him mid-workout. That would explain all the manly grunts and clanging weights coming from the room in the back. Plus, he’s wearing a tank top that his giant arms are busting out of instead of a police uniform. His biceps and shoulders are covered in sexy ink and the tattoo on his left side continues up to his thick, muscular neck. I have to keep telling myself to stop staring at this man in awe. I keep getting lost in his breathtaking eyes.

I love his size. He’smassive. I bet I don’t even come up to his big bearded chin.

And that beard—don’t even get me started. Full and neatly trimmed, like he could chop wood all morning and then take your grandma to church right after.

This man is a mountain of muscle and male authority all wrapped up in slow, deliberate movements and a stare that makes it very hard to breathe properly.

I bet his girlfriend doesn’t have to worry about goons following her around. Someone like him would twist Angelo into a pretzel for even daring to look at his girl. Man, that girl is one lucky chick. I hope she knows it.

“Okay, maybe I did steal him,” I say, finishing quietly as I look down at the ground. “But I just couldn’t leave him in that horrible place. They treated him like trash and he deserves so much better. I don’t regret a thing.”

I swallow hard as I look up. This man’s eyes sexy brown eyes are locked on me. I bet those eyes could intimidate the hardest criminals into giving full confessions. Even now, I would tell him my deepest darkest secrets if he’d only ask.

His eyes soften as mine water. He’s intimidating with all that thick tattooed muscle, but there’s a warmness to him as well. I feel that warmth wrapping around me as he watches me like I’m the only thing in the world worth paying attention to. It gives me goosebumps.

“You did the right thing,” he says in a low, deep voice.

I’m so relieved to hear him say that, I nearly leap over the desk into his arms. I just neededsomeoneto tell me that I did the right thing. I know in my heart it was the right thing to do, but his validation still means the world to me.

“Where is he now?” he asks. “I’m Emmanuel by the way. Emmanuel Rush.”

Emmanuel. Not Officer Rush, but Emmanuel. That has to be a good sign…

“Lucy,” I say, touching the top of my chest. “And Cutter is at my neighbor’s house right now.” I pull my phone out of my back pocket. “Want to see a picture?”

We close the distance between us as I show him my phone, cycling through some photos with my thumb. I’mveryaware of how close we are. Of his masculine scent. Of the warmth of his body.

God, I wish I wore something a little cuter rather than this big, faded old hoodie. How was I supposed to know the hottest police officer in the country would be working the morning shift?

“He looks like the happiest dog I’ve ever seen,” he says as I cycle through photos of the two of us enjoying the lake and the Montana mountains.

“Oops,” I say when one pops up of me and Cutter in bed. He’s snuggled under my arm, and I’m grinning with no makeup on, my hair a mess. I swipe past it quickly, but he notices.

“Wait—go back,” he says, grabbing my wrist.

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