Page 97 of Charlotte's Reckoning
The washcloth wouldn’t cover enough, including her suddenly hard nipples. She bent her knees and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’d like to get out,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Don’t let me stop you.” His gaze didn’t waver, and he didn’t move a muscle to leave.
A flush spread across her cheeks. From anger at the sheer nerve of the man, and, to her dismay, the attraction that arced between them whenever they met. Seth’s presence in her home, the way he looked at her, and the way he spoke to her were both infuriating and exhilarating.
He took a step closer, and the breath caught in her throat. She expected him to kneel beside the tub and touch her, perhaps kiss her, but when he bent, it was only to lay her full-sized towel over the rim of the tub.
His boots scuffed on the bare floor as he crossed the room and was gone the next moment.
She stared at the closed door, relieved, but even more so, disappointed.
Charlotte left the tub and hastily dried off. She slipped her arms into her robe, tying it as she rushed into the main room, eager to lock her outside door and somehow reinforce it. She skidded to a halt, seeing the sheriff hadn’t left but stood with the door open, hammer and nails in hand—her hammer, so she assumed her nails, too.
“What are you doing?”
“Fixing your lock,” he replied without looking up.
“That, uh, isn’t necessary,” she said, pulling the robe, which was clinging to her damp skin, closer around her.
“I disagree,” he drawled. “Anyone with a knife can enter as easily as I did. I’ve reinforced this metal latch. It might slow them down, but it won’t keep anyone out if they’re determined to get inside.” His head swiveled toward her when he asked, “You have a gun to protect yourself, don’t you?”
She glanced at the shotgun leaning up against the corner, a good six feet from the door. “Always keep it within arm’s reach,” he advised. “It should have been in the bedroom with you, not out here where it was of no use.”
He hammered noisily for the next few minutes then announced, “That should do it until you get a decent lock.” He frowned at the door. “I could probably put my boot through this wood. It’s rotted.”
“I’ll add it to my repair list,” Charlotte said with a sigh.
“I’m going outside to test it.” Seth exited, pulling the door shut behind him. The latch wiggled and held when he tried it from the outside. He knocked again.
This time, she rushed to open it. “You fixed it!”
“Temporarily,” he reminded her. “The whole thing needs replacing.”
“That’s what George said. He’s due back,” she explained, “but it rained today.”
What a silly remark, Charlotte! As if he doesn’t know. It was still coming down, his hat, hair, and duster still damp from it. She shifted awkwardly in the doorway, wanting him to leave as badly as she wanted him to stay.
“Uh…thank you…Sheriff,” she mumbled, her voice barely a whisper above the chirping of crickets nearby. “This is going beyond the call of duty.”
“I’m off duty. This is a man showing concern for a woman on her own,” he told her, the rich texture of his voice and the captivating blue of his gaze sparking a dormant longing deep within her.
Only inches separated them, a silent tension crackling in the air between them. She shifted uncomfortably, the memory of his eyes on her naked form in the tub, and her instinctive reaction fresh in her mind. The thin, clingy robe did little to hide it.
“Do you know how beautiful you are?” he asked, as his gaze swept slowly over her, from her damp hair to her bare feet.
Men had done that countless times a day for over a decade. Even though her body hadn’t been for sale for a long time, it usually made her feel dirty, or cheap, like a sweet in a bakery case that could be had for a pittance. With Seth, it was different. She could see the hunger, yes, but there was more than desire simmering in his eyes.
The air between them thick with unspoken longing, their bodies drew toward one another, as if a powerful magnet had taken hold. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her in until they pressed together from chest to knee. She could feel the heat radiating off him and the strong, steady beat of his heart.
Locked in a potent attraction, his head dipped to hers. She welcomed the first brush of his lips on hers and eagerly responded, opening when his tongue sought entry.
His fingers sank into her, and she mirrored his action, reveling in the soft thickness. She felt his hardness rise against her, a pleasant pressure that made her heart flutter. Anticipation of Seth’s intimate touch and the warmth of his naked body pressed to her, filling her, replaced the typical dread.
A gasp of delight escaped her as his lips traced a path down her neck. Had she ever felt such a consuming, all-encompassing passion for any man before?
But reality came crashing down when the point of the star pinned to his shirt pricked her breast, abruptly reminding her of his position and her lowly place in society. Something else raced through her mind—haunting words.
It seems you’ve got the kiss of death all over you, Red.
