Page 16 of Crazy for You (Loco, Texas 1)

His eyes followed her as she walked out of the old woman’s house, her stride lighter than it had been in the weeks he had been watching her. The moonlight trailed across her skin, her hair…

His hands clenched into tight fists as his fingers itched to touch her. Stepping out from the shadows, he followed behind her. In a few moments, she would be rounding the corner, and if he planned it just right…

He reached his car and went around to climb into the driver’s side. Moving along behind her, he started to slow down…

Chapter Six

Deep, twisty thoughts raced through Deana’s brain as she walked away from Miz Velma’s.

“Stop caring about what other people think and live your life.”

A simple enough philosophy. What did she want out of life? She had a house and a good job, but she would really love to fall hopelessly, head over heels for a fantastic guy with a stable job. Someone who wanted a couple kids and enjoyed barbeque and going to the movies.

A picture flashed through her mind of her running through the front yard after a little girl with long brown braids, and bright green eyes. She could hear the sound of male laughter and the high-pitched giggle of a baby, and as she caught the giggling little girl in her arms, she turned to smile at the man holding the little baby. Weirdly, he looked a lot like…

Finn.

“Hey, Deana, need a ride?”

Deana stopped, jerking her head toward the voice. Jake Hansen and Miranda Coleman in Jake’s lifted Ford truck, smiling at her.

“Where are you headed?” She noticed a black car revving up and around Jake, then speeding off down the road, and she thought it was a little strange. Most of the people in Loco weren’t in a hurry to get anywhere.

“The Watering Hole. Have some beers, mock people in stupid costumes.” As if realizing what she’d said, Rand stuttered, “Sorry, I didn’t mean anything by that.”

“What Rand is trying to say is, come play with us.” Jake shot a welcoming smile her way, which should have sent her heart a flutter like every other girl in town.

“Come play with us.” Her mouth twitched as she thought of the spider and the fly.

Unfortunately, Jake didn’t do anything for her libido.

So you aren’t attracted to him. You can still have a beer with them. Aren’t you supposed to be living your life? What are you waiting for?

Deana reached out and pulled open the door with a grin.

“Okay! Let’s do it.”

* * *

Finn, with the help of Gunn, had broken up two fistfights, arrested a couple of teenagers vandalizing some vending machines, and hauled in Lionel Dillard for public drunkenness.

All in all, a pretty uneventful Halloween.

Except for the knife-wielding nutjob that attacked Deana.

But no one else had reported any other assaults, or suspicious behavior and it was almost midnight. Almost the end of his shift.

“So what are you going to do tonight?” Gunn asked over the radio.

Other than going home alone?

“Nothing, just heading home,” Finn said, thinking about what Deana might be doing right now. Home. Alone.

Maybe if he stopped by…

“Wanna head over to the Hole for a drink?”

Maybe a little liquid courage was just what he needed to tell Deana how he felt. That he wanted a date with her; that he wanted to see how their relationship went, and maybe have a future with her.

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