“That’s what Hunter told me.”
The sparkle in her eyes and her smile dimmed somewhat as Juanita reached across the table and covered one of Ainsley’s hands with hers.
“Try not to break his heart, Ainsley. He’s had enough heartache in his life for any one man to carry. Hunter is a good man who deserves much better than what he’s been dealt in his past.” Juanita pulled her hand back.
“I know he’s divorced and that must have been painful for him, but is there more?” Ainsley asked curiously. Hunter hadn’t appeared scarred or badly hurt when he’d mentioned his divorce to her.
“There’s more, but it’s Hunter’s story to tell when he’s ready. And now, you’d better get out of here or you’ll be late for your date with him.”
Ainsley nodded and stood. “I feel like I should be paying you for babysitting for me,” she said as she walked toward the back door.
“Nonsense, I’ve told you one more in this household is no big deal. Besides, Melinda is really good with helping with the younger ones. I should probably be paying her for all her help.”
Minutes later as Ainsley drove home to get ready for her date, thoughts of her mother and her sister filled her mind, and a deep ache swept over her. Ainsley’s father had passed away over ten years ago. Thankfully, he hadn’t lived to know the brutality his daughter had gone through.
However, her mother and sister were very much alive, and she missed them terribly. When Ainsley had first gone on the run, she’d made the mistake of believing herself safe and she’d called her mother. It had almost been a deadly error, for the phone call had been traced and he’d nearly found her.
At that time she’d realized she had to function as if her mother and her sister were dead. This had been and continued to be absolutely heartbreaking, but Ainsley was determined to protect not only herself, but more importantly her daughter.
By the time she got back to her apartment, her thoughts were consumed by the man who would pick her up in thirty minutes. There was no question that she was quite smitten with Hunter.
Their last date had gone as well as their first. At the end of that date, he’d once again given her a short, sweet kiss. Her desire to get a real, deep kiss from him was growing by the minute.
As she put on her makeup, she thought about what Juanita had said about Hunter. She’d already believed she’d seen a core of sadness inside Hunter’s eyes, and now Juanita’s words intrigued her even more.
Try not to break his heart. Juanita’s words echoed in her head. That was the last thing Ainsley wanted to do. But she didn’t know what the future might hold. She knew Hunter liked her, as she liked him. Should she just stop seeing him to make sure she didn’t hurt him? Maybe he would be the one to hurt her.
She was hoping to just let things develop naturally between them. The only way she could see that she might break his heart was if she had to pick up and leave town in the blink of an eye. And she was hoping that wouldn’t happen.
She finished getting ready, and by the time she stood in the living room to await Hunter’s arrival, all other thoughts of anything else had vanished beneath a rush of sweet anticipation.
Promptly at five o’clock, the knock fell on her door. She grabbed her purse and then opened the door. As always her breath hitched at the sight of him.
“Hi,” he said, his eyes sparkling.
“Hi back,” she replied.
He grinned. “Ready to go?”
“Ready.” She closed the door behind her, and together they walked to his truck.
“Hungry?” he asked once they were on their way.
“I can’t wait to see if you can really grill a mean steak as you promised me yesterday at lunch.”
“The pressure is definitely on. I’m also baking potatoes and making a salad.”
“Sounds like a perfect meal to me.” As always the scent of his fresh cologne mingling with a faint hint of minty soap and shaving cream half seduced her.
Within minutes they pulled into the driveway of an attractive beige ranch house with chocolate-brown trim. The lawn was neatly manicured, and a large maple tree stood in the center, sporting the beautiful red leaves of autumn.
“This is lovely,” she said as they walked to the front door. “How long have you lived here?”
“About eight years.”
“You must have been a baby when you bought it,” she replied.
He laughed. “I was young.” He unlocked the door and turned to her. “You told me yesterday at lunch that you liked dogs. I have to warn you, when I open this door, we will be met by a small bundle of fur who will threaten to lick you to death.”
She playfully straightened her shoulders. “I think I’m ready.”
He opened the door, and they stepped inside. Sure enough, a little black dog flew past Hunter and instead began to dance at Ainsley’s feet.
“Oh my gosh, aren’t you the sweetest thing.” Ainsley leaned over, and Zeus jumped into her arms. Zeus kissed her neck as if he was thrilled to see her.
“Uh-oh, you just made a big mistake.”
“What’s that?” she asked, giggling as Zeus continued to kiss her.
“You picked him up and made nice with him. Now you’ll be his slave.”
She laughed and put the dog back on the floor. As Zeus finally greeted Hunter, she looked around at her surroundings. The living room was a nice size. The black recliner chair and overstuffed gray sofa suggested this was a room for comfort.
A large television hung on the wall above a gray stone fireplace, and a nearby bookshelf held not only a variety of books but also a framed photo of all the men and women who worked together for the sheriff, and one picture of Hunter with the sheriff and Jake Albright.
“You know the Albrights?” she asked. She had heard about the wealthy, powerful family who owned most of the town. She also knew there had been a huge scandal when Jake Albright’s brother had tried to kill Eva Martin, the woman Jake loved and had since married.
“Not well. You heard about his brother and the whole mess?”
She smiled at him and nodded. “Gossip is not in short supply around Dusty Gulch.”
“That was definitely a gossip-worthy crime. Anyway, when the dust finally settled, Jake donated money for body cams and for updating other ancient equipment in the department.”
“That was nice of him.”
“He seems like a real nice guy.”
“Are you going to give me the full tour of the house?” She was interested in seeing all the rooms, especially his bedroom.
“Sure,” he replied. “Just follow me.” He led her down the hallway and gestured into the first door on the left, which was a bathroom done in navy blue.
“Nice,” she said.
He grinned. “I’m not much of a decorator, so everything is pretty basic.”
“There’s nothing wrong with basic.”
He smiled at her. “That’s one more thing I like about you. No judgment.” He opened a door on his right. “This bedroom I’m using as a home office.” There was a desk with a computer and a small bookcase with stacked paperwork.
He gestured to the closed door on the right. “That’s just an empty room.”
She thought she detected some sudden emotion in his voice, but before she could really process it, he opened the door to the master bedroom.
A king-size bed was covered with a spread in light and dark grays. Two nightstands flanked the bed, each holding attractive lamps. Several black-and-white pictures of landscapes hung on the wall. There was a doorway that led to an adjoining bath.
He gestured toward the bed. “This is where I dream about you.”
“Don’t you know it’s against the law to try to seduce a woman before you feed her?”
He laughed. “I have to confess, that’s a law I’m unfamiliar with, but I hope
you let me off with just a warning. Maybe it’s time I take you to the kitchen before I break that law again.”
She followed him back through the living room and into a large airy kitchen with gold-speckled black granite countertops and a center island. The dining table was smoked glass, giving the whole room a sleek, contemporary look. “Please, sit down.” He gestured her toward the table.
There were glass sliding doors that led onto a deck. He opened the door, and Zeus ran outside.
“This is really nice, Hunter.”
He grinned. “You say that like you thought I might live in a cave.”
She laughed in protest. “I definitely didn’t mean it that way.”
He opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of red wine. “How about a glass?”
“I’d love it.”
“Or, if you prefer, I have beer.”
“A glass of wine is good.”
He pulled a bottle of beer from the fridge. “I’m more of a beer kind of guy.”
“Is there anything I can do to help with dinner?”
“No. Just sit tight and relax.” He poured the wine and set the long-stem glass in front of her. “I’ve got the potatoes baking and the salad chilling. All I have to do is put the steaks on the grill.”
He joined her at the table. “Did I mention how lovely you look tonight?”
“No, you didn’t, and thank you.” She’d worn jeans with a lightweight lavender sweater that she knew somehow accentuated the blue of her eyes.
“I didn’t really get much of a chance to talk to you when you came into the café yesterday. So, how was your day? Anything exciting happen?” she asked.
“The most exciting thing today was trying to tell Madge Renfro that it wasn’t an emergency calling for excessive speeding to get her dog Pookie to her grooming appointment. She was going fifty-eight in a thirty-mile-an-hour speed zone. She then proceeded to tell me that Pookie had poopie on her bottom and needed the groomer to clean her up, because it was stinky and Madge doesn’t do stinky.” He grinned and shook his head ruefully. “The life of a small-town cop...”
Ainsley laughed. “Did you give her a speeding ticket?”
“No, I wound up giving her a stern warning.”
“Ah, so at heart you’re just a softie,” she replied teasingly.
“Don’t mistake my compassion as weakness.” His eyes glittered with a look of determination and strength. “If anyone comes after me or the people I care about, they will be met with a force they’ve never seen before. And now I think it’s time I get the steaks on.”
He was the kind of man she’d once dreamed of being with...strong and confident. He made her feel safe and protected, but nobody could protect her from her ex-husband. She could only hope she was truly safe in this small town and that the two men would never, ever meet.
* * *
SHE WAS EVERYTHING he’d hoped to find. Hunter was definitely crazy about Ainsley. As they ate dinner, he told her about some of the funny things he’d encountered in his work.
He loved the sound of her laughter and the way her eyes sparkled with mirth. He found himself reaching for stories that would make her laugh again and again.
She, in turn, shared with him funny things that happened in the café. He was thrilled that their humor was very similar. It was important in a relationship to be able to laugh together.
Their conversation grew more serious as they spoke about their parents. “Mine moved to a senior living place in Kansas City two years ago,” he said. “I try to drive out and see them about once a month or so.”
“That’s nice. Unfortunately my parents passed away in a car accident five years ago.”
“Do you have siblings?” he asked.
She shook her head and stared down at her plate. “No, I’m an only child.” She gazed back up at him. “What about you? Do you have brothers or sisters?”
“Nope, like you I’m an only child.”
“When I was younger I made up a sister. Her name was Lily, and she was a year older than me. She played with me, and as I got a little older she gave me fashion advice and we would talk and giggle long into the night.”
He smiled. “You definitely talk about her like she was real.”
Once again she looked down at her plate. “She was definitely real to me for a little while.” She looked back up at him, and there was a touch of embarrassment in her eyes. “You probably think I’m crazy.”
“Not at all,” he assured her. “You sound like you must have been a lonely child.”
She shrugged. “That was then and this is now.”
They finished the meal, and he insisted she remain seated as he cleaned up the dishes. Then he poured her a fresh glass of wine and he grabbed another beer. He let Zeus back inside, and they went into the living room.
Zeus jumped up on the recliner and looked at Hunter expectantly. However, for tonight Zeus was out of luck. Hunter would much rather sit on the sofa next to Ainsley.
He sat close to her, smelling the heady scent of her and feeling her body heat warming him. For the last three weeks, a tremendous desire for her had been building inside him.
He desperately wanted to pull her into his arms and feel her body against his. He wanted to kiss her lush lips until they were both breathless. But he didn’t do any of that.
Their conversation was light and easy. Zeus finally gave up, jumped down from the recliner and curled up in his bed next to the fireplace.
“Tell me about your daughter,” he said when the conversation between them momentarily stalled.
Her face lit up with a beautiful smile. “She’s the absolute best thing that ever happened to me. She’s smart and funny and has the sweetest heart in the whole wide world. Of course I might be just a wee bit prejudiced.”
“Mothers are supposed to believe their children are all that and a bag of chips,” he replied with a smile. “Because she’s your daughter, I believe she’s smart and funny and has a sweet heart. I would also believe that she’s beautiful like you.”
Her cheeks dusted with color. “Why, Deputy Churchill, you sweet-talk me like that and I’ll think you’re trying to seduce me again.”
“Maybe that’s exactly what I’m trying to do.” His heart suddenly raced as he held her gaze. There was a stillness about her. Her tongue slid out as if to dampen overdry lips, and then those moist lips opened slightly and she raised her face to his.
Even though he saw open invitation in her mouth, in her eyes, he still wanted to make sure. “May I kiss you, Ainsley?”
“Please,” she replied.
He leaned forward and placed his lips on hers. Heat swept through him and his heart raced faster, especially as she raised her arms and wound them around his neck.
He pulled her even closer to him and deepened the kiss by swirling his tongue with hers. This kiss was everything and more than he’d imagined it would be.
It was a confirmation that this was a woman he wanted more from, not only physically but also emotionally. He was all in to see where this relationship would go, and he was hoping it would go the distance.
The kiss continued for several long moments, and then he softly kissed across her jawline and down her throat. She clutched at his shoulders as if afraid he’d stop, and that only shot his desire for her even higher.
She was close enough to him now that he could feel the press of her full breasts against his chest. He wanted her...he wanted to pick her up and carry her into his bedroom. He wanted to feel her naked body next to his.
He captured her lips once again with his, and when the kiss ended she unwound her arms from around his neck and leaned back from him.
“You’re a dangerous man, Deputy Churchill,” she said half breathlessly.
“And you’re a dangerous woman,” he replied. He reached out and touched a length of her
long, black hair. “I have to confess, Ainsley, I have a lot of desire for you.”
“And I have a lot for you.” Her eyes glistened as she held his gaze. “But I...we need to take things slowly.”
“I can do that. Whatever you need from me, Ainsley. You’re in charge of our physical relationship. You tell me if and when you’re ready.”
“Thank you. I appreciate you understanding.”
“Is it too soon to ask to meet your daughter?” he asked. “Or am I rushing things?”
A small frown danced across her forehead. It smoothed out and she smiled. “How about next Thursday you come to my place for dinner and then you two can meet.”
“That sounds great.” He knew her agreement was a deepening of their relationship. He felt as if finally fate was casting down a light of positivity on his life, and he was excited about what the future would bring.
“Unfortunately, it’s time for me to get home,” she said and stood from the sofa.
Reluctantly Hunter stood as well. “Just let me grab my keys and gun, and I’ll get you home.”
Minutes later they walked out of the house together. “It’s a beautiful night,” she said.
He was about to answer her when movement next to his porch snagged his attention. Immediately he saw a man hiding in his bushes. He grabbed his gun and pushed Ainsley behind him. “Who’s there? Step out where I can see you with your hands up.”
Adrenaline pumped through him as he held his gun steady, ready for anything that might happen next. While he knew many of the townspeople liked and respected him, he also knew there were some who took offense when they or their loved ones were arrested.
“I said, come out of those bushes with your hands up,” he commanded again.
The shadowed figure moved out of the bushes, and Hunter swore and lowered his gun. “Jeez, George, you were just about to get yourself shot. What are you doing skulking around out here?”
“I didn’t mean no harm,” George replied. He held out a package of cookies. “I just wanted to give these to you to thank you for taking care of me when Marybeth was gone. Then you stepped out here with your lady friend and I thought maybe the time wasn’t right.”
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