The Sheriff Catches a Bride

by Cora Seton

  Rose didn’t think she’d ever move again. The picture he painted with his words was too horrific to be borne. She reached for him again but found she couldn’t touch him.

  “I see her at night,” Cab went on, “when I try to sleep. I see…” He cut off and spun around, putting his back to her and she could see by the tightness of the muscles in his shoulders that he was physically struggling to get his emotions back into control. No, he hadn’t told this to Ethan, Rob or Jamie. She knew that for sure. A few moments later he let out a ragged breath. “She’s still alive, though. She’s a fighter, that one.”

  “I’m sorry you had to see that,” she said softly.

  “That’s my job.” He faced her. “It’s my job to keep people safe and in order to do that I have to think about what could happen—everything that could happen. I have to see shadows where they don’t exist yet.”

  The tone of his voice told her he wanted her to understand and she did. At least she thought so. “That’s why you followed me home.”

  “What if it had been you?”

  Rose’s heart squeezed at the anguish in his tone and for the first time she really thought about what it must be like for Cab. He was surrounded by problems and chaos every day at work. She sold engagement rings. The full force of what he shouldered suddenly became real to her in a way it hadn’t ever been before. She was only responsible for herself. He felt responsible for everyone.

  “I’m sorry I’ve been giving you such a hard time,” she said, understanding now he hadn’t been trying to control her, only to save her from the monsters he saw all around them. It didn’t mean she would tolerate him babying her, but at least she could understand the impulse behind his behavior. “Thanks for taking the time to show me how to shoot.”

  He seemed to make an effort to shake off his heavy mood. “I can’t believe you’ve never done it before. Not even a rifle?”

  He’d asked the question before. Rose shook her head, knowing he needed this trivial conversation to bring himself back into the present moment. “Not even a rifle. Mom and Dad weren’t into hunting.”

  “What about you? Want to try hunting sometime?”

  Rose considered this. “Maybe,” she said.

  Cab chuckled and she was glad to see his sense of humor had returned. “I’ll take that as a no. That’s all right, we can find other things to do.”

  Oh, yes, Rose thought with a sudden surge of feeling. She was sure they could. Especially now that she was free from any kind of obligation to Jason.

  “Can I make you some lunch?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she said before even thinking it through. She didn’t want to be alone and she didn’t think Cab should be alone, either. They both needed company right now. Besides, she enjoyed being near him way too much to back off now.

  “Great.” Cab smiled and she forgot everything else.

  An hour later they’d returned to Carl’s house, eaten soup and sandwiches and Cab was giving her a tour of the mansion. In some ways the grand home reminded her of Ethan and Autumn’s Big House, but apart from its log construction and the oversized living room with its floor-to-ceiling windows, there wasn’t a strong resemblance. Ethan and Autumn’s home was always filled with people, happy laughter and chatter. This enormous house was as empty as a cavern and about as welcoming as one. Rose knew Claire had helped to decorate it, and everything was very expensive and tasteful, but she couldn’t imagine people living in its rooms. The furniture was too pristine and decorative. There was none of the clutter one expected in someone’s home. If an interior design magazine wanted to do a photo shoot right this minute, there’d be nothing to clean up or hide away.

  After they surveyed the eighth bedroom, Rose smiled at Cab. “I’m not sure I need to see any more.”

  “Just one more room,” Cab promised her. He took her hand and led her down the hall to another door they hadn’t opened yet. Cab did so now as she warmed to the touch of his hand. Was he going to make a move? Did she want him to? Why was her heart beating so hard?

  Because she was no longer tied to Jason and if Cab made a move she was free to respond to it. But should she? She wanted to learn to be her own woman and that was going to take time. She should be careful not to engage in any activity that led to falling straight into a new relationship.

  As Cab led her forward into the room—a masculine space with heavy furniture and hunting trophies on the walls—all those rational thoughts fled her mind.

  Smack in the center of the room stood a pool table.

  And Cab was handing her a cue.

  “We didn’t get to play each other the other night,” Cab said, pressing the cue into Rose’s reluctant grip. He didn’t look her in the face, afraid she’d remember how he’d met her gaze when Jamie joked about strip pool.

  Afraid she wouldn’t remember it at all.

  Cab didn’t kid himself that Rose would agree to such a thing, but he wanted her to know that he was ready for that kind of game any time she was. If Jason was out of the picture, he was ready to step right into it. Today they’d play a friendly game just like any two old friends might, but he hoped she’d think about other games they might play in the future.

  “Ladies first,” he said when she didn’t answer. He racked up the balls for her, lifted the triangle away and stood back to watch what she would do next.

  She slowly moved to take her place behind the table and placed the cue ball on the green surface. She leaned forward, allowing him a peep of cleavage beneath her sweater as she considered the table, lined up her stick, and took the shot.

  One ball sank right away in a pocket. A second rolled close to a pocket, but didn’t go in. Rose straightened and smiled. “Thank God I got one. I’m not very good at this.”

  “That was a good shot,” Cab said. He rested his own cue against a glass side table, then unbuttoned the long-sleeved shirt he was wearing and shrugged it off, exposing the T-shirt he wore beneath it. He laid it carefully over the back of a nearby easy chair, turned and caught Rose’s look. “What?” he said as innocently as he could. He knew they weren’t playing strip pool. He was just planting the seeds, that was all.

  After a long moment she said, “Nothing.” She rounded the table and lined up to take the easy shot she’d gained from her last turn. It popped into the pocket and she glanced his way. Cab, who’d been standing with his hands shoved in his pants pockets, pulled out the handkerchief he carried in one, looked at it, then laid it on top of his shirt.

  “Nice shot,” he said.

  Her gaze shifted from his face to the handkerchief and back again, and she moved around the table to try another shot. There were several possibilities Cab thought he could make in her position, but none of them were a sure thing. She selected one, lined up and went for it.

  She missed.

  Something tightened in Cab’s gut as he waited to see what she did next. He didn’t expect her to do anything but step back and allow him to take his turn, but he held his breath, hoping against hope. As the seconds ticked by, Rose fiddled with her pool cue and refused to look at him. Finally, with a sigh Cab stepped forward and surveyed the table for his best opportunity to score.

  Just as he was lining up his cue, however, movement to his left distracted him. He looked up to see that Rose had skirted the table toward the easy chair. As he watched, she slipped off her heavy sweater, added it to the pile, then straightened the blouse she wore beneath it.

  Heat flooded Cab.

  Did she mean it? Did she understand what game they were playing? She still wouldn’t look at him, and he refused to ask her point blank.

  Only one way to find out.

  He picked his next shot with more care than he’d ever wasted on a game of pool before. Even as he hit the ball he knew he would sink it. When he did he couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across his face, but he knew that one wrong move could end this game before it really got started. He pretended he was engrossed by the arrangement of balls on the table, and n
ever looked directly at Rose as she unwrapped the scarf she’d kept on after they got home and set it carefully atop her sweater.

  Cab sunk the next ball and the next, and was gratified when Rose’s belt joined the pile and then her watch. He sunk two more and her barrette and earrings joined them, as well. She could have counted each earring separately, he noted. He hoped the fact she’d added them to the pile as one meant she was enjoying this as much as he was.

  He wanted to get her naked as quickly as possible, but he didn’t want to scare her. Best to let her even things up a bit. He deliberately missed his next shot and took off his own belt. When she put the seven ball into the corner pocket, he shucked off his t-shirt.

  Apparently the sight of his manly chest unnerved Rose—or maybe it was the way he flexed his muscles while reaching for his drink. Whatever it was, she missed the next shot and Cab felt like he’d reached the gates of heaven. He let the moment play out for a while, considering one shot and then another. When he sunk a ball, he stood up and waited to see what Rose would do.

  This time she met his gaze, lifted her hands, and began to unbutton her shirt.

  She was playing a game of pool with Cab Johnson, county sheriff, and she was half-naked.

  Rose couldn’t believe she was standing in her stocking feet in Carl’s billiard room, her shirt off, her hair down, watching across the table as Cab lined up his next shot. His muscles rippled as he held the cue stick, planned his movements and then took the shot. Cab was one handsome man, and today he looked better than ever. When she’d taken off her shirt he’d given her that same calm, assessing look he always did, but this time his regard raked every inch of her skin like a burning brand.

  Her lips parted as she watched him straighten the cue, and she drew in a breath as he sunk the ball again. She guessed if she was going to play with a superior partner, she’d better get used to ending up naked.

  She could get used to ending up naked with Cab.

  While the sheriff watched again, one hand on his hip, the other steadying his cue, she unhooked the button at the waist of her jeans, slid the zipper down and shimmied them off. She paced to the chair where they’d agreed without words to lay their clothes and added it to the growing pile. Thank goodness she’d put on a fresh, pretty pair of underthings this morning even though she’d had no shower and nearly froze to death in the minute it took to change. Their silky lines accentuated her curves. She had nothing to be ashamed of.

  Still, she burned all over.

  Cab shifted a little, trying to find a more comfortable position as he bent over the table to line up his next shot. Rose also looked a little uncomfortable as she stood across the table from him in her bra, panties… and socks. Interesting she’d chosen to take off her shirt and pants before the fuzzy striped things she wore on her feet. Maybe she didn’t like cold feet.

  Or maybe she wanted him to see the rest of her.

  Should he miss this shot and get his pants off, too? It would be the gentlemanly thing to do, but Cab didn’t feel much like a gentleman at the current moment. He lined up against the two ball and sunk it neatly. Waited to see what she’d do next.

  And was rewarded when she reached behind her, undid the clasp of her bra and let it fall.

  She bit her lip and straightened, still watching him. He wanted nothing more than to cross the room and take her into his arms. Hell, he could get the rest of her clothes off just fine, thank you very much. Still, this game heightened the sexual tension between them in a way he’d hate to throw away. He realized they hadn’t spoken a word in several minutes.

  They didn’t need to speak, though, did they? Their actions got the message across strong and clear.

  Cab lined up another shot and sunk it. Time to end the game. He hoped its conclusion would be the one he’d dreamed of. Rose let out a shaky breath he could hear across the room. What would she take off next? Panties or socks? She could draw this game out…

  She hooked a thumb under the tiny waistband of her silk panties, gave it a tug and stepped out of them, dropping them to the floor. With a thudding heart, Cab set down his cue and crossed the room to tug her into his arms. He met her mouth with his and kissed her, desire flooding him until he thought he’d burst with it. Rose wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. When he gathered her to him, she parted her lips and let him inside. He had to hold back from crushing her against him, but they had time.

  Plenty of time. He kissed her tenderly and thoroughly, enjoying the feel of her in his arms. Her lips were soft under his, her body soft against his hard muscles. He allowed himself to savor the taste of her, stretching out this moment he’d waited for so long.

  Dragging himself back through sheer force of will, Cab pulled away and searched Rose’s face. Everything there told him she wanted this as badly as he did.

  “You won,” she said with a shrug when he hesitated.

  “What did I win?” he asked, his voice husky. He knew he was treading dangerous grounds, asking her to define what was happening between them, but he wanted to hear her answer badly enough to take the risk.

  “Whatever you want,” she said, a blush flooding her delicate skin. “Three wishes,” she added, a playful smile curving the corners of her mouth.

  Three wishes? Cab nearly groaned aloud with the possibilities. How far could he take this? Given the willingness with which Rose had played this game so far, he thought he could push her a little bit.

  “Wish number one,” he said and turned her around, guided her toward the pool table and placed her hands on its edge. He stood behind her as she leaned over the table, looking back at him uncertainly. “Not to make love,” he assured her, taking a position behind her. “I just want to look at you. I want to feel you.” As if he meant to frisk a perpetrator, he used his foot to nudge her stance wider. He used one hand at her neck to bend her farther over the table, the other to pull her hips against him. Could she feel his hardness through his jeans against her backside? He hoped so. He hoped she knew how badly he wanted her, how much he wanted to worship her body. With his free hand he began to stroke her; down her hip, over her ass, wrapping around to tease the sensitive skin of inner thigh, up and over her hip again, then her waist and up to brush her breast.

  Rose moaned aloud as he traced the curve of it, then whimpered as his hand fell away. He repeated the process with both hands until she writhed against him each time he cupped her breasts from behind. He could smell the muskiness of her and he knew she was ready for him to take this further. One more caress over the length of her body, and Cab took one of her wrists, turned her around and kissed her again.

  By the time they broke the kiss he was straining against the confines of his pants. Time to do something about that. He undid the button and zipper, shucked them off and tossed them aside, then followed their trajectory with his boxers and stood before Rose, as naked as she was.

  Her gaze dipped to take him in then rose again and her cheeks pinked even more. “Ah, Rose,” he growled and tugged her toward him. “Wish number two,” he said and pushed lightly on her shoulders. Rose dropped to her knees without any need for further explanation, and grasped him in her hands as if she was as eager for this as he was. He held his breath. His reward came swiftly as she leaned forward, her full breasts dipping and swaying with the movement, and took him into her mouth.

  Cab couldn’t believe the way this was playing out. He didn’t know how he knew this would be okay with Rose, but he had the feeling he could do no wrong today. They were in sync with each other in a way he’d never been with a woman before. Rose took her time with him, letting him know this was no chore for her, but a pleasure. The way she moved her body along with her mouth was a feast for his eyes. He wrapped a hand in her hair, guided her movements and shut his eyes in the face of unbelievable pleasure.

  When Rose wrapped her arms around him, taking hold of his ass and bringing him deeper, he thought he’d died and gone to heaven. He was so close… so close…

 
But he wasn’t going to finish this way. Not today.

  Reluctantly he pulled back and gently helped her to her feet. A glance around the room told him none of the furniture in here was good enough for his first time with his Rose. He scooped her into his arms, strode out of the room and into his bedroom, where he deposited her gently on the silky comforter of his bed.

  Rose stretched out, languorously lifting her arms over her head, and watched him as he climbed atop of the bed and moved to cover her.

  “You’re beautiful,” he said, pinning her wrists with his much larger hands. “Is this all right?”

  She nodded and the knowledge that she trusted him—in this at least—set him on fire all over again.

  “Are you sure?” He waited for her answer.

  “Yes.”

  Rose couldn’t believe how wanton she’d been this afternoon. Joining the game that Cab started. Stripping off her sweater, then her blouse, then her bra, then everything else.

  Baring herself to him.

  Granting three wishes to him.

  Then playing along with each of them without even thinking twice. Now Cab hovered over her, asking her to give him permission to make love to her. She didn’t have to think twice about this, either. She knew what she wanted.

  Him.

  When he pinned her wrists to the bed, she felt no fear; instead she felt worshipped, adored, cherished. Cab would never hurt her, she knew that to the core of her being, and that gave her the freedom to give him reign over her entire body.

  “Yes,” she said again, hoping he understood all that she meant to grant him. He reached for the side table, flicked open a drawer and pulled out a condom. After another moment he had it on and hovered over her again.

  When he used his knee to nudge her legs open wide, Rose closed her eyes and waited breathlessly. Cab didn’t disappoint her. His hardness nudged at the core of her, pushed inside a little, withdrew, and pushed inside some more.