Sheriff's Desire: Time-Travel (Escape To The Wild West Book 1)

by Chyla Stormer

  A half hour had passed when she heard footsteps in the sitting room. The sheriff was walking toward her.

  "Whatcha reading?" he asked.

  She showed him the cover.

  He looked at it and frowned. "You planning on going out of town? You remember our little talk, don't you?"

  "Yes, I remember. I don't plan on trying to survive in any kind of wasteland. I prefer the boarding house." She offered an innocent smile.

  He breathed in deeply and exhaled as if he was trying to figure out whether she was telling the truth. "Well, that's good." He looked at her with an eyebrow raised. "I'm heading out to the porch for a smoke. Would you like to join me and get some air?"

  "Sure, that sounds good." Kenna was surprised to hear herself agree to spend time with him. He probably wanted to lecture her again about the dangers of a woman alone. She got up and put her book down on the coffee table beside the chair, making a mental note to come back and get it so she could read later. After spending time with the sheriff, Kenna knew she'd be wound up and wouldn't be able to get to sleep right away. The book seemed sufficiently dull to put her to sleep.

  The sheriff offered his arm like a proper gentleman, and she snuggled her hand just below his elbow. He guided her outside and then over to a bench at the far end of the porch. When they were seated, he retrieved a cigarette from a crumpled package in his shirt pocket and lit it as he looked down at her. She smiled sweetly up at him, studying his face.

  He returned her smile as he stretched out his long legs and leaned back casually against the house. She continued to watch him, waiting for him to make his move. But he didn't.

  The way he looked at her wasn't the way a gentleman looked at a lady, she thought. It was more like how a dog looked at a steak after not having eaten for a week. They weren't touching, but she could feel the heat between them. She was warm and tingly and desperately wanted him to give her some indication that he was interested in her. Or was he just being friendly and polite to the new girl in town? This was getting dangerous; she'd have to put a stop to it. She managed to break free from his smoldering gaze.

  "So... do you know those people you were sitting with?" She knew it was a lame question, but she couldn't think of anything else to say. She was just trying to keep it together.

  "Yep, I know most folks around town. Two of the men work for my best friend, building houses. I work with them when there's not much else for me to do. Some weeks are pretty quiet, and I like to keep busy."

  "I thought being a sheriff would be a full-time job, 24/7."

  "Huh? Twenty-four-seven? Oh, I see what you're saying. City talk." He smiled down at her. "You talk kind of funny, but I like it." He took a long drag from his cigarette and blew the smoke away from her casually. "Being a sheriff is a 'twenty-four-seven' job, but most of the time, nothing's happening. No men in jail. No paperwork. I get busy when there's a bar fight or when it's payday for the ranch hands and they come into town to have some fun. Then me and my deputies have our hands full." He rolled his eyes in annoyance. "I also make sure I get to know any newcomers. I like to find out if they're going to be trouble or not." He winked at her.

  "So, am I going to be trouble?" She stared into his dark-blue eyes and felt herself melt.

  "Oh, hell yes! You're trouble, all right. I think my life's going to get a lot more interesting with you in town." He smiled and dropped the butt of his cigarette on the porch, then ground the fire out with his boot. "Let's go for a walk."

  She took his offered arm, loving that he was such a gentleman, and enjoying being walked like a lady down the street. But she reminded herself to cool down. Walking should help. Distraction.

  "It's a beautiful evening," she said, looking up into the black velvet of the night sky. Not watching where she was going, she tripped over her own foot and felt herself falling until a big arm swooped under her and steadied her. Her hands moved forward and held on to his sturdy waist. "Oh my goodness," she exclaimed. She was in the sheriff's arms, and he wasn't letting go.

  "Are you all right, Kenna? Did you twist your ankle?"

  "No. I'm fine, thanks. Just stargazing and not watching where I'm going." She smirked up at him, suddenly conscious of his warm, muscled body hidden from her view under his shirt. Her knees grew weak and she fought to keep herself steady. She wasn't going to let go if he didn't!

  He held her firmly with one arm and touched her neck, tracing a fiery line up to her small, rounded chin. He bent down and kissed her softly, and then his tongue slipped insistently between her trembling lips. As he took possession of her mouth and kissed her deeply, she closed her eyes and moaned, growing limp in his arms.

  This man was leading Kenna to another world as he held her snugly against his thick, muscular body, making her aware only of his warm searching tongue, his hardness against her stomach, and the pulsating need in her core.

  The spell was eventually broken when he pulled away from her gently, still supporting her with one arm. They were both breathing heavily, their eyes glazed with passion. Undeniable electricity flowed between them.

  "If I don't stop now, I'll throw you over my shoulder and take you back to my house," he said, his voice husky with passion.

  She tried to calm her breathing without much success. "I'm not going to your house. That wouldn't be proper."

  "Yep, you're right about that." He took his arm away from her waist and offered it to her.

  She slid her hand into its crook and pulled him close. She tried to regain control of herself as the stars swirled above them, but the warm, gentle breeze did nothing to cool the heat she felt. They slowly walked back to the boarding house without a word, both lost in their own thoughts.

  When they arrived at the porch, she removed her hand and said, "Goodnight, Sheriff, I enjoyed our walk." She blushed hotly.

  He smiled at her. "So did I. Goodnight, Kenna." He tipped his hat politely then turned around and walked down the street.

  She steadied herself on the handrail and allowed herself to watch him walk away. He looked as good walking away as he did toward her. She'd love to get her hands on that firm butt. Kenna's breathing gradually slowed, and her knees grew steadier under her. She watched him turn around to see she was watching him. He grinned then turned again and kept walking.

  She wanted him to come back and throw her over his shoulder and take her home, whether she protested or not!

  3

  Base

  She awoke with a start after a firm knock on her door.

  "Time to wake up, Kenna," Pauline said in her usual cheerful voice.

  "Thanks. I'm up," she said as loudly as she could manage, still groggy from sleep. She heard the floorboards creak as her host made her way down the stairs and looked over at either side of herself as she lay in the middle of the comfortable big bed. She could have sworn she'd felt the sheriff's strong back leaning against her last night, but it must have been a dream—a really good dream.

  Kenna was tired, physically and mentally, from everything that had happened to her in the past couple of months. Her knowledge of what was possible had changed completely, and so had her life. She forced herself to sit up. If she stayed horizontal, she'd drift back to sleep for sure.

  She sighed deeply as she pushed herself out of bed, then she washed up and put on a cool summer dress to wear to breakfast rather than her new riding clothes, because she knew they'd get her some strange looks. Kenna went downstairs and sat—uncomfortably, as usual, trying not to fidget until Pauline brought her breakfast and a cup of coffee. She ate slowly, drank her coffee and gratefully accepted a refill when it was offered. The haze from the deep sleep she'd fallen into last night was clearing.

  After she'd put her dirty dishes where they belonged, Kenna stopped briefly in the kitchen. "Pauline, I probably won't be back until later tonight, and I might miss supper. Don't worry about me, though," she said.

  Pauline stopped scrubbing the pot she was working on to look at Kenna, worry lines creasing her brow.
"Where the heck are you going?"

  "I'm taking my horse out for a ride. I'll wander around for a few hours and then head back to town."

  "It ain't good to get too far out. It's not safe."

  "I know; I'll be careful."

  "Let me rustle you up some food to take with you, then. Give me a minute." Pauline dried her hands and quickly put together a small bundle with enough bread and salted meat for lunch and supper. "Make sure you take a canteen."

  "I will. Thanks so much for the food, Pauline. I really appreciate it!"

  "Now, you be home before dark," she said, shaking a finger.

  "I'll try." Kenna hurried upstairs to change. She felt as if she were in high school and her parents were nagging her about curfew.

  As she changed into her riding clothes, she thought about how much she missed her parents. They had both died in a plane crash three years ago. It was hard to think about, but she had gotten used to her new reality of being alone in the world. Her mom had one brother, but he was an alcoholic and a mean drunk who was not nice to be around, even when he was sober, so Kenna had been kept away from him. Her mom's parents suffered the same horrible addiction as her uncle. Her father was an only child, and his parents had died when he was young. Kenna had never met any other family. Not even at her parents' funeral.

  She hurried out of the boarding house before anyone could question her behavior and went directly to the stable. Wyatt was nowhere to be seen. Perfect, no more lectures! After catching her small, nameless horse and giving her a quick brushing, Kenna saddled up for their ride. She filled her large canteen with water and put it into one of the saddlebags, along with the food from Pauline. Then she retrieved a gun and holster from a bag she had carried from the boarding house and checked to make sure the gun was loaded before strapping it around her slim waist, then she put the bag and extra ammunition into her other saddlebag. She mounted her horse quietly and rode toward the mountain range that lay several miles to the west of town.

  Kenna urged her buckskin to a trot, wanting to get away quickly to avoid gossip and anyone who would try to stop her... like the sheriff. Or could she call him Jack now? Funny, he'd never introduced himself. She knew his name only because she'd heard other people say it. She didn't even know his last name! Kenna would have to ask him since circumstances had definitely changed between them. She let herself daydream about her handsome sheriff as she left behind the town, moving closer to the mountains that loomed large on the horizon.

  Kenna couldn't believe how good Jack made her feel. She'd read romance novels in which the heroine was swept off her feet by the handsome hero and had thought most of the passionate love scenes were exaggerated. Her friends talked about going out with men who were mind-blowing, but she was sure a man could never make her feel out of control. But Jack did. She was amazed that chemistry could be so overwhelming between two people. It was wonderful but scary at the same time. She knew it was purely chemical and had nothing to do with love. From what she'd seen and what her girlfriends said, the relationships that start out red hot burn out quickly. They never last, they'd said, and it wasn't wise to stay involved with a man who made you feel like that. Kenna believed they were probably right.

  The sheriff was the ultimate bad boy, and she had noticed the way other women looked at him. She was new in town, and he probably wanted to take a run at her to see if she would give in. He was probably just playing her. She suddenly felt very frustrated with herself for getting caught up in his game. He'd take her to bed, and then what? Kenna couldn't risk it. She couldn't let herself get stuck here in this dusty town for a month or two of passion. Stop! Why am I even thinking about this? She would go to the base and connect with the control station, and then her job would be done and she could go back to her real home, a hundred and fifty years in the future. The sooner, the better.

  She sighed heavily. Her horse looked around at her as if to ask, what's wrong? As they trotted steadily away from town, Kenna smiled ruefully to herself, knowing it would be hard to leave. Maybe she could allow herself one night with the sheriff before she went. Would it ever be possible to meet another man who made her feel so passionate and alive? Should she let herself have the experience and then leave? She sighed again.

  After another hour of sighing and trying to decide whether to give in to the sheriff's advances, Kenna found herself about a mile from the mountain range. She stopped her horse and looked around. The base was located in a mountain that looked like it had a chunk ripped out of the side of its peak, like a bite out of a cookie. She saw it immediately and pointed her horse toward it. About half a mile from the foot of the mountain, the prairie gave way to a sparsely treed forest. It had been heavily logged over the years for lumber to build the town. There were only young trees left, along with some that had fallen over and rotted years before.

  When they stood at the foot of the mountain, a feeling of uneasiness swept over her. What would she find? If the portal was too damaged for her to return home, she'd have to send a message to Chicago to get help. She could be stuck in Forest Hills for a long time if she had to wait for company staff to arrive and fix the damaged equipment. Or, she could find a body.

  Kenna summoned her courage and gently urged her horse forward until she came upon an opening in the trees and a sheer rock wall. After dismounting, she walked up to the wall and found what she was looking for. A rock the size of a football jutted out just above her knee. It sat above a small pile of stones, so it didn't appear out of place. She knelt down and ran her hand underneath the rough surface until she felt the smooth metal of a small crash bar. It was precisely where it was supposed to be! Thank goodness!

  She stood up and surveyed the area to confirm that there were no unexpected guests, or the body of the missing engineer. Since leaving town, she had been watching to make sure that no one was following her.

  Satisfied that they were alone, she went back to the rock and pushed the metal bar. Part of the rock wall slid upward, revealing an opening big enough for a horse to get through. The mare spooked, and after Kenna calmed her down, she slowly coaxed her through the doorway. An emergency generator was quietly circulating fresh air and providing light through rows of overhead fluorescents.

  She tied her horse to one of the pillars supporting the rock ceiling. So far, everything in the base looked undamaged. She walked haltingly over to her immediate left and found a wooden box stall built into the back wall of the station. When she was convinced that no one was hiding in the stable area, she made her way cautiously into the base's large living area. It was like a spacious bachelor suite with a large workstation on the far wall.

  "Hello. Hello, is anybody here?" Kenna spoke confidently but also had her hand on the butt of her gun. She checked every inch of the large room to ensure that she was alone and that there was no sign of Barrett then made her way back to the entrance and locked the outside door. She didn't want any surprises.

  She went over to the small kitchen in one corner of the room across from the workstation and turned the tap, and clean water flowed freely. Kenna grabbed a glass from the closest cupboard and filled it, then she took a deep draft of the fresh spring water. Nothing had tasted so good in all her life! It was hot outside, and she was dehydrated because she had conserved the water in her canteen in case she couldn't find the base.

  She went back to the small stable area and unsaddled her horse—she would have to come up with a name for her—then led the mare over to the box stall, unbridled her, and filled the trough with water. On the far wall, Kenna spied a stack of hay bales and some straw. She made sure her horse was comfortable and fed, and then it was her turn. She sat down on the couch by the kitchen and hungrily ate all of the food that Pauline had packed for her. She hadn't stopped for lunch because she'd wanted to get here as soon as possible.

  When she'd drunk about a gallon of water, she went over to the computer console. Everything looked normal, except that it was dusty and had food containers and other litter strewn a
bout, just like the rest of the base. Barrett was a slob. Kenna cleared the work area of food debris and packages, then flipped the "on" toggle switch and heard the low hum of the computer booting up. She decided that cleaning this place was her next task after trying to communicate with the control station. She didn't like to cook and rarely did, but she loved cleaning and being organized. Everything had to be in its place.

  When the home screen displayed, Kenna grabbed the mouse and got to work. She looked through the drop-down menus the way she'd been taught and found the link function, then went through the steps and clicked her mouse until she saw the progress bar begin to move painfully slowly across the screen. The bar showed that it would take an hour and forty-five minutes for the linking process to complete.

  She hoped it worked. She understood how to use software and drop-down menus as a result of proper training but never had an interest or aptitude for programming. Being only a junior lab technician, Kenna still wasn't entirely sure why they'd chosen her for this job. She thought perhaps the fact that she had no family to leave behind and was very keen on the project had earned her serious consideration. Of course, the only reason she was keen on the project was the financial remuneration—and she wanted to get away from Michael.

  She rummaged through the disorganized kitchen cupboards until she found some large garbage bags then began to pick up the debris lying everywhere. Might as well be useful. Her mind wandered to her past as she moved methodically around the room.

  Kenna had liked her job at the lab and hadn't wanted to leave, but it had become difficult to go to work with Michael every day. She'd dated the biologist for just five months, but they had spent a lot of time together, so it felt longer. One day, he just decided that it was over. No warning or discussion. He broke up with her via a text message! At work! She couldn't believe it. He sent her the text while she was happily eating her mid-afternoon snack: Sorry, but I don't want to date you anymore. It was fun. Thanks.