Total pages in book: 150
Estimated words: 146034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 730(@200wpm)___ 584(@250wpm)___ 487(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 730(@200wpm)___ 584(@250wpm)___ 487(@300wpm)
So, it turns out the town sheriff is a total cinnamon roll. A big, burly, grumpy, hot as sin, cinnamon roll. He found me hiding out on private property. Trespassing. I lied and told him I was only there because I was out of cash and had to sleep in my car.
I thought he’d give me a ticket and send me on my way.
Instead, he insisted that I stay at his guest house—right next door to him and his three kids.
I know better than to let them get close. I’ve been betrayed too many times to put my trust in anyone.
Too bad the air crackles every time he comes near, and I feel like I’m going to burn up every time I look at him.
All it takes is one reckless night to completely spiral into the bliss of the man and his big, capable hands. One dinner with his little family to completely fall.
Only I never told him why I really came to Time River. Now I have to choose to trust him with my secret before it’s too late for both of us…
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
PROLOGUE
He stared at me from where he stood two feet away. I could almost see the intensity he’d watched me with since the first time we’d met break free and become something palpable.
Become something alive and real.
How, when we were little more than strangers? I fought for the walls that I’d kept like a fortress for my entire life.
“Why, Ezra? Why? You don’t know me or owe me or care for me—”
“Bullshit.” He moved so fast that I didn’t even realize what had happened before he had my back pressed to the counter and his hand in my hair.
“Bullshit.” He whispered it that time, so quiet, but it still boomed between us.
“I might not know all the details about you, but there’s something about you that I recognize here.” He gathered up my hand and pressed my palm flat to the ravaging at his chest. “Something I feel. Something I know. And the problem is, I care too fucking much.”
My chin quivered as I gazed up at his rugged, masculine face, the atmosphere shifting, greed infiltrating the space.
He grasped me by the back of the neck.
My lips parted and the air trembled around us.
His attention dipped to my mouth before it flicked back up. The honey of his eyes had turned molten.
“Tell me not to kiss you.” His words were a gnarl of desperation. Issued in a bid of restraint neither of us seemed able to possess.
My fingers curled into his shirt.
I wavered.
A second.
An eternity.
I knew better than giving in. Knew better than trusting anyone when trusting had only caused me a lifetime of pain.
Still, I whispered, “I don’t want to.”
Knowing I was the fool who would only bring danger to his door…
ONE
EZRA
It was the pitch of night as I slowly eased my SUV up the path carved out by tires that cut through the field. High grasses rose on each side, scratching against the metal as I passed over the bumpy terrain. I peered out my windshield through the spray of headlights as I eased deeper into the field, searching for anything that might be amiss.
Mr. Landers had called into the station two nights ago saying he kept seeing lights coming on up this way on his property at all times of the night, but considering the old buzzard was continually paranoid someone was trying to steal from him, sending my deputies on constant goose chases that led to absolutely nothing, I hadn’t given it much thought.
He’d called in again an hour ago, though, and since I was patrolling out this direction, I figured I’d swing by to give it a look. The least I could do was offer the man some peace of mind, though I doubted he’d ever find much of that.
My Tahoe bounced over the uneven ground as I followed the path that led to a small copse of soaring trees that surrounded a small pond on the Landers’ property. The only reason I knew it was there was because we used to sneak out here as teens and use it as party grounds, which I was pretty sure was where the poor guy had gotten his phobia from.
I came up around a bend, and my headlights caught on something up ahead—a flare of light against metal and chrome.
Well shit, there was something out here after all.
A car that sat with the front facing out where it was backed into the cover of the bushes and trees.
My nerves ticked a fraction, and I reached for my radio and pressed the button to speak to my dispatcher. “Hey, Pamela, it looks like we might have an actual trespasser out here on Landers’ land near the pond. Newer model Ford sedan. Red. I’m going to check it out.”
“You mean he wasn’t calling in another false alarm?” Her voice was a tease.
“There is a first for everything,” I told her with a chuckle, though I didn’t let my attention wander from the vehicle in front of me for a second.
Vigilant.
You could never be too sure about what you were coming up against in this line of work, even though in all likelihood, I was about to get myself an eyeful of two people sneaking off so they could go at it, thinking they were hidden away and wouldn’t be discovered.
It would be the most action I’d had in years.
I would have laughed if it wasn’t so goddamned painful.
Before Pamela could respond, Samson’s voice broke through the shared line. “Do you need backup, boss? Things are quiet on Manchester. Bored as all hell over here, man.”
Samson was my only other deputy on tonight, and he was patrolling downtown Time River. I didn’t usually work nights, but I was covering for another deputy who’d had a family event she’d wanted to attend.
“What, you think you’re on the job for your entertainment?” I let the razzing wind into the question.