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)
She seemed to be calming down enough that I took a step forward, and I leaned down and shined the flashlight into the cab.
Nearly got knocked onto my ass with the sight of the big blue eyes that stared back. So fucking startling she might as well have gone ahead and stabbed me with that knife right in the chest.
My breath gone.
Punctured.
Wiped away by a flood of aqua that slammed me from out of nowhere.
My stomach was suddenly in a fist as I took in her face.
Defined cheeks and sharp nose, brows and lashes thick, lips so goddamn full I had the urge to reach out and trace them to find out if they were as soft as they looked.
The attraction was as dense and lush as her lips.
Fuck.
What was wrong with me?
That was the type of compulsion that was dangerous.
I sucked it down and focused on doing my job, and I did my best to keep the roughness out of my voice. “Mind if I take a look at that knife?”
Aqua eyes narrowed in speculation. A lithe panther ready to pounce. “I might mind. I haven’t decided if I’m going to have to use it or not.”
She was a fiery thing.
My brow arched, and I bit back the chuckle that wanted to break free, liking the way she dared to talk to me a little too much. “I’m also the Sheriff around here, and I think it’d be in your best interest if you cooperated.”
“Fine,” she huffed like I was the one who’d broken the law, and she dug around in her console and produced the tiniest switchblade I’d ever seen.
A swell of protectiveness rushed me. Did she think she was going to protect herself with that pitiful blade? She wouldn’t have even broken skin.
Tuning out the unwanted reaction, I tucked the knife into my pocket and studied her where she itched in the seat. “Do you want to tell me what you’re doing out here?” I asked.
Uncertainty brimmed in her eyes, and she looked around, hunting for the best lie. “Um…camping.”
It fully came out like she was the one asking me.
“Camping?” I challenged.
“That’s right. There’s a really beautiful pond right over there.” She pointed toward the blackened pool that rippled with the bare breeze before she turned back and sent me the fakest smile I’d ever seen.
A gorgeous fucking smile, but still fake.
A vise grip of worry clamped down on my heart, and that feeling surged back, bigger than before, sure this woman was in some kind of trouble. Still, I pressed, “A pond that belongs to a Mr. Landers. Did you not see the Keep Out signs? You’re trespassing.”
“Oh my gosh, really? I totally didn’t see them.” She feigned innocence.
I lifted my brow, and she sighed. “Fine. I saw them, but I didn’t mean to cause any problems. I was only…” She paused, agitation running through her as she turned her attention out the passenger-side window. Her tongue swiped across her lips before she said, “…Looking for a private place to sleep where nobody would find me.”
“But I found you.” I didn’t know why it came out like it meant something.
Her brow knitted in frustration. “Uh, yeah, because you’re like some kind of bloodhound. I’m in the middle of nowhere and there’s not really even a road.”
“Not sure that you’re as sneaky as you might think you are.”
I couldn’t tell if it was annoyance or dread that cut into her expression, and she dragged her hand through the matted locks of her blonde hair. “I guess I’m not, am I?”
I was pretty sure she was speaking to herself. Then she sent another one of those smiles my way. “I’ll just be going on my way, then, if you’d kindly move your SUV so I can get by.”
She waved a hand in the direction of my headlights.
All kinds of daring and confident.
“You’re getting a little ahead of yourself, don’t you think?”
She bit down on her bottom lip. “Am I in trouble?”
I didn’t know what it was that made me stall. Normally, I’d give a warning and send the trespasser on their way. No harm, no foul. But there was something about her that told me I needed to look closer.
Unable to shake that feeling that maybe she was in trouble, but not in the way she was implying.
“How about we take a little ride down to the station and then we can decide.”
Then I widened her door because I wasn’t offering it as a suggestion.
TWO
SAVANNAH
Shit, shit, shit.
My attention darted around, searching for a way to get out of this. Three days here, and I’d already found myself a hulking mountain of trouble with a giant Sheriff stamped across his chest.
It wasn’t like I didn’t think I’d run into trouble, coming here, doing what I was doing, but I hadn’t really imagined it would look quite like this.