Sliding over the subtle ripples of his stomach. Cupping the smooth, hard muscles of his butt.
It was really too bad that the hot water ran out so quickly—the cold spray dousing the fantasy and her desire. Or maybe it was a good thing. She had no business fantasizing about Sheriff Hicks. Especially when he wasn’t the type of man who could have a little fun without setting down a lot of rules and regulations. And Bri wasn’t about to get into another serious relationship.
Especially when she hadn’t gotten rid of her last boyfriend.
Bri still felt badly about Jared. She’d had no idea that he had fallen in love with her. She thought he viewed their relationship the same way she did: two friends who enjoyed thrill-seeking adventures. Her guilt about not making her feelings clear from the beginning was probably why she hadn’t put her foot down as far as the stalking went. And why she had played dumb about how the picture had ended up on the Internet. That, and if her brothers ever talked with Jared, they’d find out about her death-defying acts. Which would piss them off twice as much as any naked picture.
Quickly finishing her shower, Bri turned off the water and reached for a towel. It was thin, thread-worn, and so small that, once tucked around her, it barely reached the tops of her thighs. She wrapped another around her wet hair turban-style before she left the steamy bathroom and headed into the sheriff’s room to see if she could find a shirt that would work with her pants.
The room looked much cleaner. She had changed the sheets and made the bed. Organized his three pairs of shoes in the closet: dress, running, and boots. And cleaned the windows and mopped the tile floor. The only thing she hadn’t touched was the top of the six-drawer dresser, mostly because it was covered with clutter: Chapstick, a pack of Dentyne gum, an extra sheriff’s badge, a photograph of Emma in a silver frame, nail chippers… and a pair of shiny handcuffs.
They were identical to the cuffs he’d used on her. And just the sight of them had a tingle of excitement coursing through Bri’s body, prompting her to reach out and pick them up.
The metal was cold, but it quickly heated in her palm. Her gaze drifted over to the bed as another fantasy took form in her mind. A fantasy that included her and a very naked sheriff, who was forcing her to do all kinds of naughty, naughty—
“What the hell are you doing?”
Bri’s heart jumped to her throat as she whirled around to the doorway. Just that quickly the fantasy was erased by the reality of a fully clothed sheriff with a very grumpy scowl. His mirrored sunglasses pinned her like a fly on a glob of honey.
She hid the cuffs behind her back. “Umm… I was just straightening up.”
His head dipped as he gave her the once-over. “In nothing but a towel?”
She tried to control her blush. “I thought you wouldn’t mind if I showered.”
He stepped closer, and without her heels, she felt like a naughty schoolgirl addressing the principal, which caused another fantasy to pop into her head. She blinked it away.
“Well, you’re wrong,” he said as he pulled off his sunglasses and tucked them in the open collar of his shirt. “I do mind. You’re supposed to be cleaning, not enjoying my shower. Or messing with my things.”
“Now why would I want to mess with your thing—things?” She pointed at the chest of drawers in an attempt to get his steely gaze off her. “I was just straightening your dresser. So is that your daughter? She’s a real cutie. How old is she? Three? Four? My nephew Bobby is just a little over two and getting into every—” She glanced back and realized that his eyes hadn’t wavered from her.
“What’s behind your back?”
She sent him her most innocent, wide-eyed look. “Behind my back? Why, nothing.” She laughed. “You’re certainly paranoid, Sheriff. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go get dressed so you can take me back to Miss
It was really too bad that the hot water ran out so quickly—the cold spray dousing the fantasy and her desire. Or maybe it was a good thing. She had no business fantasizing about Sheriff Hicks. Especially when he wasn’t the type of man who could have a little fun without setting down a lot of rules and regulations. And Bri wasn’t about to get into another serious relationship.
Especially when she hadn’t gotten rid of her last boyfriend.
Bri still felt badly about Jared. She’d had no idea that he had fallen in love with her. She thought he viewed their relationship the same way she did: two friends who enjoyed thrill-seeking adventures. Her guilt about not making her feelings clear from the beginning was probably why she hadn’t put her foot down as far as the stalking went. And why she had played dumb about how the picture had ended up on the Internet. That, and if her brothers ever talked with Jared, they’d find out about her death-defying acts. Which would piss them off twice as much as any naked picture.
Quickly finishing her shower, Bri turned off the water and reached for a towel. It was thin, thread-worn, and so small that, once tucked around her, it barely reached the tops of her thighs. She wrapped another around her wet hair turban-style before she left the steamy bathroom and headed into the sheriff’s room to see if she could find a shirt that would work with her pants.
The room looked much cleaner. She had changed the sheets and made the bed. Organized his three pairs of shoes in the closet: dress, running, and boots. And cleaned the windows and mopped the tile floor. The only thing she hadn’t touched was the top of the six-drawer dresser, mostly because it was covered with clutter: Chapstick, a pack of Dentyne gum, an extra sheriff’s badge, a photograph of Emma in a silver frame, nail chippers… and a pair of shiny handcuffs.
They were identical to the cuffs he’d used on her. And just the sight of them had a tingle of excitement coursing through Bri’s body, prompting her to reach out and pick them up.
The metal was cold, but it quickly heated in her palm. Her gaze drifted over to the bed as another fantasy took form in her mind. A fantasy that included her and a very naked sheriff, who was forcing her to do all kinds of naughty, naughty—
“What the hell are you doing?”
Bri’s heart jumped to her throat as she whirled around to the doorway. Just that quickly the fantasy was erased by the reality of a fully clothed sheriff with a very grumpy scowl. His mirrored sunglasses pinned her like a fly on a glob of honey.
She hid the cuffs behind her back. “Umm… I was just straightening up.”
His head dipped as he gave her the once-over. “In nothing but a towel?”
She tried to control her blush. “I thought you wouldn’t mind if I showered.”
He stepped closer, and without her heels, she felt like a naughty schoolgirl addressing the principal, which caused another fantasy to pop into her head. She blinked it away.
“Well, you’re wrong,” he said as he pulled off his sunglasses and tucked them in the open collar of his shirt. “I do mind. You’re supposed to be cleaning, not enjoying my shower. Or messing with my things.”
“Now why would I want to mess with your thing—things?” She pointed at the chest of drawers in an attempt to get his steely gaze off her. “I was just straightening your dresser. So is that your daughter? She’s a real cutie. How old is she? Three? Four? My nephew Bobby is just a little over two and getting into every—” She glanced back and realized that his eyes hadn’t wavered from her.
“What’s behind your back?”
She sent him her most innocent, wide-eyed look. “Behind my back? Why, nothing.” She laughed. “You’re certainly paranoid, Sheriff. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go get dressed so you can take me back to Miss
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