lesson. Loyalty to a friend got me in big trouble.
I was guilty by association.”
Rick looked into
her eyes. “Delaney, I’ve never told anyone this story not even my family. All
the mayor knows is that I wanted a break from being a big city cop. I’d
appreciate it if you didn’t--”
She pressed two
fingers against his lips. “I’ll never tell anyone.”
He wasn’t so
sure he’d done the right thing but then he thought about Jake behind bars and
he shuddered. A cop going to jail was a death sentence. He didn’t even know if
Jake was still alive.
“Rick, loyalty
is important, it’s a virtue. Don’t give up on it just because of the actions of
one person. What you did was right. Not ratting on a friend is commendable.”
“You’re an
incredible woman, Delaney Moore.” He lowered his head and kissed
her. Her lips parted beneath his and he slid his tongue inside her mouth.
Her taste, her scent clouded his brain. She was the sexiest woman he’d
ever known but more important she made him want to believe in the value of
loyalty again and allow himself to trust again. But he knew once the town’s
project was complete she would get another job and leave town. Unable to stop
it from happening, he felt another piece of his heart surrender to her.
Chapter Six
Lenore drove her
SUV down the highway just outside of Avery. She tapped a freshly manicured nail
against the steering wheel and hummed along to Santa Baby blaring from the
radio. She was on her way home from Christmas shopping and a beauty salon appointment
in Billings. Some gaily wrapped packages were piled in the back but a special
one she’d purchased just for Rick sat next to her on the passenger seat.
As she neared
the turn off for Rick’s house, she flipped on the turn signal and slowed a bit
intending to stop and place the gift on his front porch. Afterward, she’d go by
the sheriff’s office and drop a few hints about her gift waiting for him at
home. Lenore smiled to herself. She fully expected him to give her a nice
present as well despite what he said about ending their relationship. He didn’t
mean it. He’d grow tired of Delaney Moore and her rather earthy inelegance, she
was sure of it.
Just as she
turned onto the unpaved road leading up to Rick’s house, a wave of shock hit
her in the chest squeezing her heart in a cruel vice as she watched Rick and
Delaney step out of his house arm in arm and head toward the squad car.
Lenore slammed
on the breaks, hard, sending packages into the rear floorboard of the car. Her
mouth opened and her eyes widened as jealousy oozed in a green flood through
her veins. She couldn’t see Rick’s face because he had his head turned
toward Delaney who smiled up at him. Lenore’s fingers tightened around the
steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. She stared in hurt and anger as
Rick leaned toward Delaney and gave her a lingering kiss.
Unable to bear
watching them another moment, she checked for oncoming traffic on the highway
before slamming the gear into reverse and pointing the front of her vehicle
toward Avery. Anger and jealousy melded together making her blood boil. Furious
tears stung her eyes and a sob burned the back of her throat making it feel
tight and sore. She swiped at her tears with the back of her right hand and
heaved a ragged breath determined not to allow Delaney Moore, a woman not
worthy to wipe the dust from her shoes, to humiliate her.
She slammed her
palm against the steering wheel. “Damn Delaney,” she said aloud. Damn her for
coming to Avery. Lenore had just gotten Rick where she wanted him. It had taken
her some time, but she was certain if Delaney hadn’t waltzed into town they
would have been sleeping together by now. She had let Rick know she was
definitely interested in sex, but for some odd reason he kept holding her off.
He told her it was
because he wasn’t sure if she was truly over her husband’s death and he didn’t
want to take advantage of
I was guilty by association.”
Rick looked into
her eyes. “Delaney, I’ve never told anyone this story not even my family. All
the mayor knows is that I wanted a break from being a big city cop. I’d
appreciate it if you didn’t--”
She pressed two
fingers against his lips. “I’ll never tell anyone.”
He wasn’t so
sure he’d done the right thing but then he thought about Jake behind bars and
he shuddered. A cop going to jail was a death sentence. He didn’t even know if
Jake was still alive.
“Rick, loyalty
is important, it’s a virtue. Don’t give up on it just because of the actions of
one person. What you did was right. Not ratting on a friend is commendable.”
“You’re an
incredible woman, Delaney Moore.” He lowered his head and kissed
her. Her lips parted beneath his and he slid his tongue inside her mouth.
Her taste, her scent clouded his brain. She was the sexiest woman he’d
ever known but more important she made him want to believe in the value of
loyalty again and allow himself to trust again. But he knew once the town’s
project was complete she would get another job and leave town. Unable to stop
it from happening, he felt another piece of his heart surrender to her.
Chapter Six
Lenore drove her
SUV down the highway just outside of Avery. She tapped a freshly manicured nail
against the steering wheel and hummed along to Santa Baby blaring from the
radio. She was on her way home from Christmas shopping and a beauty salon appointment
in Billings. Some gaily wrapped packages were piled in the back but a special
one she’d purchased just for Rick sat next to her on the passenger seat.
As she neared
the turn off for Rick’s house, she flipped on the turn signal and slowed a bit
intending to stop and place the gift on his front porch. Afterward, she’d go by
the sheriff’s office and drop a few hints about her gift waiting for him at
home. Lenore smiled to herself. She fully expected him to give her a nice
present as well despite what he said about ending their relationship. He didn’t
mean it. He’d grow tired of Delaney Moore and her rather earthy inelegance, she
was sure of it.
Just as she
turned onto the unpaved road leading up to Rick’s house, a wave of shock hit
her in the chest squeezing her heart in a cruel vice as she watched Rick and
Delaney step out of his house arm in arm and head toward the squad car.
Lenore slammed
on the breaks, hard, sending packages into the rear floorboard of the car. Her
mouth opened and her eyes widened as jealousy oozed in a green flood through
her veins. She couldn’t see Rick’s face because he had his head turned
toward Delaney who smiled up at him. Lenore’s fingers tightened around the
steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. She stared in hurt and anger as
Rick leaned toward Delaney and gave her a lingering kiss.
Unable to bear
watching them another moment, she checked for oncoming traffic on the highway
before slamming the gear into reverse and pointing the front of her vehicle
toward Avery. Anger and jealousy melded together making her blood boil. Furious
tears stung her eyes and a sob burned the back of her throat making it feel
tight and sore. She swiped at her tears with the back of her right hand and
heaved a ragged breath determined not to allow Delaney Moore, a woman not
worthy to wipe the dust from her shoes, to humiliate her.
She slammed her
palm against the steering wheel. “Damn Delaney,” she said aloud. Damn her for
coming to Avery. Lenore had just gotten Rick where she wanted him. It had taken
her some time, but she was certain if Delaney hadn’t waltzed into town they
would have been sleeping together by now. She had let Rick know she was
definitely interested in sex, but for some odd reason he kept holding her off.
He told her it was
because he wasn’t sure if she was truly over her husband’s death and he didn’t
want to take advantage of
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