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Dangerous.
“Abraham isn’t pressing charges,” he said, his voice tight.
“Of course, he isn’t pressing charges,” I replied. “It was all on him. I defused the situation.”
Neil scowled. I smiled, and we sat silently, the air crackling with tension. Neil started to stand, but I grabbed his hand to stop him. His eyes widened in surprise, and he looked around us, but no one could see us through the window at this angle. I tugged him closer, making him bend over the table.
I wanted to feel something other than grief and loss.
“When will you give in and kiss me again?” I asked, my voice low and intense. “I want more.”
Neil’s expression shifted—a heady mix of shock and need flickering across his face before he moved back. “Not happening.”
Only I could sense doubt in his voice, so I struck while I could. “How about we get a beer?” I asked.
Neil stiffened, his resolve hardening. “I don’t mix personal and professional,” he said, his voice firm.
I grabbed onto that. “So, you’re saying wehavesomething personal?” I deadpanned.
He snarled, pulled his arm away, and left the diner without glancing back. I watched him go, the grief straight back as soon as he’d left.
And then I followed him because…
Well, I didn’t have anything better to do.
Chapter Eight
NEIL
I’d caughta glimpse of something in Connor’s eyes—something raw, something a hell of a lot like pain, but as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone, replaced by his usual cocky grin and sharp retorts. I couldn’t get it out of my head. What was that all about? For a moment, I thought I’d seen a chink in his armor, but whatever it was, he’d hidden it away before I could get a good look. I’d felt compassion and concern, but he’d blown it out of the water with his sarcasm, touching, and mention of kissing.
And now, the asshole was following me, but I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of turning around to acknowledge him, whatever sadness I’d thought I’d seen in his expression.
I kept walking, focused on returning to the office before he could get under my skin any more than he already had. As I approached the parking lot, I spotted something that spiked my irritation further—someone had parked in the handicapped bay without the proper tags.
The driver was one of the ranchers, Phil Thompson. He didn’t always think things through, constantly pushing me with the parking thing, and I wasn’t in the mood for his excuses today.
I approached the truck, and Phil rolled down his window, offering me a sheepish grin.
“Sheriff,” he greeted, trying to play it off. “Just a quick stop. I wasn’t going to be long.”
“Phil, you know the rules,” I said, my tone firm but not unkind. “You need to move your truck. That spot’s reserved for people who need it.”
Phil gave me his usual aw-shucks grin, and then his eyes went wide, and he glanced past me, his grin fading. I knew without checking that Connor was standing behind me. I could feel the change in the air—how people reacted when Connor was around, even if they didn’t know his history. There was just something about him that demanded respect … or maybe it was fear.
I glanced over my shoulder, confirming what I already suspected: Connor was standing there, arms crossed and a stern expression that made it hard to tell if he was about to issue commands or throw punches. It was a look intense enough to give anyone pause. All it did was wind me the fuck up.
Phil didn’t waste any time. “Uh, sorry, Sheriff. I’ll move it right now,” he stammered, fumbling with his keys before starting the engine and backing out of the space as quickly as he could without hitting anything.
As Phil’s truck disappeared down the road, I felt a mix of emotions bubbling up inside me. The irritation I’d been nursing all morning had turned into something closer toanger, and I couldn’t quite shake the image of Connor standing there, all sexy and serious. Damn him for making everything more complicated.
I kept walking, heading down the back path to the sheriff’s office, trying to shake off the thoughts swirling in my head. But then I stopped so suddenly that Connor almost walked right into me.
“Why are you following me?” I snapped as I turned to face him.
Connor didn’t miss a beat. “In case you needed help,” he said, his tone infuriatingly calm.
“With a parking violation?” I shot back, crossing my arms over my chest.
