Page 18 of Hot Touch (Love To The Rescue #3)

Luke March

I should be off my shift but there I am instead, walking around the middle of town, in full uniform, my utility belt heavy on my hips as sweat starts to form at the back of my neck.

I smile and nod at the kind citizens of Moonlit Pines as they pass me while I make my rounds around the Farmer’s Market.

Just like I have every Tuesday since I started as Sheriff of Moonlit Pines two months ago.

Sure, it looks good in theory.

The new-to-town sheriff meeting and greeting his close-knit community. Getting to know the vendors and the regulars as well as the organizers of the long-standing event. And maybe the first two weeks that had been my intention.

But after a particular little cookie vendor caught my eye, my intentions weren’t so pure.

Olive Trejo. Just her name makes butterflies the size of pterodactyls come to life in my belly.

The sight of her green EZ Up tent up ahead makes my pulse kick up and my palms a little sweatier.

Me! The man who has worked in big towns, been shot at more times than I could count was nervous over a little pixie of a woman.

I wanted to approach her but every time I get close, I put my foot in my mouth and make a mess of shit.

That’s why I’ve stuck to staying on shift longer Tuesdays when I’ve already done a twenty-four-hour shift.

I know the moment she sees me. The way Olive holds her body changes and something in her gaze warms up.

“Miss Trejo.” I call out the moment I’m close to her booth. Her dark eyes connect with mine and my mouth waters. Fuck she’s pretty and the sweet scent that clings to the air around her booth is decadent. Hell, decadent’s an understatement.

“Sheriff. Come to harass unsuspecting vendors again?” I inwardly winced but can’t blame the hostile attitude. I deserve it. The first time I stopped by her booth, I got so fucking tongue tied, I stupidly asked for proof of her permit. It was obvious I’d made a shit first impression.

“Nothing like that. Just seeing what you have this week.”

“Hmm.” She shrugged like she didn’t care. Her attention floated from me to the new librarian. “What can I get you Lola?” She asked as the woman took her glasses off and cleaned them with the edge of her shirt.

“Can I get one of your mixed half dozen? I don’t think I could make a decision to save my life today.”

“Bad day? She asked, her voice softening the way I’d noticed it did with her friends at the resort or her siblings.

“I guess.” It was obvious she didn’t want to talk about it. My eyes bounced to Olive and I knew by the way she was watching her customer, she wasn’t going to push. “Everything works out though, right?” Lola sighed as she tried to stay positive.

“Right.” Olive agreed. I watched as she slipped in not only the boxed six pack but a brownie as well. “Here you go.” Olive handed Lola the bag and when the librarian went to reach for her wallet, Olive shook her head. “It’s on the house.”

“No, I can’t let you do that, Oli.” Lola started to argue but Olive shot her a look and I knew the librarian wasn’t going to fight. “Okay, but no more of that. You need to get your shop soon and you won’t get there giving stuff away.”

“I will if it’s to make someone’s day better. It’s all about karma.” Olive winked and fuck if her words didn’t do something inside of me. It wasn’t just something she said to make her friend a little more at ease.

She meant it.

Believed it.

After working in Pheonix and then Seattle, I wasn’t so sure people got what they deserved.

“Plus, a couple cookies won’t change that. Enjoy and remember the day will get better.” She winked and Lola smiled, genuinely this time, her eyes slightly shiny. “You wanna talk, I’m here okay?” Olive said quieter as I pretended not to be overhearing.

Lola the librarian who had just started at the library around the same time I moved here but had been living here for longer, nodded before she walked away leaving just the two of us at the booth.

My girl, I had no idea when I started to think of her that way, but I did, begrudgingly focusing her attention back on me.

“What about you, Sheriff. What will you be having?” The question was more than loaded and I couldn’t help the way my eyes roamed up and down her body.

Olive was beautiful.

Curves and sweetness with a splash of sass, not to mention an incredible ass. But it was more than the physical that drew me to her. It was the light inside of her that shone so bright so real I just wanted to stand in front of it. Sheild it from the world ever trying to dim it.

“Your phone number?” I asked and she snorted.

“My number?” She repeated and rolled her eyes. “Fine. Here you go.” She handed me her business card. “Now you can place your orders over the phone or on my website.”

“What if I don’t want to place an order but to talk to you.”

“Sheriff––“

“Luke,” I corrected, moving closer, hating the table that stood between us.

I’d sat back there last week. She’d let me for some reason.

I had even helped her pack up her set up, hoping she would take me up on my lunch order.

Instead, she thanked me, handed me a box of the most sinfully delicious snickerdoodles she had waiting in her car as a thank you, and left me standing there wanting more.

“Sheriff.” She sighed. All I could think about was how I wanted to hear her say my name. It had been driving me crazy that she still hadn’t said it. But fuck me that was the problem.

Something wasn’t right with my head when it came to Olive Trejo.

Not only did I want her, but it was like no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get enough of her. I went places I knew she’d be at. Drove past her street late at night countless times, all to make sure she was okay, to give me the peace of mind I needed.

Fuck, I’d even parked on the block behind her street and walked around the perimeter of the small cabin she rented. Lurking around like some kind of thief in the night, sneaking peeks through windows to see her place. Shit, I’d even stood outside her bedroom watching her sleep under the moonlight.

I’d been tempted to pick the lock and walk right in, slink through her small home and kneel before her bed as she slept.

But I hadn’t crossed that line. Yet.

I knew it would only be a matter of time this thing inside of me. This obsession would take over full blown and I wouldn’t be able to stop it.

“Look Sheriff, I’m not sure––“ she started to go on, trying to shake me off and push me away. I’d heard the drill last week and this weekend when we accidentally bumped into one another at the local brewery.

Shit, I was sure I would hear it again when she saw me at the grocery store tomorrow. I knew her schedule down to the T. And even if I didn’t, I knew how to find her.

“So, like I said, thank you again for all your help last week and everything but, I don’t think this is going to work out.”

“Work out?” I repeated. Oh! My little baker thought she had a choice about ending up with me ? The thing inside me wondered with growl. I didn’t mind a challenge. A little game of cat and mouse. Just the thought of chasing Olive got my cock waking up.

“I’m not into dating.” She started and the big bad wolf inside of me started to grin.

“Who said I want to date you?” I asked, standing at my full height. She looked up at me those pretty, dark chocolate eyes locked onto mine. I want to claim you. Make you mine. Keep you forever. The words were lodged in the middle of my throat. Luckily, they didn’t slip out.

“Well…” she blushed, and time held still.

My beautiful, bold, sassy baker blushed for me and fucking hell it made the front of my pants tight.

Or tighter as the case would be. My girl wasn’t the shy kind.

It was what had made her stand out. Different.

She didn’t hold her tongue and even if I had been on the brunt end of it, I loved that about her.

“The department was asked to do career day at the high school, and I thought maybe it would be something you would be interested. But I’m sorry for bringing it up.

” It wasn’t complete bullshit but it got me out of keeping my size twelve boot out of my mouth.

I wanted to high five myself for the quick scheming.

“Sheriff.” She said as her pretty mouth opened and closed, like she wasn’t sure what to say. I forced my body to relax. To drop my shoulders some as I shrugged and schooled my face not to show how I felt.

“It’s fine. I’ll take a dozen chocolate chip cookies.” I pointed at the treats on the table, quickly changing the subject to see how she would react.

“Oh, umm…” her brows bunched, and she got to work, putting the treats into a pretty olive green box and sealing it with a sticker that had her logo.

“Here you go.” I handed her two twenty-dollar bills and took the box of cookies. “Thanks for these, Miss Trejo.” I nodded and before I could talk myself out of figuring out a way to stay a little longer, I walked away.

But not without feeling the heat of her gaze on me.

My girl might have fought me and tried to avoid me, but somehow karma was on my side today and the tables had turned.

The realization was a double-edged sword.

The sane part that still existed inside of me wanted to keep his distance. Worried about the dark, predator she had awaken. But the big bad wolf wanted to howl up at the sky for the win even if he knew he had to wait a little longer to claim Olive as his own.