Page 5 of Protected by the Sheriff (Magnolia Falls #2)

Mason

S itting another night at home on my deck with a beautiful mountain view, all I can think about is that Olivia’s driveway is empty.

I’ve reorganized my spice rack and pantry, alphabetizing the contents while waiting for her to get home.

Last night, I reorganized the refrigerator and freezer in the kitchen.

Everything in my house is completely orderly and in its own place. One thing I can’t stand is chaos. I like control and one thing that drives me nuts about Olivia is that I can’t control her. She’s a whirlwind of color, literally and figuratively.

After losing control and carrying her out of the bar last night, you would think the stubborn woman learned her lesson, but no. She has to keep pushing me to the limit, and I don’t even know why I care.

Yes, she’s my sister-in-law’s best friend, but she should be able to go out to a bar and dance with anyone she wants. Sweat coats my forehead as I remember walking into the bar, seeing her smile at dumbass Morris. Her emerald-green eyes sparkling as she stared at him.

I taste blood as I bite my tongue and feel my nails dig into my palms. Dammit.

Why can’t I ignore her? I wish she’d just go away.

She just had to move to my town and even worse, right fucking next door to my house.

Of all the places and all the mountains and valleys around here, she had to invade my space.

She walks around looking like a fucking rainbow. A sexy rainbow that keeps my dick hard. God, I can’t stop thinking about her.

With her bright colors, a smile as bright as the sun, and her laughter that echoes like wind chimes, she’s hard to avoid. Every time she walks into a room, I see all the men looking at her and she remains oblivious, not even realizing the pull she has.

I’ve never been the jealous type, but I want to take my gun out of its holster and shoot them all between the eyes, or at the very least tase them.

It’s after 10 p.m., and I’m just taking the last chug of my beer when I hear a car pull into Olivia’s driveway.

Without thinking, I toss the beer in the trashcan I keep on my deck just for this reason and stride towards Olivia’s.

She’s getting out of the car and picking up her purse from the front seat.

I grab her upper arm and flip her around, pushing her up against the side of the vehicle.

“Where the hell have you been? Can you not answer your text messages?”

As I tower over her, Olivia’s eyes flash with fear at first, until she realizes it’s me and not a stranger who has her captive against the side of her car.

“Mason, who the hell do you think you are? You have no right to know where I am or what I’m doing, and I come home when I damn well please.”

Reaching up, I place my hand around her throat, not cutting off her air but just letting her know how serious I am. “Olivia, don’t push me, woman. I will show you who is in charge if you push me. Were you out with that guy again?”

“Guy? What guy?” She looks totally confused for a second before realizing I’m talking about Morris from The Lucky Horseshoe. “So what if I was? Why do you care?”

Huffing in frustration, I release my grip on her neck and push away from the car, allowing her to move freely. My growl echoes in the mountain air. She’s right and I hate that she’s right. “I just want to make sure you are safe. That’s all,” I lie.

I step back, not knowing what else I can say without showing how much the thought of her being with another man bothers me.

“Just fucking answer my texts and calls from now on, Olivia. I’m the sheriff of this town, and it’s my job to make sure EVERYONE stays safe.”

“So, everyone in town is at your beck and call?” she asks smugly.

“Olivia,” I warn. She’s on thin ice. What I really want to do is throw her down in the dirt and fuck the smug attitude right out of her. As soon as the thought pops into my head, my dick perks up and hardens like a log.

Realizing I’m showing my feelings and needing to build my walls back up, I stomp back towards my house, giving Olivia my back. She is fucking with a time bomb, and when I blow, I’m going to explode, and when I do, I’m taking her with me.

Fuck! I’ve got to get a handle on myself. Walking back inside, I slam my door and walk straight to the shower, where I turn on the water as cold as possible. I cringe at how much my jaw and neck muscles ache with tension.

Why does she make me hard every time I’m near her? No other woman has ever done that to me my entire life. I don’t want to want her.

No, it’s not going to happen, and I’m determined to resist this pull we have towards one another.

She doesn’t even want me; she’s made that obvious.

So I need to get myself under control and leave this woman alone.

Remember she’s like every other woman in this town.

Good for nothing but a one-time fuck, but that fuck is not for me.

I know that’s not true, but I have to keep telling myself Olivia is just like any other woman.

Women lie, cheat, and trap men. I never told Declan but his ex, Lisa, even tried to sleep with me.

Of course, I was disgusted by the whore and sent her on her way, but our dad cheating on our mom with my brother’s fiancée really messed up my family.

It made Declan and I both have trust issues, and my mom, Kate, doesn’t even acknowledge men who ask her out on a date.

Another relationship is not in the realm of possibility for her after my dad’s betrayal.

Remembering the pain and destruction Lisa left behind is what keeps me from making any move on Olivia. She’s the kind of woman who would ruin me.

I’d love to see my family whole again, share in some of the happiness that Dec has found, but I don’t think there are many people trustworthy enough.

Declan got lucky finding Savannah. Poor Savannah really had it rough.

She’s been to hell and back, but despite everything, the woman lives and breathes for her children and my brother.

My sister-in-law is one of the few women I genuinely trust.

Loyalty is hard to find, but I’m so glad my brother found his true love.

After confronting Olivia in her driveway, I know I’m truly fucked.

Somehow, I can’t control myself around that woman.

The primal urge to throw her down and fuck the defiance out of her is almost too much to resist. She at least deserves for me to spank her bare ass.

It took everything I have to turn and walk away instead of giving into my desires.

That’s the one thing I will never do—give in to the pull Olivia has on me. If I do, then it’s game over. There’ll be no going back, and I can’t ever allow a woman to trap and control me.

After grabbing coffee from The Greasy Skillet, I make my way to the sheriff’s department where my office is located. Since we are such a small town, the building I work in combines the local police, the sheriff’s office, and a small jail.

We have crime but not a ton of it, and if we do happen to reach capacity, we can transfer prisoners into the next town over. Mostly we get drunk and disorderly. Usually tourists, but every once in the while a local gets locked up overnight.

As I sit back and power on my computer to check emails, I take a sip of my morning coffee.

All the while, I keep remembering the confrontation I had with Olivia last night and I know I have to put a leash on my possessive streak.

I want to own her and fuck her; hell, even flashes of a future with her have started running through my head, but I know that’s not how real life works.

Once my computer is on and booted up, I open my email.

Normally, I get about thirty a day. Work-related emails that are from other departments, the courts, probation and parole officers, and colleagues.

This time I look and there are hundreds.

HUNDREDS! And in the subject of most of them the term ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION is loud and clear.

What the hell? This must be someone’s idea of a joke.

A text message comes in on my cell phone.

Crayola: How’s your morning going? Any emails? Maybe they will help with that tiny dick syndrome you have.

My brows rise as I realize what’s happening. Olivia somehow found my email address. As annoyed as I am, my mouth pulls up into a smile. I’m kind of proud of Little Miss Crayon.

Me: How’d you get my email address?

Crayola: That’s a secret.

Me: Little girl, you don’t want to play games with me.

Crayola: I think I do.

Me: Game on.

As I consider everything I know about Olivia, I know one thing for sure. She’s not a morning person and hates to be woken up. Well, she’s met her match because I love to get up early and organize my cabinets before work. Picking up the phone, I dial the local ranch.

“Seven River Ranch speaking. How may I help you?”

“I want to place an order. Can I get some roosters delivered?”

“Sheriff Walker?”

“This is me.”

“You want roosters? Do you need us to bring a ready built coop?”

“Yeah. That’s perfect. Send me the whole setup.”

“Sir, that’s going to cost you a little money.”

“Spare no expense to get them roosters there before the day’s out,” I demand.

“I’m on it, Sheriff. We’ll be at your house before sundown.”

“Thanks,” I say as I hang up and sit back in my office chair. As I place my feet up on the desk, I smile wide knowing I’m going to piss off Little Miss Color and Sunshine.

After finishing up the workday, I stop by the local hardware store. The corner of my house faces Olivia’s bedroom. I think she deserves to have her life lit up the way she’s set mine on fire!