Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
Wesley
Didn’t See Her Coming
Not even thinking about baseball was relieving Wesley’s hard-on after seeing Shelby in his clothes and thinking about her curvy body naked in his shower.
How could a woman be so frustrating and alluring at the same time?
Why of all the women who passed through Sandy Point would it take a Shepherd to get him to stand at attention and now be completely distracted and unable to sleep?
She was beyond off-limits and a bad idea.
But that didn’t stop him from thinking about how he’d like to have her straddling his cock right now and pulling her thick hair back so he could see her expressive eyes while he buried himself inside her.
“Damn it,” he grumbled into his pillow, punching it.
It had been a long day, and it was going to be an even longer night if he didn’t stop thinking about the woman asleep on his couch.
He could hear her soft breathing—hell he could smell her.
It’d been way too long since he’d dated or even slept with someone.
He’d been so focused on work the last few years he’d forgotten to have a personal life.
*
He didn’t know what time he’d finally succumbed to sleep, but he did know when he woke up that his dream about having Shelby Shepherd under him had seemed way too real.
The house was quiet as he opened his eyes and he saw the first cast of sunlight creeping through the upper windows.
It was about seven a.m., and it looked like the snow was still falling.
As he got out of bed his morning wood was painfully at attention, and he was grateful Shelby wouldn’t see or know he’d been dreaming about her all night. Once he took care of himself and got dressed he decided to check in with the staff via text so he wouldn’t wake his houseguest.
But after one look outside it was clear the roads were all closed, and not even emergency vehicles could get to anyone right now.
Next, he checked the family group chat to make sure everyone was safe.
Dalton, Brooke and Max were at home; Levi and Missy were at Gran’s having been home for Christmas, so Wes wasn’t needed.
Which was just fine because six miles in this snow would be impossible.
He had convinced the actual sheriff, a political appointee, to invest in two four-wheelers last year.
They were good for the beach, and could be used in the snow, but he’d rather not need to use them.
He knew a blizzard was a dangerous storm because it could disorient people fast. It was best if they all stayed put.
Which meant he was going to be stuck with his houseguest for at least another day.
“Wesley, can I use the bathroom?” a soft voice called from the couch.
He looked up from his phone and saw Shelby’s head above the couch staring back at him, where he sat on the end of his bed.
“Of course—you don’t have to ask. It looks like this storm isn’t letting up so you better just make yourself at home here.”
“Okay,” she said with more enthusiasm than he expected and quickly skirted across the wood floors to the bathroom. She disappeared behind the heavy metal door and then a few minutes later she entered the kitchen just as he poured a cup of coffee.
“Would you like a coffee, or do you want to get some more sleep?” he asked, realizing it was still early for most people.
“A coffee would be amazing. I could make us some breakfast,” she said pushing her long sleeves up and revealing a dainty flower tattoo on the inside of her forearm, and he spotted another one on her right hand that looked like a quill.
“I usually just start with a coffee but help yourself to whatever you like.”
His T-shirt hung down past her bottom, but he could still see her curves and wondered how she’d fit if he pulled her into him.
A blush creeped into her cheeks, and he suspected she caught him ogling her. He needed to get out more and find someone to help relieve his sudden teenage boy reaction to a woman in his home.
“I feel really bad intruding on you. I promise I’ll make it up to you.”
“It’s fine. We were basically in a state of emergency last night. You may want to let your family know you’re safe.”
“Oh shoot, you’re right. I mean at least Pops will be wondering where I am.” She suddenly looked around for something. “Do you know where I put my bag?”
“I think your luggage is still by the front door.”
“Oh no, I forgot to grab my purse from my truck.”
“Do you want to use my phone?”
“This is really embarrassing—I think I was so scared you’d leave me in that truck I just grabbed my work bag and forgot my other stuff.”
Wesley slid his phone over to her at the counter.
She looked at it but then started to laugh. “I don’t know anyone’s phone numbers. I literally am impossible.”
“I don’t have your dad or brother’s numbers. Sorry.”
“Oh, they’re not worried about me, but I need to call my granddad. He was expecting me today and he’ll be really worried with the storm.”
“You’re close with Old Man Shepherd, but not your parents? I thought you said you were headed to Beach Boulevard last night.”
“I was going to stay at the inn but when they were full, I figured I would stay with my parents instead.”
“Huh, well your grandfather doesn’t live as far as Beach Boulevard but he’s still too far from here in this storm.”
“He’s the only reason I came home. I bet he’s worried.”
Wesley pulled up something on his phone and then showed her. “This is an internal phonebook we have at the sheriff’s department. We use it to keep residents informed about emergencies or local traffic. It looks like your granddad opted in, so I have his number. Is it too early to call him?”
“No, he’ll be up studying this storm, for sure. May I?”
She reached her hand out to him and a jolt of something passed between them as her smaller hand touched his. She accepted the phone from him and smiled.
“Tell your grandfather I said hello.”
She smiled and hit the call button but stayed in the kitchen close by.
“Hi, Grandad—it’s Shelby. I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner. I got stuck in the storm but I’m in Sandy Point and as soon as it clears, I’ll be out to see you.” Her face was lit up with a big smile.
“No, I didn’t get arrested, I actually got stranded and Sheriff Hart rescued me… Yes, that young man. I know, he’s quite large now.”
She turned away but Wesley noticed her posture relax, as if just the sound of her grandfather’s voice put her at ease. He was surprised to learn she was closer with her grandfather, who must be in his eighties, than her parents and brother. But it moved her up a notch as a Shepherd.
“He says hello. I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to deliver me to you once the storm passes. Have you been watching the radar?”
Her laugh was intoxicating, and he wondered what her grandfather said to make her smile so much.
She fiddled with her cup of coffee he set on the counter for her, and he waited.
Instead of giving her privacy he leaned on the counter and watched her, taking in how comfortable she looked in his oversized clothes.
“Okay, I love you too. Don’t try to go out until the storm stops and then I’ll help you shovel.”
Wesley couldn’t help but laugh at that idea, of this woman who wore leggings and flimsy boots in a blizzard, shoveling snow. Which was why she caught him smiling when she hung up and turned to face him again.
“Are you laughing at me?”
“Of course not.”
“I’ll have you know I’m more than capable of using a shovel.”
“Emm hmmm, I bet you clear your own sidewalk every time it snows.”
“You must have a low opinion of me because of my family. I get it. I mean, they sorta bring that out of people.”
“Are you saying you weren’t born with a platinum spoon in your mouth?”
“No, I had the spoon, the staff, the big house, and all the nannies I could ever want.”
Wesley nodded. “I see—poor little rich girl?” He regretted it the moment he saw the pain wash over her face, but she just as quickly masked it.
“So anyway, do you have to go to work?”
“No, the town is completely shut down. We don’t have the kind of emergency vehicles we’d need in this snow. Everyone needs to just sit tight until it passes.”
“So you’re stuck with me and a day off?”
“Looks like it.”
“Then I’m making us some breakfast and we can watch the snow fall, or read, or watch a marathon of storm movies.”
“I take it you like bad weather?”
She started to move around the kitchen like she was familiarizing herself with her surroundings. She pulled out a frying pan and then found the pantry and searched high and low for something.
“I’m not sure I’ll have the ingredients you’re looking for but you’re welcome to get creative.”
“From the look of this you cook, a lot?”
“Eating at the diner comes with more hazards than fried food.”
She pulled out a bowl and a whisk but stopped and smiled up at him.
“You mean the ladies of Sandy Point would take any opportunity to get the handsome sheriff’s attention? So you taught yourself to cook?”
He liked the idea that she thought he was handsome.
“My mother taught me to cook, but yes I find it more relaxing to eat at home.”
“Then I hope you like pancakes, because I’m going to make them for you.”
He nodded. “I’m just going to put the news on,” he said taking his cup to the living room.
If there was one thing Wes knew it was Shelby Shepherd was trouble, and the longer she was in his home, and in his clothes, the greater the desire he had to kiss her while peeling off all her clothes.
But that wasn’t going to happen, so he needed to keep his distance as best he could, trapped in his thousand-square-foot home, in the middle of a blizzard.