Sam
I flung the door open to The Beaver and Boot, immediately looking around for Michael. Instead, I found Cassidy, sitting at the bar, drinking shots like a sloppy drunk.
“People suck,” she slurred, shoving her shot glass to Lizzy across the bar.
“Trust me. I’m well aware.”
“I really, really fucking hate those bitches.”
“Girl, everyone in this town does.”
JR strode over, snagging the bottle out of Lizzy’s hand just as she was about to pour Cassidy another shot.
“I think that’s enough for tonight.”
“Aww, you’re no fun,” Cassidy pouted. “Josie told me you were like this. All mean and big and growly.”
Sighing, I made my way over to the bar and leaned against it as I watched Cassidy prop herself up on her elbow, only to slip and nearly fall off her stool.
“See? Too much to drink,” JR muttered.
“This is still my bar, and if she wants another, I’ll give her another,” Lizzy snapped.
“She’s hammered!”
“You’re just upset because she’s friends with Josie, and if Josie hears that her friend got drunk at the bar all alone, she’ll be pissed, and you’ll be in trouble,” Lizzy smirked.
JR glanced at me, his jaw clenching hard as he stormed away. I had no doubt his worries were valid, but Lizzy was right. Cassidy had every right to get drunk.
Even if this was taking it a little far.
“Pour me another, barkeep!” she said, slamming her hand down on the counter with a snort. “I always wanted to say that.”
“Well, what do you say we call it quits after this one. I fought JR for one more drink, but I’m pretty sure he’s in the back calling his wife as we speak. We’re about to be invaded.”
“Invaded, shmaded. He doesn’t know what I know I know.”
“And what is it you know you know?”
She quirked her finger at Lizzy, beckoning her forward. “Josie and the artifact girl are currently busy.”
“The artifact girl? And who would that be?” Lizzy grinned.
Rolling my eyes, I strode over to Cassidy and slid my hand around her back, making her jump.
“Well! Lookey who it is! Sam,” she said slowly. “Mr. Muscleman. The muscles from—” A frown creased her face as she thought hard. “Where are you from?”
“I’ve got this,” I said to Lizzy, tugging Cassidy off her stool.
“You sure about that? I heard Michael was looking for you.”
“And this is the perfect excuse to get out of that unfortunate meeting.”
Cassidy spun in my arms, slapping her hands against my chest. “You! Have some ‘splainin’ to do, mister.”
“About?”
She swayed on her feet, nearly falling backward. My hand shot out, catching her just as she was about to topple over the barstool, and every one in line behind it.
“Let’s get you home.”
“Ha! You wish,” she slurred, swaying into my body. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”
“Only the sober ones,” I retorted.
“Well, you can keep dreaming!” She poked me hard in the chest, her finger bending as she dug in, pissed at me for some unknown reason.
“Alright,” I said, heaving her up in my arms. “Time to go home.”
“Those are words you’ll never hear from my lips!”
It was cute how she fought me every step of the way, saying shit I knew wasn’t true.
The good thing was that, somehow, even through her drunken state, she managed not to let it slip that we were sleeping together.
Whether that was on purpose or not, I had no idea, but if she had, it would be a deal breaker for us.
I was just about to make my escape when the door opened and Michael strode through, his brow quirked as he took in the scene.
“Going somewhere?”
“Gotta take this one home. She’s drunk.”
“Don’t forget her coat!” Lizzy shouted, rushing to catch up. “Thanks for getting her home.”
“Just doing what any gentleman would do.”
Michael, however, eyed me with suspicion, knowing full well I was trying to get out of whatever the hell he was going to get me into next.
Maybe he wanted me to join the department.
Or run for mayor.
Hell, whatever it was, I wasn’t interested.
But I wasn’t about to tell him I was trying to revive my boxing career. That would only cause trouble between Blake and me. And everyone else in my family.
That is, if they hadn’t already heard about it through the town grapevine.
“When you’re done, meet me back here.”
“Hey!” Cassidy shouted, grinning wide as she flung her arms out, nearly falling out of my arms in the process. “It’s Mr. Deputy Blake!”
“What?”
“Because Blake wears the pants in the family,” she snickered. “Hey, do you think she’d teach me that move?”
“That depends on what move you’re talking about.”
She twisted in my arms, trying to face him fully, which only made it more difficult to hold her. The woman was a little insane when she’d been drinking.
“The whole push a man through a window thing. Sounds cathratic.”
“Cathartic,” I corrected, sighing heavily. “Can we go now?”
Again, she twisted, this time to face me. “How rude. Do you realize that you’re talking to a lawman? He could punch you in the face and break that pretty little nose of yours.”
“I’m pretty sure he can’t.”
“Well, maybe he should. Then you wouldn’t have half the women in town swooning over you,” she said, flinging her arms out.
So, that’s what this was about. Someone was interested in me, and she was pissed about it. Interesting, but that wouldn’t change the status of our relationship in any way.
“Looks like you have your hands full. We’ll meet tomorrow.”
“Ooh, sorry. Busy tomorrow. Let’s do it another time.”
Cassidy snickered, “Shot down by another man. That’s gotta sting.”
Rolling my eyes, I carried her out of the bar before she could say anything else that might get her or me in trouble.
“You’re such a pain in the ass,” I muttered as she continued to flail in my arms. “Would you stay still?”
Suddenly, she settled, snuggling into my chest. “Mmm, you’re so warm.”
I chuckled softly. “You’re drunk.”
“Just a little,” she whispered, holding her fingers just a scant inch apart.
It was a little difficult getting the passenger side door open and settling her inside while she clung to me like a life raft, but I finally got her buckled in and was on my way to her house.
She turned in her seat, tucking her knees up against her chest as she stared at me. “She’s coming for you, Sammy.”
“Who’s that?”
“The she-Devil in town,” she whispered. “You’d better watch out, or she’ll get you, too.”
I glanced over at her, trying not to stare at those big eyes that seemed to only shine brighter in the dark. “Is that what this is all about? You’re jealous?”
But as I looked over again, her eyes were drifting shut, and she was on the verge of passing out.
“Cassidy, stay awake. I still gotta get you inside.”
She scoffed lightly, “Gotta get inside me?”
“No, inside the house,” I reiterated, not that she understood a word of what I was saying.
“’S open.”
“What?” I snapped, sure I heard her wrong.
“’S always open.”
“Your door?”
She rolled her head in a roundabout way, her eyes fluttering shut.
“Why the fuck would your doors always be open?”
She chuckled as she drifted off, but frankly, there was nothing funny about this. What the hell was she thinking? Who left their doors open?
Pulling into her drive, I shifted into park and turned to face her, but she was already out, snoring lightly as she snuggled in deeper. Sighing, I shoved the door open and stalked around to her side, flinging her door open in anger.
This woman was pissing me off, and I wasn’t in the mood for whatever bullshit was going on with her. Then again, it briefly crossed my mind that it wasn’t so much her that was pissing me off, but the fact that I was worried about her.
But that couldn’t be it.
Lifting her out of the seat, I tried not to inhale her intoxicating aroma as I pulled her against my chest, or think about how much I liked her in my arms. We were just having sex. It was nothing more than that.
It never would be.
As expected, the door was unlocked. Any asshole off the street could stroll right in and make themselves at home or steal her stuff.
Or take advantage of the fact that she was a single woman living alone.
Anger boiled in my gut, but I shoved it aside for when she was actually conscious and could have a conversation about her idiocy. Or just sit there as I yelled at her. She didn’t really need to talk. She only needed to listen to the lecture I was forming in my head.
Since this was the first time I was in her house, I didn’t know where her bedroom was, but the layout of the house was pretty straightforward.
The living room was in the front as you walked in, with the kitchen at the back and a hall leading to the bedrooms. It was pretty much what you would expect of a rental, and while it wasn’t the fanciest house, she kept it clean and decorated nicely.
Nothing overly girly, which I appreciated.
But the number of books stacked on various tables was shocking. Even for a woman who ran a bookshop. Who had time to read that much?
I kicked open the first door on the right, but the only thing in there was a desk, chair, and more bookcases filled with novels and a few magazines.
The next door was the bathroom, so I kicked open the last door on the left and carried her over to the bed, laying her down gently.
I was just about to pull the covers up when I realized she was still in her clothes.
Stepping back, I stared down at the woman, trying to decide what to do. It wasn’t like stripping her was a problem. I’d seen the woman naked plenty of times. I’d had my tongue on parts of her body that only a lover would know.
And yet, this felt too intimate.
“Just do it,” I muttered, pulling off her shoes first and tossing them in the corner.
When that was done, I unbuttoned her jeans, doing my best not to stare at the juncture between her thighs.
I was already hard just being in the bedroom.
Next came her sweater, which was more of a struggle than I anticipated when her arms flailed all around as I tried in vain to remove it from her body.
In the end, I tugged it back down and left her as she was, pulling the covers up to her chin.
Now that I had done my part, I headed for the door, only belatedly remembering how much she’d drunk.
“Basket,” I said, snapping my fingers as I headed back to the bathroom in search of something to put next to her bed.
When that was done, I once again headed for the door, but then thought of the pounding headache she’d most likely have in the morning.
Cursing myself, I went to the fridge and found a bottle of water, loosening the cap before taking it to her room and setting it on the nightstand.
After finding some pills in the cabinet, I set those beside her bed as well.
There. That was everything.
Except for the fact that the house had been left open all day.
I really fucking hated myself for getting involved right now.
This was really none of my business, and yet, I couldn’t leave her house without checking all the windows and making sure the back sliding door was locked, and a wooden stick was in the track, preventing anyone from breaking in.
I tugged the door closed behind me and stood on her steps, breathing in the night air.
“Too fucking much, Sam. Walk away.”
And yet, as I walked to my car and headed to my house on wheels, I knew it would be nearly impossible to never see her again.