The Closer You Come (The Original Heartbreakers, #1)(90)

In a way, hadn’t he already?

“Had you asked earlier,” she said, “I would have said yes, yes, a thousand times yes.”

Clouds of sadness drifted through his eyes, but they were soon replaced by determination. “I’ll wait,” he said, squaring his shoulders. “I’ll wait for you to be single again.”

“No. Don’t,” she said with a shake of her head, but on some level she wondered if he’d have to wait very long. “I’m going to do everything in my power to make this relationship last a long, long time.” Maybe even the rest of my life.

*

JASEPACED HIS living room like a caged tiger, waiting for Brook Lynn to arrive. She had ten more minutes, then he was heading to Lintz Automotive, and—

What? The shop was owned by the sheriff’s son.

Hell. Instinct said: let the competition know what will happen if he touches my woman. Self-preservation shouted: Do I want to go back to prison?

But...she’s mine.

His first “mine” since Daphne, and the two couldn’t even compare.

Must take measures to keep Brook Lynn. Can’t let her leave me like I’ve been left in the past.

The ring of the doorbell snapped him out of his daze.

He strode to the door and found a tall, lean man with weathered skin standing outside. The brim of a white Stetson cast shadows over his eyes, and he wore an official SVPD uniform, dark polyester and a bit too tight.

The sheriff, as if Jase’s thoughts had summoned him.

“Well, now. I’m Sheriff Lintz, and you must be Jase Hollister.”

The sheriff must have found out Brook Lynn and Jase were dating, that she’d chosen Jase over Brad, and had come to warn him off. Worse, Sheriff Lintz had to know about Jase’s past. Why else would he be here?

Cold sweat broke out on the back of Jase’s neck at the same time as fire blazed in his blood. How soon before Brook Lynn learned the truth?

“I am,” he said, lifting his chin.

“Good, good. I paid your boys a visit in town earlier today, introduced myself and let them know I’m here if they need me. Wanted you to know the same.”

A welcome? A trick, surely. “Thank you,” he said carefully. Why hadn’t the boys warned him?

The sheriff rocked back on the heels of his boots. “I hear our sweet little Brook Lynn Dillon is working for you.”

“Yes.” He offered no more, no less.

“Pretty as a picture, that one.”

Fishing? This time, he said nothing.

“Not a very talkative fellow, are you?” Sheriff Lintz laughed, and it sounded genuine. “Well, now. Guess you’ve got things to do. I’ll take my leave. You take care, you hear.” He ambled to his black-and-white and drove off.

Jase remained in the doorway until the car disappeared from view. He swiped up his phone to call Beck—and saw his friend had left three messages. Damn it, he’d left the ringer off.

The scare with the sheriff made his need to see and hold Brook Lynn animalistic. What the hell was taking so long?

Hinges on the door squealed a few minutes later, and she sailed inside the house. His body reacted instantly, tensing, heating—readying. Just like that.

He wasn’t sure how much longer he’d have her in his life, and urgency filled him. He was on her in seconds, pinning her against the wall.

“Well?” he said. “Is it done?”

She curled into him, not even a little bit upset by his manhandling. “I talked to Brad,” she replied, breathless.

“And?”

“And I told him I’m seeing a Mr. Jase Hollister exclusively.”

The tension he’d been carrying around, boulders on his back, suddenly dissolved. “Did he cry? I would have cried.”

“Please. You are not a crier, Mr. Hollister.”

“No, I suppose I’m not.” He found himself adding, “I cried the time I was taken from the apartment I’d shared with my mother,” surprising them both by revealing a little more of his past. “I expected her to come back...was afraid she wouldn’t be able to find me if I wasn’t there. And I cried the first time I was pulled out of a decent foster home. After that I had no more tears to give.”

She melted against him, warm and soft—and all mine. “I hate that you went through those things.”

“I’m learning to appreciate what I have.” He nuzzled the line of her jaw. “But all that moving around as a kid gave me a boo-boo that hasn’t healed, and I know how you like to kiss those.”

“Yes,” she said with a tremor. “Tell me. Where is this boo-boo?” She tapped a finger against his heart. “Here?”

“No.” He took her hand and curled it around his erection. “Here.”

She chuckled, even as she tightened her grip on him. “I’d be happy to kiss this boo-boo...after I tell you a ground rule I have.”

Playing me like a piano...and I love it. “Tell me.”

“As long as I’m on the clock, there will be no PDA.”

It was a little after nine, and this was definitely a public display of affection. “The rule needs an addendum. No PDA, unless I fire you. Then you can tell your boyfriend all about your cruel boss, and your boyfriend will comfort you...naked...and then you can convince your boss to rehire you.”