Need You for Keeps (Heroes of St. Helena, #1)(73)
“Oh my God.” St. Paws Rescue would be an actualized shelter. She wouldn’t have to give up her pets and she wouldn’t have to move. More importantly, she would be able to call St. Helena her home and really mean it.
“Thank you,” Shay whispered, pressing the money to her chest.
Estella clicked her tongue. “Don’t get sappy. This is because I can’t stand another day of the incessant yapping and morning poops on my lawn.” She patted Shay’s hand and then smiled—at the crowd. “Now pay attention, here comes that man of yours.”
Shay looked up, surprised to find that the walk had started. And at the front of the group, looking bigger than life and sexy as ever, was Jonah. The sun gleamed off his badge and his smile went straight through to Shay’s heart.
She loved him. The most uptight, irritating, and adorable man in all the land, and she loved him with everything that she was.
“Who’s that, the snow princess?” Estella asked, pointing to—no way—Socks leading the pack. Shay had to blink. This must have been Jonah’s surprise. He wasn’t just walking Kitty Fantastic—he also had Jabba, who looked sporty in his Saints baseball uniform, head high, holding that red plastic baseball bat in his mouth like it was prey that he’d hunted, captured, and was bringing home, and Socks. Little, shy Socks, who was a snow princess indeed in ice-blue booties, a matching scarf, and miniature earmuffs with snowflakes sticking up from the headband like an ice crown. She looked adorable, noble—and like a loveable, confident companion.
Her little feet picked up and down in the perfect prance, her head not moving an inch as she strutted up Main Street as though this was hers to win.
Shay found it difficult to speak through the emotion clogging her throat. “That’s Socks. She’s a teacup Maltipoo.”
“She is a contender,” Estella said, and if Shay didn’t know any better she’d think the older woman sounded impressed.
Shay opened her mouth to say that Socks wasn’t eligible for the prize, then closed it. She wasn’t a judge, so there was no reason her dogs had to be excluded in the running.
“I don’t know,” Dr. Huntington said, leaning over. “The Scottish fold in the deputy’s holster looks to have caught the eyes of the crowd.”
Shay would have to take the vet’s word for it, because it was someone else entirely who had caught her eye. As he got closer he took off his glasses, and the look he sent her said that he wanted to be caught.
By her.
An hour later, Kitty Fantastic was back in his cage and Jonah was officially a deputy again, which meant he was supposed to be covering the corner of Main and Adams Street, not standing behind the stage watching the judges tally their scores. But he needed to speak with Shay. It was urgent. So he’d agreed to wear his new Deputy *cat hat to the next fire-police softball game if Adam would stand in for him.
“Excuse me, Miss Michaels,” Jonah said in his most deputy-like tone. “We have a situation that needs your attention.”
“Is it Jabba? Did he steal someone’s baton again?” Shay asked, her eyes wide.
Her lips, however, were glossy and lush and he wondered what would happen if he leaned down, right there in front of the town, and kissed her. Then he wondered if the rumors on Nora’s Facebook page were true that Shay was wearing something from the Boulder Holder, and if so what color it was. And what it covered—if anything.
Then he realized it was poor form to walk around with a hard-on in uniform and said, “No, ma’am. But if you could just come with me.”
“I’ll be right back,” Shay said to the judges, but Estella waved her off as though she had everything handled.
“Is everything okay?” she asked once they had cleared the stage area.
“Just come with me,” he said, then rested his hand on her lower back in the most deputy-like way possible.
He wove them through the sea of people, past the blockade, and into the alley next to the soon-to-be St. Paws. Once they were out of sight, he took her hand and led her around the corner. Without another word he pressed her up against the wall and took her mouth.
Shay was surprised at first, which he took advantage of, then she fisted her hands into his shirt and yanked him close. And God she tasted good. She felt even better rubbing up against him like a cat with an itch. And he wanted to scratch it, he really did, but she had a prince and princess to crown and he had to get back to his post pronto.
But he’d spent all afternoon watching her flit around town, charming the locals and tourists alike, determined to make her dream a reality, and he wanted to take a moment to tell her how proud of her he was.
He also wanted her all to himself before the winners were announced and she went back to being the rescue lady of St. Helena. He needed some serious rescuing too, and she was the only person who could help.
She pulled back enough to look up at him, her face flushed and her eyes blazing. “That is a pretty big problem you have there, Sheriff.”
“It’s been pressing all afternoon.” To show her, he flattened her against the wall with his body and dropped his head to nip at her neck.
“Seems to be growing by the minute.” With mock concern, she took his hand and placed it on her bare thigh, slowly sliding it up her silky skin, under that dress he’d been thinking about and—look at that—a tiny scrap of lace barely covering her. “How is it looking now?”