Justice Inked (Cowboy Justice Association 7) (17 page)

Rayne rolled her eyes even as her heart tumbled in her chest. “I’d love to. I won’t even make you run around in the rain this time. Maybe we can just have a nice meal or something, completely warm and dry.”

His expression went blank at that and he dropped her hand. “What about that guy?”

Rayne looked around the room. They were the only two people in it. “What guy?”

“The guy you were having lunch with the other day.”

Rayne had only gone out to lunch one day that week…Oh hell! He was talking about James. The handsome sheriff was jealous. This was too delicious and a part of her wanted to see how jealous he could get but she wasn’t that cruel. She wouldn’t want him to do that to her.

“That was James and he’s just a friend.”

Dare crossed his arms over his broad chest, a dubious expression on his face. “He paid the check and he put his hand on your back when you walked out. It looked closer than friends.”

He was jealous and she shouldn’t enjoy it, but she did. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the thought of this gorgeous man not wanting her to be with anyone else.

“I’m not sure how it looked but I can assure you he’s just a friend. We ran into each other and he joined me for lunch. I don’t know if I’ll even see him again. I doubt I will. He’s a veterinarian over in Springwood and a friend of Jared’s.”

Dare stared down at the toe of his well-worn boots. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to go out with me if you’d rather…”

She’d had enough. Playing games weren’t her style. She smacked his chest with her palms, pressing them against his warm and solid frame. “Shut up, Sheriff. God help us both, it looks like we like each other. I don’t want to date James, okay? I want to date you. How’s that for getting things out into the open?”

When he raised his head, she almost staggered back in shock. Dare was smiling.

Smiling
. A blinding, beautiful smile that took her breath away and sent electric tingles to some very intimate places.

The asshole was all even white teeth and fucking dimples. He was sexy and gorgeous and it was all she could do not to jump his bones right then and there with his sister and her boyfriend not fifteen feet away on the other side of the wall.

“God help us is a good way to put it, honey, because you and I are going to be the death of one another,” he drawled, that grin still on his face. “So what do you say? Want to get something to eat after I talk to Sophie and Tim?”

Praying that “get something to eat” was a euphemism for something a hell of a lot more personal she nodded her head, not able to get a word out before his lips came down on hers. The kiss was all-consuming and finished much too quickly, leaving her weak-kneed and dizzy.

He pressed a quick kiss to the tip of her nose. “Let me get this over with and then you and I can have some time alone.”

Trailing after him as he reentered the front of her shop, Rayne had to admit she was curious as to what Tim and Sophie saw that day. This might be the break they’d been waiting and hoping for.

Chapter Nineteen

“H
ow about these seats?” Rayne pointed to the back row of the movie theatre. They’d driven all the way to Bozeman to see this movie so they didn’t have to sneak around. But out of sheer habit they were still doing it. Not wanting to argue, he nodded and they slid into the chairs, settling their popcorn and sodas in the armrest slots.

Dare was tired of sneaking around. For the past two weeks, he and Rayne had been meeting in out of the way places to keep their relationship private. At first it had seemed like the prudent thing to do. The gossip in Valley Station traveled faster than light and a tidbit about the sheriff dating the sexy tattooed newcomer was sure to be tasty. The more salacious the better.

But now it was starting to feel sleazy the way they skulked around as if they were ashamed of one another. The fact was Dare was proud as punch to have Rayne on his arm. He’d learned a thing or two about the fierce little lady since they’d begun dating, and most of it he liked.

Sure, she was outspoken and a trifle loud about her opinions but it came from a place of passion. When she spoke about abused children and animals or the environment, her eyes would light up and she’d get this fierce expression that made his dick painfully hard and his heart flip flop against his ribs.

She hugged hard and kissed harder. She didn’t pick at her food like so many women and she could play video games as well as he could. She smelled like vanilla and rain and her skin felt like the softest satin under his fingertips. Unfortunately, he hadn’t explored every inch of her flesh yet but he lived in hope. They’d been taking it slow and he was at the end of his proverbial rope. He needed her, wanted her, ached to bury himself deep inside her. She was on his mind constantly when he should be working or sleeping. He had it bad and the only cure was to get the little lady in the sack. Once he’d sated his hunger things would go back to normal.

“Popcorn?” Rayne held out the oversized tub and he grabbed a handful, bending his head to drop a kiss on her cheek in the dark theatre. The lights had dimmed and the previews had started. Grinning happily, she settled back into her chair and rested her head on his shoulder. She’d told him the previews were her favorite part, which cracked him up. She could watch those on her laptop for free but she said it wasn’t the same as on a big screen. It was cute that something that simple made her so happy.

The romantic comedy wasn’t his kind of film and he ended up spending most of it watching her watch the movie. In the flickering light, her expressions would go from happy to sad in an instant before turning to angry. When the lights finally came up she was dabbing a tissue at her eyes.

“That was so good. Didn’t you love it?”

He was a lousy liar, especially with this woman. She could see right through him without breaking a sweat. “Um…I think it was a chick flick, babe. But I’m glad you liked it.”

She pushed against his shoulder and giggled. “Too mushy for you, big guy? All that lovey-dovey stuff too icky with girl cooties?”

Girl cooties? This girl was seriously adorable. He was becoming quite fond of those purple streaks in her hair and the half dozen ear piercings.

“I like a man’s movie,” he boasted with a grin. “Car chases. Maimed bad guys. And explosions. Lots of explosions.”

She slapped her forehead and laughed loudly, causing a few heads to swivel but they only displayed indulgent smiles.

“I’m sorry this movie was too touchy-feely, but how about I make it up to you and buy you some ice cream? Any flavor.”

Dare pretended to ponder the offer. “Hot fudge and whipped cream?”

“Deal,” Rayne instantly agreed. “But there’s no cherry in this scenario. That’s long gone.”

Choking on his laughter, he led them out of the theatre and to the truck. He hadn’t had this much fun in years.

*   *   *   *

Rayne sighed contentedly as she ate the last bite of her hot fudge sundae made with mint chocolate chip ice cream. Dropping the plastic spoon into the paper cup, she sat back in her chair and patted her full stomach.

“That was delicious. Are you enjoying yours?”

While Rayne had ordered a medium-sized sundae, Dare had teasingly ordered a jumbo since she was paying. Of course she wasn’t surprised that he’d managed to put a major dent in the sweet confection; his appetite was legendary and she’d seen him put away massive quantities of food.

“I am. So much so that it’s almost gone.” He pushed the paper cup across the table, closer to her. “Want a bite?”

Rayne wrinkled her nose. “I’m not a big butter pecan fan, especially when you’ve mixed it with hot fudge. I would have gone with caramel.”

“It was a toss-up, but fudge usually beats everything else. This marshmallow cream is pretty good too.”

He had strange taste in ice cream, but he was so enthusiastic about it she thought it was sweet.

“Is there anything else you wanted to do while we’re here in town?”

“No, do you? I guess it is getting late.” Dare checked his watch while a spoonful of hot fudge dripped back into the cup. “It’s a long drive back so we should get on the road.”

“That sounds good.” Rayne slid her purse strap onto her shoulder. “I’m just going to run to the ladies’ room before we leave. I’ll be right back.”

“No problem. I’ll check messages.”

Dare pulled out his phone and scrolled through his texts and Rayne couldn’t help but wonder what the human race had done to look busy before cell phones. Talked to each other, probably.

The bathroom was located down the end of a long hallway and she ducked into the ladies’ room and quickly took care of business before touching up her lip gloss. With one last look in the dingy mirror she headed back to the table. A man wearing jeans and a dark hoodie heading in the other direction brushed against her and she stepped to the side, only to have his arm wrap around her middle like a steel band, her breath lodging in her throat.

Before she could react he’d latched onto her purse, tugging it toward himself in an attempt to steal it but she wasn’t a pushover. Adrenaline surging with a fight or flight response, she remembered a few things from her self-defense class in college, yelling “fire” and trying to knee him in the groin or elbow him in the solar plexus. She wouldn’t give up her handbag without a fight although her palms, slick with sweat, made it difficult to hold onto the soft leather.

The massive size and strength difference put her at a huge disadvantage and her heart accelerated in her chest as she ineffectually wrestled for dominance, his large hands bruising her arms. In seconds, she found herself slammed down on the cold, unforgiving tile, her shoulder and hip taking the brunt of the fall. Wind knocked out of her, she struggled to take a breath as the thief sprinted away and out of the side door, hopping into a truck that had pulled around the building and speeding into the night.

“Christ, are you okay?”

Dare was leaning over her, pulling her to a sitting position, and she winced when his fingers ran across her shoulder. She was going to have a hell of a mark there from this special little interlude.

“I’m…okay. But he got my purse.” It took effort to even speak and she sucked in oxygen to hopefully keep the room from spinning. “He got away.”

Growling something under his breath, he ran his hands down her arms and legs. “We’ll call the police but I’m more worried about you right now. It doesn’t look like anything’s broken but you might need to go to the hospital. Did you hit your head?”

Rayne raised her gaze from the gray tile and almost passed out again at the sheer rage in Dare’s expression. It was probably just as well that the slimy thief had managed to get away because the man before her looked capable of ripping a body from limb to limb.

“No. I’m just banged up. Can you help me to my feet?”

They’d attracted quite the crowd in this tiny hallway and she was feeling claustrophobic. Dizzy, hurting, and still fearful, she needed fresh air and some space. Instead of giving her a hand, Dare simply scooped her up into his arms, bridal style, and carried her over to a booth in a quiet corner of the shop. The manager was fluttering around them, apologizing in one breath and bitching about her job in another. Apparently she’d wanted to be a dancer.

“The cops are on their way. Can you tell me what happened, babe?”

“Some guy grabbed my purse and made a run for it. I tried to fight him off but he was too strong. He must have had a friend to help him because he jumped into a truck and they peeled out of here.”

Dare was scowling again, the smiles and laughter left behind. “A little thing like you probably didn’t have much of a chance. I’m just glad you’re okay. I’ve done a shit job of taking care of you tonight.”

Rayne ran her fingers over the wrinkles in his forehead. “It isn’t your job to take care of me. Besides, I’m fine. But I may need your help when we get back to town. I don’t suppose you know how to break into a house? My keys were in my purse and I don’t cherish the thought of sleeping on the porch until the locksmith can get there.”

His gaze dropped to the floor, and if anything his expression turned darker. There was a hell of a lot more going on here. He smoothed her hair back and tucked a few strands behind her ear.