Playing For Keeps (2 page)

Her expressive brown eyes always made him wonder what she was thinking. Was she undressing him with her eyes or cursing him? Keirra knew he was interested in her. But she fought it. In his opinion, she just wanted to ignore the attraction between the two of them. He didn’t know why he was wasting so much time on Keirra because he didn’t have trouble attracting a woman. It was obvious that Keirra didn’t want to date him. Yet, it didn’t diminish his attraction to her. If anything, it only made his attraction to her stronger. He was used to women fawning all over him, and it was a little refreshing not to have one who did.

“Eric, can I see you in my office for a minute?”

Eric groaned. He had just gotten comfortable. He swung his feet onto the floor, then stood up and walked into Randy’s office. He liked working with Randy. Eric hadn’t been certain what made him apply for the deputy position, but he had. It had been a good move and a relief from the burnout he had started to feel after spending ten years on the Atlanta police force. Randy was the Appling County sheriff, and he was a good sheriff.

“Have a seat and wipe that look off your face. I’m not putting you to work.”

Eric chuckled and took a seat. “Thanks I think.”

Randy shook his head and leaned back into his chair. “I just called you in the office to be nosey and see how things were going with Keirra.”

Eric sighed. “Seems to be going downhill since the dance.”

It was true. Keirra had begun to warm up to him, and now he was right back to where he started.

She had something against cops, and he was going to find out what it was. He knew from a background check that she hadn’t had any run-ins with the law, but there was something feeding her dislike.

“I will get it figured out.”

Randy smiled. “I am sure you will. Just keep in mind she is a good woman, and she is more fragile than she looks.”

Eric wondered what Randy meant but didn’t ask. He had a feeling it would just lead to more questions, and he had enough of those as it was. Instead he sighed and stood up. “Now that much I knew. If you have any more advice, I would appreciate it.”

Randy nodded at Eric. Eric left Randy’s office. He knew he had his work cut out for him. His playboy past had gotten him into deep trouble at times, but those days were over. He wasn’t sure if turning thirty-two, meeting Keirra, seeing all of his friends and sisters get married, or a combination of all the events were influencing him to want to settle down. Then again it could be all the slaps upside his head from his mom and sisters when he’d done something stupid in the past. Either way he was ready to settle down and preferably with Keirra.

He walked back to his desk and retook his seat. When Gary made it back it would be his turn to patrol, and that was more than okay with him. Sometimes he missed the fast pace in Atlanta, and sometimes he didn’t.

He didn’t know how many ulcers he had during his ten years on the force. There were some pretty scars to show for it too. Mainly scuffle wounds, a knife wound on his left arm, and a scar from where a bullet grazed him on his right arm. The knife wound had been the scariest. Wrestling a knife from a drug addict on speed was a task he never wanted to face again. The guy seemed to be invincible when it came to pain. It had taken the assistance of three other officers to get the guys under control, although they had all suffered bruises, scrapes, and cuts.

He looked up as the door opened, and Gary walked in. Eric stood up and gathered his keys and hat.

He liked the hat. It shaded his eyes against the sun, and now that it was starting to get cold, the hat kept his head warm.

“Pretty slow today.”

Eric smiled. “No slower than it is in here.”

Gary chuckled. “You have a point there.”

“Well I need some fresh air, so I’m going on patrol.”

Gary sat down at his desk. “See you when you get back.

Eric turned and walked out of the station, his mind still on Keirra and the conversation he just had with Randy. Despite his disastrous lunch with her he planned to pursue her. She was different from the women he had dated in the past. He was used to dating women who didn’t want a long-term relationship. If they were with him they knew he felt the same, and nothing would come of the relationship except pure satisfaction. Even so, some of the women would forget the rules and become clingy, and he would have to call the casual relationship to an end.

His job as a cop in Atlanta had made it difficult to date anyone on a serious level. Before he left Atlanta, he had vowed no more women with emotional hang-ups about what he did for a living.

However, he had had no idea he would meet Keirra. His rule was changing, and he didn’t mind.

Keirra was a dynamic woman, and different from the women he had dated in the past. They suited each other well, and there were things about her that reminded him of everything he could want in a woman.

Getting in his car he had one place in mind to patrol. He maneuvered through the town to the Smith’s residence with ease. Driving by the house he smiled. It must be his lucky day. Keirra’s car was the in the driveway, and she was standing outside washing it. He pulled over to the curb and stepped out of his car.

When he closed the door Keirra turned around, and he felt like he had been punched in the stomach at her beauty. She was in a tank top, exposing smooth skin and a toned body. Cotton shorts revealed long legs that should never be covered up by the jeans and pants she always wore. He smiled at the curse word that came out of her mouth and started up the driveway.

“I didn’t know you knew those kinds of words.”

She opened her mouth to respond, but he cut her off. “I wonder if you talk to all people like this, or if is it only reserved for me.”

Her heated look could have melted metal. “It depends,” she growled.

“On what?”

She crossed her arms and took a defensive stance. “On whether you are here to talk to me.”

He smiled and stepped closer to her, taking slight satisfaction when she took a step back before catching herself. He affected her more than she let on.

“Well, of course I am here to talk to you.”

His smile widened when he heard her groan and drop her head. Then he watched her shoulders stiffen as if she were preparing for a battle with him. If she wanted a battle she would get one.

“Then yes, the curse word was for you. How can I help you, deputy?” she asked, and went back to washing her car. If she thought she could dismiss him by presenting him with her back she had a lot to learn about him.

“You know I could charge you with verbal assault of a public servant.”

His statement made her stop in mid-scrub, and he watched her shoulders stiffen even more as if it were possible. When she turned to look at him, he knew exactly what Randy had meant earlier. If he had been a lesser man he would have shrank back from her angry gaze.

“I don’t play those kinds of games, Deputy Brooks.”

He knew he needed to back off, but he couldn’t force himself to.
“Challenge her.”
Kristen’s words of wisdom back at the dance after homecoming rang out in his ears.
“She enjoys being challenged
.
”

Her eyes were spitting fire, but despite her anger, Keirra was exquisite to him, and his interest in her deepened. He had to find a way to get through to her.

“You know all of this could go away if you would just take me up on my peace offer. How about dinner Friday night?”

Keirra placed the towel she was using back in the bucket before turning to face him, yet her eyes were ablaze in them.

“Now
that
, deputy, sounds like an illegal solicitation of a citizen, not to mention bribery. I wonder how many charges I could press against you.”

He had to laugh. She had a lot of stubbornness and had risen to the challenge. She was also tough. If he ever had another witness he needed to interrogate he would use her to play the bad cop.

“Now for the last time, deputy, I’m not, and will never be, interested in any offering you are trying to make.”

He held up his hands in surrender, and some of the anger in her eyes died down, but not enough for him to drop his guard.

“Do you mind if I ask why?”

The fire sparked back up, and her teeth clenched. “I don’t like cops.”

Eric wanted to ask more questions because he felt like they were getting somewhere, but he knew he had pushed his limit for the day, so instead he tipped his hat in her direction.

“I will go for now, Keirra, but know this conversation isn’t finished. Not by a long shot.”

She glared at him. “For your sake, I hope it is. Have a pleasant day, Deputy Brooks.”

He smiled wondering how she could get so much venom in her voice. He wanted to know if there was ever a time when the rancor wasn’t there. Opening the door to his patrol car, he stopped and turned to look back at Keirra. He didn’t know right now, but he planned to find out.

* * * *

“Kayla.”

“I am in the kitchen.”

Keirra followed her sister’s voice into the kitchen and found her pulling out leftovers from the refrigerator. She went over and began to help. “It is a little different not having Kristen around, huh?”

Kayla groaned. “Don’t remind me.”

This was the first time that she and her sisters didn’t live together, and it was very different. Then again so was being a triplet. She and her sisters had done just about everything in life together. Now Kristen had fallen in love with Randy again and had moved out of the house. Keirra was certain that wedding bells would be ringing soon. Kristen and Randy had a history that couldn’t be denied.

She smiled when she thought about the antics her sister had come up with to avoid Randy when they had first moved back to Baxley. She had used a few of them herself to avoid Eric.

Kristen had written all of her plans down on a tablet and had tried to put the plan into action, but the day Randy enrolled Wade into Kristen’s daycare, the plan had gone awry, and Kristen had given into her leftover feelings for Randy. Keirra was happy her sister had found the man for her. Keirra popped a container into the microwave and grinned at Kayla.

“We knew it would happen sooner or later.”

Kayla nodded. “True, but it still feels different.”

Keirra leaned against the counter. “So which one of us do you think will be bitten by the love bug next?

Kayla laughed. “As if you have to ask.”

Keirra shook her head. There was no way she was going to fall in love with Eric Brooks.

“My money is on you.”

“Well, it is a good thing I’m not going to bet against you because, little sister, you would be broke.”

Keirra laughed, pulled the first container out of the microwave, and slipped another inside. She loved her sisters.

“So did you see Deputy Brooks today?”

Keirra groaned. Lately she had seen the man every day, which was just a little too much for her.

“Don’t start, Kayla.”

Kayla just shook her head. “Well, if you ask me, I say that you are insane. The man is intelligent, he had a job, he looks good, and he follows the law.”

Keirra gave her a teasing look. “Well imagine that. You know he’s a deputy right?”

Keirra couldn’t stop the contempt that came into her voice when she said the word
deputy
.

It was Kayla’s turn to groan. “Not again. How come you can’t leave that in the past?”

Keirra flinched as if she had been physically struck. “How can you say that, Kayla? He was our
father
.”

Keirra couldn’t forget the past even if she wanted to. Kayla came over to her and put an arm around her. “Now you know what I meant. You know as well as I do I could never forget Dad, but I doubt he would want you to spend your life disliking officers of the law because of possible outcomes of having the job.”

Keirra held up her hands. “I never said I didn’t like cops. I just don’t date them.”

Kayla laughed and placed an arm around her sister’s shoulders, but Keirra didn’t find it comforting in the least. She did everything to avoid cops period, including driving at least one mile per hour below the posted speed limit. She never broke any laws. Neither had her sisters, but it was out of habit, and their parents had raised them to be good people. She also wanted to stay as far away from officers as possible. The sight of their uniforms always stirred up bad memories for her.

She could admit that she’d taken her obsession to the extreme, but it was worth it. Their mother had worried herself sick over Keirra after her father had been shot and killed in the line of duty. Now she saw how it was possible, and she refused to do it to herself. She would back off before she let it happen. It was amazing to her how the traumatic experience had affected the three of them differently.

“Take advantage of the situation. Not many women have good men chasing after them.”

She listened as Kayla tried to convince her it was unlikely that a shootout like the one that occurred in Atlanta would happen in Baxley. Sure there was always a chance he could be injured. Then again, so could she. She wanted to scream at her for trying to be so rational.

But more importantly Kayla had a point. There was no reason why she couldn’t get to know Eric.

The worse that could happen was that they might found out that they weren’t meant for each other.

If he broke her heart, she would deal with it. Kristen had been able to deal with hers, and from a man that she truly loved, so she should be able to do it. Especially since she didn’t plan on falling in love with Eric.

This could benefit the both of them. He was an attractive man, a very attractive man. Every time she saw him, his soulful chocolate eyes and untamed curly dark hair gave him an exotic look making her question his parentage. Even as she thought about his hair she to had to restrain from reaching out to touch it. Every since she had seen him she had thought about touching his hair. Maybe she would get the chance to do that now. Eric was deliciously sexy, and that was a plus. Yet, she wanted to know that there was more. She sighed and looked over at her sister.

“What do I have to do to prove to you I don’t have anything against Eric being an officer?”