Sheriff in Her Stocking Read Online Free Page B

under his skin as he challenged the desire that leapt higher when
he watched her lick the tea drop from her lip. He shrugged one shoulder. “I
don’t know. Lucky guess. You just don’t look like a coffee kind of girl.”
    He stirred some
sugar and cream into his coffee and sipped. Rick studied Delaney as the hot
liquid flowed down his throat into his belly. He imagined her hand moving
across his abdomen, grasping his length and gently pulling the skin over the
head. He grew harder than he thought possible.
    Delaney finished
her food, licked her lips and patted them with her napkin. She glanced up to
find Rick watching her. “Something wrong?”
    Oh, yeah.He
shook his head slowly and gave her a smile. “No. . .I was just thinking you
look like a warm chick, fresh from its nest.”
    A cute little
blush colored her cheeks. “Oh.”  Nervously, she crumpled up her napkin and
tossed it into the empty container sitting in her lap before throwing
everything into the trash.
    The office door
swung open and the mayor’s nephew hurried in wearing heavy boots, jeans and a
thick gray parka. He looked like the abominable snowman covered in ice crystals
from head to foot. He stomped his feet a couple of times on the mat in front of
the door. Snow fell in clumps to the floor. Pulling off a green stocking cap,
he shook his head. His curly brown hair sprang up over his skull. “Rick,
there’s a--“  His hazel gaze landed on Delaney and a smile creased his
mouth. “Oh sorry, I didn’t see you there.”
    Yanking off his
gloves, he walked over and held out a hand to Delaney. “I’m Mark Griffin. I own
the hardware store.”
    Delaney shook
his hand and smiled. “I’m Delaney. It’s nice to meet you.”
    Mark nodded, sat
on the edge of the desk and turned his head toward Delaney. “I haven’t seen you
around. Did you just move here?”
    She leaned back in
her chair. “Actually I’m just passing through on my way to New York.”
    She had
mentioned her travel plans briefly last night on the drive into Avery. Rick
hadn’t questioned her further because of the intense attraction he’d felt. It
was always best for a police officer to remain objective. Only with every
waking minute he spent with Delaney he wished down to his balls that he could
toss objectivity out the proverbial window, start nibbling on Delaney’s toes
and work his way up to the sweet temptation between her legs.
    “The Big Apple huh?” Mark bumped a ceramic container of pens
which fell over and hit Rick’s near empty cup of coffee spilling the remaining
liquid on his desk. He stood up and gave Rick a wry smile. “Sorry.” 
    Quickly, Rick
moved a stack of files away from the rapidly spreading coffee. Mark was
accident prone around women. His fingers got slammed in doors and he tripped on
stairs. Rick wasn’t sure if Mark’s clumsy tendencies were a natural part of his
personality or an act. “Don’t worry about it.”  He welcomed the
distraction. Maybe it would help cool his overheated libido.  He picked up
the extra napkins left over from his breakfast and began mopping up the spilled
coffee.
    Being the
mayor’s nephew, Mark had been one of the first people Rick met when he arrived
in town. They went fishing together occasionally and Mark had been instrumental
in helping him earn the respect of the town’s citizens.  Rick had
appreciated Mark’s help and resented it at the same time. After what happened
in Chicago, he’d wanted to earn the trust of Avery’s citizens through his
integrity and strength of character, not because Mark told everyone he was an
okay guy.  
    Rick tossed the
napkins into the trash can and looked at Mark. Mark had befriended him then
when Rick had shown interest in the owner of the bed and breakfast, so had
Mark.  If Mark discovered his attraction for Delaney would he make a play
for her as well?  Would she welcome Mark’s attentions?  Rick clenched
a fist in annoyance at the thought. Did he trust Mark?  Would