It’s terrifying. Over the past months, we’ve built up walls around our town and established a complex series of safety and security processes, but I’m not sure we’d be able to hold out against something like that.
Hopefully we’ll never have to.
I’m about to move on when one of the guys says, “You sure are gorgeous. If you don’t have a man, I’m happy to throw my name into the hat.”
Smiling since he’s not being particularly obnoxious, I say, “Oh, you’re too late. I do have a man.” I gesture with my head toward the small table where Cade is seated. “That’s my man.”
The guys all turn to check Cade out. He’s overheard and shifts slowly in his chair to scowl at them.
I have to fight not to giggle when they turn away, fully subdued.
Cade is the mayor now, but he still comes to the Pub a few nights a week, whenever I’m on shift. He sits at his old table and makes himself available to anyone in the community who has questions or concerns. People stop by all the time to chat with him, sometimes to pour out complaints but more often to get answers or offer genuine suggestions.
It’s worked well. Everyone trusted Cade from the beginning because he was the Silver Wolf, but being the mayor is different. There’s a lot of day-to-day logistics and politicking that’s smoothed over by him being available for casual, personal talks.
Three different locals have come over to talk to him tonight. The third is an older woman who is very sweet but also a babbler. I can see Cade’s growing impatience as she won’t stop talking. He nods in a repeated pattern and occasionally says, “Yeah,” or “I see.” But he’s privately itching for the conversation to end.
I know the feeling. I’ve talked to Miss Cooper before myself.
When it goes on so long I’m afraid poor Cade is going to crack, I lean over the bar and ask Pete if he’ll help me out in a minute if I can’t do it myself.
Pete is always available for a rescue, so I head back over to Cade’s table with my rag, pick up their empty glasses—hiswhiskey and her tea—and start wiping their table. “How are you, Miss Cooper? I bet it’s almost time for you to get home.”
“Oh dear, yes, I do need to get home soon. I go to bed so early. But since it’s safe on the streets in town now, I don’t have to hide away when the sun goes down. It’s nice to be out and about and see people, isn’t it? And the mayor here is such a fine conversationalist. I always did say so. When are you two going to start working on a family? Soon, I hope.”
I swallow over choked laughter and glance back toward the bar.
Pete is already making his way over, calling out, “We have a situation here, Captain. Would you mind coming to help us?”
“Sure thing.” Cade jumps to his feet with alacrity. “I’m real sorry, Miss Cooper, to cut our talk short.”
“Oh, no need to apologize. You’re such a busy man. I better be heading back home anyway. It’s getting late, isn’t it?”
“It is,” I tell her, smiling gently. “I bet we’ll get someone in here eager to escort you back home.”
I look around for a possible candidate and accidentally catch Billy’s eyes. He’s sitting in Melissa’s section, as he always does now. He gives me a crooked smile and a wave before shifting his gaze back to pretty, sweet, twenty-two-year-old Melissa.
She’s a much better match for him, and I think she’ll say yes when he works up the courage to ask her to be his woman.
Continuing my search for an escort, I notice old Martin Gaskell. Perfect.
At my summoning gesture, the elderly man gets up immediately. When he hears she needs someone to walk her home, he gives Miss Cooper an old-fashioned little bow and offers her his arm.
Grinning as I watch them walk away, I catch up with Cade, who is exiting the main barroom to tend to the fictional situation Pete alerted him to.
We end up in the supply room in the back of the building, and Cade leans me back against the door and starts kissing me.
“Captain Mayor Silver Wolf Cade!” I exclaim against his mouth, spilling over with laughter as I list out his names. “Anyone could come in. What happened to your manners and sense of decorum?”
“I’m all mannered out after this evening. So now you’re getting me like I really am. A grumpy woodsman who’s crazy in love with you.”
I’ve wrapped my arms around him, and I’m beaming just an inch from his mouth. “That’s always been my favorite Cade.”
This earns me another kiss, and it soon transforms to something a lot deeper and hotter. In only a couple of minutes, he’s fucking me against the door, my legs wrapped around his waist and both of us still wearing most of our clothes.
It’s a short but very satisfying interlude, and because our bodies are blocking the door, I’m nottooworried about someone walking in on us.
When we’re finished, we’re both laughing sheepishly as we refasten and straighten our clothes. I smooth down my little red dress and my braid, and Cade rubs his hands down his hair and rumpled beard.
