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Caden responded to his brother’s diagnosis with a curse and disgusted sigh before giving Grayson a pointed look. “Take Avery and Sydney back to the ranch, would you?”
Avery didn’t understand the glance the three men shared, or the tears welling in Sydney’s eyes, not until Grayson turned their horse around, Sydney’s mare falling in step with their mount. As they put distance between them and the injured calf, she jerked in shock from the sudden report of a gunshot reverberating in the air.
“There was no other choice,” was all he said, tightening his arm around her.
Grayson dropped the girls off at the front of the house and returned both horses to the barn to unsaddle them and rub them down. Fucking A. He’d been enjoying Avery’s company, her soft body swaying against his and the light of appreciation shining in her eyes as they rode, as well as a return of Connor’s good-humor. He swore heads would roll once he caught the callous bastards. Taking his time, he lingered in the barn until the brothers returned, the calf’s carcass draped over Connor’s horse. As cold as it sounded, they bred cattle for either sale or the butcher shop and he knew neither Dunbar would let their anger sway them from getting what they could from the tragic end of the young animal’s life.
“I’m ready for a beer and a big serving of whatever Sydney’s cooking,” he said as the three of them strolled up to the house.
“You and me both. She had potato soup already warming before we left.” Caden opened the front door of his sprawling home, releasing the tantalizing aroma of freshly baked homemade bread. “God, I never tire of that smell.”
They went straight to the kitchen where Sydney set down her stirring spoon to give Connor a silent hug before telling all three, “Five minutes. You have time to wash up.” She shooed them out with a wave of her hand.
“She’s gotten bossy lately,” Grayson quipped, looking around for Avery.
“I give her leeway in the kitchen in exchange for bigger servings.” Caden nodded toward the den. “She’s sitting by the fire.”
Connor remained sullen and quiet even though his face had softened when Sydney embraced him. With a mental head shake, Grayson padded into the high-ceilinged great room, his gaze zeroing in on Avery huddled before the blazing fire, holding her hands out to the heat, sadness reflected on her expressive face. He hoped she never lost the appeal of wearing her heart on her sleeve.
Bracing his forearm on the mantle, he stood next to her, liking how she looked kneeling at his feet, her eyes lifted to his, shining with both wariness and pleasure. The only thing that could make it better would be if she were naked, her soft flesh bared for his eyes and use, his to do with as he pleased. Soon, he vowed, and then it would be no holds barred between them, a surefire scene to prod her into spilling her secrets.
“What are you thinking about with such a solemn look?” he asked.
She hesitated a fraction of a second before answering. “I’m wishing I were a braver person.”
Pleased with her honesty, he held down his hand, squeezing hers as she clasped it and then pulled her to her feet. “There’s hope for you yet, sugar.” He kissed her and then pushed her toward the kitchen with a hand on her ass. “Come on. I’m starving.”
Avery entered the sheriff’s office connected to the courthouse the next morning, a thread of excitement prodding her forward. Not as much from getting yet another opportunity to use her IT skills as for the chance to spend more time with Grayson. His request to update the office computers when he’d dropped her off last night had pleased her so much, she’d been able to set aside the pang she still felt over the tragic death of that poor calf. With her mind on both the work and the sheriff, she missed catching sight of Cassie across the street, and the jealous glare the other woman leveled at her back as she slipped inside the two-story, brick building, the small bronzed plaque next to the double doors dating it back to the 1880s.
A wide foyer separated the courtroom from the police station and she pushed open the glass door marked Sheriff’s Office. A middle-aged woman seated behind the first of four desks looked up and greeted her with a smile.
“You must be Avery.” Rising, she held out her hand with a friendly smile. “I’m Rebecca. The sheriff’s waiting for you.” Leading the way, she tossed over her shoulder, “We’ll all be forever grateful if you can get our computers up-to-date.”
“I’ll try my best.” Eying the monitors, Avery wasn’t so sure they wouldn’t be better off starting over new.
The forty-something receptionist nodded to the three young men wearing khaki police uniforms and deputy badges, offering a short introduction. “Adam, Jase and Doug, our deputies.” With one sharp rap on her boss’ door, Rebecca opened it a crack, announcing, “Avery is here.”
“Send her in.”
Would she ever stop responding with a warm gush every time she heard that deep voice? As Rebecca pushed open the door and stepped aside, Avery took one look at Grayson and doubted it. “Thank you,” she told her, entering the brick-walled office. As she crossed the tan carpeted floor toward where he sat behind a massive, wooden desk, he pushed to his feet and her entire body went molten under that penetrating stare.
Surely he didn’t intend for this meeting to go beyond her computer help, she wondered as he strode toward her, his face revealing the same intense regard as he’d shown at the club while tormenting her in one way or another. When he reached her, he raised his hands to push the door closed and she heard the distinct click of the lock turning. Bracing his hands against the door, he caged her in, his body held inches away from hers and yet she could still feel his heat.
Swallowing past the sudden lump in her throat, she mumbled, “Um, Grayson, uh, Sir… I mean, Sheriff…”
A wry grin twisted his lips. “Again, Avery, relax.” After subjecting her to a close scrutiny, he nodded and stepped back. “Why don’t you start with my console and then we’ll see how much time you have left. I don’t want to monopolize your entire day off.”
Funny, she mused, thinking she wouldn’t mind if he did even though he enjoyed flustering her with just a look or touch. Or by locking a door just to watch her reaction to being closed in with him while he kept others out. “Okay. I’ll need your passwords.”
She padded over to the desk, breathing easier until he replied with emphasis, “No problem. I trust you.”
Avery flicked him an uncertain look before taking the chair he’d vacated. “I see them here, thanks. I’ll… I’ll just get to work.”
He nodded, reaching for his hat and coat on a stand. “I have highway patrol and will be gone for a while. Rebecca can answer any questions you have. Thank you, Avery.”
“No problem. I enjoy the challenge of troubleshooting and updating.”
“Then have fun. I’ll be back.”
