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“Don’t go postal, Deck.I was just welcoming Sweetie back to town.”
“I’m sure you were.And it’s Sheriff Carson to you.”
“Oh, come on now.We played dodgeball together when we were kids.”
“I don’t ever remember you playing, Cob.I do remember you viciously throwing the ball at kids’ heads.”
Cob grinned.“Potato potahto.We grew up together.”
“That doesn’t make us friends.”
Cob’s smile faded.“No, I guess it don’t.”He glanced at Sweetie.“But I’d think that you wouldn’t be so quick to serve and protect after what she did to your cousin.”
“That’s between her and Jace.Not you.Or me.Or anyone in this town.”As soon as he said the words, he realized how hypocritical they were.He had been taking his anger out on Sweetie.Just not for what she’d done to Jace as much as what she’d done to him.
Cob smirked as if he could read Decker’s mind.“Or maybe you don’t care what she did to Jace because you have plans of your own for Miss Sweetie Holiday.”
Decker felt his face heat with anger.“What I have is the responsibility of keeping everyone in this town safe.Everyone.Now are you going to move along or do I need to help you?”
Cob laughed.“You and who else?”He looked down.“Your big, mean police dog?”Decker had been so focused on getting to Sweetie that he hadn’t even realized he still had Dixie Chick tucked in the crook of his arm.Her buggy brown eyes were focused on Cob and when he reached out to pet her, she bit him.“What the—?”Cob drew back to examine the puncture marks in his finger that were welling with blood.
Decker grinned.“You might want to get that looked at, Cob.I’m not sure my police dog has her rabies shots.”
Cob sent him a mean glare before he motioned to his friends and they left.When they were gone, Decker patted Dixie Chick’s head.“Good girl.”
“Females don’t like being talked to in such a patronizing way.”
Decker glanced at Sweetie.He hadn’t expected a smile or a thank you—especially with how they had left things the night before—and he wasn’t disappointed.
“I could have handled Cob Ritter,” she said.“I don’t need you to play hero.”
“I wasn’t playing hero.I was saving myself the hassle and paperwork of having to arrest someone.Now what are you doing in town?”
“That’s none of your damn business.”She went to move past him, but he took her arm.She gazed down at it, then up at him with eyes that held a warning.“The men in this town seem to have forgotten I don’t like to be manhandled.I never broke your nose, but there’s a first time for everything.”
He dropped his hand.“Go home, Sweetie.”
“I intend to, Sheriff Carson.But until I do, I’m not going to hide out like some scared rabbit.If the townsfolk want to take their anger out on me ...”She held out her arms.“Here I am.Now if you’ll excuse me, I need a cup of coffee in a bad way.Mama can cook like nobody’s business, but her coffee has always tasted like weak tea.”She reached out and gave Dixie Chick a scratch on the ears.“You aren’t a good girl because you did something a man happened to like.You’re strong because you stood up for yourself.Don’t you ever forget it, girlfriend.”
Then she turned and headed into the café.
ChapterSix
Sweetie was shaking in her boots.Not because of her run-in with Cob Ritter.Or because of the hostile looks she was getting from every patron at Nothin’ But Muffins.She was shaking in her boots because Decker Carson rattled her and made her feel things she didn’t want to feel.
Like a needy woman.
She had told him she didn’t need him playing the hero.And she didn’t.But she had liked it.She had liked it a lot.When he had gone all alpha male on Cob, her insides had turned warm and gooey.His blue eyes had been snapping fire and his clenched fist had caused his forearm to flex in a way that took all the air right out of her lungs.
What topped off the big scoop of angry, virile man was the tiny little dog he had protectively cradled in his muscled arm the entire time.Sweetie had always been a sucker for animal lovers.And Decker had always had a way with animals.When he first came to the ranch, he’d been scared of horseflies.But within a few weeks, he’d relaxed around animals and his calm demeanor had drawn them to him.
Just like he was drawing her.
She shook her head to clear it.No, Sweetie.Just, no.She had made a big mistake with one Carson boy.She didn’t need to make another.Especially when she was still paying for that mistake.
“Is there something you needed?”
The words had her glancing at the woman standing behind the counter.
