“There you go, sweetheart.” He put Lacey down. “Hop in.”
He only had to tell the little dog once. She clambered onto a fallen log that overhung the pool and leaped, landed with a splash, went under, came up and started swimming upstream, fighting the currents and joyously barking.
“I never knew she liked to swim,” Kateri said.
“Sure.” Stag sat on the log and unlaced his boots. “I figure in high school she was not only the prom queen, she was also the swimming champ and the girl voted most likely to succeed.”
Kateri laughed, because he was so spot-on about Lacey’s doggy personality. And she stared, because after he removed his boots and socks, he stood up and stretched, his long arms extending way up. “What are you doing?”
“It doesn’t get hot here often, but when it does, it’s a steamer. I’m going to cool off.” He waded into the stream and offered his hand. “Want to come in?”
She almost put her hand in his, then common sense caught up with her. “No. No, I, um, I’m on duty and the shit has officially hit the fan.”
“I heard about the tourist. I’m sorry. You deserve a break.” That hand remained steadily outstretched.
She noted that he had a scar across his palm, a deep red mark, and his little finger curled almost into his palm. Seemed like the kind of thing she should have noticed before, but she’d always been involved with his other body parts. Right now, she stared fixedly at that hand. “I wish I could. I can’t. Don’t tempt me.”
The hand clenched, disappeared out of her line of vision. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Out of the corners of her eyes, she caught a glimpse of him falling backward—and the cold splash drenched her, head to toe. “Damn you!” She laughed, and wiped at the water on her uniform. “You are the most—”
“Charming man you’ve ever met?”
“That, too.” She watched him float seemingly without effort and oh, God, it did look refreshing. In more ways than one.
“Lacey’s looking a little more herself.” Stag gestured toward a branch. “Her towel’s hanging over there.”
Kateri took one look. “That’s Lacey’s towel?”
“She was in my car on the new leather seat. She does have dog claws, you know!”
“So you bought her a Barbie beach towel?” She knelt and called her dog.
Lacey paddled toward her.
“It was on sale!” He sounded defensive. As he should.
Kateri started to laugh.
Then he stood.
She froze.
Water ran off his hair and face in rivulets that slid under his collar and down his chest. She knew because his blue denim shirt was plastered to his chest and … muscles. In detail. His jeans sagged low on his hips. Really low. The kind of low that if she gave them a tug, she would see London and France, and probably all of the Iberian Peninsula.
This could not be good for her heart.
Too late she realized he was headed right for her. “No. Don’t! You’re—”
Gently he wrapped her in his arms, pulled her close and up onto her toes, and kissed her.
The cold water soaked through her uniform, opening the way to the blistering heat of his body. His mouth was wet and warm and absolutely intent … on her. He absorbed her. He consumed her. He … wanted her. Heat and cold. Forest and stream. The great, dark depths of the ocean rising up to envelop—
Lacey barked. Furiously. Imperiously.
Stag pulled away, looked down at the little dog at their feet and laughed. Taking the Barbie towel out of Kateri’s hands, he leaned down and dried Lacey from head to toe, picked her up and cradled her. And slid his arm around Kateri’s waist.
Stretching and reaching, Lacey licked at their chins.
Between Stag and Kateri, passion simmered beneath the surface.
At the same time, they shared an affection for the dog who adored them so.
For Kateri, this felt like family, close and tight. Support … for one moment, she allowed her head to rest on Stag’s shoulder.
His big hand came up and pressed her into him.
They both straightened.
“Come on. I’ll walk you to your car.” Still holding the dog, Stag steered Kateri with his hand on her back. “When do you go see the doctor again?”
The switch of conversation startled Kateri out of her pleasant reverie. “What? The doctor?”
“About your ribs.”
“Oh.” She had winced when he embraced her; she had hoped he didn’t notice. “I’m supposed to stop in when I visit Rainbow.”
He stopped by her car, put Lacey into the passenger seat and strapped her into her doggie seat belt. “So tonight?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll go with you.”
It was on the tip of Kateri’s tongue to tell him not to bother. But … no way around it, it was going to be a long day. She was tired and sore and grief-stricken about Rainbow. So she said, “Thank you.”
Taking her face between his hands, he pressed a kiss on her forehead. “Good girl!”
Kateri muttered, “Woof.”
He gave Lacey one last pet and strode away. Strode. Not walked. Not sauntered. Strode. Like Clint Eastwood on steroids.
“Whew.” Climbing in the car, Kateri said to Lacey, “So he heard what I said at the Gem Lounge and he didn’t get pissy or run away. Point for him.”
Lacey gave her her best I’m a starving doggie look.
Kateri riffled around in the car door side pocket, brought out the plastic bag of dog treats and handed her a green one. “Coming out of that stream, all wet … he Mr. Darcy’d me.” She looked down at her damp uniform. “And unless I miss my guess, when he kissed me, he was marking me.”
The green treats were Lacey’s least favorite, but she munched down with great enthusiasm, spraying crumbs on the seat and then daintily retrieving them one at a time.
“All that playing in the dirt will give a dog an appetite, hmm?”
Lacey put her head on Kateri’s thigh.
“Yeah, yeah.” Kateri dug out a brown treat and handed it over. “On the other hand, let us remember who he is and what he’s done in his life. As law-abiding citizens go, he’s on the shady side. Maybe he just has good reflexes, but during that drive-by, he hit the ground a little too promptly.”
Lacey made a humph! sound, flopped onto the seat and closed her eyes.
“That’s not the attitude to take. I’m trying not to be stupid. Or stupider. What kind of sheriff sleeps with Stag Denali, enforcer and convicted murderer, after one casual meeting? It’s career suicide. Plus, to trust a guy with his reputation simply because he seems solid as a rock and is good in bed. Really good in bed.” Kateri looked over at Lacey.
Lacey was curled up and asleep.
Kateri started the car. “I know. If we don’t catch John Terrance and the slasher, I won’t have to worry about being the sheriff much longer.” The trouble was, when dealing with Councilman Venegra’s threat of impeachment, the unexpectedly vicious streak of crimes and Rainbow’s slow, long slide into death, it seemed as if Stag Denali’s arms were the one place she could safely sleep.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR