Page 5 of A Very Grumpy Sheriff
“Suri?”I step closer until our bodies brush.
My fingers itch to grab her and drag her against me.I want to kiss the hell out of her.I want to throw her over my shoulder like a caveman and drag her back to my place.
“What—I—What are you doing here?”she asks, her face heating with an adorable blush.
“I live here now.I’m the new sheriff in town.”
“In Wolf Valley?”
I nod.“Yep.”
“Oh,” she whispers.
I thought she would be happy to see me.Instead, she looks confused and in shock.
I thought we were close after all her letters.Did I read that wrong?Maybe Dad was right.Maybe no one will ever want me.
I try to squash that thought and force a smile to my lips.“Have dinner with me tomorrow night.”
Suri rears back, taking several steps away from me.“I can’t.”
“Why not?”I demand.
“I have a date.”
I see red.I want to track down whoever she’s seeing and strangle him with my bare hands for thinking he could ever be with my woman.
“Cancel it,” I snarl.
She huffs, shaking her head.“No.”
“Yes.”
“Why would I do that?”Suri snaps.
“Because I’m here now.”
I know instantly that was the wrong thing to say.
Suri rears back, her eyes narrowing and pinning me in place.Red splotches bloom on her cheeks as she points a finger at me.“Listen here, asshole?—”
I hold up my hands, trying to get ahead of her anger.“That came out wrong.”
“You think I’ve been sitting around, twiddling my thumbs and hoping you might show up one day and decide to pay me some attention?”she shouts, still pissed with me.
“Well… yeah,” I mumble.
She throws her hands up and turns to storm off.
“Wait!”I yell, jogging after her.
She doesn’t stop.
I run in front of her, blocking her path.“Who is the date with?Where is it?When is it?”
Her lips press into a firm line.“The steakhouse.Tomorrow night.Now get out of my way.”
She steps around me, and I watch as she walks off.
