Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
I’ve never wanted anyone or anything the way I want Bella and Charlie.
Lust is a ferocious monster pacing inside of me at all hours, roaring at me to go claim what’s mine. Fuck them. Breed them. Keep them to myself.
But they’re nineteen. Finally about to leave for college after a break year to mourn. They have barely begun their lives and I’m not about to stand in the way of that, am I? No. I’ve already tarnished the memory of their mother enough by putting my hands on her daughters. I’m not going to unleash this instinct that’s growling in the deepest region of my chest and make them mine permanently. That would be beyond the pale.
So how do I survive the next week until they leave for school?
How do I make it out alive?
The door of the bathroom opens and one of my senior deputies steps inside. While I dry my face off with a stiff paper towel, he makes no move to use the urinal or enter one of the stalls. He simply leans back against the wall, crosses his arms and looks at me.
“Help you?” I ask, sounding more than a little irritated.
“We’re worried about you, sheriff.”
“Don’t be. I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. When is the last time you slept?”
“Caught a nap in my patrol car this afternoon.”
“That doesn’t count.”
I sigh. “Look, I’ve just got a couple of things going on in my personal life, but the issue is…temporary. I’ll be back to normal soon.”
The way my throat tightens at the thought of being without them scares me. So does the hollow feeling in my stomach. The girls might drive me insane, but when they leave completely, I don’t know what I’m going to do. They breathe life into everything.
“I know what’s going on with you,” the deputy says in a conspiratorial tone, followed by a sly wink.
Panic hits. “You do?”
“Yup.”
“Enlighten me.”
“It’s woman trouble. That’s the only thing that can throw a man off his game like this. Is she somebody from Portsmith? Anyone I would know?”
All I can do is stare. I should probably shut this conversation down before it turns into a rumor, because the station loves to gossip, but I’d rather they think I’m dating a woman than hooking up with my stepdaughters. “Uh…no. You don’t know her.”
“Interesting.” He rubs his grizzled chin. “Well, I’ve had three wives. If you need some advice I’m your man.”
I doubt he’s qualified to give me advice on my problem. Who is? But it can’t hurt to hear what the man has to say. After all, I’m not making the best decisions on my own. “How do I let them…her down easy? How do I let her know we can’t continue?”
“Ahh. I see. You want to break it off.”
Don’t want to. Have to. “Something like that.”
The deputy shrugs. “Just tell her you’re interested in someone else, sheriff. That ought to help her take the hint.”
My mouth turns down in disgust. “That’s terrible advice.”
“What’s the alternative? Be honest with her?”
I stare at his reflection in the mirror. “Yes.”
He shrugs. “Suit yourself. I’m heading into town to pick up my dinner.” On his way out of the bathroom, he stops short. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. One of the girls is here to see you.”
All of the oxygen in my lungs evaporates. “What?” I ask, winded, my balls already started to tingle and grow stiff. “Who is here?”
“One of your stepdaughters. Charlie, I think.” He chuckles. “Nice to have one of them here without having to bring them in wearing handcuffs.”
Charlie is here. My Charlie.
Why?
“Is something wrong?” My pulse starts to hammer at the thought of her being hurt or in trouble, my legs growing so lethargic, I have to grip the edge of the sink. “Is she okay?”
“Oh, sure. She seems right as rain, just chatting to some of the officers. You should see them blushing and stumbling over their words. She’s a beautiful girl, sheriff. Same with her sister.” With a low whistle, he opens the door to leave, pausing with one foot back on the station floor. “You’ve certainly got your hands full!”
I can only stand to wait a beat before I’m storming out of the bathroom. I’m seeing red at the thought of Charlie talking to other men, which is dangerous. So dangerous. She’s about to be in college, surround by horny young bucks in the primes of their lives. Her and Bella are going to be at frat parties. Boys are going to ask them out constantly. It’s ridiculous to feel like I’m going to explode over Charlie chatting with my officers, but I can’t help it. I want to knock heads together.
Especially when I see her.
She’s leaning against the wall of the reception area in a chocolate brown tube dress that barely hits the tops of her thighs. Those long, tan legs lead to a pair of white sandals. She looks sun-kissed and sandy, like she just came from a day at the lake. Except she’s not wearing a bathing suit beneath that dress. It’s easy to see she’s not wearing a bra or panties, either. Two of my officers are trying to carry on a conversation with her, but their eyes are damn near bugging out of their heads, for chrissakes.