Tempting The Sheriff
The hardest person to serve and protect is herselfShe didn’t ask for a new deputy. Well, technically, she did ask. But Lily Tate didn’t expect city cop Vaughn Fulton to come swaggering into her sheriff's office, making her feel things she has no right to feel. Not since she lost what she loved most in a tragedy she should have seen coming. Lily can see exactly where she and Vaughn are headed. As hard as he is to resist—and as much as he seems to want her—Vaughn plans to ditch the small-town life when his stint at the Sheriff’s Department is over. Lily’s already handled enough heartbreak. What kind of fool would make the same mistake twice?
Читать Tempting The Sheriff онлайн беплатно
The hardest person to serve and protect is herself
She didnât ask for a new deputy. Well, technically, she did ask. But Lily Tate didnât expect city cop Vaughn Fulton to come swaggering into her sheriffâs office, making her feel things she has no right to feel. Not since she lost what she loved most in a tragedy she should have seen coming. Lily can see exactly where she and Vaughn are headed. As hard as he is to resistâand as much as he seems to want herâVaughn plans to ditch the small-town life when his stint at the Sheriffâs Department is over. Lilyâs already handled enough heartbreak. What kind of fool would make the same mistake twice?
A deep, unfamiliar voice rumbled along Lilyâs spine.
She curbed her irritation. Time to make nice. She had no choice. If she didnât honor the mayorâs request to hire Vaughn Fulton as her deputy, heâd only saddle her with a seventy-year-old retiree. Or heâd veto every candidate she put forth. When Mayor Whitby was coming off a sugar high, that was just the way he rolled.
So suck it up, Lily Anne.
She swiveled toward the counter that separated the office space from the reception area.
A man wearing jeans and a short-sleeved navy T-shirt that barely concealed a hip holster stood in the doorway, shoulder propped against the jamb, posture as cocky as his voice. Midtwenties, six-one or so, trimmed dark hair and troublemaker eyes. One look and she was as clear about who he was as the muscles stretching his shirt. If the man were in motion, heâd be swaggering.
Beside her, Clarissa hummed her approval. Lily could practically hear the drool hitting the floor.
Yeah. Swagger. He planted his palms on the countertop, locked his arms and leaned in.
âVaughn Fulton reporting for duty, maâam.â
Itâs wonderful to have you back in Castle Creek! You caught a glimpse of the prickly Sheriff Lily Tate in Staying at Joeâs, and learned of her tragic history in A Family After All. In Tempting the Sheriff, Lily continues her fight to keep everyone at armâs lengthâespecially city cop Vaughn Fulton, a temporary deputy with a hefty chip on his shoulder. Eventually these two crazy kids fall head over heels, but Vaughn isnât interested in staying in Castle Creek, and Lily herself wonât consider moving to the city. So now what?
When I started writing Lilyâs story, I had already decided which character would risk their entire way of life to make couplehood happen. Imagine my surprise when the other character insisted on being the one to make the sacrifice! I hope you find Lily and Vaughnâs journey as gratifying as I did.
I always enjoy hearing from readers! You can email me at [email protected], or visit me at www.kathyaltman.com, where you can find the recipe for gobs, those Devil Dogsâtype treats Vaughn reminisces about. Depending on where youâre from, you may know them as whoopie pies, but theyâll always be gobs to me, and one of my sweetest memories of Johnstown, PA, where my dad grew up.
All my best,
Kathy Altman
KATHY ALTMAN writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense and the occasional ode to chocolate. Sheâs also a regular contributor to USATODAY.comâs Happy Ever After blog. Kathy prefers her chocolate with nuts, her Friday afternoons with wine and her love stories with happy-ever-afters. Find Kathy online at www.kathyaltman.com. Sheâd enjoy hearing from you!
To Toni Anderson, outstanding writer, critique partner and friend. Hereâs to the next dozen years of buddy-ship (and all those bug hugs that keep me going)!
I owe a great, big, humongous THANK YOU to editor Claire Caldwell, who is unfailingly gracious, encouraging and all kinds of savvy. Claire, Iâm a better writer thanks to you, and Iâll miss working with you!
As always, Iâm grateful for my entire family, who are even more supportive than they are screwy. (Seriously, folks, thatâs a lot of support.)
And many, many thanks to the readers who appreciate happy endings as much as I do. I cherish every one of you!
Contents
VAUGHN FULTON TOSSED his shades onto a box marked Kitchen Crap and turned in a slow circle. Heâd been played. Suckered, by an eighty-four-year-old man. If Emerson Fulton were still alive, heâd be smirking his ass off because he was about to make good on his promise to see that his nephew stayed in Castle Creek longer than it took to eat a rib eye at the diner and watch a ball game for dessert.
He pushed a breath through his nose. Yeah, he should have visited more often. No doubt about it. Heâd let down the old man.
And his uncle had plotted one hell of a payback.
âBits and pieces, my ass,â Vaughn said aloud. The echo he should have heard failed to bounce back at him. No surprise, considering the ceiling-high jumble of boxes and furniture crowding the room. A jumble that hadnât been there two months ago, when heâd stopped in to check on the old man. A week later, Uncle Em was gone.
