“I didn’t say that, either.”
“To hear you tell it, Captain, you aren’t actually saying anything. But I somehow get the impression I’m being treated as a potential suspect.”
He frowned at me, breathing out a hard sigh. “Listen, it’s nothing personal. You’re new in town, and I don’t know a damn thing about you.”
And if I had my way, he never would.
“I just need you to come down to the station,” he repeated. “It won’t take long.”
“Why can’t you question me here, then?”
“Because I don’t have any of my reports with me. It’s my day off, remember? So if you’ll just swing by the station in the morning, I can—”
“And if I don’t?” I couldn’t have him looking into my background.
His jaw tightened and his eyes widened a little, as if he were surprised by my reluctance to cooperate. “I can always have the sheriff pick you up and question you at the police station if you’d like.” He grinned smugly as if daring me to try him. “That works for me, too.”
An erotic image of Cowboy standing over me, berating me, while I was bound in handcuffs flashed in my mind, and my mouth went dry. “Fine. I’ll be there tomorrow to answer the same stupid questions you’ve already asked me. But don’t expect my responses to change,” I said, turning to head back to the library entrance.
“One more thing, Miss…uh, Anna.”
Jesus. He still didn’t remember me. I groaned under my breath and shook my head, but kept on walking without looking back. “Sorry, Captain,” I yelled. “You should’ve asked your question while you had the chance. Guess now you’ll have to wait until tomorrow…unless you feel like giving the sheriff a call, that is.” With that, I disappeared around the corner of the building and let out a deep breath.
I barely made it back inside to the circulation desk before the door slid open behind me and a booming, masculine voice belted out, “I wasn’t through with you, yet.”
My body jolted at the gruff tone. I tried to keep my senses, but something about his comment had pushed my buttons. I whirled on him. “That’s too damn bad. So far tonight, you’ve accused me of sleeping with you, spreading gossip about confidential library records, and starting a dumpster fire. So if you think you can walk in here and bully me into answering any more of your idiotic questions, then…well, you’re sorely mistaken.” I waved him away with my hand. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to close up.”
Cowboy chuckled. “All right, I’ll go. But before I do, I still need to ask you the question I came in here for. Will you hold the book for me or not?”
“Not,” I snapped back, having my fill of his arrogance. “You can google the information you need.”
He snorted. “Yeah, because we all know that everything you read on the internet is true.”
“I’ll make you a deal. I’ll hold the book for you if you don’t force me to come to the fire station to give you a statement.”
His eyes widened at my request. “You know damn well I can’t do that.” Then he lifted a brow, confirming I had just made myself look even more suspicious than before.
Great, Anna. Way to go.
“Fine. Then you can take your chances that someone else might borrow the book before you,” I said, veering the subject back in its original direction.
His jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed. “But if they do, I’d have to wait weeks before they’d return it.”
“Not my problem. If you don’t like that option, then I guess you’ll just have to check it out like a normal person.”
Cowboy sighed in frustration. “Look, no offense, but gossip has a way of traveling fast around these parts. I’d rather come back and read it tomorrow than have a library card with my real name on it.” He flashed me another cheeky grin, clearly thinking his charm would get him exactly what he wanted.
“That’s the most asinine thing I’ve ever heard,” I told him, putting my hands on my hips.
“Silly or not, I’m not taking any chances. Now, will you just hold the damn book for me until tomorrow?” I couldn’t stop the unsympathetic smile from forming on my lips. And he apparently noticed it, too. “You think I’m being ridiculous, don’t you?”
“No, I think you’re paranoid.” And I may have been slightly impressed that he knew what the word “asinine” meant. “Besides, no one cares what your real name is. Anything is bound to be better than a name like Cowboy.”
My comment must’ve caught him off guard because he released a chuckle. “Ouch,” he said playfully. “Guess I shouldn’t have asked.” He cocked his head to the side and squinted at me, as if he were trying to figure me out. “You’re one of those no-nonsense kind of gals, aren’t you?”
I wasn’t sure how to answer that. A part of me wanted to be as carefree as the next girl, but my past didn’t allow me the luxury of playing games…especially with him of all people. Sure, I’d always had a fresh-faced, wholesome vibe going for me, but I was no pushover. Or an angel, fallen or otherwise.
My cheeks flushed so I started to turn away from him. “No, I—”
But his fingers caught my chin and held me there as his gaze probed mine. A shiver traveled the length of my spine, and I was exhilarated by the sudden yearning and longing that came over me. I needed to get away from him so I could screw my head back on properly. But I only knew of one way to get him to leave…
A strangled sound left my throat. “Fine, I’ll hold the book for you until tomorrow. But that’s it.”
Cowboy wore a triumphant grin as he dropped his hand. “Thanks. And I’m sorry if I overstepped my boundaries. I probably shouldn’t have done that.” Despite his words, the insincere look in his mischievous eyes told me he didn’t regret it one bit.
“Seems to be a trend with you tonight,” I said sarcastically, blowing out a hard breath.
“I’m going to get out of your hair now. Literally.” He grinned with amusement, then turned and headed out the door.
Half an hour later, I was sitting in my blue Cavalier on the side of a dark road, grinding my teeth together. Only five stupid miles. That’s as far as I got. Leave it to me to get a flat at night in the middle of nowhere without a spare. Actually, I had a spare. It just wasn’t currently in the trunk where it should be. Because I’m smart like that.
My cell phone sat cradled in the console, but it was no use since I didn’t have anyone to call. Bobbie Jo was my only option and I didn’t want to burden her any more than I had to. Austin would already be tucked into bed for the night and she’d have to wake him just to come give me a lift home. She’d already said he was cranky because he was teething. No way could I do that to her.
It was bad enough I’d have to call her in the morning and ask her for a ride into town to buy a new tire, since my donut replacement wasn’t going to last me very long. Besides, it wouldn’t kill me to walk the rest of the way home. Probably less than two miles from where I pulled over, anyway.
As soon as I reached for the door handle, a big jacked-up truck roared up with its high beams on and parked behind me. Blinded by the bright lights shining in my rearview mirror, I reached over and hit my door lock button, praying to God it was a little old lady with a hankering for masculine monster trucks.
The door on the truck opened and a tall, broad, and bulky figure—definitely male—appeared in my side mirror, just out of reach of the lights and shadowed by the darkness of the surrounding forest. He headed toward my driver’s side door, walking with the measured, deliberate steps of Satan’s hockey player, Jason Voorhees.
Frozen with fear, I sat there staring straight ahead, yet watching him from my peripheral vision as he stopped next to my door. He paused. My heart beat faster, until he finally leaned down and tapped on the window.