Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
CHAPTER FOUR
Ellie
I’m still trembling as I tuck my harp into its padded case. My fingers know the motions—reset the pedals, cover the strings—but my mind is somewhere else entirely. On a hot silver fox wearing the sexiest uniform I’ve ever seen.
That sheriff. Mmmmm.
I can’t stop picturing him at the edge of the crowd, arms crossed over his massive chest, dark eyes never wavering from me, not even once. Even now, I can still feel them on my tingling skin.
“Let’s get going,” Sloane says as she quickly packs up her violin. “I want to get back to the inn.”
“What’s the rush?” Tessa asks. “I want to get a corndog from the food truck.”
“She wants to FaceTime with her fiancé,” Mira says with a grin.
“Why can’t you do that here?” Tessa asks.
Mira rolls her eyes. “Because they want to be naked while they do it.”
“Can we just go?” Sloane says with a huff. “Thomas has to leave for work soon.”
“I guess I can eat in town,” Tessa says with her shoulders slumping. “I wish I had a fiancé to FaceTime naked with.”
That makes two of us.
“I just have to use the bathroom,” I say as my bladder sounds the alarm once again. “I’ll be right back.”
I saw the Town Hall building while I was on stage, so I run toward that instead of the porta-potties. There’s got to be a bathroom in there.
As I make my way across the crowded field, I look around for Mr. Hot Sheriff, but I don’t spot him.
Where did he go?
There’s no sign of him anywhere. Maybe if I start screaming ‘HELP’ at the top of my lungs, he’ll come running…
Pull it together, Ellie.
I shake that ridiculous thought out of my head and head into the building through a side door. There’s a few locked offices and bingo, a sign to the bathroom.
A few heavenly moments later, I’m washing up while trying to remember if I saw a wedding ring on the Sheriff’s big strong hand.
Maybe he’s single? I think as I dry my hands and open the door. Maybe he’s—
“Oh shit!”
I walk right into Cooter. He’s blocking the doorway with a devious grin on his face.
Oh no…
I’m forced back into the bathroom as he walks in like he owns the place.
My stomach turns. This is not good.
“This is the women’s bathroom, Cooter.” The very empty, very secluded women’s bathroom.
My pulse starts racing as I look around for another exit. There isn’t one.
He gives me a sleazy grin, showing off that crooked gold tooth. Is that seriously supposed to impress anyone? That gold tooth isn’t fooling anyone when he’s wearing a sweat-stained trucker hat and a ripped T-shirt that smells like old fryer oil.
“Sweetheart,” he drawls, eyes crawling over me as he leans on the door. “You sure do look pretty when you’re playin’ that big ol’ harp.”
I want to be sick. “Leave me alone. You’re not allowed in here.”
“Aw, don’t be like that.” He pushes off the door, coming closer. “I just wanted a minute with ya. One-on-one. You an’ me.”
I step back toward the sinks, heart hammering. “You need to leave.”
He chuckles, a low creepy sound that makes my skin crawl. “Can’t a man pay a lady a compliment? You’re so uptight. Bet you’d be real sweet once you loosened up.”
“I’m not interested.” My voice comes out steadier than I feel. “Go. Now.”
He doesn’t go. He reaches out and grabs my arm, fingers digging in hard enough to sting. “Don’t be like that, sweetheart. You liked it when I was watchin’ you. I could tell.”
“No, I didn’t.” My heart spikes. “Let go of me.”
His smile twists into something meaner. “Maybe you just need a man to—”
I slap him across the face. Hard.
The crack echoes off the tiled walls.
“Help!” I scream as loud as I can. “Help!”
His head snapped sideways from the slap and when he turns back, his eyes are darker and meaner.
“You’re going to regret that,” he hisses.
I wince and close my eyes as he raises his arm to slap me.
But the hit never comes.
The door bursts open and a bigger hand catches his wrist midair.
I gasp.
The Sheriff.
He looks even larger up close. Even with everything happening, that’s the first thought that goes through my head.
I swallow hard as I stare up at his broad muscular frame towering over me and Cooter. His uniform is strained tight across his massive imposing chest. The tight sleeves are gripping his jacked arms as he squeezes Cooter’s wrist like a vice. He looks so dominant. So in control. There’s not an ounce of fear in those sexy brown eyes.
“You were about to hit her?” His voice is a low growl, dangerous and cold.
Cooter screams as the Sheriff adds some pressure. His knees buckle, but the Sheriff doesn’t let go. “I wasn’t!” Cooter stammers. “I swear!”
The Sheriff wraps his free hand around Cooter’s neck and slams him into the tiled wall so hard the paper towel dispenser rattles. “Don’t lie to me,” he growls in his face. “I know men like you. Men who think they can take an angel like her and do whatever evil shit they want.”