A Lawman in Her Stocking by Kathie DeNosky Read Free Book Online Page A

watched her cross the room.
    Dylan had the inexplicable urge to punch something when one of the men grabbed her by the shoulder. But, bless her heart, Abigail took one look at the guy, whacked him across the knuckles with her handbag, then steered Brenna toward the table Dylan shared with Pete.
    “Well, would you look who’s here?” Pete declared, a grin spreading across his wrinkled face.
    “Brenna, this table only has two chairs. Why don’t you and Dillard find yourself one of your own?” Abigail suggested. Her eyes danced merrily as she pointed to the far corner of the room. “That one over in the shadows would give you two the chance to pick up where you left off the other night.”
    Dylan watched embarrassment stain Brenna’s cheeks as several of Luke’s patrons turned to openly stare at the old gal’s outrageous statement. Something deep inside Dylan’s gut twisted and made him want to shelter her from the prying eyes.
    “You two kids have fun,” Pete said, giving Dylan a meaningful look as he seated Abigail in the chair Dylan had been sitting in.
    With the choice taken out of his hands, Dylan touched Brenna’s elbow. “It’s too noisy to talk here anyway. Let’s find a table farther away from the dance floor.”
    He guided her through the Saturday night crowd and over to an unoccupied table in the corner. Holding the chair for her, he was aware that nearly every eye in the place watched them.
    Apparently, the B.S. Club had activated their phone tree after class the other night and spread the word—the sheriff had shown an interest in the new painting teacher. Unfortunately, Abigail had just reinforced the erroneous rumors.
    “Need another beer, Dylan?” a young waitress asked as she approached the table.
    Dylan smiled at his deputy, Jason’s, girlfriend. “I’m fine. Thanks, Susie.” Turning his attention tothe silent woman beside him, he asked, “Would you like something, Brenna?”
    “A diet cola,” she murmured quietly.
    “Be right back,” Susie called over her shoulder as she threaded her way through the tables.
    Dylan waited until Brenna’s drink arrived before he commented on her somber mood. “You might as well get over it. Your grandmother isn’t going to change at this stage of the game.”
    “You’re probably right,” Brenna said with a sigh.
    Dylan shrugged. “I have the same problem with Uncle Pete. He says what he damned well pleases and to hell with what other people think.”
    “Granny says it’s one of the perks of being older,” Brenna agreed. “But I wish she’d use a little more discretion.”
    He grinned. “I wouldn’t count on that happening.”
    “I suppose you’re right,” she said, her smile resigned.
    After several moments of awkward silence, the band began to play a ballad. Reaching for her hand, Dylan pulled Brenna to her feet. “Let’s dance.”
    He couldn’t dance worth a hoot to the faster songs, but he could sway in time to the slower ones. Besides it was better than just staring at each other for the rest of the evening.
    But when they reached the dance floor, the crowd swelled and Brenna was pushed against him. Wrapping his arms around her to keep her from falling, Dylan gulped hard. Even though she was quite a bit shorter, she fit him perfectly and his body was already responding in a very X-rated way.
    As he held her close, he tried to ignore the feel ofher soft breasts pressed tightly to his chest, the touch of her thighs as they grazed his own. The friction of her lower body rubbing intimately against his caused him to swallow convulsively. Pressed so closely together, there was no way he could hide the fact that he was harder than hell.
    Brenna felt the butterflies in her lower abdomen go absolutely wild, and her breath came out in short, little puffs at the feel of Dylan’s strong arousal pressed to her lower abdomen. His wide chest blocked out everything around her, and even though they were far from alone, she felt as if they were