“You and me both.” I chuckled as my mind fixated on Samantha’s beautiful curves.
Steve and I went to work the second we got to the shop. There was an urgency in our step that neither of us usually demonstrated when we were working. Steve finished up her tire fairly quickly and then came over to help me install the rod in Mayor Danvers’ Cadillac. It required a bit of work, but we worked in tandem like a well-oiled machine. It was late afternoon by the time we finished. Steve was covered in less grease than I was, so he cleaned up and decided to drive the Cadillac while I drove his truck. It was unsaid from the moment we arrived to the time we left, but I could tell we were both thinking about Samantha. Being apart from her sucked, especially after the closeness we shared the night before. I was jealous that some of the other guys were able to spend the entire day with her, but it was more of a jealousy towards the separation than the guys themselves. I hoped they had taken good care of her during the day and she had been pampered like the wonderful gift she was. I decided to swing by the market and pick up some flowers—when I pulled into the parking lot and saw Steve exiting the market with a bouquet in his hand, I had to laugh.
“Great minds...” I stepped out of his truck and tilted my hat as I entered the store.
“You know it.” Steve smiled and walked towards the Cadillac.
There was a thump in my heart when I stared at the row of flowers. Steve had gotten a wildflower bouquet, but I wanted to give Samantha some roses. They had a bit of a price tag, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t believe how absolutely giddy I felt just standing in line with a dozen roses in my hand. I had never bought flowers for anyone before. I hadn’t even considered it. Romance was like a whole new world unfolding in front of me and I couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when we arrived. I paid for the flowers and walked back to Steve’s truck. It wasn’t a long drive to the house, but I pushed the pedal down to make sure I got there in record time. It wasn’t like I was going to get a ticket—Sheriff James was one of us and he wouldn’t pull over his brother’s truck anyway. I pulled up to the house and saw Samantha on the front porch, sitting on a swing that wasn’t there before. She was holding the bouquet Steve gave her, but when I stepped out with roses her eyes lit up and a gorgeous smile spread across her face.
“Thank you so much!” She took them in her hand and stood. “I love them.”
I pulled her into my arms and stared into her bea
utiful eyes. My lips were moving towards her before I even thought about the kiss and when I felt the passion on her lips, I wanted to take her upstairs. My cock sprang to life in a second, pressing against my jeans while our lips formed a perfect seal. The rest of the world just seemed to melt away with Samantha in my arms. All of the things that normally weighed so heavily on my mind just faded out of my subconscious. I squeezed her tight, pulled her against my chest and continued kissing her. The kiss lasted so long that I could feel my head getting dizzy before I finally pulled back. Samantha took a step and practically staggered, obviously reeling from the kiss as much as I was, but I pulled her close and wrapped my arms around her.
“I missed you.” I whispered softly into her ear.
“I can see.” She sighed and ran her fingers through my hair. “I missed you too.”
Chapter 13: Jesse
A few hours earlier
I couldn’t believe I was sitting in the same room with Axe Teller and an interrogation wasn’t underway. I was usually grilling him about something that could get him sent away when he was sitting across from me. There was still tension, even if the feud was essentially dead. Axe and I didn’t start out as bitter rivals, but when I put the badge on my chest, I had no choice but to hold him accountable for his actions. When he broke the law, I was there with handcuffs. It didn’t help his case that there really wasn’t any crime in Granite Falls unless he was the perpetrator. It was a peaceful life for the most part and when he was in prison, the only thing I had to respond to was lost puppies and the occasional rowdy group down at The Water Barn. If the state would have just put marijuana on the ballot, it would have made things easier. I hoped Axe would hold up his end of the deal and stay on the straight and narrow—for Samantha’s sake more than mine. If he didn’t, he would be disrespecting the very gift that Samantha had given me in exchange for peace.
“So why did you hate me so much, Jesse?” Axe reached for his beer and took a drink.
“It wasn’t hate.” I shook my head back and forth. “I’m the sheriff in Granite Falls. I can’t just let you break the law and get away with it.”
“I wasn’t hurting anyone. I didn’t sell to kids, not that there are many around here—most of my customers were old people who didn’t want to get doped up on prescriptions.” He let out a sigh. “I made money off of it, but I was trying to do it the right way.”
“There isn’t a right way when the law is involved. The law decides what is right and wrong, not you.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “That is why the two of us never could get along.”
“You won’t have to worry about it again.” He sipped his beer and put it back on the table. “I’m not going to do anything illegal.”
“I hope that’s true.” I sighed and shook my head. “I’m not going to keep a tab on you like I normally do, but if you get mixed up in that shit again, I will still have to arrest you. So you’re going to get a job and try to be a productive member of society?” I chuckled at the thought. “I don’t see that happening. I doubt anyone would hire you anyway...”
“What are we going to do about Granite Falls?” Axe folded his arms and leaned back in his chair.
“I’ve been thinking about that.” Mayor Danvers walked into the room from the kitchen. “Sorry to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help but overhear.”
“This town is on life support.” Axe looked to him. “I mean, I love it to death and I don’t want to leave, but what happens in five years? Ten years? The school barely has enough students to afford turning on the lights. The factory is gone. Almost everyone who grows up here leaves...”
“Yeah...” I nodded in agreement with Axe—agreeing with Axe—that didn’t happen very often.
“I’m working on something, but you have to swear you won’t tell anyone except those of us that will be living in this house—agreed?” He looked to me and then to Axe.
“Yeah.” I nodded and Axe did as well.
“There is a fifty-mile stretch of highway between Granite Falls and the rest of the world. Most people don’t know this, but American Motors is looking at that stretch of land for a new plant. The biggest thing we need to get this town going again is jobs. The plant will bring a lot of jobs—and jobs bring people. I’ve been negotiating with them and we’ve got enough real estate to bring the plant to Granite Falls. At this point, I would practically give them the land if it would get the plant closer to us.” He reached up and scratched his head. “We just need permits and the state owns the land out by the highway, so they aren’t returning my calls.”
“Is there anything we can do to help?” Axe reached for his beer.
“Not unless you know someone on Capitol Hill.” Mayor Danvers exhaled sharply. “We need this...”
“You guys don’t know anyone on Capitol Hill?” Samantha walked down the stairs, her eyes still a little glazed over from spending most of the day in bed.
“Samantha!” I jumped to my feet. “Please have a seat, what do you want? Coffee—tea—soda?”