Single Dad Sheriff (Harlequin American Romance) (14 page)

“I want to be more than her friend,” Keith reiterated.

Chance's head pounded harder with the thought of Jessie in a relationship, married to this man with whom she shared a child. He should be happy for her, should be happy for them all. But, selfishly, he couldn't imagine her with anyone but him.

“I'm not going to stand in your way,” Chance assured the other man. He had no right to do that.

“You could,” Keith said, “if you wanted. Tommy isn't the only one who talks about you. Jessie does, too, and with a certain look on her face…” He released a ragged sigh of frustration. “It reminds me of the way she used to look at me.”

Chance's pulse quickened again. But it didn't really matter because he wasn't sticking around. He could have shared that with Keith to allay his fears, but he needed to tell Jessie first.

“You must think I'm a jerk,” Keith said. “After all, I'm the one who broke up with her. But I was so young and stupid and thought having a girl back home would mess up my whole college experience. It didn't take me long to figure out that I wasn't going to find anyone better than Jess. But she was gone by the time I finally got smart and tried to contact her. And I couldn't find her.”

Having already heard this story when they'd met in Battle Creek, Chance only nodded.

Keith sighed with self-disgust. “I'm sorry to go on—it's just that I have so much to make up for. I want to give my son the family he should have had. I want to marry his mother, like I would have had I known for certain that she was pregnant. I just want…”

It was everything Chance wanted for himself. “I understand.”

“Thank you for listening to me.” Keith held out his hand.

Chance studied it for a moment before he shook. He couldn't offer any words of encouragement or luck, though. It would probably be best for Tommy if his parents married, but only if Jessie cared about Keith the way he cared about her. She deserved happiness, too.

“Well, I've taken enough of your time,” Keith said. “And I can tell you're expecting someone, so I'll get out of your way.”

Chance nodded in acknowledgment that he was waiting for someone, but he didn't offer the identity of his visitor. He just pulled open the door and hoped Jessie wasn't standing out on the porch.

When he closed the door behind Keith Howard, Chance leaned back against the solid oak. His breath
shuddered out of his lungs as emotions warred within him. Guilt battled jealousy, anticipation and regret.

A fist hammered the door behind him, rattling the wood. Maybe Keith had run into Jessie and returned to angrily confront him. Welcoming a fight and a satisfying physical release for his roiling emotions, he jerked open the door.

To Jessie's beautiful face, flushed with emotions of her own. “Chance.” She breathed his name on a wistful sigh, her eyes bright.

“I'm glad you're here,” he said, although that was a hell of an understatement. He was ecstatic that she was there, but he couldn't enjoy her closeness until he told her that he would be leaving soon. “We really need to talk.”

“Talk?” she asked, her voice a challenge that had Chance's nerves tingling. She stepped into the foyer and closed the door behind her.

“Yeah,” he replied. “That's why you wanted to come over here. That's what you said when you called.”

“That's what I said,” she agreed, fiddling with the belt of her raincoat.

He glanced out the window of the door, but sunlight glimmered through the glass. As summer drew closer, the days grew longer and brighter and warmer. “You don't need that raincoat,” he said, narrowing his eyes to study her.

“You're right,” she said, and she pulled the belt free of its loops, then shrugged the coat off her shoulders. The tan material dropped down and pooled around the high, skinny heels she had on. Those heels were all she wore as she stood naked before him.

A groan slipped involuntarily from his throat. “No, you don't need the coat…”

“I just need you,” she said, her hands sliding up his chest to link behind his neck.

His body tensed as her soft, naked curves pressed against him. He ached for her, ached to make love to her as passionately as they had a month ago.

“I need to talk.” He had so much to tell her, so much he needed to tell her, but he couldn't think—not with her so tantalizingly close.

She rose on tiptoe and skimmed her lips along his jaw. “I don't want to talk.” She arched her back, pressing her breasts against his chest so he could feel the tautness of her nipples. “I just want
you
.”

His control snapped, and he took her mouth with his in a kiss full of the passion burning inside him. For her. He swung her up in his arms and carried her up the stairs. Nearly drunk with desire, he stumbled.

She laughed, her giggle tickling his lips. Her hands were busy, too, pulling his buttons free so she could push off his shirt. When she reached for his belt, he stopped in the hall. And he lifted her higher, so that his lips could skim down the slender arch of her throat, over the slope of first one breast and then the other. His lips tugged at a nipple. Then he suckled her.

She pulled his belt free then unsnapped his jeans. And she dipped her fingers inside the waistband of both the jeans and the briefs he wore underneath. As she stroked the tip of his erection, he shuddered. He couldn't make it to the bedroom, no matter that it was only a few doors down the hall.

Instead he laid her on the carpet running the length of the hall, and he made love to her with his mouth, stroking
his tongue in and out of her moist heat. Her nails dug into his shoulders as she screamed his name.

He pulled a condom from his wallet, then dropped his jeans and briefs onto the floor. She took the foil pocket from his hands, ripped it open with her teeth, then rolled the latex down the length of his pulsing erection. Out of his mind with desire, Chance lifted her legs and thrust inside her. She arched, and he realized she lay on the hard floor. He turned, putting his own back against the carpet as she straddled him.

His hands on the sweet curve of her hips, he helped her find her rhythm. And every time she moved, he thrust up. She came, screaming his name. And he followed her into mind-blowing ecstasy.

But he hadn't entirely lost his senses. Because he realized what he'd done. He'd fallen in love with Jessie Phillips.

Laughter flowed with the sunshine through the trees and across the grass of Forest Glen's park. The first week of summer vacation had brought everyone out to enjoy the warm weather and freedom. Sitting alone on a bench, Jessie watched everybody else playing. Tommy and Keith twirled a Frisbee across the grass between them, while Chance and Matthew tossed a baseball back and forth in a serious game of catch.

He hadn't called her since that day and night of passion and madness at his house, in his bed, three weeks ago. She shouldn't have listened to Belinda. The raincoat had been a cliché, however effective. But their lovemaking hadn't brought the simple happiness she'd thought it would; instead, it had left her with more heartache because she'd only fallen more deeply in love with Chance.

He hadn't fallen for her, though. Because if he had, he wouldn't be leaving. He hadn't told her he was, because she hadn't let him say the words, but she'd seen it in his eyes. The goodbye he wanted to tell her. Instead, he'd given Keith an endorsement—said that he'd be a good dad if Tommy would let him.

It was her fault that Tommy paid more attention to
Chance and Matthew than to his father. She'd robbed them of the relationship they would have had, stealing so many years from them with her selfishness and fear. Just like Robyn was robbing Chance and Matthew of their relationship. Like Tommy, she couldn't keep her gaze from that father and son.

Love and pride radiated from Chance to Matthew. He loved his boy so much that he would do anything to be with him. That was why she knew he was leaving. He must have realized, as she had, that he would not be awarded full custody, no matter how much he was willing to give up for his son.

The puppy frolicked between the boys, bouncing back and forth. Other townspeople gathered around. Mrs. Wilson had a cat on a leash, which Chance, grinning, steered clear of. Mrs. Applegate, a parasol over her shoulder to shield her pale complexion from the sun, flirted with Chance and the blond man who joined him on the grass. The lawyer, in his expensive tailored suit, looked more out of place than the cat on the leash.

She pulled her camera from the bag sitting beside her on the bench. Clicking the Record button, she mentally directed her own film of Forest Glen, catching scenes from different areas of the park. The older women in the rose garden. The toddlers in the sandbox. The bigger kids playing on the equipment, smaller ones bobbing back and forth on spring animals. But there was a definite star of her video: Chance. And in supporting roles, Matthew and Tommy.

She only lowered the camera when a shadow fell across her, and she noticed the battery light blinking its low power warning. Glancing up, she was surprised to meet the steady gaze of Chance's lawyer. “Hello?”

“Jessie, right?”

She nodded.

He held out a hand. “Trenton Sanders.”

She closed her fingers around his, and he surprised her again with the calluses she felt. He didn't seem the type to work with his hands; she would have figured he relied mostly on his charm and brains. “It's nice to meet you.”

“If that little old lady hadn't latched on to Chance, he probably would have tackled me before I made it over here,” he said.

She glanced away to see Mrs. Applegate clutching Chance's arm, her parasol bumping against his shoulder and chin. Hopefully he wouldn't lose an eye on the spiky point. “So he doesn't want you talking to me?”

He shook his head but not a lock of moussed blond hair fell out of place, despite the wind blowing through it. “No. He'd rather I stayed far away from you.”

“He said that?”

“Chance doesn't say much,” Trenton admitted.

She really should have let Chance talk when he'd wanted to. But her body still hummed with the pleasure he'd given her and she had no regrets. No matter how hard it would be for her to get over him, she had no regrets.

“He doesn't need to say much for people to like him.” She gestured toward the townspeople gathered around him and Matthew.

“I think you more than like him,” Trenton said as he settled onto the bench next to her.

“I care about Chance,” she admitted, glancing down at the camera in her hands. She fiddled with the latch to the memory card.

“Then you're not going to be like all those people ganging up on him and trying to talk him out of doing what he needs to do? He's miserable without his son. He has to have Matthew in his life.”

“I know.”

“That's who got him out of Afghanistan. He'd made a promise to Matthew to come back in one piece, safe and sound. And he made damn sure he kept that promise.”

“Then why did he go back the second time?” He'd only told her that he had to.

“We'd met another little kid, a boy who reminded us both of Matthew.” He stopped and swallowed hard. “And Chance had made a promise to that kid, too.”

“You were there?” she asked.

He nodded. “Just the first time. I didn't go back.”

“But Chance did. Because of this boy you'd met?”

He nodded again. “The kid was sick. Chance promised him he'd come back and help him. He wanted to get him to a medical center to see if he could have him flown back to the States for the surgery he needed.”

“And did he?”

Trenton shook his head. “No. By the time he was debriefed and sent back, the boy had died.”

Jessie blinked away the sting of tears but couldn't keep her voice from cracking. “That's so sad.”

“What's sadder is that he lost two boys then. His signing up for another tour violated his custody arrangement with Robyn, and she successfully filed for full custody of Matthew.”

“That's horrible,” she said, her heart aching for the loss Chance had suffered.

“Yeah, it is.”

“Why didn't you help him?” she asked.

“He didn't ask me then. I got hurt on our first tour, would have died if not for Chance. So I didn't go back with him. I was recovering and getting my practice going again. Maybe that was why he didn't tell me. Maybe he figured she'd change her mind when he came back. I didn't know what was going on until it was over. So we had to wait until he returned to petition the court to reconsider that decision and award full custody to Chance.”

“But you never really believed you could win?” she realized. The man was too smart for that.

“I thought it might get Robyn and Chance talking again.”

“You were trying to get them back together?”

He sighed. “That's why I don't play matchmaker. My plan totally backfired. They hate each other even more than they did before.”

She glanced at Keith, grateful he didn't hate her as she'd feared. “Why can't Robyn see why he had to go back? She's a doctor.”

“She was his wife first.”

“She's still a mother. She needs to think about Matthew and what's best for him.” Like Jessie needed to think about Tommy and what was best for him. She couldn't put her own fears or hopes and desires before him again. Her fingers trembling, she opened the slot and popped out the memory card. Then she handed it over to Trenton. “Give her this,” she said. “Maybe she'll understand.”

Trenton stared down at the card and then lifted his gaze to hers. “I do now. I understand what Chance sees in you. I knew it wasn't just the beauty or the passion. He's not the kind of guy who's ever cared much about
looks or sex appeal. He cares about substance. You've got that.”

“Yeah, I've got that.” But it was not enough to let her keep the man she loved.

 

C
HANCE DRAGGED
his hand from his pocket, fisted it and pounded on Jessie's front door. He'd put this off long enough. He had to tell her before he made the official announcement at the next town council meeting; he owed her that much and more.

After the nastiness of his divorce, he had doubted he would ever be able to love again. But not only had he fallen for Jessie, he'd fallen harder than he ever had. He was no longer the idealistic fool who'd married Robyn with thoughts of conquering the world and living happily ever after. He loved Jessie, but he'd learned the hard way that happily ever after wasn't always possible, and a man could live a long time on perfect, happy moments.

He lifted his hand to knock again just as the door drew open. His fist nearly connected with Keith Howard's smiling face. Keith laughed, but the humor didn't entirely reach his eyes. “Sheriff, what brings you by?” He sounded possessive as if he'd already moved in and was defending his own.

Maybe he had moved in. The possibility churned Chance's stomach. But before he could reply, Jessie shouldered her ex-boyfriend out of the way. “Keith, Tommy's packing his things for the overnighter. Can you help him?”

He hesitated, as if he intended to stay and witness their discussion. But Jessie glared until he turned tail and left them alone. Instead of welcoming him inside the house, though, she stepped outside and joined him
on the porch. “Sorry about that,” she murmured. “He…he wants…”

“You.”

She sighed. “He thinks I'm still that young girl who was besotted with him. He doesn't realize that I've changed—that I don't want what I did back then.”

“Him?”

She nodded. And the heat in her eyes told him who she desired. Chance. But she didn't say the words this time.

“He's trying to make up for the years he missed with you and Tommy,” Chance said. “He wants you to be a family.”

Jessie nodded. “I know. He thinks it's what would be best for Tommy.”

“He's probably right.”

“Is that why you're going home to Chicago? You're going back to Robyn.”

He laughed. “I'm not sure what's funnier—the fact that you think that Robyn would actually take me back or the fact that you already know I'm leaving.”

“I've known for a while,” she admitted.

“Before Trenton talked to you in the park last weekend?” he asked, reliving the jealousy he'd felt as he'd watched his friend share that narrow bench with Jessie.

She laughed now. “Yes.”

“So he was just flirting with you?” Trenton had thought she was hot the first time he'd seen her. And the slick lawyer possessed a charm, in and out of the courtroom, that Chance had never had.

She shook her head. “I don't think I'm his type.”

“Then he's crazier than I thought,” Chance murmured.
“Almost as crazy as I am.” For leaving her. “I should have known that you would have already heard. There are no secrets in this town.”

She sighed. “No, there aren't. Except…when are you leaving?”

“Soon. The mayor found a replacement for me who can start next week.” And his mother had threatened to find a replacement for the mayor because of it. She'd even offered to back Trenton if he would move to Forest Glen and run for office. He hadn't seen his friend that horrified since their tour in Afghanistan. “We're going to make an announcement at the town council meeting tonight.”

“I'm glad you came by—because I wasn't planning on attending.”

He glanced at the house. “Right. You have company—you wouldn't want to leave.”

“No. They're on their way out. Tommy agreed to spend the night with Keith at his new place. He's renting a little house Dr. Malewitz and his wife own in town.”

He was just renting, probably because he planned on moving in with Jessie and Tommy soon. Chance couldn't fault the guy for trying to win her back. But he was damn glad he wouldn't be around to witness his inevitable success. Jessie would do what she thought best for her son.

She smiled grimly. “It's ironic really. He's moving to town and you're moving out.”

“I'll hate to leave,” he said, hoping she knew that was mostly because of her.

“But you have to do what's best for your son.” The door creaked behind them as if someone was listening at it. She sighed. “We both do.”

He nodded. “Taking Matthew away from his mother would have been the mistake you thought it was. It wouldn't have been the right thing for Matt. No matter how angry I am with Robyn, he needs his mother in his life.”

“He needs his father, too,” she assured him. Then she reached out with that generosity of spirit he loved most about her and hugged him. “I'm going to…” her voice cracked with emotion “…miss you.”

Chance closed his arms around her, holding her close to his aching heart for several silent moments. Her silky hair brushed his cheek, and he breathed in the sweet, flowery essence of her—trying to commit her scent and feel to his memory so that he would never forget any detail about her. Leaving Matthew when he'd been deployed had been the hardest thing Chance had ever done. But this came close.

“You need to say goodbye to Tommy, too,” she insisted, pulling away as if to call out to her son.

“I know,” he said. The thought of telling the boy he was leaving filled Chance with dread. “But I don't want to mess up his fun night with his dad. I'll talk to him before I leave.”

“What about me?” she asked, staring up at him, eyes damp with tears.

“I can't…see you again…and say goodbye…” He kissed her, a tender parting kiss that he'd feel forever on his lips and in his soul. Then he released her and turned and walked away.

 

“H
AVE YOU
changed your mind?” Keith—Dad—asked. “Do you want to go home now?”

“No.” Because home wasn't that little house he'd
lived in as far back as he could remember. Home was Chance's yellow farmhouse with the bunk beds and the tree house in the big backyard. And Chance and Matt. But the sheriff was moving away, and he wasn't coming back.

Tommy had listened in on the conversation between Chance and his mom. He'd heard everything. And he'd seen them hug and kiss. How could they just give up on each other?