I heard the news from councilman Freddie Barns, the first to arrive at Vincennes. Soon after the bar and restaurant were jam-packed, everyone wanting to get in on the latest big story. The gossip was flying, and who knew what was true and what wasn’t? Until I heard it straight from Dylan, I’d take most of it with a grain of salt.

What was apparently true was that Dylan and Gene Lanier were hailed as heroes for finding Beauregard, now and forever after to be known as The Drifter. For six years, two families had hated each other for no good reason.

All the waitstaff were run haggard trying to keep up with orders, while Angelo worked in the kitchen, helping to get the food out. Apparently crazy bull stories made people hungry for pizzas, pasta, and beer. The bar was three-deep, and Angelo had called in Brandy from her day off to help me. At the end of the night my boss was grinning like a madman as he counted the day’s receipts. I thought he wished bizarre things would happen every day.

We were an hour later than normal getting out for the night, but I’d racked up a week’s worth of tips in six hours, so I wasn’t complaining even though my back and feet were. My plan was to go straight home and luxuriate in a hot bubble bath, a glass of wine by my side. That changed when I walked out to my car to see Dylan leaning against it. Sitting at his feet was a skinny black dog.

“A friend of yours?” I asked, walking up to Dylan. He looked worn-out, and I had the crazy desire to sit on a sofa with his head in my lap while I soothed the tired lines from around his eyes.

He glanced down at the dog. “This is Daisy. Daisy, meet my friend, Jenny.”

At the sound of her name, she looked adoringly up at him. I knelt. “Hello, Daisy. What a beautiful dog you are.” She wagged her tail as she arched her neck, sniffing the fingers I held toward her. “Labrador?” I asked, peering up at Dylan.

“That’s what the vet said.”

“They’re good dogs. I had one growing up.” I scratched Daisy around her ears, and her eyes rolled back in ecstasy.

“Never had a dog before. She adopted me.”

I stood. “Can’t say I blame her. Hear you had an interesting day.”

He chuckled. “That’s putting it mildly.” His gaze locked on mine. “Daisy and I came to invite you home with us. She thinks I need some TLC considering I spent the afternoon chasing an ornery bull.”

I leaned forward and sniffed him. “You stink.”

“You would too if you’d been wallowing around in manure. After delivering Beauregard the Bull back to his rightful owner, I spent the evening negotiating peace between the Hatfields and McCoys. Guess I should have taken the time to go home and shower first, but I didn’t want to miss you.”

I lifted onto my toes and kissed him, then wrinkled my nose. “Go home, take a nice hot shower, and I’ll be at your place in about an hour. I need to run by my apartment, get the smell of pizza and garlic off, and grab some clothes.”

“Thank you, Red.” He took a step away, then paused. “If you…” He shook his head.

“If what?”

He hesitated before saying, “If you want, you can leave some things at my place. You know, some toiletries and spare clothes.”

I blinked. That one had caught me by surprise. Did I want to do that? It felt like a step toward commitment. A part of me wanted to do a little dance because that would mean he wouldn’t bring another woman to his apartment. The other part dinged warning bells in my head. Ones that said, This is a man you could fall head over heels for. Can you take off for parts unknown if you do?

“Forget I said that,” he said when I hesitated.

“No can do now that it’s out. I need to think about it, okay?”

He did pull me roughly into his arms and kissed the daylights out of me. “Think hard, Red.”

With that, Blue Ridge Valley’s stinky police chief and his new dog walked away, leaving me sucking air into my lungs. I still hadn’t come to a decision by the time I pulled into my parking space. I wanted to take some things to his place and I didn’t. No man had ever wormed his way into my head the way Dylan had, not even the jerkface who was leaning against my front door.

I sat in my car, staring at Chad. Why couldn’t he just go away? Since the last thing I wanted was to get into another fight with him, I locked my doors, then called Dylan.

“Please don’t say you’re not coming over,” he said on answering.

“Could you head to my place? I have unwanted company waiting for me.”

“Your ex?”

“The one and only. I’ve locked myself in my car.” The sound of a siren came through the phone.

“Be there in five. Don’t get out of your car.”

“Not going to,” I said to dead air. There was something pretty cool about dating a cop who could come to your rescue with lights flashing and sirens blaring. Oh, Chad, you stupid fool.

I sat right where I was, and when he realized I wasn’t getting out, he headed toward me. Grabbing my purse, I fished around in it until my fingers closed around my mace. As long as he didn’t get crazy on me and break my window, I’d wait for Dylan to get here. If not, Chad was going to need an eye doctor. I’d never gotten around to filing a restraining order on him, but I’d correct that as soon as I saw Dylan.

Chad tapped on my window. “Jenn, can we just talk? I love you.” He pulled on my door handle. “Please, unlock your door and talk to me.”

I held up the mace. “I swear I’ll spray you,” I yelled.

He put his hands at the bottom of my window, his puppy-dog eyes pleading with me. “I messed up, baby. I know that. Just give me a chance to make it up to you.”

I turned my radio up so loud that my car vibrated. That was probably why I didn’t hear Dylan’s car screech to a halt next to me. All of a sudden Dylan was there, forcing Chad away with nothing but his body. All I could think was wow, Dylan hadn’t even laid a hand on Chad yet was herding him out of my sight.

“Tell him as of right now, there’s a restraining order filed against him,” I called to Dylan after I rolled down my window.

“You heard the lady,” Dylan said as he pushed Chad to the back of my car.

I looked in my rearview window, seeing that they were having a heated conversation. I really didn’t care what was being said between them. While their attention was on each other, I slipped out of my car and ran into my apartment. I had a moment of thinking I should just lock my door to men in general. But no, Dylan needed some TLC tonight. And not only that, I tossed some toiletries and some extra clothes into a tote to leave at his place.

I’d thought about it on the drive over, deciding that leaving some stuff at his place was simply a matter of convenience. It didn’t mean that when it was time to leave, I would hesitate to do so. With that clear in my mind, I stepped out of my apartment after a quick shower and change of clothes, a canvas bag in my hand.

“Oh, I thought you two would have headed home by now,” I said at seeing Dylan and Daisy waiting outside my door as if they were standing guard.

Dylan threw an arm around my shoulder. “He won’t bother you again.”

I believed him, unless Chad was stupider than I thought. Dylan and Daisy walked me to Dylan’s Mustang, one on either side of me as if both were protecting me. When I tried to head for my car, Dylan herded me toward his.

“I’ll bring you home in the morning, okay?”

I shrugged. “Sure.”

He took my tote from me. “Does this have girlie things in it?”

“You mean like things I might leave at your place?”

“Yes, Red. That’s what I mean.”

“Maybe.” Why not? I could take them back as easily as I brought them.

Suddenly his mouth was on mine. I guess that answer made him happy. He sucked my bottom lip into his mouth, and at my soft moan, he pulled away.

“Let’s go home.”

I liked the way that sounded a little too much.

He opened the door. “In the back, Daisy,” he said when the dog jumped onto the passenger seat.

The dog gave me a baleful look before scrambling between the seats. “Poor Daisy. Did I steal your place?”

“She’ll get over it.” Dylan reached back and gave the dog’s head a pat. “Looked like you were busy tonight. When I pulled in, the parking lot was packed.”

I was glad he’d brought it up since I was dying of curiosity. “Everyone wanted to either hear the gossip about Beauregard, or they wanted to be the one to tell what they’d heard. Seems you and your detective are heroes for finding him. That’s what they’re all saying, anyway.”

Dylan laughed. “Beauregard doesn’t think so. He’s head over heels in love with Granny. Wasn’t real happy about being taken away from her.”

“Did she know the bull was the missing Beauregard? It was common knowledge when he disappeared that Mr. Scroggins accused Roland of taking him. I can’t see how she didn’t hear anything about it.”

“To quote Granny when I asked that exact question, ‘I ain’t knowed nothing about it. The bull showed up one day ’n’ stayed.’ Then she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at me, saying around the corncob pipe in her mouth, ‘I’m a law-uring up now, sonny boy, so dontcha be asking me no more questions.’ So I didn’t. If she wasn’t admitting to anything, what was I going to do? Throw her in jail? The entire town probably would’ve turned on me.”

Dylan grinned at me when I laughed. “They likely would have because that would have upset Hamburger, and we can’t have our moonshiner unhappy.”

“God forbid. Then all y’all would have been asking, who shot the sheriff?”

“You said ‘y’all.’ We’ll make a southern boy out of you yet.”

He winked. “After the time I spent with Granny and Old Man Scroggins today, I can y’all with the best of them.”

“So all’s good and peace has been restored in the valley?” At his nod, I put my hand on his thigh. “It was a nice surprise to see you waiting for me.”

“I just wanted to be with you tonight, Red. Even if all we do is hold each other.”

How was I supposed to guard my heart when he said things like that?

As soon as we got inside his apartment, I sent him to take a shower. I doubted he’d had a chance to eat dinner, so I rummaged in his fridge, looking for something I could make for him.

“Ah-ha,” I said to Daisy at finding cheese and bacon. In the pantry I found a loaf of sourdough bread. “Perfect.” When Dylan walked into the kitchen, I glanced over to tell him to sit down at the counter. The words died on my lips.

He had on a pair of black lounge pants that rode low on his hips and nothing else, leaving his beautiful chest on full display. My fingers tingled, wanting to touch him, to explore every inch of his incredible body.

“Ah…I’ve made you a little something to eat. Figured with everything going on today that you probably didn’t have time to grab something.”

A slow smile curved his lips. “Is this the beginning of my TLC?”

“Could be. Sit.” Daisy eyed him as if she wanted to go to him—not that I blamed her—but I had bacon that I’d been feeding her little bites of. The bacon won out.

He slid onto the bar stool. “You didn’t have to cook for me.”

“Wanted to.” I cut the grilled cheese and bacon sandwich in half, piled some chips on the plate and put it in front of him. “Beer?”

He wrapped his hand around my wrist, pulling me to him. “That would be my second choice.”

“What would be your first?” I asked even though I saw the answer in his eyes. He slowly slid his hand up my arm, and after spreading his fingers around the back of my neck, he pulled me to him.

“You,” he whispered. His mouth covered mine, teasing me with little flicks of his tongue over my lips.

I couldn’t resist any longer. I had to touch him, and I trailed the tips of my fingers across his chest and ribs, marveling at the smoothness of his skin over all those muscles. He slipped one hand under the back of my shirt, and as he kissed me, he stroked along the curve of my spine. His other hand fisted my hair, keeping me right where he wanted me.

A wet nose pushed against my knee, making me laugh. “Someone’s jealous.” I stepped away. It was either that or climb right on top of him. The only reason I didn’t—and I didn’t think he’d mind at all—was because he’d had a long, exhausting day, and he really did need something in his stomach.

I grabbed a bottle of beer from his fridge and opened it. “Here you go.” After giving it to him, I opened another one and sat across from him.

He picked up one of the sandwich halves. “You’re not eating?”

“Had a couple of slices of pizza while I was working.” Since I was coming straight to Dylan’s, I had changed into a pair of lightweight sweatpants, and a long-sleeve cotton top with five buttons that I’d left undone. I hadn’t bothered putting on a bra since I was sure it’d come right back off soon.

As Dylan ate, his gaze kept landing on the exposed flesh where my shirt parted at the top. The man wasn’t only hungry to fill his belly. I could see that in the way his eyes devoured me. He tore off a small piece of crust, tossing it in the air. Daisy deftly snapped it up.

I tsked. “You’re going to spoil her.” Never mind that I’d been sneaking her bacon.

“Maybe she deserves a little spoiling.” He studied the dog looking back at him with pure adoration. “I don’t think she’s led a charmed life.”

That was obvious by the ribs showing through her skin. It wouldn’t be long before she fattened up under Dylan’s care. In the short time I’d known him, I had already learned that he was a giver, taking care of those he felt responsible for. He’d told me how he’d convinced the town council and mayor to approve new uniforms and raises for his officers. Whenever Chad had shown up, causing me trouble, Dylan had been there for me, making sure I stayed safe. Who had taken care of him?

He finished the last bite of his grilled cheese, and I took the plate to the sink. After tossing the two beer bottles in the trash, I crooked my finger. “Follow me.” As I walked down the hall toward his bedroom, I heard the soft pad of his bare feet and the clicks of Daisy’s toenails on the wood floor.

“What are you up to, Red?”

He was only inches behind me, and his warm breath tickled the hair on my neck. “Just a little TLC, Chief.” I glanced over my shoulder. “Tonight I’m going to take care of you.” Because someone should, and I wanted that someone to be me.