Chapter Eight

Kat

Beth disappeared into my closet and I knew she was hunting down a particular pair of Jimmy Choo’s I’d purchased a few years back. The black shoes with a dainty strap had escaped me, and I had no clue where I’d last seen them.

“I think you need to take a picture of what’s in the box and then tape it to the front, so it doesn’t take all day to find a certain pair of shoes!” Beth’s muffled voice yelled out from the back of my closet. I had a moment of panic as I wondered if the towers of shoes would collapse on top of her.

“I’ve thought about doing that, but,” I waved my hands in the air, “I always forget once I’ve found the pair I’m looking for.”

“Typical,” Beth mumbled. “Yes!” she shouted. “Found them!” Beth wiggled out of the closet on her hands and knees with a box clutched in her hand.

“I don’t know about this plan.” I frowned, wondering how wise it would be to visit Jesse at the sheriff’s office.

The minute I’d admitted to enjoying my time with Jesse, Beth insisted I turn my inner vixen on and go seduce my man. Heat coated my cheeks at just the thought. What had I gotten myself into?

“So we have the sexy heels, now we need a sexy dress,” Beth mumbled to herself.

“I’m going to break my neck in those heels with all the snow we’ve had.”

Beth rolled her eyes, totally ignoring me, and said, “You told me he has a thing about your shoes, right?”

I nodded.

“So you have to wear a sexy pair that shows off how slim your ankles are.” Beth grinned.

“My heart feels like it’s going to pound right out of my chest.” I clutched my neck and stared at Beth. “What if he isn’t there?”

“Then you send him a message and let him know he missed you at the office. Send him a picture of your legs. Tease him.”

Feeling overwhelmed with panic, I dropped into a chair and placed my head between my legs. “I can’t do this.”

“Oh, stop whining.” Beth tossed the shoes on the bed, along with the perfect dress. It was tight fighting with buttons all the way to above my knees where the dress stopped.

“You already have the guy, so stop worrying. He’s going to be happy to see you…in more ways than one.” Beth narrowed her gaze before her face lit with a smirk. “You could video it…”

I gasped and smacked my friend on the arm. “Stop!” I laughed. “God, I never in a million years expected to get it on with him.”

Beth sat on the floor with her back against the bed. “You have to stop saying that. He obviously has no trouble with the age thing, so you have to accept that he wants you for you. He hasn’t so much as looked at anyone else since he’s been in town. The only person he’s ever looked at is you.” I offered a wry smile when she continued, “You need to forget about all the reasons why not, and concentrate on the reasons why… If anyone deserves some happiness in her life, it’s you.”

“You always make sense of everything.” I rested my cheek on my knee and watched my friend. “I can do this. I’m a strong woman and I can do this. I’m going to walk into the sheriff’s office wearing those heels, and that dress, and I’m going to give Jesse a lunch break he’ll never forget.”

Beth threw her head back and laughed. “That’s what I’m talking about.”

***

My courage failed me the moment I stood outside of the sheriff’s office. The heels on my feet looked stupid in the cold snow, and my bare legs felt chilled. But, no matter how cold I felt, my feet wouldn’t move and I felt frozen to the spot.

“Kat, is that you?” Peter Lewis, stepped out of the sheriff’s office, zipping his padded jacket. “It is you! Get in here before you freeze to death.” He grabbed my arm and dragged me inside, letting the door slam behind us. He frowned and tipped his head. “Are you okay?”

“Kat?” Jesse roared from his office, drawing my gaze. “What is it? What’s happened?” He dashed over and took hold of my shoulders. “Honey, talk to me.”

Someone gasped to the side of us, which finally snapped me out of whatever I was in—fear, lack of confidence…

“I’m an idiot,” I laughed, lifting a hand to my head before I wrapped my fingers around Jesse’s wrist. “I’m fine.” I let my nervous gaze travel around the office and I winced when I realized everyone stared in surprise. I bit my lip and held Jesse’s concerned gaze. “Can we talk?”

Jesse searched my gaze before he stepped back and took my hand.

Embarrassed, I focused my attention on Jesse and watched as he narrowed his eyes at his staff. He cleared his throat. “Get back to work.” He dragged me into his office and slammed the door seconds before I found myself shoved up against it.

He crowded me, pressing against my body. “Are you sure everything is okay with you?”

“I’m fine.” I licked my dry lips. “I was coming here to surprise you when I lost my nerve outside.” I blushed. “Peter must have seen me through the window and he came out, dragging me inside. I was so nervous and I didn’t know what to say, and I guess it was because I lost confidence in myself. In us.” Tears hovered on my lashes. “When we’re together, I’m full of confidence, but when we’re apart, I have doubts because of my age.”

Jesse dipped his head and kissed the hollow at the base of my throat before he brushed his mouth against my lips and settled with his forehead against mine. “You feel what you do to me?” To emphasize his point, he thrust his hips into my stomach. “You feel how hard I am, and that is all you. No one else does that to me. Only you. Have confidence in your ability to make me so hard that I want to rip into my pants and fuck you up against my office door. Right now.” He thrust again…and again…

His lips crashed down, claiming mine in a heated, and very wet, arousing kiss while his hands grabbed my bottom, and he tried to lift me. “Your dress is too tight,” he panted, thrusting. “What have you done to me?”

Groaning, I dropped my head back against the door and delighted in the hard length rubbing against me, but quickly came back to my senses. “We can’t in your office.”

He paused. “What?”

“As exciting as it sounds, I am not having sex with you in your office where anyone could catch us…my intent was to tease.”