The Braddock Boys: Colton

“Hide me,” said Shelly’s younger sister.

“Sunglasses? Really? It’s seven o’clock in the evening.”

“I don’t want to be recognized.” As if that would ever happen. At twenty-three, Darla Lancaster was tall and leggy with a killer body and enough sex appeal to have all the men in town chasing after her. She’d slowed down long enough to let one in particular catch up, only to leave him at the altar three days ago with no explanation. She’d been avoiding him ever since.

“Billy Spoon saw me coming out of the Iron Horseshoe about ten minutes ago,” Darla said, breathless. “I’m sure he’s on the phone right now blabbing to Tom.” Tom was the man she’d stood up at the altar. He was also a high powered lawyer and the mayor’s son. Translation? He had connections. Lots of them. “I’m not ready to see him yet.”

“You left him high and dry in front of a church full of people. You left me high and dry in front of a church full of people.” Wearing the worst dress ever, she added silently. “Don’t you think you owe him an explanation?” While the wedding planner had told everyone that the bride had had a family emergency, there’d been no further details as to why the lavish event had been cancelled. Nothing but an “I’m sorry” and “Be sure to pick up a slice of cake for the road.”

“How can I explain what happened when I don’t even know?” Darla rushed to the window, slid the sunglasses down her nose and peeked past the blinds. “He’s rich. Handsome. Nice. Perfect.” She turned a confused expression on Shelly. “I left the perfect man at the altar. What’s wrong with me?” Before Shelly could respond, she added, “He sent me flowers today. Imported Italian tea roses. Only the best for the best.” Her eyes filled with tears. “That’s what the card said. Talk about a great guy, right? Tom can give me everything I’ve ever wanted. Even the sex is good.” Her gaze collided with Shelly’s. “So why don’t I love him?”

“Love is overrated.” Shelly had learned that firsthand after watching their mother fall in love over and over again. “Settle for good sex and consider yourself lucky.”

“I can’t marry him if I don’t love him. But if I blow him off, he’ll get really mad and then he won’t want to marry me. Then what if I change my mind and decide I do want to marry him?” She shook her head. “I just need to stay out of sight while I try to figure things out. That way I keep my options open.”

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

Even more ridiculous, it made sense. At least where Darla was concerned.

Shelly and her sister had grown up on the wrong side of the tracks with little money and few choices. With their mother out kicking up her heels every Saturday night and most nights in between, they’d been left to fend for themselves. Alone. Scared. Uncertain.

Shelly had overcome that uncertainty by working her way through the police academy and joining the Sheriff’s department. Her baby sister had done it with makeup and hair extensions. While Shelly could outshoot any man in Skull Creek, Darla could have him eating out of her hand with one sultry smile.

“My shift ended a few hours ago. Bobby can stall him if he comes in while I drop you off on my way home.” She motioned to the rear of the jail. “My car’s out back.”

Darla grinned. “You’re the best big sister in the world.”

“Remember that the next time you’re tempted to force me into a hideous bridesmaid’s dress.”

“That dress was straight off a Paris runway, not that you would know that, since the last time you actually went dress shopping was—I don’t know—never. Speaking of which—” She eyeballed her sister. “—since you’re going to bite the bullet and find yourself a man, you might want to fix yourself up a little.” She stared at Shelly’s starched brown cover-everything-up uniform. “Your wardrobe needs sexing up in the worst way.”

“My wardrobe is just fine the way it is and the newspaper made a mistake. It wasn’t my ad.”

Darla smiled. “I knew it! I told Mom that it had to be a misprint, but she thinks you’ve finally lightened up and are now following in her footsteps.”

She glared at her sister. “Just meet me out back.”

5

SHELLY WASN’T SURE what bothered her more—seeing Colton Braddock still parked outside the jail at midnight when she’d come back after dropping her sister off. Or the zing of excitement she felt at finding him there.

He sat behind the wheel of his black Ford pick-up, his window down, his hat tipped low, his attention fixed on the building directly across the street.

She eased her Mustang up behind him and killed the engine. A few seconds later, she leaned into the open passenger window of his truck. “Nice night.”

He didn’t so much as glance at her. Instead, his eyes stayed fixed on the jail. “Nice enough.”

“You usually start most of your assignments with a stakeout?”

“I like to get a feel for a place before I go in.”

“And what’s your feel for this place?”

He shrugged one broad shoulder and she had the same sense of déjà vu that had come over her when he’d first stepped inside the jail.

As if she’d seen him somewhere before.

Duh. You’ve seen his brother. There has to be a family resemblance.

Probably.

“Typical small town set-up.” His voice killed any further speculation and drew her full attention. “Front office. Rear containment area. Two or three cells at the most. Good when it comes to a few drunks and the occasional bar fight. Not so good for a prisoner like Holbrook.”

“You’re here because of him, aren’t you?”

“Maybe.”

“Either you are or you aren’t.” She watched him watch the building. “So which is it? Did the county send you in because they don’t think we can handle it?” That I can handle it? “Or is this all just a coincidence?”

Her instinct was telling her it was number one. Still, she couldn’t help but hope she was wrong.

He didn’t seem in any hurry to put her out of her misery. Seconds ticked by before he leaned across the cab and grabbed the door handle. The latch clicked and the door opened.

“Get in and I’ll tell you.” Challenge gleamed hot and bright in his gaze.

Shelly had never been one to shy away when called out. That, and she suddenly couldn’t help herself. While her brain told her to run like hell, her hormones were like heat-seeking missiles and Colton Braddock was a blazing inferno. She climbed in.

Leather shifted as she settled on the seat. Hinges creaked and the door closed with a thud. The rich aroma of sexy male surrounded her, pushing and pulling at her already tentative control. The urge to slide across the seat and cozy up nearly overwhelmed her. It had been so long since she’d felt a man next to her.

Even more, she’d never felt one like Colton Braddock.

An air of sensuality clung to him, as if sex was as natural to him as breathing. The musky scent of leather and male filled the cab, teasing her senses and making her heart flutter. The air between them crackled with electricity.

The chemistry was potent, but she wasn’t about to give in to it. The last thing she needed was for him to report back to the county that she was anything but professional. This was her job. Her future. And so she gathered her strength and her composure.