How to Land Her Lawman by Teresa Southwick

sexy. If any health-care professional had checked her heart rate right then she could blame it on the run, but that would be a lie. The spike had nothing to do with exercise and everything to do with the Fletcher effect. It wasn’t cause for alarm, just appreciation for a good-looking man. But it was still more evidence that she needed to ratchet up this flirtation in order to put him in her past where he belonged.
    â€œDo you want a bottle of water?”
    Will straightened slowly, clearly checking out her legs as he did. She was wearing a stretchy pink shirt over her sports bra and black spandex capris that fit her like a second skin. And she’d give anything to know if he liked what he saw. Darn sunglasses.
    â€œI can throw in a cup of coffee,” she offered, “and a muffin baked fresh this morning.”
    â€œBlueberry? Like you used to make?” There was a husky quality to his voice that amped up the sexy factor.
    â€œYes. Did that sweeten the pot?”
    â€œNot really. You had me at water.” He grinned. “But I wouldn’t say no to a muffin.”
    That was why she’d made them. He’d always raved about her baking. If the spandex hadn’t worked, muffins were her fallback strategy. The way to a man’s heart through his stomach and all that.
    â€œCome on in.”
    He followed her into the house, where she grabbed two bottles of water from the refrigerator, then handed one to him. He twisted the top off, then drank deeply, again one of those profoundly masculine movements that made her heart skip.
    This was where she got it in a big way that the last time she’d kissed a guy had been longer ago than she could recall. The resulting knot of yearning wasn’t a flaw in the plan, she told herself with a confidence that took some work.
    â€œI’ll turn on the coffee.”
    â€œCan I help?” He sat on one of the high stools at the bar separating kitchen and family rooms.
    â€œNo. Thanks.”
    Water and coffee grounds were ready to go; she only had to flip the switch. As soon as she did a sizzling sound started and almost instantly the rich coffee aroma filled the room.
    â€œYou’ve made some changes since the last time I was here,” he commented.
    â€œYeah.” She looked around the kitchen. This place was where she’d spent her teenage years. Now it was part of her inheritance, although she’d give it up in a heartbeat to have her mother back. “I updated the cupboards and changed the countertops to granite. Along with the house, my mom left me a little money and after I got the shop up and running there was enough left to do a few things.”
    â€œIt looks good.”
    â€œI like it.” She reached up into one of the cupboards and pulled out two mugs—one that said I Don’t Do Mornings and the other sporting the Seattle city skyline, including Space Needle.
    â€œHave you been to the Pacific Northwest?” he asked.
    â€œYeah. I went with a friend.”
    â€œAnyone I know?”
    â€œDon’t think so. Joe moved here after you left for Chicago.” She poured coffee in the Seattle mug and handed it to him. “Do you still take it black?”
    â€œYup. Do you still drink yours the sissy way?”
    â€œOf course. Cream and sugar.” She smiled at the memory of how he used to tease her about this. “But these days it’s nonfat and sugar substitute.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œA girl has to watch her figure.”
    â€œSome girls maybe, but not you. Guys will do that for you.” Maybe it was wishful thinking but it sounded like there was a slight edge to his voice. “What does Joe do?”
    â€œConstruction. While he was here.” She handed him a paper plate with a muffin on it.
    â€œDoes that mean he’s gone?” He folded the cupcake paper down and took a bite of muffin.
    â€œYeah. He went back to Seattle. It’s where he’s from. We went