“Oh.” Sadness was heavy in her heart. “I’ll go then. I don’t think I can stay in Marsville and—”
“The thing is, I’m in love with you, too. Have been since you dragged me to your motel room.”
“I dragged you?”
He gifted her with the hint of a smile. “That’s the way I remember it.”
“I think your memory is faulty. So, what happens now?” She was afraid to hope, but oh, she wanted to.
“We take our time. We date...openly. No sneaking around. Teach me to trust you again, Skylar.”
“For you, I’m Skye.”
“I thought you preferred Skylar. I only called you Skye to aggravate you.”
She smiled her first smile in days. “And you did, but not for the reason you think. I’ve always been Skye. I only insisted on Skylar, which you ignored, because every time you called me Skye, it was a reminder of our night together.”
He smirked. “That was why I did it. To remind you. Also, if I couldn’t be with you, the next best thing was to aggravate you, Sheriff.”
“Well, you did that, Chief.” Over the past year, his calling her Sheriff had become a bit of an endearment because of the soft way he’d say it. Hearing it from him again sent her heart soaring with happiness.
“Well, Skye Morgan, do you agree to the terms?”
“Oh, yes, I sure do.”
“Seal it with a kiss?”
“Yes, please.”
“Come up here, then.”
Epilogue
Tristan let himself and Fuzz into Skye’s loft. The past five months had been the best of his life, and he was ready to take the next step. He thought Skye was, too, so he and Fuzz had gone to Asheville and bought an engagement ring.
“Remember, our trip today is a secret,” he reminded Fuzz as they walked into Skye’s home. He really liked the loft, and when the time came for them to live together, he was good with it being his home or her loft. She could decide.
Fuzz raced down the hallway, searching for Skye. He was always eager to see her. One or two days a week he’d go to work with her. His cops and her deputies fought over time with his dog, and that amused him.
Just as eager as Fuzz to find her, he followed his dog. Tomorrow was the grand opening of the Marsville UFO Museum, and they’d worked hard completing the tasks Miss Mabel kept assigning them. Tonight, though, all was done and ready for the opening, and it was just him and her and a bed. Also, she’d gotten word today that Mason’s discrimination claim had been dismissed for lack of evidence, so a reason to celebrate. Not that they needed a reason.
He found her in the bedroom, on her stomach on the floor. He leaned against the doorjamb, smiling as Fuzz gave her love kisses on her chin while she giggled.
“My turn next,” he said.
She smiled up at him. “I’m saving the best for the last, Chief.”
“You better love me more than my dog.” He glanced at the coloring book and crayons scattered in front of her. When Skye finished coloring that page, she would take the book back to Everly to color the next one. The game had started when Everly decided she needed to teach Skye about art and colors. His niece was a harsh critic but had recently declared that Skye was improving.
“I don’t know. Fuzz here is a pretty good kisser. I might love him more.”
“We’ll just see about that. Get up.”
She raised her brows at his command, but anticipation flashed in her eyes. They were still learning things about each other, but early on they’d discovered they both liked to take control at times and other times liked handing over control to the other. He decided it was his turn tonight, and from the way she was looking at him—daring him to make her get up—she was good with that.
“On your feet, Sheriff. Now.” He choked down his laugh when she rolled her eyes, and then went back to coloring. “Little brat,” he muttered as he walked to her. But a sexy brat. She had on her favorite at home wear. The boy cut panties and white cotton camisole never failed to get him hot and bothered. Her hair was still in her sheriff’s bun because she knew how much he loved pulling those pins out of her hair, freeing those beautiful strands to fall down her back and over her shoulders.
When he was standing over her, he snapped his fingers, getting Fuzz’s attention. “Bed.” His dog gave him sad eyes and sighed but left his favorite girl and went to his bed. Tristan stepped one foot to the other side of her thighs, so that his feet were straddling her. Then he leaned down, put his hands on her waist, and lifted her to her feet. He pulled her to him, her back to his chest.