“I am now,” she managed, blinking up at him.
He gave her an irresistible grin and her stomach flip-flopped again.
“Esther and the sheriff aresmoochin’!” Bentley Jardine, a sweet man who was a little off, pressed his face in close to both of theirs and Esther realized where the loud laugh had come from.
“We sure are, Bentley,” Reed said good-naturedly. “And it was incredible.” He looked down at Esther and something vulnerable hid in the depths of his dark gaze. He wanted—no, needed—her to agree that it was incredible.
Esther wanted to shout to the world how incredible kissing Reed had been, but she was slowly coming back to reality. She hoped and prayed she hadn’t made a huge mistake. That kiss had rocked her safe, organized world. She had plans, her destiny, and falling in love again was a question mark so far in the future she could barely see it. Maybe when she was sixty or seventy, she could match up with a distinguished widower like her Papa and help love his grandchildren. Right now, she couldn’t afford the emotional havoc someone like Reed could make of her life.
Why had she chosen the sheriff to plant one on? It was dangerous to allow feelings that intense to overtake her. She could’ve grabbed Isaac or Cameron.
Except Cameron was married and Isaac was far too young for her.
Oh, boy. She shook her head to clear it and glanced over Reed’s well-formed shoulder. Garret had slunk down the block and around the corner of the building, but he was openly glaring at Reed’s back. Ice pricked at her neck. If Garret had a weapon, she had a feeling he’d be using it on the good sheriff.
“Esther and Reed up in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g. First comes hugs, then comes kisses, then comes a baby in a baby … thing,” Bentley sang out happily as he ran off down the street.
Cameron and Isaac’s gazes darted between Esther and their boss as if the two of them had jumped off the cliff of insanity together. Esther had to forget about that wowzer of a kiss and focus. She needed to get Reed alone so she could explain, and then beg him and his deputies to watch out for Garret. She’d share the information with her family as well. It was unnerving the way Garret seemed to know where she was at all times and the way he was currently leaning around the corner and glowering at Reed.
The only good news about this entire surreal interaction was it made her think Garret was just a jilted man, not a threat to her family’s secret. A secret so important she’d sworn to protect it without even knowing what it was. Even if Garret appeared to simply be the ditched wannabe boyfriend, she wouldn’t let down her guard. They’d research him and see exactly why he’d been following her.
“You’re going to take me for ice cream?” she said loudly to Reed. “Thank you, sweetie pie. I’dlovethat.” She lifted one hand off Reed’s shoulder and waved to his deputies. “Bye, Isaac and Cameron. Thanks for sharing this handsome stud with me.”
Reed studied her, trying to puzzle out what was going on. Esther was friendly and kind to everyone and she had a bad habit of using terms of endearment too freely, but she wasn’t overly exuberant or loud, and she couldn’t think when she’d ever used the word “stud.”
“I’ll catch you both later,” Reed said to his deputies.
“All right, boss,” Isaac said, grinning. “Have fun.”
Esther smiled back at him, though her body was trembling. Whether from Garret stalking her or the adrenaline rush that kiss had produced and the after effects of coming back to planet earth, she couldn’t be certain.
Reed kept one arm around her and directed her into the ice cream shop.
“Hi!” Taylee called from behind the counter. “What’s going on with you two?” Her blue eyes lit up, thrilled to have a new piece of inside information to share with the town.
“Just one second, sweetie.” Esther gave her a shaky smile, turned to Reed, and lowered her voice. “Can you text Cameron and Isaac to discreetly tail the tall blond man lurking behind the bike shop?”
To his credit, Reed didn’t whip around and blow their cover. He pivoted with her, pulling her tightly against his firm chest and looking over her shoulder. “Blue shirt?”
“Yes.”
“Got it.” He turned her again so his back was to Garret. Esther wrapped her arms around his back and cuddled into him. Keeping up the act, or maybe that was just the excuse she was giving herself. Reed was the perfect build to wrap her arms around. He was thick and strong enough to make her feel safe and protected, but not so thick she couldn’t comfortably hold on to him.
She also couldn’t get her mind off that kiss. Maybe if Garret kept lurking, they could kiss again to provide overwhelming evidence. Her stomach filled with happy bubbles at that brilliant idea. As a lawyer, she was supposed to have infinite brilliant thoughts, but mostly she was a fabulous researcher and spent her days focused on compiling information for cases that rarely went to court. She hated going to court. Too many things were out of her control when a case went all the way to judge and jury. She’d called a judge “honey” on accident once. Luckily, the man had been her Papa’s age and good-natured about it, but she’d been humiliated. She’d developed a reputation as the most thorough and competent researcher and usually other lawyers were more than happy to take on the court appearances.
Reed cradled her close with his left arm while discreetly pulling out his phone with his right and texting quickly. He pocketed his phone and bent down, softly brushing his lips across her cheek. “Is he stalking you?”
“Possibly. He might be after the secret.” She looked over Reed’s shoulder and shuddered. “He’s gone now.”
“It’s all right. They’ll find him. You just want him shadowed?”
“For now.”
Taylee cleared her throat and moved impatiently behind them.
“Sorry, Taylee,” Reed said. “One more minute.” He looked down at Esther. “Name?”
“Garret Thomson.”