The Sheriff's Deputy

Indigo gasped as she found herself pushed against the rough brick wall and a hard chest covered in a black Kevlar vest as a bullet zinged past her shoulder.

She was firmly pushed behind the huge dumpster in the alley and a large body covered her as more bullets pinged off the wall.

She closed her eyes tightly as she squeezed the puppy against her chest, her heart pounding as fast as that of the tiny dog.

She had come out to the alley five minutes earlier to empty the trashcans in her little shop when she had heard the puppy crying next to the dumpster…

…only to be pushed against the wall. And she had to admire the strength of the man to be able to do that because she was no lightweight.

A strong jaw was clenched tightly, and intense green eyes flashed between the lushest lashes Indie had ever seen on a man.

He was frowning deeply as he glanced around the dumpster when a report came over his radio that the gunmen were apprehended.

“Marshall, report?” a voice crackled over his radio.

“I’m okay, Sheriff. I’m with a civilian in the alley.” He clicked the radio off, then flashed those green eyes at Indie as he removed his helmet.

“What were you doing out here, anyway?”

She tilted her head as she looked back at him, her brows drawn into a deep frown.

“First, not expecting to be in the middle of a gunfight. Second, I was emptying our trashcan when I heard this little guy.”

On cue, a black nose stuck itself out of Indie’s jacket and licked her chin. Indie giggled and gently tugged the sloppy tongue away from her face.

She looked up at the large deputy as he gave a hefty sigh, shaking his head as he watched them.

“Come on. I’ll escort you back to the shop and check that no one is hiding in there.” He pushed to his feet, slipped his rifle over his shoulder, and helped her stand up.

She supported the puppy beneath her jacket and led the way to the back door of her shop, Deputy Marshall’s gloved hand at the small of her back.

He looked around the small workshop with its open stainless-steel workbenches and shelves of sheet metal along the walls.

The bits of jewelry among Indie’s tools were reflected in the flames of the small furnace in the corner of the room, which immediately warmed them up as the door closed behind them.

He smiled as he tapped the lamp hanging over her bench, the teapot bouncing slightly on its sturdy spring, the light bulb in its spout shining on the surface.

He followed her past the office that also doubled as the kitchen, pushing the door open to make sure that no one was hiding behind it.

Indie filled a bowl with water and set it down for the puppy, who quickly lapped it up. Her heart faltered as she turned to find the large man watching her, his eyes dark with concern.

“Are you okay? You’ve just survived being shot at.”

She smiled at him as she shook her head. “My dad was a war photojournalist, and we often spent our summers with him wherever he worked, so ducking bullets isn’t a new thing for me.”

He frowned at her as he considered what she was saying, and she could see the many questions he wanted to ask but he kept a firm rein on his curiosity.

When he didn’t say anything, she entered the shop, then watched as the deputy’s eyes roamed around the showcases filled with custom-made silver jewelry.

With a civil nod, he made his way to the front of the store and looked out the window before he turned back to her and pulled the door open.

“Please lock this door behind me, ma’am,” he said softly, and Indie was surprised at the effect the gravelly huskiness of his voice had on her suddenly fluttering heart.

“Uh, sure, thanks,” she stuttered as she joined him. The citrusy smell of his cologne combined with the sharp sting of gunpowder surrounded her.

She briefly wondered if the paradox of the two scents represented his personality.

He slipped out of the partially opened door, keeping as much heat in the shop as he could, and then waited till he heard Indie slip the lock.

His shoulders filled the glass paneling in the door, stretching to either side of the frame, making Indie tilt her head back to see his serious eyes as he nodded.

His six-foot-three height towered over her five-foot-six, and his strong shoulders would easily maneuver her well-endowed physique.

With a deep sigh, she picked up the puppy and held it to her chest as she watched the deputy walk into the fading November afternoon.

“Can we have cupcakes for dinner tonight, Uncle Seth?” He looked down at the emerald-green eyes staring up at him from a face that was a younger, feminine version of his own.

She was kneeling on the sofa, her determined chin resting on her interlaced fingers as she watched him pour his coffee.

With a deep breath, Seth started shaking his head, not able to verbalize the negative.

At five years old, Amelia could wrap her uncle around all her fingers, not just her pinkie.

It always made him wonder how he could track, chase, apprehend, and interrogate hardened criminals without flinching, but he couldn’t refuse those eyes.

“Please?”

“Your mom will slaughter me,” he murmured.

“We can save her one,” the tiny voice pleaded.

He closed his eyes and held out his hand in surrender, not wanting to see the satisfied smile on her face. “Bargain?”

Narrowing his eyes, he watched her tilt her head. “Okay?” she said.

He felt his jaw drop in amazement at his niece’s negotiation skills. “Fine but of the pink stuff. The chocolate is mine!”

“Yahbazoo!” she crowed as she climbed over the back of the sofa to hug him. Blowing into her neck to make her giggle, he swung her onto his back to answer the door for their pizza.

Five minutes later, Amelia was staring at her uncle with a deep frown on her face as she watched him scoop half a ladle of peas onto her plate.

“That was not part of the bargain,” she grumbled.

With an exaggerated huff, she started eating the offending vegetable, glaring at her uncle, who joyfully bit into his pizza.

“Seth.”

He slowly blinked up at Sarah as she brushed her fingers through his silky blond hair.

After they had tidied up the kitchen, Seth and Amelia settled on the sofa with a Disney movie on the TV before bed.

They must have dozed off, Seth realized as Amelia snuggled closer to him.

“Hey. We owe you two cupcakes,” he yawned as he extricated himself from the blankets and lifted Amelia into his arms.

“And a mug of frosting…,” Sarah said when he entered the kitchen again. Her eyebrow rose as she placed the mixing mug on the table, and Seth bit his lip, giving a helpless shrug.

“Did you at least give her some proper food?”

“Hey! She had a spoonful of peas!” he protested.

“Seriously? She hates peas!” Sarah gasped. Then she frowned with suspicion. “A teaspoon, probably.”

Seth laughed in disbelief. “A soup ladle full, actually.”

Sarah stared at her brother and then bit her lip before picking up her hot chocolate and making herself comfortable on the sofa.

Seth filled his mug and silently watched her as she curled her feet under her, looking so tiny in the large cushions.

He joined her in time to see a tear roll silently down her cheek. He wished he could fold her up and put her in his pocket, close to his heart.

She tilted her head, his hand cupping her cheek as her silky blond hair slid over his hand. She sniffed loudly. “I was such a fool, Sethford. He was never going to love us…”

The whisper tore at his being. His twin sister was the strongest person he knew, and she had dragged him out of his darkest time.

And he felt so helpless because there was nothing he could do to take away her pain. He pulled her into his shoulder and kissed her temple.

“I love you more than life itself. No matter what, I will always choose the two of you.”

“One day, you will meet someone and forget about us—”

He held her chin firmly as he lifted her face, her green eyes a replica of his own. “If I meet that person, she will not doubt that the three of us are a package deal.”

“You can’t promise that, Seth.”

“No, I can’t. But I vow it.”

Indie looked up as the doorbell chimed and felt her lungs constrict. He was gorgeous with the weak winter sun glinting off his blond hair and his green eyes flashing.

She wondered if his hair was as soft as it looked.

He was so tall and broad, his shoulders nearly touching the doorframe on either side.

It amazed her that his bullet-proof vest wasn’t solely responsible for his size; it just enhanced what God had given him.

Even dressed casually in blue jeans and a gray cable-knit sweater under his forest-green parka, he was still an intimidating sight.

When he turned his head away from her, Indie took the opportunity to draw a much-needed breath.

His jaw was square and covered with a light scruff, making him look more relaxed than the clean-shaven deputy she had met a few days ago.

His forehead was high, and his nose was long and gently flared, but it was that full bottom lip of his that captivated her.

She bit her own lip and swallowed hard as she caught herself wondering what his reaction would be if she sucked it into her mouth and teased it with—

“She’ll like these, Pops.” The little girl’s voice broke through her thoughts. Indie hadn’t even noticed the child enter the shop with the deputy…

The child was staring up at him, her blonde bangs falling into her green eyes as she tilted her head to look up at him.

“Let’s see,” he said softly, gently brushing the wayward hair aside before kneeling closer to her height. Together they studied the display case, whispering to each other.

“He is so nearly perfect. If it wasn’t for the offspring…

“But I’m sure there’s a boarding school somewhere far enough away,” Grace said with a casual shrug, setting a mug of hot chocolate on the counter.

Indie gasped at her best friend, who innocently blinked her big brown eyes at her. Indie couldn’t contain the soft giggle that escaped.

“Morning, ladies,” the deputy greeted in his husky baritone.

“Can we help you, deputy?” Indie asked, moving to the part of the case he and his daughter were standing at.

“I’m off duty, so it’s Seth,” he smiled, making her heart jump a whole beat. “How have you been since the other day?”

She bit her lip as her stomach quivered at the sincerity in his eyes.

“I meant it when I said my dad was a photojournalist doing war correspondence. If we didn’t spend a summer dodging bullets, it wasn’t a vacation with Dad. So, I’m fine.”

“Oh, wow,” he whistled, his brows rising. She could see the questions, but again he contained them. “That’s interesting.”

She shrugged. “Not as interesting as this display, though…”

She turned her attention to the novelty jewelry case where they were standing.

Indie opened the door and pulled out the blue velvet tray and put it on the glass, the silver shining brightly against the dark backdrop.

“These will be perfect for Mom’s birthday, Pops,” the little girl said, pointing at a pair of sleeper earrings adorned with a tiny whisk, spoon, and knife.

They tinkled softly when she ran her finger across them. The smile that brightened her face made Indie’s heart melt, even as she swallowed her disappointment.

There had to be a perfect mom to complete this family unit.

Indie bit back a smile as she spied Grace slowly sliding her thumb across her throat under her mug. She shook her head and pretended to ignore her friend.

Grace was her stalwart.

They had been the best of friends at school and when Indie had opened the shop, it was only natural for her to include Grace, a very talented bookkeeper, as her partner.

Indie unhooked the earrings from their cushion and replaced the tray before moving to the till. The deputy followed her, but his daughter explored the jewelry in the other cases.

“Would you have dinner with me tonight?” he asked softly. Her hands stilled for a moment as she wrapped the little box, not sure how to answer him.

“I don’t think that's possible,” she said with a small smile, her cheeks hurting from the effort as she handed over the bag.

“Okay.” He took a business card from his pocket and wrote a number on the back before sliding it across the counter. “If you need anything…or you change your mind…”

Indie swallowed as she nodded, not looking at it as she watched the pair leave the store, snow falling on their identical blond heads.

“We don’t need that kind of negative energy in our lives again,” Grace said briskly as she swept the card into the trashcan.

Her imitation of her Chinese grandmother was so accurate that Indie laughed out loud, snorting into her hot chocolate.

“No, my friend. We most certainly do not.”