The Maverick & the Manhattanite

Shaking all over, but trying to hide it, Lissa turned and headed for the door. She reached for it, but Gage’s hand covered hers.

“Don’t,” he said in a low voice.

She glanced back at him and he lowered his head toward her. He pressed his mouth against hers and her head and heart began to spin. She felt a crazy mix of anger, frustration, desperation and attraction, and her knees buckled from the force of the kiss.

Gage gripped her waist and pulled her against him, his breath heavy. Lissa’s stomach dipped. She couldn’t remember a time she’d felt like this.

Her gaze clung to his for a long moment. Finally, they both took a breath and she stumbled away from him. She took a deep breath, trying to clear her head.

She couldn’t take her eyes from his.

He shook his head and exhaled. “I shouldn’t have done that,” he said and walked away from her.

Lissa’s mind swirled. She locked her knees to keep from falling. She forced herself to pull herself together. How was she supposed to deal with all of this? How was she supposed to conquer her attraction to Gage and help the people of Rust Creek Falls? He’d been prickly enough that she’d been able to resist thinking about him all the time, but she knew there was something under Gage’s surface that she found way too compelling. It was more than his cowboy boots and his Stetson. She just couldn’t ignore the strength he emanated.

She steeled herself against her feelings. She just had to do it. Nothing, not even Gage Christensen, could or should keep her from her goal.

Lissa kept herself occupied at the desk she’d been given at the sheriff’s office with plans for repairs for the next day, but thoughts of Gage plagued her. She had never been kissed like that before. She’d never had such powerful feelings before. Lissa was trying to regain control. She tried to tell herself that Gage hadn’t shaken her to her bones, but it was hard.

At the end of the day when she went back to her room, she decided to give her cousin, Maggie, a call. Maggie was a lawyer and was working hard to negotiate a release for Arthur Swinton in Thunder Canyon. Although she was swamped, Maggie answered her cell phone. “How is it going, sweetie?” Maggie asked. “I hope you don’t feel like I got you shipped to outer Mongolia.”

“No. It’s not that bad,” Lissa said, laughing at Maggie’s reference to the rural nature of where she’d been assigned.

“I hope you don’t feel like you got pushed into this, but Rust Creek Falls needed some serious help and I thought you could give it,” Maggie said.

“It’s okay. Besides, you didn’t send me—my boss at Bootstraps sent me. You just used your influence to get Bootstraps involved. I’m glad to be the project coordinator for this job. Plus, you know what they say about cowboys. It’s all true. I have to say I have never been so thoroughly kissed,” Lissa said, giving a big sigh over the kiss she’d shared with Gage.

Maggie chuckled. “Well, congratulations on finding your real-life cowboy.”

Lissa rolled her eyes. “No congratulations necessary. This cowboy still acts like he can’t stand me.”

“What? How can that be?” Maggie asked.

“I can’t focus on it. I have a job to do,” Lissa said.

“Well, I hope your cowboy will help instead of hinder,” Maggie said.

“Me, too,” Lissa said. “How’s the trial going?”

“Well, they don’t call it a trial for no reason,” Maggie joked.

Lissa laughed. “Seriously, how’s it going?”

“We’re making progress,” Maggie said. “I’m hopeful.”

“Spoken like a true lawyer,” Lissa said.

“Yeah, well, that’s my job,” Maggie said.

“And you do it well,” Lissa said.

“Thanks,” Maggie said. “Take care, cuz. Call me if you need me.”

Lissa sank onto her bed at the rooming house. She definitely felt as if she had bitten off more than she could chew. Dragging her tired body to the bathroom, she washed her face and brushed her teeth then fell into bed. Tomorrow would be a better day.

The next morning, Lissa rose early and indulged in Melba’s breakfast—with limits. She spooned her own portions onto her plate instead of letting Melba do it. Afterward, she took a brisk walk toward the sheriff’s office. What she really wanted was her own wheels, but after her disaster of driving in the snow, she didn’t want to cause any more trouble.

Walking into the office, she heard Gage talking on the phone. She took a deep breath and tried to figure out what to do. She didn’t want to interrupt, but she wanted to get to work.

A few seconds later, Gage stopped talking. Lissa chewed the inside of her lip and walked toward Gage’s office. She peeked inside. “Hiya,” she said.

Gage glanced up at her, his expression clearly displeased. “You’re up early.”

“So are you. We’ve both got a job to do,” she said.

He nodded reluctantly. “True,” he said. “I’ll get Will in here. He can take you around this morning.”

Lissa felt the chill from five feet away. “Thanks,” she said.

“He’ll be here in a few,” he said.

“Okay. I’ll wait in the outer office,” she said.

He shrugged. “Not necessary. You can get some coffee and sit anywhere you like. I have to check in with a few people, so I can’t give you my undivided attention.”

His comment nettled her nerves. “I would never expect your undivided attention,” she told him. “I’ll sit outside until Will arrives, thank you.” And thank you for being a pain in the butt.

Chapter Three

Three days later, Gage was still stone-faced when he dealt with Lissa. The good news was that she was getting work done. The mold consultant arrived and conducted evaluations, then taught her how to do the same, which would be more cost-effective as well as a time-saver. She had additional volunteers scheduled to arrive in just a few days.

She shouldn’t be giving Gage one more thought, but he was stuck in her mind like a mental burr. She couldn’t tell if he was avoiding her because he’d kissed her or because he just couldn’t stand her. Neither prospect thrilled her.

Lissa took her regular post-breakfast stroll to the sheriff’s office, feeling a little less patient than she had been lately. She usually waited until he’d finished his phone calls, but this time she didn’t. She walked right to the door of his office and waved and smiled.

“Good morning, Sheriff,” she said in a low voice.

He shot her a considering glance and disconnected his call. “How can I help you, Miss Roarke?”

“I’m actually kind of tired of you helping me. I’ve respected your advice for several days, but I think I may need to rent an SUV so I won’t be such a burden on the sheriff’s office,” she said.

“You’re not a burden,” he said. “Will is happy to cart you.”

There it was again—the term cart. She gritted her teeth. “I’m sure he has other things he needs to do. I’ll see if I can get a ride to Livingston to rent a vehicle.”

“For my sake and the sake of the entire county, please don’t do that,” he said, standing.

“I’m not that bad of a driver,” she said.