Her Lawman Protector

Her lips turned up in a smile and she slipped into her room, then turned back. “Good night, Jack.”

His name on her lips sounded sweet, and he gave her a curt nod because it was all he trusted himself to do. He wasn’t faking to be her boyfriend here in her apartment. Here, he was a cop, and he needed to remind himself of that. Her big, dewy eyes, her lips, the milky whiteness of her skin—none of that was his business here. And for all he knew, she was working it to keep him distracted.

The bedroom door closed with a decisive click and Jack let out a pent-up breath. He was hoping he could sleep at all.

CHAPTER FIVE (#u21828506-0130-5ce3-9bbf-3318e6250db1)

MOUNTAIN COFFEE CO. was relatively empty. Liv sat by a window, listening to the hiss of the milk steamer in the background while she waited for her cousin. Outside the window, she watched as a pickup truck stopped at the four-way stop, then eased forward again. She couldn’t see the snowcapped peaks in the distance from where she sat. The real view in this town had to be enjoyed from outside, standing on the street and looking up. The Rocky Mountains were awe-inspiring, and even though she had grown up in this town, they hadn’t lost their grandeur in her eyes.

The outside door opened, and Liv waved as Tanya came in. Tanya waved back and headed to the counter to give her order, then she came to the table and sank into the chair opposite Liv. Her chestnut hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and it swung forward as she leaned over to give Liv a quick hug.

“Hey,” Tanya said with a grin. “It’s been too long since we’ve had a cousin catch-up.”

“I know.” Liv took a sip of her chai tea. “You look great, by the way.”

“You look great,” Tanya retorted. “Look at you—all glowing. I love your dress.”

Liv was on a vintage dress kick lately. This morning she wore a gray woolen dress with an A-line skirt and an asymmetrical neckline that drew the eye toward her curves, and she’d paired it with a sleek red lipstick.

“Thanks. It’s new.” Liv smiled back. “So what happened after I left the barbecue?”

“What you’d expect,” Tanya replied with a shrug. “Wild gossip and conjecture.”

Liv chuckled. “I like it.”

“You would,” Tanya retorted drily.

“Hazelnut latte,” the girl at the counter called, and Tanya got up to retrieve her drink.

Liv had left Jack at the apartment that morning. She didn’t need protection from a girl talk with Tanya, and she didn’t want someone else listening in on them, either. Jack had grudgingly agreed to stay back and take a look around “the perimeter of the store,” as he put it. She had to admit, she felt safer with Jack close by, but the timing was terrible.

“Have you talked to Evan recently?” Tanya asked as she slid back into her seat.

“No, why?” Liv took a sip of her tea, leaving a red lip print on the rim of the cup.

“There’s trouble in paradise.”

Liv considered her cousin for a moment, then put her cup down in front of her. “How do you know?”

“I’ve kept up with Evan a little bit.” She dropped her gaze for a moment.

“And you never told me?” Liv demanded. “You’ve been chummy with my ex-husband? Seriously?”

“You’ve kept a few of your own secrets!” her cousin shot back, and Liv bit her tongue. The truth was, until now, she hadn’t kept any.