Read Online FMR by SL - Free Book Online

thirty
    degree temperature. The police officer had offered to let her stay
    warm in his car, but she'd declined. Sometimes she wished she wasn't
    so stubborn, but she'd wanted to watch as the police and the wrecker
    service took care of her crunched up little Volkswagen.
    Snuggling deeper into her fur coat, Jac gave a heavy sigh. This
    incident might put a snag on her deadline for the magazine. But, then
    again, having a portable laptop with WiFi connection, she figured
    she'd just email her editor the story when she was finished. Jac was
    deep in a mental daze when the officer returned.
    "Homer's set to go. He'll take good care of your car," he reassured
    her with a smile. "Now, let me get one more thing straight for my
    report, Miss Hamilton –
    "That's Ms. Hamilton," Jac quickly corrected him.
    Even though it was dark, she could have sworn she saw the officer
    blush.
    "Sorry, ma'am," he apologized, then continued. "So, you say a big
    animal crossed in front of your vehicle?"
    "Yes, that's right. It looked like a big dog."
    "A big dog, huh? Do you think it could possibly be a deer?"
    "No, it wasn't a deer." Jac shook her head. "I'm sure about it."
    "There are lots of deer around here, Ms. Hamilton. You might not
    have been paying attention."
    "But, officer, I was paying attention since I wasn't familiar with the
    road." Jac felt her temper boiling inside her, warming her from the
    inside out. But she did her best to play it cool with the policeman. "I
    know it was not a deer because it ran across the road like a big dog. A
    fast, big dog."
    "Thanks, ma'am. I'll put that in my report," the officer replied with
    a tight smile.
    The low rumble of an engine at her back drew her attention. Jac
    glanced over her shoulder to see an older model black truck pull up
    behind the squad car.
    "Excuse me a moment," the officer muttered with a polite nod, then
    headed over to the truck.
    Jac returned her attention to the wrecker. The Volkswagen was
    strapped onto the metal bed and was ready to go. Whatever I make on
    this story will have to go toward the auto bills. Damn that dog! Jac
    grimly mused through clenched teeth as the service man approached
    with a clipboard to take her information.
    After she was done, she signed on the dotted line. The man handed
    her a business card.
    "Now, come by tomorrow and I'll have my mechanic give you a
    good estimate on your Bug, little lady. Derek's the best in town. He'll
    do ya right." The older man grinned.
    Little lady? This town's right out of the stone ages , Jac thought, but
    managed a smile as she thanked him.
    "Bruce'll see ya into town. You best get inside and get yourself
    warm." The man winked, then headed back to the wrecker.
    "Bruce?" she mused out loud. Heather Grove was a real
    'Mayberry'. Everyone knew everyone else on a first name basis. Jac
    let out an exasperated sigh and swung her laptop bag over her
    shoulder.
    The police officer was returning, but he had a friend in tow.
    Walking along beside him was a tall, dark stranger who moved like a
    symphony in motion. Jac's heart did a nervous flip. Holy moly! For
    the first time this evening, she felt her frozen lips curl into a real
    smile. The stranger was definitely eye-candy. Yum!
    He looked a tad bit over six feet in his cowboy boots. Despite his
    tall frame, he walked with the agility of an athlete. Jac swallow hard.
    He was wearing a flannel shirt with dark blue jeans and nothing more
    than a windbreaker jacket that flapped as he matched the officer's big
    strides.
    The two men stopped, towering over her. "This is my buddy, Ray
    McShaw," the policeman nodded to the other man. "I have some
    business to attend to, but he'll make sure you get to Pete's place with
    no problem."
    "Pete's place?" Jac inquired, raising an eyebrow.
    "Bruce means The Starlight Motel. That is where you're staying,
    right, ma'am?" The tall, dark man's voice was as sexy as he appeared.
    Stunned, Jac slowly nodded. How did they know where she