something new to obsess over, she’d drive herself crazy. When she was eighteen, and stressed to the point of an ulcer over her dad’s investigation, she’d used Deputy U.S. Marshal Landon McCabe as a distraction.
She’d only seen him a few times in the initial phase of her dad’s investigation, but that was all it had taken for her obsession with him to root firmly in her mind. Tall, with a lean swimmer’s build, and as blond and fair as she was dark. His smile had been snarky but infectious and when he was upset or concentrating really hard, the most adorable crease had cut into his brow. Then she’d realized that he was gunning for her dad. He’d quickly become the man she loved to hate, the gorgeous villain of her nightmares. And even though her dad insisted that she harbor no ill will toward the good men doing their jobs to uphold the law, she couldn’t help but feel a certain amount of animosity. Still, his good looks haunted her waking thoughts. More than once she’d used McCabe as a distraction from the crippling anxiety that weighed on her every time she thought of how alone she’d be if her father was convicted and sent to prison. She’d even tried to count each of his eyelashes once during a particularly hostile interview with her dad. His lashes were long and so dark. In the long run, it was impossible to count them and she found herself feeling jealous that God had given him such pretty lashes. What did men need great lashes for, anyway?
And now she was counting her own footsteps to the elevator to distract her from him. Funny how life worked out sometimes. If by funny, she meant crushing and humiliating. Emma’s phone vibrated in her back pocket and her heart leapt up into her throat. A quick glance at the caller ID confirmed her fears and she said a silent prayer before answering. “Hello?”
“ Mija ?”
Tears sprang to Emma’s eyes at the sound of her father’s voice. “Dad!” Oh, thank God. “Dad, are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Try not to worry. I need you to listen very closely to what I’m about to say, Emmalina. If you do what I tell you, everything will be fine. I promise.”
He’d promised her the same thing six years ago. And nothing had been fine since that day. But at this point, what choice did she have?
“Okay, Dad. I’m listening.”
Chapter Six
Landon didn’t feel any better this morning than he had when he went to bed last night. Which might’ve had something to do with the fact that he’d slept a grand total of fifty-two minutes the entire night. His head was still swimming with Emma’s intoxicating scent, floral with a sweet edge that made him hungry and horny at the same time. How fucked up was that?
“Here’s your harness. Sorry, but those are the rules, man.”
He looked at the guy behind the counter as if he’d only now noticed he was standing inside the indoor climbing facility. Landon needed to clear his head and he knew of no better way to focus his energy than a climb. And since he didn’t have time to drive out to the mountains, the indoor walls would have to do. Despite the fact that he wanted a free climb without the restraint of the harness, it looked as if he’d be forced to follow the rules if he wanted to use the facility. Rules shouldn’t have been a big deal for him. He was a deputy fucking U.S. marshal for shit’s sake. Rules were his business . So why, this morning, did he want to punch this guy in the face because of a rule?
Landon gave a derisive snort. Why? He could answer that question in two words: Emma Ruiz.
“Uh, sorry,” he said when the guy behind the counter gave him a dirty look. “Yeah, the harness is fine. No worries.”
“You’re going to need a belayer, too,” counter guy remarked. “Josh is out on the floor this morning. If he’s not helping someone else, you can snag him. Tall guy with shaggy brown hair. Over there.”
Landon looked to where the guy pointed and gave a nod. “I see him.
She’d only seen him a few times in the initial phase of her dad’s investigation, but that was all it had taken for her obsession with him to root firmly in her mind. Tall, with a lean swimmer’s build, and as blond and fair as she was dark. His smile had been snarky but infectious and when he was upset or concentrating really hard, the most adorable crease had cut into his brow. Then she’d realized that he was gunning for her dad. He’d quickly become the man she loved to hate, the gorgeous villain of her nightmares. And even though her dad insisted that she harbor no ill will toward the good men doing their jobs to uphold the law, she couldn’t help but feel a certain amount of animosity. Still, his good looks haunted her waking thoughts. More than once she’d used McCabe as a distraction from the crippling anxiety that weighed on her every time she thought of how alone she’d be if her father was convicted and sent to prison. She’d even tried to count each of his eyelashes once during a particularly hostile interview with her dad. His lashes were long and so dark. In the long run, it was impossible to count them and she found herself feeling jealous that God had given him such pretty lashes. What did men need great lashes for, anyway?
And now she was counting her own footsteps to the elevator to distract her from him. Funny how life worked out sometimes. If by funny, she meant crushing and humiliating. Emma’s phone vibrated in her back pocket and her heart leapt up into her throat. A quick glance at the caller ID confirmed her fears and she said a silent prayer before answering. “Hello?”
“ Mija ?”
Tears sprang to Emma’s eyes at the sound of her father’s voice. “Dad!” Oh, thank God. “Dad, are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Try not to worry. I need you to listen very closely to what I’m about to say, Emmalina. If you do what I tell you, everything will be fine. I promise.”
He’d promised her the same thing six years ago. And nothing had been fine since that day. But at this point, what choice did she have?
“Okay, Dad. I’m listening.”
Chapter Six
Landon didn’t feel any better this morning than he had when he went to bed last night. Which might’ve had something to do with the fact that he’d slept a grand total of fifty-two minutes the entire night. His head was still swimming with Emma’s intoxicating scent, floral with a sweet edge that made him hungry and horny at the same time. How fucked up was that?
“Here’s your harness. Sorry, but those are the rules, man.”
He looked at the guy behind the counter as if he’d only now noticed he was standing inside the indoor climbing facility. Landon needed to clear his head and he knew of no better way to focus his energy than a climb. And since he didn’t have time to drive out to the mountains, the indoor walls would have to do. Despite the fact that he wanted a free climb without the restraint of the harness, it looked as if he’d be forced to follow the rules if he wanted to use the facility. Rules shouldn’t have been a big deal for him. He was a deputy fucking U.S. marshal for shit’s sake. Rules were his business . So why, this morning, did he want to punch this guy in the face because of a rule?
Landon gave a derisive snort. Why? He could answer that question in two words: Emma Ruiz.
“Uh, sorry,” he said when the guy behind the counter gave him a dirty look. “Yeah, the harness is fine. No worries.”
“You’re going to need a belayer, too,” counter guy remarked. “Josh is out on the floor this morning. If he’s not helping someone else, you can snag him. Tall guy with shaggy brown hair. Over there.”
Landon looked to where the guy pointed and gave a nod. “I see him.
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