unexpected move, the sheriff had been a hard one to escape. He always seemed to show up when I least wanted to deal with him.
“Where are you going in such a rush, sugar?” the sheriff asked.
“Oh, um, my stomach isn’t feeling so hot.” The lie rolled right off my tongue without a thought.
“You do look really pale. Let me take you home,” he said, reaching out to touch my cheek.
I fought the urge to cringe away from the unwanted touch. He was always finding ways to touch me when I’d really rather he didn’t. All I wanted was to get in my car and go. However, the last thing I needed was the local cops following me or drawing unwanted attention my way.
“I’ll be fine, but thanks, Sheriff Aaron.” I shook my head slightly, taking another step away from him, and closer to my car.
“You can call me Aaron, Allegra.” He sighed and dropped his hand.
I refused to call him by his first name without his job title. If I did, I was afraid he’d think it gave him an opening that wasn’t there. There was nothing between us, never would be. Not only was I not attracted or interested in him, but I simply would not risk dropping my guard for a quick roll in the hay. I loved sex and getting off as much as the next person. Or I used to. Since going on the run, though, I found that I was too worried and stressed to even think about it.
“That's okay, Sheriff. I'm going to go home and lie down,” I lied again trying to get away even as I glanced toward the diner.
The mystery man was there, leaning a shoulder against the building, blatantly watching me again.
I felt what little blood had returned to my face drain away. My heart pounded. There was no denying he was watching me. Some part of me had hoped that I’d been mistaken, and he’d simply been looking at two waitresses who were ogling him instead of getting his order when I’d been in the diner.
“I can't let you drive like this,” Aaron said, grabbing my arm as I swayed.
“I'll be fine. I just need to go.” I took a step around him and tried to get him to stop touching me, but he tightened his grip marginally.
“Allegra, stop. You look ready to pass out. If that happens when you are behind the wheel, you could get hurt. What happens if you run into another car? You could injure or kill someone else because you are stubborn. Let me take you home, and I’ll bring you back tomorrow morning to pick up your car when you are feeling better.” Aaron was already moving me around his police cruiser and had the door to the passenger seat open.
I glanced from him to the diner again, but the man was gone. Finally, I relented and let Aaron put me in his car since I didn’t think he was going to let it go without making a big deal out of it.
“Thanks,” I muttered as he pulled away from the diner. Staring out the window, I looked for the man, but he was nowhere to be seen. Maybe it had been in my head. Sometimes I was so paranoid. I sighed and rested my head against the window.
“You really have got to learn to let others help you. We are a small town here, and we are there for each other,” Aaron said, patting my thigh as he drove.
“I know. I’m just not used to it,” I agreed. Then, since I was locked in the car with him, I figured I might as well try to get some information from him. “So, has there been anything interesting going on lately for you?”
He glanced at me briefly before turning back to the road. “How so?”
“Just, you know, any weird violence or crimes that we don’t normally get?” I tried to ask nonchalantly.
“Why would you ask that?” He risked another look my way.
“I don’t know. Just trying to make conversation, I guess.” I shrugged.
“Nope. Nothing unusual around here. Typical calls. Couples fighting, kids getting into trouble because they’re bored. That’s about it,” he answered as he turned into my apartment
“Where are you going in such a rush, sugar?” the sheriff asked.
“Oh, um, my stomach isn’t feeling so hot.” The lie rolled right off my tongue without a thought.
“You do look really pale. Let me take you home,” he said, reaching out to touch my cheek.
I fought the urge to cringe away from the unwanted touch. He was always finding ways to touch me when I’d really rather he didn’t. All I wanted was to get in my car and go. However, the last thing I needed was the local cops following me or drawing unwanted attention my way.
“I’ll be fine, but thanks, Sheriff Aaron.” I shook my head slightly, taking another step away from him, and closer to my car.
“You can call me Aaron, Allegra.” He sighed and dropped his hand.
I refused to call him by his first name without his job title. If I did, I was afraid he’d think it gave him an opening that wasn’t there. There was nothing between us, never would be. Not only was I not attracted or interested in him, but I simply would not risk dropping my guard for a quick roll in the hay. I loved sex and getting off as much as the next person. Or I used to. Since going on the run, though, I found that I was too worried and stressed to even think about it.
“That's okay, Sheriff. I'm going to go home and lie down,” I lied again trying to get away even as I glanced toward the diner.
The mystery man was there, leaning a shoulder against the building, blatantly watching me again.
I felt what little blood had returned to my face drain away. My heart pounded. There was no denying he was watching me. Some part of me had hoped that I’d been mistaken, and he’d simply been looking at two waitresses who were ogling him instead of getting his order when I’d been in the diner.
“I can't let you drive like this,” Aaron said, grabbing my arm as I swayed.
“I'll be fine. I just need to go.” I took a step around him and tried to get him to stop touching me, but he tightened his grip marginally.
“Allegra, stop. You look ready to pass out. If that happens when you are behind the wheel, you could get hurt. What happens if you run into another car? You could injure or kill someone else because you are stubborn. Let me take you home, and I’ll bring you back tomorrow morning to pick up your car when you are feeling better.” Aaron was already moving me around his police cruiser and had the door to the passenger seat open.
I glanced from him to the diner again, but the man was gone. Finally, I relented and let Aaron put me in his car since I didn’t think he was going to let it go without making a big deal out of it.
“Thanks,” I muttered as he pulled away from the diner. Staring out the window, I looked for the man, but he was nowhere to be seen. Maybe it had been in my head. Sometimes I was so paranoid. I sighed and rested my head against the window.
“You really have got to learn to let others help you. We are a small town here, and we are there for each other,” Aaron said, patting my thigh as he drove.
“I know. I’m just not used to it,” I agreed. Then, since I was locked in the car with him, I figured I might as well try to get some information from him. “So, has there been anything interesting going on lately for you?”
He glanced at me briefly before turning back to the road. “How so?”
“Just, you know, any weird violence or crimes that we don’t normally get?” I tried to ask nonchalantly.
“Why would you ask that?” He risked another look my way.
“I don’t know. Just trying to make conversation, I guess.” I shrugged.
“Nope. Nothing unusual around here. Typical calls. Couples fighting, kids getting into trouble because they’re bored. That’s about it,” he answered as he turned into my apartment
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