Free The Edge of Courage (Red Team) by Elaine Levine Page B

touched his hand, he hesitated only a moment before pulling away.
    “Don’t.”
    “Why?” she asked.
    “I don’t like being touched.”
    “Liar.”
    He stood up, severing their contact, ending the moment. He’d been wrong. She never touched Kitano the way she touched him.
    She came to her feet and met his look, but he was spared further torture by the sound of a car pulling into the driveway far below. A sheriff’s cruiser. It stopped in front of the house, not far from the steps. The deputy got out of his car but did not approach the porch. He looked at Rocco, then the flowered tablecloth, then Mandy.
    “Mandy,” he tipped his hat to her.
    Rocco disliked him instantly. He felt his head clear in a flash as he became aware of the same animosity rolling off the deputy. He wanted to tell Mandy to go in the house while he dealt with the man, but that was totally whacked. He had no authority—he was only a visitor here. He crossed his arms and glared at the deputy.
    “Jerry,” Mandy greeted him from the top step.
    “Heard you hired yourself a newsflash ranch hand.”
    “Yep. This is Rocco Silas. He served with Ty and Kit. Rocco, this is Deputy Sheriff Jerry Whitcomb.”
    Rocco gave a quick nod to the man. He hadn’t missed the look that flashed through his eyes as Mandy mentioned Kit’s name. What had that been about?
    “Bobby know?”
    “Does he know what, Jerry?”
    The deputy looked at Rocco. “You hired yourself a man.”
    Rocco uncoiled his arms and took a step forward. Mandy stepped in front him, blocking him. “Are you up here on police business, Jerry?” she asked, ignoring his question.
    The deputy made a face. “Curious about how things were going with the construction, if you’d had anymore problems.”
    “No. Thank heavens. Things have been quiet.”
    Jerry nodded. “That’s good.” He puckered a corner of his mouth as he looked around the place. “That’s real good. It was beginning to look like someone had a grudge against you, but I couldn’t understand why. You never were a troublemaker like your brother.”
    He glanced at her and lifted his hat. “Well, you let us know if anything else happens.” He looked at Rocco, a clear warning in his eyes, then got back into his car. Through the lowered window, he pinned Mandy with a look. “Good night to you, now.”
    Neither Rocco nor Mandy moved as they watched the cruiser move down her driveway and turn back onto the road. Rocco caught the shiver that passed through Mandy. He wished he could touch her, wrap an arm around her, pull her against his body. Instead, he offered the only comfort he could.
    “I can kill him for you.”
    Mandy slowly turned to him. There was no humor in her face. “Rocco Silas! That is not acceptable behavior.”
    “It’s what I do.” He shrugged. “Don’t worry, it won’t look like murder.”
    “It’s what you did.” Well, heck. Where did that come from? she wondered, embarrassed to have implied she thought he was a murderer. “It’s not what you did. I don’t know what you did.” God, she was rambling. “Jerry Whitcomb is not an enemy.”
    Rocco did not try to soften the threatening look he gave her. “Who’s Bobby?”
    Mandy crossed her arms. “A friend of Jerry’s. We had an on-again off-again thing. We’re off-again at the moment.”
    Rocco nodded. “Keep it that way.”
    “Bobby’s nothing like Jerry. And I don’t need you to tell me how to manage my personal life.”
    “I’ll call Kit,” he warned.
    “That’s not fair.”
    Rocco grinned. It was not a nice expression. “We’re even then.” He looked at the table. “Want some help with the dishes?”
    “No. Thank you.”
    He set his hat on his head and jogged down the steps. Once in the drive, he turned around and walked backward, watching as she collected dishes. He felt strangely reluctant to move away from her.
    “Em?” he called. She glanced over at him.
    He stopped moving and hooked his thumbs in his front pockets.