Free The Sheriff's Son by Stella Bagwell

done all this just to see you again? What conceit!”
    Heat poured into her cheeks. Maybe it had been stupid of her to think he actually wanted to see her again. But his behavior last night had warned her to expect anything from him. “Are you saying you didn’t want to see me?” she asked, her tone faintly challenging.
    â€œI said I didn’t manipulate you.”
    Justine didn’t know what that was supposed to mean, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. “You could have asked Chloe or Rose to bring the babies into town,” she quickly pointed out.
    Roy’s gaze remained on the traffic. “I don’t know Chloe or Rose like I know you.”
    â€œThank God,” Justine muttered. “No need for all three Murdock sisters to be corrupted.”
    â€œYou think that’s what I did to you?”
    â€œWhat you did to me isn’t fit for babies’ ears,” she said.
    A frown twisted his profile. “I suppose Charlie’s dad treated you better?”
    Charlie’s dad. Dear God, how she wished she could forget he was Charlie’s father.
    â€œHow he treated me is none of your business,” she said flatly, then purposely turned her attention to the twins. The girl had lost her pacifier. She offered it to the baby again, then wiped drool from the boy’s chin.
    From behind the wheel, Roy was very aware of Justine’s soft body pressed against his, the sweet, flowery scent of her, and the way her red hair fell in wild, loose curls down the middle of her back.
    Last night, he’d purposely kissed her, to prove to himself that she was totally and irrevocably out of his system. But the kiss hadn’t proved anything. Other than the fact that he was still a fool where she was concerned. He still wanted her with a vengeance, and he didn’t know what in hell to do about it.
    â€œYou sure are testy where Charlie’s father is concerned,” he said after a moment.
    Justine resolutely turned away from the twins and looked him squarely in the face. “Maybe I’m testy where all men are concerned.”
    His brows lifted at the heat in her voice. “That’s not true. You like men.”
    She gritted her teeth. “You don’t know that.”
    He chuckled under his breath. “I know it better than anybody.”
    â€œYou only know what you remember,” she said tightly. “When I was with you, I was reckless and in-infatuated.”
    He kept his eyes on the traffic ahead, but Justine could see a muscle working in his jaw. If she’d made him angry, she didn’t care. She was just relieved she’d caught herself before she blurted out that she’d been in love with him.She didn’t want Roy to ever know how much she’d cared for him. It was safer to let him think she’d carelessly moved on to some other man.
    Roy told himself to forget the woman beside him. She was trouble. That was all she’d ever been in his life. Yet all he could think about was the way she’d tasted last night, the way she’d made love to him all those years ago. She’d given herself to him in a way that no woman had since. She’d branded him deep inside, and now that she was back in the Hondo Valley, he felt like a marked man.
    The ice-cream parlor was at the west end of town, where the street began to climb up into the mountains. Along with ice cream, the shop also served sandwiches and short orders. At this time of the evening, the place was beginning to fill up with after-work diners.
    After unfastening the babies from the car seat, Roy took the boy and Justine carried the girl. They found a small table in one corner of the room and waited for a waitress. When she finally arrived, Roy glanced at Justine.
    â€œDo you want something to eat?”
    She’d thought this was supposed to be strictly a police visit, but he was making it seem like a family outing with the kids, Justine thought with a