Free The Lawman's Little Surprise by Roxann Delaney Page A

she loved the gift. “A very expensive pen, by the way. You shouldn’t have, Morgan.”
    â€œIt’s only a blank book and pen.”
    The threatening tears vanished and she laughed. “But a beautiful blank book and a lovely pen. Inspiration to write more.”
    â€œSo now I’m inspiring, huh?”
    His smile was wide and relaxed, something Trish hadn’t seen for a long, long time. Not since June, when everything had begun to change. If only she knew what that had been about, maybe they wouldn’t be sitting at her aunt’s table, exchanging Christmas gifts on one of the saddest Christmases she could remember. But Morgan had refused to discuss much of anything, no matter how often she’d tried.
    â€œOpen yours now,” she urged, hoping he would likethe gift she had chosen for him, in spite of what had happened between them.
    He glanced toward the door to the hallway, sudden discomfort evident in the stiff look of his shoulders. “Are you sure—”
    â€œThey’re upstairs. I can hear them,” she said. “Go on. Open it.”
    Â 
    M ORGAN STARED at the blue-and-gold package in his hand and wondered if the gift exchange was a good idea. He never felt comfortable getting presents. Giving was easier, even though he usually did it without much thought. In fact, there had been no thought to the one he’d found for Trish. He’d just known the minute he laid eyes on it that it was made for her.
    â€œWhat is it?” he asked as he forced himself to begin the unwrapping process.
    â€œKeep going and find out.”
    He glanced up to see Trish watching him, a tentative smile on her lips. Pulling a box from the wrappings, he opened it to find a set of Gary Cooper movies on DVD. “How’d you know?”
    Shrugging, she stood and walked to the sink. “I guess I heard you mention once that you liked his movies.”
    â€œI love ’em.” And he did. Gary Cooper was his kind of guy. As a little boy, he’d been discovered staying up late at night watching old Westerns on television, more than once. Of course he’d been immediately sent back to bed, but he suspected his mom and dad had known that he’d sneaked right back out and finished the movies, followed by dreams of being the good guy who saved the day…and the lady.
    â€œI’m glad you like them,” Trish said from where she now stood by the sink.
    â€œThey’ll give me something to do on an evening when I’m off duty.”
    â€œHave Dusty put video software on your computer at the office, and you can watch to your heart’s content.”
    He rubbed his jaw with the palm of his hand and considered the idea. Being the sheriff in Desperation wasn’t time-consuming, but what would the city council think if they found out? “I’ll think about it.”
    â€œMore cake?”
    â€œWhat? No, no thanks. But there was something I wanted to talk to you about.” He hadn’t wanted to, but it was something that had been bothering him since the night before, and the only way he knew to find out was to ask. “What’s that?”
    â€œCome sit down first.”
    With a shrug, she joined him again at the table. She looked worried, and he sure didn’t want her to be. A simple answer from her, and the subject would be closed. It was a question he was pretty sure he knew the answer to, but there was still the possibility she’d made a mistake. He only wanted to be absolutely sure.
    After a quick glance at the doorway to the hall, she gave him her attention. “Go on. What is it?”
    Summoning his courage, he held her gaze. “How long have you known? About the…you know.”
    For a fraction of a second, she stared at him, and then her chin went up, defiant and stubborn, totally unlike Trish. “Long enough.”
    He gathered his patience and proceeded as if it wasan interview with a stranger. “Can you