Sheriff Daddy (Montana Daddies Book 10) by Laylah Roberts (good book club books txt) 📗

“You okay, boss man?” Kiesha yelled from the front room.

“Fine!”

“The FBI woman is here!” Kiesha called out.

He closed his eyes again. Maybe he was dreaming? Yep, it was all just a bad dream. He opened them again. Nope, she was still there.

Georgina James. Dressed in a gray suit jacket and matching gray pants. With a white turtleneck underneath. Her hair was pulled back into a severe knot. She looked washed out. Tired. There were dark circles under her eyes and she’d lost weight from when he’d last seen her.

Concern filled him, but he didn’t let it show. Somehow, he knew she wouldn’t appreciate that.

Then it hit him. Georgina was here. Anger stirred. He was still pissed that she’d slipped out of town several months ago without saying goodbye. And he’d been certain that he wouldn’t see her again. Sure, he could have chased her down, could have confronted her. But what good would that do if she obviously didn’t want him?

Nope, he’d been burned before while chasing after someone who didn’t want him. Not happening again.

And whatever the reason she was back, he was certain it had nothing to do with him.

“I can see that!” he yelled back. Then he realized how ridiculous they likely appeared. “Excuse me one moment,” he said politely to Georgina.

Georgina stepped to the side so he could walk past. He hesitated. He felt the need to make something clear. “Uh, things aren’t always like this around here.”

“Yes, they are,” Kiesha called out. “Things are always like this.”

He sighed. Lord. Give him strength.

“Please, sit down. Can I get you anything?” he asked.

“No, thank you.” Her face never changed expression. Damn, she was hard to read. Did she even remember the kiss they’d shared?

He left the room and stormed over to Kiesha’s desk. “You’re supposed to announce people before they hit my office.”

She glared up at him and pulled the blue sucker from her mouth. “Maybe if I’d been wearing my roller skates, I could have gotten to your office quick enough to announce her.”

He closed his eyes and counted to three. Then he counted to ten. It still wasn’t enough. He opened his eyes to give her a firm look.

“You’re still wearing your roller skates.”

Kiesha shrugged. “Well, I can’t take them off. I didn’t bring any shoes with me today.”

“Kiesha. Don’t push me too far,” he warned. Placing his hands on the desk, he leaned in close to her.

Something crossed her face. A look he didn’t like. Fuck. He found himself caving.

“The roller skates can stay, unless there are any accidents. Understand?”

“I never have accidents.”

“But if you’re going outside with them on,” he continued as though she hadn’t spoken. “Then you need to wear a helmet.”

She opened her mouth. Closed it. He reached out and grasped hold of her chin. “Understand? And no speeding down any hills and rushing across the road without checking first. I know that Jonny Jacks nearly ran you down yesterday because you flew out in front of him.”

“Jonny Jacks,” she muttered grouchily. “What a tattletale. I’ll have helmet hair, though. How will that look when I’m the face of the cop shop?”

Face of the cop shop? Really?

“I think we can all live with you having helmet hair,” he said dryly. Better than a brain injury. He straightened.

“Want me to bring you and the FBI lady any coffee?”

“No, we’re good. Thanks,” he replied dryly.

“I live to serve, boss man,” she said cheerfully.

Sure she did. She lived to embarrass him. That he was certain of. She was brought here as a trial of his patience. So far it was Kiesha: 2567, Ed: 0.

He turned towards his office, stilling when he saw Georgina standing there, watching him and Kiesha. Embarrassment filled him until he saw her grimace and look away. He paused. She looked like she was in pain. That was interesting. That was one of the few real reactions he’d ever seen from her. Not that he knew her well. Which is why he really had no right to be angry with her for leaving.

Wasn’t like they’d promised anything to each other. He let out his breath, trying to push away any remaining annoyance with her.

Professional. They were colleagues. He wasn’t sure why she was here, but it had to be work-related. She’d been here a few months back as part of a task force trying to take down Saber Mason, the leader of the Devil’s Sinners gang. Unfortunately, they hadn’t apprehended him or his son, Tiger. Both of them were missing. But they had arrested Saber’s girlfriend, Rosalind, who had been laundering money through her beauty salons for the Devil’s Sinners. So he guessed it was likely something to do with that still-open case.

He moved into the office, shutting the door. “Please, Agent James, take a seat.”

“Call me Georgina.”

She sat. He moved around his desk to sit as well. Shoot. There were still drops of coffee everywhere from where he’d spat it out.

“Georgina, I really am sorry about that. We aren’t always that unprofessional.”

“Yes, I suppose it’s difficult to remain professional for you.”

What the fuck did that mean? Was this because he’d kissed her while they’d been working? But she’d kissed him back. What gave her the right to be so judgmental? He ground his teeth together.

“Kiesha isn’t just an employee—” he started to say.

“Yes, I can see that.”

He narrowed his gaze, holding back the need to snap at her. They weren’t all robots.

Not fair.

Yeah, this woman was closed off. Very closed off. But that didn’t mean she didn’t have feelings. And just because she was being rude, didn’t mean he had to be the same.

It was tempting, though.

“Why are you here, Agent James?”

Her eyes flared at his cool, formal tone. He was certain that it wasn’t lost on her that he’d gone back to calling her Agent James. He could be professional.

If anything her stance grew stiffer. Her back was ramrod straight, her legs pressed together and her hands were folded on her lap. It boggled his mind that this was