Page 55 of Shattered Vows

It was her turn to laugh. “Sure you don’t, mister. I bet Mrs. Abbot and Mrs. Yoshida would beg to differ.”

As would she. Not that she minded him flirting with her. Not at all.

CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE

Beating the lunch rush, Quinn and Alex settled into a booth at Ray’s Diner. Shouting over his shoulder to a line cook, the diner’s owner, Ray, tossed a set of menus on the table. He put two glasses of water down without looking up, muttering something under his breath about the line cook.

“Sheriff. The usual, I assume?” Ray lifted his head and froze when he saw Alex. The man stood taller and fixed his suspenders. “Well now, Sheriff. Who’s this lovely little thing you’ve got here?”

Quinn rolled his eyes, which earned him a scowl from Ray. He wisely smothered a snicker. He knew from much experience that a warning scowl from Ray was usually followed by a smack to the head.

“Alex, this is Ray. Ray’s second-in-command here. His much better half, Martha, runs the show. Ray, this is Alex.”

“Don’t you mind that fool, sugar,” Ray drawled, bringing Alex’s hand to his lips.

Quinn laughed. “Nowthat, sweetheart, is what you call flirting.”

Ray continued as if Quinn hadn’t spoken. “This fool’s been the laziest of the lot since he was knee-high. Since you’re obviously new to town, I ought to warn you that you’d best start keeping better company. This one will get you into nothing but trouble.”

Alex’s eyes widened, and her expression became innocence personified. “How’s that possible, Ray? Quinn’s the sheriff.”

God, she was adorable.

“Don’t let that ugly mug of his fool you, honey. He’s nothing but trouble,” Ray repeated. “Now, how ’bout I fix you up something special?” He gave Alex the once-over before heading toward the kitchen. As he walked away, he called, “I’ll have my Martha put a little extra in it. You look a bit food-deprived.”

Alex choked on her water. “‘Food-deprived?’” she croaked once Ray was out of earshot.

He shrugged. “Ray likes his women with a bit more meat on their bones. Besides, you are a bit on the scrawny side.”

In this case, scrawny equaled petite, delicately curved in all the right places, and smoking hot. But he had to hassle her.

“I amnotscrawny.”

“Sweetheart, you’re what? Five feet tall?”

“I’m five footone and a half, thank you very much.”

Yup, fucking adorable.

“Oh. Pardon me. And you’re what?” He gave her the same once-over Ray had—though he was positive he appreciated her figure much, much more than Ray. Meat on her bones or not, he liked every damn thing about her. “A buck-oh-five soaking wet with combat boots on?”

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared, but not before he saw a flicker of amusement in her eyes.

“Exactly, sweetheart. You have to admit, from up here, you’re pretty scrawny.”

“‘From up here’?” she mimicked playfully. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m six-two and have more than a hundred pounds on you.” He looked her over again. But slower this time. Much slower. “Not that I’m complaining. Because—between the two of us, of course—you’re absolutely stunning.”

Her cheeks turned pink. “You think you’re so charming, don’t you, Quinn O’Conner?”

“No, not really.” He reached across the table and tucked a renegade lock of hair behind her ear. “It’s usually too much effort. But there’s something about you...”

He meant to pull his hand away, but instead, he lingered. He couldn’t help it. Her breath caught as he caressed her jawline with the back of his finger. He traced the pulse along the side of her neck, and satisfaction surged through him when it quickened.

What he would give to taste that soft, delicate spot. He traced her pulse again.

Right there. And a little bite, too.