Sheriff's Choice - Jacki James Page 0,4

sexy doing here?” I asked.

“Big sexy? Who’s that?” Cap asked, turning to look. “Oh, you mean Sheriff Barrett.” He laughed, shaking his head and muttered, “Big Sexy.”

“He’s in civilian clothes, so I imagine he’s having a beer like everyone else,” Reed said.

“I don’t think he does anything like anyone else.” I sighed dramatically.

“Cody, we’re up,” Miller called.

“Oh, okay, coming.” Pool. That’s what I was doing. Not staring at sexy sheriffs. I attempted to lift the glasses, but apparently, perfect to the rim wasn’t a good plan, and it sloshed everywhere. “Well, damn.”

“You’re good,” Frankie said. “Just take a drink out of them really quick. I’ll grab a towel for the mess. You go kick some ass.”

I bent down and slurped beer out of both glasses so they weren’t over-full. “Good call.” I picked up both glasses and carefully walked over to the pool table.

4

Eli

I’d never been much of one for bars. Back in the city, when all the other cops were heading to the bar after work to get a drink and wind down, I just wanted to go home. At least

I did before Jennifer and I started having so many problems. Once things got unpleasant at home, I did hang out with the guys sometimes, but even then, I’d rather have gone for a drive or to the gym. But I figured having the sheriff around, even as a patron, would help start things off right with the opening of the bar. It would be a novelty here in River Gorge for a while, as we’d never had a bar before.

I expected an increase in drunk driving and fights in the beginning, but things would settle down pretty quickly. The hope was that with me hanging out here the first night, people wouldn’t act a fool.

As soon as I walked in the bar, I was met with a chorus of Hey, Sheriff. I’d dressed in civilian clothes, but in a town the size of River Gorge, that didn’t matter. I was Sheriff Barrett to most people, just plain Sheriff to others; basically, no one called me Eli. I’d waited until a little later in the evening to come in so people would have time to drink a little and have some fun, but not late enough for them to already be rowdy. I picked a spot at the bar that made it easy not only for me to see what was going on, but for everyone to see me.

For the most part, it seemed like everyone was behaving. The bartender set my drink down in front of me and took my food order. I looked around, checking for any trouble when I saw him. Damn, he was gorgeous. Not that I didn’t already know that. That was what kept drawing me to the coffee shop every day at the time I knew he’d be there, and what prompted me to take my SUV in for a servicing it wasn’t due for. Seeing him that much had been enough to satisfy my craving. Okay, maybe not satisfy it, but to placate it a bit.

But seeing him across the bar tonight, he looked relaxed with a soft smile and lazy eyes. The crowd in here tonight was big enough that no one was paying attention to me, and I took advantage of that to look my fill. He wasn’t very tall. I’d guess 5’7” maybe. I’d noticed that when he backed into me at the coffee shop that first time I saw him. I’d also noticed how muscular he was, and those muscles were on full display tonight under his tight black t-shirt. It fit his sculpted body perfectly, and it showed a bit more of the tattoos that covered his arms. He looked up, met my gaze, and grinned. Then he said something and a couple of the guys he was with laughed. Was he talking about me?

I watched as he attempted to lift two over-full glasses. The beer sloshed out, and he looked at the glasses like they had offended him. That was when I realized he’d had a bit too much to drink. He was cute drunk, though. He made his way over to the pool tables where Miller Monroe waited. My gut tightened at the thought that he might be here with Miller. I knew that was stupid. I had no right to be jealous. I’d barely spoken ten words to him. Plus, he was obviously out and proud, and I couldn’t say the same.

I hadn’t minded