2. Luke

When he pulled up and saw the adorable waitress from the diner walking in the snow, his anger boiled.

Why the hell is she out in the middle of the night, wandering the streets in the freezing cold?

Her answer had irked him and when she told him her phone was dead, it just plain pissed him off. She deserved a spanking for being so careless. She could've caught pneumonia out in the cold, or frozen to death.

The pleasure he felt inside him when she jumped in the car made his anger dwindle slightly. He knew it wouldn't look good if the new sheriff spanked a woman out in the street for disobeying him, but he was almost sure he would have followed through with his threat if she hadn't gotten in the car.

He had seen her at the diner a few times and she had been polite and friendly, a natural sweetness about her when she spoke. Her eyes lit up whenever she laughed as she chatted with the locals who ate at the diner regularly. She seemed a little shy around him whenever he tried to chat with her, but he was the new guy in town, still an outsider. It seemed that people either wanted to know everything about him and make him feel welcome or they treated him as an outsider.

Each time he went in to get a coffee to go, her thick ponytail bounced as she walked around the restaurant. He'd be lying if he said his mouth hadn't gone dry the first time he had seen her. Not that he had any interest in her or anyone for that matter, but a man still had urges and he figured she was a woman of many men's fantasies in this town.

Her round hips swayed as she walked, making all his own fantasies come surging to the surface. Her skinny jeans looked as though they were painted on her lush, thick thighs and hips, showing every curve of her lower body that made him need to adjust himself to avoid showing the world how much he liked what he saw.

The drive to her house was short and silent besides exchanging their names and her giving him directions. He sensed she was pouting in her seat. He would let her pout. He wasn't about to leave her out in the cold to fend for herself.

Pulling up to her tiny home, he was surprised to find the house pitch black inside and the porch light off. His irritation surfaced again at her lack of concern for her safety. He wondered if she had anyone who watched out for her.

"You don't have any lights on in your house or outside. It's pitch black," he stated dryly.

She looked over at him as she reached for the door handle.

"I never leave the lights on when I go to work. No reason to pay for electricity I'm not using."

She had stepped out of the car and turned back to him.

"Thanks for the ride I didn't ask for," she said sarcastically.

His irritation flared again. She really needed her bottom smacked.

I did my job in getting her home safely. Just leave her be. She's not mine to look after.

Before realizing it, he had stepped out of the police SUV to follow her up her walkway.

Whirling around, she stared up at him. "What are you doing?"

"You have no lights on in your house. There could be anyone in there hiding in the dark and you wouldn't even know it, Ally. I'm doing a walkthrough before I leave you alone in there."

He hoped she realized by his tone that he wasn't in the mood for an argument. Ally glared at him before spinning around and stomping to her doorstep.

"I don't need…"

He quickly cut her off.

"I brought you home and am not leaving you until I know you are safe inside. Open the door, little one."

Fumbling with her keys, Ally's hands shook slightly.

"Don't you need a search warrant or something to just barge into someone's house?"

Luke reached down and plucked the keys from her hand, ignoring her protest. When he found the correct key, he unlocked the door and opened it.

"Not if there's a possible threat. Wait here."

Walking through the house, Luke could see his breath. It was freezing inside. Flipping a light switch in the kitchen so he could see where he was going, he walked through the rest of the house. As he walked through each room, he flipped a light on. When he turned on the last light, a sea of stuffed animals greeted him, lined perfectly along the head of the bed.

Looking around and realizing it was her room, Luke smiled. Girlish decorations, soft colored cushions, and frilly curtains filled the room. His mind wandered to a place he knew he shouldn't be thinking. He was on the job for Pete's sake.

Shaking the thoughts from his mind, he walked to the front of the house, satisfied that it was clear. When he walked back into the living room, she stood with her arms crossed, glaring at him. He scowled back at her.

"I told you to wait outside, little girl."

"It's my house!" she burst out, flinging her arms up in the air.

"Why is it so damn cold in here? Where is your thermostat?"

Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. "My heat isn't working."

Turning to look down at her, his irritation reached a boiling point. "Have you called someone?"

Nodding, the solemn look on her face squeezed at his heartstrings.

"I called my landlord a couple days ago and he said he would come as soon as he could. I've been using my heating blanket and a space heater whenever I'm home."

Luke felt his jaw tighten. Why hadn't she called someone else to come fix it? Everybody seemed to know everyone in this town. She must have known someone who could have helped her.

Striding out of the house, Luke turned his head to look back at her. "I'll be right back."

When he walked back into the house, Ally stood in the same spot in her living room.

Pointing toward the toolbox in his hand, she asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to see if I can fix it for you. Go grab your heating blanket and bundle up on the couch. It's freezing in here."

Ally stood, staring at him.

Walking towards her until he closed the space between them, Luke stared down at the defiant brat in front of him and furrowed his brow.

"Go on, go get bundled up."