Chapter One

Burke

She is my obsession, all I think of from the moment I wake in the morning until I close my eyes at night. Even in my dreams, I cannot escape her.

Sage Willis.

She is a chestnut-haired, hazel-eyed siren with curves that haunt me.

I know the way I am feeling is unhealthy and I should probably seek professional help, but I am beyond the point of caring. I have wanted her for the past six months and my patience is wearing thin.

The first day I saw her, everything else melted away into the background. No other woman could hold my attention. All I could see was Sage.

I watch as Mr. Hurley from the hardware store smiles at her as she refills his coffee, and I want to snatch his eyes from his damn head. Yes, I know I am being irrational. As a waitress, it is her job to keep the customers happy, but I hate that everyone watches her.

“Good morning, Deputy,” she says once she reaches my booth in the diner. “What can I get for you?”

You. The word is on the tip of my tongue, but I don’t allow it to slip through.

Instead, I say, “Just a coffee today. Thank you, Sage. And please call me Burke.”

I long to hear my name slip from those perfectly plump pink lips. She smiles brightly before turning to grab my order. I watch her thick ass sway beneath the ugly turquoise uniform she wears. One would think a diner waitress’s uniform would hide a woman’s body but the lush curves on Sage are clear as fucking day.

She is what people refer to as fat behind her back, but I can’t see past the fact that she is built for breeding. My cock punches at the zipper of my uniform pants beneath the table as I watch her thick thighs carry her curvy ass behind the counter where she prepares my coffee. Reaching below the linoleum surface of the table, I adjust myself discreetly and return to the paper I was pretending to read.

She sways as she sings along to a popular country song that plays on the radio in the kitchen and I can’t help but smile. She really is fucking perfect.

A minute or so later she places the steaming coffee in front of me, just the way I prefer it. Sweet with just a touch of creamer. It warms me that she remembers how I enjoy my coffee. I don’t pick at that thread too much, but I am well aware that in a town this small, she probably knows everyone’s orders by heart. I prefer to believe it’s just me, that I’m special somehow.

She shuffles from foot to foot uncomfortably before I glance at her.

“Is something wrong, Sage?” I ask immediately on alert.

“No!” she replies too quickly before taking a breath. “Not at all. I was just wondering…” her words taper off and I will her to continue.

When she doesn’t, I smile to reassure her. “Go on, Sweetheart. You can ask me anything.”

“You know it’s Halloween, right?”

“I’m aware,” I deadpan and she blushes.

“Well,” she hesitates before continuing. “I’m still new in Ashburne and I was invited to a party.”

I feel the vein in my forehead throb as my jaw ticks. Who the fuck thought they could invite my girl out? I’ll rip the motherfucker’s head off.

“One of the other girls is heading to a party in the next town over and asked me to join her,” she continues, and I feel myself relax marginally.

“That sounds like fun.” I nod, trying to remain calm.

“I’m sure it will be,” she says softly. “But I know what these parties can be like. I’m not a big party girl but it’s Halloween.” She shrugs and I watch her closely.

“What are you getting at, Sage?” I don’t know if I should be worried here.

“What I want to know … I mean what I was hoping…” She flushes beet red. “Would you like to go with me?” she finally blurts out. “You don’t have to say yes. I know you are a busy man, and you probably have plans. Never mind.”

She speaks so fast that most of the words flow into each other and I have to stop myself from chuckling at her nervousness. She turns to walk away, and I grab her wrist to stop her. It’s the first time I have ever touched her, and her skin sears me. It’s smooth and warm and I instantly have a million dirty thoughts blasting through my mind.

“I would love to go with you, Sage,” I say softly, gazing directly into her eyes.

“Oh. Yes. Well, that’s good,” she stammers like she can’t believe I actually said yes.

“What time should I pick you up?” I ask, still holding her wrist, lightly running my thumb over her pulse point.

“Seven,” she whispers.

“I’ll see you then.” I release her hand and gulp down the last of my coffee before dropping some money and walking out.

****

Sage

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

I can’t believe I just did that. I can’t believe he said yes. Every morning Deputy Burke Davis comes into the diner where I waitress. I have had a crush on him since he walked in that first day. Dressed in his uniform with his dark blonde hair combed back and wearing his sunglasses. I swear to everything that is holy I have never seen a finer man in my entire damn life.

He is always friendly and if I was a more confident person, I would flirt with him. But I’m not. I have issues with self-confidence. I know what people say behind my back, and how they discuss my weight. But I’ve never felt like I was overweight. Curvy? Sure. But never fat.

Not that anything anyone says is going to change it. I love food. Pasta, bacon, cream, cheese, you know, all the yummy stuff that goes directly to your hips and thighs. I eat it all and I swear I regret nothing. I would rather be considered fat and be happy, than skinny and miserable.

Cooking and eating makes me happy. I wonder if Burke will like my cooking. Maybe I should bake him a cake? You know, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach and all that.

A customer calling to me draws me out of my thoughts and I hurry to serve them. But in the back of my mind, I can still see his brilliant smile. I can still feel where his hand held my wrist, the imprint burned into my skin. I imagine how his touch would warm the rest of my body if he ran his hands over my naked form, and my arousal spikes.

I need to come back to reality.

Burke is simply being friendly. He probably felt too bad to turn the fat girl down, so he agreed to join me tonight. A man like him could never be interested in someone like me.

With my imagination and libido firmly tamped down, I continue working, pushing away any thoughts of the swoon-worthy deputy. Time flies by and soon enough one of the other waitresses arrives and I can go home. The moment I no longer have anything to focus on, the panic sets in.

Why the hell did I ask him? Of all people! I must be losing my damn mind.

I don’t have an outfit to wear or anything, and now I have a pity date? What the hell was I thinking? Walking the three blocks home from the diner I breathe deeply, trying to push away all negative thoughts. Instead, I take in the beautiful houses that line the street, with various Halloween decorations lining each.

Children run through the streets, laughing. I spot an astronaut, a couple of princesses, and what looks to be some kind of robot, and it brings a smile to my face. Halloween has always been my favorite. It’s the one day of the year you can be absolutely whatever you want.

A thought crosses my mind, and I can’t help but laugh out loud as I walk a little faster. I know exactly what I am going to wear tonight. It doesn’t matter that Burke is only going with me because he feels sorry for me. He is a nice guy and we’ve had some fun conversations. We can have a great night together.