figure were what caused him to notice her two winters ago at the community’s Holly Daze Festival.
After that, it was hard not to keep noticing her and, eventually, talk to her. Just being in her proximity breathed new life into parts of Aaron’s heart and soul he’d thought forever darkened.
Dangerous feelings and ones he shouldn’t have. Not if he wanted the life he’d scraped together for him and his daughter, Kaylee, to remain calm, quiet and stable. Emphasis on the last word. That was why he’d quit the Phoenix Police Department and taken the less demanding job of deputy sheriff.
His phone abruptly rang. The personal one he kept in his vehicle, strictly for family and close friends. Snatching it from the cubby, he glimpsed his sister’s name and photo on the display. The picture of her and Kaylee was one of his favorites, taken during his sister’s last visit.
“Hey, Pickle.”
She groaned expansively. No secret, she hated the childhood nickname. Which was why Aaron insisted on using it.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“Bad time to call?”
Hearing Joanna’s voice immediately thrust him back in time to their family’s rural home in Queen Creek and their life together growing up. She’d moved to Seattle a year ago, and he missed her terribly. She’d been his rock, his staunchest supporter and his sounding board during the many difficult months Aaron’s wife was ill and every day since she’d died.
“I’m on the road,” he said. “Have about ten minutes.”
“Don’t tell me.” Joanna laughed, the sound rich and vibrant. “A rancher let his hound dog run loose, and it got in with the lady down the street’s King Charles spaniel.”
He pretended to be affronted. “Believe it or not, there’s real crime in Mustang Valley.”
“Riiiiiight.” She drew the single word out over three syllables.
“We’ve had a recent rash of horse thefts.”
“No fooling? That actually sounds serious.”
“I’m on my way now to talk to the third victim.”
“Do you have any leads?”
“Not yet. I’ve been interviewing the locals.” Most people didn’t realize that 90 percent of good detective work was questioning potential witnesses.
“Locals like Mel?”
Aaron paused, not wanting to give his sister any ideas. “She’s a regular at most of the ranches in the valley and might run across something.”
“How you two doing?”
“We’re not dating.”
“Hey, hey,” Joanna protested. “Don’t get mad. I think what you and Mel have is great. More couples should be as open-minded as you two.”
“Yeah.” Except, what Aaron and Mel had didn’t feel open-minded to him.
“Something wrong?” Joanna asked.
“I don’t know.” He blew out a long breath. “Lately, I’ve been thinking she deserves more than casual hookups.”
“Did she say so?”
“No.”
“Are you tired of the arrangement?”
“Yes, but not in the way you think.”
Joanna gave a delighted gasp. “You love her.”
He gave a start and steadied his free hand on the steering wheel. “I wouldn’t say that.” Not yet, anyway. “I like her. A lot.”
“Well, you should like the person you’re sleeping with.”
“Am I being a jerk? Taking her for granted?” It was the opinion he’d recently formed of himself.
“Come on. You and Mel have an arrangement. A good, sensible arrangement that works. Neither of you are ready or in a position for all the demands of a committed relationship. Yet, you’re human, and human beings require intimacy. You and she have come up with a creative solution. You get together a couple times a month for a few discreet hours of adult pleasure. No strings attached. It’s perfect.”
“Spoken like a psychology major.”
“Spoken like a feminist,” she said, correcting him. “I wish I could find someone with your progressive attitude. Beats being single.”
His sister was the only person Aaron had told about his and Mel’s secret arrangement, and there were days he wished he hadn’t.
Cripes, what was wrong with him? There was nothing sordid or dirty or wrong about what he and Mel did. She was completely on board. In fact, she’d been the one to originally suggest it. Yes, in a roundabout way, but not so subtle that Aaron hadn’t understood and, after a long, emotional tug-of-war with himself, agreed.
She was beautiful and smart and as sexy as hell. When they were alone, she displayed the kind of passion he’d always hoped to find in a woman. Which only increased the guilt eating away at him. He could and did tell himself he wasn’t being disloyal to Robin. She’d been gone nearly three years.
His heart argued differently, insisting he was dishonoring his late wife’s memory. Aaron’s mother-in-law would agree.
“Mel should be with a guy who can offer her more,” he said to Joanna. “A guy who’s emotionally free.”
“If that was what she wanted, she’d give you the boot.”
“Sometimes, I wish she would.” Then he could stop wanting what he couldn’t have and beating himself up over it.
“You’re worried about Nancy,” Joanna said, “and you shouldn’t be.”
“If she ever found out—”
“What? She’d leave? Go home to Ohio?”
“I don’t want that. She loves Kaylee, and Kaylee loves her.”
“If Nancy left, that would be her choice and her mistake to make.”
Aaron rubbed his suddenly throbbing forehead. His arrangement with Mel was supposed to be without strings and without angst, yet it wasn’t. In hindsight, they’d been silly and stupid.
He had, anyway. Truthfully, Aaron wasn’t entirely sure how Mel felt about him. She didn’t talk about it. Ever. And she didn’t encourage him to, either.
“You’re single,” Joanna continued. “It’s not fair that Nancy expects you to remain that way for the rest of your life.”
“Isn’t it?”
“You aren’t betraying Robin.”
“I
