Navy Seal Protector. Bonnie Vanak

shook his head. “You couldn’t pay me enough to live there. Did three tours in Iraq. Managed to survive, despite all the suicide bombers.”

      She knew this, knew it every day, and worried one day her sister and brother-in-law might not return home. “It’s why they left Timmy with me.”

      “Still the same Shelby, living in the same place, taking care of everyone,” he murmured, his gaze never leaving hers. “Darling, are you ever going to leave the Belle Creek? That old place has been trapping you there for years.”

      Shelby bristled at this truth. She’d given up her dream of traveling in order to care for Timmy. It was a reality she’d cheerfully accepted, but hearing it from his sexy mouth made it hurt. “My sister and her husband couldn’t pass up this chance to make good money. They’re moving back here when they return, and they promised I could live with them to save money for travel. Now, are you ready to order?”

      “I’ll have sweet tea, salad with raspberry vinaigrette, the chicken, baked potato and carrots.”

      “You like breasts or thighs?”

      His eyes moved in a slow caress over her body that made all her hormones sing. “Both look good to me.”

      Damn that color rising to her cheeks. Nick chuckled. “Breast meat. Grilled.”

      After scribbling down the order, she stood. “Be right up.”

      He smiled, a genuine smile that added tiny lines to the corners of his chocolate-brown eyes and dimpled his right cheek. A bedroom smile that she suspected had lured many women into his arms. “It’s good to see you again, Shelby. You’re the one person in this town I like seeing again.”

      She wished she could say the same. The sooner Nick Anderson left, the better for her. The man had a habit of disarming her, shaking up her world. In a world that was already pretty rattled, she liked the idea of stability.

      After she brought his food, Nick didn’t dig in right away, but kept looking at her, as if she was steak and he was starving. “It really is good to see you again, Sweet Pea Shelby.”

      The nickname caught her off guard, and coaxed an uncertain smile to her mouth. “No one’s called me that in years.” Not since her parents had become more interested in alcohol than their daughters.

      “Too bad,” he said softly.

      For a moment she stood looking at him, her heart pounding like a war drum. Nick still had it. And damn her, she still wanted it.

      Shelby hurried off to take another order. She stopped by to check on him ten minutes later. As she went to take his salad plate, his fingers brushed against hers. A tingle rushed down her spine and he stared at her.

      Shelby became aware of her too-rapid pulse, the knot of desire centered low in her belly.

      Vern waved at her and she turned, but Nick laced strong fingers around her wrist. “Wait,” he said softly. “Isn’t that Vern Dickerson?”

      “He comes in here every Friday.” Her heart beat triple-time at the hint of steely strength restraining her, and yet his grip was gentle. “I think he’s lonely.”

      Nick nodded. Without ceremony, he picked up his meal and glass, and walked over to Vern’s booth, sliding in opposite him. “Hi, there, sir. I’m Nick Anderson. Mind if I sit with you? I hate to eat alone. Don’t want to bother you, so I’ll leave if you wish.”

      Vern beamed. As she left to take care of another customer, Vern began regaling Nick with stories of his time in ’Nam, Nick listening intently. Her heart softened.

      When Vern excused himself to the restroom, Shelby stopped to refill Nick’s sweet tea.

      “Sweet Pea, give me Vern’s check. A man who has served like he has shouldn’t have to worry about his next meal.”

      “Already taken care of,” she told him. “And thank you.”

      Nick blinked. “For what?”

      “For spending time with an old man who is absolutely thrilled to sit with the hometown hero.”

      His expression darkened. “He’s the real war hero.”

      Vern returned, and Shelby left them alone. A few minutes later, the elderly veteran waved her over and asked for the check. Shelby went into her usual dialogue about the special veterans plan. Vern thanked her, then the two men stood and shook hands.

      “Been a real honor to spend time with you, sir.” Nick nodded at him.

      Beaming, Vern saluted him. “Same here, sailor. You ever need someone to jaw with you about the service, I’m your man.”

      Vern left, his shoulders a little less stooped, his gait a little less unsteady.

      Shelby began clearing the table of Vern’s dishes as Nick sat down and asked for his own check.

      “That was so nice of you,” she told him.

      “You’re the nice one, Sweet Pea. Vern knows.”

      “Knows what?”

      “That you pay for his dinner every Friday. Thank you, Shel.”

      Her gaze met his dark one and in the depths, she felt something stir. Not mere desire, but something deeper, and more lasting.

      “Shouldn’t you be working instead of wasting the customer’s time?”

      Shelby stiffened. The honey-sweet voice hid the acid behind those words. She didn’t need to turn around to know that the owner stood behind her. The woman had been in the kitchen an hour ago, barking orders and giving the evil eye when Shelby asked the head chef about a cake recipe with cinnamon.

      With her cascading wispy blond curls, big blue eyes and stylish clothing, Natalie Beaufort caught many male eyes in small-town Barlow. Big Chuck Beaufort, her wealthy dad, spared no expense on his youngest daughter. Natalie boarded her show horse, Fancy, at the Belle Creek, so Shelby had to force herself to be polite. The ranch needed the fees to survive. It was no secret Big Chuck coveted the ranch’s lush four hundred acres for some pie-in-the-sky amusement park called Countryville. The man had been bragging around town about his latest plan.

      Maybe Nick didn’t care about the land that had been in his family for five generations, but she did. The thought of seeing the rolling hillside, the duck pond where she’d gone swimming on many a hot summer day, the horse pasture, the faded red barn and the rambling outbuildings turned into a tourist trap made Shelby nauseous. And furious.

      Natalie slid into the booth across from Nick, pretty as you please, pushing Shelby aside. “Well, hello, stranger,” she cooed. “Nice to see you again. And what are you doing here at my restaurant?”

      “Leaving.” Nick gulped down his tea and slid out from the booth, his gaze centered on Shelby. “I’ll see you later, Shelby.”

      Silently laughing, she nodded at Nick.

      He dropped several bills into the check folder and then looked at her with those sleepy bedroom eyes, now sharpened, as they centered on her mouth. He touched her cheek and she startled, the contact sizzling between them like a crackling electrical line. Nick gently stroked a thumb over her trembling lower lip.

      “Maybe I should have stuck around ten years ago and finished what I started with you.”

      Whistling, he jammed his hands into his jeans pockets and strode off.

      Natalie pouted so much she looked twelve instead of twenty-six.

      “Get back to work,” Natalie told her in a sullen voice.

      Humming, Shelby cleared the table and dumped the dishes in the wait station near the bar. The recent troubles came back to haunt her. Nick was staying at the ranch. He’d been away for ten years and had no idea of what he was waltzing back into on the Belle Creek.

      As she headed into the kitchen, a dreadful thought struck her.