Under the Sheriff's Protection. Delores Fossen

get her. After that…well, her head hurt too much to think beyond getting out of Maverick Springs. But she’d need to find a safe place to hide out from the killer.

      Gina peered around the van. Didn’t see anyone, but she did spot a convenience store just on the other side of the parking lot. If it didn’t have a pay phone, maybe the clerk would let her borrow the store’s phone. She clutched the blanket around her, trying to make it look more like a coat, and she darted out from the van.

      She didn’t get far.

      A man stepped in front of her, catching her arms. Just like that, the nightmarish memories crashed in. Memories of another fight she’d nearly lost.

      Gina didn’t think. She just fought and kicked him so she could get away.

      “Stop it,” he snarled.

      Her hazy brain hadn’t immediately signaled to her that this was Rico, but the voice did. Gina went still and stared up at him. “You’re the sheriff, right?” Gina said, remembering that she was supposed to have amnesia.

      His left eyebrow lifted. “Well, I’m not the tooth fairy. Give it up, Gina, this memory loss thing is all an act.”

      Uh-oh. Time to go on the offensive and figure out how to get away from him.

      “You said I was your wife, but obviously you haven’t seen me in a while.” Four years and two months. Gina could probably come up with the days and hours if pressed. “If we were really married as you say, why aren’t we divorced?”

      His jaw muscles went to war with each other. “That was supposed to be the plan. You filed for a divorce and sent me the papers, but my place burned to the ground before I could file them. Couldn’t find you after that to redo them.”

      Not being able to find her wasn’t an accident. When she’d left him, she’d changed her name so he couldn’t track her down. Of course, here she was right back in front of him again. And still married to him.

      Gina shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t remember you.”

      He mumbled some ripe profanity, and that was the only warning she got before Rico slid his hand around the back of her neck, hauled her to him and kissed her. Not a chaste peck. Not this. It was a full dose of his clever mouth that knew exactly how to set her on fire.

      That kiss brought back all the memories. Of the party in San Antonio where they’d met nearly five years ago. Maybe it hadn’t been love at first sight, but it’d been close to it. Lust at first sight, for sure. Gina hadn’t been able to resist him, and it’d resulted in a fast and furious courtship, followed by an equally fast and furious trip to the Justice of the Peace less than a month later.

      Gina tried not to react to this latest kiss. But she would have had an easier time giving up oxygen, and it didn’t take long for her to surrender and melt against him. And she couldn’t stop that little sound of pleasure that rumbled in her throat.