Protector: Doms of Mountain Bend Book 1 by BJ Wane (good books to read for 12 year olds .txt) 📕

“Relax. Drew and I have been members for several years. Only a few people in Mountain Bend visit that club. Most regular goers are from Boise or neighboring ranches, like Shawn.”

He owns a ranch? How much more didn’t she know about him? Adding a roll to her plate, she replied, “I didn’t see you there.”

Jen handed her a napkin-rolled fork and knife as Lisa reached the end of the hot dishes and pondered the salad choices. “We came in late, and you left right after your scene. God, what I wouldn’t give to have Master Shawn look at me like that even though my Drew is all I want.”

Uncomfortable with her wrong assumption, Lisa shook her head, juggling the plate and utensils to pick up a bowl of fruit. “I’m sure he treats all women, in and out of the club, the same. He’s a nice guy.”

“Nice?” Jen’s grin spread into a wide smile, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “Yes, he is nice, but I sure wouldn’t want to get on his bad side at Spurs. He is sexually dominant through and through, and overprotective to the point of bossiness with people he cares about. He’s dumped several women who didn’t take his concerns for their welfare seriously. One after her stupidity landed her in a bad scene when she thought to retaliate against Shawn’s orders by hooking up with a new Dom who was still on probation with the former owner, Master Randy. Man, that was a nasty altercation between the three of them. Here, take this corner table.”

Jen came around and led Lisa to a small, round table with two chairs next to the bay window overlooking the manicured back lawn. The morning sun splashed across the white-draped tablecloth and warmed Lisa’s shoulders as she took a seat with her back to the windows.

Curiosity got the better of her, and she gestured to the other chair before Jen took off. “Can you sit a minute and tell me more? What happened to that Dom?” She couldn’t imagine Shawn letting the guy off the hook with a warning if he broke club protocol.

“Sure. I just have to keep an eye on the food so it doesn’t run low. As you can see, the buffet is popular on Sundays.” Taking the empty chair, she leaned forward and said, “We were there and saw Shawn wrench the jerk’s arm back when he went to swing his crop again after he’d just broken her skin. I’ve never seen him so mad, and it took Masters Randy and Clayton to pull him back.”

Lisa shuddered and reached for the glass of ice water. She liked the bite of pain since she had discovered her heated response. At the time, she would have accepted anything that heightened her arousal, but imagining such excruciating agony left her cold. Not many could tolerate that kind of agony.

“What about the girl? Was he that pissed with her?” She munched on a piece of crispy bacon, unable to picture Shawn losing his temper with a woman, no matter what she’d done.

“Oh, he was just as furious, but like I said, he’s one of the good guys. He gave her a verbal set-down, and Randy hustled her away.” Jen sat back with a small shrug. “She hasn’t returned. That’s all I know. Shawn has a good reputation as deputy sheriff, strict but fair, and doesn’t hesitate when someone needs help. You’re lucky. He normally sticks to regular players, those he knows well. I can think of a few who will want to ask you what your secret is.”

“I don’t have a secret.” Lisa didn’t mean to snap at her, and realized how guilty she sounded. That’s what she got for keeping her reason for taking the temporary teaching job to herself. “Sorry,” she muttered. Jen cocked her head and gave her a quizzical look, and Lisa knew she needed to say something. “He stepped in when I was about to end the scene with Master Simon, and”  –  she spread her hands  –  “just took over. So, you see, I didn’t do anything. It was all him.”

“He must have seen something was off between you and Master Simon, then. He never hesitates to get involved if he thinks he needs to. Was that the case? Did he succeed?”

“More or less, and yes, better than anyone else anyway.” She stopped short of revealing the whole truth, that she still had a ways to go before she could admit she was completely rid of the coldness. She wondered if she would have to be sure her stalker had lost interest in her for that to happen.

Lisa’s second of her nine-week teaching job went as well as her first, but getting to know the students and staff better made her wish she could stay longer. She already knew she would miss Chelsea, the quiet, shy girl who reminded her of herself in grade school. Kim Delaney, the physical-education teacher, and Debra Devore, the fourth-grade teacher, were housemates, and had invited her for dinner Wednesday evening and to a movie in Boise this weekend. Since everyone else was married, Lisa appreciated their invitations, and hanging with them helped take her mind off Shawn and whether to risk returning to Spurs.

Until the closing bell rang on Thursday, and she saw him standing in her doorway. Her heart executed a slow roll, the odd sensation different from the immediate rush of blood through her veins. Leaning against the door jamb, crossed arms emphasizing his thick, corded muscles, his khaki law enforcement shirt stretched taut over his wide shoulders, and his lowered Stetson adding mystery to his face, who the heck wouldn’t have such a strong reaction?

Chad, the red-haired trouble-maker of the class rushed over to Shawn without permission. Lisa pushed to her feet, her throat going dry, her pulse leaping