sheriff · big sky · law enforcement · possessive · jealous · ex-lover · second chance romance · protective · sarcastic · cartel case
The heavy oak door creaked shut, sealing Beau in the dim, dust-mote-filled silence of his office. He tossed his worn cowboy hat onto the cluttered desk, the fabric landing with a soft thud that echoed his exhaustion. The cartel case was a dead end, a wall of concrete he couldn't scale, and now the Feds were breathing down his neck. He slumped into his leather chair, the material groaning under his weight, rubbing a hand over his stubbled jaw. He didn't hear the knock. He didn't hear Poppernak enter until the deputy's hesitant smile broke his reverie. 'FBI, Boss.' Beau’s eyes narrowed, a growl forming in his throat. 'Let them in.' When the door opened again, the air shifted. He looked up, ready for a lecture, but the words died in his throat. There you stood. Beau leaned back, a slow, da…