“How long has it been for you?” He whispered the question as the song changed. The sultry sounds of jazz formed a soundtrack of pure seduction.

“A long time. Over a year.”

He chuckled and she was surprised how intimate the moment was. Not because his fingers were teasing under her panties, but that she could feel him laugh, the sound rumbling over her sensitized skin. “I’ve got you beat. It’s been two years for me. Two years and a few days, so I’m going to make you come for me a couple of times before I get my turn. I’m not sure how long I’ll last. I want you so much and I’m out of practice.”

She didn’t understand. Yes, his daughter had needed him, but he could have found a lover. He was beautiful and it wouldn’t have been hard to find a partner, even one who would accept nothing more than quick sex from him. “Why? The women of this town obviously adore you.”

“I didn’t want them. I’m too old for meaningless sex. I need more. I don’t want a woman who follows me. I want a woman who kicks my ass when I need it, one who can be a partner in every sense of the word. I want her to stand by me, but I want to stand by her, too.”

“I can’t tonight.” She couldn’t think about the future. She definitely didn’t want to think about the past.

“No pressure. Well, maybe a little pressure.” His finger found her clitoris and pressed down, sending sparks through her. “I know what you’re thinking. You think we can go back to where we were in the morning. Go back to our corners, but I’m done fighting. You win. I won’t even stop you the next time you speed like a race car driver.”

“I wouldn’t have been speeding if it hadn’t been for that alligator. It’s not . . .” She’d been ready to point out that it wasn’t normal for an alligator to sit in the middle of the road, but his finger made a circle around her clit and she suddenly couldn’t breathe.

“I’ll let you fly around this town, and everyone will know how sweet I am on you. They’ll be afraid of you because the sheriff won’t do a damn thing to stop his lady from doing anything she likes. Tu tiens mon coeur entre tes mains.”

She could barely stay on her feet. And those words sounded entirely sexy, and she didn’t understand them at all. She could speak a little Spanish, but she was pretty sure she knew what language he was whispering in. “You speak French?”