The Killing Times (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 1)) by Morgan Kelley

day.
    “I’ve been known to tolerate a few specific people calling me Lyzee.”
    He grinned, putting his coffee cup down, and holding out his hand. “I hope I’m not being too forward, but it’s very nice to meet you, Lyzee.”
    “I don’t have a problem with anyone being forward, Ethan, as long as you don’t mind if it’s reciprocated.” she stood, leaning across her desk to take his hand, wondering if she’d feel the shock of awareness again or if it was a fluke.
    Nope , there it was again.
    Just watching her smile staggered him. He kept the well trained composure, and his eyes never left hers, as they shook hands again. He was profoundly grateful she called the FBI for help.
    Elizabeth had one thought in her head. Calling in the FBI was going to be a huge mistake. She could already tell, and this man was going to be the reason why. Ethan Blackhawk was going to take her to her knees.
    She already knew it in her heart.
     
     
     
     
    Thursday Mid-morning
     
     
     
     
    The ride in the car had been a quiet one. Blackhawk’s partner was nowhere to be found, so he opted to ride with the sheriff in her Jeep. Not that he minded, he was enjoying being near her. She smelled incredible, just as she did in his dreams. After they left her office, she introduced him to all her deputies and staff. Instructing them to assist him in any way possible, giving him full access to anything he needed, and to comply with any orders Ethan gave. It was a big change from their usual run in with law enforcement. Usually, they were seen as the invading army or the enemy, and he was pretty sure the reason she didn’t feel that way was she worked the other side too. Being there in the capacity of a consultant only for now, he had to defer to her, but she made his opinion feel welcome and not those of an outsider. She had once been FBI, and he was betting she had been good at her job.
    “So, your dad was sheriff?” he asked softly, watching her shift gears and look over at him with eyes hidden by her sunglasses. 
    “Yes, since I was ten. My mom was killed in a car accident, and he moved us from DC to Salem. Before coming here, he worked for the Capitol police.”
    “ Salem’s a nice town,” he said, watching the houses pass outside the window.
    Elizabeth laughed, and continued, “Thank you, I think.”
    Ethan gave her the famous Blackhawk grin. It was his secret weapon in catching women. “I mean it. I grew up in a town similar to this one,” he paused. “Okay, it was more a reservation than a town,” he teased, pointing out the obvious, that he had Native blood. “But when you say reservation, it tends to make people very uncomfortable and twitchy.”
    Yeah, she’d noticed the Native ethnicity in him. It made him really sexy. She lifted her sunglasses to have eye contact with him. “I have to say, I don’t see why it would make me or anyone uncomfortable. I don’t have an issue with you being Native American. In fact, I have a few good jokes if you're bored…”
    He laughed, not expecting her easy manner and teasing . Blackhawk was already feeling relaxed at her side.
    “I have to ask why you didn’t work for the reservation police,” she inquired, making small talk, one eye on him and one on driving.
    Ethan Blackhawk was pretty sure no one ever asked him that before. Most people weren’t aware reservations had their own police, let alone cared to ask him about his origins. Sheriff LaRue continually surprised him, keeping him on his toes.
    “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry,” she added, thinking she offended him.
    He lifted his own sunglasses, smiling at her. “You didn’t. I just don’t think anyone ever asked me why I didn’t. I guess it would be logical assumption.” Unless you grew up on a reservation and saw how bad the conditions were there. Then you’d know why he ran for his life.
    Elizabeth smiled back . The man was certainly easy to like. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad