Shielding You (Baytown Boys Book 13) Read online

  Shielding You

  Baytown Boys

  Maryann Jordan

  Contents

  Author’s Note

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Also by Maryann Jordan

  About the Author

  Shielding You (Baytown Boys) Copyright 2020

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except where permitted by law.

  If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, then you are reading an illegal pirated copy. Make sure that you are only reading a copy that has been officially released by the author.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Design by: Graphics by Stacy

  Cover and model photography: Eric McKinney

  ISBN ebook: 978-1-947214-66-8

  ISBN print: 978-1-947214-67-5

  Created with Vellum

  Author’s Note

  Please remember that this is a work of fiction. I have lived in numerous states as well as overseas, but for the last twenty years have called Virginia my home. I often choose to use fictional city names with some geographical accuracies.

  These fictionally named cities allow me to use my creativity and not feel constricted by attempting to accurately portray the areas.

  It is my hope that my readers will allow me this creative license and understand my fictional world.

  I also do quite a bit of research on my books and try to write on subjects with accuracy. There will always be points where creative license will be used in order to create scenes or plots.

  1

  Four Years Ago

  Hannah Freeman stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, her hands gliding down the front of her uniform. A tingle of pride zipped through her at the sight as it had for the past month. Navy pants. Navy short-sleeved polo. Over her left breast was embroidered Easton Police Department and underneath that was her title: Chief of Police.

  Chief. She made bug eyes at her reflection and grinned, not caring if the silly expression didn’t match the dignity of the uniform.

  When she had applied for the police chief position, her chances were a complete tossup in her mind. Young. Female. A tiny Southern town. Stunned when she received a phone call from the mayor a week later, she was even more shocked when they wanted to interview her almost immediately. Within a month, her exemplary military and police credentials had the town offering her the position despite her youth and sex. Only a few had openly expressed doubt that a female would be able to handle the pressure of being police chief. And she was determined to prove them wrong.

  Now, a month later, she filled her days getting used to new duties, the townspeople, and her staff of one receptionist, Pearl, who doubled as the dispatcher for calls that did not go through 9-1-1, Mason, a police sergeant, and three officers. But today was special—it was her chance to meet the other area chiefs and sheriffs at the monthly law enforcement leaders’ meeting.

  The Eastern Shore of Virginia consisted of only two counties, physically separated from the rest of the state, joined at the southern tip to Virginia Beach by a seventeen-mile bridge that crossed over the Chesapeake Bay. North was Maryland. Besides the sheriffs of the two counties, there were only four towns that were large enough to have an individual police force. Legal jurisdictions dictated their areas of operations, but it appeared they assisted each other as much as possible. Hence, one of the reasons the leaders of local law enforcement met monthly to discuss concerns that they shared.

  Nerves slithered through her, but she tamped the negative emotion down with the knowledge that she was not the only new hire. Mitch Evans had just taken over as Police Chief of Baytown, and Dylan Hunt had been hired as Police Chief of Seaside six months ago.

  Driving into Baytown, she called Pearl to remind her that she would be at the meeting and not back into the office until after lunch. She had not had a chance to visit Baytown but knew they had the only public beach in the county and summer vacationers would fill the rental houses. Main Street was quaint with little shops and she decided to visit soon when she was not on duty.

  Now, driving to the Baytown Police Station, she was struck with how much larger Baytown was than Easton. All the towns on the Eastern Shore were small, but Baytown had over a thousand residents, whereas Easton only had about three hundred. She parked near the front of the two-story brick building and smoothed her hands over her uniform again before pulling on the glass door leading into the station reception area.

  “‘Morning!”

  The greeting rang out from the elderly receptionist sitting behind the counter. Her curly, blue-tinted grey hair bounced as she waved.

  “Oh… good morning. I’m—”

  “Know who you are, Hannah Freeman. You have the distinction of being the only female police chief out here,” the woman announced, her curls still shaking. “Kudos to Easton for finally hiring a woman! I’m Mildred Score, by the way.”

  A female officer wearing a Baytown uniform walked from the back hall and smiled toward Hannah. “Hello, Chief Freeman. I’m Ginny Spencer. It’s nice to meet you.”

  Shaking Ginny’s hand, she accepted the warm greeting, glad to meet another female officer. “Hi. Call me Hannah.”

  “I understand you were MP… Army?”

  “Yes, I was.”

  “Same for me. I know you’ve got to head into the LEL meeting, but I’d love to grab coffee or drinks sometime when we have a chance,” Ginny invited. “There’s not a lot of us female officers around.”

  “That’d be great.” She cocked her head to the side and asked, “By the way… LEL?”

  Mildred walked up and said, “That’s the shortened version of Law Enforcement Leaders. Otherwise, it’s too much of a mouthful to say! Come on back.”

  Waving goodbye as Ginny left the building, she followed Mildred’s bouncing curls toward the staff workroom.

  “The LEL meeting is in here. Coffee’s on the counter. Make yourself at home.” With that, the efficient Mildred offered a nod before heading back to the front.

  Walking in, she was surprised her feet did not stumble at the sight of the four men already in the room. She was no stranger to attractive men, but the four in front of her exuded masculinity and military bearing as well as open friendliness, ramping up their handsomeness.

  Coming to her senses, she squared her shoulders and stepped forward, her hand extended in greeting. Mitch Evans, tall, with a lean, muscular body, welcomed her to their group and Baytown. Colt Hudson, Sheriff of North Heron County, was huge. Tall, muscular, with thick dark hair and an intense gaze, he smiled widely as they were introduced. N
ext came Liam Sullivan, Sheriff of Acawmacke County, and Wyatt Newman, the Police Chief of Manteague, equally as handsome. She wondered if it was against regulations for a law enforcement leader on the Eastern Shore to be balding, pot-bellied, and cursed with bad teeth.

  “Grab some coffee, Hannah,” Mitch invited, waving his hand toward the counter. “We’re just waiting on Dylan.”

  Before she had a chance to move to the other side of the room, she turned at the sound of someone rapidly approaching. She blinked as his hands darted out to land on her shoulders in an effort to keep their bodies from crashing together. As she stared up into his face, a thought flashed through her mind… You can crash into me anytime. Just as handsome as the other men in the room, this one had a boyish, lopsided grin and hazel-green eyes. Tall, with a runner’s muscular body, her gaze darted from his brown hair swept to the side, all the way down to his boots. His uniform was similar to hers except he sported khaki pants and a navy shirt with Seaside Police Department emblazoned over his heart. And, like hers, Chief of Police declared his position.

  By the time her gaze dragged back to his face, his grin quirked up even more on one side and his eyes actually twinkled. While the other handsome men had an air of confident professionalism, this man oozed an air of lighthearted enjoyment of life.

  “You must be Hannah. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Dylan. Dylan Hunt.”

  She reached her hand out, and as his fingers closed over hers, electricity zapped about the room, circling around the two of them, blocking out everyone else. She jerked, forcing her lungs to fill with air, certain she must look like a fool. Heat crept over her, and she prayed her face was not flaming red. Shocked at the instant connection, she glanced up at Dylan, surprised to see the same wide-eyed, shocked expression on his face. He stared at their hands before he lifted his gaze to hers. If it hadn’t been for the other men in the room, she wasn’t sure she would have remembered to pull her hand back.

  As they sat down around the table, she noticed Dylan moved quickly and sat next to her. Mitch began the meeting, and she worked to steady her breathing, quickly falling into the rhythm of her job. Pride and competency filled her, and she hoped no one had observed her momentary lapse of professionalism.

  Dylan Hunt had kept his eye on the speed limit as he drove into Baytown, not wanting to be pulled over even though he was in a Seaside Police SUV. Baytown’s speed limit was only 25 mph and he knew town visitors would be in the area. Glancing at the clock on the dashboard, he hoped everyone was still greeting each other over coffee and not aware that he was late. Yesterday had been his first day off since taking over his new position, and last night he’d celebrated a little too much.

  Finally, jerking into a parking spot at the Baytown Municipal Building where the police station occupied one side, he rushed into the reception area with a wave and a wink toward the elderly dispatcher.

  “Hello, Chief Hunt! They’re all back there waiting for you.” She sent him down the hall to the department workroom. Rounding the corner, he darted into the room, almost plowing over the woman standing directly in front of him. She turned, her eyes wide, and his booted feet skidded on the waxed tile floor. His hands snapped out to grab her shoulders to slow his forward progression and keep from slamming into her.

  He knew the town of Easton had hired a new female chief but hadn’t met her yet. Shocked, he never expected to come face-to-face with such a beauty. Her dark hair was pulled back into a military regulation bun, and he remembered hearing that she’d been in the Army. Her makeup was subtle, certainly not like the women he usually met at bars, but with her beauty, she didn’t need much to play up her perfect features. Blue eyes. Porcelain skin. Plump lips.

  As his gaze skimmed the rest of her petite frame, it was evident she had curves hidden under her uniform. He grinned widely when he realized her gaze was drifting over him as well. But when her eyes lifted to his face, his breath caught in his throat. The clear blue orbs held him captive as though she could see straight into his soul. He couldn’t tear his gaze away, but neither could he think of a quick-witted response. Her deep perusal was not something he was used to. Most women were more interested in seeing him shirtless and flexing his muscles.

  Afraid that she would find him lacking, he threw his hand out, rushing to introduce himself. Her breath hitched when their fingers touched. Suddenly, ensnared in a web of electricity around them, he was uncertain what was happening.

  He had never had such a reaction to a woman. Flirt? Absolutely. Quick fuck? When it was right, yes. Long talks, walks, dates? Hell, no. But right now, with her hand still in his, he wanted to know more about her and wanted to be a man good enough to have that privilege.

  The scraping of a chair jolted him out of his trance, and she jerked her hand back, a blush rising over her delicate cheeks. Offering a quick nod, she turned and moved to the table. He had just enough time to pull out the chair and settle into the seat beside her.

  “I know introductions have been made, but with some new folks here, Dylan, why don’t you tell us about yourself?” Colt suggested.

  “Not much to tell. Born and raised just outside of Seaside. I was a few years behind Mitch and also went to Baytown High School. My gramps was a fisherman, so was my dad. My older brother joined the family business, but I’m afraid I was the black sheep of the family.”

  Not shy, he never minded talking about himself, but as Hannah’s eyes stayed riveted on him, he was suddenly self-conscious. With a self-deprecating chuckle erupting, he continued, “I joined the Navy right out of high school, knowing that I loved the sea but didn’t want to be a fisherman. While in, I earned an Associates in Criminal Justice and worked with the police. When I got out, I came back to Seaside hoping to work for the Sheriff’s department, but the Police Chief position became available and no one else put in for the job.” He shook his head. “I threw my application out to the town council and was shocked as shit when they accepted me.”

  “But black sheep?” she asked, her head tilted to the side as she held his gaze.

  The pose was adorable, and her voice was soft. He blinked, attempting to focus on his story again. “Oh, yeah. Well, my gramps has been pissed at me since I joined the Navy. He thinks I betrayed the family business. ‘Fraid that hasn’t changed since I came back to be in law enforcement.” He shrugged, adding, “He says I’m being uppity.” Almost afraid to look to the side, he accepted the acknowledging laughter from the others.

  Hannah’s soft voice cut through the noise. “Don’t worry about what anyone else says… stay true to you.”

  His gaze swung to the side, seeing the smile on her face directed toward him. He blinked again, and the idea of spending time alone with her just to hear her soothing voice slammed into him.

  “Mitch? What about you?” Liam said, interrupting Dylan’s musing.

  “I’m not sure there’s much of a surprise about me. I was born and raised here in Baytown. My grandfather used to be the Police Chief and my father was an officer. When my grandfather retired, my father took over as Police Chief. During that time, I did a stint in the Army with Military Police and then worked as an investigator for the FBI. My dad had a heart attack several months ago, and the Mayor contacted me to see if I wanted to take over the position. Honestly? I was tired of the bureaucracy and ready for a change. I almost considered working for a security company, Saints Protection, having befriended the owner.” Shrugging, he said, “But the call of the Bay was hard to ignore.”

  The others looked toward Hannah, and she smiled. “I suppose my story is much like Mitch’s. Army MP after I earned a degree in Criminal Justice. My father worked for the FBI and my brother is a detective for the Hope City Police Department. Everyone in my family assumed that I would go for a position with the FBI, and one was offered to me. It’s just not what I wanted.”

  “You turned down the FBI to work at Easton?” Dylan asked, surprise running through him.

  She laughed, and the sound was so pure it was har
d for him to focus on her explanation.

  “I’m not sure my family has forgiven me. That makes me the black sheep of my family. But yes, the Bureau was not what I wanted. I was thrilled with the idea of working in a place where I could get to know everyone. To truly feel like I’m making a difference.”

  He knew she’d just put them in the same category with disappointing their families, but her pedigree was law enforcement elite, and he was just… good ol’ boy Dylan. He was happy with who he was and what he was doing but couldn’t imagine turning down a job with the FBI.

  After the rest of the introductions, the meeting began. Focusing his attention on the agenda, Dylan loved the shared information and the camaraderie built during the hour. He had experienced that type of professional relationship when serving in the military but wasn’t sure if he would find it in his new job.

  Even though he took his responsibilities seriously, the delicate scent of Hannah’s shampoo wafted by, continually pulling his thoughts away from the subjects at hand.

  When they finally broke for lunch, Mitch suggested Finn’s Pub, a short walk down Main Street. The sidewalk forced them to naturally walk in pairs. Mitch and Colt took the lead, falling into a discussion about the possibility of bringing an American Legion chapter to the area. Wyatt and Liam walked behind them, discussing some of the concerns in their county. Dylan made certain to align himself with Hannah, pleased that they were walking together. “So, how are you settling in?”