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kiss ended much sooner than he wanted. Ava pulled away and then stumbled backwards, trying to get away from him. “What was that?”
    “I must have been doing something wrong, because I thought I was kissing you.”
    “Well, yeah, you were. Why?” she asked.
    “I … I don’t know,” Seth stuttered. He took a step toward her again, but she followed with another step back from him. “I didn’t want you to think I didn’t like you, because I do.”
    “I’m confused. You like me, but you want me out of this town.”
    “We could solve this easily.”
    She cocked her head to the side. “Oh, really? How?”
    “Open a different type of store.”
    Ava started to laugh. “You’re something, Seth. Let me guess. You were going to try and get me into bed and then hope you gave me such an intense orgasm that I’d be putty in your hands and do what you wanted. Well, you’re barking up the wrong tree. I’m so sick of men trying to change me. Get the hell out of here.”
    “What … no. I wasn’t trying to get you into bed.” Or was he?
    She put her hand up. “Save it. Just leave. I’m pretty sure, as the sheriff, that you understand you have no right to be here any longer when I ask you to get off my property. Unless, of course, you have a warrant.”
    He didn’t know what to say. Somehow, things had changed fast. They’d gone from their usual playful banter to a kiss that had melted his heart, and now she was throwing him out. He was clueless and was getting the hell out of here. Part of him wanted to try and apologize but knew it wouldn’t do any good with Ava. Something she had said told him there was hurt in her past, so his best bet was to just leave her alone for now. Maybe later he could discover what had upset her. Until then, he’d steer clear of her.

 
     
    Chapter Seven
     
    The next morning, Seth busted through the doors of Honeycreek, looking for Claire. He was used to seeing her the moment he came into the bed-and-breakfast. He wondered if she was in the kitchen. Then again, this was the dead time of year. She might not have any guests, so it was possible she was in her part of the place with her husband. Hopefully, Jace was feeling better. Although, if Seth had a woman like Claire, he’d fake sick just to get her tender love.
    His thoughts then turned to Ava caring for him. Only, in his fantasy, she wore a sexy nurse outfit, and she carried a tray with chicken noodle soup on it. She’d lean over him, her cleavage in his face, and feed him.
    Shit. He had to stop this.
    “Seth,” Claire called from behind him. He turned to find her. “What’s the trouble now?”
    She knew him so well. “I kissed Ava.”
    “That doesn’t surprise me.”
    “It does me.”
    “What’s the problem?” she asked.
    “She thinks I kissed her only to get her to not open the shop.”
    Claire raised an eyebrow. “Why would she think that?”
    Seth raked his hand through his brown hair. “I kinda said something stupid.” He paused. “I told her things would be perfect if she’d open up a different type of store.”
    “You said this after you kissed her.”
    He nodded.
    “God, what a jerk! Did she kick you out?”
    He nodded again.
    “Seth, what has gotten into you? This is so unlike you. Do you like Ava?”
    “I think I do … and I’m worried it’s a little more than like. Shit, I can’t believe I just admitted that. That damn woman clouds my thoughts all day, and I’ve only know her a little over a week. A freaking week! I think about her all the time. Everything I do revolves around her. What do I do?”
    “I can’t believe it. You’re in love.”
    “What? No, I don’t think so.” He was infatuated, not in love.
    “Seth, you are. And in order to not go insane, you’re going to have to accept her and the store she’s opening. Besides, it’s just a lingerie shop. I bet she wears that stuff every night. Lucky you. All Jace gets are T-shirts and pajama bottoms.”
    “And you look damn sexy