The only way to stay alive is to listen when the dead speak... Sheriff Laine Stenley thinks he might just be losing his mind. Ever since hed encountered the spirit of his friends deceased mother, strange things have been happening. His sheriffs tin star keeps popping off, his Stetson tends to fly off his head at the most inconvenient times-and then there are the subtle caresses that remind him of a lovers touch... Something Laine has been without for years-since the violent murder of his partner-and figures to be without well into the future if he wants to retain his position as the sheriff in the small town of McKinton, Texas. Laine doesn't want to risk his career or his heart ever again, but he may not have a choice, not if he wants to stay alive. A man who listens to spirits, Severo has come to McKinton to deliver a message of danger. One look at the sexy sheriff and Severo finds himself in a different sort of danger. He's not ready to find a man who can claim him heart, soul, and body, but ready or not, the attraction that simmers between them is undeniable-and irresistible. Together, they will race against time, because something evil is coming to McKinton. Severo and Laine must learn to trust each other-and themselves- and listen when the dead speak.