Read Online Annabelle Weston by Scandalous Woman - Free Book Online Page B

stepped closer, taking that chance she wouldn’t lash out at him again.
    She blinked a few times. “How do you know what I really want?”
    “ Because of how wet you were when we were together.”
    “ You think I was aroused?”
    He grinned. “Yeah. I heard you moan.”
    “ Really?”
    “ I told you, I’m an expert when it comes to bed play and giving women what they want.”
    She smiled, a dimple creasing in her left cheek. Shit, if her smile didn’t beat all.
    “ We’ll see who’s the expert, now won’t we?”
    No more bawdy talk, much as he was enjoying himself. He had to be firm.
    “ I expect the Lonesome to be closed at six.”
    “ Whatever you say, Sheriff.” She purred affectionately and then turned away from him. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have things to do before we open.”
    “ You might do a lot more than think about it, Carly Buchanan. Whether you accept my offer of bed play or not, the town is now under a curfew and anyone not abiding the law will be arrested.”
    “ You’re very strict.”
    “ Only when I have to be.”
    She didn’t answer him, just kept on walking until she reached the newel post. She touched the polished wood, turned and gave him that sultry look that set his heart to thumping.
    He knew she’d do as he asked.
    He rubbed his hands together, planning the many ways in which he’d pleasure her when he was through with the gang.
    * * * * *
    Alvin took out his watch. “Almost nine o’clock.”
    Carly bit her lip. The men at the table were betting wildly and she’d have a nice profit by the end of the night if she played her cards right.
    “ What happens at nine?” one of the players asked.
    “ Didn’t you hear?” Alvin answered. “The new sheriff has imposed a curfew. We were supposed to be closed up by six.”
    The three men guffawed.
    “ I’d like to see him try and close this place,” the man said.
    Carly huffed. Jed had made an impossible request. He’d no right to impose his rules and regulations on her. How had she let him talk her into closing early?
    Alvin frowned. “I heard he left town, chasing after those varmints who shot out our expensive plate-glass window.”
    She didn’t want Alvin to fret. “If the sheriff isn’t around, he isn’t going to know if we stayed open a few hours longer.”
    Alvin shook his head. “I heard he deputized a couple of locals. They’ll be checking on who’s obeyed the curfew.”
    Carly shuffled the deck. The deputies would be easy to handle. Most likely they were already customers of hers.
    “ We’ll make sure they’re well taken care of, won’t we?”
    Big Judith laughed the loudest, her entire body jiggling, much to the delight of the wrangler buying her drinks.
    Carly’s smile widened. She might just get her cake and eat it too. “Don’t you worry, Alvin. The sheriff will be sure to catch Vernon and his gang and then the curfew won’t even be necessary.”
    Alvin didn’t look convinced.
    Carly couldn’t close up her saloon on Jed’s whim. They had a full house tonight. He was going to be angry, of course, but she could deal with his bluster. As for his pledge of a good time, she wouldn’t work up a sweat over a man who wasn’t a paying customer. She was making good money playing cards. From the noise of bedsprings coming from upstairs, tonight’s take would be better than average.
    “ You gonna deal or not?” the man to her left snarled.
    She dipped her shoulder to give him a peek of her black lace and rouged titties. “Sugar, I’m so sorry to have kept you waiting.”

Chapter Five
    Jed led his horse down the middle of the main street, the stars and a half-moon his only light. Judging from the height of the moon, it was nearing three in the morning. Both he and the mustang were dead tired and ready for some shut-eye.
    Mr. Travis had been right. Those hombres shooting up the town headed straight to Nogales. Jed saw no sense in following them, he’d no jurisdiction in Mexico. If Vernon Crosby