Read Online Closer To You (Tales of the Sweet Magnolia Book 1) by Amanda McIntyre - Free Book Online
Authors: Amanda McIntyre
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that if he did, he just might have to come clean to Lilly about his suppressed affection for her.
“Mr.—” A beefy arm came around her, imprisoning her in the stranger’s grasp. He could see that Lil was trying hard not to let her fear show. Her eyes, though, spoke volumes. Jake’s stomach lurched, his grip tightening on his gun.
“Go on, tell the good sheriff what I want, Miss Lilly.” The man pressed his unshaven cheek to Lilly’s as he stared at Jake over her shoulder. One hand held a gun pointed to Lilly’s side, the other held her solidly against his large frame. He was a good head taller than Jake, but it was that Colt pushed against Lil’s ribcage that gave him his power.
Every nerve ending in Jake came alive. He kept his eyes on Lilly’s, trying to convey to her to remain calm and not make any rash moves.
“Mr. Evans…” she paused licking her lips, “would like my company for the evening.” She turned her cheek from where the man nuzzled her jaw. “I’ve informed him that I am not taking callers today.”
Jake had seen his share of men who became cantankerous and mean when drunk. Most times he could talk them to coming to the jail for a warm meal and a place to sleep. Once in a great while, he’d run across the stubborner variety.
This guy appeared to be a product of the latter, maybe worse. “The lady says she’s not taking callers this evening, friend.” Jake eased toward the bottom of the stairwell; his gaze focused on the man and Lilly, hoping that he could put them both at ease and avoid bloodshed.
“She done lied to me. Led me to believe that I could have her ‘stead of the purdy blonde. Now, I want what she promised,” he growled. “’Sides, she beat me out of all my money, and I figure she cheated me at that, too. I ought to get something in return.”
It made Jake curious to know where he’d gotten his cash. Stagecoach robberies were commonplace, but especially when it came to trading in the gold mining towns. “No doubt you do.” Jake stepped cautiously up the stairs, his gun poised near his hip. “Maybe tomorrow after you’ve had a chance to rest up and get cleaned up would be better for the lady?” He directed a pointed look to Lil, trying to get her to follow his lead.
Lilly’s gaze snapped lightning bolts and her lips, bathed with a ruby red tint pressed together in a firm, straight line. She apparently was not as receptive to his attempt to diffuse the situation.
“So what if she ain’t? I’m a man and I got needs. This here is a bed-house, ain’t it? If I bring my money, I ought to be rightly serviced.”
The man argued as though Lilly was an object, not a human. It turned Jake’s stomach. Still, he had to find a way to gain his trust. Though Lil might get riled, it was a risk that he had to take. “Well, now I understand a man has his needs,” Jake stated casually, his eyes locked to Lilly’s pleading for her to go along with the ruse. “I think that most women respond well to a gent who cleans himself up. You could come to town, get a room, and come back tomorrow a tad more presentable. I think I could guarantee that Lil would see you in a different light all-together, friend. Ain’t that so, Lil?”
There was a strained silence and then she spoke in a deadly low voice. “Over my dead body.” Her eyes rivaled a block of ice.
Shit. Jake’s jaw clenched, fighting not to let his frustration show. She wasn’t working with him as well as he’d like.
The man brandished his gun, waving it in front of Lilly before he aimed at
Jake.
“Lillian.” Jake urged her with his eyes, to go along with him, instead of trying to land them both at the casket-maker.
She squared her shoulders, and he knew she wasn’t going to play along. “I’m sorry, Jake. I can’t.” she said with conviction. “No, I simply won’t concede to this brutish behavior.”
Not realizing that by speaking to him by name, she’d just given the outlaw his winning card,
“Mr.—” A beefy arm came around her, imprisoning her in the stranger’s grasp. He could see that Lil was trying hard not to let her fear show. Her eyes, though, spoke volumes. Jake’s stomach lurched, his grip tightening on his gun.
“Go on, tell the good sheriff what I want, Miss Lilly.” The man pressed his unshaven cheek to Lilly’s as he stared at Jake over her shoulder. One hand held a gun pointed to Lilly’s side, the other held her solidly against his large frame. He was a good head taller than Jake, but it was that Colt pushed against Lil’s ribcage that gave him his power.
Every nerve ending in Jake came alive. He kept his eyes on Lilly’s, trying to convey to her to remain calm and not make any rash moves.
“Mr. Evans…” she paused licking her lips, “would like my company for the evening.” She turned her cheek from where the man nuzzled her jaw. “I’ve informed him that I am not taking callers today.”
Jake had seen his share of men who became cantankerous and mean when drunk. Most times he could talk them to coming to the jail for a warm meal and a place to sleep. Once in a great while, he’d run across the stubborner variety.
This guy appeared to be a product of the latter, maybe worse. “The lady says she’s not taking callers this evening, friend.” Jake eased toward the bottom of the stairwell; his gaze focused on the man and Lilly, hoping that he could put them both at ease and avoid bloodshed.
“She done lied to me. Led me to believe that I could have her ‘stead of the purdy blonde. Now, I want what she promised,” he growled. “’Sides, she beat me out of all my money, and I figure she cheated me at that, too. I ought to get something in return.”
It made Jake curious to know where he’d gotten his cash. Stagecoach robberies were commonplace, but especially when it came to trading in the gold mining towns. “No doubt you do.” Jake stepped cautiously up the stairs, his gun poised near his hip. “Maybe tomorrow after you’ve had a chance to rest up and get cleaned up would be better for the lady?” He directed a pointed look to Lil, trying to get her to follow his lead.
Lilly’s gaze snapped lightning bolts and her lips, bathed with a ruby red tint pressed together in a firm, straight line. She apparently was not as receptive to his attempt to diffuse the situation.
“So what if she ain’t? I’m a man and I got needs. This here is a bed-house, ain’t it? If I bring my money, I ought to be rightly serviced.”
The man argued as though Lilly was an object, not a human. It turned Jake’s stomach. Still, he had to find a way to gain his trust. Though Lil might get riled, it was a risk that he had to take. “Well, now I understand a man has his needs,” Jake stated casually, his eyes locked to Lilly’s pleading for her to go along with the ruse. “I think that most women respond well to a gent who cleans himself up. You could come to town, get a room, and come back tomorrow a tad more presentable. I think I could guarantee that Lil would see you in a different light all-together, friend. Ain’t that so, Lil?”
There was a strained silence and then she spoke in a deadly low voice. “Over my dead body.” Her eyes rivaled a block of ice.
Shit. Jake’s jaw clenched, fighting not to let his frustration show. She wasn’t working with him as well as he’d like.
The man brandished his gun, waving it in front of Lilly before he aimed at
Jake.
“Lillian.” Jake urged her with his eyes, to go along with him, instead of trying to land them both at the casket-maker.
She squared her shoulders, and he knew she wasn’t going to play along. “I’m sorry, Jake. I can’t.” she said with conviction. “No, I simply won’t concede to this brutish behavior.”
Not realizing that by speaking to him by name, she’d just given the outlaw his winning card,
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