Read Online Closer To You (Tales of the Sweet Magnolia Book 1) by Amanda McIntyre - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Amanda McIntyre
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over his temple. Blood smeared on his fingers, running down his wrist. Another shot rang from outside, but try as he might, he couldn’t move. He rolled to his back and let out a blood-curdling yowl, arching his butt off the floor. Jesus have mercy, he’d been shot in the buttocks. Lilly’s lovely face appeared over him, a watery wash of tenderness shone in her eye. Jake was having trouble thinking straight.
“Get him upstairs. Get some hot water.” Lilly ushered the group of women who’d appeared in a circle, hovering above him.
“That thief stole the sheriff’s horse,” he heard one woman say.
“I ain’t never seen anyone skedaddle so fast.” Jake thought the voice belonged to the cook.
“Did anyone get hurt?” Jake pushed through the fog in his brain. “The girls…outside?” He moaned at the effort that it took to think. He was suddenly very tired. Maybe if he closed his eyes and rested for just a moment…. “We need some bandages, a bottle of whiskey. It might come in handy.” Lilly barked out orders and Jake felt his body lifted off the floor.
“The girls, Lil. Are they okay?”
“They’re fine, Jake. They came in the back door as that asshole left out the front. Hurry now,” Lilly coaxed. “Take him to my room.”
“Aw, good, that’s good.” He fought his muddled thoughts. Had someone just mentioned Lil’s room? “Just get me to town. I think I need a doctor.” He grimaced as they jostled his body.
“You haven’t got a horse and we’d be wasting time,” Lilly spoke with her usual authoritative tone. “Besides, you’re bleeding all over this beautiful rug. Lucky for you, I have some experience in first aid. Now, be still and let these good people get you to my bed.”
He surrendered. Lil’s bed . The thought made him smile just before his world went black.
***
The erotic images in his dreams were wild, but left him feeling wonderful. Jake drifted lazily, the fog in his brain dissipating with an alarming awareness. His eyes came open and without thinking, he sat straight up in bed. With the intensity of a thunderbolt, pain sliced up his spine. His own scream bounced off the room.
“Sheriff Sloan,” a familiar voice cajoled, “I suggest that you quiet down or the other clients will wonder what it is I am doing in here to our esteemed man of the law.”
Jake dropped back on the bed, attempting to bring his heart rate back under control. He squeezed his eyes tight against the pain radiating from his cheek— and not the one on his face. “How long have I been out?” He spoke through clenched teeth. Not ready yet to delve into why his butt hurt like fire, he kept his eyes shut.
“Long enough.”
Jake sensed when she moved next to him, her flowers and sunshine scent wafted past his nose. He chanced a quick peek at her through hooded lids; the bright day caused his head to ache. “Long enough? Long enough…for what, exactly?”
“As if you’d be very good in that capacity at present, Sheriff,” Lil teased with an ornery grin.
The unexpected stab at his virility caused what was beneath the coverlet to twitch. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief. “Lillian, please, how long have I been out?” He rubbed the heels of his hands over his closed eyes and attempted to clear his head. Good lord, there was no telling what kind of rumors were spreading through town. And what about Preacher? Jake wouldn’t hear the end of it when he found out that he’d been convalescing in the town’s parlor house. He shifted his leg and realized with a sudden clarity that he was stark naked beneath the quilt. Jake’s heart started to thud and other parts of his anatomy awakened to the idea of who might have undressed him. He swallowed hard and shoved his thoughts in another direction. Lilly seemed unfazed that he lay in her bed, and Jake wasn’t sure how he felt about that, though that was short-lived when he asked about his wounds. “Was there a bullet?”
She glanced at
“Get him upstairs. Get some hot water.” Lilly ushered the group of women who’d appeared in a circle, hovering above him.
“That thief stole the sheriff’s horse,” he heard one woman say.
“I ain’t never seen anyone skedaddle so fast.” Jake thought the voice belonged to the cook.
“Did anyone get hurt?” Jake pushed through the fog in his brain. “The girls…outside?” He moaned at the effort that it took to think. He was suddenly very tired. Maybe if he closed his eyes and rested for just a moment…. “We need some bandages, a bottle of whiskey. It might come in handy.” Lilly barked out orders and Jake felt his body lifted off the floor.
“The girls, Lil. Are they okay?”
“They’re fine, Jake. They came in the back door as that asshole left out the front. Hurry now,” Lilly coaxed. “Take him to my room.”
“Aw, good, that’s good.” He fought his muddled thoughts. Had someone just mentioned Lil’s room? “Just get me to town. I think I need a doctor.” He grimaced as they jostled his body.
“You haven’t got a horse and we’d be wasting time,” Lilly spoke with her usual authoritative tone. “Besides, you’re bleeding all over this beautiful rug. Lucky for you, I have some experience in first aid. Now, be still and let these good people get you to my bed.”
He surrendered. Lil’s bed . The thought made him smile just before his world went black.
***
The erotic images in his dreams were wild, but left him feeling wonderful. Jake drifted lazily, the fog in his brain dissipating with an alarming awareness. His eyes came open and without thinking, he sat straight up in bed. With the intensity of a thunderbolt, pain sliced up his spine. His own scream bounced off the room.
“Sheriff Sloan,” a familiar voice cajoled, “I suggest that you quiet down or the other clients will wonder what it is I am doing in here to our esteemed man of the law.”
Jake dropped back on the bed, attempting to bring his heart rate back under control. He squeezed his eyes tight against the pain radiating from his cheek— and not the one on his face. “How long have I been out?” He spoke through clenched teeth. Not ready yet to delve into why his butt hurt like fire, he kept his eyes shut.
“Long enough.”
Jake sensed when she moved next to him, her flowers and sunshine scent wafted past his nose. He chanced a quick peek at her through hooded lids; the bright day caused his head to ache. “Long enough? Long enough…for what, exactly?”
“As if you’d be very good in that capacity at present, Sheriff,” Lil teased with an ornery grin.
The unexpected stab at his virility caused what was beneath the coverlet to twitch. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief. “Lillian, please, how long have I been out?” He rubbed the heels of his hands over his closed eyes and attempted to clear his head. Good lord, there was no telling what kind of rumors were spreading through town. And what about Preacher? Jake wouldn’t hear the end of it when he found out that he’d been convalescing in the town’s parlor house. He shifted his leg and realized with a sudden clarity that he was stark naked beneath the quilt. Jake’s heart started to thud and other parts of his anatomy awakened to the idea of who might have undressed him. He swallowed hard and shoved his thoughts in another direction. Lilly seemed unfazed that he lay in her bed, and Jake wasn’t sure how he felt about that, though that was short-lived when he asked about his wounds. “Was there a bullet?”
She glanced at
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