woman, and yet, she dressed and acted like a man. Was he wrong to want a soft woman who’d let him wear the pants in the family?
She glanced over at the empty jail cells. “Where’s Simon?”
He’d known this question was coming, and he didn’t know how to answer her. He couldn’t tell her Simon had hanged, as there hadn’t been a trial. He couldn’t say he’d left him in another jail, as she could check and find out he was lying, and then he could lose the job he loved.
He sighed and chose the answer he was sure would cause him the most trouble, but would allow him to retain his job. “He got away.”
She jumped up from her chair. “What do you mean he got away? You’re a lawman. How do you lose a prisoner?”
“When he knocks you out cold and takes off, that’s how,” he replied, hoping she wouldn’t seek Simon out. Praying she’d give the pursuit a rest.
Zach had some business to take care of first. Then he would ride out, find Mary Lowell, and hear her story. Hopefully, he’d learn the truth regarding Simon then handle the situation in the most law-abiding way.
“And you didn’t go after him?” Meg asked her eyes wide and her mouth open in disbelief. She shook her head and gazed at him with a weird look on her face. “What kind of sheriff are you?”
“A damn good one,” he responded as a curl of frustration tightened his fists. He’d made a promise—a vow that held him hostage.
She shook her head at him. “A damn good one for who? The criminals?”
“No,” he said. “I’m going after him.”
“Something’s not right. You would never have let a prisoner get away and not hunt him down.”
“Leave it be, Meg. I’m going after him tomorrow,” Zach demanded, standing and coming around the desk. “Don’t even think about going after him.”
“Why?” she asked. “Why is he different than all the other prisoners I bring in? Why should I stay away from him?”
“Because he’s dangerous.” Zach placed his hands on her shoulders, wanting to shake some sense into her. God, she was so defiant, so reckless, so brave and stupid. She would place herself in danger just to earn this bounty.
“That’s never stopped me before,” she said in a daring tone.
His hands moved from her shoulders to cup her face, and he stared at her, his gaze intent on trying to see inside her soul. To see if she would listen to him and stay in town or if she planned on pursuing Simon.
He stared at her luscious lips, longing to taste her again, needing to see if there was still passion between them. Wanting so badly to kiss her. To taste her again. To plunder some sense into her way-too-smart brain.
“You can’t go after him,” he whispered, unable to stop himself as his mouth came down on hers. His lips assaulted hers, pouring all his resentment of the situation into her mouth as he moved over her lips, indulging and holding her mouth captive. He kissed her with all his frustration from her ignoring his proposal. He kissed her with all the pent-up passion that had long been denied for her tempting curves and her luscious mouth.
Suddenly her hands came up between them, and she pushed away. She stepped back from him. “That’s enough, Sheriff. Don’t forget I’m still that same pants-wearing woman who is going after Simon. He’s mine, and I won’t be bringing him back to your jail, so he can conveniently escape again.” She spun on her heels and walked out the door, her boots ringing against the hardwood floor.
“Damn,” he said. “The chase is on again.”
Chapter Four
S he’d never thought of Zach Gillespie as stupid. But how could he have let a known killer escape and not hunt him? What kind of lawman let a man wanted for murder get away? If he hadn’t interfered with her bringing him in, Simon would be sitting in jail, awaiting trial. She’d be five hundred dollars richer, and the bank loan would be paid off.
She kicked the sides of her horse, spurring him toward
She glanced over at the empty jail cells. “Where’s Simon?”
He’d known this question was coming, and he didn’t know how to answer her. He couldn’t tell her Simon had hanged, as there hadn’t been a trial. He couldn’t say he’d left him in another jail, as she could check and find out he was lying, and then he could lose the job he loved.
He sighed and chose the answer he was sure would cause him the most trouble, but would allow him to retain his job. “He got away.”
She jumped up from her chair. “What do you mean he got away? You’re a lawman. How do you lose a prisoner?”
“When he knocks you out cold and takes off, that’s how,” he replied, hoping she wouldn’t seek Simon out. Praying she’d give the pursuit a rest.
Zach had some business to take care of first. Then he would ride out, find Mary Lowell, and hear her story. Hopefully, he’d learn the truth regarding Simon then handle the situation in the most law-abiding way.
“And you didn’t go after him?” Meg asked her eyes wide and her mouth open in disbelief. She shook her head and gazed at him with a weird look on her face. “What kind of sheriff are you?”
“A damn good one,” he responded as a curl of frustration tightened his fists. He’d made a promise—a vow that held him hostage.
She shook her head at him. “A damn good one for who? The criminals?”
“No,” he said. “I’m going after him.”
“Something’s not right. You would never have let a prisoner get away and not hunt him down.”
“Leave it be, Meg. I’m going after him tomorrow,” Zach demanded, standing and coming around the desk. “Don’t even think about going after him.”
“Why?” she asked. “Why is he different than all the other prisoners I bring in? Why should I stay away from him?”
“Because he’s dangerous.” Zach placed his hands on her shoulders, wanting to shake some sense into her. God, she was so defiant, so reckless, so brave and stupid. She would place herself in danger just to earn this bounty.
“That’s never stopped me before,” she said in a daring tone.
His hands moved from her shoulders to cup her face, and he stared at her, his gaze intent on trying to see inside her soul. To see if she would listen to him and stay in town or if she planned on pursuing Simon.
He stared at her luscious lips, longing to taste her again, needing to see if there was still passion between them. Wanting so badly to kiss her. To taste her again. To plunder some sense into her way-too-smart brain.
“You can’t go after him,” he whispered, unable to stop himself as his mouth came down on hers. His lips assaulted hers, pouring all his resentment of the situation into her mouth as he moved over her lips, indulging and holding her mouth captive. He kissed her with all his frustration from her ignoring his proposal. He kissed her with all the pent-up passion that had long been denied for her tempting curves and her luscious mouth.
Suddenly her hands came up between them, and she pushed away. She stepped back from him. “That’s enough, Sheriff. Don’t forget I’m still that same pants-wearing woman who is going after Simon. He’s mine, and I won’t be bringing him back to your jail, so he can conveniently escape again.” She spun on her heels and walked out the door, her boots ringing against the hardwood floor.
“Damn,” he said. “The chase is on again.”
Chapter Four
S he’d never thought of Zach Gillespie as stupid. But how could he have let a known killer escape and not hunt him? What kind of lawman let a man wanted for murder get away? If he hadn’t interfered with her bringing him in, Simon would be sitting in jail, awaiting trial. She’d be five hundred dollars richer, and the bank loan would be paid off.
She kicked the sides of her horse, spurring him toward
Similar Books
