Annabelle Weston (14 page)

“
What the—” Jed’s mouth fell open, his words cut short as he gaped at her. His eyes turned from dusky gray to black, burning coals as his gaze devoured her.

She advanced slowly toward him so he could get a good look at her. “Why Jed Poole, I’m surprised to see you.”

His throat bobbed when he swallowed. He glanced from her face to her breasts to her cunny, up to her thighs and then back up again. Like a little jig. She laughed.

“
Well? What do you think?” She turned around slowly, seductively, showing him her naked buttocks with the V of the back of the corset resting at the top of the crack of her ass. Almost like an arrow.

“
I… I…” He cleared his throat.

She enjoyed his discomfort. The tease was her art. “Speak up. Don’t you like my new corset? I put it on with you in mind.”

“
Yes.” He stepped forward and she strutted past him.

“
Just yes?” Glory be, she loved to toy with him. When she reached the doorway of her room, she placed her hands at her waist and stood with legs spread apart. There was an invite no man could ignore.

She would pleasure him until he was robbed of his senses, until he begged her to stop.

He followed her inside and tossed his hat on the bed. “I like it. You know I do.”

“
How much do you like it?” she asked in a husky voice.

Jed’s lips curved into a wicked smile. “I like it a lot, Carly. Want me to show you how much?”

She smiled—aroused like the wanton woman she was. “I surely would. But it will cost you, Sheriff.”

His eyes narrowed a bit and he swaggered closer, close enough to touch her. “What’s the price?” He traced a finger along the rim of the black lace at her breasts. There was no mistaking what he was after.

She licked her lips, ready to do anything he wanted. “I’m not asking you for money.”

“
Good ‘cause I don’t have much.”

Wasn’t that a sorry state of affairs, she mused. Of all the men she could’ve fallen for, she picked a poor lawman.

“
What do you want, Carly?”

“
What you and you alone can give.” She walked over to her bed.

He kicked the door shut. “That’s no problem.”

He unhooked his gun belt and set it on the bedpost. He stood a foot away. She bit her lip, excitement whirling through her limbs. He unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his broad, muscled chest. God, he was perfectly built. She reached out, ready to inflame his sinewy flesh.

A knock on the door interrupted her.

“
Save some for the rest us,” a man’s voice said.

“
Go away,” Jed replied.

She laughed. “Don’t scare away my customers, lawman.”

His nostrils flared. “You don’t need them.”

Carly realized what he was saying. “Just because you’re getting a free poke, don’t mean I can turn away others.”

“
Yes, you can.” His expression was serious, daring.

She didn’t like the fantasies that flitted through her mind. She wasn’t that kind of woman.

“
I do have to work or I can’t pay my bills. You know I have a lot of people who count on me.”

“
Forget about those other men. Forget about the Lonesome.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “I can’t and you know that.”

His jaw muscled flexed. “So you’re telling me you’re gonna fuck some other cowpoke tonight?”

“
Honestly, Jed, probably more than one.” She was being brutal. And it hurt to make such an admission, because if she was being truthful with herself, she didn’t want to sleep with anyone but Jed ever again. The sheriff would do just fine for the rest of her days.

Except love didn’t pay the bills.

She could tell by his dark look, the angry flash in his eyes that he wasn’t going to give up. She straightened.

“
If I had my way, you wouldn’t have to do this kind of work ever again.” His voice was low, almost a growl.

She should be flattered by his possessiveness. He wanted her all to himself. She’d not thought him the kind of man to be demanding.

But the Lonesome was more to her than matter of survival.

“
Tell me you’ll give up the saloon.” He wasn’t asking, but commanding her.

She snorted. “And do what?”

“
Open some other kind of business.”

If that just didn’t beat all. “What kind of work do you think I’d be suited for?”

His mouth twisted into a frown. Obviously, he couldn’t think of an answer.

There could only be one explanation for this sudden behavior. He was trying to reform her, turn her into one of those straitlaced town ladies he could be proud to walk beside in public.

“
This life is all I know,” she said. “I won’t quit. You do understand what I’m saying?”

He shook his head, frustration flashed on his face. Disappointment pulsed clear to her toes.

When he spoke, his voice was gravelly, like he held back emotion. “I thought we had something special but I was wrong.”

“
Really? You don’t own me.” Anger simmered on the surface.

He stood in front of her, bare-chested and balls straining against the buttons of his britches. “This is no life for you, Carly.”

“
You make it sound so simple.”

“
I think you don’t give yourself enough credit. You’re smart. You’re about the prettiest thing I ever did see. There are plenty of ways for you to make up the money you take in by fucking any cowpoke that shakes his prick at you.”

Now he was being crude and spiteful. How could he give her a compliment just to pull it back with vile words?

“
I think it’s time you left, Sheriff.” She had to suppress her urge to slap him, shove him hard in the chest.

He didn’t protest, but shrugged on his shirt. “You think about what I said.”

The nerve!
“
I already have. Now leave me alone.”

He picked up his gun belt and buckled it on.

What he’d said touched her more than she cared to admit. She didn’t want to be a whore for the rest of her days. He offered her hope but he had no idea how much his hope for her hurt. Because deep down, as much as she wanted to reach out and hold on tight to a future with him, she knew she couldn’t.

She slumped back on her elbows. The bed creaked and brought his attention back to her. This wasn’t how she planned her evening. Why did he have to go and spoil everything?

“
I’ll be downstairs.”

“
Suit yourself,” she said defiantly.

He snorted. “’We have business to discuss.”

“
Well?”

“
It’s hard for me to concentrate when you’re looking like that.”

“
You’ll have to try harder, Sheriff Poole.” Seduction crept back into her voice. This was her life and he’d better get used to it. She leaned back on her elbows, tucked her knees to the side, giving him plenty of view of her legs but hiding her wet cunny.

His nostrils flared with a mix of desire and anger. “Back to being a whore?”

She hadn’t seen him so mad before. She took no pride in seeing him angry. “If it’ll help, I’ll put on a wrapper.”

He stayed her with eyes blazing.

“
What’s got into you?”

He buttoned up his shirt and tucked it into his britches. He was fighting for control, that was plain to see.

The attraction between them was always at a molten level. No in-between. She was either screaming for him to come inside her or wanting to punch him—and then toss him to the ground where she could ravage him.

“
Let’s not fight.” She lay back on the pillows. “I’d much rather have fun.”

“
I’m a man. I find you to be hotter than hell. I can’t be with you without thinking how I want to take you to bed. How I want to take you home and wake with you in my arms each morning. But I can’t stop thinking about whose gonna come into this room after I leave. You’ve struck me, Carly. You’ve hit me hard.” He tapped his heart. “I’m so fucking jealous of any man who glances your way.” He picked up his hat and jammed it on his head. “So yeah, we’ve got some business to discuss and it’d be better for you to have some damn clothes on.”

With his tirade over, Jed stalked to the door, opened it and slammed it shut behind him. Carly jumped.

“
What was that about?” She wished O’Dell were around so she could ask her what she should do. O’Dell always gave out good advice. But O’Dell wasn’t here. Carly’d been left to her own devices.

His request had been unreasonable. She wouldn’t give up the Lonesome. The saloon was all she had. Was he trying to make her respectable? She shook her head. Maybe it was for the best they broke off their lovemaking before he started making too many demands?

Damn.
She had no idea how to proceed from here. She wasn’t sentimental. Her talent was to make the customer believe he was important to her. Jed Poole had turned the tables on her. She got the impression she was important to him, when he called her gorgeous and smart he meant it.

He could arouse her with one look. She was melting just thinking of him.
Yer getting
soft in the head
, she told herself.

What was she supposed to do about the sheriff? She wished she could have a swallow of Dr. Baxter’s Eight-Day Elixir. Better to feel nothing than all this turmoil that roiled through her.

* * * * *

What the hell had he been thinking?

Jed knew he was a total maggot for the way he’d just treated Carly. He’d let his jealousy run rampant and he’d said things he now regretted. He walked wearily up to the bar and held up his finger for a shot of whiskey. Alvin poured him a glass. He picked up the glass and looked around, wondering which one of these ne’er-do-wells would bed Carly tonight.

He chugged the shot and motioned for another.

Alvin filled the glass to the brim. He emptied the glass in one gulp. He again raised his finger for another. Better he drown his sorrows than think about Carly and what she’d said.

He ought to go apologize, but for what? She didn’t see things his way. He shook his head and tossed down another shot of comfort.

“
Drowning your troubles, Sheriff?” Big Judith sidled up next to him. Her breasts were beyond overflowing tonight. If she sneezed they’d hurt somebody.

“
Yeah.” Jed leaned on the bar.

She chortled. “Maybe none of my business but a relationship with a dolly ain’t easy. You know, my man left me after a time. Liked that I was paying his way but couldn’t handle sharing me with other men.”

He scrutinized the dolly as he downed another shot. Had she heard them arguing? Or was his love for Carly Buchanan that obvious?

The whiskey was starting to taste a lot like water.

“
I appreciate what you’re saying but this is different.”

She laughed, a loud and boisterous noise that came easily. “You got balls, I’ll give you that. Carly’s a beauty to be sure, and a heart o’gold, she has, but she’s got needs, Sheriff. And I don’t mean her naked self doing the nasty.”

Big Judith laughed again, her entire body shaking, and then walked away, grinding against the men as she passed the card tables.

Damn, his whiskey really was tasting like water. He glanced down at the shot glass. It
was
water.

“
Sorry about that, Sheriff, but it looked like you needed something other than whiskey.” Alvin wiped the spot where the glass had been.

Jed glared at the barkeep, who didn’t make any apologies. Instead he tended to another cowpoke at the end of the bar.

“
What kind of saloon is this?” He spoke loud and slurred his words. His mind was too muddled to care.

“
Thought I threw you out of here.”

He turned to see Carly standing behind the bar with a pitcher of water. Her eyes twinkled with humor. He hadn’t even seen her come down the stairs.

“
How long you been standing here?”

“
Long enough to see you rotting your guts.”

“
I’m drinking whiskey tonight.”

“
Why Sheriff Poole, Alvin always serves law enforcement our best.” She leaned close enough for him to smell her perfume. “The whiskey that hasn’t been cut.”

He set the shot of water down, tossed his Stetson on the bar and then dragged his fingers through his hair. The change in her was remarkable. The firebrand who could charm a man out of his good sense had returned. Was he just another customer to her?

She was wearing the dark-red satin dress over that fancy corset she set so much store by. The dress was his favorite. The color reminded him of the desert heat. So did the touch of her skin.

He didn’t need any false courage to admit how glad he was to see her. He needed to make amends. “I don’t know how to say this, but—”

“
Shh…” Carly placed her finger on her lips, and brushed up against him. “You don’t have to explain.”

He didn’t move. Her gown was cut low enough to show off that body. He pulled her finger away, holding her hand in both of his. Flirting came natural to her, he had to admit. Even acknowledge. There was no way he would be able to change her.

“
I have something to say.” He’d never get another moment like this. “I acted like a rutting boar upstairs and I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said those things. The truth of the matter is, I let my jealousy get the better of me. Carly, I’m—”

“
Don’t. I heard what Judith told you. She’s wrong. There’s no more to me than what you see. I’m a whore and not ashamed to admit it. So I’m not the type of girl you can settle down with.”

“
I shouldn’t have called you that.” Jed’s heart was about to rip from his chest at the look of pain that flashed through her eyes.

“
Why not? You’re an honest man, Jed.”