Trouble in a Stetson (2 page)

Lola was so overwhelmed she wiggled around in celebration and impulsively ran around the edge of the counter to give Belle a hug. Belle Warren was a sweetheart despite her gruff demeanor. Lola knew a little something about being judged on the basis of appearance. She should’ve known better. “Thank you. Thank you. Lordy! You won’t be sorry, ma’am.”

Belle stiffly patted her back. “Hell, I’m already sorry.”

Sam thought his eyes were gonna flat pop out of his head.

It was Lola Lamont’s celebratory jumping around that had done it.

Sweet Holy Jesus!

10

Trouble in a Stetson

It had been a close call when he watched her glide across the linoleum floor wearing those spiky high heels on the ends those mile-long legs of hers. That alone had almost done him in. She was six feet tall at least, not counting the heels, and possessed the kind of luscious good looks that made men stammer and stutter and go all hard in the crotch. Sex on a long, gorgeous stick, for sure. Her eyes were big, round, and as blue as the bluebonnets that hung in framed display all over the walls of the café. She wore her thick, pale-blonde hair piled on top of her head in a mound of riotous curls that fell here and there around a beautiful oval face. A man who knew what he was doing would yank all the pins out of that mass and bury his face there.

Sipping his coffee, he thought about how that all silky looking hair would feel wrapped around his cock as she sucked him off with that pretty mouth. Damn, if her lips weren’t mouth-watering. Full and pouty, they were tinted with some kind of rosy looking gloss. In fact, every bit of her was put together as if she’d been tended by a makeup artist or something. Her skin was flawless and mascara had been applied with precision to her thick lashes. Maybe a bit too much of that stuff for his taste but he couldn’t argue with the outcome.

Watching Lola bounce around in utter joy was a sight to behold.

Sam nearly swallowed his tongue at the sight of her perfect boobs bouncing beneath the skin-tight tee shirt she wore. The belly baring creation emphasized the slender dip of her waist and flat tummy. Lola’s rounded, apple-shaped ass nicely filled out her khaki shorts but it was her legs that really reached out and grabbed him by the Johnson.

They were long, shapely perfection.

The kind of perfection any sane man would want wrapped around his waist while he rammed his cock deep. She was the kind of woman who made a man think of big, soft beds and messed up sheets. Sam felt his cock go hard behind the fly of his jeans.

She was trouble, very big trouble and might as well have
gold digger
tattooed to her mighty fine ass. He knew a little something about the breed and had suffered the 11

Regina Carlysle

broken heart to prove it. Best to stay far, far away from Lola Lamont. She might be a fine little playmate for a while but Sam knew she wasn’t the kind of woman a mature man counted on for anything more than a quick fuck or two.

Lola was a hot affair kinda gal, not a forever one.

Clearing his throat, he stood causing both women to look his way. “Congratulations on landing a job, Lola. Let’s head out to that heap out front and gather your luggage.”

She batted her sweet baby blues and smiled. “Nah, I can get it. Don’t you have work to do?”

Sam shook his head. “Nope. In case you haven’t noticed it’s pretty damn boring around here. I figure I have time to help a lady out.”

“Ah, that whole damsel and white horse thing, right?”

He laughed. She was a funny little thing. “Yeah. Come on.”

Before heading outside, they stopped at the table where Cliff and her friend, Roxy sat. Leaning down, obviously joyous, she gave Roxie a hug. “Can you believe it, Rox? I landed a job. Right here.”

Roxie, a beautiful brunette, grinned brightly. “Fast work, sunshine. That’s great news.”

Lola frowned. “Belle offered me a little apartment behind the café. I think there’s only the one bed but you’re welcome to share, honey. We could be roomies.”

“Hmm. Let me think about it. I might have something cooking soon myself. But if I need a place to sleep, I’ll definitely come by, okay?”

Lola grabbed the luggage that passed for a purse and reached for her cell phone.

Wiggling it a little, she smiled. “Call me if you have a problem.”

“Will do.”

Sam stepped out into the Texas summer heat and headed straight for the trunk of the pink caddy. Pink? He struggled not to roll his eyes. Why did this seem such a perfect car for Miss Lola Lamont? “Hand me your keys, Lola.”

12

Trouble in a Stetson

She dug through her bag and finally handed them over. His eyes widened at the sight of the mountain of suitcases piled inside. “These are mine,” she said pointing to two enormous battered cases. He struggled, huffed a little, and wrestled them onto the pavement.

“Damn, woman! What do you have in these? Rocks?”

Lola laughed. “No silly. One bag is for my clothes and the other is for my shoes.”

Shoes?

Shaking his head, he reached for a smaller case. His mom had once explained that these were called train cases and ladies used them to tote around makeup and such. It was shiny and black featuring a cartoon ponytailed woman. The name
Barbie
was scrolled beneath the picture in swirly hot pink letters.

Lola grabbed the handle with both hands and grinned. “Isn’t it the cutest thing ever? Emily and Roxie gave it to me as a gag gift on my last birthday but I just love it.”

Sam didn’t know what to say to that. He wasn’t the kind of man who smiled a lot but damn if she wasn’t as cute as hell standing there grinning from ear to ear. “Come on. Let’s get you stowed away.”

“Hang on a minute.” She lifted out another suitcase and a tote bag and hauled it into Blue Belle’s. The trunk was nice and empty now so he shut it up as Lola came back outside. “Okay. I’m all set. Lead the way.”

Sam gripped the heavier than hell suitcases and headed down the alley between the café and the feed store. Behind him, he heard the steady
snick snick
of Lola’s heels striking the pavement. He stopped in front of the small, wood-frame apartment and, taking the key Belle had handed him earlier, slipped it into the lock. The musty smell hit them both in a blast. Plunging forward, Sam set the bags near the front door and immediately started opening windows in the small space.

“Ew.”

13

Regina Carlysle

Sam glanced over his shoulder in time to see her wrinkle her turned up nose. “Sorry about the smell.”

“Oh honey, it’s not your fault,” she said with that slower than molasses drawl.

“And beggars can’t be choosers as my mama always said.”

“Your mama is a smart lady.”

“Was,” she said quietly coming farther into the small living space. “She passed away right before I left home for Vegas. Here let me help you.” Lola moved to the window on the other side of the front door and started to tug. “Damn, it’s stuck. Shoot.”

“Here, darlin’, let me get it for you. There’s no telling how long these windows have been locked up.” Lola stepped back and Sam caught a whiff of the wonderfully feminine scent of her. She wore some kind of soft, subtle perfume that was as sexy as hell. He was more than a little relieved when she moved off to examine the place. The window opened with a creak allowing fresh air to blow through the small area.

“Hey! This isn’t bad,” she observed, turning in small circles around the room. “I’ve definitely lived in worse.”

Hmm. Now that was interesting because this place was sure no palace. His cop’s mind began to wonder about the place she’d come from and how she’d ended up in Vegas. What had eventually driven her away from Sin City and into his town? A crime maybe? Sam immediately dismissed the idea. She didn’t look like any criminal mastermind he’d ever seen.

A tiny kitchen sat to the left of the room and a bed and dresser occupied the far right. Smack dab in the middle was a ratty couch and an ancient television. Sam had never been in here before but he figured the open door near the bed was a bathroom.

Sure enough, Lola peeked inside, flashed him a big smile and picked up her Barbie case from the bed. “I’ll just put this stuff away. Sam, would you mind lugging my suitcases to the bed?”

14

Trouble in a Stetson

Sam didn’t argue. He picked up one of them and carried it over to the bed and set it down. Then we went for the next one. He’d almost made it when Lola screamed bloody murder.

“Lola!”

Instantly he dropped the suitcase to the floor. A loud pop sounded as the battered old suitcase flew open and silky panties flew everywhere.

“Spider, spider, spider.” She staggered backward balanced on those spindly high heels until the edge of one caught on the open suitcase.

It all happened so fast, Sam barely had time to blink and then Lola was falling backward. Her arms flailed up and she somehow turned as she fell. Reacting on instinct he caught her and twisted as the force of her body hitting his propelled them both to the floor where they landed in a tangle of arms and legs. He didn’t know how it happened but Lola was lying right on top of him, smashed against him like a remora.

Sam huffed out a breath then ran his hands quickly over every curve of her body.

“You okay?”

“Ye-yes. Whew!”

The very next thing Sam noticed was that his hands were splayed over her sexy ass and her mouth hovered within a hairsbreadth of his lips. Her breath whispered softly against his skin. “Well, now.”

She squirmed a bit and the action only made things worse when her hot little pussy pressed against his suddenly throbbing cock. Lola’s eyes went wide and unable to resist, Sam flexed his fingers over the firm mounds of her butt. Sensation raced over his body, his gut tightened at the feel of all that lush female flesh, and if he’d been a begging kind of man, he’d be pleading with her to put him out of his misery.

Yes, he was in big trouble here.

Her hands went up over his face as she seemed to study every angle before moving up into his hair. Sam’s hat lay on the floor beside them, another victim in the fall.

15

Regina Carlysle

“Black. Thick.”

“Hmm?”

“Your hair. I was wondering about that.”

“You are one dangerous woman,” he whispered against her lips.

“Oh, honey. Didn’t you know? Danger is my middle name.”

16

Trouble in a Stetson

By the time a week had rolled by, Lola was getting the hang of things at Blue Belle’s café. It was kind of like slipping into a pair of old, worn sneakers and realizing she’d missed the feel of them on her feet. She’d kept in constant contact with both Emily and Roxie and both of them were settled in jobs and had places to live, so she hoped that in a matter of a month or two they’d be back on their feet enough to leave this place.

Not that there was anything wrong with Mesa Blanco.

The people here were so nice, so welcoming that she really hadn’t had much to complain about unless you counted the harsh about face from one tough sheriff. After that first day, he’d stopped by the café several times, swallowed down a quick cup of coffee and had politely asked if she needed anything. He’d even gone so far as to punch his private number into her cell phone.

Damn it to heck! She couldn’t get him off her mind. After lying on the floor smashed right on top of him, she knew there was something sizzling and hot between them yet he’d made it more than obvious that he wasn’t interested. But his hard, thick cock didn’t lie. He wanted her all right. For some weird reason he wouldn’t act on his desires and make a move.

Lola stepped outside her little apartment and locked up. It was her first real outing in Mesa Blanco and she didn’t want to ruin her happy mood by wondering why Sam was so obviously keeping his distance. She headed down the alley until she hit the Main Street sidewalk, already missing her car which was currently residing at the local garage. The sun was just beginning to set as she walked the four blocks to Chaps where she was meeting Emily and Roxie for happy hour. Wearing her best jeans, red stilettos and a white top with little red cherries on it, she took off to the sound of the
snick snick
snick
of her heels tapping out a little tune on the concrete. Due to the Texas summer 17

Regina Carlysle

heat, she’d swept her curls up carelessly. Several dipped down to brush along the back of her neck. She’d nearly made it to the honky-tonk when a big black truck marked with the sheriff’s crest on the door pulled up beside her.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” Sam didn’t look like a happy camper. His dark eyes, shaded beneath the brim of his Stetson, were narrowed. Yep, downright mean-looking.

Lola turned and looked at him. “You have some nerve asking me a thing like that after practically ignoring me all week. I don’t like your bossy tone. Just because you are the law around here gives you no right.” Lola cocked her hip and planted her fists on her hips. Damn the man! She could’ve sworn she heard Sam growl and then he sent his gaze over her body like a hot lick.

“What the hell are you wearing?”

“What?” Lola swept her arms out and looked down at herself. “You don’t like cherries?”

“Fuck!”

Lola was sick of his mixed signals. She knew damn good and well he wanted her yet he avoided her. She sighed. “Look Sam, I’m thirty years old and I’m not about to start game-playing with you. Yeah, you’re hot and all that but I’m done with men who give off mixed signals. You either want me or you don’t. Obviously you don’t so hit the road, buddy.”

“Now, Lola—”

“I mean it, Sam. Beat it. I’ve got other fish to fry tonight.” With that final salvo, she held her head high and walked the last half-block to the entrance of Chaps. She felt his stare on her back the entire way. Well, she’d only spoken the truth. She was all up for an affair with the handsome sheriff because, let’s face it, there was a definite connection but she’d be damned before she’d let him ignore her and then get all affronted just because she happened to be out on the town.