A Lawman in Her Stocking by Kathie DeNosky Read Free Book Online

Pete up and down, she looped her arm through Brenna’s and gave her a sly grin. “It’s my guess he’s too old to have anything but fond memories.”
    Brenna’s cheeks burned. “Granny!”
    Pete got to his feet, his grin wide. “Oh, don’t you worry nothin’ about it, gal.” He turned his attention to Abigail, took off his hat and pointed to his thick white hair. “Looks can fool you, sugar. There may be snow on the roof, but there’s still one hell of a fire burnin’ in the furnace.”
    “I wouldn’t know about that,” Abigail shot back. “I’m not that cold, yet.”
    At a loss for words, Brenna looked at her grandmother. Abigail’s wrinkled cheeks glowed and her eyes sparkled with mischief. She was having the time of her life.
    Pete laughed. “How ’bout goin’ with me to Luke’s this evenin’, sugar? Some of the men get together on Saturday nights to play their guitars and fiddles. The music ain’t too bad and it beats sittin’ at home.”
    “Doesn’t that sound like a hoot?” Abigail asked Brenna. Turning back to Pete, her voice took on a teasing note. “We’d love to go. But we’re modern women. We’ll meet you there.”
    Brenna felt like she’d just entered the TwilightZone. Not only had Abigail just accepted a date with Pete, she’d included Brenna as part of the package. “I don’t think—”
    “Hush, Brenna.” Abigail hurried Pete toward the door. “If we don’t let this old fossil go, we’ll never get ready in time.”
    “Old fossil!” Pete laughed as he stepped out onto the porch. “I ain’t much older than you, sugar. And just wait till tonight. I’ll dance your feet plumb off.”
    “He’ll probably stomp all over them,” Abigail confided, closing the door. She breezed past Brenna on her way to the bedroom. “I wonder what the accepted duds are for a place like Kook’s?”
    “Luke’s,” Brenna corrected. “The place is called Luke’s.”
    “Whatever.”
    Brenna followed Abigail down the hall. It was just as well her grandmother included her as part of the date. No telling what kind of trouble the geriatric duo would get themselves into.
    “Pete thinks he’s going to outdance me, but I’ve got news for the old buzzard. By the time I’m finished with him, his cowboy boots will be smoking.” Abigail rummaged through her dresser drawers. “Have you seen my blue scarf?”
    “No,” Brenna said, distracted. She couldn’t believe after twenty years of widowhood, Abigail had finally found a man she wanted to see socially.
    A sudden thought had her smiling. If her grandmother’s mind was on her own love life, she wouldn’t have time to concentrate on Brenna’s.
    As if she could read minds, Abigail stopped searching for the scarf to give Brenna a wicked grin. “Maybe Stud Muffin will be there tonight.”
    “Give it up, Granny,” Brenna said, refusing to believe the sudden flutter in her stomach had anything to do with Abigail’s reference to Dylan. “I’m not interested in the man.”
     
    Taking a swig of his beer, Dylan listened contentedly to the band play an offbeat version of a George Strait song. Since his talk with the mayor, he’d had time to think, time to put things in perspective about the kiss he’d shared with Brenna. His reaction to her hadn’t been all that unusual. It had been a while since he’d enjoyed the warmth of a woman’s body, and given the same set of circumstances, a saint would have been tempted.
    But the minute he saw Brenna walk through Luke’s door, Dylan’s mouth went as dry as a desert in a drought. Her pink sweater and designer jeans outlined a body made for sin. The way her hips swayed when she moved made his body tighten and his own jeans feel like they were at least two sizes too small.
    Trouble had never looked so good or so tempting. And apparently he wasn’t the only man to notice. Several cowboys at the bar nudged each other, their expressions changing from idle curiosity to open appreciation as they