Annabelle Weston by Scandalous Woman Read Free Book Online Page B

reckon, Sheriff? Are my services worth a dollar?”
    The men in the cell jeered.
    “ Come on, Sheriff Poole. You have to admit I’m good.”
    Jed scowled and his eyes flashed a warning.
    Carly gave those boys a good view of her ass before she smoothed her skirts, whirled around and swept out of his office. They’d have a miserable night, dreaming about her ass. Served them all right.
    * * * * *
    Several minutes passed before Jed could close his mouth. Had that really just happened? He looked down at his crotch. Yup. His raging hard-on showed no inclination to go away. He couldn’t remember a time he’d wanted to fuck a lady so bad. Damn if that woman didn’t know just how to get him riled up.
    He’d been dead serious about wanting her.
    She knew how to pleasure a man. He wanted her so bad he would pay her whatever she asked. He’d pay his life savings if she would just toss up her skirts again and let him sink inside her.
    Except he didn’t want to be another customer to her. She couldn’t convince him he was. It was obvious from her look of desire that she’d liked the idea of him saying he’d make her come. She’d shivered in his arms as she’d moved so seductively on his lap. She’d reacted when his thumb brushed over her wet clitoris. She’d moaned when he’d sucked her nipple into his mouth. Hell, she’d been moaning while she twisted and turned her pretty little self on top of him.
    And damn did he like everything about her. The cut of the dress was outstanding. Red had always been his favorite color. Every time she’d swayed, he’d gotten a view of her rosy sex, glistening with need. He liked that the best.
    He licked his lips. This wasn’t over. She’d enticed him to the edge. He wasn’t going to let her walk away next time.
    He stood, adjusted his extremely tight britches and then headed for the door. He hit the handle just as shouts and the blast of gunfire rang out from the street. He yanked his six-shooter from his holster and ripped open the door. A gang of horseman ran wild through the streets, shooting into the air.
    He glanced wildly up and down the boardwalk for Carly. She’d only just left and couldn’t have gotten far. Was she all right?
    A flash of red, huddled behind a watering trough about a hundred feet away, caught his attention. His relief was immediate. Carly was safe.
    “ Keep your head down,” he yelled.
    She ducked as the shooters turned their mounts and came back down the street, firing at the storefronts. A shower of glass crashed on the boardwalk. They stopped. Dust swirled around their mounts’ feet. There were four in all, rough and dirty, their lips curled in violent grins.
    “ Compliments of Vernon Crosby,” they shouted before riding on past him.
    Jed ran out into the middle of the street and fired at the men. From the shouts of pain, it was obvious he hit at least one of them, but that didn’t slow the gang down; they kept on riding.
    Movement to his left caught his attention. Carly emerged from her hiding place and ran toward the Lonesome. He was glad to see she didn’t appear hurt. Every window on the main street was broken and glass littered the boardwalk. No doubt the other residents had been awakened by the disturbance but were too scared to venture outside. It galled Jed that a man and his family had to cower in fear of their lives because of a bunch of no-accounts.
    He sucked in his breath. It’d been a long night but daylight was still hours away. He returned to the jailhouse and took down a rifle.
    “ Who was it?” one of his prisoners asked.
    “ What can you tell me about Vernon Crosby?”
    “ He’s one ornery son of a bitch.”
    “ He seems to think he can scare the law.”
    “ That’d be his mistake.”
    Jed scowled. “You got that right.”
    “ Although he ain’t been caught yet, now has he?” The man spoke with pride.
    “ Caught your sorry ass, didn’t I? Reckon your boss is next on the list.”
    “ Yeah, true enough, but the