BIG SKY SECRETS 03: End Game by Roxanne Rustand Read Free Book Online Page B

the neon beer signs over the bar, fell across the table, startling her.
    “Let’s go, sugar,” the stranger said at her shoulder, in a deep voice that was oddly familiar. “You’ve had enough fun for tonight.”
    “She ain’t going anywhere. She’s with me.”
    “Actually, she isn’t.” The stranger’s voice went even lower, his tone laced with lethal promise. “And if you don’t want trouble, you’ll let go of the lady’s wrist and just sit back, nice and easy, while we leave.”
    Lane glared up at him. “You have no idea who you’re talking to.”
    “And neither do you. You want to lose your pride in front of all these good folks, that’s okay by me. Your choice.”
    After a long hesitation, Lane made a sound of disgust and dropped her wrist. “She’s not worth the bother, cowboy. For you or me.”
    “Go ahead and believe it. It’s in your best interest.” The stranger touched her shoulder. “Let’s go.”
    She didn’t want to go, not yet. But now she’d placed the voice, and knew he might blow her cover if she balked. Some of the other cowboys had turned to look their way, so she played it cool. “Sure. Whatever.”
    He gently caught her hand and led her through the crowd, stopping only when they got to the front door. She glanced at the cowboys who were a little too close for comfort, then pulled her hand free and stepped outside.
    He followed her to the shadowed side of the building and leaned a shoulder against the wall, as if he was just any cowboy flirting on a Saturday night. “Well, then.” His mouth tipped into a lazy smile. “Howdy, ma’am.”
    She scanned the area for anyone within earshot of their conversation, but there was no one in sight. “Don’t ‘howdy’ me, Anders. You shouldn’t have done that.”
    “You looked like you were in a little trouble back there, and I figured you could use some help.” His gaze drifted up to her hair, and his mouth twitched. “Nice hairdo.”
    “You know what I do. You could’ve guessed I was working,” she hissed. “What are you doing here?”
    Her words echoed back to her, setting off alarm bells in her head. What was he doing here this late at night—here, of all places? Her stomach tightened at the possibilities—most of which weren’t good.
    “Rescuing a damsel in distress?”
    “You ought to know it wasn’t necessary.”
    “Right. That guy was inviting you to a tea party.” His voice hardened. “So where is your backup?”
    “As close as my cell phone.”
    “Not good enough. No matter how tough you think you are, that guy was twice your size and twice as strong. Factor in the testosterone and adrenaline rush fueling him, and—”
    “A male deputy would’ve been in just as much trouble, if there was a fight. Don’t start with the gender bias stuff. Please.”
    Scott held up his hands in mock surrender. “Sorry. My mistake.”
    “Do you come here often?”
    “First time.”
    “ Really . Sort of far, isn’t it? You’ve got to live over an hour away, maybe more, given these mountain roads.”
    He shrugged. “Passing through.”
    Late on Saturday night? “From where to where?”
    “What—is it illegal to be here?” He shook his head in disgust. “Come out and check my truck. I’ve got a receipt for the portable generator I picked up this evening in Billings. My dog is in the front seat, waiting for this.”
    He held up his other hand, and she realized that until now he’d held his hand at his side, and she hadn’t noticed the small brown paper bag he was carrying. “W-what’s that?”
    “Two cheeseburgers and fries—half for Jasper, half for me. That’s the extent of the bar menu here. It was advertised as ‘Good Eats’ on a highway sign a mile north, and that sounded like gourmet fare to me, since I didn’t stop for supper back in Billings.”
    A pure, warm sense of relief washed through her. “You stopped here for supper.”
    “Is that a problem?”
    “O-of course not.” She reached up to