The Outlaw Bride by Kelly Boyce Read Free Book Online

and take her up on her offer, so I can spend the next six months listening to everyone hash it over like they had some right?” Hell, a man couldn’t pass gas around here without the town discussing what he had for dinner.
    Bart took one last drag of his smoke and eased the chair back onto all fours. With a flick of his thumb and finger, the butt hit the floor next to him. He ground it into the sawdust with the heel of his boot.
    “Well, maybe Garrett’s new girl will be a little more discreet.”
    “What new girl?”
    Bart nodded toward the bar. “The one he’s about to hire.”
    Ice invaded Connor’s veins. He knew what he’d find even before he turned around. His stomach jolted at the sight of her standing at the bar, Garrett hovering over her like a hungry wolf about to pounce. Though her limp felt hat prevented him from seeing her face, Miss Stockdale’s hands were clasped so tightly against her stomach he could see the whites of her knuckles from nearly halfway across the room.
    “What the hell is she doing in here?”
    Bart shrugged. “I ’spect she’s lookin’ for a job. Word is everyone else in town turned her down. Guess they thought if they said no, you’d have to say yes.”
    Connor’s attention snapped back to Bart. “What?”
    “Maybe you don’t want to admit you need a wife, but this town has other ideas. Far as they’re concerned, you get yourself a wife, get settled, less chance of you wandering off again for years on end, less chance they’ll have to go lookin’ for a new sheriff.”
    Connor relaxed a little. “Then Garrett won’t hire her?”
    “Garrett Bentley don’t much care if you stay or go. He jus’ cares about makin’ money. And a pretty lil’ thing like that tending to his customers will draw men in here like bees to honey.”
    A band tightened around Connor’s neck, cutting off his air. “She can’t work here.”
    “She ain’t got much choice now, does she? Seems some mean ole sheriff told her she had to repay Oliver.”
    He swung around and gave Bart an incredulous look. “This is my fault?”
    Bart shrugged again. “Maybe. Maybe not. Question is, are you going to help the lil’ lady out? Or are you gonna leave her to the likes of Bentley?”
    His heart hammered in his chest. He turned in his chair to look at her. He didn’t think he’d ever seen someone look more alone. Dammit.
    Dammit, dammit, dammit.
    “This is blackmail.”
    “Ain’t no such thing. You don’t have to do anything. She ain’t your responsibility. I’m just sayin’, if’n you don’t want a wife, you still need a housekeeper, and she needs a job. Seems like a winning proposition all the way around.”
    “I can’t have her living up at the house with me. People would talk. It—it would ruin her reputation.” He sat back with a satisfied nod.
    Bart lifted one bushy eyebrow. “And workin’ here won’t?”
    Connor’s satisfaction fizzled. “I can’t—”
    “You can. You can and ain’t no one gonna look funny at her for acceptin’. Everyone knows the situation. They know you’re an honorable man. And if someone makes a stink ’bout it, tell them you’re sleeping in the barn.”
    “I’m not sleeping in the barn!”
    Bart gave a self-satisfied smirk. “I didn’t say you had to, I said you can tell people that.”
    “So I’m honorable but I should lie?”
    “No, you should stop mincing words with me and get up there before Garrett has her dressed up in feathers and lace and prancing around offering men drinks and whatnot .”
    Connor closed his eyes and pressed his fingers against the lids but the image refused to be rubbed away and a sick sensation pooled in his gut. He’d been painted into a corner but good and Bart damn well knew it. No man with an ounce of self-respect would let a woman like Miss Stockdale prostitute herself for the sake of a train fare. Especially not a train fare he’d ordered her to repay.
    Connor lifted the whiskey to his lips and took a