Page 50 of Cowboy's Last Stand
Wade wanted to throttle him again.
“I know you’ve been sniffing around her,” Billy added.
“You will stay away from her,” Wade ordered in a low voice.“You will stay away from her house and her workplace.If you go near her, I’ll arrest you.”
“For what?”
“Whatever I can make stick.”
Billy clenched and unclenched his fists in agitation.
“Stay away from these girls too,” Wade added.“You know they’re not old enough to drink.”
“Anything else, boss?”
“Should I give you a breathalyzer?”
“I’ve had two beers.Try it and I’ll call Dad.”
“I thought your phone was busted.”
“It was.Now it’s fixed.”
Wade turned his attention to Gabe.“I expect this kind of behavior from Billy, but you?Mike would be disappointed.”
Gabe stiffened at the mention of his cousin.It didn’t have the effect Wade intended, of shaming him into stammering an apology.Instead, it nudged him in the opposite direction.Gabe’s eyes turned cold and hard.“Mike’s dead.”
Wade couldn’t argue with this sad fact, coldly stated.Gabe was a troubled kid, but he wasn’t a lost cause like Billy.Wade doubted his brother would ever turn his life around.He’d been born bad, plain and simple.Gabe hadn’t.Wade sensed there was a better man inside him.Mike had been a good man, a hero who’d fought for his country.His death had devastated the entire community.
“Let’s not do this again,” Wade said.
Then he got in his squad car, turned on the engine, and drove away with the two girls.One of them was Natalie’s neighbor, London.He dropped both girls off at the curb outside London’s house.When London asked for Wade’s phone number, her friend giggled, and he declined.
“Natalie’s moved on,” London said.“So should you.”
“Thanks for the tip,” he said.
She batted her eyelashes.“You sure you’re not interested?”
“I’m sure.”
Chapter Eleven
Natalie reported towork the following morning with an extra spring in her step.
She hadn’t slept well, between worrying about a hundred different things and replaying that explosive kiss with Jason.She felt off-center and on edge.And, at the same time, giddy with infatuation.
Men like him didn’t come along every day.Outsiders were rare in Last Chance.Outsiders who rivaled Wade Hendricks, the hottest prospect in town, were unheard of.She’d never met a stranger who was so attractive, so strong, so intelligent, and so enigmatic.The fact that he seemed just as taken with her as she was with him made her head spin.
I don’t want you thinking about another man when I’m inside you.
Her cheeks heated with embarrassment and pleasure whenever she thought of him.She had to force herself to focus on library matters and stop daydreaming.When she’d left with Marcus this morning, he was already working on the upstairs unit.They hadn’t discussed how long he would stay, but she felt safer with him around.She’d said goodbye after breakfast.He’d stared at her mouth as if he wanted to kiss her again.
Before she knew it, her shift was over.She gathered her bag, along with three items she’d checked out during her break.One was a DVD entitledTai Chi for Beginners.The other two were juvenile nonfiction books about the history of martial arts.
She’d decided, after some deliberation, to let Marcus study fighting.He’d been obsessed with karate and kickboxing lately.She hadn’t signed him up for classes, but she’d look into it.Marcus took swimming lessons every summer, and she’d been considering another sport for him.Missy’s boys played baseball.Mike had been a soccer fanatic.Natalie had been involved in multiple sports as a child.Marcus had a lot of energy, and he needed an outlet for it.
Walnut Elementary was four blocks from the library.She usually avoided the car pickup line and walked.It was a beautiful day, sunny and cool.She went to her car to drop off the books before she set out.
