their depths, and she was stunned at the feelings of love he evoked. He'd certainly taken care of her tonight, and she hoped she wasn't mistaking her gratitude to him for something stronger. When he kissed her it felt so right.
Alex deliberately put his hand on her very tender bottom and patted her gently. "Remember what I told you about our secret, honey. Please." He emphasized the word with another pat to her bottom.
Far from it hurting, the little pats created a yearning within her for something more, something she'd never experienced before. She let out a little gasp and her eyes grew wide with surprise. "Alex...? I don't understand!" she whispered, her voice husky with passion.
"It's normal between a man and woman who are falling in love, honey. It's a good thing. Think about me tonight." He kissed her again, gave her another gentle pat, and then opened the front door and gently pushed her inside. "Lock the door, honey."
He waited until he heard the lock click and then he got in the buggy and returned it to the livery. He then walked to the hotel and once he was in bed he realized that he didn't feel nearly as worried for Jennifer's safety as he did the night before. But he did have another problem that was making it impossible to sleep. An hour later he was still waiting on his problem to go down when he heard a noise outside his window. Alex instantly grabbed his gun and moved as quietly as he could to the floor. Two shots rang out and they hit the mattress right where he'd been lying only moments before!
Alex jumped up and ran to the window. He saw a figure running away, but before he could throw up the window and give chase, there was banging on his door. "What is going on in there? I've sent for the Sheriff!"
Alex opened the door. "Someone fired through the window at me. What kind of town do you have here?" he demanded, letting his voice carry up and down the hallway. "I've been looking at properties to buy with every intention of settling here, but now I'm of a mind to look elsewhere!"
"I'm so sorry, sir," the desk clerk apologized. "It is very unusual for things of this sort to happen here in Pine Ridge. Someone's gun probably just went off by accident."
"I'll speak to the Sheriff about that!" Alex continued his act. When the Sheriff arrived, he insulted the man by asking him why he permitted such rowdy behavior in town. The Sheriff sputtered a bit, then told the desk clerk he had someone waiting to check in. The man took off running and Clyde came on inside the room. "I'm sorry for insulting you, sir." Alex made the apology that the man deserved. "I'm acting and trying to stay in character."
"I figured that out," Clyde nodded, then grinned before adding, "I felt like slapping you in jail for a few seconds, though." He put his hand on Alex's shoulder to ask, "Are you doing okay, son? You came real close if those holes in the mattress are any indication."
"I was still awake and heard someone outside the window and I hit the floor just before the shots were fired."
"You see anyone?" Clyde asked.
"It was too dark to see clearly, but I saw them running away. It was definitely a man."
"Probably Left Bridges. He's been bad mouthing you all over town." He waited for Alex to say something, but when he didn't, Clyde asked, "You think it was someone else?"
"Yes, but I have no proof, and he would deny it. The town would be outraged, and I don't want to upset folks." It wouldn't do to make the whole town mad at him, Alex knew. He would have to find some proof.
"You gonna tell me or not?" The Sheriff didn't like guessing games.
"The Preacher. He's new in town, right? There's just something about him that doesn't ring true."
"I'm with you on that one. Didn't much like him when he came into town. Reminds me of a gambler I once knew. You're a good lawman to figure that one out so quick. What did you do to make the Preacher mad at you?" Clyde asked curiously, then listened as Alex answered. "Yeah, I saw him at the
Alex deliberately put his hand on her very tender bottom and patted her gently. "Remember what I told you about our secret, honey. Please." He emphasized the word with another pat to her bottom.
Far from it hurting, the little pats created a yearning within her for something more, something she'd never experienced before. She let out a little gasp and her eyes grew wide with surprise. "Alex...? I don't understand!" she whispered, her voice husky with passion.
"It's normal between a man and woman who are falling in love, honey. It's a good thing. Think about me tonight." He kissed her again, gave her another gentle pat, and then opened the front door and gently pushed her inside. "Lock the door, honey."
He waited until he heard the lock click and then he got in the buggy and returned it to the livery. He then walked to the hotel and once he was in bed he realized that he didn't feel nearly as worried for Jennifer's safety as he did the night before. But he did have another problem that was making it impossible to sleep. An hour later he was still waiting on his problem to go down when he heard a noise outside his window. Alex instantly grabbed his gun and moved as quietly as he could to the floor. Two shots rang out and they hit the mattress right where he'd been lying only moments before!
Alex jumped up and ran to the window. He saw a figure running away, but before he could throw up the window and give chase, there was banging on his door. "What is going on in there? I've sent for the Sheriff!"
Alex opened the door. "Someone fired through the window at me. What kind of town do you have here?" he demanded, letting his voice carry up and down the hallway. "I've been looking at properties to buy with every intention of settling here, but now I'm of a mind to look elsewhere!"
"I'm so sorry, sir," the desk clerk apologized. "It is very unusual for things of this sort to happen here in Pine Ridge. Someone's gun probably just went off by accident."
"I'll speak to the Sheriff about that!" Alex continued his act. When the Sheriff arrived, he insulted the man by asking him why he permitted such rowdy behavior in town. The Sheriff sputtered a bit, then told the desk clerk he had someone waiting to check in. The man took off running and Clyde came on inside the room. "I'm sorry for insulting you, sir." Alex made the apology that the man deserved. "I'm acting and trying to stay in character."
"I figured that out," Clyde nodded, then grinned before adding, "I felt like slapping you in jail for a few seconds, though." He put his hand on Alex's shoulder to ask, "Are you doing okay, son? You came real close if those holes in the mattress are any indication."
"I was still awake and heard someone outside the window and I hit the floor just before the shots were fired."
"You see anyone?" Clyde asked.
"It was too dark to see clearly, but I saw them running away. It was definitely a man."
"Probably Left Bridges. He's been bad mouthing you all over town." He waited for Alex to say something, but when he didn't, Clyde asked, "You think it was someone else?"
"Yes, but I have no proof, and he would deny it. The town would be outraged, and I don't want to upset folks." It wouldn't do to make the whole town mad at him, Alex knew. He would have to find some proof.
"You gonna tell me or not?" The Sheriff didn't like guessing games.
"The Preacher. He's new in town, right? There's just something about him that doesn't ring true."
"I'm with you on that one. Didn't much like him when he came into town. Reminds me of a gambler I once knew. You're a good lawman to figure that one out so quick. What did you do to make the Preacher mad at you?" Clyde asked curiously, then listened as Alex answered. "Yeah, I saw him at the
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