just break her legs?
She twisted toward the window and accidentally knocked a book off one of the fruit crates beside the cot.
The humming downstairs stopped. Jessamine held her breath and clasped both arms over her belly to muffle the gurgling. Please, Lord, rescue me from this embarrassing predicament. Heavy footsteps sounded up the stairs, and in the next instant Cole Sanders loomed in his bedroom doorway.
âJessamine! What the hell are you doing up here?â
Jess quailed at the outrage in his voice. What excuse could she possibly offer?
She could lie.
No, she couldnât.
She could cry.
No, she couldnât. Tears would be just as much a lie.
âIâI wanted to check what you could see from your window.â
He propped his hands on his hips. âYeah? What can you see from my window?â
âI can see straight into my bedroom window.â
He nodded. âSo, now you know.â
âI should think you would deny it,â she muttered.
âNot likely. Youâre intelligent. Observant. And curious. Youâd have it figured out in a matter of seconds.â
âWell, yes, I did figure it out.â
âAnd you want me to apologize.â
âI want you to stop spying on me.â
He gave her a lopsided smile. âItâs a free country, Jessamine. You donât own the view from my window.â
âWell! You have a lot of nerve. IâllâIâll report you to Sheriff Silver.â
âGo ahead. Know what heâll say?â
She shook her head.
He laughed. âHeâll tell you to undress in the dark.â
She couldnât look at him. Somehow her presence in his bedroom sent her pulse skittering. A heavy silence fell.
Cole took a single step into the room. âJessamine, itâs not illegal for a man to admire a womanâs body.â He waited, but she said nothing.
âDonât undress in the dark, Jess. Youâre beautiful. Iâm not going to apologize for noticing that.â
He moved another step into the room and reached one hand to touch her shoulder. âBut youâd better get out of my bedroom. Might give Noralee the wrong idea.â
All the way down the stairs and out the front door she heard his rich, gentle laughter. It made her spine tingle.
* * *
Rita Sheltonberg planted her feet heavily in front of Jessâs desk and leaned over the high rolltop. âMiss Jessamine, we gotta do something more for Johnny.â
âJohnny? Who is Johnny?â
âYou know, Jericho. Sheriff Silver. When he decided to run for district judge, I volunteered to be his campaign manager, but Iâve plumb run out of things to do.â
Jessamine smiled at the still-handsome older woman. âSeems to me youâre doing a good job of spreading the word, Rita. Iâve seen the posters you put up all over town.â
âNice, arenât they? Kids at the schoolhouse made âem for an art project. âCast Your Vote for the Battle of Jericho.â Kinda catchy, isnât it?â
âYes, catchy,â Jess agreed. âThe trouble is, Mr. Arbuckle is putting up posters, too. âA Vote for Arbuckle Is a Vote for Good Government, Like Good Coffee.ââ
âI donât get it,â the waitress blurted out.
âMr. Arbuckleâs grandfather is the founder of Arbuckleâs Coffee.â
âOh, that Arbuckle. Iâll have to make sure the hotel restaurant changes brands right away.â
âThereâs money behind his campaign, Rita. And heâs finagled the support of the Lark newspaper butâ Wait a minute! I have an idea.â
âOh? Whatâs that?â
âYes, a wonderful idea. Rita, you just leave everything to me.â
When Rita left to return to the restaurant, Jess grabbed her coat and scarf. Eli planted himself in her path.
âHold on a minute, Jess. Last time you had a âwonderful idea,â the ranchers and the sheep men in
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