The Sheriff's Secret Wife by Christyne Butler Page A

considered."

"All things considered," she echoed softly.

"You're taking this better than I thought you would."

"Give me a few minutes. I'll turn into the spitting hellcat you're used to."

"I'm waiting with bated breath."

Gage's tone was low, unforgiving. She turned to face him. His rugged profile was lost in the shadows, but the glow of the dashboard accented the hard line of his jaw. Her fingers tightened on the letters.

"Of all the lawyers in Vegas—"

"Leave it to us to find the worst one in town."

"Are you sure this is for real?" Racy waved the letters at him. If he wasn't playing a joke, maybe someone else was. "How do we know someone isn't messing with us?"

"Who else knows we let booze and the bright lights of Sin City lead us down the aisle? I haven't told anyone."

His words caused a sharp zinger to nail her in the chest. "Like I have?"

"I don't know. You ladies love to talk."

Not about this.

Despite the teasing threat issued earlier, Racy hadn't been tempted to confide in Maggie about what had happened between her and Gage. She knew her best friend—in the midst of her own romance-induced haze, thanks to falling for the cowboy she'd hired last summer—would turn a crazy night in Vegas into a bigger deal than the mere mistake it was.

And in a town the size of Destiny, it wouldn't take long for everyone else to find out. She couldn't take that. It was hard enough to live down her first two miserable marriages. Once it got out she'd been the one who'd done the actual proposing, everyone would think Gage had married her out of pity.

Or as a joke.

Why else would the town's hero hook up with her?

No, dealing with the local gossip chain was the last thing she needed while trying to put together her buyout plan for The Blue Creek.

So pulling a Racy Special wasn't the smartest move, huh?

Racy pushed away the thought, despite the twinge of satisfaction that filled her. Getting her rebellious side to cooperate with the businesswoman she wanted to be wasn't easy. At least she'd used her brain and deposited her Vegas winnings in a bank down in Laramie.

Could that be it? Was this screwup somehow connected to her winnings? "Did you tell anyone about the money I scored—"

"No. How would I explain I knew you're a card shark?"

"I'm not a shark." On a whim she'd used her bartenders challenge winnings to stake a claim in a no-holds-barred Texas hold 'em game. It would've been foolish if she hadn't won. And won big. "I was lucky."

"Yeah, that's us…lucky."

Gage took the turnoff to her house, and the Jeep slid across the unplowed road. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, easily controlling the oversize vehicle. "Damn, these roads are bad. I can't believe you thought you could drive home. You should've used some of those winnings to buy yourself a decent car."

Not a chance. She had other plans for that money. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves but only succeeded in drawing in the clean, woodsy scent of the man next to her. Something she'd been trying to avoid since he'd shown up in her office, but hell, she needed air.

"I like my car and I have snow tires. I just haven't put them on yet."

"I'd ask why, but I'd bet you'd tell me to mind my own business."

Damn straight . "Wouldn't even give you odds."

"Lady, I've learned never to gamble when it comes to you."

"Afraid you'll come out on the losing end?"

His stare cut to her for a quick moment. "I think I accomplished that in Vegas."

Ouch, direct hit . Racy turned back to the window. "Just shut up and get me home."

There was nothing they could do about this marriage mess tonight and Gage was in no mood to talk rationally. The anger rolled off him in waves. Was it finding out they were still legally bound to each other? Or was it something else?

The Jeep slowly crawled along the snow-covered road that made up her long driveway. Her place was the only one out here. Her father and brothers had preferred it that way. No one around to complain