plenty of guys in this town who would love to catch her and hold on tight, but she’s never been interested in anyone. Not until you came along.”
“I—uh…”
She brought her finger up and poked him in the chest. “Don’t hurt her, or you’ll have me to deal with.”
He smiled. “I’ll try my best not to.”
“See that you don’t, cowboy.” She turned to leave, but swung back around for a moment. “By the way, tell Jimmy I need to see him. He’s got a responsibility he needs to take care of one way or another.”
He watched her walk back to the cash register and take her place behind it without a backward glance in his direction. The flow of customers slowed down for the moment, and he moved to where Carrie stood stocking a shelf. He stopped at her side, and she looked up. “I need to go. I’m riding in a little bit.”
“Thanks for your help this morning. You came to my rescue again.” She stood and brushed the dirt on her hands across the thigh of her jeans.
He didn’t know whether she was talking about the business or the asshole that had been harassing her this morning. “No problem. Are we still on for later?”
“Of course.” She frowned. “That is unless you’ve changed your mind.”
“Not on your life, lady. I’m looking forward to getting you alone again.” Picking up a strand of hair lying on her shoulder, he ran his thumb over the end in a caress. She closed her eyes, and he bent his head, softly taking her lips with his in a light kiss. The kiss was meant to remind her of what they already shared, and when she shivered, he knew she remembered, just like he did. He wanted her on fire when they met later. The night before just made him want her more, and what he told her was the complete truth. He wanted her alone, lying beneath him, screaming his name when she came around him.
“I’ll see you at six.” He dropped a peck of a kiss on the end of her nose.
“Okay,” she whispered when he stepped back.
He turned and headed for the door, but stopped when he reached it so he could see her one last time before he left. He flashed his best grin and winked, almost laughing out loud when she blushed.
* * * *
She sighed when he left before she turned back to stocking the shelf.
There’s too much to do today to spend it daydreaming about Cole.
Her lips still tingled from the pressure of his.
Catching Jessica’s knowing smile from near the register, she grumbled to herself and went back to work.
The rest of the day went by fairly quickly. Some of the rodeo participants came in, buying up some of her merchandise, feed, and tack broken during competition and needed replacing. Some even bought souvenirs from their little town.
When the clock struck five, Carrie walked the last few customers to the door, thanking them prior to locking it behind them. Before she could get it closed, someone pushed against the solid surface, throwing her aside as he rushed in, a mask over his face and a gun in his hand.
Jessica screamed, and the man waved the gun in her direction yelling, “Shut up, bitch!”
He turned toward Carrie. “Shut the door, lock it, and get over there by her.”
Doing what she was told, she moved toward her sister and wrapped an arm around her shoulders while Jessica shook in her embrace.
“I want the money in the register.”
She stiffened her shoulders and growled right back at him. “Get it yourself. I’m not helping you rob us.”
“Don’t tempt me, bitch, or I’ll blow your brains all over the wall.”
Jessica whimpered.
“Sshh. It’ll be okay,” Carrie whispered.
The masked man yanked the cash drawer off the counter, pulling the electrical cord right out of the wall, before shooting the register. He obviously didn’t care of someone heard the gunshots or not.
Carrie smiled to herself, remembering the electronic alarm her father installed connected directly to the register. If the power were cut to it, the phone line would automatically dial
“I—uh…”
She brought her finger up and poked him in the chest. “Don’t hurt her, or you’ll have me to deal with.”
He smiled. “I’ll try my best not to.”
“See that you don’t, cowboy.” She turned to leave, but swung back around for a moment. “By the way, tell Jimmy I need to see him. He’s got a responsibility he needs to take care of one way or another.”
He watched her walk back to the cash register and take her place behind it without a backward glance in his direction. The flow of customers slowed down for the moment, and he moved to where Carrie stood stocking a shelf. He stopped at her side, and she looked up. “I need to go. I’m riding in a little bit.”
“Thanks for your help this morning. You came to my rescue again.” She stood and brushed the dirt on her hands across the thigh of her jeans.
He didn’t know whether she was talking about the business or the asshole that had been harassing her this morning. “No problem. Are we still on for later?”
“Of course.” She frowned. “That is unless you’ve changed your mind.”
“Not on your life, lady. I’m looking forward to getting you alone again.” Picking up a strand of hair lying on her shoulder, he ran his thumb over the end in a caress. She closed her eyes, and he bent his head, softly taking her lips with his in a light kiss. The kiss was meant to remind her of what they already shared, and when she shivered, he knew she remembered, just like he did. He wanted her on fire when they met later. The night before just made him want her more, and what he told her was the complete truth. He wanted her alone, lying beneath him, screaming his name when she came around him.
“I’ll see you at six.” He dropped a peck of a kiss on the end of her nose.
“Okay,” she whispered when he stepped back.
He turned and headed for the door, but stopped when he reached it so he could see her one last time before he left. He flashed his best grin and winked, almost laughing out loud when she blushed.
* * * *
She sighed when he left before she turned back to stocking the shelf.
There’s too much to do today to spend it daydreaming about Cole.
Her lips still tingled from the pressure of his.
Catching Jessica’s knowing smile from near the register, she grumbled to herself and went back to work.
The rest of the day went by fairly quickly. Some of the rodeo participants came in, buying up some of her merchandise, feed, and tack broken during competition and needed replacing. Some even bought souvenirs from their little town.
When the clock struck five, Carrie walked the last few customers to the door, thanking them prior to locking it behind them. Before she could get it closed, someone pushed against the solid surface, throwing her aside as he rushed in, a mask over his face and a gun in his hand.
Jessica screamed, and the man waved the gun in her direction yelling, “Shut up, bitch!”
He turned toward Carrie. “Shut the door, lock it, and get over there by her.”
Doing what she was told, she moved toward her sister and wrapped an arm around her shoulders while Jessica shook in her embrace.
“I want the money in the register.”
She stiffened her shoulders and growled right back at him. “Get it yourself. I’m not helping you rob us.”
“Don’t tempt me, bitch, or I’ll blow your brains all over the wall.”
Jessica whimpered.
“Sshh. It’ll be okay,” Carrie whispered.
The masked man yanked the cash drawer off the counter, pulling the electrical cord right out of the wall, before shooting the register. He obviously didn’t care of someone heard the gunshots or not.
Carrie smiled to herself, remembering the electronic alarm her father installed connected directly to the register. If the power were cut to it, the phone line would automatically dial
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