Read Taken by the Cowboy for Free Online Page B

into her path.
    Jessica stopped. She
stared at his belly, then looked up at his double chin and flaring,
hairy nostrils. He smelled like a stale, sweaty barnyard, and was
in desperate need of a shave.
    "Excuse me." She
stepped to the side, but he did the same.
    She stepped the other
way, but he blocked her again.
    The stench of tobacco
escaped his mouth as he spread his narrow lips over his rotten
teeth and spit through the gaps. Jessica leaped back to avoid the
stream of brown juice before it plopped on the ground at her
feet.
    "So this is the little
lady that's got this town's ropes in a knot?” he bellowed. “She
don't look like much to me. Why, she ain't even carryin' a
weapon."
    Laughter erupted behind
Jessica, but she kept her eyes fixed on the jackass in front of
her. "Move it, buddy. I need to get by."
    He chuckled. "Not just
yet, little lady. I want to buy you a drink." He motioned toward
the saloon doors.
    "Not interested."
I’d rather stick needles in my eyes
.
    She made a move to
continue on her way, but he blocked her again.
    "I don't think you
heard me, Junebug. You're comin' inside and havin' a drink and a
meal." He glanced over his shoulder toward his drunken pals. "I'm
so hungry, I could eat the arse end off a dead horse!" Laughter
exploded all around them.
    Jessica was beginning
to perspire. What was it about this place that always turned her
into a spectacle?
    "It seems you know my
name,” she said, determined to stay cool and collected, “but I
don't know yours."
    If she could just get
around his big fat ass....
    "The name's Virgil.
Virgil Norton."
    "Well, Mr. Norton,” she
replied, “it’s a pleasure to meet you, but I can't join you for a
drink today. Maybe some other time."
    She took a quick step
around him, but he followed. Jessica quickened her pace, hoping
that if she ignored him, he might simply give up, but his beefy
arms snaked around her waist, and he lifted her up, squeezing the
air out of her lungs until her feet dangled like two balls on
string.
    "Let go!" She dropped
her parcel onto the boardwalk and struggled to pry his thick
fingers off her waist.
    Virgil carried her
toward the saloon doors. "This here's a spirited filly!"
    He kicked the doors
open, so they banged against the inside wall, and hauled Jessica
toward a table. Hopes of talking her way out of this in a polite
manner began to vanish, especially when the men in the saloon began
to hoot and holler.
    As soon as they reached
a table, a gunshot fired in the street, followed by some shouting.
Virgil dropped Jessica onto the floor, and she landed hard on her
tailbone.
    It took a second or two
to gather her wits and comprehend what had happened. Virgil was now
storming through the swinging saloon doors, so Jessica scrambled to
her feet and dashed outside to make her escape.
    She stopped dead on the
boardwalk, however, for perched high on his black horse in front of
her, looking as gorgeous and intimidating as ever, was Sheriff
Wade.
    He looked down at
Virgil suspiciously. “There a problem here, Virgil?” he asked, his
blue-eyed gaze shifting instantly to Jessica. "You just can’t stay
out of trouble, can you, Junebug?"
    She regarded him with
frustration. “No, Sheriff. Trouble seems to find me wherever I go,
but I’m not about to apologize to you, of all people, because this
cattle town of yours is more messed up than my daddy’s junk
drawer.”
    She was surprised when
a flicker of amusement touched the corner of his mouth. He was so
handsome in the high noon sunlight, so dangerous and virile
towering above her on that big black horse, that she nearly lost
her breath.
    To make matters worse,
she was practically spellbound as he leaned back in the saddle,
twirled the revolver in a few relaxed circles around his finger,
and dropped it easily into his holster.
    Ah, crap, she thought
with a great wave of heated exasperation.
    This is exactly
what I don’t need: a hot crush on a gorgeous gunslinger.
    Somebody, just
shoot me