The Naughty List Bundle - Kylie Adams [250]
“We’ll be quick. Why don’t you go warm up the car?”
With a shrug, the sheriff turned away. Georgia watched him go with relief. “Who’s Malone?”
“His wife, Misty.”
So it was his wife that Jordan had threatened him with? That seemed curious to Georgia.
“Why does he call her Malone…never mind.” Disgusted with herself, Georgia turned away. She didn’t care about these men or their strange ways. She walked briskly into the bar, doing her best to ignore the warm touch of Jordan’s hand on her arm as he kept pace with her. Even through his coat sleeve, she could feel his strength, his heat. And for some absurd reason, she reacted to it. He had her thinking things she hadn’t thought in years, contemplating pleasures she was certain didn’t even exist.
Bill was just scooping up the money off the stage when they walked in. Jordan released her and she marched forward, saying sweetly, “Why thank you, Bill. I so appreciate you looking after my money for me.”
Bill had the kind of slick good looks that he assumed would get him anything he wanted from women. To Georgia, his perfectly styled blond hair, dark blue eyes, and capped teeth only emphasized what a fraud he was. She didn’t trust him one iota and never would.
Bill flashed her a surprised look. “Georgia! I thought you were gone.”
“Almost.” She stuck out her hand expectantly and Bill tucked the money closer to his chest. “I’m waiting,” she said, well used to having to deal with Bill and his miserly ways. Like most men, he had a self-serving streak a mile wide, a selfish attitude whenever it came to money and he didn’t hesitate to screw someone when he thought he could get away with it.
“What about the damages to my bar?” he blustered, and cast a nasty look at Jordan Sommerville.
Georgia glanced at Jordan, too, and saw that he had an expression almost as fierce as his brother’s. It was the same look he’d worn earlier, when Larry had held on to her wrist. He’d said he was furious…because he thought she might be hurt.
She turned away. “That wasn’t my doing, Bill, and you know it. Take up your grievances with the boys locked away. But give me my money.” When Bill still dithered, looking undecided as to whether or not he had to obey, she narrowed her eyes and said, “You know I can dance anywhere, Bill. Don’t push me. I need the money.”
With a foul curse that would have embarrassed her as little as a month ago, Bill thrust the wad of bills into her hands. Most of them were ones, but altogether, it should amount up to a hundred dollars or more, money she needed to make repairs to the house she’d recently bought. With a sugary sweet, utterly false smile, she muttered, “Thank you.”
She turned to Jordan, saw his look of contempt, and sniffed. Sanctimonious jerk. “I’m ready if you are.”
Jordan held the saloon door open for her and kept stride with her on the way to the large black sport utility vehicle his brother drove. Some official car, she thought, eyeing the shiny black four-wheel-drive Bronco.
The two sheriffs had been talking, but as she and Jordan neared the vehicle, they parted ways. Sheriff Hudson got behind the wheel.
The rain had almost let up, but a chill had settled in that seemed to seep into her bones. Her bare legs were freezing and she’d somehow managed to step into a puddle, getting both feet soaked. She would have changed clothes, but the sheriff was in an obvious hurry to get going and she didn’t want to push her luck. The quicker she got this over with, the quicker she could get home. She was so weary she ached all the way down to her toes and more than anything she needed a good night’s sleep.
But once she got home, there would be chores to do. If she didn’t get some of the laundry taken care of, they’d all be running around naked. She had no doubt the sink was full of dishes, and there were bills that had to be paid before she lost her utilities.
She was so drawn into her thoughts, she nearly tripped over Jordan when he