“Yes.”
“You lost it to him? Good lord, Carrie. He wasn’t even half as cute as the guy you were with last night.”
Carrie’s gaze dropped to the table before she sat down.
No, Cole is the most gorgeous guy I’ve ever met, much less made love with.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“So what’s between you and Cole? I thought you had a policy about rodeo guys.”
“I do, and what’s between Cole and I is none of your business.” Taking the last sips of her coffee, she headed back into the kitchen before she left her cup in the sink. “You need to come to the store about eleven. It gets really busy then, and I need your help today.”
Jessica huffed. “All right. I’ll be there.”
Carrie kissed her on the cheek, grabbed her keys, and walked out the door.
When she pulled into the store parking lot, she let a small, wistful smile lift the corners her mouth when she saw a very familiar black Ford. She grabbed her purse and keys before she slipped out, shut the door, and headed for the front of the store. As she slipped the key into the lock to unlock the door, she felt a warm breath against her ear. She shivered when Cole's hand came up to rest at her waist.
“Mmm…you smell good.”
“What are you doing here?” She leaned back against his chest for a moment.
“I thought I’d come by and help for a little while,” he whispered, his lips nibbling at her ear.
She pulled away and turned around, flashing him a smile. “I can always use cheap help.”
“Cheap? I’ll have you know, ma’am, I’m very expensive.”
She cocked her head to the side as her eyes roamed over his chest, down his lean hips to his boots and back again. “I’m not sure I can afford you then.”
A slow, sexy-as-hell grin spread across his face, showing off his dimples, and her heart skipped a beat. “I’m sure we can negotiate something.”
They moved inside the store. She went and grabbed the cash bag before she walked back to the register. The bell over the door tinkled, announcing the arrival of a customer.
“Carrie?”
She groaned, and Cole frowned when Ken walked up to the counter.
“What can I get for you, Ken?”
His gaze ricocheted from her to Cole, who stood not far behind her, and then back to her. “Who’s he?”
“None of your business. Is there something you need?”
“You know what I need.”
“That’s not happening, Ken, so forget it. If that’s all you came in for, you can leave now.”
* * * *
He didn’t like the man. Something about him rubbed Cole the wrong way. Maybe it was his beady eyes. Maybe it was the possessive way he looked at Carrie. Whatever it was, the man brought out a protective side of his nature he didn’t know he possessed. Stepping closer to Carrie, he laid his hand on her waist.
“Somethin’ I can help you with, mister?”
Ken’s eyes narrowed. “Some other time.” He turned his back and walked out.
Carrie shivered and closed her eyes.
He pressed his lips to her temple and whispered, “You okay?”
She nodded and stepped out of his reach. He didn’t like how she pulled away from him after their encounter with the other man.
The bell tinkled again and several customers came in. The two of them went back to the routine they had on Saturday with him filling orders and her ringing the purchases up until eleven rolled around.
Jessica walked in precisely on time, and he wasn't sure, but he thought he saw Carrie physically relax. They hadn’t had a chance to talk at all since earlier that morning, and he wished he had time now, but he didn’t. He had to ride in an hour.
“Hi. Cole, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. How are you feeling?”
She dropped her eyes. “Fine.”
“Can I talk to you a minute?”
Her gaze came back up to his, and she shrugged before she moved toward a corner of the store while Carrie was busy. She looked at him questioningly when they stopped near the back wall of the store.
“About last night…”
“It’s okay. Carrie and I talked this morning.”
“I just don’t want you to think your sister goes around sleeping with guys she just met all the time.”
She cocked at eyebrow at him and waited for him to explain.
“What I mean is—what happened between me and Carrie wasn’t planned.”
“I think that was obvious since, until three days ago, she didn’t know who you were.”
He shuffled his feet.
Damn! She’s making me feel like the teenager here.
“I don’t begrudge Carrie anything. She gave up a lot when our parents died. Her dream was to have a career, not babysit her little sister, but she did it without complaining. She took over running this store to pay the bills, never once thinking about what it meant or how her life would change. Don’t get me wrong, she has 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 the sheriff’s department, sounding a silent burglar alarm. Within moments, the local police would have the place surrounded.
As sirens started blaring in the distance, panic registered in the man’s eyes before he snarled and grabbed Carrie by the hair, pulling her away from Jessica. “You set off the fucking alarm!”
She glared right back. “You did it, not me. The register is rigged to dial when the power is cut off.”
The man growled, pulled back his hand and slapped her hard across the face. Carrie reeled from the blow and slumped against the glass counter. She tried to stand up, but he grabbed her ponytail and yanked her up against him.
“We’re leavin’ here—together.”
Wrapping his arm around her throat, he pushed the gun against her side when they walked toward the door. “Unlock the door.”
With one hand on his arm trying to keep him from choking her, she reached with the other one to slide the bolt open. They walked out into the parking lot, only to see ten police cars, lights flashing, surrounding the store.
Chapter Seven
The rodeo events were in full swing. The bull riding was the biggest event of all and drew the most spectators to the arena. Cole looked over the crowd almost hoping to see Carrie among the sea of faces, but in his heart, he knew she wasn’t there. The store didn’t close until five, and he was to meet her there at six. There would be no reason for her to be at the arena unless she came to watch him. He smiled at the thought.
He stood next to the gate, getting ready for his final ride. Glove on, his bull rope in his hand, he hopped up on the metal railing, straddling it when he heard the crackle of a radio.
“Robbery in progress. All units respond code three—Marsh’s Feed.”
He felt the color drain from his face before he jumped down and grabbed the arm of the cop attached to the radio. The man glared at his hand before his gaze ricocheted back to Cole’s face.
“I know you ain’t grabbin’ my arm there, cowboy.”
“Sorry. Did they say robbery at Marsh’s Feed?”
“Yeah.”
“Carrie,” he murmured.
“You know her?”
“You could say that.”
Cole took off for his truck at a dead run. Spinning tires and spraying gravel as he gunned it out of the parking lot, he drew the attention of the nearby spectators who all stopped to watch when several cop cars and one black Ford hit the pavement.
His heart dropped into his stomach when he whipped into her parking lot and saw several more police cars parked. Five cops, each crouched behind their doors with their guns drawn and pointed at the front door of the store, met his gaze. Cole jumped out of his truck and hurried behind one of the cop cars.
“What’s going on?” The policeman turned and shot him a questioning look like he wanted to ask what the hell difference it made to him. “I’m a friend of Carrie’s.”
The cop shook his head before he answered. “Robbery in progress. We aren’t sure how many perps or what’s going on yet.”
“Are Carrie and Jessica in there?”
“Don’t know for sure, but it appears so. You can see shadows moving around.”
As the words left the policeman's lips, Cole saw the door of the store open. The light from inside reflected behind the two people when they moved outside, making it difficult to discern who they were.
“Everyone back off, or the little lady here takes a bullet,” the burglar shouted.
A shadow of what appeared to be two people moved closer to them, and when they did, Cole could see a man with a ski mask over his face holding Carrie in front of him. Cole shifted, ready to move so he could get her away from the crazy guy, until the cop next to him stopped him with a hand on his arm.
“That’ll just get you killed, mister. Let us handle this.”
“But he’s got Carrie.”
“I know, but we have to do this the right way so she doesn’t get hurt.” The policeman shot him a sympathetic look. “I care about her, too. I’ve known her since she was little, and I hung out with her dad, but rushing the guy will just get her shot.”
Cole settled back down next to the cop behind the door of the car. “So what do we do?”