I’m not going to be happy.”
Luc arched his brow mockingly as his dark gray eyes filled with amusement.
“I haven’t seen the sheriff in a few weeks, actually. I didn’t get around to telling him about it.”
“Why not just take out a damned newspaper ad?” Melina snapped temperamentally. “Then you wouldn’t have to remember to tell anyone.”
Luc chuckled, though Sam and Heather both seemed to watch her curiously.
“A newspaper ad isn’t nearly as fast as some people’s wagging tongues,” Sam laughed. “Luckily for Luc, we’re trustworthy.” He turned to Luc then. “Let’s go do some horse trading. Maybe your woman will have pity on mine and fix something edible. Those frozen dinners are gonna kill you, boy.”
Melina crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the two men furiously. “I am not his woman. He didn’t court me, he kidnapped me.”
“The best marriages in the west started that way.” Sam shrugged, then chuckled when his wife’s fist landed on his thick shoulder. “That’s my cue to go.” He turned to Luc. “Let’s go check out my horseflesh, Luc, before I get myself in trouble.”
Melina watched Luc, her eyes narrowing as he struggled to hide his own grin and followed Sam from the house. She wanted to hate him, wanted to blame him, but the more time she spent with him the less she looked forward to him learning the truth of who she was. And that only made her madder. Though the anger was directed more at herself now than at Luc.
“He’s a hard man, but he’s a good man.” Heather’s voice suddenly interrupted her musings. “And I think he’s a little bit fonder of you than perhaps he’s letting on.”
Melina sighed and looked over at the other woman. “You’re hungry?” She ignored Heather’s observation.
“Not really.” She shrugged. “I just like to hassle him over it. He never eats properly.”
Melina snorted. “The man can’t boil water safely. Thankfully, he kidnapped someone who does know how to cook. How about some coffee and cinnamon rolls instead?”
“Sounds great. Can I do anything to help?” Heather asked as Melina moved to the coffee maker and began making a fresh pot.
“The rolls were baked this morning and coffee won’t take but a few minutes.” Melina shrugged. “Go ahead and sit down. I’ll have it ready soon.”
Silence filled the small room as Melina prepared the coffee, removed the cups from the cabinet and set out the fresh baked rolls she had fixed that morning. It took only minutes for the coffee to brew; during that time Melina laid out small saucers, sugar and cream and endured Heather’s narrow-eyed perusal.
She wondered what Luc had told the couple about her. Of course, they would have known about Maria’s part in the shooting two years before. Luc seemed rather close to the other man, so she had no doubt that Sam August knew about it. There had also been a glimmer of resentment in the other man’s eyes when he watched her. He was polite, a bit mocking maybe, but she could tell he was concerned about Luc.
Heather seemed more direct, though she had yet to say anything. She merely watched as Melina prepared the coffee, poured it into oversized cups and then returned to the table.
“You’re the sister,” Heather finally said softly. “You’re not Maria.”
Surprised, Melina stared over at the other woman.
“Luc swears there isn’t a sister,” she said sarcastically. “So you must be wrong.”
Heather laughed gently. “I would say Luc spent very little time researching his subject. The minute Sam told me what Luc had done I got on the computer. I have to admit, I’m glad he didn’t kidnap Maria. She would have made certain he went to prison for it.”
“And you think I won’t?” Melina asked coolly as she stirred sugar into her coffee.
Heather tilted her head to the side and regarded her for long moments.
“I don’t think you will. I think you’re more likely to fuck him silly than you are
Luc arched his brow mockingly as his dark gray eyes filled with amusement.
“I haven’t seen the sheriff in a few weeks, actually. I didn’t get around to telling him about it.”
“Why not just take out a damned newspaper ad?” Melina snapped temperamentally. “Then you wouldn’t have to remember to tell anyone.”
Luc chuckled, though Sam and Heather both seemed to watch her curiously.
“A newspaper ad isn’t nearly as fast as some people’s wagging tongues,” Sam laughed. “Luckily for Luc, we’re trustworthy.” He turned to Luc then. “Let’s go do some horse trading. Maybe your woman will have pity on mine and fix something edible. Those frozen dinners are gonna kill you, boy.”
Melina crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the two men furiously. “I am not his woman. He didn’t court me, he kidnapped me.”
“The best marriages in the west started that way.” Sam shrugged, then chuckled when his wife’s fist landed on his thick shoulder. “That’s my cue to go.” He turned to Luc. “Let’s go check out my horseflesh, Luc, before I get myself in trouble.”
Melina watched Luc, her eyes narrowing as he struggled to hide his own grin and followed Sam from the house. She wanted to hate him, wanted to blame him, but the more time she spent with him the less she looked forward to him learning the truth of who she was. And that only made her madder. Though the anger was directed more at herself now than at Luc.
“He’s a hard man, but he’s a good man.” Heather’s voice suddenly interrupted her musings. “And I think he’s a little bit fonder of you than perhaps he’s letting on.”
Melina sighed and looked over at the other woman. “You’re hungry?” She ignored Heather’s observation.
“Not really.” She shrugged. “I just like to hassle him over it. He never eats properly.”
Melina snorted. “The man can’t boil water safely. Thankfully, he kidnapped someone who does know how to cook. How about some coffee and cinnamon rolls instead?”
“Sounds great. Can I do anything to help?” Heather asked as Melina moved to the coffee maker and began making a fresh pot.
“The rolls were baked this morning and coffee won’t take but a few minutes.” Melina shrugged. “Go ahead and sit down. I’ll have it ready soon.”
Silence filled the small room as Melina prepared the coffee, removed the cups from the cabinet and set out the fresh baked rolls she had fixed that morning. It took only minutes for the coffee to brew; during that time Melina laid out small saucers, sugar and cream and endured Heather’s narrow-eyed perusal.
She wondered what Luc had told the couple about her. Of course, they would have known about Maria’s part in the shooting two years before. Luc seemed rather close to the other man, so she had no doubt that Sam August knew about it. There had also been a glimmer of resentment in the other man’s eyes when he watched her. He was polite, a bit mocking maybe, but she could tell he was concerned about Luc.
Heather seemed more direct, though she had yet to say anything. She merely watched as Melina prepared the coffee, poured it into oversized cups and then returned to the table.
“You’re the sister,” Heather finally said softly. “You’re not Maria.”
Surprised, Melina stared over at the other woman.
“Luc swears there isn’t a sister,” she said sarcastically. “So you must be wrong.”
Heather laughed gently. “I would say Luc spent very little time researching his subject. The minute Sam told me what Luc had done I got on the computer. I have to admit, I’m glad he didn’t kidnap Maria. She would have made certain he went to prison for it.”
“And you think I won’t?” Melina asked coolly as she stirred sugar into her coffee.
Heather tilted her head to the side and regarded her for long moments.
“I don’t think you will. I think you’re more likely to fuck him silly than you are
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