that’s true. I’d love to meet Mrs. Sheridan soon.” Ackerman turned a cold gaze onto Zeke. “Sheriff, I’ll be returning to my hotel now, provided I have your permission.”
Zeke’s expression was as deadly as the gun beneath his itchy palm. “By all means. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you soon.”
“Hello gentlemen.” Naomi’s voice was not only unexpected, it made Zeke’s entire body clench.
Good thing he could control himself, because she wore the same pretty yellow dress again, looking fresh faced and absolutely beautiful. His first impulse was to grab her and kiss her, the second was to yank her out of Ackerman’s line of sight. What he should really do is turn and walk away. He needed to keep away from her.
The Yankee looked like a hungry wolf spotting a juicy sheep. He slicked back his hair with his left hand and straightened his lapels.
“Good morning, madam.” He bowed slightly. “My name is Byron Ackerman. I’m new to town and pleased to meet you.”
Naomi, to her credit, didn’t stammer or blush. She stared at the man, her lips compressed tightly.
“Good day, sir.” Her only response.
“And you are?” He held out his hand, yet Naomi didn’t take it.
“None of your damn business, Ackerman.”
Her hazel eyes widened at Zeke’s snarl. “My name is Miss Naomi Tucker. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ackerman.”
Zeke stared hard at her, his blood rushing through him. “Are you getting pleasure meeting this Yankee?”
“Shut your mouth, Sheriff. You’re being contrary and rude.” Her cheeks flared pink.
“I could put you back in jail faster than you can blink, Miss Tucker .”
“Just try it.” She pointed her chin toward him, daring him.
The argument made Zeke’s body heat and damned if he didn’t have the urge to fuck her up against the wall of the building in front of him, as well as to paddle her ass.
“Ahem, much as I’m enjoying this, I’m going to have to interrupt.” Ackerman sounded as if he really was enjoying it, stupid son of a bitch.
Naomi shot an icy glare at Zeke, then took a deep breath, pushing her delicious breasts against the yellow fabric. His teeth ground together when she finally held out her hand to Ackerman.
“I was just on my way to have breakfast at Elmer’s Restaurant if you’d care to join me.”
Zeke sucked in a breath at her brazenness. Inviting a man to eat with her? What the hell was she thinking?
Ackerman didn’t need any more encouragement. “I’d be happy to join you.”
“I’m sure Sheriff Blackwood and his friend have duties to attend to. There must be small children to scare and puppies to kick.” She tucked her arm in the man’s and turned him down the street. “What brings you to Tanger?”
Their conversation faded as the pair wandered away, leaving Zeke ready to bite nails in half. He’d obviously handled that completely wrong. Hell, he hadn’t even had a chance to talk to her since, well, since the night he arrested her, the night he’d discovered she was more potent than any whiskey. Maybe he ought to talk to Lucy first and get an idea of how things went at the saloon.
Then he could paddle Naomi’s ass.
“She’s got you all tied up in knots, doesn’t she?” Jake’s comment made Zeke start a bit. He’d forgotten his friend was standing there witnessing everything.
“What makes you say that?” Zeke snarled.
Jake, as usual, laughed. “I guess that answers my question.”
“Shut up, you fool.”
That only make Jake laugh harder. Zeke walked away, heading for the saloon, his gut churning.
Lucy glanced up from the game of solitaire as Zeke slammed into the saloon. Her dark eyebrows rose when she saw the expression on his face, and perhaps in surprise that he was in the saloon at all.
“Sheriff Blackwood. What happened to bring you into the saloon ?”
He let the jab fly past him. “I just met the new owner of the hotel.” He sat down heavily across from her. “The man is an
Zeke’s expression was as deadly as the gun beneath his itchy palm. “By all means. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you soon.”
“Hello gentlemen.” Naomi’s voice was not only unexpected, it made Zeke’s entire body clench.
Good thing he could control himself, because she wore the same pretty yellow dress again, looking fresh faced and absolutely beautiful. His first impulse was to grab her and kiss her, the second was to yank her out of Ackerman’s line of sight. What he should really do is turn and walk away. He needed to keep away from her.
The Yankee looked like a hungry wolf spotting a juicy sheep. He slicked back his hair with his left hand and straightened his lapels.
“Good morning, madam.” He bowed slightly. “My name is Byron Ackerman. I’m new to town and pleased to meet you.”
Naomi, to her credit, didn’t stammer or blush. She stared at the man, her lips compressed tightly.
“Good day, sir.” Her only response.
“And you are?” He held out his hand, yet Naomi didn’t take it.
“None of your damn business, Ackerman.”
Her hazel eyes widened at Zeke’s snarl. “My name is Miss Naomi Tucker. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ackerman.”
Zeke stared hard at her, his blood rushing through him. “Are you getting pleasure meeting this Yankee?”
“Shut your mouth, Sheriff. You’re being contrary and rude.” Her cheeks flared pink.
“I could put you back in jail faster than you can blink, Miss Tucker .”
“Just try it.” She pointed her chin toward him, daring him.
The argument made Zeke’s body heat and damned if he didn’t have the urge to fuck her up against the wall of the building in front of him, as well as to paddle her ass.
“Ahem, much as I’m enjoying this, I’m going to have to interrupt.” Ackerman sounded as if he really was enjoying it, stupid son of a bitch.
Naomi shot an icy glare at Zeke, then took a deep breath, pushing her delicious breasts against the yellow fabric. His teeth ground together when she finally held out her hand to Ackerman.
“I was just on my way to have breakfast at Elmer’s Restaurant if you’d care to join me.”
Zeke sucked in a breath at her brazenness. Inviting a man to eat with her? What the hell was she thinking?
Ackerman didn’t need any more encouragement. “I’d be happy to join you.”
“I’m sure Sheriff Blackwood and his friend have duties to attend to. There must be small children to scare and puppies to kick.” She tucked her arm in the man’s and turned him down the street. “What brings you to Tanger?”
Their conversation faded as the pair wandered away, leaving Zeke ready to bite nails in half. He’d obviously handled that completely wrong. Hell, he hadn’t even had a chance to talk to her since, well, since the night he arrested her, the night he’d discovered she was more potent than any whiskey. Maybe he ought to talk to Lucy first and get an idea of how things went at the saloon.
Then he could paddle Naomi’s ass.
“She’s got you all tied up in knots, doesn’t she?” Jake’s comment made Zeke start a bit. He’d forgotten his friend was standing there witnessing everything.
“What makes you say that?” Zeke snarled.
Jake, as usual, laughed. “I guess that answers my question.”
“Shut up, you fool.”
That only make Jake laugh harder. Zeke walked away, heading for the saloon, his gut churning.
Lucy glanced up from the game of solitaire as Zeke slammed into the saloon. Her dark eyebrows rose when she saw the expression on his face, and perhaps in surprise that he was in the saloon at all.
“Sheriff Blackwood. What happened to bring you into the saloon ?”
He let the jab fly past him. “I just met the new owner of the hotel.” He sat down heavily across from her. “The man is an
Similar Books
