Taming the Lone Wolf by Joan Johnston Page A

Bud retorted.
    Stony glanced at the woman. “Do you welcome this gentleman’s attentions, ma’am?”
    He watched the dark flush start at the V neck ofher peach-colored waitress uniform and skate up her throat to sit like two roses on those alabaster cheeks. Her green-eyed gaze flitted from him to Bud and back to him.
    â€œI...uh...no,” she said. “But—”
    He cut her off by turning his attention to Bud. “The lady wants you to leave her alone.”
    â€œThere’s nothing you can do to stop me,” Bud said smugly.
    â€œI can testify in court when the lady files a harassment suit against you.”
    â€œWhy, you—She won’t have to file no suit, because she’s fired!” Bud said heatedly.
    â€œBud, no!” Tess exclaimed.
    Stony glanced at Tess and was surprised to see she was angry—with him!
    â€œNow look what you’ve done!” Her fisted hands found a perch at her tiny waist. “I was handling things just fine on my own before you showed up.”
    His eyes narrowed. “The man was pawing you.”
    Her chin lifted mulishly. “I’ve been putting Bud off for a year, and—”
    â€œThis has been going on for a whole year?” Stony said incredulously. He turned back to Bud, who was still pinned against the wall. “You’ve been mauling this lady for a year?” He gathered up a bigger handful of Bud’s T-shirt.
    â€œWasn’t doin’ nothin’ she didn’t want,” Bud said. “Widow-woman needs a man more’n most.”
    â€œA widow?” Stony’s glance darted to Tess.
    â€œMy husband was killed a year ago,” Tess said in response to his cocked brow.
    He saw from the flash of pain in her eyes that it was still a raw wound. Her boss hadn’t done anything to help it heal. Far from it. Stony resisted the urge to slam Bud against the wall again. He forced himself to let go of Bud’s T-shirt and take a step back, afraid he would hurt the man if he held on to him much longer.
    Stony wasn’t sure he had solved anything. Maybe he had made matters worse. He refused to ask Bud to keep the woman on, when it was clear if he did that Bud would continue to press unwanted attentions on his waitress. But Tess apparently wanted—maybe needed?—the job.
    â€œWhat will you do now?” he asked Tess.
    â€œGet my job back, if I can,” she answered with asperity. She walked over and straightened Bud’s rumpled T-shirt. “Come on, Bud. What do you say?”
    She managed a crooked smile, but Stony saw her chin was trembling.
    Bud shot a malicious look at Stony, then said to Tess, “You’re fired, honey. You can pick up your check at the end of the week.”
    â€œBut, Bud—”
    Bud jerked his thumb toward the door. “Out.” Bud turned to Stony and said, “Now get out from behind my counter.”
    Stony went back over the counter the way he had come. He glanced at the woman from the corner of his eye as he made his way back to his booth and sat down. He picked up his hamburger and took a bite, but it was cold, and he had trouble swallowing it.
    He watched Tess argue in whispers with Bud andsaw Bud vehemently shake his head. He watched her take off her apron and drape it over the counter before she headed for the kitchen. He waited for her to reappear. He wanted a chance to talk to her, to make sure she was going to be all right, to see if there was anything he could do to help. Although, with the kind of help he had offered so far, he wouldn’t be surprised if she turned him down.
    He waited maybe two minutes. When Tess didn’t return, he threw some money on the table to cover his check, grabbed his shearling coat and Stetson off the antler coatrack and hurried outside to the snow-covered sidewalk to see if he could find her.
    Stony wasn’t thinking about his vow to stay away from pretty women. He wasn’t