Taken by the Cowboy Read Online Free PDF Page B

restrain
myself.”
    When Sheriff Wade
stepped out, Jessica watched him through the open door. He hooked
his thumbs in his belt and pushed back the long slicker. He looked
up and down the street as if to ensure there were no vandals
causing a ruckus, then shut the door behind him, and stomped down
the stairs with those heavy black boots.
    As soon as he was out
of sight, Jessica quickly shed her twenty-first century clothing
and slipped into his wife’s dress.
    Which fit
perfectly.
    * * *
    "Good morning. Hope you
slept well." Sheriff Wade lowered his legs from the desktop and
slammed his black boots onto the floor.
    Still half asleep,
Jessica sat up and ran her fingers through her tangled hair. She
felt like she'd slept for days. Remembering what had happened the
night before, she shook her head in disbelief. Was this for real?
Had she really traveled back in time?
    If she had, she needed
to find a way to get home. Her parents needed to know she was all
right.
    "How long have you been
here?" she asked, smothering a yawn with her hand.
    "All night."
    He stood and jingled
the keys in his hand as he made his way to the cell door.
"Normally, Dempsey would've stayed, but I told him it wasn't
necessary. You wouldn't be going anywhere."
    "And what makes you so
sure of that? How do you know I don't have a gang of outlaws
waiting to break me out of here?"
    He inserted the key
into the lock and pulled the cell door wide open. "Hope you're
joking about that, Junebug. Wouldn't want to change my mind about
releasing you." He gave her a heated look that made whole body
tingle.
    “No need to change your
mind,” she replied, as she balled up her twenty-first century
clothes and sauntered out of the cell.
    "Your reward money will
take a few days,” he told her. “Do you have a place to stay?"
    "Yes, with Mr.
Maxwell."
    "That's mighty
neighborly of him." He crossed behind her, stopping there for a few
seconds.
    Jessica turned her
head, wondering what he was doing back there – sizing up her
derriere?—but in the space of a single heart beat, he re-appeared
in front of her. "You're free to go."
    "Thank you."
    She turned to leave,
but Wade stopped her.
    "I'd be careful if I
was you. Folks'll be staring."
    "Why?" she asked.
    "There's a story about
you in
The Chronicle
this morning. The editor must have
been up all night setting that type. I doubt the ink had a chance
to dry."
    "Let me see it."
    He gestured toward the
newspaper on the desk. Jessica went to pick it up and began
reading:
     
    Jessica Delaney, more widely known as Junebug Jess, fired the
shot that killed Left Hand Lou, notorious bank robber. Known for
her quick draw and deadly aim, Junebug Jess travels about the West
wreaking fear and havoc. Folks say she's killed more men than she
cares to count, but her blinding beauty keeps her out of the noose.
While the usual plea for killing a man is self-defense, Miss
Delaney travels with the story that a giant insect frightened her
into firing her gun by accident, hence her name. While Dodge City
is tense with the presence of Junebug Jess, the citizens are
relieved to learn that the notorious Left Hand Lou is no longer a
threat.
    Wade raised an eyebrow
at her. "Care to tell me about anybody
else
you killed by
mistake?"

Chapter Four
     
     
    Jessica’s pulse
quickened at the note of accusation in the sheriff’s voice. "I
didn't lie to you last night," she assured him. "I swear on my
life."
    His expression remained
relaxed and casual, as if it were nothing at all for a person to
gun down another in the street – as long as the victim had a reward
on his head.
    “I reckon that remains
to be seen,” Wade said, “so don't leave Dodge. I still have some
checking to do on you, but I don't expect that to be a problem. You
want your five hundred dollars, don't you?"
    "Of course."
    When he sat down at his
desk, Jessica hesitated a moment. “What about the dress? When
should I bring it back?”
    His gaze lifted
briefly—as if to look at