Wanted by You Page 2

  Chapter Three

  Sheriff Bradley Ledger was born wealthy and chose to work. He was particularly fond of positions of power, only because he liked telling people what they could and couldn't do. For the most part, this small, western town ran quite smoothly, thanks to him. However, there were moments when things could get out of hand, and whether it was because of something as unimportant and common as a drunken bar fight, or something as important and rare as a wanted criminal hanging out in his town, he dealt with each issue to the best of his abilities.

  Bradley Ledger was an intimidating man with intimidating qualities, though he lacked the height that really would have made his features stand out. He was about five foot ten, with brown hair that was graying. He was a vain man and attempted to dye his hair as best as he could without it being overly obvious that he did so. His short hair was hidden underneath a light beige cowboy hat, and there was a thick moustache underneath his nose. He was always dressed to the nines because he could afford to be, but his most prize possession was the sheriff's badge he wore on his right breast pocket. When there was nothing to do in the small town, it was not unusual to walk past his office and see him polishing it.

  It was lucky for a man who relished in power so much to have two daughters, because society dictated that they weren't allowed to talk back to him. A son who did such a thing was given more allowance because he was male and would carry on the family's name. A woman was little more than her father's property until, of course, she married, and then she would be her husband's property.

  However, Riley, his youngest daughter, was a completely different story. Instead of being the pristine, obedient, genteel young woman her older sister Kendra was, she was, quite frankly, his worst nightmare. She talked back to him, couldn't play one lick of the piano, loved to get dirty, hated to wear dresses, rode bareback on her horse, and worst of all, had told him on numerous occasions that she had no intention to marry, despite her generous dowry and a slew of suitors who wanted her. It wasn't as though she wasn't pretty. Bradley allowed that Riley had more of an earthy quality concerning her looks rather than Kendra's striking beauty, but many men preferred Riley.

  Up until the point where she opened her mouth. Riley was blunt, frank, and spoke her opinion as freely as people drank water, without thinking of the repercussions for doing such a thing. Though men were enamored with how she looked, her personality would not give them an opportunity to make allowances for how she conducted herself, how she spoke her mind. They wanted a woman who would stand by their side and smile, but to keep her lips closed. A breeding mare was what Riley called them. They wanted a wife only to continue their lineage, and Riley had no intention of being used for such purposes.

  Of course, this didn't mean that Riley was against the notion of marriage. She wanted a marriage with real love. She did want children because she really did want a family, but she hadn't met a man that gave her any reason to consider marriage, no matter how many suitors her father threw her way. Being difficult had its perks. At least she didn’t have very many suitors she had to reject, which would all but ensure her father’s wrath.

  When word got around to Bradley that the incident that had happened at the saloon somehow involved his youngest daughter, he immediately headed to the house. He wished he could say he was surprised, but he wasn't. Only Riley had the talent to start a saloon fight.

  If she were a boy, Bradley might have been proud, but seeing as how she obviously was not...

  "What do you think you're doing, missy?" he asked upon meeting the colorful eyes of his daughter. His voice was a deep rumble, like a train going past a town at high speed, and his eyes were like glaciers, sharp and sinking. "Startin' the ruckus over at Roger's saloon? And what's this I hear about you reading when you're supposed to be listening to your sister play? The only reason you were even allowed down there was because she wanted you down there and nothing else."

  "A man was disturbing me, Pa," Riley said, hoping her voice didn't give away her secret - that someone was hiding in the closet.

  "And you had to say something rude, didn't you?" Bradley asked. "Goddamn it all, Riley, is it necessary that you always have the last word? I bet you don't even know just who you provoked, huh?"

  "No," Riley said, refraining from rolling her eyes at the ridiculous question. "I usually don't ask men who are about to slap me for their name."

  "Watch your tongue, missy," Bradley snapped, pointing a warning finger at his daughter. "You watch it." He drew in a shaky breath, but never took his eyes off of his daughter. "No, of course you don't know. You don't think about nothin' or no one but yourself. You're a selfish girl, Riley Ledger. The man you provoked is none other than Reese Hemmingway. Have you heard of him? No? Well, he's a wealthy plantation owner who also happens to be in the market for a bride. For whatever reason – I don't know why – he was interested in you. Can you believe that?" He shook his head and started to laugh, though it was quite obvious he wasn't amused. "But now? Now, I'll wager he hardly ever looks at you again, and you know what, I don't blame him in the slightest. That was probably the best man you were ever going to get. Now how the hell am I supposed to marry you off?"

  "Maybe you should just stop trying since I am such a lost cause, Pa," Riley said, and though she tried, she couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice.

  "And now," Bradley went on as though he hadn't heard what his daughter said. More likely, he had and simply ignored her. "Well, now I've been hearin' rumors swirlin' that Scott Lucas is on the run." He took a step toward his daughter and placed his hands on his hips. "You do know who Scott Lucas is, don't you? He's a wanted criminal, worth ten thousand dollars. Do you realize if I captured him how much wealthier we'd be, although it really is just a drop in the bucket ..." He let his voice trail off, cocking his head ever so slightly to the side. Bradley Ledger was known for starting something, but would then deviate from the subject at the very mention of money. Some men were wealthy, completely content with what they had, while some men had money but wanted more. Bradley was part of the latter group of men.

  "Scott Lucas?" Riley asked, though her emphasis on the last name of the wanted criminal completely escaped her father's hearing. Her brow pushed up and she regarded her father with more curiosity than before. "Do you know what he's charged for?"

  "So you're actually interested in something I have to say?" Bradley asked, giving his daughter a scornful look. "I'm not exactly surprised. You seem to revel in things that hurt me personally, you and your love of adventure. You know if you ever turned rogue, I would take you in too, and I'd love every second of it, Rile. Just tempt me to teach you a harsh lesson."

  "I am well aware, Pa," Riley said dryly, and this time, she was only halfway successful at refraining from rolling her eyes. "You have told me nothing of Scott Lucas. But if you wish for me not to have any sort of knowledge on what a hard sort of job you have, then that is perfectly fine with me. I can ask some of my acquaintances ..."

  "Your so-called acquaintances don't know what I know," Bradley said, his arrogance getting the better of his stubbornness. "Scott Lucas is wanted for kidnap and murder, not just one time, but three times." He raised a brow. "You got that? Don't even think about getting mixed up with the likes of him. He's bad news, but it would seem that's the only type you like." He shook his head, as though he was completely baffled and disappointed with his daughter. "Now, as you can see, I've got my hands tied with something. That cowboy's rumored to be in my town, and I want to run him out before rumors start spreadin' and the town is thrown into some kinda uproar. So stay out of trouble, or I can guarantee you will be punished." He turned, about to head to the stairs when he paused and seemed to head over to the closet.

  Riley's heart started hammering, and she thought quickly to prevent him from going there, even if he was just grabbing a jacket. "Pa," she called sharply.

  Bradley stopped and gave her an inquiring gaze. "What?" he barked.

  "What would you like for supper tonight?" she asked. "To make up for ruckus I've caused, I want to cook. For you."

  "I changed my mind. Don't cook," Bradley said. "You know your sister is an excellent cook. You just burn good food." With that, he walked down the stairs, leaving, this time for good.

  Chapter Four

  Once Riley was absolutely sure her father was gone, she strode over to the closet door and threw it open. His clear, blue eyes seemed to be sparkling once he took in the disgruntled look on Riley's face, and his lips even began to quirk into a knowing smirk.

  "Who the hell do you think you are?" Riley asked, her green eyes flashing into a brighter color. If Scott looked deeper into them, he was sure that he'd see flames. "Call me Lucas? Do you really think I wouldn't find out who you are? I'm not just some stupid female. I'm a lot smarter than you or any man gives me credit for. All right, I understand. You rescued me" – she rolled her eyes at the notion – "from that piece of dirt. But then you follow me into my house to supposedly check on me? I'm not stupid, you know."

  "I do know," Scott said, pushing his lips to hide the amused smile that was threatening to slip onto his face. "You told me, remember?"

  Riley continued on as though she hadn't even heard Scott's smart quip. "You're a criminal!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms out to emphasize the point. "You, sir, are a notorious criminal wanted, not for doing something that was wrong but noble, but for kidnapping and murder. Oh, and not just one time, but three. You kidnapped and murdered someone three times."

  "Now, that's just impossible," Scott retorted, crossing his arms over his chest, but Riley, again, didn't hear him.

  "You have a lot of nerve," Riley said, shaking her head, "hiding out in the sheriff's house. He isn't even home! It's just me. Do you know how improper that is?
Who do you think you are, anyway?"

  Before she could continue on with her rant, Scott placed his hands on her shoulders, bent his head down, and captured her lips with his own. Riley was so taken back that her mind stopped working and her instincts immediately took over. She pushed up on her toes and proceeded to kiss him in return. He tasted like tobacco and freedom, and something that oozed masculinity. Riley didn't even consider the fact that she might not be very good at kissing. She hadn't had too much experience with the opposite sex, unless they had challenged her to a race or a shooting tournament or something of the like.

  Somehow, Scott distracted her enough with his lips to make her forget everything that she had been yelling at him about, and the insecurity she thought she would have wasn't there. His lips prodded hers slightly, and one of his hands reached up to cup her chin and tilt her head back so he could deepen the kiss. It was only when his tongue slid out over her lips, asking for some kind of entrance, did Riley finally realize what was going on and, more importantly, what she was doing. Using every ounce of her strength, she placed her hands on his chest and pushed him back so he had no choice but to break their kiss. Then, without any sort of warning, Riley slapped him on the cheek.

  Scott would have been lying if he said he wasn't surprised at the gall of the young woman before him, but he couldn't bring himself to be upset. In fact, he was amused by the entire situation he had found himself in, and couldn't stop the chuckles from departing his lips if he tried. The girl could pack a slap, too.

  "It's just like I said," Riley said, once she put a safe distance between the two of them, struggling to catch her breath but failing to do just that. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

  "Scott Lucas," the cowboy said in his low, gravelly voice. His tone indicated that he thought the answer was quite obvious. "And you know, missy, you shouldn't be using that coarse language in the presence of a man. You are a lady, ain't you?"

  Riley's eyes widened at what Scott had just said. "Excuse me?" she asked, clearly affronted at what he had said. Scott expected nothing less. He was beginning to learn that he liked seeing her riled up, and even more so when he was the one doing the riling. Her name was Riley after all. It seemed to go with the territory. "You, a wanted criminal, who just walks up into a random house and then kisses me without any former acquaintance or courtship or promise of marriage? You're the one who is going to lecture me on how one should be proper?"

  It was then that Riley finally realized that Scott Lucas was just that – a man on the run from the law. And he was alone with her, and it wasn't likely that her father or even Kendra would be showing anytime soon. Not only had she yelled at him quite passionately, but she also had slapped him across the face. Her face paled in realization and she took another step back. What was he going to do to her? Was he upset with her behavior? She couldn't tell. Those eyes were too guarded for Riley to decipher anything.

  "You need to leave," she told him, her voice quieter than normal, but just as firm. She even forced herself to look him in the eyes to ensure that he believed she wasn't afraid of him. At least, that was what she hoped would happen.

  His calculating eyes looked at her with an enigmatic expression, and he shifted his weight, placing his hands on his hips. It was then that Riley's eyes snapped down, and she took in the two pistols hanging from his hips. He really was a wanted criminal, and here she was, yelling at him, slapping him, kissing him ... She swallowed, forcing her eyes back up.

  "You know," he said, reaching behind him to pull out a roll of tobacco from his back pocket. "I'm not exactly sure if I should trust you." He placed the rolled tobacco between his lips and slid his fingers in his front pocket, pulling out a lighter. "I mean," he said, skillfully speaking despite the cigarette between his lips. "You know what I look like. You know that the rumors are, in fact, true."

  "I saved you," Riley said quickly, though his eyes were narrowed on the rolled tobacco hanging from his lips. "I saved you from my father who also happens to be sheriff of the town."

  "That you did," Scott agreed, but before he could actually light the tobacco, Riley had walked up to him and grabbed it from his lips.

  "No," she told him. "There will be no smoking in this house. My father has a nose that could rival a bloodhound's, and I am not going to get in trouble due to some cowboy who thinks he can …” She cut herself off, pressing her lips together. It was so easy to forget that he was a criminal – a wanted criminal – which could end up being a fatal mistake. Riley really needed to watch her mouth, especially when dealing with kidnappers and murderers. She inhaled sharply, taking in another deep breath. "Now," she said, once again forcing her eyes to look into his. "I insist you leave at this moment."

  Scott locked eyes with her, searching her face for something he wasn't aware of. Before he could stop himself and before she realized it, Scott walked toward her. Riley dared not to move, either because she didn't want to back down from the man before her, despite how afraid of him she might be, or because she couldn't. He had captivated her somehow. Maybe it was both, but even as Scott got closer to her, she wouldn't even breathe.

  Scott stopped when he was a few breaths away from her body, and after another moment of silence, he gently slid the rolled tobacco from Riley's fingers and slipped it back into his mouth. His eyes never left hers, and she hated to admit it, but when Scott's fingertip brushed her skin, she felt a crackling feeling, almost like lightning, touch her senses. She couldn't even open her mouth to tell him again not to smoke. It had gone dry.

  "Is that what you really want?" he asked her in a low murmur, his words slightly mumbled by the cigarette in his mouth.

  Riley forgot to breathe. She forgot to speak. In fact, she didn't even hear what Scott had said until moments later when everything faded away, and she realized that she was too close to this man, and that he needed to leave. When his question finally registered with her, she swallowed once more, hoping it would help wet her throat so that when she did speak her voice wouldn't come out croaky.

  "It is," she admitted. Not croaky, but her voice was softer than she intended it to be.

  Scott looked as though he wanted to say something, but for the life of her, Riley didn't know what it was. After another moment, Scott nodded, tipped his hat, and in a matter of seconds, disappeared out the door.

  Chapter Five

  If Riley were to be honest with herself, she would have to admit that from the moment Scott Lucas left her house up until the very present, the wanted cowboy was still on her mind. However, she was in no mood to admit anything, especially when she had dinner to concentrate on. His face remained whenever she blinked, whenever she let her thoughts trail off ... She couldn't help it. The man was temptation in its rawest form. Riley wouldn't have been surprised if Scott Lucas was a snake of a devil in a prettier form, and for whatever reason, she was his next target.

  Though, the thought of being the next target wasn't as foreboding as it should have been. Riley Ledger was still an innocent, a pure woman, but her thoughts weren't as clean. Sex was something that, while not always on her mind, she thought about on a day-to-day basis. She knew that once she was married, she would have to engage in such an act – making love was what some called it, carnal pleasures were what the prostitutes referred to it as – and it worried her because she had no idea what to expect.

  Riley had acquaintances in every sort of person, from barmen to sheriffs, from prostitutes to genteel women, from scoundrels and now to a wanted criminal. She had heard and read about sex in many different ways. Some men believed that sex was their God-given right, and the woman's pleasure meant absolutely nothing to them. Others believed that sex was filled with sensual pleasure, and everyone deserved to experience it to the fullest. Just thinking about it, Riley couldn't help but blush, especially when her thoughts led her to wonder just what sort of lover Mister Scott Lucas would be. He was viral and lively and oozed sexuality, but beyond that, Riley was too inexperienced to make any sort of guess. However, her intuition told her that if he was anything, he was most definitely experienced with the opposite sex.