Never Love a Lawman Read Free

on that prize. Now that I recollect, a couple of married men spun that notion around in what sadly passes for their minds—until their wives spun it back.”
    “I say again, I’m not fixing to court anyone, let alone Miss Rachel Bailey.”
    “Why not? She’s handsome enough, ain’t she?”
    “Handsome enough?” It wasn’t how he would have described her, but coming from Rose, it was a fulsome compliment. “Yes. She’s that.” And more, he thought. A pure pleasure. He nudged Rose with his shoulder. “Who are you trying to marry off? Me or her?”
    “Don’t see that it matters either way. You’re not exactly keeping me in silk and silver, and she’s a nice enough lady. A little sad about the eyes, if you ask me, but not so much that you think she’s about to burst into tears if you look at her sideways.”
    “Huh.”
    That was enough of a prompt for Rose to go on. “I never heard anything that wasn’t gossip and speculation because Miss Bailey likes to keep to herself, but my girls spin a good tale about her pining away. They’re fanciful in that regard, especially on a slow day.”
    “Is that right?”
    Rose ignored that. “Anyway, if you came around more, I might not like seein’ you go, but the way it is now, it’d be all right if you put your hat in the ring for Miss Bailey’s affections. She’s not going to stop making dresses just because she gets married, so I’m thinkin’ that’ll be all right, too. And she does keep me in silk and silver, though, God knows, I pay a pretty price for it.”
    “You’re the best-dressed woman in Reidsville,” Wyatt said. “Probably in Colorado.”
    She laughed. “When I’m wearing clothes.”
    “There’s nothing wrong with your birthday suit, but Miss Bailey does right by you.”
    Rose thought it was an odd thing for him to say. Not the first, but the second. She’d never have guessed his watchful, predatory eyes noticed the cut of a woman’s gown or the color of her threads. “You’re a peculiar sort of fellow, aren’t you, Wyatt?”
    Though only one side of his mouth lifted, what he offered his companion was most definitely a grin. “I never thought about it.”
    “Well, I’m telling you, you are. I’ve known you, what? Five years?”
    “Something like that.”
    She simply shook her head. “Peculiar.” Before she could elaborate, she saw Rachel Bailey step out of the telegraph office. “Oh, there she is.”
    “Mmm.”
    “Looks like her packages came.”
    “Looks like.”
    “She’s juggling an armful. Might be she could use an extra pair of hands.”
    “Might be she should have taken Artie up on his offer to help her.”
    “Now, how do you know he offered to tote those home for her?”
    “He always offers. She always refuses.”
    Rose gave him another sideways glance. “You been askin’ after her.”
    Wyatt didn’t confirm or deny her claim.
    Sighing softly, Rose changed the subject. “I hope she’s got the peacock-blue sateen in one of those. That’s for me.”
    “I thought it might be.”
    “Adele’s been waiting for the Belgian lace. She’s been pining for that trim on a nightgown since Miss Bailey showed her a sample.”
    “She sews for your girls, too?”
    “Sure she does. Pays to have them lookin’ real nice. Like I said, if you dropped in more than once in a blue moon, you probably would have realized it. Where have you been anyway?”
    “Around.”
    “Not in town, not so folks have seen you much. You leave that no-account Beatty boy in charge. What do you suppose he’d do if there was trouble?”
    “Same as me. And you shouldn’t call him that.”
    Rose rolled her eyes at his rebuke. “Why not? You do. Everyone does.”
    “Everyone else doesn’t say it with the same mean edge that you do.”
    “I’m sure you misheard. Is it all right with you if I call him a boy?”
    Wyatt drew back and regarded Rose with interest. “Are you sweet on him?”
    “Sweet on him? Didn’t I just say he was a