Daddy in Cowboy Boots (Montana Daddies #9) - Laylah Roberts Page 0,42
listening in.”
Marisol watched her saunter away, confidence in her every step. What it must be like to be so sure of yourself, to not be afraid or measure each word. “Wow, she’s . . .”
“A brat,” Ed told her.
“Um, are you allowed to say that about an employee?”
He snorted. “I’ve known her for years. Our mothers were friends. She’s never forgiven me for spanking her when she was sixteen and I caught her at a party, drinking.”
“You . . . you spanked her?”
“Sure did. She deserved it. She was hanging with the wrong crowd, getting into trouble, worrying her parents. So I stepped in and got her attention. Unfortunately, she’s been pissed at me ever since.”
Marisol took a step back, away from the sheriff. Just when she was starting to let her guard down with him, he went and said something like that.
Ed narrowed his gaze and held up his hands. “Whoa, sweetheart. Don’t give me that look. I’m not about to start accosting you. Or anyone else for that matter. I apologize for scaring you. I’ve known Kiesha a long time and people around here know that the two of us can be like oil and water. I would never hit her or abuse her. This happened a long time ago, remember.”
She swallowed heavily. “So you wouldn’t spank her now?”
“No, I wouldn’t.” He eyed her curiously. “Being with Linc, I didn’t think hearing about a spanking would worry you.”
“What does that mean?” she asked, confused.
He ran his hand over his face. “I’m talking out of turn and you’ve been through enough tonight. Why don’t you come sit down in my office and you can tell me what happened tonight to send you running in the dark and cold?”
She shook her head. “I want to go.”
“And where are you gonna go?”
“I don’t know. To the motel, I guess.”
He glanced over at the clock. “The reception desk closed an hour ago, sweetheart.”
What? Seriously? Damn it.
“I’ll call a friend, get them to come get me,” she lied.
He crossed his arms over his wide chest and gave her a rather formidable look as he leaned back against one of the desks. “Oh yeah? What friend is that?”
“Nobody you know,” she snapped.
“Sweetheart, I know everyone in this town. And you would do well not to lie to me. Until you have somewhere safe to go, I can’t let you leave.” His voice was gentle but firm.
“You can’t just keep me here!” He couldn’t, right?
He gave her a look that wasn’t unsympathetic. “Come into my office. My deputies headed in and had a chat with your aunt. She was co-operative and turned the music down. But I’ve told them to wait on stand-by. I don’t like this situation. However, I’d really like to know what happened tonight. The full truth.”
She walked behind him in a daze. So many things had happened tonight and she wasn’t certain how much more she could take. Where that point would be where it all became too much. “Your ride should be here soon, anyway.”
“My . . . my ride?” What was he talking about? “You just said you wouldn’t let me leave.” Why was he contradicting himself? And who was her ride?
He pulled out a chair for her and she sat. Her legs were trembling so badly she didn’t think they could hold her up anyway.
“I said you couldn’t leave if you didn’t have anywhere to go,” he explained.
“Why do you care?”
“You live in my town. I look after the people who live here. And you’re in my care right now. I couldn’t let you leave without knowing you were going to be all right.” He sat on the desk. “I wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight from worrying about you.”
“You’re a strange man,” she muttered. “Most men wouldn’t care.”
“Sweetheart, I think that the men you have known aren’t the best examples of how a real man looks after those he cares about.”
Maybe he was right. After all, she hadn’t had the best role models when it came to men. Other than Harry. And she could barely remember him now. All she felt was this warmth in her tummy when she thought of him.
“Who is my ride then?” she asked, although she figured she knew. There could only be one man he would call.
Ed gave her a look. “Linc, of course. Did you really think I wouldn’t call him?”
“I wish you hadn’t. He’s too busy at work to be bothered about this.” She frowned up at Ed.