Free Trouble in Cowboy Boots by Desiree Holt

godforsaken nowhere.
    His warm breath tickled her ear and the touch of his arm across her shoulders singed her flesh. She picked up a bar napkin and fanned herself with it, hoping the rise in her temperature was due to the crowd of people in the room and not Wyatt Cavanaugh. Despite the fact that everyone in the place seemed to be focused on having a good time, she was acutely aware of many eyes on her as she and Wyatt had walked in. She wondered how many other women he’d brought here, or who of the women in the place he’d dated. Taken to bed. Whispered his special brand of sex talk.
    Stop it! You’re only staying around long enough to score some bucks and keep traveling, and he certainly hasn’t given a hint he’s looking for more than fun and games.
    Roxie plunked two frosty bottles of beer down in front of them and smiled at Emily.
    “Rox, I didn’t know you were such a whiz at bartending,” Emily commented.
    “How do you think I earned my way through the School of Hard Knocks?” Then she was off to serve another customer.
    “Drink up,” Wyatt said, handing her one of the bottles.
    Someone tapped her shoulder and she turned around to see Lola standing behind her with the sheriff, Sam Campbell.
    “You look great, honey.” Lola grinned. “I take it things are going okay?”
    “Oh, sure.” She paused to take a sip of her beer. “Wyatt’s a good guy to work for.”
    “Uh-huh.” Lola winked. “And play with, too, I’ll bet.”
    “Lola!” Emily did her best to look indignant but couldn’t quite pull it off.
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    Desiree Holt
    “That’s okay, sweetie. The sheriff is teaching me his own special brand of law enforcement.”
    “So you’re doing okay?” Emily asked.
    “I’d say so.” She shrugged. “The job’s a lot better than I expected. The owner’s a real nice lady to work for, I’m getting to know the customers and she’s letting me use the little apartment behind the restaurant.”
    “Any word on the car?” Lola had agreed to take the lead on that.
    “Yeah, but the word isn’t so good.” Lola sighed. “Sam’s been checking every day at the garage, and when they told him how much it would cost just to get it started and out of town I didn’t have the heart to tell anyone.”
    “Damn.”
    Emily’s stomach muscles cramped. She had only taken the job at the Lazy Aces because it was temporary. She not only didn’t intend to spend her life cooking for a bunch of cowhands, she was sure her thing with Wyatt would run its course and then what?
    “You don’t look like life’s treating you too badly.” Lola winked at her. “How’s the cooking going?”
    “Oh, hell.” Emily took a long drink of her beer. “I’ll be lucky if I don’t set fire to the kitchen before this is over.” She lowered her voice and bent closer so Lola could hear her. “At least Wyatt took pity on me and got the foreman’s wife to teach me a few things.”
    “Oh?” Lola arched an eyebrow. “Sounds like he might be interested in keeping you around.”
    “All things are possible.” Wyatt’s voice intruded into their conversation.
    Emily jerked, embarrassed that he’d heard Lola’s comments. “Um…”
    He plucked the bottle from her hand. “Excuse us, Lola, if you don’t mind. I think I’ll try and find us a square inch of space on the dance floor.”
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    Trouble in Cowboy Boots
    A square inch of space was about all they got. Couples were jammed together, doing little more than moving their feet in place. Wyatt pulled her against his long, lean body, wrapped his arms around her and began swaying to the music. She could feel every inch of him against her, including his belt buckle and his thick erection.
    She inhaled his scent, a heady mixture of clean laundry, soap and something woodsy. His hands were warm on her back, holding her in place. She recognized a ballad by Brad Paisley, one of her favorites, and let its sound wash over her, wishing she could freeze this one moment in time.
    She