AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Zane turned his weary eyes to the sheriff of Old West Town and wiped his mouth once more, his fingers now sporting even more lipstick. “My only interest was because of the crowd egging me on.”
Kendall laughed out loud. “Whatever you say, Zane, but it looked to me like your interest was quite well developed before the kiss as you shoved her toward the jail cell.” Kendall lowered his paper and looked around as if to ensure they were alone. “It also looked to me like you wished the crowd would leave you alone so you could chain her inside the jail cell and fuck her into submission. Tell me I’m wrong.” Kendall stared at him with a direct smirk Zane didn’t appreciate.
“Fuck off, Kendall. Contrary to popular belief, you do not understand how I feel.”
“What a potty mouth you have today, Zane. You’re lucky there aren’t any patrons still lingering around to hear you.”
“You fucking started it,” Zane said. Kendall’s boisterous laughter followed him as he left the Old West Town Jail House.
He headed straight for the saloon—where he’d been headed before being distracted by a luscious car thief—for a shot of whiskey, and a conversation with his best friend, Cooper.
Maybe he could help Zane forget about a woman he shouldn’t pursue but didn’t want to let go of either. He’d sworn he’d never darken the door of the sheriff’s office ever again for any reason, good, bad, or otherwise. But a luscious little spitfire with a kiss that sent his heart into a beating frenzy was about to challenge his previous stance on the law enforcement building he’d avoided like a cave full of rattlesnakes.
As insane as it was to contemplate, Zane couldn’t let go of the idea that he wanted to help her. What could he even do at this point? The wisp of an idea formed. He directed his footsteps to make one more stop before he changed his mind.
Zane hoped he wouldn’t end up regretting his impulsive actions.
* * * *
Cooper Mackay grabbed the bottle of Zane’s favorite whiskey as his best friend crossed the saloon’s threshold.
“Whiskey,” his friend said pointedly the moment he stepped through the door. “You know what I want.” Cooper had already been informed of what had happened in the streets and also at the jailhouse before Zane arrived. His friend looked a little out of sorts, a little bit cranky, but also bewildered.
He and Zane had been best friends since finding themselves locked up in a jail cell in their teens. Him because he’d been a rash young man with rich parents who thought the world owed him everything thing he desired simply as his birthright.
Meanwhile, Zane had been there because of the inattention his not-so-rich parents and foolishly believing that he was too smart to get caught.
Through the night so long ago, they’d forged not only a tight friendship, but a tighter pact about how things would be once they got out of jail. Cooper had learned his lesson, and since his parents had planned to let him stay in jail for the long weekend to teach him a further lesson, Cooper’s black-sheep uncle Thomas had bailed him out after a desperate, pleading late night phone call.
Once his uncle had arrived, he’d insisted fervently that Zane also be rescued. Thus began a long friendship that Cooper valued very highly. Forged together from adversity, they’d turned a corner and left behind any notion of foolish lawlessness.
From that moment forward both of them had lived a different life. Thomas Mackay, Cooper’s favorite uncle, had been a good influence on them both, partly because he lived the kind of life they wanted to enjoy when they got older. Thomas told them it took hard work, then he guided them to a better future.
Now all these years later, they’d learned all Thomas had to teach them about working hard, playing hard, and reaping the rewards from each.
They lived the life they wanted and made no excuses for the pleasures they enjoyed. But in all that time together, Cooper had never seen Zane look so conflicted. Usually he was very resolute. His attitude very black and white about most matters.
With the single exception of his heart, and even then only on rare occasions. Which meant the woman involved must have been quite something. Zane had only been in love once to Cooper’s knowledge. And it hadn’t ended well. That singular failure had guided his future love interests. He chose not to have any with long-lasting involvement.
