Читать книгу Under the Sheriff's Protection - Delores Fossen, Delores Fossen - Страница 5

Chapter Two

Wife.

The way Rico had said that made her seem like some kind of disease. Gina couldn’t blame him. It’d been four years since he’d last seen her, and they hadn’t exactly parted on friendly terms. What confused her, though, was why he’d called her his wife. They’d divorced ages ago.

The doctor closed the door and walked closer to her. But not Rico. He stayed back, glaring at her with those storm-gray eyes from beneath the brim of his black Stetson. He hadn’t changed much in the past four years. Same lanky build. Same midnight-colored hair. Same cowboy clothes. Except he wasn’t just a cowboy these days. That badge pinned to his jeans meant he was sheriff of Maverick Springs.

And that meant her situation had just gone from god-awful to downright impossible.

Too bad she had to deal with impossible right now. Her head was throbbing like a toothache, and she couldn’t think through all the pain.

“Gina?” Dr. Landry looked back at Rico, her expression asking him for more information. And he gave it all right.

“Her name is Gina Blake,” he growled. “It was Gina Geary,” Rico corrected in that same ornery tone. “But I don’t know what she’s going by these days.”

“You two are…estranged?” Dr. Landry asked.

“Yeah, that’s a good word for it,” Rico bit out.

Gina almost laughed. She was betting Rico could put a lot more labels on their relationship. Like “dumb idea”. “Stupid mistake”. And for him she was probably “good riddance”. He’d no doubt put her, their whirlwind courtship and equally whirlwind marriage behind him. She had, too. For the most part, anyway. But seeing him again brought all those memories of happiness and love bubbling to the surface.

Oh, mercy.

Why did he have to be the lawman of this town? And why was she feeling more than pain searing through her head?

Because she was stupid, that’s why.

She shouldn’t be feeling anything for Rico, especially this trickle of heat that went from her aching head all the way to her toes. Rico had always had her hormonal number, and her hormones obviously hadn’t gotten the memo about him being off limits.

The doctor turned toward Gina again. No gloom and doom expression for her. She had a soft, tentative smile, like someone trying to soothe a sick child. “Gina Geary? Do you remember your name now? And do you remember Rico?”

Gina would have to lie, of course, but she didn’t get a chance to do even that. Rico came closer, his snakeskin cowboy boots thudding on the cold, gray tiles. He stared down at her.

Nope, that was a glare.

Except his glare did soften a bit when his eyes landed on her bandaged head. Judging from the way he studied it, she had to look darn bad to get that softened look.

Rico mumbled some profanity, looked away. “I need to know everything you saw at the Slaughter Creek bridge. Who were the people that were killed, and who murdered them?”

“Remember that part about going easy on her,” Dr. Landry warned him, adding a scolding glance.

A glance and a warning that Rico ignored. He leaned in closer. Until he was right in Gina’s face. So close that she caught his scent, and she silently cursed that trickle of heat that got a little hotter.

Really? She had to deal with this heat along with her life hanging by a thread?

“Well?” Rico snarled. “Who murdered them?”

“I’m sorry.” Gina didn’t have to fake the tremble in her voice. It went along with the trembling in her body. “But I can’t help you.”

It was lying time, and she prayed she was good enough to pull it off. She had no other choice.

Because telling Rico the truth would get them both killed.