Dangerously Irresistible. Kristin Gabriel

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ for two nights at the Huntington Hotel in Abilene.

      She’d tailed him from Dallas. Seen him register at the hotel, then leave again. After registering for her own room and setting everything in place for the takedown, she’d gone back to the lobby for surveillance.

      After spending three hours in the lobby pretending to read the newspaper, she’d finally seen him return with a small group of people, half of them heading for the elevators, the other half making a beeline for the bar. Blackburn had joined the group at the bar.

      He’d played into her plan perfectly.

      Maddie had returned to her hotel room to make certain everything was ready when she brought Blackburn here. She knew she had to play this game carefully. One screwup and she’d lose not only the Kissing Bandit, but her dream to join the family business.

      She walked over to the bed, adjusting the pillows. Then she checked once more for anything he might be able to use as a potential weapon. She’d already hidden the glasses, ashtrays, mirrors and other breakables.

      Not that she expected him to turn violent. Her extensive study of the Kissing Bandit’s methods had taught her that he preferred to use his wiles instead of weapons.

      But a girl could never be too careful.

      “It’s almost time,” Maddie said aloud. She’d waited for this moment for so long. Her first takedown. And since she hadn’t seen or spoken to her father or brothers in over a week, she didn’t have to worry about Tate and Ben interfering this time. She’d taken extra care to make certain they couldn’t trace her whereabouts.

      The Texas Mail-Order Men magazine lay open on the desk. She picked it up and studied the man’s picture once more. Blackburn had altered his appearance somewhat, which was only natural when you were a fugitive from justice. She stared at the photograph, a tingle of excitement racing through her veins. Soon she’d be meeting the elusive Kissing Bandit face to face.

      Maddie slid the magazine into the desk drawer, then slipped into a pair of high heels, ignoring that her knees were shaking. She checked her makeup in the mirror, applying a last dab of cherry-red lipstick to her mouth. Her plan was definitely risky. Playing the femme fatale had never been her forte. Although she’d attracted her share of men, they always seemed to lose interest in her after the first date. And she couldn’t entirely blame her overprotective brothers.

      Maddie knew her flaws better than anyone. She was too stubborn, too bossy, too self-reliant. Most men liked to play the hero for a woman. Impress her with his muscles and machismo. They didn’t like a woman who knew how to take care of herself. Her own family had taught her that much.

      She smoothed her hands over the snug fabric of her red dress, hoping the exorbitant price she’d paid would be worth it. The agency would receive eight thousand dollars if Blackburn was turned over to the court in time. But that time was running out. A bail jumper had to be returned to the custody of the court within one hundred and eighty days of his failure to appear. Otherwise the bail bondsmen had to pay the entire amount of the bond, which in this case was eighty thousand dollars.

      The Griffin Bail Enforcement Agency was on the payroll of several Chicago area bail bondsmen, and their reputation for catching elusive felons like the Kissing Bandit was unparalleled in the Chicago area.

      Now it was up to Maddie to maintain that reputation. She had just nine days left to bring Blackburn to justice. Adrenaline shot through her veins as she walked toward the door.

      The Kissing Bandit was about to be unmasked.

      2

      TANNER SAT IN THE empty hotel bar, nursing his beer. The wedding party had retired to their rooms, most of them exhausted from the long trip into Abilene. But Tanner was on a mission. Find a woman to take to the wedding tomorrow or learn more than he ever wanted to know about embroidery.

      Unfortunately, his hopes for snagging a date were fading fast. He still wore his cowboy hat, since his sister had once informed him that women were attracted to the rugged, outdoorsy type. He might not actually live on a ranch, but he did spend plenty of time outdoors. A former state champion swimmer, Tanner still worked out four evenings a week at the local recreation center. He glanced at the clock, wondering if he’d have more luck impressing the ladies down at the hotel swimming pool.

      Surprised to see it was close to midnight, Tanner drained his beer mug. Hannah had suggested he turn in early so he’d be fresh for the wedding tomorrow. But he just wanted to be numb.

      “Can I buy you a beer, cowboy?”

      He slowly turned around to see a tall, slender brunette. She had big brown eyes and silky nutmeg hair that caressed her bare shoulders. She wore a strapless red sundress that hugged her mouthwatering figure. The three-inch heels on her matching red pumps made her long legs seem endless.

      He swallowed hard, then abruptly stood up and motioned to the bar stool beside him. “Only if I can buy you one first.”

      She sat down, then held out one slender hand. “My name is Giselle, but all my friends call me Gigi.”

      He opened his mouth, then closed it again. Somehow he guessed a woman named Giselle wouldn’t be interested in an estate lawyer. She’d want someone exciting. Impulsive. Someone who lived life on the edge. He could imagine the interest fading from her beautiful eyes as soon as he said, “Hi, I’m Tanner and I manage the affairs of dead people.”

      So why say it?

      Tanner straddled his bar stool and spoke before he had time for tedious second thoughts. “My name is Whip. I’m a bull rider.”

      Her finely winged brows arched in surprise. “Really? I’ve never met a bull rider before.”

      Tanner propped his cowboy boot on the rung of her bar stool. “It gets a little rough sometimes.”

      “I can imagine,” she said, obviously impressed.

      He tried to remember all the stories his brother Ronnie had told him about the rodeo. Most of them had been highly exaggerated, but entertaining. He signaled the bartender for two beers, mentally weaving a story that would keep her smiling.

      It was amazing how easy it was to fall back into the playboy role after all these years.

      Gigi crossed her impossibly long legs. “So are you in Abilene to ride bulls?”

      “Actually, I’m here for a wedding.”

      She reached into the bowl of stale popcorn that sat on the bar between them. “I love weddings.”

      Just the words he wanted to hear. Gigi would be the perfect woman to take as his date, if he could convince her to go with him. Take it slow, Blackburn. Don’t scare her off.

      But Gigi definitely didn’t look scared. She leaned toward him, her foot lightly brushing against his ankle.

      He watched, mesmerized as she slowly licked the salt from her fingertips. It had been too long since he’d been with a woman. Much too long.

      Tanner cleared his throat. “This wedding is a little unusual. I met the bride in a mail-order magazine.”

      Her eyes widened. “Really?”

СКАЧАТЬ