Page 14 of Wanted by the Lawman

He scratched his temple and leaned against the edge of the counter. “I’ll bite. Why are you needing to tear down the shed in below zero temps?”

“Precisely. It’s freezing in here.”

He hesitated. “Turn the furnace on.”

“I would if it worked, but it’s broken…I think.”

“How about I give it a look?”

The last thing she wanted to do was rely on anyone, especially the handsome cowboy who had deep enough dimples that she could swim in and eyes that warmed her even when it was freezing outside. “That’s not necessary—”

“And is it necessary for you to freeze to death because you have too much pride? I’d never forgive myself.”

Why did he have to make sense? Although it was a bit of pride that made her stupid, but it didn’t help that Zander scared her. Not physically, but there was something she couldn’t quite describe. Truth was, she was a survivor and without heat that could be impossible. She grabbed the flashlight and pointed toward the hall. “Okay. Right this way.”

She watched him move across the threshold and down the hallway. His long capable strides like those of a stealth predator moving through the jungle. The muscles of his jean covered thighs bulged with each step, like they had a heartbeat of their own.

“The basement door is on the left and the light switch is to the right. I’ll warn you, if you have arachnophobia, you won’t want to go down there.”

“Spiders in the winter?”

“These must be hearty spiders and wait until you see the webs.” She shivered.

“I’m not afraid of a few insects but thank you for your concern.”

She followed him down the steps, and once he was settled on his haunches in front of the historic heap of metal, he shot her a glance over his shoulder. “Where are you from?”

She clicked on the flashlight and held the beam of light on the furnace. Did she want to get into any personal topics with him? Not really, but she also didn’t want to be rude, not when he was helping her. “New York.”

“You’re a long way from home. You going to miss it?”

“Sure, I guess. I also miss my belly button ring, but some things are meant to rip out and treat with ointment. New York is like that piercing I got back when I was eighteen. Impulsive decisions don’t always work out.”

“Was moving here impulsive?”

“No, I’ve been stewing on this since I received the letter from grandmother’s attorney telling me about this place. He did make it seem…well, like a silver lining. How did Agnus live here like it is?”

He shrugged. “No clue. I never met her. Things must have been pretty bad to come to Wyoming in the middle of a snowstorm to a house that needs more repairs than this heap of metal here.” She heard the humor in his voice.

“It is broken, isn’t it?” Damn. She calculated in her head how much it would cost to buy a new one.

He stood and swiped his palms together. “I’m not a furnace repairman, but it’s pretty obvious that it’s shot. I’d suggest a room over at the Bed and Breakfast, but I’ll go out on a limb and say the road into town is unpassable now.”

Reminding herself to stay calm, she clicked off the flashlight. “Before we’re eaten by insects, let’s go back upstairs.” She took each rung of the stairs like another dull knife in her chest. How could she afford a repairman? Or worse, a new furnace? What choice did she have? She wasn’t fond of freezing to death.

Upstairs, she stepped back into the kitchen where at least the wood stove was still burning. She needed to count her blessings. “My dad would tell me, “Just burn the place and save the peace’.” She turned to face him. The corners of his lips twitched in what looked to be the beginning of a smile.

“Let’s not overindulge our fantasies. I’m sure there’s another option.”

“Yes, a fifth of whiskey would certainly work. Too bad I’m plum out.” She growled.

“I have a better idea that doesn’t involve you scavenging for wood outdoors or drinking yourself into a stupor and waking up with a blasted headache. I have a couple of electric heaters that should keep a few rooms warm. Does this place have a fireplace?”

“In each room.”

“I’ll bring over some chopped wood which should help until you can replace the furnace. You can start a fire, right?”

“There is one in the stove isn’t there?”

He smiled. “I was only teasing. Not every woman would start to tear down a shed for wood unless they knew how to use it.”

She plopped down into the chair, lacing her fingers in her lap. “Why would you want to do this?”

“Like I said, there’s this thing called hospitality. I’m not sure what y’all call it back east, but it’s in full force here in these parts.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Simple. Just say thank you. Come on, Susie-Q. Let’s head home. I’ll be back in an hour. In the meantime, maybe you should get out of those wet things. The only thing I can imagine making this situation worse is you getting sick.”

Once he was gone, she looked down at her shirt, realizing the material was see-through when wet.

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