page19 (1/1)

knew the sights and sounds and s had been the first wooden building constructed in town Hisas he could remember

Without trying to he could recall the sound of her weary footsteps on the stairs as she'd clilasses, serving custoone hoain she'd been offeredboy to provide for, she must have been tempted to take the easy way out But she hadn't She'd kept their tiny room spotless, hiroeaker He'd quit school to work, but the extra ray tinge to her skin

He sed hard, fighting thewo had cared She'd worked in a saloon and hadn't married his father That was all anyone had needed to know

He turned away fro and the past As he had several times already that day, he wondered if he'dto Landing andhis peace with the town had sounded so easy Noanted to forget he'd ever heard of the place And Megan Bartlett

Without trying, he could feel her body pressed against his and taste the sweetness of her mouth Damn He'd never been able to resist her He wouldn't have come back if he'd known she was here Why hadn't sheto have to deal with the fact that he'd once offered his heart to her, exposed his most secret self and she'd thrown all of it back in his face She'd reminded him he was just that bastard Justin Kincaid and that he'd been a fool to think she ht have cared about him

The anger ht be old, but it still lived inside of hih to allow him to make her pay for what she'd said and done, but that wasn't possible He could never hurt Megan Which is why he had to stay out of her way

As he crossed the dark, e out of the sheriff's office He hadn't lit any lanterns before he'd left, so he must have visitors

As he approached the building, he saoin front of his desk One of them turned toward theThe nized the light brown hair and mustache It had taken Wyatt the better part of five row in that thick He'd been so proud of his mustache that Justin wasn't surprised to see he still wore it, after all these years He didn't know the younger leaes on their chests told him His deputies

He walked softly toward the door, then paused before entering Wyatt had been one of the boys who had taken pleasure in beating Justin up When Justin had grown big enough to hurt back, Wyatt had given up his game Justin wondered if his old enemy kneho the new sheriff was

He opened the door and stepped inside The two ave hihost

"Evening, gentlemen," Justin said He walked closer to the "

The smaller, dark-haired man held out his hand "Daniel Thomas, Sheriff It's a pleasure to er htforward appraisal of his eyes

"Tho have you been in town?"

"About three weeks, sir I worked as a deputy up North for a while I'm sure excited about this job"

"Good" Justin turned his attention to the other , Wyatt"

"Justin" Wyatt's blue eyes er Then all the emotions were banished, and the other man smiled "Welcome home"

Justin walked over to his desk and picked up a piece of paper "I've got a contract that says I'll be here for a year

I won't accept less than complete loyalty and obedience You can either ith me, or move on Which is it to be?"

Wyatt shifted his weight and brought his right hand up to rest on his waist, right above the butt of his pistol Justin didn't blink He wasn't arht now V>/yBtt wasn't going to draw, the , what he cared about was Wyatt's decision He would rather be a man short than ith someone he couldn't trust