“Look who’s here.” Slim looked up at Lola as she stepped from the buggy.
“Where’s Temp?”
“What do you want with him when I’m here, sweetheart?”
Lola glared at him. “Where is he?”
He laughed. “Harper rode out to the back pasture to see if the hay was ready to cut.”
“I didn’t ask about Harper. I want to know where J.C. Templeton is.”
“Keep your bloomers on…on second thought—”
“Shut up.”
He shrugged. “After daddy left, Lilly motioned for Temp to come in the house. You’ll probably find them in—”
She slapped the reins around the brake stick. “Watch my buggy.”
Without giving him a chance to answer, she marched up the steps and went into the cabin without knocking. She entered the main room which was connected to the kitchen. It was empty.
Furious, she went down the hall. The first door she opened revealed an empty bedroom. She heard sounds from the next room.
Jerking open the door she wasn’t surprised to see J.C. in bed with a pretty young girl.
“You, bastard!” She yelled at him.
The girl screamed and Templeton whirled around. His eyes narrowed. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I’m here to save your life.”
J.C. wrapped the sheet around his waist and sat up. “What are you raving about now?”
“Who’s she, Temp?” Lilly pulled the big feather pillow in front of her naked body.
“It’s Princess.”
“Oh, your sister.”
Lola frowned. “I’m not his sister, bitch. I’m the woman who has been sleeping with him for years.”
“Oh, you mean the whore he has to keep happy.”
“Why, you…” Lola lunged toward the woman.
“Hold it.” Temp grabbed her before she touched the girl.
“Make her leave, Temp.” Lilly moved her back against the wall.
“What do you want, Princess?”
“Get your clothes on and I’ll tell you.”
Temp shrugged and tossed the sheet over Lilly. He stood and reached for his pants.
“Are you going to let her watch you dress?” Lilly cried.
He reached over and patted her arm. “She’s not going to see anything she hasn’t seen a million times.”
“I thought I was—”
“Be quiet, Lilly. I’m sure Princess wouldn’t be here if she didn’t have something important to tell me.”
Lilly puckered her mouth and tears came into her eyes.
Temp ignored her and dressed. “Now, I’m decent. Do we need to go out to talk?”
“Do you trust her?”
“Of course he trusts me. We’re going to be married.”
Lola threw back her head and laughed. “Honey, if he married every girl he promised a wedding ring just to get her in bed he’d have at least a hundred wives.”
“Let’s go talk outside.” Temp jerked Lola from the room by her arm.
When they reached the front porch, he turned to her. “Now, will you tell me what’s so all-fired important?”
“Are you going to marry her, Temp?” She batted her eyes at him.
“You tell me you’re going to marry Ashe Montgomery. Why shouldn’t I get married, too?”
She sighed. “I may have to give up the idea of marrying Ashe.”
“So the man has come to his senses?”
“Don’t say that.”
“All right. Let’s get down to business. Why are you here?”
“Sims Truman is waking up and he’s talking.”
“Damn! When did this happen?”
“I found out about it today.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
“I’m not going to do anything. You are. I have a key to the doctor’s office and he’ll be out tonight.”
“Why aren’t you going to take care of it?”
“It’s more in your line of work.” She eyed him. “You’ve never refused to do away with someone who got in your way before.”
“I don’t think I should be the one to do it this time, Princess.”
“Why not? You have as much to lose as I do. He has to be killed tonight.”
“Why tonight?”
“I told you, Temp. He’s talking. It won’t be long until he tells them all about the robberies. I can’t be involved with that.”
“Honey, you’re as involved as the rest of us.”
“But—”
“Drop it.” He looked toward the horse and buggy. “Get on home. I’ll send somebody to take care of Truman.”
“Will it be you?”
“I don’t know if it’ll be me or somebody else, but you be home so we can come there.”
The front door opened and Lilly stepped out. She wore a cotton dressing gown. “Is she leaving?”
Without a word, Lola flung her arms around Temp’s neck and kissed him passionately.
“You whore!” Lilly screamed and grabbed Lola’s arm. “Get away from my man.”
Temp pulled Lilly away. “Calm down. She’s leaving.”
Lola flipped back her hair and smiled at him, ignoring Lilly. “I’ll see you later, Temp. I’ll be wearing that silk gown you gave me because I know you like your women in silk, not rough cotton.”
“Why you…you…”
Temp turned. “Lilly, go back in the house. I’ll be there in a minute.”
“But—”
“Go on.” He pushed her back through the door and turned to Lola. “Now, you head home.”
* * * *
As Lola drove off, Temp went into the house and slid his arm around Lilly’s waist. “I’m sorry she upset you, my dear. She won’t bother us again.”
“I don’t like her, Temp.”
“Neither do I, but she knows things that could put me away for a long time. I have to play her game.”
“But you’re still going to marry me, aren’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Good. I don’t want anything to stop me from getting away from this damn farm.”
“Nothing will, my sweet. Now let’s get back to what we were doing before your daddy comes back.”
“Don’t worry, Temp. He’ll be out in the back pasture for a long time. We have hours yet.”
“I don’t need hours, baby. Only long enough to show you how much I love you.”
Lilly giggled.