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Sheriff Riley had a gut feeling Michelle wouldn’t heed his advice. So, he decided to follow her and make sure she didn’t get herself into any trouble she couldn’t handle. This woman was just as determined as a hungry alligator when it came to finding her sister. He couldn’t think of a more insufferable woman he had ever met or a more beautiful one.
One look had him drawn to her. She had the bluest eyes and the face of an angel, with a mouth that begged to be kissed.
As he neared the hotel, he watched in disbelief as she headed to Bourbon Street. Michelle’s outfit would land her in a heap of trouble. A multitude of blasphemies ran through his head as he followed her. She was liable to get them both shot, maybe even killed. Quelle betise! The little fool.
He couldn’t believe that she was going through with this fool hearted plan. He should have known she would be too stubborn to listen to him. Why must women be so damned hard headed? He told her she shouldn’t go through with this foolishness, and she should have listened to him. It was as simple as that.
Sheriff Riley watched her disappear into the mass of people. He strained to catch a glimpse of her outrageous outfit, but she seemed to blend in with the crowd. He, on the other hand, looked like a tourist.
Sheriff Riley watched the crowd. Another human being could melt into this group and just watch the ever-changing scene without being seen - unless you pissed off the wrong person. He had a feeling that Michelle was a person that could wear even a saint’s nerves thin.
Unable to keep track of her at this distance he moved in closer. Following her was about to bring his blood pressure sky high. The inebriated crowd was getting rowdy. Several people were dancing in the street to the mixture of music that was playing. Several more working girls joined the crowd, attracting even more male onlookers. He couldn’t believe Michelle was in the thick of this crowd.
He saw a young man approaching Michelle, and his hackles rose. He heard a low wolf call as the man moved in closer to her. He knew what this man had on his mind, and he had reservations as to whether or not Michelle understood what he might be interested in. Sheriff Riley had no doubt Michelle’s sister knew how to handle this crowd, but did she?
He planned on keeping a very close eye on her. There was no reason to make any moves until needed, even though he wanted to rush in and save her. He wondered what it would be like to switch places with that guy. How good would it feel to dance with her, flirt with her, wrap his arms around her, and kiss her like he meant it?
Would she let him be a part of her life or did she see him as merely someone who could help find her sister? Would she allow him to take her to bed as a man and take her mind off of her problems? He wanted to feel those legs wrapped around him in the throes of passion, see desire for him in her eyes. He wondered if she was a tigress in bed.
Damn, it shouldn’t bother him, but it was killing him to watch these men leer at her, pawing at her body. She was not a two bit whore they could offer money to and she gave them a glimpse of her flesh. Mon Dieu, she was a lady. He had to get a hold of himself. She was not his woman; it shouldn’t matter to him that she wanted to put herself in harm’s way.
Hell, she didn’t even look as if it bothered her to show off her goods. Maybe she and her sister were more alike than he realized. It was just that she had such a look of innocence about her.
He watched as she moved her body to the music, laughing and carrying on with the crowd. She was lapping up the attention she received from men and women alike. He listened to her squeal in delight when a man lifted her up and swung her around. He was surprised at how well she treated these complete strangers. She talked to them as if they were old friends. She flirted easily with the men that surrounded her. Sheriff Riley clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he watched her carry on like a complete fool.
In the next instant, he saw a look of fear in her eyes. He tried to catch her attention so she could break free of the crowd and run to him. Looking around to see where the danger lay he realized she was in no peril. She just had no idea that this was how they acted down here.
He could see the panic building in her face. Unaware of the fact that he was moving toward her, he pushed his way through the rowdy crowd. Suddenly he was by her side, pulling her into his arms.
***
BOURBON STREET AT NIGHT was not what Michelle expected, and she began to regret her plan. Maybe she should have listened to Sheriff Riley’s advice.
The raucous street was teaming with an assortment of characters. People carrying brightly colored plastic and foam to-go cups filled with various alcoholic concoctions swarmed Bourbon Street like locusts. The crowd consisted of tourists and locals clad in as few clothes as they could get away with. Michelle was thankful that she at least didn’t stick out like a sore thumb.
As Michelle walked into the crowd, she became overwhelmed with the heady scent of alcohol, heavy perfume and sweaty bodies, along with the other usual nightly smells that emitted from the surrounding businesses. The further down she traveled on Bourbon Street, the more pungent the smells became. The air was overwhelmed with the smell of food being fried and rotting garbage mixed in with the murky smell of the Mississippi River. Music blasted from the neighboring bars and restaurants lining the street. It was a melody of zydeco, jazz, blues, rock and no telling what else. She had no idea how people conversed out here.
As soon as the trouble started, she melted into Sheriff Riley’s arms, never more glad to see this man before in her life. She was so thankful he had rescued her. She thought she could pull this off with no problems. What could be so hard about asking a few questions? It had been going well until a man grew tired of the partying and wanted her to go back to his room. He refused to take no for an answer.
She never suspected that saying no to a man could cause so many problems. To think he had expected her to take his money for, for – sex. She had her suspicions about what her sister did to make ends meet, but she never considered it in detail. Until that awful moment, she had believed the night was going fairly well.
He was holding her so close that she felt the suppressed anger in the tight muscles of his forearms. There was more anger there than she had expected. She couldn’t understand why he was so livid with her. He barely knew her.
She heard Sheriff Riley mutter under his breath, “I need a drink, a big one.”
As he was pushing her away, he looked down at her, “Don’t ever do that again. What would you have done if I hadn’t been here?”
Michelle shuddered at the thought. The look on his face told her he would make sure she didn’t do anything this foolish again. “I have learned my lesson.”
“Tres Bien.”
They kept threading their way through the unruly crowd until they made it clear of Bourbon Street. Once they could hear themselves think he asked, “Well, did you at least learn anything from this little adventure of yours?”
She let out an exasperated sigh, “I learned that my sister was a popular girl. But no one has seen her in several weeks. No one could give me an exact date of when they last saw her.”
Now that she had time to catch her breath, the sultriness of the night hit her. Looking up at him and seeing the concern in his eyes sent a quiver deep into the pit of her stomach. She took a deep breath. She could smell the Mississippi River, reminding her of the bodies that were tossed out like trash in the bayou.
She had forgotten what it was like to live down here. While some couldn’t wait to leave the south during the summer months, not returning until the winter, she had always relished the summer days and nights. Something about the warmth and humidity calmed her. She had always been told that she was hot-blooded, if they only knew how true that statement was.
She sneaked a glance at Sheriff Riley. He was a complete opposite to the men she usually fell for. She fell for the handsome bad boys that broke her heart into a million little pieces. Not that Sheriff Riley wasn’t attractive, mind you. In fact, this man was so damned sexy that she could see herself falling for him in a heartbeat.
When they made it back to her hotel, Sheriff Riley stopped at the main door, “Can I trust you to make it to your hotel room from here?”
She looked up at him, “You aren’t planning on driving back at this hour?”
“Mais oui, I will take a cat nap in my truck and head back.”
She looked at him incredulously, “You will do no such thing. You saved my life and the least I can do is offer you a place to sleep.”
“Cher, I don’t think that is such a good idea. I should go.”
Her eyes beseeched him, “Please don’t go. I don’t want to be by myself tonight. If you are worried about where you will sleep, the room has two double beds. I promise I can keep my hands to myself.” As she made the joke, she was grinning ear to ear.
***
AW, HELL. HE HAD A weakness for a damsel in distress. She looked so pitiful right now that he couldn’t find it in him to tell her no. Sometimes doing the right thing was hard. This would be one of those times. But she was looking at him for support and compassion. He could never live with himself if something happened to her.
Letting out a sigh, he told her, “All right, I’ll stay as long as it won’t be an imposition.”