“I’m going to kill you, Roxie Cannon,” Lexie yelled.
“Hey,” she snapped down at them.“It’s good exposure for my business.”
“You call thatgoodexposure?”
Roxie threw Lexie a glare.
Maxie was hopping up and down in nervousness.“Stop arguing and get down here.I can’t get arrested.I’m dating a sheriff!”
“I’m coming,” Roxie insisted as she made her way down.The metal bars felt cold against her palms, and her fingers actually hurt.It was chillier up there than she’d realized.“I’m com—Wahhh!”
A crack split the air and, suddenly, she lost her footing.
“Roxie!”Billy yelled.
Maxie let out a scream.
Latching on, Roxie caught herself.Her heart was racing, and her hair was flying everywhere, blinding her.She felt around carefully with her feet.She was solidly on the ladder, so it hadn’t given way.
But something else had.
“Damn it,” she moaned.“My heel.”
She let go of the ladder to tame her whipping hair and she heard another fearful cry get stolen away by the wind.Lifting her foot behind her, she surveyed the damage.
“These were my favorite pair of boots.”
“Oh, my God.Who cares about the boots?”Lexie was reaching up as if to catch her.“Get down from there but be careful.”
She wasn’t a total idiot.Keeping her weight on the balls of her feet, Roxie moved down rung by rung.
The sound of the siren was getting closer.Too close for comfort.
Maxie ran over and picked something off the ground.“I’ve got the heel.”
“And I’ve got you,” Billy said.
Roxie gave a yelp when he plucked her off the third rung.Exasperation was in his voice, but his hold was protective as he snatched her to safety.“Can’t do anything halfway, can you?”he whispered in her ear.
Another siren split the air, and their heads snapped around as one.Another cop was coming from a different direction, closer to Fisherman’s Road.
Lexie let out a squeal and began sprinting to her car.“Run!”
Roxie took one step, but her good heel was four inches taller.She was hobbling like peg-legged Peggy.“I can’t.”
Billy mumbled under his breath but turned and gave her his back.“Hop on.”
She didn’t need to be told twice.Catching his broad shoulders, she jumped and wrapped her legs around his waist.Strong hands wrapped around her thighs and hitched her higher.
“Never a dull moment with you, is there?”he muttered as he began trotting back to the rental truck.
He was like a warm furnace after the blast freezer she’d been in up on that platform.Roxie tucked her face against his neck.Mmmm, now that’s what she was talking about.
He flinched away.“Stop it.Your nose is cold.”
She tried to hold on as he jogged faster.The cop on the interstate wasn’t much of a problem, but the one coming up Fisherman’s Road could be.Looping her arms and legs around Billy, she tried not to cough too loudly when the jarring knocked the wind out of her.
Soon they were at the truck and he was dumping her in the passenger seat.Roxie started to close the door as he rounded the front but stopped when she saw Maxie.
