Excerpt of The Lawman's Agreement by Nancy Fraser, Patti Shenberger

“I heard the yelling,” Suzanne confirmed. “I thought for a moment when the door opened that I was getting a customer.”

“No, it was just two half-drunk gamblers fighting. I don’t think either of them was sober enough to do any damage, even if they had landed a solid punch.”

“Much to the crowd’s disappointment, I’d imagine.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, something like that. You know how the working ladies and bar patrons love a fight.”

“It’s been quiet around town lately. Not much for a decorated marshal to defend.”

“You trying to get rid of me, Doc?”

“Now why would I do that? If you were to leave, who else would I have to argue with?”

“We don’t argue,” he said, his gaze meeting hers in challenge. “We discuss…heatedly.”

“It only gets ‘heated’ when I’m winning.”

He shook his head and leaned back against the side of the desk. “If you say so, cher.”

“As to your offer of an escort, I can see myself home, Marshal. There’s no need to wait.”

“I’d feel better if you let me escort you.”

She sighed deeply, and Zack waited for her to launch into another of her “independent woman” speeches. Or, at the very least, remind him that he was being over-protective.

“I’ll only be a minute or two, if you insist on waiting.”

“I insist.”

She could have said she needed another hour and Zack would have gladly stayed. Despite what he’d said to Pete Bailey earlier that evening, Suzanne Martindale was a breath of fresh air among the over-zealous horde of ladies hounding his every move. She was beautiful, well-educated, independent, and beautiful.

Zack shook his head, trying to shake the repeating thought free. Obviously, no matter what her many assets, her beauty was the one thing tying him up in knots. Or, maybe, it was the fact she didn’t use it to her advantage, as some of the other ladies did. Instead, Suzanne relied on her brains and taunting sense of humor to get her where she wanted to go.

“All set,” she said, drawing Zack from his mental inventory of what made Suzanne Martindale the most desirable woman he’d ever met. And, at the same time, not at all what he was looking for in a wife.