Chapter 9
The ride back was slow and they had to stop several times to check the horse. When they finally arrived back at the barn the stall was cleaned and ready for them. Blaze stepped into the stall and looked glad to be home.
"I'll stay with him tonight to make sure things go well." She said as she put her saddle in the tack room and came back out to settle in.
"No ma'am, I'll stay with my horse. There's no sense in you sleeping in this dark barn all night."
"Don't argue with me Ridge. He's my patient so you can just scoot on up to the house." She turned her back on him and settled into a chair beside the outside of the stall.
"You're the most stubborn woman I've ever met. Why can't you just let me stay with him?" He put his hands on his hips and stood in front of her, not swaying in the least.
"Ridge, I do this all the time. It's part of the job and I don't mind." She tilted her head back and closed her eyes. "So go home and let me do what I get paid to do."
With a sound of aggravated fury he walked to his office and grabbed a chair, placing it on the other side of the stall door. He sat down and leaned back, settling in for the night too.
She turned and groaned. "And you called me stubborn."
He grinned and kept his eyes closed. This was a battle of wills and he'd win.
Her body relaxed and she drifted off to sleep. Sometime later she woke to find herself lying in the hay inside a stall. Turning as she heard someone breathing, she found Ridge sleeping in the corner behind her. He'd evidently carried her in here and wrapped her in horse blankets. Smiling she snuggled into the fresh hay and went back to sleep.
When she woke a little later she walked in to check on Blaze. A hand on her shoulder made her jump. "Sorry. How's Blaze?" He knelt beside her as she examined the wounds.
"He's doing just fine. At least the sutures are holding." She checked the vitals and stood up. "I think he'll be fine in a week or so."
"Good to hear. Why don't you go on home?" He could see she was tired. Reaching out he pulled a piece of hay from her hair.
"I might as well stay here. I'll need to administer more pain meds in a couple of hours, then I'll head home." She walked back into the other stall and lay down, pulling the blankets back over her. He followed her and propped in the doorway watching her. "What?"
"I was just thinking that you're an amazing woman." He said as he sat back down in his corner of the stall.
"Thanks, but you can go home. I've got this Ridge." She said as she yawned and stretched.
"I'll stay too. Just get some sleep." He watched her as she slipped back into a deep sleep. It amazed him how beautiful she was. If things were different he'd love to pursue a relationship with her, but sadly they weren't. He was broken and needed to get things right before he tried a relationship. She filled his dreams as he dozed off. At least this night he had good dreams and as long as she was in his dreams the bad stayed away.
Just before dawn he woke with a neck ache. Turning his body slightly he lay down on the hay beside Mallory and stretched out. Yes, this was better. Smiling he dozed back into a deep sleep. The nightmares came with a vengeance and he woke to Mallory leaning over him.
"Ridge, wake up! You're having a nightmare." Her eyes were filled with sleepiness and he couldn't help but reach up and push a tendril of hair back that hung beside her face. As soon as his fingers touched her soft skin he was lost.
Slowly he pulled her face down to his and before he could think about his actions he kissed her. It was a kiss filled with unspoken promises that wouldn't be kept. If only he was whole, this would be perfect. With that thought he pushed her away and stood up to find Chase leaning in the doorway of the stall.
"I was planning to clear my throat or something, but I was glued to the scene." He grinned as Mallory covered her face with the blanket and Ridge growled with frustration, pushing past his brother.
"Next time knock." Ridge said on his way up the middle of the stalls.
Chase laughed loudly. "There's no door to knock on big brother." He reached his hand out and helped Mallory to her feet. "Sorry I interrupted such a beautiful moment."
"That is the most infuriating man I've ever met." She said in a huff as she walked into Blaze's stall.
"You have to overlook Ridge. He's always been a little edgy, but since he came back from Iraq he's been downright icy." He watched as she gently checked the injuries.
"Well, I've about had it with his hot and cold act." She looked up at Chase, "Blaze is doing well." Mallory put her things in her bag and stood up. "I'll be back later to check on his progress."
Chase put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't give up on him. I see the way you look at him and I know that look in his eyes when you don't think he's looking." Clearing his throat he continued. "Let's just say I see something there that might be worth exploring, but he needs patience?" grinning before he said the last few words, "oh and therapeutic kisses from the local vet might help too."
She couldn't help but grin at his attempt to make her feel better. "Thanks Chase. I'll do my best, but his icy side has a bite and I don't like games."
"Believe me, he doesn't play games." His tone changed as he saw Ridge walking back toward them. The ice back in his eyes.
Mallory looked down at Chase's hand on her shoulder and back at the look in Ridge's eyes. He actually looked like it bothered him that his brother had his hand on her. Well two could play this game. She reached up and gently stroked Chase's cheek.
"Thanks for everything." Leaning up she kissed his cheek and walked by Ridge without a glance. Take that Ridge Cauthen and chew on it for a while.
Chase knew immediately what she was up to and he admired her spunk. Ridge fumed beyond furious and he loved that too. If she could get a rise out of him then she was good.
"What was that all about?" He stopped by Chase and gave him a hard look that would have made lesser men shrink away from fear.
"Wouldn't you like to know brother?" Chase started to out of the barn then turned. "Oh, Mallory said Blaze was doing well and she'll be back later to check on him." Then he whistled a happy tune as he left the barn.
Ridge stood there for a moment trying to clear his head. What just happened? One minute she seemed interested in him and another she was kissing Chase. Well, maybe that would be better for them both.
All day his mind went back to the two shared kisses with Mallory. His heart hammered with just the mere thought of her. Shaking his head he put a bale of hay in one of the troughs. As he stepped back into the barn he came face to face with her.
She gasped as she took in his shirtless chest. Then she had to force her gaze away as she saw the scars. All she wanted to do was take the hurt away. He'd suffered for her freedom and now he suffered for his freedom from the memories. Turning back to look up at him, she reached out to touch the scar in the middle of his chest.
Closing his eyes he grasped her hand in his and they stood in silence. When he opened his eyes she had tears in hers, which tore at his heart. Escape was all he could think about. Her touch was more than he could stand and the pity in her eyes made him ache.
Quickly he let go of her hands and turned back out of the barn. For a long while she stood watching him walk to his truck. As he tore out of the yard she wondered if he'd ever be whole again. She'd heard of men that had been at war never getting better.
He drove to the one place that helped him forget for just a moment. It was just on the border of their property. As he parked his truck under the large oak tree his heart felt lighter. Walking to the clearing just beyond the woods he could hear the rushing water. The sound was deafening and it helped to crowd out his thoughts and memories. He walked up to the waterfall and dove into the cool water. The water rushed over his body as though healing him. Why couldn't he let her heal him?
The dip in the icy water was what he needed, but it didn't wash away her face. Every time he closed his eyes she appeared. Maybe Oakley was right, he needed to
have a lapse in judgment.
The sun felt good on his sore muscles as he laid on a rock to dry. He let his mind drift to the night he'd shared with her. The kiss in the tent was intense and then the one in the stall, well it took his breath away. But how could he make her happy?
As he drove into the main drive to the house his heart dropped when he realized she was gone. Her truck wasn't there and neither was Chase's. Were they together? Something deep inside clenched as he thought about her in his brother's arms. What if they started dating steady, could he handle seeing them together?
Maggie was coming up from the barn as he got out of his truck. "Where's Chase gone?"
"I don't know. That boy could be anywhere. He's a hard one to nail down, you know that." She laughed and put her arm through his as they walked up the path to the house. "Why? Did you need him for something?"
"No, just curious."
"I checked on Blaze while I was in the barn and he seemed better. Mallory gave him some meds for the night so he should rest easy." She grinned at her brother when he made a face at the mention of the vet's name.
"She isn't coming back to check on him?"
"Probably not, she had plans, so I'm sure she'll just come back tomorrow." That tidbit of news would stew in his mind for a while.
"Well, I'm glad he's better. I'll check on him after dinner."
Ridge Page 9
