“Did they hurt? I mean tats kind of sting depending on where you get them, of course, but I’ve never had a piercing.”
“Not really. They ache a little afterward for a while and you have to take good care of them, but otherwise, no they don’t hurt much.”
“Are you okay? You seemed kind of lost in thought while we were talking about this.”
“I’m fine. I just don’t like talking about them.”
“Why?”
She jumped to her feet, rubbing her arms to calm the goose bumps flittering across her skin. “I just don’t, okay? Please, just let it go.”
He moved to her side, took her in his arms and rubbed his hands up and down her back. “It’s okay, Peyton. We don’t have to discuss them anymore, if you don’t want to.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, snaking her arms around his waist to hold him closer. The solid wall of his chest gave her comfort where she never had any before. Talking about this always made her antsy even with the therapist. I thought I was over this. Apparently not. I need to make an appointment with Jamie to talk. It’s been a couple of weeks. She pulled him in tighter to chase away the self-doubts. Jason liked her just the way she was. She didn’t have to pretend to be anything with him, but the woman.
“Do you want to help me with dishes?”
She sniffed to hide the well of tears sure to break loose if he so much as kissed her right now. This man made everything in her life seem like it wasn’t too bad after all. “Sure.”
While they cleaned the kitchen, she didn’t say much although she kept feeling Jason’s gaze on her several times. “What?”
“Nothing. I’m just amazed you’re here with me.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re a very beautiful woman. You could probably have any guy you wanted and you’re here with me.”
“Oh please. You’re the playboy. You’ve got three quarters of the women over the age of eighteen all twittering like a bunch of thirteen year olds every time you come around. I’ve seen you at the bar, don’t forget.”
“You’ve been paying attention?”
“Yeah, for several months now.”
“Interesting.” He wrapped the towel he was using on the dishes, around her waist, dragging her into his embrace.
“What’s so interesting?”
“You’ve been watching me.”
“Why is that so thought-provoking?”
“Because I’ve been watching you. The way your hair shines beneath the lights of the bar. The way you grip a glass to pour a beer. How your hair caresses your cheek sometimes when it gets flipped in the front to rest on your breast.” He punctuated each sentence with a kiss somewhere, her lips, her eyes, the shell of her ear, the slope of her neck, and the swell of her breast. “I’ve been dying to touch you for months now.”
“You have?” She couldn’t believe one of the most gorgeous men in Bandera had been interested in her for months while she panted after him like a lost puppy trying to find her master.
“Yeah.”
He nipped at her bottom lip before he plunged his tongue between her parted lips to tangle with her own. God, I love kissing this man.
A knock sounded on the door and he groaned as he broke the kiss. “I’m going to kill whoever that is.”
She giggled as she pushed him back by the shoulders. “We have all night.”
“But I was just getting into kissing you.”
“Me too.”
The knock sounded again as he heard Jeff’s voice outside the door. “Jason? Open up. There’s a problem.”
Jason sighed as he tipped his head back on his shoulders. “All right. I’m coming.”
When he opened the door, Jeff pushed his way inside giving her a perfunctory glance as he turned to face his brother. “There’s been an accident.”
“What? Who?”
“Joel. Nothing serious, I don’t think, but he’s been taken to the hospital in San Antonio by ambulance. You coming?”
He raked his fingers through his hair. “Uh, yeah. Let me throw some clothes on.”
Jeff glanced back at her, tipped his hat and headed back out the door. “I’ll see you there.”
“Yeah. I’ll be right behind you.” He stopped his frantic search for his clothes for a moment to take her in his arms. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You’re family needs you. Go.”
“You’ll be here when I get back?”
“I don’t think so.”
With her hands clasped in his, he said, “Then go with me. I need you.”
“Are you sure? I’ll just be in the way.”
“No you won’t. Please?”
“All right. Let me put my boots on and comb my hair. I wouldn’t want to show up at the hospital with sex hair.” She shoved her fingers through the messy strands in an attempt to tame the wild mass.
He kissed her palms before he shoved a curl behind her ear. “I think you look damned sexy with it all mussed like that.”
“That’s your opinion, mister. Somehow I think your family is going to know what we were doing before Jeff got here.”
He shrugged and stepped back. “Who cares. I don’t.”
She rolled her eyes as she moved to grab her boots from near the door and shoved her feet inside. Her purse lay on the bench so she grabbed it to find her brush. After running it through her hair a few times, she announced she was ready to go.
“We’ll take my truck,” he said, returning from putting his shirt and socks on that they’d discarded in the living room before their romp in the kitchen.
“You dressed pretty fast.”
“I’m quick when I need to be.”
“Not during sex, I hope.”
He looked aghast as she laughed. “Never during sex.”
They walked out to his truck, avoiding the dog who lounged on the porch, barely lifting his head when they walked around him. The night’s inky black sky reflected a thousand stars twinkling overhead. No moon shone tonight to light their way, but she didn’t care. She was with a guy she quickly realized her feelings went a lot deeper for than she wanted to admit. Her heart wasn’t listening to her head and she was afraid her heart might win the argument.
* * * *
“What the hell did you do to yourself, Trip?” Jason asked Joel as they walked into emergency room at the local hospital. His nickname for his triplet siblings coming through loud and clear. He called Joel, Trip for triplet and Joshua, Doub for double. Jason’s nickname from the family had always been One because he was the eldest of the three of them, then Joshua and last came Joel.
“Hit a damned deer with my truck.” Joel glanced at his wife sitting next to him holding his hand. “Broke my leg in the process.”
“You’re lucky you didn’t break your head open, you dumbshit.”
“Like I had control, you asshole. I didn’t plan on hitting a deer. It jumped out in front of me. I didn’t have a chance to even stop before it was on my hood and half through my windshield. I’m just glad Mesa wasn’t in the truck with me. The deer went into the passenger side seat practically.” Joel kissed her fingertips. “I wouldn’t want you hurt for anything.”
Joshua gagged from his place in the corner. The bed had been completely surrounded by Young family members.
“It’ll be your turn soon enough,” Nina said, glancing at Jason’s hand joined with Peyton’s as they stood next to the bed with everyone else. “I’m glad this wasn’t worse than it is. A broken leg can be managed although you won’t be able to ride for a bit. Maybe you can take over doing some of the office stuff for me.”
Joel blanched as Mesa laughed. “Yeah, I can see that. Joel behind a desk?”
“Well, what else is he going to do while he’s in a cast for six to eight weeks?” Nina moved to where she stood near the head of Joel’s bed. “You’ll have to suck it up, buttercup.”
The entire family laughed until the doctor came in through the curtains with a soft, “Whoa. Okay. I didn�
��t realize the whole family would be here.”
“He’s one of ours, so yeah, you get all of us,” Jeff replied from his spot near the sink. Terri must have stayed home with the boys since their little one wasn’t very old yet.
Jason also noticed Paige wasn’t there either, but then again with her twin pregnancy moving along at a rapid pace, she probably didn’t need to be out here either. Since when did I become such a mother hen with the women of our family? He tucked Peyton’s hand into the crook of his arm. “How are you feeling, bro?”
“Hurts like hell, but they’ve given me pain medicine.”
“That’s right and we’ll be taking him to surgery soon,” the doctor added, looking at the chart in his hand. “He’ll need a plate or two to stabilize the break. It’s a pretty bad fracture since the dashboard was shoved up into his lap. I’m surprised both legs aren’t broken.”
“Surgery?” Mesa asked, her grip tightening on Joel’s hand.
“Yes. It’s a must.”
“Don’t worry, baby. I’ll be fine.”
“You’d better be. We have some planning to do.”
“I know, darlin’.”
“Planning?” Nina asked, hope shining in her eyes.
“We didn’t want to announce it this way, but we are expecting a baby in about eight months.”
“Another grandchild!” Nina clapped before she bent over Joel, kissing him on the head and then doing the same with Mesa. “It’s about time. You two have been together for a while.”
“It’s hasn’t been that long, Mom.”
“Long enough to expect a grandchild.”
Joel and Mesa both laughed as they shook their heads.
Jason shook his brother’s hand excitedly. He wasn’t sure he wanted kids of his own, certainly not yet, but he was happy for his brother who he knew wanted several children. Mesa had been such a good thing for Joel when they’d gotten together even though when the whole thing started, Jason wasn’t sure she was the right girl. The day they’d been married was a joyful occasion at the ranch and one he wouldn’t forget.
“Well since everything is fine here, I’m going to head back home.”
“You aren’t staying for the surgery,” James asked from his spot near the wall.
“Do I need to?”
“Had plans, did you?” Joel asked, eyeing Peyton as she stood near his right side. “Sorry I interrupted things.”
“It’s fine now that I know you’re going to be okay. I couldn’t have my brother coming to the hospital and me not seeing how you are even if it’s nothing major.”
“It could have been,” Jeff said.
“I know, Jeff. That’s why I came. He’s still family even though he’s my squirt of a younger brother.”
“By fifteen minutes, for God’s sake!”
“Still younger.”
“Asshole.”
“You’ll be fine if you’re cussing me out.”
The nurse came through the curtain. “Everyone is going to have to clear out. I need to prep him for surgery, get another IV started and draw more blood.”
“Damn woman. You already took two tubes.”
“Suck it up. I need five more before they take you to surgery, plus the anesthesiologist will be coming in soon to talk to you.”
“We’re gone then,” Jason said, moving toward the curtain. “Are they going to keep him for a couple of days afterward?”
“At least tomorrow, yes.”
“I’ll be back by in the morning then.”
“Thanks for coming, Jason. I know you were busy with Peyton. I didn’t mean to ruin your plans.”
“It’s okay. No problem. We were done with dinner already anyway so we’re going to, ahem, watch a movie.”
Joel’s eyebrow shot up over his eye. “Movie?”
“Yeah, a movie. Right Peyton?”
“What movie?” The whole group laughed as she blushed so hard the roots of her hair turned red too.
“Come on, babe. Let’s go home.”
Nina grinned as they all walked out of the curtained area and back down the hall toward the waiting room. The rest of the family left, leaving Jason, Peyton and his mother and father. Mesa, of course, stayed at her husband’s bedside until they wheeled him out toward the operating room. Then she joined his parents to wait.
“He’ll be fine.” Jason hugged Mesa. “I know he will.”
“I know, but I’m worried. What if something happens? What if he goes into cardiac arrest or what if he has a reaction to the anesthesia?”
“Is there any reason to worry? No. Quit freaking yourself out.”
“I know. I’m being silly, but I love him so much and now that there is a baby on the way, I don’t know what I’d do without him.”
Nina put her arms around Mesa, cradling her almost like a lost child. Jason felt out of touch with the whole scenario even though it was his triplet brother in there. They didn’t talk about it much, but the three of them had a bond. When one hurt, the others hurt. When one was sad, the others could feel it and when Joel had fallen hard for Mesa, Jason knew in his heart she was perfect for his brother in the end.
“We are headed out. Call me when he’s out of surgery, please, or I won’t sleep a wink tonight and I’ll be back up here before morning.”
“Of course, son,” his dad answered before his mother could as she stood there rocking Mesa and whispering to her that Joel would be fine.
Jason put his arm around Peyton as they walked toward the door. “Thanks, Dad. See you at home.”
The ride back to his house was made in silence as he contemplated the turn of events for his brother, his triplet. Joel was going to be a daddy himself and man did it make Jason feel old. His younger sibling was married with a baby on the way. Wasn’t it time he settled down too? He glanced across the truck at Peyton. Was she the one? Should he give up his wandering ways for the love of one woman? What if she didn’t love him? What if she cheated on him? What if she didn’t want anything more than sex like they’d talked about in the beginning? Did he want more now?
“What are you thinking about?” she asked, cocking her head to the side.
“Lots of things.”
“Like?”
“What if I asked you to marry me?”
“What? Are you nuts?”
“Maybe am I. I’m thinking about my future and I think you’d be a good fit.”
“I’m not marrying you, Jason.”
“Why not?”
“We’ve been dating for what? Two weeks and you want me to marry you? You’re crazy.”
“No I’m not. My brother did it. He seems happy. I want that too.”
“Not with me, you don’t.”
“Sure I do. You’d be as good as any, I’m thinking.”
She punched him in the shoulder. “As good as any? You ask me to marry you without even professing to love me and I’m as good as any? Why don’t you just go to The Dusty Boot, grab the first woman who walks through the door and ask her? It’d be about as romantic and caring as the proposal I just got.”
“Now just wait a minute, Peyton. I mean we get along good. We’re good in bed together. We seem to have some things in common. You’re pretty enough.”
“Thanks, for that, but no. Take your proposal and stuff it up your ass.”
They pulled into the driveway in front of his house. The truck hadn’t even come to a complete halt and she was out the passenger side door headed for her car.
“What the hell? Where are you going?” he asked, rushing around the front of his truck as the headlights reflected off the porch. He grabbed the door to her car before she could shut it.
“Let go.”
“No, let’s talk about this.”
“There isn’t anything to talk about. I’m not marrying you.”
“Fine. Then let’s keep going the way we are.”
“You know, I don’t think so. You want something I can’t give you apparently. You’ve changed, Jason. You said you didn�
��t want a wife and I was good with that since I didn’t want to be a wife, but now you’re asking me to marry you out of the blue.”
“Come inside.”
“No. I’m going home. I don’t want to see you anymore. We obviously want different things in this.” She waved her hand back and forth. “Whatever this is.”
“Don’t go, Peyton.”
“We’re done, Jason. I’m sorry, but this isn’t going to work.” She slammed the door shut, started the car and then backed out of his life in a spray of gravel.
Chapter Twelve
Jason twirled the rope he held over his head before tossing it expertly over the horns of the bull he intended to move to the barn. He had some cows he needed to inseminate. The work on a ranch never ended, never took a break nor did it stop for a broken heart.
Broken heart, bah!
Joshua helped herd the bull through the panels to the holding pen Jason had fashioned so he could collect the sperm from the bull. The steer he planned to use to get the bull ready was already in place. Joey stood nearby waiting with the ejaculation kit for when the bull mounted the steer. Joshua threaded another rope through the ring on the bull’s nose as Jason dismounted from his horse and removed the one around the animal’s neck. “I’ll take it from here.” He took the ejaculation kit from Joey as the bull jumped to mount the steer. He easily got the false vagina on the bull, capturing the bull’s semen. “See. Easy as pie.”
“Do you know which of your cattle you’re going to inseminate and your schedule?” Joey asked. He usually handled the horses on their parent’s place, but today, Jacob manned the horses and took the guests out. Jacob needed to stay close these days as Paige could have the babies at any time.
“Yeah. Got them penned in the other side of the barn already waiting.”
“Perfect,” Joshua said, releasing the rope on the bull’s nose ring so they didn’t tear it out by accident. The nose ring helped to control the bull during the ejaculation process.
This bull was Jason’s prized possession and his ace in the hole for having prime livestock for the PBR in the coming years ahead.
“How are things with Peyton?” Joey asked, moving the steer they’d use for bait.
9781631051289TemptedbytheCowboySullivan Page 12
