Harlequin Romance Bundle: Crowns and Cowboys

by Judy Christenberry

  He followed her from the fire to take the canvas seat next to her. Then he said in a low voice, “Ted said he thought Jesse fell asleep in the saddle and that’s why he fell.”

  “Jesse is an experienced cowboy. He knows the risks, and there’s no way he fell asleep!” Rosemary said in heated tones.

  Jason didn’t say anything for a minute. When he was sure no one was watching them, he said, “I didn’t say I believed him, but without any proof, I can’t accuse him of anything.”

  “You don’t want to accuse him!”

  “Rosie, I don’t want him going around doing bad things to honest cowboys. That wouldn’t be fair.”

  “I know that. But you’re letting him remain here, when we don’t need him!”

  “So you think I should send him away?”

  “Of course I do. Even if nothing is his fault, I’m going to blame it on him because he’s the outsider. If we weren’t sleeping right next to the SUV, I feel sure he’d try to puncture one of Cookie’s tires.”

  “I hadn’t thought of that. I’ll try to keep an eye on him.”

  “Does that mean you’ll be riding out with him instead of with Wes and me in the morning?”

  “Is that what you want?” he asked, staring at her.

  She shrugged her shoulders. “Doesn’t matter to me! But you’d better warn Wes. He’ll need to reorganize if you are.”

  “I’d rather stay with you and Wes.”

  “Why?” she quickly demanded.

  “Because Wes knows so much. I’m learning a lot from him.”

  Apparently his answer wasn’t what she expected. “Oh.” After a minute, she said, “I think Wes and I can manage on our own.”

  “I don’t think Sara Beth would think so.”

  “Why not?” she asked, her voice stiff with anger.

  “Because if something happened to Wes, you’d have trouble getting him back to camp. You’re a skilled horsewoman, and I know you’re a crack shot, but it would take muscle to get Wes back to camp. That’s where I come in.”

  “So you want me to ride out with Ted?”

  “No, I don’t want you to ride out with anyone other than Wes. And me.”

  “I can take care of myself!”

  “And that’s why Wes always takes you with him?”

  “Not always! Sometimes I ride with Rafe and whoever his partner is. But not Ted. I don’t want a concussion.”

  Wes joined them, sitting on Rosemary’s other side. “You two need to learn to whisper, especially if you’re talking about something that could turn this campsite into a big brawl,” he said.

  “If we whisper, they’ll think something else is going on!” Rosemary protested.

  “So? We’d survive that, Rosie, but not an accusation of someone hurting Jesse on purpose. We don’t have any proof that any such thing happened.”

  “I think it would be better if Jason sat with someone else,” Rosemary said stubbornly.

  “But I prefer your company,” Jason returned.

  She glared at him.

  “Rosie, put a lid on it,” Wes ordered her. “We’ve all got to appear friendly until this roundup is over.”

  That comment hit Jason where it hurt. He asked Wes, “You mean you won’t work for me when the roundup is over? If I get the ranch, I mean.”

  “Of course I will. It’s my home, mine and Sara Beth’s. She won’t want to leave.”

  “You had me worried there for a minute.”

  “But we don’t want any arguments breaking out amongst us. So you two keep a civil tongue in your heads.”

  “Fine!” Rosemary snapped.

  “I’m not the one being difficult,” Jason said, smiling at Wes.

  “That’s sure not the way to make her happy, Jason. Give her some space and some time. Remember what I told you.”

  That night as they were getting ready for bed, Rosemary whispered to Wes, “What did you tell Jason?”

  “Only that this was a hard time for you, what with your daddy dying and the question about losing the ranch. That’s all. It’s true, isn’t it? You’re a bit more prickly than I’ve ever seen you.”

  “I’m sorry, Wes,” she said with a sigh. “I guess that’s what it is.”

  “I understand, honey. But Jason isn’t the enemy. Even if he gets the ranch, he won’t mind you coming to visit us. I asked him.”

  Rosemary’s eyes filled with tears. “I—I can’t think about that!” Then she turned her back on Wes and snuggled down in her sleeping bag.

  It sounded to her that Wes might prefer for Jason to get the ranch. After all, he’d have plenty of money to fix it up to the standards Wes liked to maintain. And it was obvious Jason would be a good owner to work for. Wes and Sara Beth would be secure.

  That was something to be grateful for, she supposed, but it would shut her out. She would no longer have the ranch, and she wasn’t sure she could come see it, or Wes and Sara Beth. Not with Jason around.

  Her eyes filled with tears again and she determinedly shut them. She would not cry on the roundup. Everyone would be trying to comfort her and looking for someone to blame. She didn’t want that, any more than Wes did.

  Her father had told her she could come on the roundups as long as she didn’t act like a girl. Any tears and he’d send her home at once. She hadn’t really believed him. But she’d had enough doubt not to test him.

  Finally exhaustion shut out her tears and she fell asleep.

  Until about three in the morning, when lightning ruptured the dark of the night and thunder awakened her.

  Wes was already sitting up in his sleeping bag, staring up at the sky. Then he pulled on his coat and boots. He went around the campfire, wakening each cowboy and giving him instructions. Some of them raced to the horse corral to saddle up, while others rolled up their bags and headed for the dual cab of the SUV where Cookie slept.

  Then he returned to her side. “Put your sleeping bag under the SUV, Rosie. I think we’re going to have a big rainstorm.”

  “No, I’ll ride with you, Wes. I can help.”

  “I’m counting on you helping in the morning, honey. I’ll need some sleep then. You’ll be in charge. Now get on under there before the heavens open up.”

  The SUV had oversize tires that gave her plenty of clearance. She’d slept there before in a rainstorm. She got out of her sleeping bag and shoved it under the SUV, as Wes had suggested, but she was shocked when Jason did the same.

  “What are you doing?” she demanded in a harsh whisper.

  “I’m doing what Wes told me to do,” Jason replied.

  “I don’t believe you!”

  “Wes?” Jason called. When Wes appeared, having bent down so he could see their faces, Jason said, “Rosemary doesn’t believe you told me to sleep under here.”

  “Of course I did, Rosie. Don’t be foolish. You both need to sleep and there’s no more room in the cab. You’ll both stay dry under there. And I’m counting on Jason to keep an eye on you.”

  Then he disappeared.

  Rosemary scooted over so there was room for Jason. “I need my saddle and coat,” she said.

  Jason scooted out and retrieved those for her and then got his own. He helped her put her coat on the saddle as a pillow, then he settled down beside her.

  “Will we stay dry?” he asked.

  “We should. The others stored their saddles under the back end of the SUV and draped a waterproof tarp over that end. It keeps some wood dry for the fire in the morning, too.” On cue, the rain began to fall. It wasn’t a gentle rain. The drops were like pellets striking the metal of the truck as if they’d been fired out of a rifle.

  She shuddered, and Jason leaned closer. “Are you afraid of storms?”

  “A—a little. My dad used to tease me if I showed any fear, so I’ve always tried to hide it, but—” She stopped herself. Why was she making such a confession to Jason?

  She felt him scoot a little closer in the dark. “Wes told me to keep you safe.”

&
nbsp; “I’m not going to make a fuss.”

  “I know. But maybe we could hold hands, just to feel the contact of someone else here.”

  She was hesitant. Her father had been so strict about her not acting like a girl. “I guess we could—as long as you’ll treat me just like another cowboy in the morning.”

  “I promise. This is just for thunderstorms.”

  “All right.” She turned to face Jason and stuck her hand out of the sleeping bag.

  He took her hand and carried it to his lips.

  She snatched her hand back. “What are you doing?”

  “I was afraid to ask for a good-night kiss,” he whispered. “I don’t think I damaged it any. Come on, give it back to me.”

  After a moment, Rosemary extended her hand again. It was enveloped in the warmth of his hand. He scooted even closer, until their breaths were mixed.

  “Are you cold?” she whispered.

  “No, I just enjoy being close during a thunderstorm.”

  She could hear his smile, even if she couldn’t see it in the dark. “Are you making fun of me?”

  “No. Just go back to sleep, sweetheart. It will be morning soon.”

  Rosemary took his advice. Surprisingly she felt comforted by the warmth of his hand. Her eyes slowly shut and she drifted off to sleep.

  Jason came awake slowly the next morning. He didn’t hear the comforting sounds of Cookie preparing breakfast. All he heard was the rain. But he was still holding Rosie’s hand. He again carried it to his lips for a silent kiss.

  Should he get out in the rain and mount up to go help the other cowboys? Was it the closing of the SUV’s doors that awakened him? He peered out from under the SUV, but he didn’t see any movement.

  He looked at Rosie. She was sleeping on her side, turned toward him, her cheeks flushed with warmth. He’d never seen her look so sweet and adorable. That was a strange thought coming from him, he decided. He hadn’t thought of any woman as sweet and adorable. Sexy, maybe, as Rosie was, but she looked vulnerable this morning.

  He lay back down deciding there was no sudden need for him to wake up. He could lie beside Rosie and watch her sleep. Mindful of duty, he checked his watch. It was after eight. The men who had gone out at three were probably exhausted.

  Though reluctant, he let go of Rosie’s hand and sat up a little to pull on his coat, trying not to move any more than necessary. He didn’t want Rosie thinking she had to get out in the rain. He immediately worried about leaving her alone. Wes had told him to stay with her until he came back in.

  He decided it would be all right if he woke Rosie and told her where he was going. She could stay under the truck as long as she was awake.

  Life wasn’t quite that simple when it involved Rosie.

  “What?” she mumbled when he shook her slightly.

  “Honey, I’m going out to help Wes. You should stay here, but I wanted you to be awake so you could protect yourself if you need to.”

  Her eyes flew open. “What? What are you talking about? It’s still raining!” She looked at her watch. “Good heavens! We overslept. We should’ve relieved Wes two hours ago.”

  Before Jason could say anything, she had her coat on and was reaching for her boots.

  “Rosie, you should stay here. We can’t get breakfast until Cookie can start a fire, so just—”

  By then she had her boots on and her slicker draped over one arm as scooted to the edge of the SUV. She slapped her hat on her head to keep the rain off as soon as she cleared the truck.

  “Are you coming?” she called.

  “I’m right behind you,” Jason told her, but actually he came out on the other side of the truck.

  Rosemary was banging on the windows of the SUV, waking up the cowboys inside. She pointed to her watch and hurried toward the rope corral after putting on her slicker and retrieving her saddle. Jason joined her and had their horses saddled as the other cowboys emerged from the truck.

  “We’re heading out,” she told them. “Join us as soon as you can. Once it stops raining, we’ll take turns coming in for a quick breakfast.”

  Then she swung into the saddle and headed toward the area where they kept the herd.

  Unfortunately, when they got there, they didn’t find the herd, or any riders. The rain was coming down in sheets, and Rosie was so upset that Jason immediately tried to send her back to the camp. But being Rosie, she refused.

  “We’ve got to find them. The rain was blowing southwest to northeast, so that’s the direction the cattle would’ve gone.” Without another word, she headed in that direction.

  Jason realized he would lose sight of her in the rain, even with her yellow slicker on, if he didn’t keep up with her.

  They rode in silence for a few minutes. He could sense the serious concern on her mind. If nothing else, she was worried about Wes. And then there was the herd. It was her ticket to the recovery of her ranch.

  Hearing a sound in the distance, he stopped his horse. Rosemary turned to stare at him, pulling to a stop also.

  “I heard something,” he said. Then the sound of a cow mooing came again. “We’re on the right track. Just keep going.”

  Five minutes later, they caught up with the remnants of the herd. They had lost more than half of the cattle. Rosemary rode around the herd, checking with each of the men. Jason followed along behind her, acknowledging each of the men as they went by. When they’d made the complete circle, Rosie wheeled her horse around.

  “Where’s Wes?” When he looked at her blankly, she rode to the nearest rider to ask that question again.

  It didn’t take long to realize none of the men knew Wes’s whereabouts. She told them to move the herd back in the direction of the camp. Then she started out ahead. Jason wheeled around and caught up with her. “What are we looking for?”

  “Wes’s horse would never leave him. Look for the horse. That’s where we’ll find Wes.”

  After half an hour in the torrential rain, Rosemary spotted Wes’s horse. She swung down from the saddle, letting her reins drag the ground in a silent command to her well-trained horse. Maggie stood still as Rosie searched for Wes. Through the rain she couldn’t see anything. “Wes? Wes, where are you?” she called.

  Jason dismounted, too. “Did you hear any response?”

  “No, and I’m not sure I would with the rain and all.” She moved away, trying to find Wes. Suddenly she disappeared from Jason’s view.

  He panicked. “Rosie? Rosie? Where are you?”

  “Be careful, Jason. There’s a drop-off. I’m okay, I just—Wes? I think I’ve found Wes.”

  “Okay, I’m coming down.” Jason found the edge where the land fell away. Sliding down, he found himself almost on top of Rosie. She helped him stand.

  “Wes is over here. I don’t know how we’ll get him up to the horses.”

  Jason bent down. The man was soaked and cold, but he was a welcome sight. “Wes, how you doing?”

  “I think I broke my ankle. I haven’t been able to get up.”

  “Could you stand to be dragged out by my horse? I’m not sure how we’ll get you to the top if we don’t.”

  “I figured.”

  “Okay, Rosie, I’m going up to get the rope off my horse. I’ll toss it down to you. Tie it around his chest, under his arms. Then holler up to me and I’ll have Shadow pull him up.”

  “Okay.”

  Jason did as he said and stood waiting for Rosie to let him know they were ready. When he didn’t hear anything, he called down. “Rosie? What’s happening?”

  “Sorry. Wes had to tell me how to tie it. I think he’s ready, but go slow.”

  “Will do.” He began backing his horse up slowly, inch by inch. They only had to get Wes up about eight feet but the going seemed endless. Finally Wes’s head popped into view, and Jason knew they were almost done. Rosie climbed over the rim, intent only on helping Wes.

  “Wes, are you okay” she asked as the ranch manager lay on the ground, trying to remove the r
ope by himself.

  “Rosie,” he croaked. “Thank God you found me. Thanks to you, too, Jason. I thought I was going to die out here.”

  By that time, Jason was beside the duo to help Wes take the rope off. “Are you hurt anywhere beside your ankle?”

  “Naw.” He let out a swear. “Something knocked me from my horse. I landed awkwardly and broke my ankle. And then I rolled down into that hole. I didn’t think anyone would find me.”

  Rosie was already looking at his ankle. “It’s swollen badly. We’re going to have to cut your boot to get it off.”

  “We’ve got to get him back to camp first.” Jason wondered aloud if they’d have to make a litter for Wes, but the older man told them no.

  “I can ride in if you’ll help me get up on my horse.”

  “It’ll swell up even more, Wes,” Rosemary protested.

  “Rosie, if I don’t get to camp soon, I’ll die of hypothermia. We’ll tend to my ankle once we get there.”

  His words spurred Rosemary and Jason to quick action. Since his right ankle was broken, Jason helped him get his left foot in the stirrup and he swung his right foot over the saddle. They could see the pain on his face, but they thought it was the best way to get him to safety.

  Within fifteen minutes, they got him to camp. The rain was tapering to a slow drizzle by that time. Cookie was building a fire with the dry wood he’d hidden under the SUV. No one else was in camp.

  When they got Wes to the fire, Jason caught him in his arms as he slid off his horse. “Tend to the horses, Rosie. I’ll get him to the SUV. Cookie!” Jason shouted, which got the man’s attention. “We think he has a broken ankle. It’s badly swollen and he’s frozen. We need to warm him up quickly and cut his boot off.”

  The two men got Wes into the back seat of the SUV, covered him with the sleeping bags the cowboys had left in the cab. Then Cookie got a butcher knife and slit the side of Wes’s boot until he could ease it off his foot.

  Rosemary stood there, peering over Cookie’s shoulder, holding her breath.

  “Rosie, I got the coffeepot put on. Go see if it’s perked and get the boss a cup of hot coffee.”

  Rosemary immediately followed Cookie’s order.