Cowboys & Horses

by C. J. Laurence

  Razor sharp claws dug into my arms, shredding my thin shirt and flesh. I hit the hard ground, my breath literally knocked from my body as sixty kilos of pure power and muscle pinned me down. I wriggled beneath it and just escaped its snapping jaws hitting its kill spot of my neck.

  Ignoring the shattering agony from my arms, I reached up to its head. Whilst this served to only dig its claws further into me, I drove my fingers into one of its eyes. My other hand slapped at its head with frantic moves. Using me as a springboard, it jumped off me, retreating a few feet. Blood spilled out of my thighs from its back claws. Pools of my blood spread through the sand under my arms. I clambered to my feet and stumbled towards the tree.

  With all the effort I could muster, I jumped up the rough bark, shimmying myself up it like a snake. I cried in pain every time the coarse wood scratched into my skin, drawing more blood from me.

  I made a grab at the lowest branch and hauled myself onto it. Without a second to spare, I reached up for the next bough. Dangling between the two, my legs kicked out into the air in a furious wave as I tried to inch myself further up the big tree. Before I could curl myself up onto it, the lion sprang up with an impressive display of strength, reaching for my legs.

  It sank its claws into my left calf muscle. A blood curdling scream left me as it hung there, snarling. Scrabbling with its back legs for the firmness of the tree trunk, stars began dancing across my eyes as it used my leg to support its body weight. I grabbed onto the branch with both hands, mustered all my remaining strength, and kicked it in the face with my free leg.

  My heavy boot connected with the end of its snout. It loosened its grip and slid down my leg, shredding through my flesh like scissors through paper.

  Streaks of lightning flashed through my vision. The agony was indescribable. Everything started spinning around me and I struggled not to pass out from the pain. I concentrated on my breathing, hoping it would help keep me conscious.

  A deafening thud resounded through the peaceful desert as the beast fell to the floor. Without a seconds delay, I looked above me for the next branch. Blocking out the pain as much as I could, I climbed up to the next branch, putting another few feet between me and the damned animal. Despite me being on its dinner menu, I couldn’t help but feel some empathy for it. It was hungry and only acting on its animal instincts. A fleeting thought of cavemen and sabre tooth tigers sprang from somewhere. Before I knew it, a hysterical laugh was leaving me as I compared this situation to that.

  Darkness had now covered everything completely like a black velvet glove. Aside from the bright gleaming whiteness from the moon, I had nothing. I glanced up at the full moon high in the sky. Werewolves popped into my mind and I stifled another giggle as I realised I was fighting the equivalent of a werewolf. I definitely wouldn’t be venturing out on a full moon again.

  The streaming moonlight enabled me to see down the trunk. The lion was pacing around at the bottom, its tail twitching as it continued to growl and snarl at me. I clutched at Cody’s bridle once more, ready to swing at it if it attempted another leap up the tree. I noticed a dark puddle settling beneath its dinner plate sized paws. It was then I realised it was my blood streaming down my leg, dropping onto the sandy ground in thick rivulets.

  I tried to calm my breathing. My chest was heaving, my breaths short and shallow. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it was going to jump from my chest. I ached, I hurt, I had nothing left to give. If it came back for more, I wasn’t sure how much longer I could fight with it.

  I rested back against the solidity of the tree trunk. How long had I been fighting with this damn thing? Seconds? Minutes? Hours? A wave of tiredness hit me, tempting me to close my eyes but I didn’t dare. I glanced down to see it still there, striding back and forth, debating its options. Would it get bored and give up or would it continue to climb the tree until I gave myself up willingly?

  We stared each other out for what seemed like an age. It stood up a few times, reaching its claws up the tree but it didn’t attempt to climb anymore. I hoped it had a sore nose and had learned its lesson. It wandered off after a while, swishing its tail. I breathed a sigh of relief but didn’t relax too much. I had no doubt it was still lingering around somewhere.

  Part of me wanted to check my leg out but part of me wanted to ignore it. I knew it would be a mess. My arms hurt more than enough as well. I smirked. What a good holiday this had turned out to be.

  My eyes began to close at one point, luring me into a promise of a pain free world. I attempted to fight off the tiredness, well aware if I gave in, it would be me done for. The more I thought about not sleeping, the more I wanted to. My eyelids kept drooping, and after a while, the droops turned into long blinks.

  Just on the verge of giving in to sleep, peace, no pain, I picked out the sound of a low rumble. I stilled and held my breath. The noise was getting louder. I scanned my blurry eyes across the desert and then almost fainted in relief.

  Three sets of headlights were bouncing across the rough ground. Joy swamped me. I burst into tears, trembling. I inched down onto the next branch, every fibre within me screaming in protest. I bit my lip to keep hold of the painful scream collecting in my throat.

  “Sophie!”

  Brady’s voice hollered out into the empty desert and I managed a strangled sob in reply. Voices sounded before a bright beam of light shone into my eyes, piercing a throbbing headache on top of all my other pain.

  Not caring for my injuries being scraped against the jagged bark, I slid down the trunk, barely hanging on. Just as I passed the last branch, I let go, tumbling down to the ground and collapsing into a crumpled heap.

  “Sophie! Shit, get blankets!”

  Caring, strong arms wrapped around me and then I was gone, carried away into an agony free peace.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Darkness finally released its grip on me. My eyes fluttered open to a bright white light beaming down on me. I cursed and moved my arms to shield my eyes. Pain scoured through my shoulders, my brain screaming agony at me to stop moving.

  “Soph?”

  That familiar soft voice stopped my movements in an instant.

  “Brady?” My voice cracked, mustering barely a croaky whisper.

  The sound of feet shuffling followed by something thudding against the wall behind me. Warm hands folded around my forearms, peeling them from my face.

  “Open your eyes, sweetie. It’s ok.”

  I squinted, allowing my eyes to accustom to the piercing light for a few seconds before I opened them fully. Brady’s handsome face peered over my line of sight. His usual sparkling brown eyes were dull, puffy, red. His usual sprinkling of stubble had grown into a shaggy mess. He looked exhausted.

  “Are you ok?” I asked.

  He cracked a smile and grabbed one of my hands. “You’re laying in a hospital bed after being attacked by a mountain lion and you’re asking if I’m ok?” He chuckled, shaking his head. Lifting my hand to his lips, he brushed a gentle kiss across the back of it.

  I let his words rattle around my mind. Hospital? Mountain lion? What? Then it hit me—like a flood gate being opened, the entire thing hit me full force as I realised what exactly I’d done.

  “Was I really that stupid?” I said, groaning inwardly at myself.

  He shook his head. “Heroically brave, not stupid.”

  Warmth trickled through me, tingling all my nerve endings. Before I could respond, the sound of purposeful marching feet turned my head towards the door. Two nurses and Dr Tate were soon upon me, asking questions, poking and prodding. Brady backed away, leaving them to their job. The moment was gone.

  “This is becoming too much of a regular habit, Sophie,” Dr Tate said, smiling. “I may have to take out an injunction on you if I see you again this side of Christmas.”

  I blushed and giggled. “Sorry. I promise no more.”

  “It seems this time was much worse than last. Unfortunately, if you try to make the next time worse, I don�
��t think we’ll be in a two-sided conversation. You’ve been exceptionally lucky and I can’t stress that point enough.”

  I glanced down to my left leg, wondering what was beneath the bandages. “How bad is it?”

  He drew his lips into a thin line. “We seriously debated a skin graft, more from a healing process point of view, but luckily, in the four days you’ve been in here, it’s started to heal very nicely. The rest of your injuries are serious but not as bad as your leg. You will make a full recovery, in time, but I’m afraid it’s nothing but rest for you until I say otherwise. I’m afraid that includes going home.”

  “Four days?” I asked, stunned. “I’ve been in here four days?”

  He nodded and returned his attention to his paperwork. “You’ve been pumped full of morphine to keep you out of pain and give your body chance to heal. Your bandages are due a change later this evening. Depending on how well it’s all healing, you may be able to return back to the ranch by the end of the weekend, providing there will be care in place.”

  I said nothing, shocked to say the least at my new reality. The whole thing seemed like a bad dream that had happened weeks ago. Did my parents know? They couldn’t or they would be here.

  “Has anyone phoned my parents?” I asked. “And where’s Ben?”

  Brady and Dr Tate exchanged looks which instantly filled me with discomfort.

  “I’ll be back later this evening to check on your leg, Sophie,” Dr Tate said. He gave Brady a single nod and hurried out of the door.

  “What was all that about?” I said, frowning.

  Scratching his head, Brady cleared his throat. “Um, your parents do know but they couldn’t come over.”

  A sharp sting cut through my very soul. Why couldn’t they come over? They were retired and had bags of money. I’d nearly died and they weren’t bothered? What the hell?

  “What? Why?”

  “It’s not really my place to say, Sophie. I think you should call them.”

  “Don’t be daft. Just tell me.”

  He shook his head. “It’s not my place—”

  “Brady, just tell me. Please.”

  Sighing, he scrubbed a hand over his face. “Your sister has had a miscarriage.”

  I said nothing for a good minute or so. I didn’t know what to say. How exactly was I supposed to feel about that? Was I supposed to feel sorry for her and offer her my condolences? Or was I supposed to take joy in the fact that karma had come right back around and taken a chunk out of her skinny ass?

  “Is that where Ben is?”

  He nodded, his lips pulling into a thin line.

  Ouch. That stung. But also, kind of sealed the last nail in the coffin for me and him. As traumatic and serious as a miscarriage was, I was pretty sure that nearly being eaten alive by a mountain lion was a little higher up on the scale—at least where it concerned his fiancée and his sister-in-law. The fact he’d rushed to her side confirmed to me that despite his desperate pleas, he obviously had feelings for her beyond ‘just a fling’.

  A couple of minutes later, I shrugged my shoulders. “Well, it’s done me a favour at least.”

  Taking a hold of my hand, Brady offered me a small smile. “It’s ok to hurt over it. It’s only natural.”

  “I just can’t get my head around it,” I said, shaking my head. “Why chase me to the other side of the world, confessing his undying love for me and then leave me half dead in a hospital bed for my sister?”

  “People do strange things in extreme circumstances. You can’t ignore the fact that you’ve had a decade together, grown up together. As unhappy as you both were, that’s a hard habit to break.”

  Habit. The lightbulb flickered on. That’s exactly what we’d become. We’d digressed into two people living a routine ‘rat race’ life and completely forgotten about each other, what made us want to be together in the first place. Not only had we lost sight of ourselves, but also each other.

  “Yeah,” I said, smiling through a thin film of tears. “You’re right. You always know the right thing to say.”

  He smiled. “Not all the time but I try my best.”

  I lost myself for a minute, going back over the last time I’d seen Ben, the confrontation with Brady...then I remembered. His wife. I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth and decided to deal with that later. I couldn’t cope with it right now. My head was spinning enough as it was.

  “Sophie,” Brady said, taking my hand. “I need to explain something to you.”

  I gave him a smile and nestled back into my pillow. “I’m tired. Can we leave it for now?”

  He stroked my hand and nodded. “Sure.”

  Turning my head away from him, I closed my eyes and willed myself to sleep. If anything, to keep my tears locked away.

  Chapter Thirty

  Sure enough, as Dr Tate had promised, I was back at the ranch by Sunday evening. I was due to fly out at the end of the week but had already been told that I was grounded. Marvellous.

  So, with a set of crutches, pain meds, and scheduled appointments for the next few days all set up, Brady finally took me back to some sort of normality. He drove me to my chalet and helped me inside.

  “Right,” he said, glancing around. “What do you need?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re coming to stay with me until the doctor has cleared you for flying.”

  I snorted, looking at him in disbelief. “I don’t bloody think so.”

  He jerked backwards as if I’d just slapped him. “Why not?”

  “I’m not playing third wheel to you and your wife.” He grimaced when I said this. “No. I hadn’t forgotten.”

  “If you just let me explain—”

  “There is nothing to explain, Brady. You’re married. End of. The fact you slept with me makes you just as bad as Ben, if not, worse.”

  “I think that’s a little harsh, Sophie. You should know I’m nothing like him.”

  I sat down on my bed, my leg already aching. “Why should I? I knew him for ten years until he side swiped me with my sister.”

  “But I’m not him, Sophie.” He rubbed his hands over his face. “How long are you going to keep clinging onto the bitterness he’s left you with? Are you going to compare every man you meet to him and what he did?”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “If you’ve only ever had one breed of horse and it nearly kills you, would you go buy another?”

  “No. I’d try something else.”

  My cheeks burned. I’d set myself up for that fall. Why couldn’t I make him see what I was trying to say? My whole body was an aching throb, my head was all over the place, and my emotions scattered everywhere. I just needed some relief.

  “Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to drop you back here knowing that he was in here waiting for you?” He bent down in front of me and placed his hands on my knees. “For all I knew you were delighted to see him and couldn’t wait to get him in your bed.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Are you being serious right now? Do you really think after giving myself to you for three days straight that I would do that? Is that really what you think of me?”

  He squeezed my knee. “No, Sophie. I’m just trying to make a point here. It drove me insane the second you closed that damn door behind you. I stood outside listening because I couldn’t bear to leave you with him. Why do you think I suddenly appeared with my chain?”

  I had no response. Swallowing a lump in my throat, I blinked furiously, trying my hardest not to let more tears spill.

  “Forget, Anna,” he said. He cupped my cheek and ran a thumb across my skin. “She’s completely irrelevant. It’s you I love.”

  I gasped. Sure he’d told me last week that he was falling for me but that’s different to actually hearing those three little words. They hold the power to change an entire relationship in a split second.

  Bursting into tears, I became a jumbled mix of half-laughing, half-crying. I was desperate to say it back to him. The wo
rds were there, peaked on the end of my tongue ready to bask him in the same warmth now spreading through my chest. But I couldn’t. I just wasn’t ready. I didn’t want to say them just because he’d said them to me or because my head was a mess. If I was ever going to tell someone those words again, it would be because I meant it and the moment was right.

  “Thank you,” I said. “But I can’t return that to you now.”

  He smiled. “I know. I didn’t say it because I want to hear it back. I said it because I want you to know how I feel about you.”

  I offered a half smile but didn’t waiver. “It doesn’t change the fact that I’m not going back to your house. I still can’t get my head around everything going on, let alone the fact you’re married.” I sighed and strung my fingers together. “I need some time.”

  He nodded. “I understand. I’ll stay here with you like last week.”

  I couldn’t help but cringe. The words that followed next tasted nothing but sour as I spoke them.

  “No. I mean I need some time...away from you.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  I hated myself right then. I wanted to claw my own eyes out. The pain that flashed across his face broke my heart all over again. He gave me a simple nod before walking out of the door as quiet as a mouse. I had to listen to my head now though, despite my heart being torn into pieces. The mess I had to deal with back home was just too much to think about, let alone with a new relationship on top. It wouldn’t be fair on either of us for something to start when I would be going home as soon as the doctor cleared me to fly.

  Crawling into bed, I numbed my mind with cheesy movies for the next couple of hours. Just as I debated taking my sleeping pills for some decent respite, a sharp knock sounded on my door.

  I sprang from my bed, hoping it was Brady. I wanted his arms around me, his lips on me, his body against mine.

  The surprise I got instead though was just as good.

  “Oh my God!” Tears of joy flooded me in an instant as Zoe stood smiling at me.