by Zoe Adams
“I don’t know. I would never move somewhere without visiting it first. Just like I won’t buy something without trying it on first.” She blushed.
He liked her bluntness. He considered honesty in a beautiful woman a rare trait. A long string of lovers checkered his past, but not one had been considered a woman to be treasured. He was well aware that he had never brought a woman home to meet his grandmother, and now there were new goals in sight.
Susanna was a country girl, but that didn’t seem like a problem. A little fresh prairie flair in a city sounded great. He wondered if she would move. He didn’t want to ask. Instead he focused on sure things.
“You know what I think, Susanna? Fate brought me to your doorstep, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since I met you. We have a lot in common. I have a lot of family land I take care of too; however, I inherited all of it.” Royce studied her silently for a moment. He couldn’t believe his talk of business and inheritance hadn’t piqued an interest in fortunes. She certainly wasn’t like most other girls. He tilted his head and realized he might be gaping. He closed and opened his mouth and wondered if he would always feel like this. “You hold my attention like no one ever has. It’s hypnotic how I always want to take your clothes off, but then we have conversation instead.” He stood up and held out his hand. “I can’t take it anymore. Come here.”
Royce could think of many things and places that he wanted to experience with Susanna. He wondered how her steadiness could have a positive impact on his life. There were things in his life that would need to be dealt with. He did not want to share her with anyone, and he didn’t think it would be right to share himself with his usual women. Not yet anyway, maybe in the future, but right now, he only wanted Susanna. The more time he spent with her, the more he realized she was an innocent, for all of her hardworking experience. Oddly enough, it made him feel young again. There were things he wanted to do, that he hadn’t wanted to do for years.
Susanna remained seated, and Royce wondered for the first time how long he would have to stand there with an outstretched hand.
She sniffed. “Men are always putting their hands out to me. They usually just want to take credit for the ranch, or get into my family. I can handle a big horse or a stubborn bison, but men are something else.”
“Maybe this man just wants to make you happy.” Royce’s nostrils flared.
He took the remaining steps to her side. Nothing ever stopped him from getting what he wanted. He picked her up as if she were a little thing, and held her as though she were precious cargo.
Royce made it to the bed in double time, and he laid her down softly. This time he enjoyed full sunlight on the soft and creamy body before him. He looked down at her happily. He started to caress and pet her, and took all the time in the world as he began to lick her belly. When Susanna groaned, it only spurred him on.
The afternoon sped by, and Royce took his time. He took her from every angle. He could have continued all day, but when Susanna dug her fingernails into his back and screamed his name, something changed. He loved her voice, and he loved her body. He gave her a piece of his soul, before falling heavily beside her.
In the quiet of the prairie, Royce had a heightened sense of awareness. The wind was blowing across the field. It was freshly laced with sage, lavender, and something else. Why did he want her to leave this place again?
He put his hand over her golden tapered fingers, and his heart pounded in his ears. Susanna shifted her attention to the field, and his gaze followed. He realized that his heartbeat was in fact a cowboy racing over the plateau. He was riding as if he were on fire, and leading a spare horse toward the farm.
Their afterglow was over.
“Something bad must have happened. Usually they don’t gallop by the house.” Susanna jumped out of bed and disappeared into the closet.
“At least the something bad that has happened was after our something good,” Royce said loudly while straightening his pants.
There was silence from Susanna’s little room before she replied, “Yes, our something good was very good.”
Royce could never stay away from her for long. It was more than an electric connection that he had for her. It was like being interested in how a part of his body was doing. The many paned glass doors were left open, and he stretched across the frame while he buttoned his shirt. The closet was feminine and fresh. Susanna was sitting on a plush stool shaking out boots before tucking them in. She slammed on her cowboy hat and pulled the strap tight under her chin. Without even glancing in the mirror, she was walking past Royce.
He could easily read her, and had no problem staying out of her way as preparations were done. They met the cowboy at the fence, and he tossed over the reins.
“Hi, Big Chief,” Susanna purred as the large paint horse nuzzled her hand. “Hey, Uncle Joe. What is it?”
“The fence is down.” The older man nodded at Royce. “Some of the buffalo are out, and the Johnson boys were shooting at the ones that wandered into their field.”
“Well, that figures. We’re out of replacement fence, too.” She took charge easily. “Take my truck to town. You know where I keep the bank card.”
She turned to Royce and asked, “Have you ever been a cowboy before?”
Royce looked at her eagerly, and she threw him the reins of the dark chestnut thoroughbred.
He kicked his black boots into the flanks of the sweating beast. They were soon covering the slightly rolling bluffs with not quite reckless abandon. He was letting her lead as the wind beat the grasslands flat. The untouched plains made him feel primal, and he grinned at Susanna’s bouncing behind.
They approached a gate. Susanna swung down and held it open for Royce. Climbing back atop her horse, she eyed Royce empathetically.
“You don’t have to help, but I am glad that you are.” Susanna smiled mischievously. “And not just because you look good riding a horse.”
He gave her an incendiary glance and kicked his heels into the steed. They crossed two more fields before reaching the target.
The bison were restless, and the dust was heavy in the air. The huge buffalo were not easily moved. The cowboys were soon hoarse and dusty from the trampling. Susanna’s rope was used like a huge circular whip as she “Hee-Hawed,” smoothly moving the dull beasts. An hour later all the buffalo were accounted for.
Susanna and Royce dismounted stiffly at a stock pond. Their horses were drinking happily. The flies and mud were thick in the rough landscape. Susanna held out her water bottle that was lukewarm at best.
“You have a very exciting life,” Royce said, putting his arm softly across her shoulder and pulling her into his side. Sharing the same view was euphoric, and Susanna fit the nook of his side like a well-placed crutch. They stood together under an ancient tree that was rotting in the sun.
“We should head back,” she suggested sluggishly.
Royce agreed and went to gather the horses. Jumping from clumps of weed to grass, he avoided the sticky clay that bordered the shrinking pond.
Susanna screamed, and Royce was at instant high alert. He looked up in time to see a snake hanging from her boot.
She screamed again, and it broke through his shock. He ran up the hill in time to crush the snake under a large rock.
Susanna slumped to the ground. She had abandoned her toughness, and her fear was contagious.
“Royce, hurry. We need to stop the poison from spreading.” Tears slicked down her cheeks as Royce gently removed her boot.
“It’s all right. I have my cell phone.” He was digging in his pocket.
“There’s no service out here.” Susanna’s voice shook.
Royce knew the snakebite was serious. It was also quite a problem that he could not just pick up his cellular phone and call for help. It seemed that their roles had switched. He might as well have been a cowboy from ages ago, as he considered how to get her to the doctor. He had a steel reserve that kept him calmly moving forward.
The inside of her foot was already showing the pinpricks of discoloration.
“Royce,” she cried, “help me take off my shirt, and tear out two strips.”
When he heard his name shrieked across the prairie, his heart almost jumped out of his chest.
He removed the thin, long sleeves with practiced ease. His sweaty fingers shook when they tore through the soft cotton. He struggled with his composure and wanted to scream into the wicked prairie. Somehow, he remained calm for her benefit.
“I’m cold, must be shock.” She was panicking, and her voice grated his soul. “Bite needs to stay immobile, and above my heart. Wash it with soap and water. Bring the snake with us.”
“It’s all right. I won’t let anything happen to you.” The strips of cloth were torn, and he tightly wrapped one on each side of the bite. He poured out the rest of the water on her foot, and to his anguish, it did nothing to calm his nerves. He looked at Susanna, and her eyes were closed.
He shook her gently. “Hey, stay with me. Don’t close your eyes.”
Her eyes popped open and she said, “Saving energy.” Then her eyes blanked. “I can’t see,” she screamed.
Her pulse was through the clouds. Royce lifted her into his arms and set her gingerly on the horse ahead of him.
She weaved in the saddle, and her voice raised an octave. “Don’t leave me, Royce. Don’t leave me.”
The independent woman was gone, and Royce lost his mind at her helplessness. He took off his shirt before climbing onto Big Chief. He wrapped his shirt around her shoulder and noticed the sleeves. Gathering them up, he tied a knot with the sleeves under her ankle.
Once they reached a dangerous gallop, he was kissing her tears as she leaned heavily into his reassuring body. He reasoned his fear was equal to Susanna’s pain. The horse seemed to pick up on the tensions and galloped recklessly.
All of his focus was on his lady. He leaned protectively over her, and his wide shoulders were an impressive shield to the elements. She was really sick. He had to stop twice because she was nauseated. After that, he refrained from galloping, and cantered the rest of the way.
They finally got back to the farm, and Royce let out an exclamation of joy. He galloped past her outdoor bedroom. The place where he had found so much solace was abandoned as old fashioned. The whole area was avoided widely.
He had to stay outside of the fence, and far from the boxed frames. Everything that had enchanted him before was now a barrier between him and the telephone.
He held tightly to Susanna, and rushed Big Chief. The front of the house finally came into view. He rode the horse all the way to the steps of the porch.
He moved Susanna to the side and swung his leg over the horse. Royce kept her in his arms when he slid his feet to the ground. They landed smoothly.
In a quick step he was under the veranda. A wide wicker couch sat in the shade. Royce laid her down gently on the cushions. He didn’t waste a moment. He stood up and turned around.
Leaving her to suffer on the couch was the hardest thing he could imagine. In two sure steps he was at the front door of the house. His mighty arm yanked the screen door open. He stood between the two openings and turned the handle.
The door was locked. Royce finally gave in to his frustration
“Arghhh,” Royce threw his head back and groaned.
Just as quickly as he yelled, he looked down at the ground. He looked to his right and saw the windowsill. A key sat right in plain view. Susanna was so smart, yet obvious and simple. His appreciation of her magnified, and he quickly let himself into her house.
Royce ran to the phone.
After three rings he heard Lawrence answer his end.
“Lawrence, it’s me.” Royce said desperately.
“What is it, Royce?” Lawrence clipped.
“Susanna got bit by a rattlesnake.” He had been feeling helpless, and he shrugged all of his frustration into the phone.
Lawrence repeated loudly, “A rattlesnake bit Susanna?”
“Yes, she got bit on her foot about thirty minutes ago.” Royce’s voice was very low.
As angry as he was, his mind was still cool and sharp. It was almost too cool. Time was essential. If he had to repeat himself, his restraint might snap.
Lawrence was silent a moment. “Are you at her ranch house?”
“Yes,” Royce answered tightly. “Send me the helicopter. I have to get Susanna to the emergency room.”
Royce hung up the phone. He had time to wait for the escort. There was nothing to do but tend his patient. He remembered what Susanna had said about washing the wound. She had known what to do about rattlesnake bites. She had told him right before blacking out.
He admired how she had kept her cool and informed him. He hoped he could perform under pressure for her as well. He shook his head but the weight of the situation remained.
He ran to the bathroom. Susanna had bottles of peroxide and alcohol lined up, and he grabbed the items he knew he would need. He almost cried at what was not in front of him. He would settle with what he had and do the best he could.
Susanna was still lying on the couch, and he approached her carefully. Her eyes were closed, and little tension lines formed between her eyebrows. She had one boot on and one boot off. The shirt that had been wrapped around her foot looked pathetic and ragged.
Royce gently lifted her foot. He had to find a way of propping her ankle up. He looked around in frustration.
There were other wicker chairs spaced out on the veranda. He laid some cushions on the ground in front of the couch. He lifted Susanna and placed her on them. He bent her knees and rested her calves on the couch.
From this angle, her foot was definitely above her heart. He hoped it would keep the poison from roaring through her bloodstream.
He started to wrap her foot in a new set of bandages. He would have to change the dressing quickly.
Royce cleared his mind for a brief second. He inhaled and exhaled slowly. Without another thought, he cut the torn shirt from her foot. Dried blood had clotted the shirt to her skin, and two little red marks were clearly visible in the area that was starting to blacken.
He tied two clean towels to her foot, then picked up a bottle of water and slowly started pouring it over the wound. It didn’t do a thing to help the situation.
Royce ran his hand through his hair and shook out his shoulder. How could he let this happen? He never went anywhere without seeing every possible outcome and planning ahead. Nature had come blindingly out of nowhere and taken the sunshine from his day. The prairie that he had considered tranquil only this morning was, in reality, a hostile expanse daring the world to tame it. Survival was a gift on the prairie, which he considered a large price to pay for a panoramic sky and fresh air.
He was sitting on the floor beside Susanna’s head when her eyes opened.
“Susanna,” he said softly, and put his hands on her.
“Royce?” Susanna whispered.
“Yes, it’s me. You will be all right, I promise.” Royce attempted to cover his anxiety and soothe her. “My helicopter is taking us to the hospital.”
He kept talking and hoped it would ease the situation.
The sound of the helicopter approaching finally made Royce feel like something had been accomplished.
“Are you ready?” he asked Susanna as he looked at her.
She had closed her eyes a while ago, and her breathing was short and shallow. Royce didn’t want to know why she didn’t answer. All he knew was that he would be damned if her eyes didn’t open again.
Chapter 7
Doctor of What?
The hospital room was dark when Susanna woke up to the wheezing hiss of medical equipment. Slight pinpricks of consciousness produced an itch. She tried to move her hand, and it moved by itself, as if it were being slowly raised by a balloon.
Royce was beside the bed in a pale vinyl chair, and he grasped her hand.
“Susanna?” he whispered.<
br />
She misread the severity of his voice. “How?” Her voice cracked, and he helped her to a sip of water. “How bad is it?” She began to panic. “I can’t feel anything.”
“You’re going to be fine. We have the best doctors,” Royce assured her.
Susanna scowled. “So, now that I have had the good news, how bad is it?”
She tried to look down at her foot.
Royce raised eyebrows and said, “Please, Susanna, don’t move. By the time we arrived at the hospital, the snake bite had swollen to the size of a fist.” He was trying to lighten the mood. “Well, the size of your fist. It was black and disgusting. I was pretty annoyed at the whole situation.” He flashed a lightning grin, but his eyes were too dark to smile. “You’re going to be fine. I promise you. The best plastic surgeon in California should be landing at the airport right now. You need rest. Just close your eyes. I will stay right here.”
He was every bit a man used to having his commands obeyed.
Susanna’s instincts wanted to deny his help and tell him she was fine. Suddenly, she didn’t know what she wanted. The painkillers must be clogging her think tank, she decided. The traumatic experience left her a discarded husk; she was only aware of Royce.
He took all the time in the world as he lowered his head toward her. It was the softest kiss, and their eyes stayed open a second too long. Susanna felt a fire she could not control. His mouth was an electric connection that shocked her for a moment, then she kissed him back.
There was a knock at the door and the briefest hesitation before the door was swung open. The kiss was broken, and Royce straightened his back.
“Henry. What the hell?” Royce barked softly. “You don’t even give someone a chance to open the door for you. When you knock on the door, it sounds like you found the right room, and decided to fall right into it.”
“You can’t fly me to the middle of nowhere and keep me waiting,” Henry quipped, completely unscathed by Royce’s glare. “Even in the middle of nowhere, you find the most beautiful women. Some things will never change.”
“The best doctors are usually the rudest.” Royce winked at Susanna in explanation. He turned his attention back to the doctor. “How soon can you do the surgery?”
