Blazing Hot Cowboy

by Kim Redford

  “Suits me.”

  “I just don’t trust my big hands with slippery pottery.”

  “If there’s breakage, you want me to be the one in trouble with Ruby, don’t you?” She chuckled as she lightly teased him.

  “You caught me.” He joined her laughter.

  “Okay. I can take the heat.”

  “I don’t doubt that for a minute.”

  She glanced up at him, saw the double meaning in his intent gaze, and then quickly sunk her hands into the warm dishwater. She was glad to know she wasn’t the only one feeling the heat between them, but she wasn’t following up on his direction. Instead, she started washing Ruby’s beautiful pottery.

  As she shared the task with Kent, she realized this familiar household chore had never before been so pleasant. She washed, rinsed, set aside several plates, and glanced up at him as he picked up one and dried it. When their gazes caught, he smiled, and she felt as if she’d stepped inside a dream world where a perfect little family moment held sway. But she knew better. Jeffrey had never had time for family, and he’d particularly disdained family chores. She quickly went back to washing dishes. She was well past that togetherness fantasy like the Musketeers with their “all for one and one for all,” no matter how enticing Kent looked drying dishes.

  “I’m anxious to know about Hedy.” Kent stacked a dry dish onto the growing pile of Frankoma. “Anything you can share now?”

  Lauren stopped and bowed her head over the sink for a moment, feeling determination rise to envelop her. “She’s going to be okay. I’ll make sure of it.”

  “We’ll make sure of it. Whether you believe it or not yet, you’re not alone. Not anymore.”

  She watched in stunned silence as he reached into the soapy water and clasped her hand, melding their fingers together, as if making a firm commitment.

  “Hear me?” He gripped her hand, then withdrew and dried his fingers on his dish towel. “Believe me?”

  She slowly raised her head and glanced over at him. She saw nothing but sincerity in his hazel eyes gone dark.

  “Hedy belongs to all of us,” he continued in his deep voice. “We won’t let you go this alone. And if you need help with Hannah, I’ll do my best, though I can’t promise I’m at the top of my game with kids.”

  She smiled, feeling his words go straight to her heart. “I do need your help. I hate to ask, but—”

  “Don’t go any farther with that thought. All you have to do is ask and everybody in Wildcat Bluff will roll over backwards to assist you.”

  “And you?”

  He threw down the dish towel, then pulled her wet hands out of the water and placed them around his neck. “I was a fool not to come after you. Connecticut or Houston or anyplace shouldn’t have mattered one bit.”

  He put his arms around her waist and tugged her close to his hot body.

  “We were too young.”

  “Hell if we were.”

  And when she opened her mouth to say more, she forgot all her words in the heat of the moment as his mouth descended on her lips. Passion shimmered between them as he teased her with small nips and quick kisses until she felt like a rosebud blooming under his touch. When he deepened their kiss, she twined her hands around his neck, not caring about the water that cascaded down his back as she pulled him closer so she could stroke across his broad, muscular shoulders. When she felt his large hands caress her back until he reached her hips and pulled her against his hot hardness, she moaned deep in her throat.

  How had she lived without his touch? She was aching and burning and needing him with all of her being. She pushed her fingers deep into his thick hair, cradling his head as their kiss turned molten with unquenched desire. He raised her T-shirt and stroked hot fingers across the bare flesh of her back, and she wanted more of what only he could give her.

  As she forgot all time and place, a loud sound came from the top floor, as if something had been dropped on the floor. Reality came flooding back, and she quickly raised her head and pushed at his chest.

  “Hannah. Ruby. What are we doing?” she asked in alarm. “They could be down here any moment.”

  Kent quickly stepped back. “Not thinking straight. To hell with the dishes. Let’s go down to the spring.”

  She looked at his beloved face with whisker shadow darkening his jawline and desire darkening his eyes. And she knew she didn’t want to be anywhere except in his arms. And yet she had responsibilities. If a problem had occurred upstairs, Ruby would have come down to get her. She’d probably just dropped a book or hairbrush or something.

  Kent held up his hands, as if in surrender. “Do you still want to go to the spring?”

  “Two more plates.” She felt anxious now to be out of the house. “I’ll let them air dry. Why don’t you grab the pitcher of tea? I’ll bring two glasses.”

  “Do you really think we’re going to drink tea?”

  “I need to talk with you.”

  He nodded before he turned away and opened the refrigerator.

  She quickly finished washing the dishes and set them in the drainer to dry. She grabbed two clean glasses that he’d dried earlier and she was ready to go.

  “Okay, we talk. And drink.” He held up the pitcher. “But I get a reward.”

  “What kind of reward?”

  He grinned, looking hungry as he revealed his dimples. “You’ll do just fine.”

  Chapter 15

  Lauren could only chuckle at Kent’s words. He sounded so much like a Texas male, perfectly comfortable with teasing and flattering and flirting with a touch of humor that made it all go down easy. Not that he wasn’t serious. He was telling her right up front that the choice was hers to make because he was obviously more than ready to take it to the next step.

  “Come on.” He motioned toward the stairs with the pitcher of tea. “I want to hear what you’ve got to say.”

  “And then?”

  He gave her a little half-smile while his eyes turned dark. “We’ll see if I’ve earned my reward.”

  She grinned, shaking her head at his determination but liking it at the same time, even if he was making her question her own resolve.

  She quickly walked down the steps, across the living room, and out into the garden room with him right behind her. At the sliding glass door in back, she hesitated, knowing she was getting set to make major changes in her life and wondering if she was doing the right thing.

  Kent put a large hand on her shoulder, squeezed lightly, and reached around her to slide open the door.

  At his touch, she felt ignited with renewed purpose. She didn’t have to do anything alone, not here in Wildcat Bluff.

  She stepped out into the early spring night that was just on the edge of too cool but still warm enough not to need a jacket. She took a deep breath as she walked along the redbrick path, enjoying the scent of pine and dry grass. Just the smell alone propelled her back in time to those heady days of her youth. And with Kent right behind her, she was reminded of the power of friends, family, and love.

  She walked past Big Bertha, noticing how one wall of the redbrick, enclosed gazebo with a slate-gray roof and green trim had been built around the ancient oak to accommodate the wide trunk. She crunched across a few dried oak leaves left from the fall. Small solar lights illuminated the path as she headed toward the spring out back.

  Jake had really outdone himself when he’d set to work on the natural spring. He’d designed and built another gazebo, only this one was open-air with redbrick Roman arches that enclosed a large area with a terra-cotta tile floor and a see-through, aqua-tint roof. Spring water bubbled up from a round, beaten-copper basin to cascade downward into an adjacent big, blue pool.

  She silently thanked Jake for creating this little piece of heaven on Earth and Ruby for faithfully maintaining it. As far as Lauren could tell, nothing had much chang
ed in the time she’d been gone. Black wrought-iron outdoor furniture sported plush aqua cushions for comfort. An open fire pit nestled between two luxurious lounge chairs. The black barrel smoker was big enough to handle food for a large group. She remembered enjoying parties out here, smelling hamburgers and hot dogs sizzling on the grill and listening to the splashes and laughter of friends and family.

  She stepped under the gazebo’s roof, walked to the edge of the pool, and glanced upward. White fairy lights twinkled across the ceiling, adding a mystical touch to the evening. A gentle breeze carried the scent of pine from the rows of green trees not far away. An owl hooted, an eerie sound followed by the whoosh of wings as the bird flew deeper into the pine forest.

  A round table surrounded by four chairs with aqua-and-white-striped cushions looked inviting, but so did the water. She hesitated between the two before she set the Frankoma glasses on the table.

  A moment later, Kent carefully set the matching tea pitcher beside the glasses. “Do you want a drink?”

  “I’m torn between sitting by the pool and sitting by the table.”

  “How can you resist the pool?”

  “Yeah. After all this time, it’s pretty irresistible.”

  “You could roll up your jeans and put your feet in the warm water. I’d even bring you a glass of tea.”

  “That sounds good. Thanks.” She didn’t have a swimsuit, but at least she could put her feet in the warm water. She kicked off her flip-flops, rolled up her jeans to her knees, then sat down on the edge of the pool. She glanced around at Kent with a contented smile on her lips.

  He filled two glasses, then handed one to her. He pulled a chair over beside her, sat down, and took a long drink of his tea.

  “Join me?”

  “Another time I’ll get in the pool with you like the old days, but I need to go home soon, so not tonight.”

  “I’ll take a rain check.” She smiled, feeling content to just sit and enjoy the ambiance of Twin Oaks.

  “Now that we’re comfy, what’s on your mind?”

  She sipped sweet-tart tea and then kicked out with her right foot, splashing water up and out so she could watch the fan of liquid sparkle in the soft light. Felt wonderful. Still, she was procrastinating and knew it. As much as she wanted to trust Kent, did she dare bare her soul? No, she didn’t think she could, not anymore. After Jeffrey, she’d been protecting herself for a long time.

  “I’m happy to help any way I can, even if you only need a sounding board.” Kent paused as he drank tea. “I’d like to hear about Hedy.”

  She nodded, coming to a decision. If there was anyone in the world she could trust besides Hedy, Hannah, and her parents, it’d be Kent. She set her glass on the edge of the pool and turned toward him. He looked strong, solid, and relaxed in the soft light. She felt her heartbeat speed up at the sight of him, just like in the old days.

  “Lauren?” he asked in his deep drawl. “Are you okay?”

  “I was just thinking how we used to come here.”

  He gave her a thoughtful look. “Ruby’d run interference so we could snatch a few moments alone. I miss those days. I didn’t even know how much till you walked back into my life this morning.”

  “We shared good times, didn’t we?”

  “We shared a lot more than that.”

  She nodded as she felt his longing gaze as if he were almost touching her. She understood, maybe too much. She wanted those simple days. And him. But they couldn’t go back. They could only go forward. She stiffened her spine. “I talked with Aunt Hedy.”

  “And?” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knee while he held his glass in one hand.

  “The good news is that she’s basically healthy.”

  “That’s a relief.”

  “The bad news is that she’s dispirited, depressed, whatever you want to call a loss of interest in life.”

  “How can that be possible? She’s always been so upbeat and full of life. And yet, I’ve thought for some time that she has a secret eating at her. Maybe that’s it?”

  “I don’t know about a secret. I don’t see how. Everybody knows everything about Hedy.”

  Kent shrugged as he looked off into the distance. “I guess so. But as much as we know folks, sometimes we don’t know them at all.”

  Lauren nodded in agreement, well aware that she preferred to keep her true feelings about Jeffrey a secret. “You may be right, but I doubt it. From what Hedy said, I think she’s feeling down because she’s turning seventy this year. She’s getting weaker due to her injury. Age doesn’t help her condition. She’s looking at being able to do less and less. In particular, she believes she’ll never ride a horse again.”

  “But that’s not new. Hedy’s known she can’t ride for years. Besides, everybody ages. It’s natural. And she’s got lots of friends and interests that don’t require physical strength or riding a horse.”

  “But what is the great love of her life?” Lauren reached down, cupped water in her palm, then opened her fingers and let the water run out.

  “Horses. Rodeo.” He exhaled sharply as he nodded in understanding.

  “She’s losing her core strength. She knows it. And we can see it.”

  “I hate to think about her being unhappy, or for that matter completely losing her. She’s always been there for us.” Kent groaned, shaking his head.

  “I agree. So, it’s our time to be there for her. And I have an idea.”

  “What is it?”

  “I need help putting it into play.”

  “Tell me what you need and you’ve got it.” He leaned farther toward her, watching her with an intense expression in his hazel eyes.

  “Do you know anything about equine-assisted therapy, or hippotherapy?”

  “Not much. I’ve heard it can help certain people. But Hedy can’t ride.”

  “I’m trained as a physical therapist.”

  “Can you help her?”

  “Not me alone. Aunt Hedy needs more than a strengthened body. She needs a strengthened will, too.”

  “If you’re thinking of getting her up on a horse again—well, that’s a tall, damn order. And dangerous.”

  “It’s not. At least it’s not with the proper equipment, certified horse, and a hippotherapist.”

  “How the hell, excuse my language, will you put that package together?”

  “That’s where I need your help.”

  “Oh, Lauren, you’re heading down a heartbreaking path.”

  “Hear me out.” She glanced up at him, determined to get him to believe in her vision. “I know equine-assisted therapy really works wonders—especially for people who’ve tried everything else and given up hope. Horses are so sensitive that they pick up humans’ emotions just like that,” she said, snapping her fingers. “They heal folks, body and mind. It’s been proven.”

  “After all this time, do you think you can actually heal Hedy?”

  “I can’t repair my aunt’s old injury, but I can help her develop core muscle strength again. And more important, she’ll feel as if she has her legs and mobility back when she rides a horse. It’ll be almost like walking for her.”

  “What I wouldn’t give to see her on horseback.”

  “Me too.” Lauren pulled her feet out of the water and twisted around to face him. “I don’t need too much equipment, and I can buy it online. I have some training in hippotherapy and I can get certified. Most important is the right horse.”

  He nodded, as if considering her idea. “If anybody has a trained horse or one that can be trained, it’d be in Sure-Shot.”

  “Billye Jo would know.”

  “Listen to me.” He groaned. “You’ve got me believing that Hedy can actually ride a horse again.”

  Lauren grasped his hand. “I don’t know anything for sure, but I’d like to try my
best. If we can make this work, think of all the other people we could help with equine-assisted therapy.”

  “You’d stay in Wildcat Bluff if we started a hippotherapy center, wouldn’t you?”

  “Yes! We’re right in the middle of horse and cattle country. What could be better?”

  “True enough.”

  She quickly stood up and picked up her glass. She set it on the table, stalling so she wouldn’t have to face the lack of faith she might see in his face or acknowledge the daunting reality of her idea. “But I’ve got nothing. No trained horses. No barn. No land.”

  “You’ve got the will and the knowledge. I’ve got everything else. And we can get horses.” He stood up and set his glass on the table beside hers. He quietly walked over, put an arm around her shoulders, and turned her to face him. “Besides all that, don’t you know that all you have to do is ask and Wildcat Bluff will get behind you?”

  “Do you really think this might work?”

  He nodded, smiling. “I didn’t at first, but it could turn out to be a great idea for the whole county.”

  She glanced up at his face. She saw nothing but support, and that made her feel even stronger. “I’ve got a little money saved up, but Hannah’s needs still come first.”

  He tilted her chin up with the tip of one finger. “Do you need or want a partner?”

  Oh, how she’d love to have a partner, somebody to share the ups and downs of life, as well as her hippotherapy center. But how could she put her trust in a man again? “I’m not sure. I mean—”

  “Please don’t turn down my help.”

  “You’ve got your own business to run.”

  “We’re talking about Hedy. And we’re talking about you.” He grasped her shoulders and tugged her toward him. “You know I’d walk to the ends of the Earth for both of you.”

  She stepped back, forfeiting the comfort of his touch for the practicality of life. “I won’t turn down your help, or anybody else’s help, but it’ll need to be all business.”

  “Oh, Lauren, you’re not making this easy.”