“I am, but I don’t know how well I’m doing; you’ll have to ask my teacher for that report but I’ve had a good time. Thank you for allowing Audrey House to be a part of what you do here. I can’t wait to share what I’ve learned with our families. I’m sorry you won’t be able to meet our first group.”
“Oh I’m leaving the ranch in good hands.” He looked up at Trey and shifted his eyes to watch Chase walk in. “I’m glad to have his help but I didn’t plan on taking up all his time. I did talk with him about coming with us on our first canyon tour. Perhaps after that, one of your other ranch hands can lead the tours. Again, I don’t want to take up all of Trey’s time.” Carissa really wanted to do this independently, to show the moms what they can do on their own. She’d hoped that after a few trips, she’d be able to lead the group on her own. She saw Trey frown.
The older man looked at her through thoughtful, squinted eyes. “I do love an independent woman and totally support what you’re doing but I’d feel more comfortable if you had a bit more experience.”
Carissa felt her face redden. This wasn’t what she’d planned. She could do this without the cowboy’s help. Trey hadn’t said a word yet, just watched her, his face a handsome, emotionless mask.
“A smart woman knows when she needs help and I do thank you for it. I accept Trey’s offer of help but I’m a fast learner. I’ll pick it up quick, I promise.”
To that Robert laughed heartily. “I believe you will. Anyone who’s accomplished what you have won’t have any trouble taming a horse, miss. No indeed.” Robert knew her story; he had been amazed at what she’d overcome for her young years. He smiled, and Carissa couldn’t help but smile too. Trey’s mask disappeared and he appeared to want to say or ask something but Devon walked into the dining hall and every one of the cowboys got quiet. Damn, just when things were getting better, she thought to herself. Robert stood on stiff legs and extended his hand to Devon.
“Hello there! Welcome to the Easy R Ranch. My wife, Nancy, tells me that you are a friend of Carissa’s? Welcome, sir.”
Devon smiled, smoothing a loose strand of his hair behind his ear. He’d pulled it back into a neat ponytail but a few pieces weren’t cooperating. He wore all black from his boots to his shirt. He didn’t wear a cowboy hat into the hall; he hung his on the rack near the door with the rest of the cowboys. His shirt was unbuttoned too low, and his jeans were snugger than they should be. Oh Lord, please help me get through this breakfast without laughing at him, Carissa prayed silently.
“Mmm …” Melody stepped close to her and whispered in her ear. “I bet he smells like a million dollars because he’s got to be worth that at least. How in the world did you get a guy like him?” Carissa pretended to looked shocked but she felt the same way. How did that happen? She didn’t know—Devon washed over you like a sexy wave. She’d never had a relationship like this before.
“I guess it was my turn, that’s all.” Carissa smiled sweetly up at the server.
“Please let me know when it’s my turn,” she snorted and set a basket of biscuits down in front of Carissa her eyes never leaving Devon. “Oh my goodness, he’s so sweet he makes my teeth hurt.”
“Melody …,” Trey began to scold her.
“Don’t worry, Trey Montgomery. You know you will always be my first love. Always.” She kissed him on the cheek, Trey swatted her away.
As Trey had suggested, she had on a thin sweater to protect her skin against the heat and bugs. It was one of her fall favorites—a soft V-neck sweater with textured bell sleeves and a hoodie. She loved how it felt on her skin. If it got too hot today, she had a tank top on under it but hoped she could wear it all day. The coral color looked amazing on her; it made her skin appear soft and it matched her natural lip tone. Yeah, she liked it and it went great with jeans. Now is time to act like a grownup and introduce Devon to the crew, she thought.
“Hi! Good morning everyone! This is my friend, Devon. He drove down from Dallas last night to help with the Audrey House project. Thanks to the Montgomerys for inviting me and allowing my friend to visit too. I can’t wait to start sharing the Easy R Ranch with our Audrey House families. It will be awesome!”
She intended to make the quick intro then hunker down at the table and eat breakfast as quietly as she could, but Devon had other plans. Always the showman, he had to explain his equestrian skills and achievements to the gathering but didn’t get the applause he expected. Instead, the cowboys, like Trey, dug into the bowls of grits and hash browns, making polite nods as Devon talked, but they had jobs to do. It wasn’t meant as any offense, Carissa was sure, but Devon’s show jumping achievements didn’t mean a hill of beans to this group. Every once in a while, Billy snorted or made a quiet joke to himself or to one of the other cowboys who laughed quietly.
“That’s enough now, you rowdies. Thank you, Devon, for visiting us. We are all impressed with those achievements. Now let’s eat breakfast because we’ve got cowboys who have to leave for the cattle trail this morning. Going to be gone for two weeks. Enjoy Miss Nancy’s cooking while you can, boys! You know John-John can’t cook worth a flip.” The men grumbled and agreed with him. She was wondering about John-John and if she’d met him when Melody came to sit beside her.
“Oh, I hope you don’t mind. You weren’t saving this seat for anyone were you?”
“No, of course not. Please feel free.” Carissa tossed her long brown hair behind her shoulder. Sometimes feeling it on her neck made her feel hot. Devon sat next to Trey and gave her a big grin. He greeted Trey with a catlike smile. “Good morning, roommate. I hope I didn’t snore too loudly last night. I’ve been told I snore.”
“I couldn’t tell you. I didn’t hear a thing from my bunk.” Trey didn’t make eye contact but slit his biscuit and slathered it with butter and peach preserves. This was obviously not a conversation that he wanted to have. Carissa stared down at her bacon and sprinkled a fried egg with salt and pepper.
“So Devon, tell me how you two met. Carissa seems to have forgotten,” Melody smirked, her pretty pink skin appeared flushed and healthy.
Her question surprised the social worker who protested, “I didn’t say that.”
“No but you couldn’t tell me how you guys met. That has to be an interesting story. Tell us, Devon.”
Devon grinned at her, passing on a tray of bacon that someone tried to hand him. He dug into the biscuits and accepted some eggs. “I helped her get some grants for Audrey House. It wasn’t difficult but it took some time getting in touch with the right people. Carissa is good at what she does. It wasn’t a hard sell.” This was the first time Carissa had heard him openly compliment her. It moved her heart, a little. They didn’t talk about her work much when they were together. Everything was about Devon, what he was doing, where he was going, how he felt about something. This was a rare treat. “Then I saw her in a dress and I had to ask her out. Nothing like seeing a beautiful woman in a sexy dress, eh?” The crowd of cowboys agreed with him, some laughing and making comments. Trey ate his biscuit, giving Carissa a quick glance.
“That’s not how I remember it, but okay.”
“So maybe it wasn’t a dress; I have a good imagination though.”
“Yes, you do, Devon,” she said sourly. They didn’t speak much for the rest of breakfast but Carissa couldn’t help but notice that Melody seemed quite pleased with herself. Carissa finished her breakfast first, took her dishes to the kitchen, and walked out to the barn to visit with Sterling before the ride. She prayed that Devon would get lost on the way.
Chapter Twelve
How in the hell did he get roped into taking Carissa and her boyfriend out for a ride? Trey wondered as he entered the barn. He didn’t like that guy at all. Devon took too many liberties—seemed too loose with his ways and his “friendship.”
When Carissa entered the barn, she stood still for a few seconds, appearing to be watching him intently. Without thinking, Trey grabbed the step stool and began to hand to Carissa, as he had done severa
l times this week.
“Wait! Let me help you, Carissa. You shouldn’t be lifting that heavy saddle. I can do that,” came a scold from her ponytailed friend.
“No, Devon. I have this. Back off, please.”
“Now, now. Don’t be so stubborn.” He laughed at her, ignoring the rising red color in her neck.
She stepped in front of him, blocking him from the horse. “I mean it, back off.”
Trey watched them silently; if her blond friend made one wrong move he’d kick his ass. Devon raised his hands as if to say that he surrendered.
He spun around on his heel. “Which horse is mine, cowboy? This one? He’s beautiful. I’d guess he’s probably three, four years old?”
Trey worked on the bridle and grunted an answer. “Yeah, he’s four. No, this is my horse. If you want to ride, there are two horses you can choose from. I recommend the dappled gray. He’s a little spirited but he’s fast.”
“Do I need a fast horse today? Are we running from Indians?” Devon laughed with a mocking tone. Trey didn’t answer; he tossed the blanket on Sampson and worked on the saddle. “We leave in five minutes. I’ll meet you out front.”
Devon left him, thankfully, and chose the dappled gray as he recommended. “What’s his name?” he shouted to Trey.
“That’s Brutus. He’s Robert’s horse but he hasn’t ridden him in a while. Might take a minute to get him used to you.”
“I see, yes. He does have high spirits.”
Carissa walked her horse out of the barn, ready to quit the scene, he supposed. Well, this was her boyfriend, right? Her choice? She could take care of him. She’s a counselor so you’d think she’d be a good judge of character. Trey secured the straps on Sampson and led the big boy out of the stall.
As they rode, Trey went through his warnings again for things that could happen on the trail, things to watch out for, be prepared for.
“Carissa, this sounds dangerous,” Devon said to Carissa as he sidled up next to her “Do you really think this is a good idea for the people of Audrey House? Some of them have never been to the country, much less rode a horse. Was this your idea?”
Carissa sighed. “Devon, those women are strong, and an experience like this can build their confidence in ways you can’t imagine. So thanks for your concern but we’re doing this. If you’d like to ride along, fine, but don’t try to stop me.”
“Who am I to try to stop you? As long as you know what you’re doing.”
“I do, thanks.”
Trey watched this exchange with amusement, but maintained a frown. How had he gotten stuck watching Devon trying to hold Carissa’s hand? He prompted Sampson to sprint to the lead point. Trey had no desire to watch Devon put the moves on her. It was better to forget about Carissa since she had someone in her life.
Sampson whinnied at something; Trey whispered to him. “I don’t like him either, Sampson, but what can we do about it?” The young man breathed in the fragrant scent of pine and cedar, focused on the soft brown soil, the skittering squirrels, and the abundance of pinecones that lay on the forest floor surrounding the dirt path. He ducked to avoid a low branch and hollered back at the other two to give them a head’s up. Devon was too busy staring at Carissa to notice the impending branch and too slow to avoid a whack on the side of the face.
“Oh sorry, I said ‘head’s up.’ Maybe that means something else where you’re from,” Trey said playfully. He noticed Carissa’s half smile and didn’t regret his comment.
Devon rubbed at the whelp on his cheek. “What’s that supposed to mean? I do think I know what ‘head’s up’ means. I just didn’t hear you.”
Trey didn’t apologize. He focused on the trail and continued to smile to himself. This might turn out to be a good day after all.
“Carissa,” he called over his shoulder. “Remember what I showed you about this hill the other day?”
Carissa urged Sterling to speed up and she slowed to a trot parallel to Trey.
“Yes, but remind me how I’ll know when we’re approaching it.”
Devon rode behind, not saying a word. Every now and then, he said something under his breath, but neither he nor Carissa spoke to him. Trey had just about forgotten that Devon was behind him when he heard him slap the reins aggressively across Brutus’s neck and launch into a gallop.
The trail was wide enough for two horses side by side, but not a third. Devon tried to squeeze between Trey and Carissa, but instead caused Brutus to bump into Sterling who suddenly reared and sent Carissa flying through the air.
Chapter Thirteen
The pain in her back surprised her, but she knew she wasn’t permanently hurt. Yes, she could move her hands and feet. She lay back on the ground trying to catch her breath. Suddenly, a sharp stabbing pain pierced the flesh on her arm. Carissa heard herself scream and quick as lightning, there was Trey. He leaned over her, snatched up a reptile and tossed it into some distant brush. She blinked up into the sun; tears slid down her face. What the hell just happened?
“Carissa, can you move your arms and legs? You hear me okay?”
“Yes, I can.” The world stopped spinning, but her heart beat like a wild rabbit’s. “Help me up.” Trey helped her sit up and Devon rushed to her side.
“My God! Is that a snake bite? What do we do?” Devon’s voice sounded panicked. “We have to get her back to the ranch for medical treatment. I knew this was a bad idea. Totally a bad idea. Now what do we do?” The tall blond spoke a few words in a language Trey didn’t understand. He paced alongside them. Carissa’s eyes grew wide, her fear obvious. Devon wasn’t helping the situation at all.
“Devon, listen to me. You need to ride back to the ranch and get the snake bite kit. Go to the dining hall and look for Miss Nancy. Tell her you need a treatment for a black snake. Get going!”
“Black snake, black snake! Okay, got it! I’ll be right back!” Devon slung himself on his horse and took off. Trey watched him ride off and looked at her. He wiped the tears off her cheeks with his finger. Despite the back pain, loss of breath, and snake bite, her skin burned where his fingers touched. He looked around and said, “Can you walk? There’s a creek nearby. I’d like to wash that snake bite.”
“Am I going to die? Shouldn’t I remain still so the poison doesn’t travel too quickly? How long do I have?”
He grinned at her. “Black snakes aren’t poisonous.”
Carissa’s eyes got even wider. “You mean you lied to Devon? I’m going to be okay?”
“I never told him that snake was poisonous, and if he tells Nancy what I told him, she’ll tell him that.”
She stood on her feet, looking as wobbly as a newborn colt. “Oh my ankle is a bit sore.” Trey put his hand out to steady her. “You had me believing I was going to die, Trey.”
“Come on, Carissa. Let’s get you washed off. Put your arm around my neck. I’ll help you.” She started to protest, but he didn’t seem to notice. “Don’t give me a hard time.”
“Is the horse okay?”
“You’re worried about Sterling? She’s fine. She’s a smart animal. Here—we’re almost there. Hear the water?”
“Yes, I hear it.” Carissa’s heart wasn’t beating as wildly as it had before but the pain in her arm from the bite felt like it was worsening. He helped her sit down on a boulder and tossed his hat on the ground. Trey pushed up her sleeve and examined the bite. “Nice-sized snake bite. You’ll have a trophy to take home. Lean down just a little. You know, you’re lucky.”
Carissa frowned at him. “My horse just threw me to the ground, a snake bit me, and I’m getting medical care by a creek. How am I lucky?”
Trey scooped water over her bite. “You could be at Painted Rock where there’s no water at all.”
“Would that make a difference?”
“I think it might. It’s always a good to keep a wound clean. How’s your back? Do you have any tingling or numbness anywhere?”
“No, I’m fine. Just a little sore.”
“You’ll be truly sore tomorrow. It always takes a day or two before you know exactly where it hurts. Kind of like a car accident. That first day you don’t actually feel anything wrong but the next day? It hurts everywhere. You didn’t hit your head did you?”
“No, I think my butt got the brunt of that fall and then my back.”
“Well let’s hang out here for a minute then we’ll head back.”
“Yes to sitting here but I don’t want to go back right now. You said this wasn’t poisonous.”
He grinned at her and reached for his hat. He dusted off the soil and put it back on his head. “Do you think that I would be sitting her with you if you were about to die? That I would trust your life to some guy named Devon?”
Carissa didn’t know what that crack meant. Was he picking on Devon because he didn’t like his name or because he didn’t like that Devon was with her? “I hope not. I know this isn’t your idea of fun—taking an inexperienced abuse counselor into the wilds of Canton County, Texas. I heard that from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.”
“Are you ever going to let me live that down? I apologized for those comments already.”
“Fair enough. I’m just a bit touchy right now.”
“Well, let’s go back to the horses. I’ve got a medicine kit in my saddle.”
Carissa couldn’t help but laugh aloud. “You mean you’ve had a medicine kit the whole time and you sent Devon off anyway? Boy, he’s going to be ticked.”
“What about you? Are you ticked? Do you wish I’d kept him around?”
Carissa stood on her feet “No, I’m not ticked.” Carissa and Trey walked back to the trail and he dug the medicine kit out of the saddle.
“You need to take your sweater off.” Trey opened the tube of ointment and looked at her.
“What?”
“Take your sweater off, please. You don’t want to get this stuff all over your clothes, do you?”
“Oh,” she half-laughed. “Um, no. I don’t. Didn’t think about that.” She pulled the sweater over her head very aware that she was wearing only thin tank top and a pair of jeans. Here she was, in the middle of the wilderness with a cowboy she had met only a week ago. A sexy, muscular, handsome cowboy. God, he was gorgeous. He was right—Carissa was glad that he’d sent Devon away.
Captivated By A Cowboy (Canton County Cowboys 3) Page 9
