The Cowboy Way [Carnal Cowboys 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Jane Jamison

  “I doubt it, but we’ll let your security people and the hospital’s administration handle him.”

  At the sound of the doorknob being turned, he stood up, looking like he was ready to spring into action. The way he moved, much like a wild animal ready to pounce, was amazing.

  And sexy as hell.

  Wy and Al came inside, each of them glancing around, checking the office for anyone else. Al strode over to her desk and flattened his palms on the top.

  “Chey, this is it. If you don’t want to accept the bodyguard, then the hospital has no choice but to revoke your privileges until this matter is resolved.”

  “What? You can’t do that. Only the board—”

  “I talked to the board yesterday. They gave me the authority to make the call if anything happened. Or if you refused to have a bodyguard while you’re in the hospital.”

  She was thankful she was sitting down. If she hadn’t been, she might’ve ended up on the floor. “They’re terminating my job?”

  “No. It’s a temporary suspension. As soon as everything’s back to normal, they’ll welcome you back with open arms. It’s the only recourse they have left. They have to think about the rest of the staff and the patients.”

  “Fine. I’ll accept the bodyguard.”

  “It won’t do any good.”

  Like the others, she turned her attention to Wy. “Yes, it will. He’ll protect me, and if I’m safe, so is everyone else.”

  “Wy’s right. It won’t do you any good,” added Mitch. “I’ve been a cop and I’ve had experience with this kind of thing. No bodyguard can keep you completely safe. Which means, as long as you’re in the hospital, everyone else is still at risk.”

  She struggled to find an argument, but knew he was right. “So I’m stuck in my apartment with a strange man standing outside my door?”

  “Chey, it’s your only choice.” Al pushed away from the desk and paced toward the window. Red flashes of light from the emergency and police vehicles below slashed over his face.

  “Keeping her safe in her apartment might be tough.”

  She sagged into the chair. “Why, Mitch?”

  “Because, if he doesn’t know already, he’ll figure out where you live.”

  Sadness overwhelmed her. How could trying to save a woman’s life cause her so many problems? “Then what can I do? Just give up and let him kill me?”

  Wy’s chuckle seemed out of place in the somber room. “Naw. You’re too feisty to give up.” He came to stand next to her desk. “I can think of a place where you’d be safe.”

  He and Mitch exchanged a look. Mitch took one of her business cards from the holder and scribbled on the back. “Al, here’s a number for you to call. And feel free to check with anyone else you can think of.”

  He stood and handed Al the card. Al studied it before furrowing his brows. “You want me to check you out?”

  “You’re going to want to make sure we’re okay before letting Chey leave with us. Vet us any way you want to.”

  “Leave with you? What are you talking about? Al?”

  Al shrugged. “I’ll make some calls, but I’m willing to bet he’s on the up and up. What do you two have in mind?”

  They’d started talking about her like she wasn’t there.

  “We’ll take her with us to our ranch. It’s a little place outside a small town. Since we don’t have any relationship with her prior to this evening, there’s little to no chance he’ll put us together. She can lay low until things calm down.”

  Wy moved closer. “You’ll like staying with us on the Double W Ranch.”

  She got to her feet, unsure if she’d gone insane or they had. “Are you out of your mind? I don’t even know these two men.”

  “I thought you said they’re friends of yours.” Al frowned, his gaze jumping between the two cowboys.

  “They’re new friends I just met.”

  “Still, if they can help…”

  “Al, you can’t be serious. I’ll stay in my apartment like you said.”

  Al wasn’t an easy man to convince, but he was buying into the plan. “I think it’s for the best, Chey. You’ll be out of harm’s way. In the meantime, I’ll see what I can do about George Glasson. Like maybe getting him into some kind of treatment facility. Or maybe his son will testify that he’s a threat to society. I don’t know, but we’ll figure out something. I think this is your best option.” He pulled out his phone. “I’ll make a few calls and check them out. You’re not going anywhere with them until I know they’re okay.”

  “Hopefully, you won’t have to stay away long,” offered Wy. “Although we wouldn’t mind you hiding out with us as long as you like. Right, cuz?”

  Mitch had taken a stance back beside the door. It unnerved her to think the shooter might have come looking for her in her office. Fear, kept at bay for a little while, came back stronger than ever.

  “Will you come with us, Chey?”

  She opened her mouth to refuse Mitch. Yet once her gaze locked with his, she couldn’t say no. Instead, she went to her window.

  The scene below wasn’t much different than any other Saturday night in San Antonio. She’d seen police cruisers in the parking lot before.

  She didn’t want to leave. Didn’t want to run away like a coward. But she couldn’t keep putting her friends, coworkers, and others in danger. People milled around outside, most of them in scrubs or police uniforms. Warren Glasson stood beside a police car while three uniformed officers created a semicircle around him, blocking him in.

  And then she saw a movement out of the corner of her eye.

  A man hid in the shadows of the building, unmoving, as though watching what went on. At that distance, she couldn’t be sure, but he appeared to be the same height and body type of George Glasson. Fear speared its way into her, closing her throat.

  Just as she was about to tell the men, he moved, disappearing into the night. Even if she alerted them, he’d be gone before a call could be made to the officers below. Besides, she didn’t know for certain it was him.

  She was still struggling to regain her composure when she pivoted around and faced the three men.

  “If Al says you’re okay, then yes. I’ll go with you.”

  * * * *

  “This isn’t the meal we’d planned on sharing, but it’s better if we stay low and keep moving.” Wy handed the bag of fast food to Chey then gave the cardboard tray holding their drinks to Mitch.

  Chey hadn’t said much, responding with one-word answers to most of their questions. Al had done his checking, calling not only the number Mitch had given him, but contacting his connections with the San Antonio police to have both Mitch’s and Wy’s licenses run through their databases. He’d taken a while to make sure they were all right and had dug up facts about Mitch even Wy didn’t know. He’d never known his cousin had been given an award for bravery while in the line of duty. But then Mitch wasn’t the type to brag about his achievements.

  Chey was settled into the rear seat of their pickup. After getting Al’s okay to leave, they’d taken her out a side door of the hospital and straight into the pickup their friend Seth had brought back. Seth had respected her privacy and hadn’t asked any questions on the ride back to the rodeo. He’d stayed nearby while they’d hooked up their rig and left the rodeo early.

  Wy watched her nibble at the burger and wondered if she always ate like a bird or if she was still too frightened to eat. She was more beautiful than any woman he’d ever seen. The fact that she was smart and had enough courage to want to stick around with an angry man gunning for her made her even more appealing. He liked a woman with spunk and brains.

  He and Mitch hadn’t had a chance to talk about what they were doing. They didn’t need to. Somehow both of them knew Chey Kirkland was worth doing whatever they had to do to help her. Even forfeiting their entry monies and missing out on competing the next day was worth it.

  She took a few more bites then set the burger down on the suitc
ase beside her before sipping on her cola. Much to his liking, she’d followed their orders as they’d rushed into her apartment and told her to pack as quickly as she could. He’d stood guard while she’d thrown casual clothing into the suitcase then added very few girly items. Some of the girls he and Mitch had dated would’ve filled one suitcase alone with makeup, hairspray, and God knew what else. But not Chey. After she’d finished, they’d hit the highway out of town and hadn’t looked back.

  What would she think if she knew they liked to share their women? That they planned on finding one woman for the both of them? Texas was a fairly conservative state, and not many people would understand their need for one woman. Garner, Texas, was unusual. The people in the small town believed in each person doing their own thing as long as it didn’t hurt anyone else. Even sharing a woman was accepted.

  She finished off the fries before going back to the burger. He could watch her all day long. The way her mouth moved intrigued him. He thought it was cute the way she chewed, slowly as though counting her bites. He studied the way she moved, the way she sipped, the straw held daintily in her mouth. To him, she was a fascinating new being who had dropped into his world and made it brighter. He was so entranced by her, he’d almost forgotten to eat.

  Shit. If Mitch knew how I’m thinking, he’d laugh his ass off.

  “You’re going to freak her out if you don’t stop drooling over her.”

  Wy backed away, thankful she hadn’t heard his cousin. “Yeah, you’re right. I guess I’m kind of crushing on her.”

  “Crushing on her? Hell, man, check your balls. You sound like a high school girl.”

  He’d expected Mitch to give him a hard time. To make fun of him for falling in love at first sight. And yet he found Mitch staring at her in much the same way he’d done. “You’re sweet on her, too.”

  Mitch jerked back then stalked toward the hood of the pickup. “And you’re an idiot. We just met her a few hours ago.”

  “Yeah, sure. Okay, maybe you’re not hung up on her, but you do have a thing going on. If you lusted after any harder, your tongue would be dragging on the ground.”

  Mitch caught him by surprise, spinning around toward him. “Are you saying you don’t want her, too? Because if you are, you’re lying.”

  “So we’re both a couple of suckers for a pretty face.”

  “She’s not just pretty, she’s hotter than hell.”

  That was as close to an admission of adoration as he’d ever heard from Mitch. “No wonder we jumped at the chance to take her home. You’re thinking the same thing I am.”

  Mitch scoffed. “Any red-blooded man would be. But we have to think about her. No tossing her in bed until and unless she wants to. I’m not out to take advantage of the situation.”

  “Agreed.” His gaze lifted in the same moment hers did. If he knew anything about women—and he did—he’d bet the ranch that was need glinting in her pretty brown eyes. “Unless and until she wants to.”

  “I’ll check on the horses and we’ll get on our way.” Mitch slapped him on the chest, sending a fresh sting of pain outward from the sore spot on his chest. “Down, boy. She’s not a quail and you’re not a bird dog.”

  “You just watch out for your own hunger, cuz.”

  Mitch made sure the horses were all right. After dumping their empty wrappers and sacks into the trash can at the curb, they climbed into the truck. Wy twisted toward her.

  “Tell us about yourself, Chey.”

  She blinked, looking genuinely surprised at his question. “What more is there to know? I’m a doctor. That about sums it up.”

  “Naw, it can’t be all of you. What about a boyfriend or husband? Any kids?” Her having kids wouldn’t bother him. Her having a boyfriend would prove a challenge. But her having a husband? That would just about kill him.

  She shrugged. “No children, boyfriend, or husband. I guess you could say I’m married to the hospital.”

  He couldn’t believe not one man had done his best to win her over. A beautiful woman like her should’ve been snatched a long time ago. It was like seeing a perfect diamond lying on the ground and not picking it up. “You’re kidding me. No man in your life? How’d that happen?”

  “Damn, man. You sound like an old lady trying to push her granddaughter into marriage.”

  Maybe he did, but he still wanted to know. She was drop-dead gorgeous, caring, and had a terrific job. What man wouldn’t want her? Did she have a problem? Was she hooked on drugs? An alcoholic? A bitch hiding behind a sweet smile?

  “You do sound like my grandmother.” Her eyes sparkled. “If you’re wondering what’s wrong with me—”

  “Hey, no. I didn’t mean—” Even if he had been thinking it.

  “If you’re wondering, then stop. I decided a long time ago that my work was the most important thing in my life. I’ve only been practicing for a few years. Until then, my nose was in a book or in a lab dissecting cadavers.”

  “All I can say is lucky cadavers.”

  He’d caught her off-guard. It took a moment before she laughed.

  “So no man and no kids. All work, huh?”

  She shrugged. “That’s right.”

  “But the real question is this. Are you happy?”

  Mitch gave him a look, and he understood why. When had he turned in to a therapist?

  “Yes.” She paused, giving his question more thought. “I think so.”

  “So where’d you grow up, Chey?”

  Was Mitch jumping in because he was doing such a lousy job of getting to know her? Or was he asking too many personal questions? He didn’t care as long as she kept talking. Her voice was musical, light and airy like her laugh.

  Damn, but I’ve got it bad.

  But how? Like Mitch had said, he barely knew her. And yet, his father had married his mother a week after meeting her. When he’d asked his dad how he could’ve made such an impulsive decision, his father had placed his hand on his shoulders and told him the truth. “Son, when you know, you just know.”

  He’d never believed such a thing was possible. But now he did. Anything was possible with a girl like Chey.

  “I grew up in Woodward, Oklahoma.”

  “In Woodward, huh?” He liked that she was from the same general area, even if she wasn’t from Texas. But then again, not everyone could be from Texas.

  “Have you been there?” she asked.

  “Sure thing. They have an annual rodeo. It’s not big on the circuit, but it’s a good one to do for practice. Did you grow up in town or on a ranch?”

  “Neither. I grew up in a trailer park. My mom was a single mom raising four kids on her own. At least most of the time. My father took off when I was a baby.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.” And he was. He couldn’t fathom how any real man could leave his family. “It must’ve been rough.”

  “At times. But I got through it.”

  “You sure did. All the way to becoming a doctor. Did your brothers and sisters make good, too?”

  Sadness enveloped her, and he suddenly wished he hadn’t asked the question.

  “No. My older brother David is incarcerated for assault with a deadly weapon. My older sister Cheryl makes her living in Las Vegas as a stripper and prostitute. Then there’s Johnny who’s a couple of years older than me. He’s a mechanic and has a hard time holding down a job because of his drinking.” She shifted her gaze out the window, but not before he caught her cheeks coloring. “Yeah, we’re the typical American family.”

  He looked to Mitch for help. If only he hadn’t asked.

  “I guess that makes you the white sheep of the family.”

  Wy knew Mitch was joking and trying to lighten the mood. But would Chey?

  Her laughter was a big relief. “You could say so.”

  “And your mom?” Again, he wished he’d kept his big mouth closed.

  “She passed away a couple of years ago.”

  “Damn, Chey. You’ve had a rough go of it.” Mit
ch gazed at her through the rearview mirror.

  She shrugged, but the sorrow was in her eyes. “How about telling me about you two? If Al hadn’t given me the okay to go with you, I wouldn’t be here. Are you professional rodeo cowboys or do you have a real job?”

  From the grin on her face, Wy knew she’d meant it as a joke. He fisted his hand over his heart. “Ow. A real job, huh? Doc, you’re killing me.”

  Mitch chuckled, obviously picking up on the levity. “I guess compared to four years of college and four years of med school, jumping on the back of a bucking horse doesn’t seem like a real job.”

  She leaned toward the middle of the seat. “First of all, it was a joke. Second, I finished my bachelor’s degree in biology in three years instead of four. Third, then after four years of medical school, there was another four years as a resident.”

  “Wow. You must be really old.” Wy dodged the wadded-up napkin she sent flying his way. “Kidding, girl. You know. The joke thing. You can give it but not take it?”

  “Ha-ha.” She crossed her arms and feigned a sour expression. “But seriously, it’s your turn. Tell me about the men risking their lives for mine.”

  Wy couldn’t help but tease her some more. “First of all, we’re not risking our lives. I doubt this George Glasson will find out you’ve left town. Second, even if he does, there’s no way for him to link you to us. Third?” He paused, stuck. “Okay, so there’s no third. But if you really want to know about us, I can sum it up like this.”

  He yanked on the seat belt, giving him more room to twist around and face her. “Mitch and I are cousins who grew up with each other in Granger. His parents were missionaries who went overseas to set up an orphanage. Frankly, I think their real motive was to leave his bratty ass behind.”

  “Bullshit. Your parents liked me more than they did you.”

  “Only because you were the biggest kiss-ass they’d ever seen.” Wy ignored Mitch’s adamant denial. “Anyway, there’s not much else to the story. We grew up on my parents’ ranch and, after they decided to retire and head to sunny Florida like most old folks do—”