by Jane Jamison
“No, you’re not. I can hear it in your voice.”
He was good at calling her bluff. She could imagine him shaking his head, making his bright-blue hair jump. By using a wide assortment of colored contacts, his eyes usually matched his hair color.
“I’m fine.”
“Uh-huh. You just missed getting shot, then you disappear into the night with a couple of guys you don’t even know, and you’re fine? Get real, girl. What the bullshit is going on?”
Leave it to Jeremy to find out what had happened. “How’d you hear about it?”
“I couldn’t reach you on your cell, so I called the hospital. Betty told me about the shooting. It’s that damn George Glasson, isn’t it? Why don’t they arrest the guy?”
“Because they can’t say for certain he’s to blame. But the police are keeping an eye on him. At least, that’s what they said.”
“I wish I’d been there. I would’ve come upside his head with a two-by-four then stabbed him with a curling iron.”
“Down, boy. I’m fine.”
“But where are you? And who are these two guys you left with? Have you been holding out on me? Have you been do-si-do-ing with a couple of sexy rodeo Romeos?”
“I didn’t know them before one of them was brought into the ER after getting kicked by a horse. But then, when everything started getting crazy, they were there, by my side, protecting me like I was their—” She slammed her mouth closed. What had she been about to say?
Their what? Client? Friend? Possible girlfriend?
“But Al checked them out and gave his okay. I know Al wouldn’t have suggested I go with them if they weren’t on the up-and-up.”
“Go with them to where?” Jeremy’s tone had risen.
“Take it easy. They’re good guys. And I can’t tell you where they took me. I’m under strict orders to keep it a secret. Otherwise, what’s the purpose for getting out of town?”
“Now look here, missy. I’m not just anyone. You know I won’t utter a word.”
It was true. Nobody could keep a secret like he could. And she wanted to tell him. Someone should know where she was. Just in case. Al knew, but he wasn’t exactly a close friend. And he definitely wasn’t a relative.
“If I tell you, you’ve got to promise to keep quiet. Don’t tell anyone. Promise?” She sounded like the time she’d confessed to having a crush on their Algebra teacher.
“Chey, you know me. Whatever you tell me will be locked away.”
“I’m on a ranch called the Double W outside the small town of Garner.”
“Garner, Texas? You’re kidding me. On the west side of the state, not too far from the New Mexico border?”
“That’s the one.” She hadn’t expected him to know the name of the town, much less where it was located. “So you’ve heard of it? The town, I mean. Not the ranch.”
“Yeah, I have. I spent a month there one afternoon.”
She laughed. Jeremy could always make her giggle. “I haven’t gone into town yet, so I couldn’t say. From the way you’re describing it, I’m not missing much.”
“You’re not. I think the place has one combination hair salon and barber shop run by some old geezer that wouldn’t know a blowout from an explosion.”
She fingered her hair. Thankfully, she’d had her hair styled before everything had gone haywire.
“Tell me about these two cowboys. Are they married? Are there any other women on the ranch? Any hot hunks I’d be interested in?”
Jeremy was constantly on the prowl for a new love interest. However, his interest didn’t last long. Once the chase was over, he grew bored and moved on to the next conquest.
“No other women or any guys you’d like. Just these two cowboys on their ranch.”
“Are they handsome? Do they get you wet between your legs?”
“Oh, my God.” She colored as a memory of Mitch settled between her legs washed over her. “But yes. They’re both very handsome.”
“And sexy? Come on, girl. Give me more info.”
“Okay. Yes, they’re sexy. Maybe too sexy.”
“Bullshit. There’s no such thing as too sexy. Are they nice guys? Obviously, they’re the hero types since they just upped and offered to be your own personal body guards.”
“Yeah, they’re nice.” She let out a sigh. “Definitely nice.”
“Uh-oh. Someone’s got a crush on them.”
She shook her head. Yeah, like he could see her. “Don’t go there. They’re just helping me out.”
“Riight. By taking you in. By possibly putting themselves in harm’s way. All for a stranger. A very pretty stranger, by the way. Yeah. They’re doing this out of the kindness of their hearts.”
Jeremy was right. Why were they helping her? Why hadn’t she asked them?
“Chey, tell me the truth. Have you got the hots for them? And what are their names?”
She hesitated too long to answer.
“Oh, shit. You really do want them. Chey Kirkland, are you holding out on me? Has something happened? Are you making whoopee in the hay?”
“I’m not saying another word.” And yet, by not telling him, she was actually telling him everything.
“You did! I can’t believe it. Finally. After all this time, the girl opens her legs.”
“Slow the hell down, Jer. I did not have sex with them.” Not really. Not intercourse. Not yet.
Not yet?
“But you want to. I haven’t heard you sound like this in like forever.”
“You’re getting way off base here. I only called to let you know I’m okay. Not to talk about men. Besides, what’s the point? Hopefully, this thing with George Glasson will be over fast and I’ll get back to my life. It’s not like we could have a real relationship. I’m not the hop-in-bed-right-now kind of girl.”
She’d never tell him how close she’d come. Her getting tangled up with Mitch and Wy so quickly wasn’t like her. But then again, the way she felt around them made her feel so not like herself. That had to be the reason for the lapse in judgment.
“For once, maybe you should be that kind of girl.”
“What? You’re telling me to have a thing with them?”
“Will you listen to yourself? You sound like you’re twenty years older than you are. Call it what it is. Sex. Fun. Cutting loose. No one says you have to have a commitment just to fuck a couple of cowboys.”
The idea of having either Mitch or Wy—or both—sizzled into her. She’d never had casual sex before, but to think about having it with two men at once? Could she do such a thing? Could she have fun with Mitch and Wy without getting attached? Would she want to try?
Hell, yeah.
“You’re quiet again. Which means you’re thinking about it.” Jeremy’s laugh was full and loud. “Go on, Chey. Have some real fun. You deserve it. And what better time to do it? You can’t work and you’re away from home. No one except me is ever going to know. Do it for yourself. Hell, do it for me.”
“I don’t know. It’s just not me.” Or was it? Was all the stress pushing her into acting out?
Yeah. Or maybe I just want sex really bad.
“So let it be you.” Jeremy groaned. “For once in your life, live a little. At least, say you’ll think about it.”
She could see him flopping on his back on the oversized couch in his large, nicely decorated apartment. He’d never steered her wrong before. Maybe he was right this time, too.
“Okay. I’ll think about it.”
“Really? Great. Then my work is done.”
“I’d better get some rest, okay? Talk to you real soon.”
“You better. Now that I know where you are and, more to the point, who you’re with, if you don’t call, I’m coming to find you.”
“Okay, okay. I get the message. Bye.” She ended the call then put her phone on the nightstand. Although she’d been unsure if she could call her cousin, she was glad she had. Hearing his voice had helped a lot. Hearing him tell her to have some fun wi
th Mitch and Wy had made her feel downright happy.
But could she go through with it?
Chapter Five
Chey woke up to the sounds of men talking. All in all, hearing their deep baritone voices wasn’t a bad way to greet the morning. Throwing the covers off, she peeked out the window to see Mitch and Wy standing near the barn. The third man was older and had a paunch that could rival that of a potbellied pig.
“I can’t thank you enough for what you did for Buzz.”
“No problem, Herb. I was happy to help,” added Mitch as he shook Herb’s hand.
“Try and keep him close to home until we can take care of the wild pack.” Wy reached inside the cab of the truck to pet the dog wrapped up in a blanket. “Stay home, Buzz. You got that?”
She rushed into the bathroom and hurried to get ready. After taking a quick shower, she tugged her hair back into a ponytail and nixed the idea of putting on makeup. Unlike most girls, she’d never gotten into taking too much time on eyeliner or shadow. The most she ever wore was a light foundation and a blush to keep her from washing out in the sunlight.
She was down the stairs and into the backyard in only a few minutes, but by the time she’d made it there, the men were gone. Noises from the inside the barn drew her there.
Mitch and Wy were inside, both so hard at work that they didn’t notice her standing by the entrance. Mitch had taken off his shirt, showing his fine body as he pushed a shovel into the manure, then hefted the load into a wheel barrel. Even with the dust and grime flying into the air around him, he was a magnificent sight. Not an ounce of flab around his waist. Every line of his torso was cut.
Her pulse picked up speed as she shifted her attention to Wy. He, too, had his shirt off and his hat pulled low as he used a pitchfork to move bales of hay from the loft above the stalls to the ground.
If there were any men worth fooling around with simply for the sake of fooling around, it was the Wilson men. She drew in a long, steadying breath. Was she that starved for sex? Or was it because the men she wanted to have sex with were Mitch and Wy?
It didn’t take long to come up with the answer. No other men had ever turned her on as hard or as fast as they did.
Mitch pivoted her way. He pushed back his cowboy hat and wiped his brow. “Hey, you’re up.”
“I’m sorry I slept late. I’ve been working into the evenings at the ER so I’m used to waking up later.”
Wy climbed down the ladder, skipping the last two rungs. He strode toward her.
The V of his abdomen pointed downward. Muscles and tendons flexed, giving her another sexy show of his physique. His jeans dipped just the right amount in front, tempting her to pull them forward. If she could see below, she was sure she’d love what she saw.
“Don’t worry about it. Yesterday was a long, hard day all the way round.”
“Was that Buzz’s owner I saw you talking to?” She knew it was, but it was difficult to think with Wy getting closer. And oh, now Mitch was heading her way, too.
“Yeah.” Mitch moved like Wy did. Full of barely restrained energy with packed muscles that made her ache to touch them. “Sorry, we didn’t tell him who saved his dog. We figured it was better to keep your name out of it.”
“That’s okay. I’m just glad Buzz is going to be all right. He’s going to get Buzz to a real vet, right?”
“Said he would, so he will. You’ll find that most folks around here keep their word.” Wy drew closer. “Did you sleep all right?”
“Like a baby. The bed’s perfect. Although I can’t believe how quiet it is out here.”
She liked the sound of Wy’s chuckle. Deep, rich, and full of sex appeal.
“You’ll get used to it.”
Not that she’d be there long enough, but she didn’t argue. “If you say so. How about putting me to work?”
“Work?” Mitch glanced at Wy. “We’re healthy enough and all the animals are doing okay. There’s no doctoring needing to be done.”
“I didn’t mean as a doctor. I meant I’d help out on the ranch.”
“Oh. Uh, okay.” Wy’s smile curved upward even though it was obvious he tried to stop it. “I guess you could clean the house. Maybe do some laundry.”
She’d never been very domestic. Doing chores around the house was the last thing she wanted to do. “I was thinking more along the lines of helping out on the ranch. Not in the house.”
Their laughter, although still vibrant and rich enough to pull at her, was flat-out irritating. “What’s so funny?”
“Come on, doc. You’re a city girl. What would you know about running a ranch?”
She held back the desire to bite back at Mitch. Besides, she had a better and, ultimately, more satisfying way to not only retaliate, but to prove him wrong. She shrugged, playing the part. “Not much, I guess. Although I’m not sure I’d call Woodward a city.”
“It’s a lot bigger than Garner. And San Antonio damn sure is.”
“True, but I have ridden a horse before. I think I can handle the cows, too.” She shrugged, playing it off. “Why not give me a chance?”
“Because you’re a doctor. What if you break your hand? You’ll be out of work.” Mitch took off his hat and shook it, sending dust and dirt flying.
“I’m willing to risk it. Besides, I’m not working right now, am I? Why are you so hesitant? Are you worried I’ll show you up?”
Easy. Don’t blow it.
“Sounds like the lady wants a challenge.” Wy tilted his head and gave her a good once-over. “Okay. Let’s see how you’ll do on top of a horse. We’ll give you a gentle one, just in case.”
“Great. So what’s my first job?”
“It’s called a chore on a ranch.” Mitch snatched three bridles off the nearby tack rack, handed one off to Wy, and then headed for the stalls. “We’ll get saddled up and take you out for a ride. Then we can see what we’re working with.”
She should’ve helped them saddle the horse, but after they refused her help the first time she asked, she stood back and let them do all the work. Why did men think women were incapable of doing anything more than cleaning toilets and washing their clothes? She’d made it through medical school and was highly regarded by her peers.
Maybe she should’ve told them about how she’d helped out on a ranch during the summer months. Or that the rancher, Robert Burnham, had taught her how to ride and herd cattle with as much skill as his two sons, Rob and Patrick. He’d also taught her how to handle a gun, but she’d never liked dealing with weapons. Later, once she’d started practicing medicine, she’d seen all too often how much damage a gun could do.
Maybe she should’ve told them all that, but she didn’t. Surprising them would be more fun.
“Here you go. His name is Copper because of the color of his coat and he’s the gentlest mount we have.” Wy started to hand off the reins to her. Instead, he yanked them away. “Would you like to see if you’re okay on him first? I could lead you around the yard and let you get the hang of it.”
She ducked her head to hide her smirk. Once she had her humor under control, she lifted her head and answered with as serious a tone as she possible. “No. I think I’m good. If you say he’s gentle, then I believe you.”
“You’re sure?” Mitch led a beautiful black-and-white horse along with another chestnut horse toward the front of the barn. The horses jerked their heads up and down, snorting and nickering, ready to get outside. Copper, on the other hand, appeared sedate and tranquil in comparison.
“I’m sure.” She took the reins from Wy.
This horse is so laid back, I’ll be lucky if Copper doesn’t fall asleep while walking.
They led their horses out into the sunshine. The day was already warm and proving to be a perfect day for her first real look at the ranch. Without asking, Wy took her arm and helped her into the saddle. She thanked him, knowing he’d get how unnecessary it was later.
“Ready, doc?”
She was starting to feel guil
ty. Especially since Mitch looked so worried. “Ready. And don’t worry about me. I’m a big girl.”
“Yeah, but horses are big animals,” added Wy, his concern echoing Mitch’s.
Damn. Do they have to be so sweet? I’m letting them worry for nothing.
“I’ll be fine. Really.”
“Okay, then, let’s get to it. We’re heading out to check on the herd. Don’t worry. We don’t expect you to do any more than ride along.” Mitch shoved his hat lower on his forehead and tugged to the left on the reins. His horse plodded toward the field.
“Give him a little kick. Not too hard, though. Just enough to let him know to start following us. More than likely, he’ll stick behind Jackass.”
“Thanks, Wy.” Was he referring to his horse or to his cousin?
Copper was easy enough to handle. She barely had to pull on the reins to get him going in the right direction. Once he was between the other two horses, he picked up speed, showing he did have some life in him.
“You’re doing great, doc.”
“Thanks, Mitch. I didn’t think it’d be tough.” Especially not for an experienced rider like me.
They took her over the ranch, pointing out landmarks along the way. The ranch was beautiful, a lovely place to spend a day. After clearing a small rise, they pulled their horses to a stop. A small herd of cattle fed on the grass, their heads low to the ground and their tails swishing at the pesky flies lighting on their bodies.
“This is one of the herds. We have more cattle and about ten other horses. Our ranch isn’t all that large, but it suits us.”
The pride in Mitch’s tone was unmistakable, and she could see why. Owning land was always a good thing, but to work the land and have it make a living was even better. Her job gave her satisfaction, but she often thought of her days spent riding the Burnham ranch.
“See that calf down there? The one off to the left of the rest?”
She followed Wy’s direction. “He’s getting a little too far away, isn’t he?”
“Yeah. I’ll head down there and wrangle him back to the herd.” Mitch shifted in the saddle. “Some days I wish we had a good herd dog like Buzz.”
