Gone Country: Rough Riders, Book 14

by Lorelei James

  He began to regain control when his gratitude overtook his fear. He squeezed Vi before he released her. “Thank you.” He could barely look her in the eye. “How did you know?”

  “A tough front only lasts so long and then those tiny cracks start to appear. No one else saw it, if you’re worried about that, but I recognized it.” She fussed with his shirt collar.

  “How?” Gavin expected her to say because I’m your mother, but her answer surprised him.

  “Because I’m the same way. I never want anyone to see me as weak. Even when a few tears don’t make you weak, they make you human.”

  “I’m really glad you’re here. I…” Just say it. “Didn’t think I needed anyone and apparently I do.”

  She smiled softly. “Along those lines…please let us help you when Sierra comes home. She won’t be a happy camper bound up and homebound and the more people who show her they love her and want to entertain her, the better. Plus, it’ll keep you two from being at each other’s throats for the duration. I know the two of you butt heads frequently.”

  That was an understatement. “I’d appreciate that. Thank you.”

  “Good. Now I know you’re chomping at the bit to check on her, so I’ll send the people in the waiting room home.” She kissed his cheek. “Not that I’m meddling or telling you what to do, but you owe that boy an apology.”

  Jesus. He acted like such a jackass. Assuming. Blustering. He owed Boone West more than he could ever repay him.

  He’d deal with that another day. He had a long night ahead of him.

  Chapter Thirty

  Rielle couldn’t get in touch with Gavin. After a couple of hours she tried Sierra’s cell. No answer.

  When another couple hours passed and still no word, she couldn’t shake the bad feeling. She called Ben and Ainsley’s house. Ben answered. “Rielle?”

  “Hey Ben. I can’t get a hold of Gavin or Sierra. Have you seen them since yesterday morning?”

  Silence. Then, “Sierra was in a car accident last night.”

  Her breakfast threatened to come back up. “Is she okay?”

  “Concussion, broken collarbone. She had to stay overnight in the hospital.”

  “Is Gavin all right?”

  “He’s…” Ben sighed. “He’s really shaken up. He won’t ask you to come home, Ree, and I ain’t messing in your business, but he needs you here.”

  “I have to drop Rory off in Laramie and I’ll be there late afternoon.”

  “They oughta be home by then.”

  “Thanks, Ben.”

  Rory came around the corner with four huge bundles of fleece. “Have you ever worked with Alpaca? This stuff is priced really low.” She noticed the change in Rielle’s face. “What’s wrong?”

  “Sierra was in a car accident last night.”

  “Holy crap. Is she okay?”

  “She’s in the hospital, but she’s coming home today. So I need to get back to Sundance right away.”

  “Is everything you bought today packaged and ready to pick up?”

  “I think so. Maybe tell Jim at Good Seed to step on it. I added to the order yesterday.”

  “Will do.” Rory dropped the bundles on the counter. “I know you’re worried, but you have to make sure you bought all the supplies to get you through spring planting before we leave.”

  “I know. I’m good. I wanted to comparison shop kit greenhouses, but that can wait.”

  “I’ll get your seed order and meet you at the truck.”

  The Natural Age Trade show filled the gigantic convention center. Some vendors had to take space off the main site. Navigating the aisles took time even when she wasn’t looking for specific items. Since Jim’s display was on the other side of the arena, she knew it’d be an hour before they’d get to leave. She paid for her fiber and picked up greenhouse brochures as she passed by on her way out the door.

  Worried sick about Sierra, and Gavin, and facing a drive where she’d do nothing but worry more, Rielle knew this would be the longest day ever.

  Rielle pulled into the driveway at dusk and saw Vi’s car. Good. At least Gavin had some help and support.

  Her purchases would be fine left in her truck overnight. She hunched into the collar of her coat as she climbed the stairs.

  Sadie whined when she came inside. “Were you a good girl?” She gave her a thorough rubbing and petting.

  Vi came around the corner. “I was hoping that was you.”

  “How is he?”

  “Holding up. He’s exhausted. I don’t think he slept a wink last night at the hospital.”

  Rielle scratched behind Sadie’s ears. “I’ll make sure he gets some rest. How is Sierra?”

  “Groggy. She’s been out of it most the day.”

  “Is there anything I should know that he won’t tell me?”

  “No. I’m sure he’ll tell you more than he told me.” Vi reached for her coat. “There’s a casserole in the oven. If you need anything, please call.”

  “I will.”

  “You’ll probably be seeing a lot of me,” Vi warned before she headed outside.

  Shivering, Rielle closed the door behind her. It was much colder here than in Denver the last three days. She scaled the stairs two at a time. The TV was on, but the game wasn’t as loud as usual. She crossed to the couch and saw Gavin stretched out. Poor guy looked tense even in sleep, but she was glad to see him resting and she didn’t want to disturb him.

  Turning to go, she heard a hoarse, “Ree?”

  She backtracked and crouched beside him. “Hey. I heard it’s been a rough day.”

  Gavin dry-washed his face. “Yeah. Hard to believe it hasn’t even been twenty-four hours since I got the call.”

  “How’s she doing?”

  “She’s in pain, so we’re keeping her pretty doped up for a few days.”

  Rielle grabbed his hand and kissed his knuckles. “How are you holding up?”

  “Better than I was.”

  She waited for him to say, better now that you’re here, but he didn’t. “Can I get you anything? You hungry? Vi cooked supper.”

  “I could eat.” He sat up and put his feet on the floor. “Although, I’ll probably bring it up here so I can listen for Sierra.”

  “Stay. I’ll bring it to you.”

  “Thank you.”

  She returned a few minutes later with a plate piled with ham and potato casserole and a slice of seven-grain bread. He’d given her such a weird vibe she hadn’t brought up a plate for herself.

  “That looks great.” He dug in immediately. One eye on the food; one eye on the game.

  He’s hungry and tired and stressed. Don’t read anything into this.

  Rielle started toward the stairs.

  “Aren’t you eating with me?”

  She faced him. “You didn’t ask and I didn’t want to assume.”

  “Please assume that I’d like to eat with you whenever possible, okay?”

  That mollified her. “Okay.”

  The meal was quiet. Afterward, Gavin pushed back his plate and sighed. “This has been a fucking nightmare.”

  “What happened?”

  “You don’t know?”

  She shook her head.

  Gavin relayed the events in a clipped tone and finished with, “I have to live with that.”

  “You’re shouldering the blame for Sierra’s mistake? She went to that party, knowing it was wrong.”

  “That’s not the issue. I’ve been letting her drive wherever the fuck she wants, in this shitty weather, on these shitty roads, and I couldn’t be bothered to do the maintenance on her vehicle in the last month when she’s been driving all the time? Making sure her vehicle was safe? I should’ve just bought her a new goddamned car instead of a used one. That is totally on me.” He closed his eyes. “What the hell has been so goddamned important in my life that I let that slide?”

  Rielle had a pang of guilt. Since Sierra had become mobile, she and Gavin spent all their free time tog
ether. Did he blame her?

  “Sorry. Wishing I would’ve been more attentive is Monday morning quarterbacking and totally fucking pointless.” He opened his eyes. “Anyway, would you mind sticking around to listen for Sierra while I take a shower?”

  “Sure. Do I just check on her?”

  “She has a bell to ring when she wakes up.”

  Rielle’s eyebrows rose. “A bell? Like a bell an English aristocrat uses to a ring for her servants at tea time?”

  “No. A cowbell.”

  “You gave a sixteen-year-old a cowbell?”

  “Quinn gave it to her,” he grumbled. “I told him I’m buying Amelia bagpipes for her next birthday.”

  She smiled. “Go take your shower.”

  Gavin didn’t try to steal a kiss or pat her ass—so unlike him.

  After the shower kicked on, the sound of a cowbell drifted down the hallway.

  Rielle knocked before pushing open the door. “Sierra?”

  “Ree? Where’s my dad?”

  “He just jumped in the shower. Something you need?”

  “A drink of water.”

  She grabbed the water bottle off the dresser. She couldn’t help but smooth Sierra’s dark hair back from her pale face. “How you feeling, sweetheart?”

  “Sore. I can’t move without it hurting.” She struggled to sit up and Rielle adjusted her pillows. “Thanks. I thought you were gone until Monday?”

  “I decided I was needed here. So make me feel needed. What can I do to help you?”

  Sierra rested against the pillow. “Everything. I’m helpless. It’s hard to even go to the bathroom. My right hand is useless. How can I wash my hair or even comb it with one hand?”

  “Did you talk to your dad about this?”

  She shook her head.

  “Did he hire a home health aide to assist you?”

  “I doubt it. He thinks it’s his job to take care of me.” She started to cry. “There’s stuff I don’t want him to help me with.”

  “Oh, sweetie, I don’t blame you. Do you want me to talk to him?”

  “Would you help me?” she asked in an unsure voice.

  Rielle impulsively kissed Sierra’s forehead and wiped her tears. “Of course. Anything you need, just ask.” She rubbed a small section of Sierra’s hair between her fingers. “It’s been a while since I combed out a girl’s hair. That said…payback will be sweet for the funky hairstyle you gave me.”

  That earned her a wan smile even through her tears. She winced. “I can tell it’s time for a pain pill.”

  “I’ll let your dad dispense that.” She ran her hand up Sierra’s good arm. “Need anything else right now? Food? Something else to drink? Another blanket?”

  “What’s going on?” Gavin said from the doorway.

  “Ree’s volunteered to help me with some girl hygiene stuff.”

  Gavin stopped beside the bed and looked at Rielle with disbelief. “Really?”

  Did he really think she’d just stand back and do nothing while Sierra struggled? While he struggled? Staying out of Gavin’s parenting decisions with Sierra didn’t mean she wanted to stay out of Sierra’s life. Didn’t he see the difference? Didn’t he know how much she’d come to care for his daughter?

  Cut him some slack. He’s figuring out a way to deal with all this.

  Rielle smiled. At Sierra. “Let me know when you need me. Have a good night.” She brushed past Gavin without a word and returned downstairs.

  In the two days since Rielle had returned from Denver, Gavin hadn’t kissed her. Hadn’t touched her. Hadn’t explained why he wasn’t doing any of those things. So Rielle let it ride.

  But by the fourth day she wondered if Gavin’s supposed distraction was actually dismissal. Of her. Of their relationship.

  Ask him.

  That would make her seem needy.

  Then seduce him.

  That would make her seem needier yet.

  Still…that got her to thinking. Why should Gavin have to make the first move? Maybe he thought she wasn’t interested in doing the mattress mambo since she hadn’t made a move either.

  So she’d seduce him tonight. Take his mind off his worry and make him mindless—if only for a little while.

  Plan in place, Rielle helped Sierra until Vi shooed her away. She tackled her to-do list, but didn’t accomplish much since various McKays traipsed in and out of the house all day.

  By the time the clock struck ten, she ventured upstairs. Sierra’s light was off. Gavin had stretched out on the couch to watch yet another sports game on TV.

  Rielle straddled his lap and he smiled at her. “Hey.”

  “I missed you.” She slid her hands under his T-shirt and leaned forward to kiss him.

  Gavin emitted a deep, sexy rumble and kissed her back.

  She touched him, teased him and felt his cock harden beneath her ass. “Come on. Let’s go to bed.”

  “Okay.”

  In his bedroom, she stripped off his sweatpants, boxers and T-shirt. He sat on the edge of the bed, staring at her…expectantly? She peeled off her thermal T-shirt and stepped between his thighs, rubbing the upper swell of her breasts against his jawline and chin. He groaned and buried his face in her cleavage. She loved the feel of his rough whiskers on her tender skin. Still teasing him, she stepped back and her bra fell to the floor. She shimmied out of her jeans, hooked her fingers in her panties and eased them off slowly, then kicked off her socks.

  Gavin wore a sexy, half-lidded, keep going look.

  So she did. Rielle dropped to her knees and enclosed her mouth around his cock. Sucking and licking the hard shaft. Fondling his sac, then using her lips and teeth on just the wide head. She glanced up at him.

  He’d closed his eyes, but he made soft growling noises.

  Blowing him always got her hot, so she was wet and ready for the next stage of seduction. She chuckled at Gavin’s sound of disapproval when she released his cock from her mouth. Pushing him flat on the mattress, she crawled over him. Her hands followed the contours of his muscled biceps and forearms. Then she pressed his arms above his head and warned, “Keep them there.”

  “Mmm.”

  Rielle rubbed her face over Gavin’s upper body, inhaling his clean and musky scent. Nuzzling his neck and sliding her nipples against the hair on his chest. Rolling her hips and rocking her clit into the hard muscle of his lower abdomen.

  She put her lips on his ear. “You can touch me now. I know how much you like to have your hands on my ass as I’m riding you.”

  He didn’t answer. Didn’t move at all. Then he made a noise. But not the noise she expected. She heard it again.

  Wait. Was that a…snore?

  “Gavin?”

  No response.

  Rielle placed her hands by his head, lifting up to look into his face. It was damn dark in here, but she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

  Gavin. Asleep. And snoring softly.

  Apparently his dick wasn’t tired because it was still fully erect.

  What the fuck?

  Was her seduction technique so bad, he’d just conked out?

  Tempting to slap him awake. But then…no. This was far too humiliating.

  She got dressed and slunk out.

  Gavin showed up in the kitchen early the next morning, whistling for Christsake. “Good morning, Rielle.”

  She slammed the cupboard door. When she turned around he wore the oddest expression.

  “Did I do something to piss you off?”

  Oh, I don’t know, maybe, possibly, I’m just a teensy bit upset because you fucking fell asleep when I seduced you.

  The oven timer went off. Slipping on her hot mitts, she pulled out the dinner rolls, setting the pan on the cooling racks. She lifted the towel on the next pan and slid it into the oven. When she turned around, she saw Mr. Narcoleptic had helped himself to a cup of coffee.

  Too bad you didn’t drink some coffee last night, buddy.

  “So…I had the weirdest dream
about you. I was watching TV upstairs and you showed up. We started going at it hot and heavy. Then you dragged me into my bedroom, where you stripped me and pushed me onto the bed. The way you sucked my cock…”

  “Almost like it was real?” she supplied sweetly.

  “Yes! I watched you perform a strip tease, then you were crawling all over me, rubbing on me, and…”

  “And?”

  “That’s it. I woke up.”

  “Huh. Too bad it ended there.” She headed out the swinging door, but Gavin caught her wrist and pushed her against the wall. “What the hell are you doing?”

  He got right in her face. “No other comment on my dream? Like maybe…it wasn’t a dream but a hazy memory from last night? A very hazy memory.”

  “Let me go.”

  “Why? Got cold feet?”

  Why would he say that? “Have you been drinking?”

  “No. But do you want to explain these?” He eased back, pulling a sock out of his right front pocket, then his left pocket. “I thought your feet might be cold since you forgot your socks in my room last night.”

  “Gimme those.” Rielle snatched them and quickly ducked under his arm.

  But he caught her, shoving her back in place. “Ah ah ah, not so fast. Tell me that I just had an incomplete dream and that I didn’t conk out while you were—”

  “Naked? Rubbing myself all over you like you were my personal stripper pole and then you started snoring? Yes, that did happen.”

  “Jesus, Rielle. I…I don’t remember anything from last night after I checked on Sierra. I sat down to watch ESPN and I woke up this morning, naked in my bed.”

  She studied his eyes. Were they dark with guilt? Remorse? Disbelief?

  “I’m not making an excuse, but this type of…thing has been happening to me.”

  “Oh really.”

  “Really. Two days ago I woke up in the middle of the afternoon on the toilet.”

  “You fell asleep on the toilet?” she asked skeptically.

  “Evidently, for about thirty minutes.” His cheeks colored and he looked embarrassed. “And that is the most mortifying thing I’ve ever had to admit.”

  “Why—”

  “Let me finish. I haven’t been sleeping. I figured as long as I was up, listening for Sierra, I might as well be working. I’ve been catching up on projects every night since Sierra came home from the hospital.” He framed her face in his hands. “Do you really think I’d check out when you were having your wicked way with me if I wasn’t suffering from sleep deprivation?”