He chuckled. “Perhaps some elk too.”
“Elk? You plan on giving the clinic lots of work I take it.”
“I do.”
“Well, sadly, I don’t know much about bison…other than they’re not particularly fond of horses.”
“Do you want to see the pasture I’m working on for them?”
“Sure.”
She followed William out of the stable and they headed south away from the corral. Down a coulee wall into a low field which had soft prairie grasses blowing in the sunshine. You could see the high trestle bridge over the Oldman River. It was a beautiful spot.
“I’m going to be erecting my fencing over the next couple of days, but the bison will have a lot of room to roam.” William slapped his baseball cap back on his head, but then he sat down on the side of the hill. “Sorry, my dogs are barking.”
“No worries.” Molly sat down in the grass beside him, a bit nervous about being close to him, and it had nothing to do with who he was. It was the fact that she liked his plan for the future. She liked his goals, it was the kind of life she’d love to live. Only, she’d be the veterinarian taking care of her stock. “Really beautiful here.”
“I know. It was my favorite place in the whole world,” he said offhandedly. “When I was on tour I would dream of this spot here, of summers fishing and swimming on my grandpa’s ranch. The big smoke, back east, I don’t miss it.” He realized his slip and his expression changed. He cleared his throat. “Alberta is the best place on earth.”
“That sounds suspiciously like a country song,” she teased him.
“Does it?” He asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
Molly nodded. “Not that I mind. I like country music.”
He nodded. “So you’ve told me.”
“Are you writing songs?”
His eyes widened. “What’re you talking about?”
“I saw the guitar in your living room.”
Also a possible royalty check from your label.
William grinned. “Perhaps I am. I dabble.”
“I thought you wanted a quiet life out here in Alberta.”
He shrugged. “I like writing songs, I just don’t want to perform. I don’t want to be on stage or touring. I want to stay here and raise my stock, work the land.”
“Yes, the stock you’re raising because you like them.” She laughed. “City folk.”
“Ha ha. I plan to farm the bison for beef.”
“And the elk?” She asked.
“Okay, those are because I like to look at them.”
Molly laughed and he joined her.
“You should laugh more often,” he said.
Heat bloomed in her cheeks. “Is that so?”
“Yeah, you have a great smile.”
They were quiet for a little as they watched the storm clouds moving slowly in the distance. There was a nice breeze.
“Do you want to go back to Toronto?”
He leaned back in the grass. “I don’t ever want to leave here again.”
“I get that.”
He cocked his head to the side. “What about you? Why don’t you go to vet college? Seriously, you do more work than Dr. Shaw does.”
“Don’t say that.”
William frowned. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to insult your boyfriend.”
“Is that jealously I sense?” She teased.
“Please.”
“Admit it. It is.”
William rolled his eyes. “I don’t get jealous.”
“Uh huh.”
“You’re avoiding my original question.”
“Am I?” She teased. Though she knew she was avoiding his original question.
“Why don’t you go to vet college? You seem to have a passion for animals.”
Molly nodded. “I do.”
“Well?”
“Are you jealous of Dr. Shaw?”
“Why are you twisting and avoiding my question?”
“Perhaps I’m doing a bit of a tit for tat.”
“Fine. Yeah, I was a bit jealous of Dr. Shaw, though I really have no reason to be. We aren’t exclusive. We had one night.”
It hurt when he said that, but what was she expecting? He was right. They weren’t exclusive.
“Now, maybe you can answer my question. Vet college.”
Molly sighed. “Money. I’ve been dirt poor. Lost it all from a stupid mistake. I’m afraid to fail and lose it all again. To waste my money.”
She liked the security.
Change was scary and difficult. She’d tried change before and it just led to heartache and hurt. She followed her heart once, followed it straight across the country, put aside her dreams and was screwed over in the end by someone she thought she loved.
Only Mark didn’t love her.
And she knew that now, but it’s why she wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice. She wasn’t going to give up pieces of herself.
“Change is scary,” William agreed. “It can be exhilarating too.”
“I’m sure. You moved out here. That’s huge.”
“Not really. Toronto was my safety net. Was. Now this is. It will be.”
Molly didn’t say anything else. They sat there in silence, just listening to the wind, watching the clouds moving in fast.
“I’d like to go out with you again, Molly. That is, if Dr. Shaw won’t mind.”
“He’s not my boyfriend. We’re just friends.”
William cocked an eyebrow. “It didn’t look like you were just friends the other night.”
“Trust me. We’re just friends, even if my mother wishes it were more.”
“So, do you want to go out?”
She wanted to, but she couldn’t. She just couldn’t give a piece of herself to him. There was nothing left to give, except maybe sex, and a life couldn’t be built on just that. Her mother had taught her that lesson a few times. Sex wasn’t everything and Molly wasn’t sure she was emotionally able to open up. Mark hurt her. She wasn’t sure if she had trust left to give.
“I don’t think so, William.” She stood. “I better go. I’ll let Dr. Shaw know about your mare. We’ll keep a close eye on her but as she doesn’t have any heave lines, she should be okay. Just make sure your stable is clean.”
William didn’t look her way. “I don’t know why you’re running.”
“I’m not running.”
He stood, towering over her, those intense eyes riveting her to the spot. She was spellbound, her pulse racing. “I think you are.”
“I’m not running.” She tore her gaze away, because if she kept looking at him she wouldn’t be able to leave. And she needed to leave. She turned on her heel and headed to her truck, putting a safe distance between them.
“What’re you so afraid of?” He asked. “You should face your fears. Open up.”
Molly snorted. “You’re one to talk.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I know who you are.”
William’s lips pursed together in a tight line, his brow furrowing. “What’re you talking about.”
“I’m talking about your music career, Liam Sharp.”
He didn’t say anything. He didn’t admit to it, he didn’t deny it, so she turned to leave but he gripped her by her arm, forcing her to turn around
“How do you know?”
“That you’re Liam Sharp? I saw the a letter from the label you’re with and put two and two together. So, you’re the elusive superstar who wrote Cold Hearted Hillbilly. Now I get why you hate that song so much.”
“I am.” He paled a bit.
“Why are you hiding?”
“That’s none of your business,” he snapped. “I just want to live a quiet life.”
“People are starting to spot you. Rumor was you were in Louisiana or arrested. Seriously, people are so curious about what happened to you. You’re as elusive as Elvis.”
He snorted. “Hardly.”
“You gave it all up to hide
away, yet you’re telling me not run. So what’re you running from, William?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
“Then, I can’t stay.” She shrugged out of his grip and walked as fast as you could. He was right. She was running. She was good at running.
Running fast.
Chapter Six
William watched her moving fast toward her truck. He should let her go. She obviously wanted to run and he should let her, but he couldn’t.
And it wasn’t because she knew his secret, it’s because he wanted to help her. He didn’t want her to run anymore and he was tired too. Tired of hiding who he was.
So he ran after her, closing the distance between them. He grabbed her by her arm and spun her around.
“What’re you doing?” She was angry.
“Not letting you run.”
“I like running.”
“Why?”
Her gaze narrowed, her eyes flinty as the clouds that were beginning to roll in from the north west. There was a storm coming. It looked to be bad on all fronts. “That’s none of your business.”
“It is, because I ran and dammit I regret running.”
“I thought you preferred a life away from the limelight. You were so worried that someone would know who you were that you were hiding here.”
“That’s different.”
“How?” She shook her head. “A coward is a coward.”
It was like she slapped him across the face. “Maybe, but at least I’m doing something. You’re stagnating here. You could be so much more.”
“How would you know?”
“I know. I can feel it. You have a way with animals. That mare of mine, she bucks and kicks at strangers, she only just lets me near her. Yet you walk up to her with a stethoscope, you say a few words to her and that mare is as docile as a lamb. It was the same with those yearlings you were vaccinating. You have a gift and you’re throwing it away.”
“You’re one to talk.” She tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t let go.
“I know I’m one to talk, but I’m trying again. I’m writing again. What about you? A new term starts in Calgary soon. It’s almost September. Are you going to be on the roster?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Why does it matter to you? Why do you care?”
It was a legitimate question. Why did he care? He barely knew her. Only he did know her. In her eyes he saw himself.
He saw his own failures. He saw what he ran from and what he was still running from, but at least, for one glorious moment, he’d achieved his dreams. He’d stood in the spotlight and soaked it all in.
Thunder rolled in the distance, the sun was blocked out and the wind picked up, blowing her dark hair over her shoulder. The storm was closing in, both outside and on the inside.
“Why do you care so much about it?” She demanded again.
“I care because you’re throwing away your talent.”
She snorted. “You’re the one to talk.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Come on William, or is it Liam? You walked away from a brilliant career. You could’ve been such a huge star and you gave it up. I thought that was your dream?”
“My dream was to create music, not be a superstar. I didn’t want what I became. It was too much, but you want to become a vet. A vet tech specializing in horses, that’s not being a doctor.”
She scowled at him. “You don’t understand.”
“No. I don’t, but I want to. Tell me.”
He waited for an answer from her, waiting for her to open up. Only he waited too long, as there was a flash of lightning and they both turned to see the mare running, panicked, in the corral.
“Do you have somewhere else to shelter her?” Molly asked.
“Yeah, there’s a temporary stable with better air flow at the other end of the corral.”
“We have to get her into shelter for this storm.”
William nodded as they headed to the corral. His mare was running wild, as if she sensed the storm coming and, as he scanned the sky, he noticed the green tint. The prairie grasses twisted as if an invisible finger was stirring them. The clouds hung low, dark. A wall cloud moved toward them and it was beginning to rotate.
This was more than a Indian Summer type of storm.
This was something violent.
It was a tornado ready to form. One which had sprung up from nowhere. It had been hot, but William didn’t know if the conditions were right. This was his first one.
“I don’t think she’s safe in the shelter.”
Molly nodded. “No, you have to let her run. She’ll do better to outrun any storm.”
“Have you been in one of these before?”
“I have. It’ll be fine.”
They ran over to the corral. The mare was rearing, ready to escape. Molly reached out and caught her bridle. She jammed a business card securely in the leather.
“What’re you doing?” William shouted as he fought the strong winds picking up. He was trying to open the gate to let her out.
“My card, in case she’s found by someone. They’ll know who she belongs to.”
“It’s imprinted on her bridle too.” William lifted the gate, but barely. Molly moved and helped him drag it open.
Once it was wide open the mare took off at a run, to the east and down into the ravine, away from the storm.
“We need to get to shelter!” She shouted over the howling wind.
“This way.” William reached out and grabbed her hand, dragging her to the storm shelter. He glanced up at the cloud, watching it stretch to the ground. “Oh my God.”
“William, we have to get inside.”
He shook his head and lifted the latch on the storm cellar door, opening it. “Get in!”
Molly didn’t need to be told twice, as she ran down the stairs. William followed her down the steps, stopping halfway to close and bolt the door.
The wind had a god–awful howl to it as he continued down the rest of the way into the dark. Molly flicked on the battery operated light. She was calm and rational.
“Been through this before?” He asked.
“A couple of times.” She glanced at him and sat down on the cot. “Is this your first?”
“They’re not that common in Toronto.” He began to pace. “Fucking storm.”
“It’s okay. Sit down.”
“I can’t.” The wind shrieked.
“It’ll be okay. We don’t even know if it’s headed this way or what the strength of it will be. Heck, it might not even touch the ground.”
William sat down next to her. “I’m sorry for harassing you.”
“It’s okay.”
“Is it?” Their gaze met. The anger was gone. She was smiling at him and he just wanted to reach out and stroke her face, to hold her and protect her.
“It is.” And then she touched his face. “I’m scared.”
“I thought you weren’t scared of the storm.”
“That’s not what I’m scared about.” Then she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his, kissing him so sweetly. When she pulled away, there were tears in her eyes. “I’m scared of this.”
“Don’t be scared.” He ran his knuckles down her cheek. “Don’t be scared.”
“I’m trying not to be.”
And she was. She was trying so hard not to be nervous, but being trapped in a storm cellar with William while a twister possibly raged on above them was too much. She was too weak to resist him.
All she wanted right here, right now, was for him to make love to her.
She wanted to tell him why she was so scared. Why she couldn’t move forward and was afraid of change. Why she couldn’t open her heart to another man.
Molly was afraid of trusting someone. What if William did the same thing to her that Mark did? Could she really take that risk?
Could her heart handle it?
As she looked up at William, she saw some
one so like her.
Someone she would let in, if she only could, and that was half the problem. She wasn’t even sure if she could.
“Molly, are you okay?” He asked.
“I’m not sure.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. I do know one thing though.”
“What’s that?” He asked, pressing a kissing against her neck, right over her pulse point, one which caused a shiver of anticipation to run down her spine. “What’s the one thing you know?”
“That I want you to make love to me. I want you to make love to me here in this storm shelter.”
William chuckled. “Well, I can tell you one thing too.”
“What’s that?” she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“I’m going to make love to you. I want to make love to you.”
“William, I don’t know if I can…I was hurt once before. Betrayed and he took pieces of me.”
“Hush, you don’t need to explain anything anymore, not right now. There’s time for all of this later.”
They kissed again and she just let all of her doubts melt away, knowing William wouldn’t hurt her. He wasn’t anything like Mark and he was nothing like Ronnie, who didn’t stir any kind of passion or attraction in her.
William was so much more.
“William, please.”
William sidled closer to her. “You talk fast when you’re nervous.”
“Do I?”
He nodded, his eyes twinkling with want. She knew that look, had seen it in his eyes before. She was no innocent and that feral look made her weak in the knees.
“You do.” He leaned in closer, his hot breath fanning against her neck. “Do I make you nervous, Molly?”
“Yes,” she replied, her voice breathless.
He tipped her chin so she was looking at him again. “I’m going to kiss you, Molly and I may not be able to stop once I get started.”
Yes, her body screamed, but she didn’t make a noise. Instead she closed her eyes and waited with anticipation for his lips.
“Will you ride out this storm with me?” He whispered against her ear.
There was something in the way he said it that made Molly think there would be no need for them to start a fire.
One was already burning deep within her.
Molly shivered, she couldn’t help it. The wind was howling, the thunder was crashing and all she wanted to be was wrapped up in his arms.
Brought to His Knees-Tough Guys Laid Low By Love Page 15
