“I can’t believe I forgot to ask about my gear until now,” she said.
“You’ve been high on pain meds for the past four days.” Johnny removed the plastic bottle of pills from his pocket and set it on the nightstand. “I’ll get you a drink.”
“There should be bottles of water in the fridge.”
A few minutes later, he returned with two bottles of water, a box of saltines and her laptop. “Your computer was sitting on the kitchen table.”
“Thanks.”
“Anything else I can get you before I head to the barn?” Their gazes clashed and the bold way she stared at him sent up a warning flag inside his head.
“There’s something I need to ask you,” she said.
He thought he’d be ready for this conversation, but he wasn’t. Not after carrying Shannon inside and feeling her body nestled against his. He snapped his fingers. “Let me fetch you an extra blanket.” He found one in the linen closet, then sagged against the wall. Was she going to tell him their night in the motel had been a mistake? He hoped so and he hoped not.
When he went back into the bedroom, she was sound asleep. Her skin was the color of bleached flour, its paleness accentuated by the tangled strands of her jet-black hair. Her vulnerability struck him hard.
He didn’t understand her obsession with riding bulls. The only thing he knew for sure was that he hated seeing her suffer. He wanted to believe the need to keep her safe was rooted in his big-brother feelings toward her, but it wasn’t. The days of viewing Shannon as his little sister’s best friend were long gone. Now, when he looked at her, he saw a sexy, mature woman he was attracted to. A woman he wanted.
A woman you need to keep the hell away from.
There was too much riding on his job at the Triple D to mess things up by becoming involved with the boss’s daughter. He closed the blinds, blocking out the afternoon sun. Worried she’d wake up chilled he covered her with the extra blanket then left.
He went to the barn and finished mucking the stall he’d been working on when Clive had asked him to pick up Shannon from the hospital. Afterward, he went to the foreman’s cabin and unchained Hank, then escorted him inside to the bathroom. When he ran the water in the tub, Hank whirled and bumped his snout against the closed door. “I know. Baths suck, but if you want to be invited into a woman’s bed, you can’t stink.” Johnny set Hank in the tub and drizzled shampoo along his back.
Hank sneezed.
“Get ready, boy. This stuff is supposed to—” he read the label “—unlock dangerous levels of attraction.”
Hank didn’t buy the claim. He shook from head to toe, spraying the bathroom walls with suds.
A short while later, Johnny towel-dried the dog and opened the door. Hank made a mad dash into the main room where he rolled himself dry on the rug. Johnny gathered the wet towels. When he left the bathroom, he jumped inside his skin.
“Crap, Dixie.” He slapped a hand over his pounding heart. “You can’t just walk in here without knocking.”
“I did knock.” She petted Hank while Johnny went into the laundry off the kitchen and stuffed the wet towels into the machine. “What are you doing here?”
“I brought a few dinners over for you and Shannon.”
Had Shannon told his sister what they’d done and now Dixie assumed they were a couple? “Why would you think Shannon and I eat together?”
“Hey, don’t get testy. I wanted to bring you a housewarming gift, so I made your favorite casseroles.” She pointed to the cardboard box on the kitchen table. “Since I was going to all that trouble, I made extra for Shannon, because Clive doesn’t cook much.”
“That was nice of you, Dix.” He peered into the box at the ceramic dishes covered in foil. “Shannon’s sleeping right now. I’ll take them up to the house later.”
Dixie placed the dishes in the fridge then hugged him.
“What’s that for?”
“Because you’re such a nice guy.”
And nice guys finish last.
“I wish I could stay and visit but I need to make a run into town for Hank’s dog food.” The mutt’s ears perked at the mention of his name.
“Doesn’t Clive pay for his food?”
Johnny didn’t know and he hadn’t asked and frankly he didn’t care. He was feeling hemmed in and looking for an excuse to leave the ranch. Clive had hired him to take care of the horses and cattle, not babysit his daughter and a geriatric dog. He pulled his truck keys from his pocket and Dixie preceded him outside.
“Thanks again for bringing the food.” He waited for his sister to drive off before he headed to the main highway. As the mile markers passed, he convinced himself that he’d better devise a game plan for dealing with what had happened between him and Shannon. If he didn’t, the awkwardness between them would grow, and then Clive would notice and ask questions Johnny didn’t care to answer.
When he pulled into Baine Feed and Tack, he noticed Clive’s pickup, sporting a new rear tire, was parked in the lot. He opened the glove compartment to put his sunglasses away and an envelope dropped onto the floor. The letter from the IRS had arrived a week ago, informing Johnny that he owed five thousand dollars in back taxes on the farm, because of an exemption he’d claimed but hadn’t been entitled to. He should have paid a professional to do the taxes, but he’d hoped to save money. He hadn’t figured out how he’d pay the penalty and worried what his siblings would say when they found out their big brother had screwed up.
He placed the envelope back in the compartment and entered the feed store. Clive and Jim were nowhere in sight, but he heard voices echoing from the storeroom. Johnny wandered over to the pet food aisle and found the brand Roger fed Hank, and then he browsed the dog toys. The sound of boot heels clunking against the floor warned him he had company.
“You’ve got my sympathy, Clive,” Jim said. “I don’t know what I’d do if one of my daughter’s fell off the deep end and engaged in extreme activities.”
Fell off the deep end?
“At least I won’t have to worry about her breaking her neck anymore. After this last accident, she’s finished with rodeo,” Clive said.
Evidently Shannon hadn’t told her father she had no plans to quit the sport.
“You want me to send Maryellen by to check in on Shannon tomorrow?” Jim asked.
“That’s nice of you to offer, Jim, but my daughter’s stubborn to the core. She won’t take help from anyone.”
“Wonder who she inherited that trait from?” Jim laughed.
Johnny took the dog food and a large rawhide bone up to the checkout.
Jim noticed him first. “Didn’t know you were in the store, Johnny.”
“Thought I’d buy Roger’s hound a present.” He nodded to his boss. “Clive.”
“That’ll be thirty-seven eighty-three,” Jim said.
Johnny set two twenties on the counter. After Jim handed him the change, he said, “See you next time.”
“Wait up.”
Clive followed Johnny out of the store. “I’ve got a favor to ask of you.”
Johnny set the bag of dog food in the truck. “What kind of favor?”
“While I was waiting for the tow truck this afternoon, Jeb Russell phoned and he wants me to deliver the cutting horses he bought a week early. I’m leaving for Wyoming in the morning.”
“But—”
“I know the timing is bad with Shannon just getting out of the hospital.” Clive frowned. “But after Kendall backed out of buying Pepper a month ago, money is tight. I need this sale.”
Johnny knew all about tight budgets.
“I’d appreciate you looking after Shannon until I get back.”
“How long do you plan to be gone?”
“About a week. I want to swing by the Bar Seven ou
tside Durango and see if I can’t talk Bill Cunningham into buying a new stud for his mares.” He twirled his hat in his hand. “I realize checking in on my daughter isn’t the job you signed on for, but Matt and Luke are wrapped up in that murder trial and they don’t have time to drive out to the ranch.”
“I’ll keep an eye on her.” Nothing like throwing temptation in his face every day.
“I appreciate that, Johnny.”
A week alone at the ranch with Shannon and no chaperone—God help him. They needed to have that talk ASAP.
* * *
SHANNON STOOD AT her bedroom window, leaning on her crutches. She’d awoken from her nap to a desperate need to use the bathroom and had managed to shuffle across the hall without help. She’d suffered rodeo injuries before, but this was the first time she’d broken a bone and the pain and discomfort were more than she’d bargained for.
The dull throb pulsing through her mending tibia demanded she climb back in bed and prop her leg up on the pillow, until she saw Johnny’s truck barreling up the road with her father following behind him.
Johnny parked at the foreman’s cabin and went inside while her father stopped in front of the house. A minute later the front door opened and footsteps clomped up the stairs. Her father appeared in the doorway.
“Hey, Dad.”
“What are you doing out of bed?”
“I had to use the bathroom.”
He glanced away. Discussing bodily functions, especially the female kind, embarrassed him. She remembered the horrified look on his face the day he’d caught her peeing against the barn. When he’d asked her what she was doing, her explanation had almost given him a heart attack. She’d insisted she wanted to pee on things just like her brothers did. As a kid, her only role models had been her brothers and the one thing she’d yet to do that they’d accomplished was win a national rodeo title.
Shannon staggered to the bed and sat down. Using both hands she lifted her injured leg onto the stack of pillows and leaned against the headboard.
“I meant to pick you up from the hospital, but—”
“Johnny told me the truck blew a tire.” Why was it so hard for her father to show his affection?
“How long did the doc say it would be until your leg heals?”
“He’ll x-ray the bone in six weeks and if everything looks good, I’ll begin physical therapy then.”
“There’s no need to rush your recovery.”
If her father expected her to sit on her butt and allow her muscles to weaken, he was in for a big surprise. “I won’t do anything to risk injuring my leg before the bone is healed.”
“Don’t forget your head.”
She smiled. “No worries. Last time I checked it was still attached to my body.”
Her humor didn’t go over well and he scowled. “It’s not funny, Shannon. If you fall and smack your noggin you could—”
“I’ll be careful.”
“I’m leaving in the morning to take a horse up to Wyoming. Won’t be back for a week.”
“I’ll be fine.” Good grief, she wasn’t bedridden.
“You’ll let Johnny know if you need help or—” he nodded to the bottle of pills on the nightstand “—your medication refilled at the pharmacy.”
“I will.”
“Call me if you need anything.”
It was nice of him to offer, but she was positive he hoped she wouldn’t contact him. “Be careful driving.” Then he was gone.
Tears stung her eyes as she stared at the ceiling. A droplet of moisture rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away. Crying was for babies and she wasn’t a baby.
She was a bull rider.
Chapter Six
“Look who came for a visit,” Buck said, glancing up from the playing cards in his hand.
“It’s Saturday night. I expected everyone to be at a rodeo or a bar.” Johnny shut the door and joined Buck and Will at the picnic-sized table the brothers had built for the bunkhouse.
Only three days had passed since Johnny had brought Shannon home from the hospital, but with Clive out of town being all alone with her at the ranch was driving him nuts. Twice today she’d texted that she needed to talk with him, but he’d made excuses and put her off. He knew they needed to confront what they’d done in Gila Bend, but for reasons he didn’t understand, he kept chickening out.
“Porter and Conway drove over to Tubac for the Old World Rodeo Days,” Will said. “Conway made it to the final round, so they won’t be home until tomorrow.”
“You want in?” Buck nodded to the deck of cards.
“No, thanks.”
Buck dropped a piece of candy into the pot. “I’ll raise you one Smartie.”
“I stopped by to check on the place,” Johnny said.
Will added a piece of candy to the pot. “Did you think we’d destroy the bunkhouse once you moved out?”
There were no broken furniture, dents in the walls or stains on the cement floor. His brothers must be taking their squabbles outside. “Any leaks?” Two nights ago a storm had passed through the area, dumping a half inch of rain in less than an hour.
“The place is airtight,” Will said.
Will had a background in construction and had drawn up the plans for the bunkhouse, and then all the brothers had helped rough-in the plumbing and electrical before pouring the cement slab and installing the metal sides and roof. His siblings had protested trading in their full-size beds for twin beds, but in doing so, they’d left space for the picnic table, refrigerator and sink at one end of the room and a small bathroom, two sofas and two chairs that sat at the other end. In the middle was a row of single beds facing the opposite wall where a large flat-screen TV hung.
“What’s up with all the rodeo posters?” Johnny asked.
“Porter watches that design show Dear Genevieve. He’s got a big ol’ crush on that woman.” Buck rolled his eyes. “According to Genevieve, wallpaper gives any place a homey feel.”
“Porter wanted to put up some fleur-de-lis French crap,” Will said. “But we vetoed that and voted for the posters.”
“The photos of raging bulls and ominous bucking stock warm this place right up.” Johnny grinned. “Where’s Mack’s band playing tonight?”
“They’re not. Mack pulled the weekend shift at the dude ranch,” Buck said.
Caught up in his responsibilities at the Triple D Johnny had forgotten Mack had recently hired on as a wrangler at the Blackjack Mountain Dude Ranch. “How does he like the job?”
“He hasn’t said much about it.” Buck laid down his cards. “Four of a kind.”
“You lose.” Will showed a full house, then swept the pile of candy to his side of the table. “How’s Shannon?”
“She’s fine.” Not wanting to field questions about his boss’s daughter, Johnny scooted his chair back and stood. “Is Dixie inside? I didn’t see her truck parked in the yard.”
“She’s here. Her truck’s at Troy’s garage,” Buck said.
“What happened to it?” Johnny asked.
Buck shuffled the deck. “Stalled outside Yuma yesterday.”
“Why didn’t she call me?”
Will snorted. “You forgetting she’s married? Gavin picked her up and made arrangements for a tow.”
Johnny ignored the sharp twinge he felt at being knocked off the pedestal his sister had put him on all those years. “What’s wrong with the truck?”
“Alternator went out,” Buck said. “Troy had to order a new one.”
Buck had worked for the local mechanic on and off for the past five years and Johnny thought his brother should ask Troy if he could buy into his business and become a partner. Buck was a natural at fixing engines.
“How’s the construction business?” Johnny aske
d Will. His brother worked for a small family-run construction company owned and operated by Ben Wallace, a former high-school classmate of Will’s.
“Things are slow right now,” Will said.
“I better say hello to Dixie before I take off.”
Buck’s voice stopped Johnny at the door. “Come back anytime you get homesick.” His brothers chuckled.
On the way to the farmhouse Johnny paused to stare at the setting sun and recalled the afternoons he’d walked with his grandfather through the groves, listening to the old man talk about the life cycle of the pecan.
You’re the eldest, Johnny. I’m counting on you to keep these trees in the family.
Johnny hadn’t cared about the nuts, but he’d worshipped his grandfather and had made a solemn promise to fulfill his wishes. He walked to the front of the house, then entered without knocking as he’d done his whole life. He took one step toward the kitchen and froze. A feminine moaning sound drifted into the hallway.
Face burning hotter than a pancake skillet, Johnny did an about-face and made a dash for the door, but the tip of his boot clipped his grandmother’s umbrella stand and sent it crashing to the floor.
“Johnny?” His sister stood in the kitchen doorway, wearing only a bathrobe, her hair mussed and her lips swollen. “What’s wrong?”
Flustered, he said, “Don’t you think you ought to lock the door if you and Gavin plan to carry on like that in the house?”
Her eyes widened. “We weren’t doing it in the kitchen. I was making Gavin an ice cream float.”
Irritated that she mocked him, he scowled, which only egged her on more.
“I always make Gavin a float after we...you know...as a reward for being ready and willing anytime.”
Ready and willing? “What the heck are you talking about?”
“My temperature, stupid.”
“What does your temperature have to do with having sex?”
“I’m ovulating, so we’re—”
“I get it.” Johnny’s anger died a quick death and he felt like an idiot for badgering her. “Sorry. I stopped by to ask you for a favor, but we can talk later.”
“Stay.”
The Cowboy Next Door (The Cash Brothers) Page 7
