Twelfth of Never (Book 3 of the McKay series)

by Hestand, Rita

  "Wade feels responsible, but it could have happened to any of us, at any time. Certain times of the year you have to watch out for them. I didn't figure on it since I took you away from the rocks around here. But you just never know…"

  Wade glanced at Mike. "You'll need to get her to the hospital as soon as possible. Is she your girl-friend?"

  "No, we were working…" Mike glanced at Sandy.

  Wade nodded.

  "Want me to go with you?" Sandy offered.

  "Please. Sorry, just never had anything like this happen." Mike tried to excuse his worry. "I'm really not good at hospitals."

  "None of us are too used to this…" Sandy agreed.

  Wade worked diligently and in seconds he injected the venom into the girl.

  "Okay, get her on to the doctor, and let us know how she makes out," Wade instructed. He handed Mike the information off the bottle and nodded.

  "Sorry Wade." Sandy grabbed his arm.

  "Not to worry, you did the right thing. I'm just a little surprised you remembered I had that kit. It's been a while," Wade told Mike.

  "Lucky for us." Mike's voice calmed. "Thanks again. I owe you."

  They shook hands and Sandy motioned for Mike to put her in the backseat so she could lay flat.

  On the way to the hospital Mike shook his head. "Boy, you never know, do you?"

  "Know what?" Sandy asked.

  "What will happen next?" He shrugged. "One minute we are working, the next, she gets bit. And I…well, I feel a little responsible and really not helpful."

  Sandy shot him a quizzical look. "How so?"

  "Well Sandy, these models sort of rely on me, to keep them safe. Take care of them during a shoot. I didn't take care of her too well," Mike said his face a mask of emotions.

  "You can't blame yourself for this. If anyone is to blame it's me. I mean, I know what time of year it is. I know they are out and about. I didn't think to tell you about them. Mainly because I thought they would be over on the west side in the rocks. It's like practical knowledge; you assume everyone knows about it. But you don't think about something like this happening," Sandy exclaimed. "Are you pretty close to your models?"

  Mike's expression changed. "Most of them, yes. They've always known that I would do anything for any of them. And that I want them safe at all times during the shoots. Selma is very new to modeling. But one of my bosses thinks she's got a lot of potential. She's very young though. Every move she makes is natural, and she knows how to tame a camera. She's great in front of a camera. Seductive as all get out. But she's just a kid. Besides, I've found out that it's best not to mix business with pleasure. Not to mention the fact that she's almost jailbait age."

  "A beautiful kid…" Sandy added with a slight smile.

  "Okay…a beautiful kid," Mike agreed with a chuckle.

  Their conversation opened up a chance for Sandy to learn more about Mike. "That rule, isn't it kind of strange. I mean, things happen. Things you can't always control. You work with some of the most beautiful women in the world. I'm surprised you haven't been heartbroken a few times."

  "I just don't get involved. But in order for a man to make money doing this, they have to remain sort of neutral to all the female company along the way. Only once, when I first started did I lapse. I made that mistake, and I told myself then, never again." Mike laughed. "If you want to last in this business you can't get too attached to the models. They have dollar signs in their hearts. They go where the money is. This is a strange business and you have to separate the real from the unreal."

  He turned to glance at Selma. She was out of it.

  "Correct me if I am wrong, she seemed to really like you," Sandy teased.

  "She's a kid. She doesn't understand the rules," Mike corrected. "She'll learn. But no worries there. I won't be manipulated. If worse comes to worse, I'll set her straight."

  "Maybe, but she looks like she knows what she wants." Sandy probed deeper, wondering if she was treading dangerous waters.

  "I'm sure once she's well, she won't want to hang around here," Mike assured her. "Not after a snake bite. And I intend to stick around here for a while."

  "I'd think you'd go wherever the work was…"

  "I used to. That was before I could pick and choose my work. I do work on other things besides beautiful women, you know. In fact, I have a showing in a couple of weeks and there are no women in it."

  "Sounds interesting. I'd like to see it some time."

  "Why don't you come to the showing?" he offered. "With me?"

  "Maybe I will…"

  He smiled.

  They arrived at the hospital and took her inside to Emergency. The doctors listened to Mike and Sandy, and then told them to wait while they checked her vitals and made sure she would be alright.

  "Why aren't you with Chad today?" Mike asked as they found a place to sit in the waiting room.

  "He went to that yacht club in Corpus with your dad. He'll be gone a few days. I had no interest in that. Besides, I've been with him almost every day since he got out of the service, I think he deserves to have a day without me. Don't you? In fact, I need a little space myself."

  Mike shrugged. "Space, huh? Interesting. Personally, I don't think Chad should let you out of his sight."

  Sandy stared into Mike's eyes for a long moment. The jolt it gave her startled her.

  The doctor came out a few minutes later. "She's resting now. We will need to keep her a day or two to make sure she is okay and has no reaction. Does she have parents?"

  "Yeah, I'll take care of notifying them, thanks," Mike assured him.

  "Good. If she hadn't gotten that venom shot, she wouldn't be alright. That was quick thinking. You always have snake venom on you?" The doctor chuckled, giving them the once over.

  "No, but my ranch foreman keeps it handy these days since we do have occasion to need it," Sandy explained.

  The doctor smiled and nodded.

  "I think she'll be fine, keeping her is just a precaution, since we have no history of her here. We just want to make sure she is stabilized and that she doesn't have any reactions to it."

  "Okay, I guess we'll be going. Here's my number if you need to get a hold of me. I'll check on her tomorrow." Mike shook hands with the doctor and motioned for Sandy to go.

  Once they were inside the jeep, Sandy shot him a look. "Okay, where do I take you?"

  "Well, if you don't mind, I'm hungry. Could we go for a pizza or something?" he suggested.

  "Sure." Sandy smiled and pulled out of the hospital parking lot.

  "So…do I take you home after we eat?"

  "Yeah, if you don't mind, you can take me to my apartment," he said as he paid for the pizza and Cokes and they sat at one of the small tables.

  "You have an apartment?" she asked. "I never realized."

  "Yeah…well, my room at home is being renovated," Mike said lowly. "And I really think I'm old enough for my own apartment. Once you move out of your folk's home, it's hard to go back."

  "I know, I moved away for a while myself. It felt funny moving back," Sandy admitted.

  "Why are you all living on the ranch again? I mean, it isn't my business but I did wonder."

  "Letty didn't tell you?"

  "No, but then I never asked her."

  "It was a stipulation in the will. We all had to move back for a year," Sandy explained. "If we wanted to inherit, that is."

  Mike nodded. "I didn't know."

  "Why didn't you ask Letty?" Sandy brows knitted.

  "Because knowing her, she would have told me it wasn't my business."

  "I know your folks give you a hard time about your work." Sandy frowned.

  "Suffice it to say the four of us don't get along in the same house any more. Believe me, it's better this way." The waitress brought the food and Mike didn't hesitate to grab a piece of pizza and stuff it in his mouth. If she didn't know better she'd swear he did it deliberately so he couldn't answer any more questions.

  "I'v
e noticed. Your parents aren't fair at all…" She bit her lip as though ashamed she said anything.

  "Ah Sandy, I'm not into pity parties, okay? Our not getting along isn't a recent thing. It's been that way ever since I refused to go to college."

  "Why? Why didn't you want to go to college?"

  Mike glanced around the pizza place for a minute, and shrugged. "I don't know. I felt I'd grown up a little faster and I didn't want to bum off my parents. Chad had already decided he wanted to go, and my folks really couldn't afford putting us both through school. So I made it easy for them. Besides, by then, I had discovered I enjoyed photography. I began to study it on my own. I did a lay out once of a cattle drive and that got me in with some bigger work."

  "But your parents never accepted you as a photographer. I don't understand why, you make good money. It's a very decent profession."

  His brows knitted. "They have no idea what kind of money I make. And that's okay. I'd never tell them. It would probably shock them. We've really had no occasion for me to tell them. If they ever got in a bind, needed my help, I could help them, but until they do, I'll let them think whatever they want. Besides, I've accepted it. I just don't see things the way they do. I've come to realize that when you grow up, it works that way sometimes. They had expectations of their kids. I let them down. But…it was my choice. I wanted my own life. My independence. I don't need their praise. I know I'm good at what I do. If I wasn't, I couldn't make a living at it. I knew when Chad came home, they would be completely happy, without me. You might say we've outgrown each other. In some families, that's the way it is."

  "I could never outgrow my family. I love them all too much."

  "I can see that. And I’m happy for you. It would be nice if all families were like that, but they aren't."

  They finished their pizza quietly. Then she drove him home.

  His apartment was nice, and very pricy from the looks of it. He invited her in.

  "Wow…" she said as he turned the light on. "I'm impressed and I haven't seen the living room yet," she said as she spotted some very expensive paintings on the hall walls.

  The living room was full of muted browns and beige furnishings. "Did you pick all the furniture out yourself?"

  "I did."

  She went to the kitchen and nodded. "Very nice. I gotta admit I didn't know you were into western, but it fits you somehow. You're a cowboy camera man."

  "Don't tell anyone, but I'm a John Wayne fan and I love the westerns. Don't know where I got that. Maybe my Grandpa. We used to sit and watch John Wayne half the weekends before he died. Come here, let me show you…"

  He guided her into the bedroom which was done in muted rusts and orange. He turned the light on, and she saw the beautiful Remington sculpture on top of his dresser, then above that was an oil of John Wayne. "It looks exactly like him. And that sculpture is breathtaking."

  "Yeah. Good ole John, he was sort of my mentor growing up. Not that he ever knew me or gave me anything, but well, this might sound funny, but I like what he came to stand for in life. His values, they were so…out there. I'm probably boring you…Another thing my parents don't understand, my fascination with the west. I just don't fit a mold and that confuses them."

  "No-No you're not boring me at all. I'm fascinated. It's kind of like seeing a whole other side of you. But you are right; you don't fit a mold, do you?"

  "Want another Coke or something to drink?" he asked.

  "Maybe some water?" she asked.

  He brought her a bottle of water from the fridge and motioned for her to sit down in the living room. "I can't stay long…." she began.

  "Oh, got a hot date?" he asked jokingly.

  "No…how about you?"

  "No, no date."

  "Selma had plans for you tonight." Sandy laughed.

  She sat in the chair and he sat on the couch.

  "Mike…" She looked at him for a second, and blushed. "It's none of my business, but, you've been distant since your brother came home. Is there a reason?"

  "Nothing more than the fact we made a pact very early on not to mess with each other's dates. He sort of claimed you the minute you two met."

  "But you and I were sort of dating when he came home, so he sort of broke that pact, wouldn't you say?" Sandy asked.

  Mike shrugged, and looked away. "We were seeing each other, but I wouldn't call it dating. When you date a girl, you usually kiss her goodnight. I never had that pleasure."

  "You…never took it…" she whispered.

  He stood up and moved away. "I guess you are wondering why. After all, you aren't one of my models. But, Letty didn't want me to hurt you. She knows I have to travel a lot in my business. So she asked me not to get too close, not to get too involved. I agreed. I told her I'd never want to hurt you."

  "Letty…?"

  "Yeah, your sister is very protective. Are they all like that?"

  "Every one of them except maybe Wendy. She's the baby of the family and she has a severe crush on Wade. She doesn't have time to be protective."

  "A crush or love?"

  "If you asked her, she'd say love…" Sandy smiled.

  He nodded.

  "You think my family is protective?" Sandy demanded, coming to stand in front of him.

  "Not just family…Caleb, and most of the ranch hands. I've been warned several times not to hurt a McKay girl, or I'd have them to answer to."

  Sandy's eyes rounded on him. "Good grief. I never imagined."

  Mike almost laughed. "They were just looking out for you…"

  His eyes went over her from a distance, but it was the way he was looking at her that sent a flood of reactions through her.

  Boldly she stood up and came close.

  "Kiss me…" she demanded, suddenly shocking him enough to make him turn toward her and look into her eyes once more. "Please, just once, kiss me…My curiosity has gotten the best of me."

  "Sandy…I don't think this is a good idea…"

  His last words were smothered when she tiptoed to touch her lips to his. The shock sent a gasp into the air, but it was hard to tell from where it came. His arms came around her protectively, slowly, hesitating and then he backed away from her, staring into her eyes. A hand came up to cup her face, as his fingers gently stoked her cheek. "You're adorable when you are confused."

  Then slowly he bent his head and feather touched her lips like a whisper. Soft whispers of kisses as he murmured her name. And then reality faded away as his mouth covered hers and his kisses heated. She felt his muscles tense, his breathing labored, and his arms tightened around her. She smelled the all-male scent of him, of both their scents and the mingling of them. But more than anything, she felt a heaven in his arms she'd never known existed before. She could feel herself melting into him, first her lips, and then her body sought the strength of his. He cradled her in his arms, continuing to drink the sweetness of the moment. When they came up for air, their eyes locked onto each other, as passion overrode good sense.

  He didn't turn her loose, but held her at a distance so he could see into her eyes. He had unknowingly lit a fire inside her, and she moved to get closer.

  She tiptoed again to press her open mouth to his.

  She heard his groan. This time the kisses changed. This time he took full control. This time his tongue slid inside her mouth and danced against hers. Sandy swooned, unaware her body was responding as much as her lips. Her breast pushed hard against him and she gasped once for breath, and then he recaptured her mouth fully and tasted her.

  His lips slid to her ear where his breath lingered against her there sending a shockwave of reaction through Sandy and she nearly went limp in his arms. "I think I better stop…" he breathed into her ear. "Before I can't."

  Alarms went off in her head. "What am I doing?" she gasped as though coming out of some dream she'd been indulging. She wasn't mad, or afraid, she was startled, by her own needs announcing themselves. Startled at the craving inside her for more.

  She
pulled away and stared into his face. "My God…we almost made love," she uttered.

  "Sandy…" His eyes searched hers for answers. "Forgive me…"

  "I have to go now….I'm sorry!" she nearly shouted.

  "Yeah, I guess you better," he quipped, his face filled with an emotion she couldn't name.

  But as she reached the front door she turned to look at him. "We didn't do anything wrong, did we…?"

  "No, honey." His breathing was still labored as he spoke. His composure still unsure. "We didn't do anything wrong…"

  She smiled sadly. "Goodnight."

  "Night."

  Chapter Four

  "I kissed him!" Sandy blurted as she stormed up the stairs to the bedroom, and into Letty's room still a little stunned by her own brazen actions.

  "Who?" Letty asked turning to stare at her. Letty had on her pajamas and had her bed turned back.

  "Mike!"

  "Mike?" Letty smiled. "Well, I'll be. I figured you'd already done that. So how was it?"

  Sandy stared at her, wide eyed. "I kissed Mike, and you ask me how it was?" she screeched.

  "Calm down, Sandy. Yes, I mean you are just now kissing the guy. You dated him for months. I can't believe you waited so long." Letty laughed.

  "It's not funny. You told him not to hurt me. He told you he wouldn't get involved. I'm engaged to his brother. Remember?" Sandy shrieked. "And you warned Mike not to touch me, didn't you?"

  "I did, and I do?"

  "Very funny. I drove him and Selma to the hospital after the snake bite, then Mike and I went and got something to eat. After that I took him home. Did you know he has an apartment?"

  "Snake bite? You got bit?" Letty shrieked looking her up and down with a wild eyed stare.

  "Selma, the model he was working with."