To Tame a Texas Cowboy

by Julie Benson

  “I plan to talk to her about filling out an application tonight,” Cooper said. “It’s no big deal. We’re roommates the way Zane and I were at A&M.”

  Ty and AJ burst out laughing. In fact, they laughed so long and hard they ended up holding their stomachs.

  “What’s so damn funny?” Cooper snapped.

  “You never looked at Zane the way you look at Cheyenne,” Ty said.

  “If you think you can treat her like a roommate, you’re crazy,” AJ added.

  “You idiots are seeing the world through rose-colored-in-love glasses. But it’s all business between Cheyenne and me at the house and the clinic,” Cooper insisted.

  “The clinic?” his friends asked in unison.

  Cooper closed his eyes and cursed himself for letting that detail slip. Now he was in for the business.

  “You gave her a job? Bad move, pal.” Ty shook his head in horror.

  Cooper explained how Mrs. Whitten hovered over Cheyenne and her behavior was driving her daughter crazy. “When she started harping how Cheyenne couldn’t be alone all day, I threw out she’d be working in the clinic.”

  “Ty’s right, Coop. Bad move.”

  “I needed someone to replace Joanne King, and Cheyenne needs a job. It makes sense.”

  “That’s how you get snagged, being worried about a woman. You’re in trouble now,” AJ teased.

  Ty patted his back in male sympathy. “He’s right. That’s exactly how it started with Cassie. I was worried about her and Ella making ends meet. When I gave Cassie a job running the Bluebonnet Inn, it was all downhill from there.”

  “This is different. Sure, I’m concerned about Cheyenne, but I’d be worried about anyone in her situation. Plus, hiring her saves me the time of finding someone. All things considered it was the logical, expedient thing to do.”

  “How many times do you think you’ll have to say that before you believe it?”

  “Very funny, AJ.” Cooper ignored the little voice in his head insisting his friend was right. “I’ve got everything under control.”

  AJ turned to Ty. “Twenty bucks says in six months Cooper and Cheyenne will be living together.”

  “No way,” Cooper snapped.

  There couldn’t be anything else between them. With getting the SeizureReader into production and taking over Dr. King’s practice, the last complication he needed was a romantic relationship, much less one with a woman who had medical problems. Been there. Done that. Threw away the T-shirt after coming out worse for the wear and losing the only woman he’d ever loved.

  Ty rubbed his chin and looked Cooper up and down. “I’ll take that bet, but I don’t think it’ll take six months. Not with them working together. I say four.”

  “That’s it. You’re not betting on my love life.”

  “Okay,” both friends said in unison.

  “I recognize the old we’ll-finalize-the-bet-later-and-won’t-tell-him look. Don’t even think about it.”

  “You say you’ve got it under control, but the way you look at Cheyenne says it’s anything but.”

  Cooper turned to Ty for support. “Tell AJ he’s seeing things.”

  Instead of complying, Ty flashed him a stupid grin. Cooper frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “Being in love has rotted both your brains.”

  “Coop never gets this ticked,” AJ said. “We hit a sore spot.”

  “He reminds me of us when we first met two certain females. We both did a lot of denying then, too.”

  No. His friends were imagining things. Sure, Cheyenne was a fine-looking woman, and her emerald-green eyes looked straight into a man’s soul and held on tighter than a burr to a horse’s tail, but he didn’t look at her differently than any attractive woman.

  What about the protective feelings churning your insides whenever she’s around? Then there’s how you stepped in when her mother was riding her case and offered her a job. What about all that?

  I’d have done the same thing if she’d been a man.

  Now that’s the biggest pile of shit you’ve ever shoveled.

  “I’ll take that bet,” Cooper said, his voice filled with resolve. “Double or nothing against you two. I say in four months my relationship with Cheyenne won’t be any different than it is today.”

  *

  Later that night as Cooper stood on the porch with Cheyenne waving goodbye to his friends, a sense of how homey the situation was settled around him, making him decidedly nervous. Rowdy at his feet, Penny curled up beside Cheyenne’s, nothing but chirping crickets, the wind rustling the leaves and the occasional jingle of dog tags broke the country silence. The awkwardness around them grew, and they weren’t even in the house. He’d been uncomfortable with the other couples around, but this was worse.

  Other couples? Back that train up. He and Cheyenne were not a couple.

  The wind shifted, sending a waft of Cheyenne’s lavender mint scent over him. His pulse jumped. Dang. Zane never smelled like that. A cold sweat broke out on Cooper’s forehead, and he resisted the urge to swipe away the wetness.

  If it weren’t for Cheyenne, he’d feel as if he’d come home. He’d always imagined living on a place like this, but he’d gotten sidetracked. The story of his life. When exactly had that happened? Had it been when he and Olivia started planning a future together? While she hadn’t minded them having a few acres, she preferred the suburbs or city and had wanted to stay close to Houston and her family.

  But standing on the traditional southern front porch staring at the fields spread out in front of him, the closest houses dots on the horizon, Cooper’s old dreams rose within him.

  “I’ve always wanted a porch like this. One that looked over the countryside where I could sit and think or unwind at the end of the day. A place where the only noises are cows mooing, crickets, cicadas, and an occasional truck on the gravel road.”

  A place of sanctuary he could share with someone he loved.

  The image of him and Cheyenne settled in a worn, comfortable porch swing watching the East Texas sky turn from blue to dusty rose and then darken with the coming night as they talked about their day’s struggles and successes floated over him.

  What was wrong with him? He barely knew Cheyenne, and from what he’d seen so far, she brought chaos with her wherever she went.

  Maybe you could use a little chaos in your life.

  Not good, and in too many ways to count.

  “Cassie said you’re from Houston, but you don’t seem like a city boy,” Cheyenne said breaking the awkward silence.

  “I’m the family oddball.” In more ways than she could image. “My maternal grandfather was a rancher. When he married, his wife didn’t want to live in the country, so they moved to Houston.”

  “So you’ve got a bit of him in you, huh?”

  Good old Grandpa Floyd. Lord, he missed that man. “Sure do. I’ve always wanted to live in the country and be a small-town vet. What about you?”

  “Barrel racing’s pretty much all I thought of doing, but that doesn’t mean I won’t pull my weight around here. How should we split the household chores? What do you think would be a fair amount for me to pay for rent, utilities, and food?”

  “Hey, slow down. Give me a chance to catch my breath before you fire off that many questions.”

  She blushed the prettiest shade of pink at his playful scolding. “Sorry, I’m anxious to get started on everything.”

  “You’re not the only one that’s restless.” He nodded at Rowdy now chasing his tail a few feet away. “How about the four of us explore the clinic since we see clients Monday?”

  “We’re seeing animals this Monday? As in the day after tomorrow? I didn’t think I’d start so soon.”

  “Dr. King had to reschedule patients when he broke his hip because I had to give notice. I could push folks back a bit, but I risk losing clients if I do.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re worried people won’t like the new kid?”

  “When someone takes
over a practice, a few clients always leave, but this is a small, tight-knit community, and I’m an outsider. Worse yet, I’m a city vet.”

  Cheyenne grinned in a saucy way that made him want to smile in return, even though he knew she was about to give him the business. “You know you’re the only vet in town, right?”

  He tried to scowl but ended up grinning instead. “It’s not that far to Kilgore or Canton if people aren’t happy.”

  “I’m not sure I’ll be ready Monday.”

  Cooper shook his head and folded his arms across his chest, deciding to have a little fun teasing her. “You haven’t even started work and you’re already complaining. We need to have a serious talk about your attitude.”

  Chapter Eight

  Cheyenne froze. Now she’d done it. She’d ticked off Cooper. She should’ve kept her thoughts to herself, but when he said they’d see patients Monday, her nerves kicked in. Took over, really. Dang, she had to stop letting her mouth race ahead of her brain. That always got her into trouble.

  Maybe if she brazened it out or acted as if she’d been joking, she’d get through this. “My attitude? What about a boss who wants an employee to start work the same day she moves, and on a weekend? Let’s discuss hours and overtime.”

  “Overtime? How can you get overtime before you put in any time?”

  “You may have a valid point,” she admitted. His posture softened, and the corners of his lips curled the tiniest bit. Caught up in the fun of sparring with him because her competitive spirit ran deep and true, she couldn’t stop herself. “But there’s the fact that you’re asking me to work after five on Saturday.”

  “Dang, you’re different from every female I’ve known. Most women would’ve insisted what they’d first said didn’t come out right and apologized for being testy. They’d blame it on today being a long day and ask to start fresh in the morning, but not you. Nope, you come at me with both barrels.”

  “Thanks for the compliment.”

  Cooper shook his head again and chuckled. “Talk about competitive. I bet you always need to have the last word.”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Even with your boss?”

  “Could be.”

  “If I keep going will we be at this all night?”

  “Yup.”

  “I give.”

  “Good thing.”

  Laughter bubbled out of him, deep and full, and she found herself joining in. Some of the stress she’d carried like a cranky toddler since returning to Wishing rolled off her, leaving her feeling lighter and more like herself.

  “Fine. No work discussion tonight.” Cooper nodded toward the front door. “I should unpack boxes, but I don’t want to. I hate moving.”

  “Have you moved a lot?”

  “Not as much as AJ. He was an Air Force brat, but we moved a couple times when I was a kid.”

  Considering what she’d heard about his family, she wondered if he’d lived in a McMansion in some ritzy Houston neighborhood.

  “If you want to avoid unpacking, we could train Penny and you could teach us about the SeizureReader.”

  “Deal,” Cooper said as they headed inside.

  While he dug into his computer bag on the kitchen table, she and the dogs got comfortable in the living room. When he joined them, he held a device resembling an iWatch and a small box resembling the Staples’s Easy Button. She stared at the items, still not believing the gadgets could make a difference for seizure patients, but she was willing to play along if it kept her out of her mom’s house. “So, this is the SeizureReader? I expected something bigger.”

  “The size and its ability to collect an amazing amount of data on what happens to your body during a seizure makes it different from everything else on the market.”

  He placed the device on her wrist and fastened it into place. When his fingers brushed against her sensitive skin, the jolt racing through her at his slight contact was anything but simple. Dang. She could start an energy company with this much electricity.

  She jumped away, her jerky movements startling Penny and Rowdy. The dogs peered at her as if wondering what the heck her problem was. Cheyenne patted Penny’s head and tossed her a cut-me-a-break look. Hey, you’d jump too if a man’s touch lit you up hotter than the Texas sun in July.

  Barely under control despite the added distance between her and Cooper, she asked, “Is that the button thing we need to train Penny to press?”

  He nodded. “The device you wear monitors your vitals during the seizure. If anything appears abnormal or if the seizure hasn’t stopped after four minutes, an alarm sounds. The service dog is trained to press the emergency alert button when she hears it. Doing so notifies first responders and your emergency contact.”

  For the next half hour or so Cooper worked with Cheyenne, showing her how to train Penny using a clicker and treats. By the end of their first session, Penny had the task down. When she heard the SeizureReader’s alarm she trotted over and pressed the large button situated on the hearth.

  “Do dogs always catch on this quick?”

  Cooper shook his head.

  “Not that I want to have a seizure, but after all you’ve done for me, I hope the data helps. When do you think you could go into production?”

  He shrugged. “I suppose I should check with Tucker about the investors.”

  “Yeah, I’d say that was a smart idea.”

  He knew he should touch base with Tucker, but he’d enjoyed the short reprieve from the investor politics, and he’d experienced a renewed energy he hadn’t felt in years. “I’ll shoot him an email when things settle down at the clinic. I don’t want to mess this up. Nothing like stepping into a community icon’s shoes for pressure.” He tried to fill his voice with humor, but his effort fell short.

  “You’ll do fine. Penny’s a great judge of character, and she thinks you’re pretty special. Everyone else will see that too.”

  “What do you think?”

  “I’d say you’re one of the good guys.”

  Her compliment, said in a slightly husky voice with a sparkle in her eyes, sent ripples of interest darting through him.

  Though he dated a time or two since Olivia died, he’d never met anyone who triggered his desire. Until Cheyenne. And he’d felt a spark the moment she’d walked up to their table in The Horseshoe. Originally, he’d attributed it to being sex starved and spending too much time around AJ and Grace, who burst into flames when they came within twenty feet of each other. But now Cooper admitted something about Cheyenne stirred his long absent interest.

  But what should he do about it?

  Penny whining cut through his thoughts. When the dog’s behavior failed to gain Cheyenne’s attention, she pawed at her boots. Damn. There was the other sign. “Cheyenne, Penny’s showing alerting behavior.”

  Cheyenne’s pupils dilated, and her eyes became glassy. A flush spread across her concerned face as she wiped her hands on her jeans. “Oh, Lord. I’m going to have a seizure? I jinxed it. I have got to stop saying that word. Bruiser and I will both have an s-word people are forbidden to use around us. Got it?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “What should I do. Should I lay down? Can I sit?”

  “Do whatever makes you comfortable because you could have a seizure in a few minutes, an hour or even later. There’s no way to know, but Penny, Rowdy, and I will keep you company.”

  “That’s not very helpful.” Cheyenne’s wide eyes and her fear-filled voice tugged at him. Needing to ease her concerns, he placed a hand on her arm and led her to the couch. Penny trotted beside them and settled at her feet. “So, I sit here like I’m a bomb waiting to explode?”

  “Has your doctor said to take additional meds if you feel a seizure coming on?”

  She shook her head.

  “Then there’s nothing to do but relax. My guess is after Penny alerts a few times you’ll know how long you have before the seizure starts.”

  “Again, not much help right now.”
Her booted foot tapped in nervousness. “This is so hard. When I’m nervous I want to move and burn off energy. I ride or hike. I hate sitting here. Maybe if I lay down.”

  She swung her feet on the couch. Cooper grabbed a love me, love my dog pillow off the nearby arm chair and placed it under Cheyenne’s head. Her hands plastered against her side, her knees locked, her booted toes pointing toward the ceiling, she looked as if she was stretched out on a board. He moved to the opposite end of the couch and started tugging off her right boot.

  She popped up like a prairie dog from its den. “You don’t have to do that. I can take off my own boots.”

  She tried to shove his hand away, but he stayed put. “This brings back memories of freshman year pulling a senior’s boots.”

  “What?”

  “You know about Aggie senior boots, right?”

  She glared at him as if he’d asked a stupid question. “Raised in Texas, too, you know.”

  He set her right boot on the floor and worked on its mate. “Seniors hollered for a fish, and any freshmen around had to come pull off their boots.”

  “Are the boots that hard to take off or are seniors that lazy?”

  Cooper chuckled and placed her left boot beside the right. “I refuse to answer because it may incriminate me. Instead I’ll go with it’s tradition.”

  “That standard Aggie answer comes in mighty handy, doesn’t it?”

  “Every once in a while, yeah.” He settled onto the floor by Cheyenne’s feet as memories of fish year washed over him. The year had been tough, but it gave him the best friends he could ask for. “Something about surviving freshman year cements a friendship like nothing else. No matter what the problem, how long it’s been, or how deep the shit is, my corps buddies will be there to help dig me out.”

  “I can’t imagine having friends like that. Aubrey’s my only close friend.”

  “What about on the rodeo circuit?”

  “There were a couple people I would’ve said were friends two months ago, but now I realize being on the circuit only made it seem that way.” Cheyenne picked at the seam of the couch cushion. Then, obviously uncomfortable with her fidgeting, she folded her hands on her stomach. A brave grin spilled across her face and she lifted her arm with the SeizureReader around her wrist. “I just thought of some good news. You’ll get your first data.”