Her fingers probing, the woman made her evaluation. Deciding she needed some X-rays, she instructed, “Bailey, I need you to wait outside. Only for a minute,” she grinned at the girl’s displeased countenance.
Obeying, Bailey made her way down the road to the Cross home, where she let the momma dog out, and gave her fresh food and water. Then slipping up stairs, she gathered clean and dry clothing for Caleb, and returned to the med center, where she found him sitting on the table, while Kathy wrapped his ribs in brown strips of cloth.
“Well?” she demanded loudly.
“Cracked ribs,” the man supplied, eyeing her bundle, “Those for me?”
“Yes,” she grinned sheepishly. “I took care of the dog, too.”
“Nice,” he flinched, “Easy there, lady.”
“Just sit still,” she continued to prod him with practiced hands, “You’re a lucky man, Caleb Cross,” her eyes flicked over at the girl, “On two counts, I think.” Finished with the dressing, she instructed him to stand so she could inspect him, which he complied on shaky limbs.
“Alright,” she gave her assessment a few minutes later, “You’re off duty for at least forty-eight hours. Go home and get some rest, and if you have any new symptoms, no matter how small, you get me immediately. We’re a long way from a real hospital, and timing will be critical if this turns out to be anything worse.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he agreed, reaching for the fresh clothing, “Any chance I could get a ride home?” His blue eyes wide, he hated to ask the girl to walk all the way to the ranch house to retrieve their vehicle, but there wasn’t any other option. “I don’t think the cart will be enough power in the snow…”
“Not at all!” she volunteered readily. “Get dressed, and I’ll be back shortly with the Jeep.” Darting out the door once more, she jogged through the knee to thigh high drifts the best she could, thoroughly exhausted by the time she reached the Wrangler and climbed inside.
Easing the vehicle over the path, she arrived back at the med center and helped him climb into the passenger seat. “It hurts,” she stated flatly, noting the lines drawn deeply into his face.
“Yeah,” he agreed with a pant, “But I’m alive.”
His words caused her eyes to sting, and she blinked rapidly as she slid behind the wheel. Parking next to the back door a few minutes later, she helped him out and up the back steps. Getting him settled on the couch, she wiped at the drops that had escaped and moistened her lashes.
Catching her hand, he grinned up at her, preventing her escape, “It’s ok, Bailey. Really, I’m fine.”
Staring into his clear blue orbs, she let the flood gates swing wide, the tears streaming down her flushed cheeks, “I was so scared!”
“I know,” he pulled at her, working her legs to either side of his hips so that she straddled him, sitting in his lap in a completely awkward and suggestive position. Their faces only inches apart, he ran his hands up and down her back, soothing her while she tried to stem the flow, “I guess you’re not really my best friend anymore.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” she sniffled.
His grin slow, like a morning sunrise, it spread across his face and warmed her heart, “I think we’re beyond that now,” he professed. Pulling her to him, his lips touched her gently, suctioning lightly to hers for a moment before he parted them, allowing his tongue to explore and taste her more fully.
Beginning to tremble, Bailey settled into the affectionate act, the lump pressing into her groin adding fuel to her fire. Lifting her mouth, “Oh my God, Caleb,” she breathed, her fingers pushing through his short blond strands. Placing her cheek against his, her chest contracted, forcing her breaths into eager pants.
“Easy, little bit,” he grasped her ribs a moment later, manipulating a small space between their bodies, before his hands slid up to brush briefly across her mounds, “We need to keep a lid on this. At least for the time being.”
Staring at him, his words hardly made sense, “Why?”
“Because you promised, that’s why,” he leaned forward, ignoring the pain the movement produced, to nuzzle her neck, “An’ when I’m all better, I’m gonna have you,” his warm air tickled her flesh, “An’ it’s gonna be perfect.”
His words sent shivers down her spine, his hands on her only adding to the blaze that had begun to burn, the moist heat growing urgent where their bodies remained pressed together.
“Oh, shit,” she breathed, biting at his ear, fingers still filled with hair she pulled on firmly, “I want you, Caleb! Do you have any idea how long or how badly?”
Releasing her, he slid his hands along her arms, clasping her fingers to free his head from her grasp, “Yeah, baby, I know! But it’s not time yet.” He pushed her back, overpowering her resistance. “We’ll get the chance, don’t worry,” he studied her green pools intently, “I said don’t worry. I’m gonna have you; jus’ not today.”
Giving her a firm shove, he pushed her off of him, feeling torn the moment the cool air covered his lap where she had been sitting. It would have been so easy to let go of those ideals and strip her down right then and there. But we’ve waited too long to give it up now, he reminded himself once more. Peering up at her disappointed features, he half smiled, “Make me sumthin’ to eat?”
Her hand grazing his jaw, she grinned at the roughness of his stubble, her raw need still raging inside. Blinking at him a few times, she knew in her heart that he was right, and they should wait, but her body’s desire to be taken made it so hard to comply. A full minute later, she whispered, “Call me baby again.”
“What?” he stammered, thrown off by the odd request.
“Call me baby,” she demanded a little more firmly, “It’s the first nickname you’ve given me that I actually like,” her grin spread wide, exposing her perfect white teeth.
“Fix me some grub please, baby,” his smile matched hers, his hand caressing her rear end while she leaned towards him.
“Ok,” she agreed quietly, bending to give him a peck on the lips before retreating to the safety of the kitchen.
Last But Not Least
Bailey stood at the sink cleaning up her mess when her uncle came in through the back door. “How is he?” the slender man demanded without preamble.
“He’s good,” she smiled slightly, “He’s resting on the couch. What the hell happened, anyways?”
“He’s inexperienced, that’s what,” her uncle countered, “He got his load in a bind, an’ when it snapped, the rig went over with him in the driver’s seat. Damn lucky he wasn’t crushed.”
The girl shivered at his description, “How’s the gate?”
“Finished,” Peter pulled off his jacket, moving into the next room, “You able to get around?” he raised his voice anxiously, taking in the lanky male sprawled across the sofa.
“Yeah, I can get around,” Caleb countered, pulling himself into an upright position with pain creases etched in his rugged features, “Kathy said I’m on bed rest for forty-eight hours, though.”
“Alright, well you can rest as soon as we get you down to the ranch house. We’re gonna hold a meeting, an’ you two need to be present,” he held out his hand to hoist the younger man to his feet.
Hearing her uncle’s words, Bailey’s gut twisted into knots. What if they know what transpired between us? Or had almost transpired, at any rate. Would they be upset? Anxious they wanted to pass judgement upon her, she inquired quietly, “Should I be worried?”
Peter stared at the girl, his jaw hanging open slightly as he considered her guilty expression. Casting the glare over to Caleb, he shrugged, “Not unless you have something to tell me that I don’t know about.”
The couple exchanged a hurried glance, and the young man grinned, fighting to pull on his coat, “Ignore her,” he instructed, “She just figured out we’re more than friends.”
Her face flushed instantly at the accusation, “Hey, that’s not right!”
“See?” the tall blo
nd continued to smile, “She’s off again.”
A loud woosh of air escaped her lips while she struggled with her options. Pressing her lips together firmly, she scowled, turning her attention to the dogs for the moment and making sure they would be comfortable while they were away. “Are we coming back here tonight?”
“Yeah,” Pete supplied, chuckling quietly in amusement, “Soon as the meeting is over and you’ve had dinner, you two can come back down here with the rest of the Cross clan, if you like.”
Her eyes on fire, she spit angrily, “Well, I am after all looking after the momma and her pups. Not to mention Caleb,” she shoved her hands into the sleeves of her jacket forcefully. “That’d be the only reason I would need to be here, and not in my own bed, since I’m not actually part of the Cross clan.”
“Yeah, it’s fine,” the younger man sidled up to her, close enough to touch, but resisting the temptation, “Don’ get all in a huff.”
“I’m not in a huff,” she struggled to calm her breathing, adjusting her cap before she went outside to get into their Jeep, “You need help getting in?” she demanded outside.
“Naw, I got it,” he gripped the frame for a moment while lifting a stiff leg into the passenger floorboard. Once the doors were closed, he watched her relation climb into his own vehicle and head down the road. “Have you ever had a boyfriend?” he asked quietly as she cranked the engine and allowed it to idle for a moment.
Not answering right away, she puffed warm air into her glove covered palms, rubbing her hands together firmly while longing for a waterproof pair. Looking at him with her peripheral, she could see he stared at her straight on. Her shoulders drooping, she sighed loudly, “Only Ked,” she confessed in a small voice.
“Ked,” he repeated crisply, “An’ how long were you an’ Ked a couple?”
Turning to look him in the eye, her mouth hung wide open, aware he didn’t know who she was talking about. “Only a few weeks,” she swallowed visibly. “Ked’s the guy you beat up. The one who attacked me.”
His eyes growing wide, he ignored the ache that had begun to grow from his awkward position in the seat, “You’re kidding me! That asshole is the only guy you ever dated?”
“Yes,” she sniffed, blinking quickly and turning back to the wheel, ending the conversation by putting the car in reverse and backing out.
Allowing her to maneuver the vehicle in peace, Caleb’s mind raced; oh my God, she has less relationship experience than I do! He had always thought living in the tiny community had put him at a disadvantage in that department. While they passed slowly in front of the greenhouse, he asked in a hushed tone, “Why didn’t you ever date anyone?”
“Because my mother didn’t want me to,” she stated flatly, “And I always did what my mother wanted. Exactly how, without question. She wanted me to stay a virgin, and go to college, and get a good career started before I had anything to do with boys.”
“Is that why,” he grimaced, “Why you’ve never been with anyone?”
Blinking back more drops of sadness, she demanded loudly, “Do we really have to talk about this?” They had pulled up behind the other vehicles, and she threw the shifter into park.
“Well, we don’ have t’ talk about it right this second, but eventually, we’re gonna need t’ clear the air about this.”
She sighed loudly, “Ok, have your say. What’s wrong with you being my first boyfriend?”
“I thought Ked was your first,” he corrected.
“He doesn’t count,” her voice grew loud, “I only dated him because I thought it would piss my uncle off… and he would send me home.” Her confession took the wind out of her sails, and she felt defeated. “You’re the only guy I’ve ever been interested in.” Her eyes slanted over to take in his features in the dim light of the setting sun. “There were always boys who asked, but no one I wanted to be with.”
“I won’ be your secret lover,” he stated calmly. “If you wanna be my girl, you need t’ be willing t’ go public.”
Her tongue giving off an odd clicking noise of disgust, Bailey could feel the knot of terror in her gut, “You mean you want everyone to know we’re together?”
“Yeah,” he replied almost before she finished speaking, “If you’re ready for us t’ be bumpin’ uglies, you’re ready t’ hold my hand in front of other people. Otherwise, there won’t be none o’ that goin’ on!”
“Fine!” she blew up, wafting her hand towards the windows, where a few faces peered out at them, “Then I’m glad we didn’t get too carried away today,” she spat angrily, exiting the vehicle and leaving him to figure out how he was going to get inside.
Stomping through the front door, the girl pulled off her hat and gloves, eager to make a plate, and sit with my brothers. The thought had formed before she could stop it, and a fresh wave of tears filled her eyes. Unwilling to wipe them away, she turned and headed up the stairs, making it into their room and taking a seat on the lower bunk.
Allowing her drops of sadness to coat her cheeks, Bailey crossed her arms and rocked back and forth for several minutes before she realized a male form watched her from the shadows of the hall. “What are you doing?” she demanded loudly.
“Are you not gonna eat?” Caleb asked softly, moving more into the light and leaning against the frame.
“I’m not really hungry.”
Daring to move farther in, he nodded, “Yeah, me neither.”
Instantly, her eyes shot up to glare at him, “Yes you are! You need to eat, to keep up your strength so you can get better!”
Chuckling quietly, Caleb took a seat on the mattress next to her, “You’re funny, you know that?”
Ignoring the jab, she looked away, “I’d really like to be alone right now.”
Raising his right hand, he traced her hairline with his fingers, pushing the long strands behind her ear, “Don’t be scared, baby. I’m not gonna hurt you.”
Her lips puckered at his term of endearment, “My family was never close, Caleb,” she confessed. “We never gave hugs, or shared time together. I don’t know that I ever even saw my parents kiss one another,” she continued, cutting her eyes over at him. “I’m not sure if I can be who you want me to be. I’m tired of being what everyone else wants.”
“What do you want?”
She blinked at him, her mind turning how he made her feel; how he had always made her feel. “I liked being best friends,” she sighed, “I’ve never had that. I’m scared if things change, you really won’t be anymore.”
“I’ll always be your best friend, little bit,” his white teeth flashed, “If things move t’ the next step, it jus’ means more. Not less.”
“Are you sure?” she caught his hand, entwining his fingers with her own, “And what are all your friends and family going to think? About us…” her voice quavered at the uncertainty. “You know they don’t like me.”
“Bailey, they already know,” he stated flatly. He stared at her, waiting for her response, until he realized she didn’t have one. “Baby, everyone sees the way we are together. Yeah, we’re best friends. But we’ve been somethin’ more for months now. Even before we went back t’ Midland.”
“No we haven’t,” she gasped, wanting desperately to deny she could be that transparent. Realizing she had been toying with the idea for months, she sighed loudly. “Ok, you’re right. But it scares me. I’m not used to allowing people to get close to me, especially in public,” she confessed.
He laughed again, standing and pulling her up with him, “It’s ok, little bit. We’ll take it slow, ok? Everyone else may be used t’ the idea, but I think you need time to adjust.”
Squeezing his hand, she blinked up at him, “So what do I do?”
“Jus’ act naturally,” he traced her jaw with his free digits, “An’ stop gettin’ all booty hurt when someone points it out. If you feel like you need to deny somethin’, take a deep breath. You’re not foolin’ anyone when you do. Except yourself,” he grinned again, droppi
ng his mouth to taste her briefly. “We need t’ get downstairs,” he said softly, “So we can find out what this meeting’s about.”
Retaining his hold on her, he led her to the stairs, where they descended side by side. Arriving at the bottom, she surveyed the group, all of the adults having taken seats around the living room while the remainder of the children cleaned up the kitchen and stayed out of sight. Her palm growing sweaty pressed against his, Bailey resisted the urge to tear her digits away; breathe, she commanded, don’t deny.
“Well, now that everyone’s accounted for,” their matriarch began, “I guess it’s time we discussed how we’re gonna handle this situation.”
Bailey stiffened, and Caleb gave her a squeeze.
“As you all know, some o’ our family ’re still trapped over in Pouty. An’ some o’ our family’s been killt by those bastards!” her voice grew loud, “An’ I, for one, ain’ gonna stand for it!”
“Easy, mom,” John Cross got to his feet, “No one here’s denyin’ that we gotta get our people back. But there’s a smart way t’ go about this, an’ startin’ a war with our closest neighbors ain’t a good way t’ go about it.”
“They started the war,” Peter piped up, “Tasing us and taking all our supplies was bad enough, but they killed some of our men. That’s unforgivable.”
“Well then, we need t’ be crafty,” the other man allowed, “T’ be honest, I’s surprised they didn’t show up over here today, after what took place last night.”
Bailey twitched at the comment, and Caleb released her hand, opting to put his arm around her instead, while he pointed out quietly, “No one’s actually said what you did to them.” He drew a deep breath, wincing at the sharp stab of pain the action produced, “Well?”
The two older men exchanged a glance, “We got out,” Pete clarified. “Some of them were killed in the process. And we burned one of their buildings; their jail house,” he concluded while staring at the floor in front of him.
“Oh, shit!” Bailey could feel her gut tighten, “And you didn’t think they might hurt those who hadn’t gotten away in retaliation?”
The Irrevocable Series Boxed Set Page 40