by BJ Wane
“How is she?” he asked when Roz finished checking Mona over.
“She sounds and feels good. It’s safe now, and beneficial, to increase her food intake. Her stomach has expanded enough to accommodate larger amounts, and she could use the calories.”
“I’ll do that.” Drake watched her move to the colt and run her hands over the small, frail body. “At least she’s well enough to produce enough milk for his appetite.”
“He’s going to be a stunning stallion. The contrast between his tan coat and black mane and tail is gorgeous. Have you named him yet?”
Drake imagined those soft hands running over his body, then swore at his weakness. “Rocky. He’s a fighter, like his momma.”
“That he is. Your family is nice,” she tossed out without glancing around.
“I tolerate them,” he drawled. “Are you sticking around for the cookout?”
He didn’t want her to but couldn’t very well tell her not to go. And he sure as hell planned to stick around to defuse any matchmaking plans Aislyn and Olivia might come up with. Regardless of the unrelenting lust Roz’s presence sent pounding through his body, stirring up his wolf, there was no future for him with his mate. Succumbing to a close bond like that meant risking unleashing an uncontrollable surge of protectiveness if she were ever threatened, a risk he vowed never to take after the rage he’d turned on his captors.
Roz tucked her stethoscope into the bag, picked it up and strode over to him, a small smile playing around her lips as she patted his arm. “Yes, but don’t fret, Drake. It’s you I want, not either of your hunky brothers.”
Her featherlight touch on his bare arm sent a stream of hot need thrumming through his veins. Without thinking, he snatched her wrist, yanking her against him, the hard tips of her soft breasts searing his chest.
“You’re playing with fire, baby. Be careful you don’t get burned.”
Leaning into him, a wicked light entered her sky-blue eyes as she nipped his chin. “A little heat never hurt anyone.”
Swearing under his breath, he released her and pivoted, tossing over his shoulder, “I’ll drive you over. Give me ten minutes.”
****
As Drake stormed out, Roz turned and stroked Mona’s head. “He wants me. I can wait him out, at least until Patty gets close to making good on her threat to see me pay for Dean’s condition. If he doesn’t come around by then, I might have to come up with a Plan B.”
She waited fifteen minutes, enjoying spending time with the new mother and baby. When the truck’s powerful engine roared to life followed by an impatient honk, she strolled outside with her heart thumping in anticipation. What was it about the attitude-ridden rancher she found so irresistible? At first, she’d thought her limited time frame to fulfill her fantasies accounted for her attraction, but that didn’t explain her growing obsession with the man. Yes, she liked his gentle care of Mona, the attention he’d given the mistreated horse, and the softening of his granite features as he’d tried calming the mare’s fears during the difficult birth. But she’d wanted to jump his bones the moment she’d set eyes on him across a crowded bar, without ever talking to him.
Go figure.
The passenger door was open and Roz gave Drake a wide smile as she grabbed hold of the hand pull. Before she could hoist herself onto the high seat, he reached over, grasped her upper arms in a gentle grip, and hauled her up. For several seconds, she found herself suspended by his hands, wondering if she should fear the feral gleam in his eyes, then she landed on the seat and missed the warmth of his hold and the comfort it gave her.
Shaking her head at her fanciful, quicksilver thoughts, she said the first thing that crossed her mind. “I hope you open your mind to a short affair soon, Drake, or I might have to give up and set my sights on someone else.”
He’d just gotten rolling and slammed on the brakes to glare at her. “What?”
“You heard me. I don’t know how long I’ll be here, so I can’t wait forever.”
“We just met last night.”
Cocking her head, she regarded him with humor, the displeasure in his tone another clue he wasn’t immune to her. “And your point would be?”
Resuming the drive, he looked out the windshield. “Cute, Roz.”
She shrugged. “You never know what tomorrow will bring, so you shouldn’t waste today. My aunt was fond of saying that.”
“Sounds like you were close to her. What’s your name short for, Rozanne?”
“I hope not.” She put on the seatbelt, going along with the change in subject. “My mother died when I was young, around three, and if it’s short for anything, she never said, or I don’t recall.”
“I’m sorry. That must have been rough.”
She never imagined him the compassionate sort with people, but there was no denying the sympathy in his rough voice. “Not really. My aunt took me in, and it’s Deandra I considered both my mother and big sister until she passed away three years ago.” The heartbreak and loneliness of her aunt’s sudden death from a blood clot was why she’d latched onto Dean so fast, before waiting for deep feelings to develop. At the time, his attention and sex had been enough to keep the pain at bay.
As they neared a sprawling ranch house, Roz eyed the small herd of black cattle grazing in the pastureland behind it. This time, she instigated the change of subject away from painful memories, pointing toward two cows lying down. “Although cows can sleep standing up, they only dream lying down.”
Pulling to a stop, he cut the engine and swiveled to face her with a speculative look, his expression mild for a change. “Is that so? You’re just full of random information about animals, aren’t you?”
Opening the door, she flashed him a quick grin. “Researching animal behavior was my favorite pastime until I had sex.”
Drake got out of the truck, came around, and cupped her elbow. “Someone should have taken you in hand a long time ago,” he muttered.
A delicious shiver skated down her spine as she imagined that someone being him, picturing herself draped over his hard thighs with her butt exposed. “Oooh, are you going to be that someone, Mr. McCullough?” she asked on a laugh, her panties dampening from the image in her head.
“Careful, little girl, you might end up in a situation you can’t joke your way out of.”
“Role playing? I can give that a try even though I’ve never explored the Daddy kink.”
“For God’s sake,” Drake bit out. Halting as they reached the house, he dropped Roz’s arm as if burned and stepped away from her. “Go pester Aislyn and Olivia.” He waved a hand toward the two women sitting at the outdoor table under a wood-slatted cover.
Satisfied she was getting to him, she turned with a finger wave. “Thanks for the lift over.”
As much fun as it was to goad Drake, Roz suspected she could push him only so far. She didn’t want to turn him away, in fact, just the thought bothered her in a way she’d never experienced with anyone else. Since he was right—they did just meet—that momentary twinge of despair didn’t make sense. Shaking off the odd emotion, she joined Aislyn and Olivia at the table as Drake walked over to Cody standing at a large grill.
“I appreciate the invitation,” she said, taking a seat.
Aislyn slid the pitcher of iced tea over, gesturing to the glass of ice in front of Roz. “That’s yours. Neither of us has been in the area long, so we know what it’s like to be the newcomer. Have you had a chance to explore Brooksville or Ashton?”
“Just Brooksville. I think I saw you both at Puss ’N Boots last night. I met Gail Sontag for a burger Wednesday, and she’s the one who mentioned the club.” Sipping the tea, she couldn’t help eyeing the way Drake’s thick forearm muscles rippled with even the simple movement of flipping chicken breasts.
“I’ve been with Cody for over a month and still can’t keep my eyes off him,” Olivia said, her tone amused.
Roz gave herself a mental pinch, not liking she was so obvious. “Well, I just want him
for sex, not a commitment, so hopefully a few nights heating up the sheets will take care of this obsession. They sure don’t grow them like that back in Ames.”
“We think of them as one-of-a-kind. Take it from us, a few nights will only whet your appetite for more.”
Aislyn exchanged another odd, indecipherable look with Olivia, and Roz wished she knew them well enough to be let in on the secret. There were a few veterinary students she’d gotten close to in school, but they’d drifted apart after graduation. Then her aunt had died, and she’d latched on to Dean’s attention out of grief and lonely despair. Deandra had been family and friend, the only person Roz had ever been close to, and she still missed her with an ache that never went away.
“I’ll count myself lucky if Drake will just consider the idea.” A thought occurred to her and she sat up straight, a lump forming in her throat. “He’s not seeing anyone, is he?”
“No,” they returned in unison, shaking their heads and drawing Gavin’s attention as he came out of the house carrying a large bowl and plates.
“No, what?” he asked, setting the bowl and plates on the table.
“Roz wanted to know if Drake was seeing someone.” Aislyn peeked in the bowl, snatched a creamy, pasta swirl, and ate it, licking her fingers. “Mmm, I love Cody’s pasta salad.”
Gavin surprised Roz when he reached over and squeezed her shoulder. “I hope you have a lot of patience. He’s got his share of issues.”
Drake looked over with a scowl. “If you’re gabbing about me, knock it off and bring your plates over.”
What did it say about her that Roz enjoyed the annoyed growl in Drake’s voice and never failed to get a warm rush from that narrow-eyed glare? Was it a simple case of lust for a tall, brooding cowboy with a killer body, or something deeper she had no experience with, an unidentifiable emotion that kept squeezing her chest? She wished she could figure it out, preferably before she went nuts, or decided he wasn’t worth the trouble. The tight clutch of her abdomen had her tossing aside that last thought. Her head might tell her she was crazy for pursuing the guy, but her body continued to stay on board, hormones always out-voting common sense.
Olivia grabbed a plate and stood. “You don’t have to tell me twice. I’m addicted to Cody’s cooking.”
To Roz’s surprise, Drake followed her to the table and took a seat beside her. Flicking him a teasing look, she leaned over, whispering, “See, you do like me.”
He turned his head, their lips a scant inch apart, his breath warm against her mouth as he rumbled, “I never said I didn’t, I’m just not interested in starting up anything. Nothing personal.”
She didn’t care the others were watching with curious, avid faces. Her eyes on Drake’s, she ran her tongue slowly across her upper lip and replied, “I am, with someone else, if not you.”
And there it was, the quick flare of possessive denial lightening his blue-green gaze she’d caught before, proof he wasn’t being totally honest, and enough of a boon to keep her from walking away.
****
“Eat. It’s getting cold.”
Drake clenched his jaw and pulled away from that enticing mouth. Roz tempted him like no other woman; not surprising since she was the only one meant to complete him in every way, or so their parents had taught them, and he’d witnessed firsthand with his brothers. The gut-stabbing jealousy he experienced both times she mentioned turning to someone else was further proof of her effect on him. He couldn’t help wondering what other aspects of alternative sex she had explored, fantasizing over what interested her, and that wasn’t wise. The nightmares didn’t come as often now, but enough to keep fueling his fear of losing control again. He believed he would never hurt an innocent person, but living with the knowledge he’d killed two people with such rage continued to take an emotional toll, and he couldn’t afford to put himself in that position again.
He started to lift a finger to his facial scar, stopping himself when he looked away from Roz and encountered Gavin’s watchful gaze. As Alpha, it was his job to ensure the safety of their small pack, and that meant keeping close tabs on the few family members left. Understanding his brother’s position didn’t mean Drake had to like it, or Gavin’s constant close scrutiny.
The three of them had always been close, and he owed both Gavin and Cody more than familial gratitude for being there for him when he had returned home after his release from the hospital and the service. He owed them his life and his sanity. But with the addition of Aislyn, and now Olivia, into their lives, he saw changes coming, changes he would never be a part of.
Gavin gave a sharp shake of his head, his green eyes narrowing, and Drake guessed he read something of his inner turmoil on his face. Before Gavin could say anything, Drake stood and turned to Roz. “Are you ready? I have chores to finish.”
“Sure.” Ignoring him, she rose, smiling at his family. “It was nice meeting you, and thanks again for the food. It was wonderful.”
“I’m coming to the clinic this week. My Labs are scheduled to get spayed and neutered Tuesday morning,” Aislyn said.
Roz nodded. “I’ll watch for you.”
Drake drove to his place, guilt forming a ball in his stomach at Roz’s silence. Still, if she was irritated because he’d hurried her along with rude abruptness, maybe that was for the best. He needed to deter her from pursuing him, no matter how much his wolf protested, or his body throbbed with an ache to possess her. She hopped out as soon as he stopped next to her car, and didn’t look at him as she walked to the driver’s side and opened the door.
“I can come by Wednesday afternoon to check on the horses. Call the clinic if there’s a problem before then. Goodbye, Drake.”
Drake watched her drive away, let down by her polite, calm departure.
CHAPTER THREE
Driving to the clinic, Roz tried keeping a positive attitude about her lust-induced infatuation with Drake, but his brusque insistence they leave right after eating made it difficult. Last night, more than one man at the club had shown an interest in getting to know her better, and they were just as panty-melting desirable as Drake, only nicer. Which added to her confusion over his impact on her. By the time she parked behind the clinic and let herself into the apartment from the back door, the answer remained a mystery.
After seeing to the evening feeding of the in-house patients, she settled on the sofa with the latest thriller that had snared her attention from the beginning until last night. Meeting Drake had taken the book’s place in consuming her thoughts. An hour later, she closed it and set it aside, giving up after reading only one chapter. Grabbing her jacket, she slipped outside, wishing she had opted for a walk in the woods behind the clinic while it had still been light enough to hike along the path she’d asked Dr. Dennis about last week.
Instead, she strolled to the small barn to check on the livestock even though she’d done so earlier, hoping the cool air and stroll cleared her head of the cobwebs woven from her misguided, obsessed behavior. Rounding the corner, she was surprised to see Dr. Dennis’ SUV parked by the barn and rushed inside fearing she’d missed something.
“Hey, Doc.” Roz spotted him at the cow’s stall, making notes in the bovine’s chart.
“I didn’t disturb you, did I?” he asked, peering at her over his wire-framed glasses.
“No, just getting some exercise. Is there a problem?”
He shook his head, returning the chart to a slot on the gate. “No, she looks good. I was headed in to check on you next. I heard about McCullough’s breech birth and your admirable job in saving the pair.”
Roz huffed a laugh, leaning against the stall. “It just happened last night, and momma deserves the credit, not me. I assisted her labor, that’s all. Does news always travel that fast around here?”
“The ranchers always have each other’s backs, and yeah, the chatter over the emergency lines tends to spread quickly.” They started walking out together as Dennis said, “I confess, I’m curious about how you and yo
ung Drake got along. He’s not an easy man to deal with when under a strain. His attachment to his horses is well-known, and one of his best qualities.”
She gave him a wry look. “I noticed both traits about him right away. His gruff attitude didn’t bother me. I understood where it was coming from seeing his care and patience with Mona, and then the foal.” Taking a deep breath, she pushed for more information she didn’t get the chance to learn from Aislyn or Olivia. “Do you know him or the family well?”
Nodding, he opened the door, looking at Roz. “I’ve been friends with his daddy for almost four decades, and tended to their animals for almost as long. About broke Marshall and Sarah’s hearts when they got word of Drake’s capture overseas. It’s a miracle that boy survived out there in that desert.”
Roz’s heart turned over, that tidbit shedding a light on Drake’s crusty personality, and filled her with concern and admiration for all he’d endured and survived. Recalling the horrible pain of Dean’s temper, she couldn’t imagine enduring worse for longer.
“How awful. I hope he wasn’t held for long before the military rescued him.”
Dr. Dennis shook his head as he slid behind the wheel. “That boy got away on his own after about two weeks. Marshall, and the family, have kept the details to themselves, other than to say the unit sent to rescue him found him wounded but alive. He came home to a hero’s welcome, though. We stand by our own around here. You remember that if you’re ever in trouble.”
It would be nice if the people who had recently befriended her could aid in keeping her out of prison if Patty and Ricky succeeded in getting charges against her to stick. Unfortunately, Roz knew all too good and well how much influence the Cunningham money and social standing wielded, and doubted anyone she’d met could do much to save her from the fate they were determined to see her suffer.