by Em Petrova
“What does it matter if he can seat a horse if he can buy me a horse? It’s not hard to make me happy—just tell me I’m beautiful and give me horses,” she shot back.
“Is pretty boy doing that for you?”
The words fell into the group, and it took Mav five full heartbeats before he understood who’d spoken—him.
His jaw popped and he realized he was grinding his teeth. Even the mention of other men in her life set him off. He didn’t have any place among the Calhouns to speak out, and now everyone was aware something bigger was at play.
Wynonna gave him a twisted little smile. “How nice of you to worry about me, Mav. I actually have enough horses at the moment.”
“Puppies too,” Buck Jr. piped up. “Did you know Mav’s been training Austin so he doesn’t cry at night?”
Mav couldn’t remember the dog crying at all the previous night, but then again, he’d been too busy listening to Wynonna begging for release.
They stared at each other.
“I did hear that, buddy. Mighty nice of Mav, isn’t it?”
The boy’s hat flopped as he nodded. Mav was too aware of the heated look she was giving him as well as interested stares from the rest of the family huddled around the flames.
He pushed to his feet. “Gonna put the animals to bed,” he muttered and walked off into the night. The farther from the glow of the fire he got, the heavier his steps became until he felt he was stomping all the way to the barn.
He poked his head in and checked on the horses, and they were fine. His excuse had gotten him away, but he knew there would be questions raised by her brothers in the morning. That moment between him and Wynonna had been charged with innuendo, and nobody had been able to ignore it.
Hell, he was fucking things up. If he hadn’t touched her, nobody would be wiser that his heart had been thumping strong for her for a while now. He’d need to come up with an excuse for saying that, just to kick them off his trail.
He went into his room and closed the door. For a second, he fingered the lock. If he left it open, a little redhaired vixen could steal in during the moonlight hours. His chest filled with an aching agony to feel her flush against him again.
He shot the bolt through the lock and began to undress. Alone.
Chapter Seven
Wynonna cornered Mav in the hay shed. As he hefted a bale, she watched his forearms ripple with exertion. She wanted to be touched—by him.
But she’d been smart enough not to go to his bed the previous night. Instead, she’d lain in a fit of restlessness, not sleeping and not fully awake, while dreams of their lovemaking worked through her brain.
“Hell,” he bit off.
“That’s all you’ve got to say to me? Hell?”
He didn’t answer as he skirted past her and out the door. She strode at his heels, catching the scent that fired her up so completely. Pine soap and man.
He continued across the expanse of grass to the barn and stormed inside like he was attacking, armed with only hay. He walked to the back corner of the barn, where he’d installed the sick calf. She’d checked on it herself first thing and had been relieved to find it alive though still weak.
He dropped the bale and grabbed a pitchfork from the wall. He started removing the soiled hay from the stall and loading it into a wheelbarrow. Wynonna watched, wondering how to best approach this situation.
They’d slept together—several times. He’d made it semi-clear that he didn’t want to continue doing so, even though his body language said something entirely different. And he’d taunted her about Austin, which sounded like blatant jealousy to her and also to several family members, who’d asked her about it first thing this morning.
Outing Mav to the family would mean she’d get her way. They’d expect him to make good on the promises he’d started with his body—if her brothers didn’t kill him, of course. But funny enough, nobody had said anything after Mav’s abrupt exit the previous night.
She pushed out a breath, and he paused in pitching hay, his muscles tense and the line of his jaw hard. “I don’t understand something,” she said.
“What’s that?” It was evident from his tone he didn’t want to ask.
“Why won’t you just grab me and kiss me in front of the family if that’s what you really want to do?”
He twisted to pierce her in his stare. A lush wave of wanting washed over her from boots to the ends of her hair. “Who says I wanna?”
“I can see you’re hard from here, Mav.”
“Has no bearing on the statement you just made. I told you, we aren’t a thing. We made a mistake.”
“Twice?”
He gave a single nod. “Twice.”
“I don’t believe that.”
He issued a drawn-out sigh. “We’re not telling your family.”
“I agree. They might think you took advantage of me when I was vulnerable after my breakup.”
He eyed her, and the bob of his Adam’s apple told her he was barely keeping his anger in check. She knew when to back off and when to barrel forward.
“Okay, fine. We won’t tell them. But I think I deserve to know why you don’t think being together is a good idea.”
“You jump from man to man, and there can’t be tension between us when it’s through.”
Ouch. She nibbled her lower lip and found him watching her closely. Was he sorry for hurting her?
“Wyn, you’re so young. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you.”
“So do you.”
“Not like you do. You don’t want a man like me.”
“You keep saying that, and I still don’t get it. What are you warning me against? I’ve known you sixteen years, and all I see is a strong, hard worker with morals and standards that aren’t the norm for men these days. And now I know the passionate lover that hides inside that man.”
He gave a rough shake of his head as if casting off her words. She went on, “Why the self-destruction talk the other night?”
“You have no idea what you’re getting with me.”
She rocked back on her heels and eyed him. “Don’t I? Feels like I know you pretty damn well.”
“Wyn, don’t.” The words echoed with pain.
She took a step toward him, and he held up a hand to ward her off.
“Let’s leave things be.”
She stared at him, mind whirling. Why? How? The ache in her chest was a physical thing, and he was telling her to walk away from the one thing that had given her more happiness than she’d ever known in her life. More than winning the top spot in barrel racing, more than riding flat-out on the back of an untamed horse.
There was a lot more to the story, and Mav was too tight-lipped to ever explain it. So if she was to ever have the man—or figure out how to forget him—she needed to go searching for those answers herself. At least she had a lead.
She spun away from him and walked out of the barn. She planned to hop the first flight to Oregon.
* * * * *
“Gone?” Mav echoed Buck’s words. The brother sat at the head of the table, reading a note Wynonna had left sometime in the wee hours of the morning before she’d apparently taken off.
Her momma plastered a hand to her mouth, eyes round. Mav had to look away from the concern etched on Mrs. Calhoun’s face—he’d put it there. Wyn had left because of him.
“It’s almost the anniversary of your father’s death,” Mrs. Calhoun choked. “We need her. There’s a ceremony.”
The words For Dad resounded in Mav’s head, though nobody had spoken them. It was a Calhoun thing, with them dedicating rides and rodeo competitions and everything else they worked hard at for their father. And Wyn was the most sentimental of the crew when it came to her daddy. She couldn’t miss this.
“Where is she?” Mav heard himself ask.
Nobody seemed surprised he was asking. They all held their breath while waiting for Buck to read the details in her letter.
Buck looked up, straig
ht at Mav. “Oregon.”
Ice water trickled from his skull and rapidly spread through his entire body until even his fingers felt cold. He stood there for a minute, trying to comprehend what he’d said.
“Why Oregon? Austin isn’t there, is he?” Mrs. Calhoun asked.
“No,” Buck said slowly, gaze narrowed on Mav. “Mav’s family’s up there.”
A dozen sets of eyes trained on him. He read the question in their stares—why had she gone to his family? Fuck if he even knew.
Hell, he was going to have to find her and stop her before she discovered just how difficult his family was. A woman like Wynonna would have some romantic notions about family, since hers was pretty perfect, from what Mav saw.
Mav had grown up quite different, with a family that pushed until a man snapped. For Mav, the land had saved him. That and hard work. It kept his mind off the atrocities he’d seen and done.
He scrubbed a hand over his face to dispel his heavy thoughts and the heavier weight of the Calhouns’ stares.
“Any idea why she’d go there, Mav?” Buck asked.
He lifted a shoulder and let it fall. “I have some guesses, but I’m not ready to share them.”
The brothers all wore the same look. Mav’d seen it at least a dozen times in the past few years since their sister had started dating in earnest. This was their get-your-weapons-out-boys-because-there’s-gonna-be-a-fight look.
Mav didn’t think he’d ever be on the receiving end of that expression, but he was nailed to the center—crucified.
“I’ll see what I can do,” he said and walked out of the kitchen.
He hadn’t made it ten steps when Buck and West flanked him. Ridge and Ryder took up the rear, and his only relief was that Lane wasn’t around to champion his sister, because, being closest in age, those two were tight.
The guys closed the circle, and he stopped walking. Prepared to take some punches.
“What aren’t you tellin’ us, Mav?” Buck’s voice was cold.
“I don’t know what’s going through Wyn’s mind,” he said truthfully.
“So she just gets up one morning and decides to head off to Oregon to visit a place where your family happens to live.”
“She didn’t say that.” Did she? He wasn’t cowed by the Calhoun boys, but it gutted him to be standing on the wrong side of this line.
“Actually, she did.” Buck showed him the letter wadded in his fist.
What else had she said? Mav could end up spilling the whole story without need. They might be calling his bluff. Nobody beat the Calhouns in games of cards, because they all had damn good poker faces.
He tugged his hat lower. “What’d she say?”
“She’s headin’ to Oregon to see what makes Mav tick.”
He pushed out the breath he’d been holding. Gave a nod. That was enough evidence, all right. Fuck.
“What the hell’s happening, Mav? You’d better fill us in right quick.” The anger was barely suppressed in West’s voice.
“Boys, can I speak with Mav alone please?” Mrs. Calhoun was coming across the yard toward the group, and Mav’s guts turned to water at the sight of the determination spelled across the older woman’s face. He couldn’t lie to her or deny her anything. Yet he couldn’t exactly tell Wynonna’s mother that he’d fucked her ten ways to Tuesday and then told her he was through with her.
Not and keep his job—his life.
With a wave from their momma’s hand, the brothers scattered. She sent them on their way with a firm word.
He looked down at the smaller woman. While Wynonna was tall and strong, her mother was much shorter though no less hardened to ranch life. She was wiry and strong, and more than once he’d seen where Wynonna got her grit.
“Tell me what you know please,” she said in a low voice.
He cast a glance at the backs of the brothers, who weren’t that far off. Probably waiting to overhear their conversation, though they’d been taught better than to eavesdrop.
“Not a whole lot,” he said after a long second. “Wyn’s been curious about my past, and I guess she got the notion to go find the answers herself.”
If she thought to find out anything good from his family, she was misguided. She’d come back hating him for sure.
“I don’t understand. Why is she worrying about you? What about Austin?”
He didn’t feel it was his place to tell her mother that Wynonna had broken things off with the guy. Damn Wynonna for leaving him in this mess. She knew exactly what she was doing, leaving him to explain.
“We’ve been talking a bit more lately, ma’am,” he said, avoiding her eagle-eyed gaze. “Guess she might be trying to help me with something.”
“I’ve heard your momma’s ill, getting cancer treatments. You know you’re always welcome to take leave and go home at any time, Mav.”
“Thank you.”
“Wynonna told me you were getting some calls and texts from your brother.”
“That’s right. He… would like me to take over our mother’s care. She’s a bit of a handful.”
“Is that what you want to do?” she asked.
“My life’s here on this ranch.” With y’all. With Wynonna.
Except the interfering woman was up in Oregon diving into his business.
“We appreciate the time and devotion you show to us, Mav. But please don’t let your own family suffer on our account. Okay?”
“Yes’m.” He bowed his head.
She rested a hand on his arm and he met her stare. What he saw there almost made him gasp. Tears swam in her eyes, her features so much like Wynonna’s that it was impossible not to see a flash of the woman who’d let him love her the past two days.
“We need her home for this ceremony, Mav. Will you bring her back?”
How could he say no?
Well fuck me sideways. I’m goin’ to Oregon.
* * * * *
The airports up north were the same as any airports in the world. Wynonna navigated the crowd gathered at the luggage carrier with her sunglasses on. But glasses or not, people noticed a six-foot-tall redhead. She’d signed countless autographs during her journey, and stopped to take selfies with various fans. At least she’d escaped home without the production crew.
And without Mav trying to stop her.
By now, he’d know where she’d gone. The family would have discovered her letter at breakfast. Good thing she didn’t have her phone on, because she could only guess at the texts they were sending. No matter. Only Mav was important right now.
She spotted her travel bag on the carrier and scooped it up. As she twisted away with the strap over her shoulder, someone called out. “Hey, are you Wynonna Calhoun?”
She could keep walking. Just ignore the question as if she’d never heard. But that didn’t seem right, so she turned back with a smile.
“Oh wow, it is you! You’re more beautiful in person. Can we take a picture together?” The young woman fished out her phone.
Wynonna nodded. “Thank you.”
“What are you doing here? Is there a big rodeo up this way?” They both smiled as she snapped the photo.
“I’m visiting friends.”
“Awesome. I hope you have a really good time. If you go out to eat, stop by Franny’s. I’ll give you the biggest slice of cherry pie you’ve ever had!”
“Mm, I love some cherry pie. Thank you.” She gave the woman a parting hug and headed out of the airport. She was only stopped two more times before she got into the fresh air.
She looked around. She’d searched the address where Mav’s mother lived. If she couldn’t hop a bus or cab, she’d have to rent a car. She was about to step outdoors to hail a cab when a sheriff car pulled up. The man who got out made Wynonna’s heart leap in her chest.
She took a hasty step forward before she realized he wasn’t wearing a hat and worn jeans like Mav, but the sheriff uniform clung to his muscled body the same way. She drew up and stared at him.
&n
bsp; “You have to be Wynonna Calhoun.” His voice was as deep as Mav’s but lacking the country twang he’d developed over the years on the ranch.
She nodded, too stricken to speak.
“My mother said you’d called the house and sent me to give you a ride.”
Her tongue unfolded itself from the back of her throat, where she’d almost swallowed it when she’d seen him. “Thank you. You must be…”
He gave a shake of his head, and once more she was shocked by the similarities in their mannerisms. “He didn’t even tell you my name, did he? Chase Stonewall.”
She extended her hand and he shook it. “Nice to meet you. And yes, I actually did know your name.”
“Well that’s somethin’. C’mon and I’ll take you back to the house. My mother won’t leave me be for long, and I’ve got work to do. Can’t be taking her calls all day. I hope you don’t mind riding in the sheriff car.”
“Do I get to sit in the back like a criminal?”
He snorted. “Sure, if you want. But I recommend the front seat.” He walked to the car and opened the door for her. She tried not to notice his hard buns filling out his uniform pants, but they were so much like the ones she’d squeezed just the day before that it was a struggle.
She slid into the car and stared at the gadgets on the dashboard. She waited for him to get behind the wheel before she spoke. “Mav doesn’t know I’m here.”
“Of course he doesn’t. He never would have let you come if he did.”
“Why not?”
“You don’t know much about Mav, do you? Doesn’t surprise me. He’s been ignoring us for years, won’t get the help he needs.”
Her blood rushed cold suddenly, powering through her veins like an icy stream through a glacier. Help he needs? What the hell was going on?
“Doesn’t surprise me either that he’d hook up with a woman like you.” Chase gave her a once-over before pulling out into traffic. The surroundings flew by, but she hardly noticed them. Her mind was still tumbling over that little word—help. H.E.L.P. Why would Mav need help? He looked fine to her. Physically as healthy as a horse.