Grounded: Michaela

by Leanne Karella

  A harsh laugh burst out of him. "I'd rather be mucking excrement from the barn," he muttered. "Look, Michaela, can't this wait until tomorrow?"

  She shook her head, and then grabbed her flyaway hair and bunched it in her fist. "I must speak with Electra." Curly black locks slipped from her fingers and fluttered along her cheeks. She growled and tried again.

  Chuckling, he reached behind and grabbed a baseball cap from the back seat. "Come here."

  Scooting closer to him, she frowned. "What?"

  He pulled her hands away from her head and bunched her silky hair in his fist. He pulled the puffy ponytail through the back of the cap, then pulled it down over her forehead. He tucked the loose hairs under the sides. "Better?"

  She reached up to feel the cap then sent him one of those heart wrenchingly sweet smiles. "Thank you. I know I look silly."

  "No, sweetheart, you don't look silly," he said seriously. "You look gorgeous. Maybe on Monday we'll drive down to Placer and go to the salon there."

  "Gorgeous?"

  He shook his head and smiled. "Beautiful."

  "Salon?"

  He chuckled. "A place where women get their hair cut and styled by someone who knows what they're doing."

  "You think I'm beautiful? Truly?"

  She looked so damn serious with that question, as if no one had ever told her that before. "Truly."

  "I think you're beautiful too," she whispered. Her gaze roamed over his chest. "Especially when you don't have a shirt on."

  Ty nearly groaned aloud. She'd be the death of him. Unable to stop himself, he leaned over and placed a soft kiss against her lips. Even sweeter than he remembered.

  "Do you like to kiss me?" she asked against his lips.

  "Michaela," he sighed, and sat back in his seat. "Yes, I like kissing you, but it leads to trouble, so I shouldn't."

  "Trouble?"

  "Grrrr." He pulled his Stetson off his head and ran his fingers through his hair. "Okay, here it is. I want you. A lot. But I will not have sex with you. You're a virgin, and I have never in my life slept with a virgin. It goes against everything I believe in. A woman's first time needs to be special, not with someone like me."

  "Someone like you," she repeated softly.

  When Ty met her eyes, she looked stricken. "Sweetheart…"

  She shook her head. "You think you're a bad person."

  "I know I'm a bad person."

  "Oh." Her lips rolled in. "No. No, you're not. I know you're not."

  "You don't know shit." He slammed his hat back on his head and started the truck.

  "Hey! Ty!" Ty glanced out the window to see Bob Cummings, proprietor of Bob's Mercantile coming out onto the street. Shit, shit, shit. He didn't need this now. "I thought that was your truck." Bob locked the door of his shop and ambled toward Ty's truck. "Long time no see, son. How've you been? Trent said you were living in the original homestead on your spread and starting your own herd. How's it going?"

  Ty swallowed. "Fine, sir." Bob had been old when Ty was in short pants. The man looked ancient now.

  "You headin' to Trent's?" Bob rested his hand on the open window. "Can you believe little Jess is sixteen? Gawd, I remember when she was born. You ain't never seen a prouder papa than Trent."

  "Yes, sir." Ty's gut clenched so hard he thought he might be sick. His hands fisted on the steering wheel until his knuckles ached.

  Bob peered into the truck. "Who you got there? I didn't know you found yourself a little lady." He grinned; his white dentures gleamed in the sun, matching his crop of snow-white hair. "Ohh, you must be Electra's sister. You sure do look like her." Bob chuckled. "Now that's one interesting girl, Electra. Never met myself anyone like her before."

  Ty glanced at Michaela, and she smiled back at Bob. Ty cleared his throat. "Bob, this is Michaela Smith, Electra's sister. Michaela, this is Bob Cummings, owner of the mercantile."

  "Nice to meet you, little lady. So," Bob said, focusing back on Ty, "you heading over to Trent's?"

  "Yes," Michaela answered for him. "They're having a party." She grinned.

  Ty's teeth hurt from clenching them so hard.

  "Great. See you in a few." Bob ambled off down the street toward his car. A vintage 1960 ragtop Cadillac he'd purchased when it was brand new. Ty had always loved that car.

  * * * *

  Michaela watched as Ty angrily jammed the gearshift and pressed down on the accelerator. He'd told her all the parts of the truck that made it run. She didn't care about the automobile right now. She was worried about the look in Ty's eyes, his clenched jaw, his thinned lips.

  Remembering what Gabriel had told her just yesterday, she knew that this was her test, as well as Ty's. He needed to see that the people of Unegi didn't hate him. That they didn't think he was a bad person. That they'd forgiven him for what he'd done. If she was able to get him to go to the party, it might work. He didn't look like he wanted to be at a party though, he looked like he wanted to go straight home and never leave the ranch again.

  He stopped in front of a red house, put the truck in park, but didn't shut off the engine. "Everyone will be in the back. I'll wait here. Please try to hurry."

  Oh no. He was going to hide here in the truck. Think quickly. "I…um…you have to come with me."

  He shook his head and stared out the open window.

  Michaela nibbled her bottom lip. What would make Ty go with her? She knew that acting angry wouldn't do it. He'd just get angry back. He didn't like her to cry. But how do you make yourself cry? She thought about eating cows. No tears. She thought about pain. It really hurt, and she'd cried when she slammed the kitchen cabinet on her finger. No tears. She thought about what it felt like when he told her he didn't want her. Her eyes prickled. He said she had to leave the ranch. A fat tear rolled down her cheek. She almost smiled at her accomplishment, but that wouldn't do. "Ty," she whispered, hoping he'd look at her. She took a deep breath, blinked in order to force more tears from her eyes, and then did the one thing she swore she'd never do. She told a lie. "I can't go in there by myself. I'm scared. I don't know any of these mort—uh—people."

  His head whipped around. "Ah, hell, don't cry on me."

  She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. It was working. "I need you to go with me."

  Ty slowly shook his head. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, I can't do that. I can't go in there. My stomach hurts just thinking about it."

  Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. He was hurting. She didn't want him to hurt. But if he'd go in, his hurting might stop, because then he'd know the truth. The people didn't hate him. She reached out and put her hand on his bare forearm. His skin was warm, his muscles bunched under her touch. "Please?"

  She could see the anguish in his beautiful eyes. He was so frightened to face these people. How could she make him see the truth? He was a wonderful, wonderful man. She ached in her chest at the thought of him hurting and afraid.

  "I hurt these people. I broke their trust. I treated them like dirt. I don't belong here, Michaela, can't you see that? Can't you understand?"

  She wanted to tell him it didn't matter, that they'd forgiven him, but then, how could she explain that she knew these things? "I heard Trent Godfrey invite you to the party. He wanted you here. He said someone named Lina wanted you here. Who's Lina?"

  "Trent's wife." He turned his head again, looked out over the vast barren land of the desert across the street. "I even treated her badly. I've hurt everyone I've ever come across. Did you know that Trent and I were best friends growing up? His mother was like my own, better than my own. And I was so damn jealous that he'd found a beautiful wife, had a pretty little daughter of his own that I…"

  "You what?"

  "I did something awful, hurt him, hurt his little girl. For ten years I…" He swiped his hand over his face. "It doesn't matter now."

  "It does matter," Michaela argued. "It matters because you are the one still hurting. You have to forgive yourself."

  He snorted. That soun
d he made when he thought she was crazy.

  She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Please come in with me."

  He put his hand on her shoulder and pushed her away. His eyes blazed with fury. "Haven't you been listening to anything I said?"

  "Yes. I listened to all of it," she answered through a tight throat, the tears ready to come in earnest this time. She hated when he pushed her away. "And I need you to come with me. It will just be a few moments. I need to talk to Electra, and then we can leave. Don't make me go in there alone." She hoped that some lies were all right to tell if they were meant to help someone else.

  "Damn you," he growled.

  She clenched her teeth together to keep from sobbing and tears ran down her cheeks. She knew what those words meant. He really did hate her. Turning, she fumbled for the door handle. She gave up. She couldn't help him. How could she help someone who didn't even want her around?

  "Michaela," he said, his voice gruff.

  She got the latch open and jumped out of the truck. Slamming the door as hard as she could, she headed for the side of the house where she could hear voices and laughter.

  "Michaela, wait," Ty called. She heard the other door to the truck slam, then the crunch of his boots on the gravel as he came after her. "Michaela." He grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

  She turned on him, pressed her hands to his chest and pushed him back. "Yes you did. You meant it. You told me yesterday you didn't like me. Well, I give up."

  "I never said I didn't like you."

  "Yes, you did. You keep saying it. You don't want me." Then she shook her head in confusion. In the truck, he'd said he did want her.

  "Stop crying. God, please, stop." Even though she tried pushing him away, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her against his hard chest. "I like you, Michaela. I like you too damn much." His big hand smoothed up and down her back. "I just don't want to hurt you, too."

  She wanted to laugh and cry and scream all at once. Didn't he know that every time he told her to go away he hurt her? Didn't he know that the only place that felt right was here, in his arms? It was the only time she didn't feel a little scared and confused of the big world that was all so new to her. No, he couldn't understand that. Because he didn't feel the same way.

  "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. Please forgive me."

  "I forgive you." Of course she did. She'd forgive him everything if he'd just never let her go.

  He squeezed her tight and rocked her back and forth a little bit. She thought it might be that he needed the comfort too. He was such a gentle man. He just didn't know he was. She wound her arms around his waist, rested her cheek against his shoulder, and sighed. "Everything will be all right."

  He stopped rocking her. "What?"

  She tilted her head and kissed his chin. She liked kissing him. Even the little kisses that didn't make her tingle so much. The book said it was a sign of affection. She definitely felt affection toward him. A lot of affection. "Everything will be all right."

  "What everything?"

  She shrugged. "Just…everything."

  "Does this have to do with your communing with animals?"

  She giggled. "Are you an animal, Ty Brock?"

  Through a chuckle, he said, "Yeah, a beast."

  She raised her hand to his shoulder and stroked his strong muscles. "Then perhaps I can tame you."

  "Many women have tried and failed."

  She heard the teasing in his tone and smiled. "But I'm not like most women." My goodness, if he ever knew the truth of that statement.

  "I know you're not, sweetheart. You're very special."

  The teasing gone from his voice, she pulled back a bit to see into his eyes. "You're special too, Ty Brock."

  A shadow of pain flickered in his eyes before he dropped his eyelids over them. He leaned down and placed the softest, most tender kiss on her cheek. "Thank you."

  She opened her mouth to ask why he'd thanked her, but he released her. He straightened his hat, reached into his shirt pocket for his sunglasses, and put them on. They were so dark she couldn't see his eyes through them. Then he held out his hand to her. "Come on, let's get this over with quickly."

  Chapter Six

  Ty waited for his left arm to go numb. Wasn't that the next sign of a heart attack? His heart pounded so furiously in his chest, he didn't know how he survived. Gripping Michaela's hand tight, he wondered why she didn't complain, but he needed her right now. As much as it pained him to admit it, she gave him strength.

  Just before they reached the corner of the house, he stopped. He couldn't do this. He could hear Trent's voice, Lina's too. And a whole lot of other people's.

  "It's all right," Michaela whispered and squeezed his hand. "I'm right here with you."

  Why that made him feel better, he didn't know. But it did. Still, his feet refused to move.

  "Ty, my boy!"

  Ty swung around, nearly knocking Michaela over. He grabbed her shoulders to steady her and met Willy Davis's dark brown eyes over her head. Willy Davis, Unegi's one and only mechanic. Married to Trent's mother. Ty swallowed back a vile curse.

  "I'm so glad you came by today," Willy said as he held out his hand for Ty. "Long time no see."

  Ty took the man's hard, callused hand in his. "Thank you, sir."

  Willy chuckled and slapped him on the shoulder. "What's with the sir garbage? Come on, the ribs are just about done. Trent's been slaving over them all day, making sure they grill just right." He turned to Michaela and smiled. "And you must be Electra's sister. Well, I'll be. You two sure do look alike. Been hearing a lot about you, but we weren't sure you really existed." Michaela smiled at Willy before he ambled off around the corner.

  "See, he doesn't hate you," Michaela whispered. She took his hand in hers again and tugged him toward the back yard.

  "He was just being nice," Ty growled and pulled her to a stop. "Michaela I—"

  "Ten minutes, Ty." She squeezed his hand again, stepped closer to him. "Just ten minutes so I can talk to Electra, and then we can go. I promise." She went up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. Another thing he shouldn't like so damn much. To think a couple of days ago she didn't even know what a kiss was, now she kept doing it. And it made him feel good. So good, he was tempted to press her against the side of the house and kiss her hard and deep, with all the pent-up lust he'd been desperately trying to keep under control since the moment he saw her laying on his bed, naked and perfect.

  He let out a tight breath. He wouldn't touch her again. Not like he had. God, to think he'd almost taken her, and she was a thirty-one year old virgin! He shook his head. No way. Any woman keeps herself from a man that long, no way was he going to be the one to take it away from her. He didn't deserve anything that precious.

  "What? Why are you shaking your head?" Michaela still held his hand, and she put her other hand against his chest. "Don't back out now," she said softly. "Be brave."

  "Bravery has nothing to do with this. I go back there, I'm liable to get lynched."

  "Lynched?"

  She'd obviously left her book at home. "Lynched. Mobbed. Drawn and quartered." She scowled at him, her forehead puckered up cute. "Killed."

  She gasped and grabbed his arm, started dragging him back toward the truck. He chuckled. "Michaela." He pulled her to a halt once again.

  "I'm not going to take you where they will kill you!" Her eye were wide, terror written all over her face. She pulled on him again.

  "Sweetheart." He laughed, he couldn't help it. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. "I was exaggerating. They're not going to kill me." He breathed in her warm apple pie scent and his body came alive. "Ah, honey, you're just too precious."

  "Exaggerating. You are lying to me?" she all but shouted as she pushed at his shoulders.

  He didn't release her. "It's not really a lie. Oh, hell," he muttered at her utterly confused expression, the fear in her eyes. "They're not going to kill me, and I didn't lie
. An exaggeration is just…" He laughed. Hell, it was a lie, wasn't it, in the most literal use of the word? "Okay." He pulled her head to his chest and gave her another hug. "I promise not to exaggerate again."

  "They won't hurt you?"

  His humor fled as fast as it'd come. They wouldn't hurt him physically, but he didn't know what kind of emotional shape he'd be in after he left here. The only people he'd seen since returning to Unegi a year ago, after spending two years in jail, had been Trent and Lina. They dropped by every once in a while. Lina would just happen to make too many brownies, or cupcakes, or pie, and bring him the leftovers. Trent was less subtle. He'd come by just to check up on him, let him know why he was there.

  The rest of the town, though… Maybe it was time to face his demons. He'd been attending Gamblers Anonymous since getting out of jail, but he hadn't really done any of the things he was supposed to do, like face those he'd wronged.

  "Let's go." He snatched up Michaela's hand and charged on. He'd get this over and done with. He rounded the corner of the house into the huge backyard filled with at least two dozen people, not including the children and various animals that ran, squealed, and barked around and through the adults.

  * * * *

  Worry for Ty compelled Michaela to not leave his side. The poor man. She could feel his hand shaking in hers. He was absolutely terrified.

  "Hey, Ty and Michaela made it!" A pretty blonde woman with gray eyes came toward them. "Hi Michaela," she said. "I'm Lina Godfrey, Trent's wife." The woman hugged her. Michaela didn't know what to do, so she stood there gripping Ty's hand.

  Lina released Michaela and hugged Ty next. Michaela couldn't see Ty's eyes behind the glasses, but he stood as stiff as one of his fence posts. His jaw was clenched hard, his cheekbones even seemed to be more pronounced.

  "So glad you could make it. We're just getting ready to eat."

  "We're not staying long," Ty said through clenched teeth, but Michaela could tell he was trying to sound normal. His hand was beginning to sweat. "Michaela just wanted to see Electra, and then we've got to go."