by Rye Hart
“I really am hungry now,” she says.
I chuckle and finish toweling off. “Yeah I’ve worked up a bit of an appetite myself. What would you like?”
She thinks for a moment and then says, “Actually, I think I’d like to go into town to Madge’s. I’ve been thinking about that pie all day.”
We go to our rooms to dress and when I meet her again in the living room, Sydney is wearing a soft yellow fitted t-shirt and faded jeans that hug her curves in all the right places. It takes every ounce of my self-control not to throw her down and fuck the shit out of her right there on the floor.
We walk into the diner and the small dinner crowd greets us enthusiastically. Once we are seated, the other guests start peppering Sydney with questions: How does she like it so far? Am I being a good host? Will I be bringing her to the fair this weekend? Sydney graciously answers the questions, making sure that each person feels acknowledged. The way she is endearing herself to these folks I’ve known all my life makes me swell with pride. I simply have to find a way to keep her from going back to Chicago.
Once the rest return to their own tables, we place our orders and settle in to wait for our food. Sydney suddenly looks uncomfortable and I reach over the table to take her hand in mine.
“What’s up?” I ask.
She looks at me for a moment as if trying to figure out the best way to tell me something I’m not going to want to hear. I hold up my hand before she can say anything.
“Ben’s got a case, doesn’t he?” I ask.
She nods apologetically. “I’ve dug through every property law I can find but it’s all coming out as I suspected. Since the property was willed equally to the three of you, he is entitled to his third. And seeing as how the profits were made from business run on that land, he is entitled to that as well.”
I sit back in the booth and run a hand over my face, a knot forming in my stomach. “What are our options?” I ask.
Now its Sydney’s turn to look ill. “Well you can either cut him in on a third of the profits from here on out, or you and Luke can buy him out of his share of the land.”
My brain quickly starts to do the calculations. “And if we don’t have enough liquid cash to buy him out?”
“Then he could force you to sell the land and split the money in thirds according to your parents’ will,” she says.
Madge herself delivers our food and chats for a moment. I plaster my best fake smile on my face until she leaves us to eat, then I push my plate away, suddenly not in the least bit hungry.
“Is there any way to get Ben to reconsider?” Sydney asks.
I shake my head. “I don’t see that happening. After our parents died, Ben withdrew and all but refused to do any work on the ranch. Aunt Nora tried to make him help as much as she could but as soon as he turned seventeen, he filed for emancipation and took off. We’ve hardly seen him since.”
“Maybe if you and Luke could sit down with him and explain that you’d have to sell in order for him to get the money?” she asks.
I nearly laugh at the suggestion. “It will be a cold day in hell when Luke sits at the same table as Ben. They were best friends growing up and Luke was hurt when Ben left home. I don’t think he’ll ever get over it.”
We both pick at our food for a bit before calling Madge over for the check. Sydney asks for a piece of the lemon meringue to go and we head back to the ranch. After letting her into the house, I tell Sydney that I need to go break the news to Luke.
“Why don’t you move your stuff to my room?” I ask, wanting her close to me from here on out.
She nods and smiles and I kiss her before heading out to confront Luke. I think I’d rather be kicked in the balls by one of the horses than break this news to my baby brother.
Chapter Eleven: Sydney
Cole leaves to go talk to Luke and I head to the guest room to gather my things. I’m almost giddy as I take my bags up to Cole’s room. I feel like I’m the lead in some cheesy romance novel, head over heels for the cowboy. My head is telling me this is all happening way too fast, that I have a life in Chicago that I’ll be going back to in a few weeks. But my heart is telling my head to shut the fuck up. And my pussy agrees.
I’ve never felt so satisfied in every sense of the word with a man before. Cole makes me feel beautiful, sexy, and appreciated; and it’s only been four days. My ex-fiancé hadn’t made me feel like that in damn near three years.
I flip on the light and survey Cole’s room. It is decidedly masculine, yet simple in style. A large four-poster king bed dominates one wall, and a stone fireplace sits across from it. I imagine being curled up on the floor in front of the fire with Cole and it sounds like pure heaven.
After a few minutes, I hear an engine go roaring past the house, followed by Cole muttering as he comes in the back door. I go down to the kitchen and find him punching numbers into his cell phone. After a minute, he tosses the phone on the table and shakes his head.
“Fuck!” he says loudly.
“Was that Luke that tore out of here like that?” I ask him.
“Yeah. He took the news about as well as I expected him to. I tried to get him to come up here and just talk with us for a few minutes but he was hell bent on hitting the bar instead,” Cole answers, a note of concern in his voice.
I go over to where he stands and wrap my arms around him, feeling him soften against me. He’s so strong, but I can tell that he needs to lean on me just a little. I run my hands up and down his broad back and he slides his down to cup my ass. I tilt my head back and he catches my mouth with his, his tongue tangling with mine. I know how to make him feel good and I happily oblige.
I start to unbutton the shirt he’s wearing and place soft kisses over his smooth chest. He lifts my shirt over my head and, with the flick of his wrist, discards my bra. He picks me up and sets me on the counter, dipping his head low to take a nipple in his mouth. He suckles until it is hard and wet and moves to the other one to do the same. I moan in response, enjoying the feel of his tongue on my tender flesh.
Cole plucks me from the counter and carries me to the table where he lays me down and unbuttons my jeans. I lift my hips so he can slide them and my panties down before he drops his own around his ankles. He leans over to kiss me and I wrap my legs around his waist, guiding him inside me. I grip the edges of the table as he pounds his need into me, using his thumb to trace small circles on my swollen clit. Within a few seconds, I am calling out his name as I come. Simultaneously, Cole plunges deep and empties himself inside me with a groan and I can see the bliss on his handsome face. When the fog of our shared orgasm clears, however, reality reclaims his mood.
Sometime later in the middle of the night, I am startled awake by a noise in the room. I sit upright and it takes me a minute to remember that I’m now in Cole’s bed, and he is on his phone. His voice is panicked and his face looks stricken. He puts the phone down and turns to me.
“Cole? What’s going on?” I ask groggily.
“It’s Luke, there’s been a bad accident.”
***
I am suddenly wide awake and rushing to get my clothes on. Cole grips the steering wheel with both hands, white-knuckled, as he speeds toward the hospital in Billings where Luke has been airlifted. His terror is palpable.
“I knew I shouldn’t have let him go,” Cole was saying.
“Stop. Cole, you are not responsible for this,” I try to tell him.
He shakes his head and stares at the road ahead of him. “No. Ben is,” he spits through clenched teeth.
I try my best to soothe him as we drive, but it is of little use. He is scared shitless for one brother and pissed as hell at the other. It’s time like these that I don’t mind being an only child. I close my eyes and say a prayer for Luke and for Cole too, I don’t know what he would do if Luke doesn’t make it.
After about forty-five minutes, we pull up to the hospital and rush in through the Emergency doors. Cole spots the reception desk and heads for
it, a man on a mission. I follow behind, trying to be supportive without interfering.
“Can I help you?” the woman asks as we approach.
“Yeah, my brother Luke Parker was brought in by helicopter just a little bit ago,” Cole says and I can see his strength begin to waver. He is terrified.
The woman types a few things into her computer and then rises from her desk. Coming around the corner, she takes Cole gently by the elbow and ushers us toward a private waiting area.
“If you can just wait here, I’ll have someone come in and talk to you as soon as they can,” she says sympathetically.
“Can’t you tell me anything?” Cole nearly begs the woman. “Is he still alive?”
The woman looks at Cole and smiles sadly. “He was when he came in, that’s all I know,” she says before leaving to fetch someone who can tell us more.
Cole paces the room like a caged animal and I try to offer what comfort I can. I know the ugly scenarios that are going through his head and I wish I could take them away. After a few moments, a young doctor enters the room and asks us to take a seat. I do not like the sound of that.
Cole’s ass barely touches the cushion and his grip is enough to nearly rip the armrests from the chair. “What’s happening with my brother?” he asks.
The doctor clears his throat. “He was brought in by helicopter and taken immediately to surgery. He has several broken bones, including his lower spine, and some damage to his lungs and liver. If he survives, he will have a very long and very painful recovery ahead of him.”
Tears begin to well in my eyes and I stifle a cry with the back of my hand. I need to be strong for Cole, he doesn’t need to worry about me breaking down.
“You said he has a broken spine,” Cole is asking. “Does that mean he’s paralyzed?”
“It is too early to know,” the doctor says. “The level at which the break is, is low enough that it might not impact his ability to walk, but a lot will depend on the swelling around the spinal cord. I will be back in when there is more news to share.”
The doctor leaves and Cole swings his haunted eyes in my direction. In that moment, all of his strength leaves him and he slides to his knees on the floor. I quickly gather him in my arms and hold him as he weeps.
Chapter Twelve: Cole
I sit on the floor in this damn waiting room, bawling like a baby in Sydney’s arms. I have never been so scared in all my life; not even when my parents died. I knew we had each other and Aunt Nora then, now all Luke has is me.
I quickly pull myself together and get to my feet, pulling Sydney up with me. I don’t know what I’d do if she weren’t here. I am about to tell her just that when I catch a glimpse of something that nearly shakes me to my core. There, out at the reception desk stands Ben. He is gesturing wildly and the woman at the desk is trying to calm him.
Finally, he looks toward where the woman is pointing and our eyes lock. My emotions are at war inside me. Part of me wants to grab him in a fierce bear hug and weather this storm together. The other part of me wants to beat his ass to a bloody pulp. Sydney follows my stare and places her hand on my arm. Her touch grounds me and I look at her and smile.
“Looks like you are about to meet the infamous Ben,” I say, my voice wavering.
Ben walks into the room and stands in front of me, hands shoved in his pockets, staring at his boots. He is only an inch shorter than me, but he is broader of chest and shoulder. We have the same black hair and dark eyes but his skin in much paler. That’s what comes from working in an office like a pussy instead of out in the sun, I tell myself.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I ask him.
Ben looks at me, surprised, and I notice for the first time that he’s got the beginnings of a good shiner. “He’s my brother too, you know,” he says.
“No, I mean, how did you know to be here?” I try again.
Ben looks at me a long minute before answering. “I ran into him at the bar,” he starts.
I point at his eye. “Did he give you that?”
“Yeah.”
I can’t help but smile. “Good,” I say.
“Jesus Christ Cole, Luke is in there fighting for his life and you want to start with me too?” Ben whines.
“The way I see it, he wouldn’t be in here ‘fighting for his life’ if it weren’t for you and your bullshit lawsuit,” I say, getting heated now. “What the fuck happened?”
“I tried to talk to him but you know what he’s like when he’s drunk. He hauled off and clocked me, the little shit. He took off and I tried to go after him and get his keys but he knocked me on my ass and beat me to the truck. I followed him to make sure he was ok but he was all over the road and the next thing I know, he loses control and his truck is rolling. I tried to get to him but I couldn’t get him out. Jesus Cole, if you could see his truck-” Ben stops, clearly upset by the memory.
I take a deep breath and instinct drives me into ‘big brother’ mode. I wrap my arms around Ben and clap him on the back. “Well it’s a good thing you were following him. Who knows how long he’d have laid out there before someone found him,” I hear myself say.
Ben wipes at his face and looks over my shoulder. I turn to see Sydney standing quietly by, watching our interaction. I reach my hand out to her and she takes it, coming to stand against my side.
“Ben, this is Sydney,” I say. “Sydney, this is my little brother Ben.”
Ben holds out his hand and Sydney takes it, giving him a firm shake. Then she surprises us both by pulling him into a hug. Once the shock wears off, he looks genuinely thankful for the gesture. Again, I find myself awed at her instincts and actions. She seems to know just what we need and gladly gives it.
“Why don’t I go get us all something to drink and let you two talk for a minute?” she says. Adding, “But only if you promise not to fight. You have a lot to work out but here is not the time or the place, we need to be focused on Luke right now. Got it?”
I can’t help but smile at her toughness and nod my head. “Yes ma’am,” I say and Ben echoes.
Once alone in the room, Ben shifts uncomfortably from foot to foot. I almost laugh at how absurd it looks for such a big dude to be so cagey. I sigh and take a seat.
“Little brother, I think it’s past time we had a good long talk.”
Chapter Thirteen: Sydney
I leave the two Parker boys alone, hoping that I won’t come back to body parts and security guards. Seeing Cole so torn up has me feeling powerless. I wish there was something I could do for him. I know sex takes his mind off of his troubles, but it’s not like we can just fuck in the waiting room. Not to mention, I wouldn’t mind finding other ways to connect with him.
Don’t get me wrong, I will ride that cock as often as I can, but our entire relationship can’t be based on it. Too bad.
I begin to realize that the thought of going back to Chicago isn’t as appealing as I would have thought. Yes, I am successful there. Yes, I have friends there. Yes, I make really good money there. But there is one thing that Chicago cannot offer me: Cole Parker. I know there is no way he would leave his ranch, even if he does love me. I also realize that I would never ask him to. Montana is where he belongs. The fields are in his blood. What the fuck am I going to do?
First things first, I need to get coffee. After that, we see what happens with Luke and deal with Ben’s lawsuit. Hmmm. We. It’s been a while since I’ve thought of myself as part of a ‘we.’ I like it. I just hope Cole feels the same.
As I come back to the room with a tray full of horrible hospital coffee, the doctor enters behind me. Both Cole and Ben shoot to their feet, holding their collective breath.
“Luke is out of surgery. He has some severe bruising on his lungs and his liver but no artery damage to either organ. We had to put pins in his left forearm and a rod in his left tibia. We have stabilized the spinal fracture and will have to monitor the swelling around his spinal cord before we can know what, if any, effects the fractur
e will have. For now, he is still in critical but stable condition. If he does ok for the next twenty-four hours, his chances of survival and recovery will more than double.”
Both Cole and Ben exhale and begin peppering the doctor with questions. Once they are satisfied with his answers, they thank him and he leaves. The two men look at one another with relief plain on their faces and embrace once more.
I prepare for the long haul, knowing that neither of them is going to leave this hospital for at least the next twenty-four hours. Cole gathers me in his arms and I can feel the cautious optimism in his touch. I hold him close and tell him that Luke is going to be ok.
“From your lips to God’s ear babe,” he says, kissing me lightly on the lips.
We settle in and I curl up in one of the big leather chairs with my head on Cole’s shoulder. I close my eyes and drift off to sleep for a few minutes here and there. In between my short naps, I listen to the two brothers talk for just about the first time in almost fifteen years.
“So how long have you two been together?” I hear Ben ask.
Cole chuckles. “Going on a whole five days now,” he says.
“Really? Wow, you two really look like the real deal man. The way you are with each other, I would have thought you’d been together for years,” Ben remarks.
“Well if I have any say in it, we will be,” Cole says softly.
I feel my pulse quicken but I keep my eyes shut. I don’t want him to know I’m awake and stop talking.
“Actually, Aunt Nora sent her here,” Cole says. “She’s a friend of hers.”
A long silence follows. “How is Aunt Nora?” Ben finally asks.
“She’s good. And she’d love to hear from you,” Cole says, his tone softly chiding.
“I know. I just don’t think she’d be very proud of how I’ve turned out,” Ben says, sadness plain in his voice.
“Yeah, about that,” Cole clears his throat. “What’s this bullshit about you suing us for a third of the ranch? You haven’t given a shit about the place in damn near twenty years.”