The Rancher and the Runaway Bride

by Susan Mallery

  “How are you going to collect the cats?” Rita asked.

  “Carefully,” he said, tying the other blanket around him. Even if the feline was the most even-tempered creature God had ever made, her recent treatment, not to mention giving birth, was going to make her hostile.

  Brady approached her slowly, speaking softly. It didn’t help. The cat hissed when she saw him. As he gathered up the burlap sack, she swiped at his hand with her claws, laying open four long, deep scratches. He ignored the blood and the burning.

  “I’m sorry,” he said as he pulled the edges of the sack together. There was no other way for him to get on his horse.

  Inside the sack, the cat began to howl. Brady mounted quickly and settled the cat into the makeshift sling. Then he carefully released the edges of the sack.

  The mother cat raked his chest with her claws. Her tiny kittens made frightened mewling noises. That distracted her and she shifted to give them room. He tried to help, which earned him another scratch on his already bleeding hand.

  “Is she hurting you?” Rita asked.

  “Not at all,” he muttered between clenched teeth, and lightly kicked the gelding.

  At the first step, the cat dug her claws into Brady’s thighs. He spoke softly, but she didn’t release her hold. Angry yellow eyes glared at him, as if telling him this was all his fault so it was only right that he should suffer.

  With each of them holding animals on their laps, there was no way he or Rita could allow their horses to move at more than a slow, easy walk. The trip home took nearly two hours.

  Everyone was waiting when they arrived. The vet took the spitting mother and her kittens into the barn to make sure they were fine. Ziggy carried Princess to the main house, and Quinn and Ralph took care of the horses.

  Brady and Rita went into the house. Tex was already there, kneeling next to Princess. He had some bandages in a pile, along with disinfectant and a bowl of warm water.

  “There’s cube steak on the counter,” the cook said. “I thought she deserved something special tonight.”

  “I agree,” Brady told him. “I’ll give her water first, though. My guess is she’s been out with that cat since before dawn.”

  Tex pulled the dog up on his lap and supported her with one arm while he dipped her dirty paws into the water. She whimpered. Rita crouched next to her.

  “It’s going to be okay, sweetie. You’re a brave girl. This will make you feel better so that you can get back to taking care of your cats. They missed you today. You would have been so ashamed of the way they lounged over everything. There was no order, no discipline.”

  Princess licked her fingers and thumped her tail against the floor.

  Tex worked quickly. When her paws here bandaged and she’d had her fill of cool water and red meat, Brady carried Princess out onto the porch. She stretched out on the blanket Tex had placed on the floor and sighed her contentment.

  Pokey, the pregnant tabby, jumped down from the railing and walked over to her. She sniffed the dog’s face, then began grooming her. Peter appeared from under the porch, hopped up next to Princess and promptly collapsed over her back legs. Within seconds, the kitten’s eyelids were sinking closed. A few of the other cats moved closer, wanting to be near their leader now that she was home.

  “Good job,” Tex said, and slapped Brady on the back.

  “Thanks.” He was too tired to smile, so he nodded instead.

  “Are you still bleeding?” Rita asked.

  Brady glanced down at his chest. Blood stained his shirt. “I’m not sure I want to know.”

  “You don’t get a choice in the matter,” she said. “Hit the shower. When you’re done, I’ll put some cream on those scratches.”

  “The same thing Tex used on Princess?”

  “Too good for the likes of you,” the older man said, then winked.

  “I’m sure we can find the right preparation for your species.” She brushed her hair out of her face.

  She might be worried about him, but she looked as if she’d been through a war, as well. There was dirt on her face and clothing, bloodstains on her shirtfront and jeans. Her hair was loose and wild. Shadows stained the delicate skin under her eyes.

  As usual, he wanted her, but this time something else joined the desire. Something more dangerous.

  Faint lines of cleaner skin streaked her cheeks. Visible reminders of her tears. Rita wasn’t just good at her job. She was also smart, funny and compassionate. He’d learned the truth about the latter today. In the three months he knew Alicia, he’d never seen her cry. He had a feeling it wasn’t something she did, unless it was about herself. Rita was different. And while he appreciated that difference, he knew it didn’t make her any safer than she’d been before.

  Chapter Eight

  Randi combed her damp hair and decided there wasn’t time to dry it. She wanted to get downstairs before Brady. Judging from the blood on his shirt, the scratches on his chest and arms had been nasty. If he was a typical male, he would resist treatment unless she was there to force him.

  She debated tying her hair back, then figured she was off duty for the night. She might as well leave it loose. At least it would dry faster than if she braided it or caught it up in a ponytail.

  As she walked down the hall, she heard the water shut off in Brady’s bathroom. Good. She would have time to collect first aid supplies. She vaguely recalled that the house first aid kit was kept in the kitchen, in a cupboard next to the sink.

  She found the plastic box containing enough bandages, medicine and splints to service a small army. Of course, on the ranch, they weren’t exactly close to a local hospital. The drive to town had been nearly an hour. So if someone was injured, emergency treatment would have to be administered on the spot.

  While she was sorting through the various medicines, looking for a cream to ward off infection, Tex entered through the back door. He had a plate in one hand and a bowl in the other.

  Rita stiffened when she saw him, then tried to relax. He looked at her and gave her a slight smile. She nodded in return. Their earlier conversation hung between them, making the moment awkward. She didn’t want that, but she didn’t know how to change it.

  “The vet’s gone,” he said. “Mother cat and kittens are fine. She checked on Princess, too. Her paws will heal in a few days.” Tex set the plate and bowl on the counter and wiped his hands on his jeans. “I didn’t think the two of you would want to come to the bunkhouse for dinner, so I brought you a couple of steaks, salad and potatoes. I took care of the men already. I can fix these up for you in a couple of minutes.”

  Rita stared at him unbelievingly. He was so concerned about Brady, he didn’t dare leave the two of them alone? The unfairness of it all burned down to her soul. What had she done wrong? Why was she being judged?

  “Don’t look like that. You’ve got it all wrong,” Tex said quickly, and shook his head. “What I said earlier…this isn’t about that.”

  “Then, what’s it about?”

  “Dinner.” He shifted uneasily. “This is damn hard to say, all right? Brady thinks you’re special. No one cares if the two of you are just friends, or it’s something else. All I’m worried about is what happens when you move on. He doesn’t deserve to be used.”

  Randi blinked several times. It was too much information to take in. Brady thought she was special? Brady? How would Tex know that? Had they discussed it, or was it something the older man had observed?

  She pushed that thought away, because there was no way to get answers to her questions. Instead, she focused on the rest of what he’d told her. That Brady didn’t deserve to be used. The implication being that someone had used him before. A woman. But who?

  “I’m not the kind of person who uses people,” she said. “There’s no reason for you to believe me, I know, but it’s true. Brady’s a great guy. I enjoy working for him.” She enjoyed dreaming about him, too, but she wasn’t going to share that particular piece of information with the
ex-marine.

  “You still mad at me?” Tex asked.

  “I was never mad. You’re just looking out for a friend. If anything, I’m envious. I want someone to care about me that way.”

  “You’re not so bad. For a girl.” He gave her a wink.

  “Thank you. High praise from a man like you.” She turned her attention to the steaks. “Now, about dinner. I think I can manage.”

  Tex winced. “I’m sure you can, missy, but—”

  She cut him off with a wave of her hand, then walked to the stove and pointed. Two of the gas burners had been replaced with a grill. “Fire,” she said. “Fire hot. Fire cook meat.” She crossed to the microwave tucked under the counter. “Magic. Heat potato very fast.” Finally, she placed her hand on her chest. “Rita smart. Rita understand fire and magic.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Women. Try to give them a little assistance and they get all huffy. See if I ever offer to help you out again.”

  She crossed to the back door and held it open. “If you hurry, you’ll get back in time to watch your favorite television shows.”

  “Uh-huh.” He crossed the floor.

  When he was in front of her, she put a hand on his arm. He glanced at her. She smiled. “Thanks, Tex. For explaining what you meant. I think Brady’s lucky to have a friend like you.”

  “Don’t go all mushy on me,” he grumbled, then reached up and tugged on one of her curls. “Don’t let him talk you out of putting antiseptic on those scratches. He’s a baby that way.”

  “I’ll be tough, I promise.”

  Tex gave her a wave and left. She closed the door behind him and returned to the kitchen. Before she could turn on the grill, there was a noise on the stairs.

  “Rita?” Brady called.

  “In the kitchen. Tex says I’m not to let you weasel out of first aid treatment, so let’s get that over with, okay?”

  He entered the kitchen from the dining room. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to protest. I don’t want these to get infected.”

  “Good. I was all prepared to—”

  She glanced up and lost her ability to speak. The man had been scratched by a cat. On his chest. So that’s where the injuries would be. She’d known that, but she hadn’t put it all together. She hadn’t actually thought about the fact that if she was going to treat them, she was going to have to see them. Which meant Brady walked into the kitchen bare-chested.

  Her breath caught in her throat. Her stomach flopped over once, and heat flared on her cheeks.

  Like her, he was fresh from the shower. Damp hair had been brushed back from his face. He hadn’t shaved since that morning and stubble darkened his jawline. Bad enough that he was so damned handsome; worse that he was half-naked.

  She’d known he was strong. Ranch work did that to a man. She’d seen the way he filled out his shirts, straining the shoulders until the fabric looked ready to rip. Now she was able to see the rippling muscles under tanned skin.

  As he crossed the room, muscles bunched and released in his arms and chest. Hard strength, warm, honey-colored skin, big eyes and a ready smile. This she was supposed to resist?

  Then her attention focused on the scratches marring his perfect skin. From his right shoulder, across his chest to his belly, four angry red claw marks cut through flesh. Several shorter gouges dotted his right side. There were more wounds on his arms and the back of his hands.

  “They look worse than I thought they would,” Randi said, finally finding the power of speech. “Sit down and let’s get something on them. Did you wash them thoroughly in the shower?”

  “Didn’t you hear me screaming?” he asked, his smile turning into a wince as he sat down. “Normally I would go all macho on you and insist on treating myself, but tonight I’m willing to admit to being a wimp. The antiseptic cream stings like a son of a bitch. Ignore my unmanly whimpers.”

  “No problem,” she said, trying to tell herself this was about a medical problem. She was not going to think about being close to him for several minutes, let alone touching his skin. At least while he was in pain, he wouldn’t notice she was hyperventilating.

  She grabbed the cream and stepped in front of the chair. As she bent down, her hair spilled over her shoulder and brushed against his thighs.

  “This isn’t going to work,” she muttered, and tossed her head back. The curls flew out of the way.

  She knelt on the floor next to him. His right hand rested on the arm of the chair. She opened the tube and squeezed out a little onto her finger, then touched the cream to the scratches. He stiffened.

  “Sorry,” she said.

  He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. “Don’t apologize. Maybe you could talk to me. That would be distracting.”

  “Sure. About what?”

  “Anything.”

  “Okay.” She smoothed the antiseptic over the rest of the marks on the back of his hand, then moved up his arm. She tried not to notice the scent of him—something intriguingly masculine laced with the clean smell of soap. She also did her best to ignore his heat.

  She was close enough to see the individual whiskers darkening his jawline, and the faint crease by his mouth, where he got a dimple when he smiled. As she moved higher, toward his shoulder, she became mesmerized by the steady rise and fall of his chest. She wanted to lay her head there and listen to his heartbeat. She wanted to touch him with her fingers, then her mouth as they—“Rita?”

  “Huh?” She blushed bright red and stared at him. Thank the Lord, his eyes were still closed.

  “You’re supposed to be talking.”

  “Oh. Right. Um, talk.” She tried to think of something safe to say. “Okay, Tex brought us dinner so we don’t have to go to the bunkhouse.”

  “That sounds nice. What did he fix?”

  “There’s steaks and potatoes. He offered to stay and cook, but I told him I could handle it.”

  “I’ll cook.”

  She’d finished with his arm and leaned over to apply the cream to his chest. Fortunately his words were enough to distract her from her task.

  “What is it about you guys? Why does everyone think I can’t cook? I’m not completely useless in the kitchen.”

  Brady opened his eyes. “No one said you were, but my mama taught me well. I’m not going to assume that you’ll be cooking dinner just because you’re a woman. You put in a hard day’s work, just like I did. In fact, you were up earlier. I was being polite.”

  “Oh.” Who would have thought?

  “Just, oh? What about a heartfelt apology?”

  She smiled. “Don’t you think ‘heartfelt’ is just a little too strong? This is a situation that calls for a casual apology.”

  “I’ll take either one.”

  She touched the cream to his belly. Muscle rippled. Her mouth went dry. She had to clear her throat before she could speak. “Why don’t we share kitchen duties? I’ll be in charge of the potatoes and setting the table, you can take care of the meat. The salad’s already made.”

  “Fine.” He closed his eyes again. “When you’re done with my chest, I’ve got some dandy scratches at the top of my thighs.”

  Randi froze.

  Brady opened one eye and grinned. “Gotcha.”

  * * *

  After dinner, Randi sipped her wine and sighed. “I am content. I worked hard this morning, helped you rescue Princess, a cat and her kittens, then finished up with a wonderful meal. Life doesn’t get much better than this.”

  “Agreed.” Brady leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table.

  After she’d seen to his scratches, he’d pulled on his shirt. The logical side of her brain had been relieved. With him decently covered she was at less risk of making a fool of herself. The illogical side of her brain had murmured a protest, wanting to continue to look at his bare chest. At least she had the memories, she reminded herself. When she was alone in her room tonight, she would relive the experience of seeing and touching him.

  You might be grow
ing up, but you’re still not very bright when it comes to men, she told herself. But somehow, with Brady, she didn’t care. It was safe to dream about him because he wouldn’t ever want her.

  “I should go clean up the dishes,” she said, making no move to rise.

  “I’ll help…in a minute.” He poured more red wine into her glass, then filled his own.

  She glanced around the dining room. A large hutch stood on the far wall. There was a buffet under the window. Several old samplers, obviously handed down for generations, decorated the walls. “This is such a great house,” she said. “I wonder if your parents miss it.”

  “I’m sure they do, but they know it’s waiting here for them. That makes a difference. When I got homesick, that’s what I told myself.”

  “When were you gone?”

  “I rode the rodeo circuit for nearly ten years.”

  “Really? I’ve been to a few rodeos and enjoyed them. I didn’t get to as many as I would have liked. My mother didn’t approve.”

  “Why?”

  Randi stared at her glass. “Oh, it wasn’t socially correct. Now, if I wanted to go to the ballet, that was fine. Or the opera. What were your events?”

  “Bareback and bronc riding. I was a bull rider for a couple of years, but those guys are crazy.”

  She raised her gaze to meet his. “I agree. It’s dangerous, but at least it’s fair.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t know. I guess if a man wants to ride a bull that’s his business. The bull is larger and can take care of himself. I always hated calf roping. Those poor baby calves getting caught, then hog-tied. It doesn’t seem like a test of equals.”

  “If they grow up to be the bull riding stock, at least they get their own back.”

  She laughed. “I like that. I’m sure most of the calves don’t, but I’m going to insist on believing they do.”

  They sat next to each other at right angles, at one end of the long table. The large room made Randi want to whisper, as if they could be overheard. In some way, that added to the intimacy of the moment.