“Trust me, Mr. Cole, you will need the shot.” He then handed Roni a prescription for painkillers.
Linc hopped down from the bed, and immediately felt woozy.
“Did that shot kick my ass that fast?” Linc asked grabbing the hospital bed to steady himself.
“If you haven’t eaten then yes, it can kick in pretty fast,” the doctor told him.
“I haven’t had anything to eat,” Linc admitted.
The pretty nurse came in again, this time with a wheelchair. Linc started shaking his head but held on to the bed. The nurse smiled at him and pointed to the wheelchair. Roni took his arm and helped him sit down in it. The nurse wheeled him out to the entrance, and he watched as Roni walked away to get the van. When she pulled up, Linc tried to get out of the chair and almost fell. Roni rushed to assist him.
“He’s a hardheaded man, isn’t he?” The nurse laughed.
Roni nodded. “You have no idea.”
He was so glad they were finding this all so funny.
She slipped her arm around his waist and helped him into the van. He got in, laid his head back, and closed his eyes. He felt her put the seatbelt on him, heard her thank the nurse, and then get into the van. She stopped at the pharmacy before taking him home. When she pulled up to his house, she got out, and then helped him out leading him to the kitchen door.
“Damn pain medicine,” his voice was slurring, reminding him of his drunk-dialing episode.
Once inside the house, she looked up at him. “Do you want to go to your bed or to the couch?”
He laughed. “With you? I’ll take the bed. More room to maneuver.” Roni glared at him so he shrugged. “Okay, couch is fine.”
She led him to the couch in the living room, and he practically fell on it. Lifting his feet, she started to pull off his boots. He was smiling.
“So, you are going to undress me. I’ve had dreams about this, Roni, but you were naked too.” Suddenly, he couldn’t keep his eyes open anymore, and knew he was falling asleep.
VERONICA GLANCED AROUND her. His home was beautiful but definitely a man’s home. No feminine touches anywhere. She walked over to the window seat and sat down. Pulling out her cell phone, she called Patsy and explained what had happened. Patsy seemed concerned about Lincoln but Veronica told her not to worry that he was fine and that since they weren’t real busy, she was going to stay here for a bit to make sure he stayed that way. Patsy agreed with her, although she thought she heard her giggle. Veronica smiled as she hung up. She’d made a great choice in hiring Patsy.
Later, Veronica was in the kitchen making something to eat when she heard Lincoln grumbling. She walked into the living room and found him sitting on the couch with his hands in his hair, staring at the floor. He looked up when he heard her enter.
“Why are you still here? I’m fine now. Just feels like my head is filled with cotton.” He leaned back against the couch.
Veronica walked over and sat down with him. “I’m staying, Lincoln, at least until I know you’re okay. You won’t take care of yourself or take your pills when you need them.”
Lincoln never opened his eyes. “I’m not taking any more of those painkillers.”
When Veronica snorted, he glanced at her through half-opened eyes.
“Yes, you will. I’ll put them in a drink if I have to or mash them in your food. But you will take them.”
Lincoln’s eyebrow shot up. “Ya think?”
Veronica tried not to smile. “No, I don’t think, I know.”
She stood and returned to the kitchen to fix them both something to eat. There were plenty of things for sandwiches, so she made those. When she carried them back to the living room, he was still sitting on the couch with his head back and his eyes closed. She set the plate on the coffee table in front of him. He opened his eyes, looked at the sandwich, and closed his eyes again.
“Did you put a pill in there?” When Veronica laughed, he looked up at her with suspicion.
“No, not this time, but I’m hoping that you’ll take one on your own so I won’t have to slip you a Mickey.”
Lincoln chuckled. “You’re tough on a man, Roni.”
She sat down and lifted her sandwich. “And don’t you forget it.”
Lincoln ate his sandwich as if he was starving, and in all likelihood, he was since she’d heard him tell the doctor he hadn’t eaten. When he finished it, he started to get up but Veronica stopped him. “Tell me what you need and I’ll get it.”
He smiled at her. “Another sandwich maybe.”
She stood and took his plate. “I’ll be right back. Just relax.”
When she came back in, she handed him the sandwich but when he didn’t take it right away, she gave him a stern glare. He was looking down her blouse, which had gaped open when she leaned over. She knew he could see the tops of her breasts inside her bra. His eyes closed.
Veronica didn’t straighten up, only kept her eyes on his face. He opened his eyes and stared into hers. He whispered her name. She reached behind her setting the plate on the coffee table, and then leaned into him. She wanted his kiss. She wanted him. When her lips touched his, he groaned. She ran her tongue over his lips, and that was when he suddenly took control, pulling her onto his lap, and leaning her back over his arm. He kissed her deeply, moving his tongue into her mouth. Now she was the one moaning. She ran her hands up to his neck and combed her fingers through his hair at the nape of his neck.
Suddenly, Lincoln pulled away from her and pushed her off his lap.
“What’s wrong?” His rejection was obvious, but she knew he wanted her.
He picked up her left hand and rubbed his thumb over the diamond there. “This. This is what’s wrong. I’m not that kind of man, Roni. I’d love to have you but I won’t as long as you have this on your finger, and don’t say you can take it off. That’s just a cheat. It has to be gone permanently.”
She nodded as she stood. “I understand. I’d better go. You are too much of a temptation, Lincoln Cole.” She stared down at him. “Promise me you’ll take your meds.”
“I promise,” he told her, not looking at her.
She picked up her purse and after one last glance at him, she walked out through the kitchen and closed the back door behind her as she left.
Chapter Five
THE NEXT MORNING WHEN Veronica entered the hospital, she saw nothing but chaos. Two people were arguing about whose appointment was first. Carrie was doing her best to calm them down, but they weren’t listening. Veronica put her fingers to her lips and gave a shrill whistle. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her in surprise.
“Who has the first appointment?” Veronica glared at them.
Carrie told her she had tried to explain to the two arguing that the schedule was what she was going by, but they didn’t care. One woman thought, since she’d arrived first, she should go ahead of everyone else.
Veronica walked over to the desk, glanced down at the page listing the day’s appointments, and called one of the names. The other person huffed, and sat down. Veronica had Patsy take the patient back while she headed for the operating room. A cat needed to have part of its tail removed since a raccoon had gotten a hold of the poor thing and bit its tail down to the bone. It was just a good thing the cat had its rabies shot.
So, it’s going to be one of those days.
Veronica chewed her lower lip as she prepped for surgery. As if she didn’t have enough on her plate, she had to figure out what to do about Cameron. She had to tell him it was over between them. It had been coming on for some time. She just hadn’t wanted to admit it to herself or to him. She didn’t love him. She wasn’t even sure if she ever had. Now, she knew she didn’t and never could. At least not as long as she wanted Lincoln the way she did. There seemed to a connection with Lincoln that she knew she’d never have with Cameron.
She had taken her ring off when she got home the previous evening, and hadn’t put it on this morning. She knew it would hurt Ca
meron but it wouldn’t be fair to him, or herself, to marry him. It was more than her attraction to Lincoln but it was there, and too strong. Cameron wanted things only his way, and it didn’t include her career, or this hospital.
She glanced around at the surgical room, and took pride in knowing it was hers. He didn’t understand that. She knew she had to tell him it was over between them for his sake, as well as hers. Even if nothing ever happened between her and Lincoln, her relationship with Cameron was never going to work.
After finishing the surgery, she entered the waiting room to find it empty. She looked at Carrie with a surprised expression. “Are we done for the day? It’s early.”
Veronica stepped alongside the desk and looked through the appointment book.
“We have a lot for this afternoon. So don’t worry, you’ll be busy enough.” Carrie smiled at her. She laughed when Veronica stuck out her tongue at her.
“I’m going to grab a cup of coffee with Patsy then. Let me know when the next patient comes in.”
Carrie assured her she would and Veronica headed toward the back room to find Patsy. She found her in the last exam room, filling out papers on a patient she’d just seen. She glanced up at Veronica and smiled at her.
“What’s going on?” She stood up from the chair and walked forward to meet Veronica alongside the exam table.
Veronica widened her eyes wondering to what she referred. “What do you mean?”
Patsy put her hands on her hips and her eyes narrowed.
“Give,” she told Veronica. “You look like you have a lot on your mind, and it isn’t work.”
Veronica cleared her throat. She reached back and closed the door. “I’m going to break my engagement to Cameron.”
Patsy’s mouth dropped open. “What? Why?”
Veronica frowned. “I can’t marry him, that’s for sure. I thought we had things in common, but I realize now that it was an illusion. He had convinced me that my life was important to him, and it isn’t. I want this and he doesn’t want me to have it. I hate the idea of hurting him so I’ll have to do it gently. Maybe I can blame it on being apart rather than him turning out to be far more selfish than I knew. I just know I have to do it. Besides, I can’t love him the way he wants, while wanting Lincoln the way I do.”
“You can tell Cameron the truth, about everything, or lie but either way, he’ll be hurt.”
Veronica knew that, but she had to figure out what to do. Should she be honest and tell him how she felt about him and how she wanted Lincoln? No, he’d just tell her it was an infatuation, and convince her it was clouding her judgement. Was it? What if that’s all it really was, infatuation.
Maybe she needed to think this through some more. Maybe she just needed to see Cameron again. That thought really didn’t appeal to her at all though. She’d thought she loved him, once upon a time, but how can you love one man while desiring another? Besides, he needed to understand her life was here. Her career was here. If he loved her the way he claimed, he’d want that for her. She had to call him. She’d tell him she needed to see him.
When Veronica called Cameron, he wasn’t available. He was in a meeting and his receptionist told her he would call her back. She didn’t hear from him the rest of the afternoon. Shrugging, she decided it would happen when it happened. She sat at her desk in her office and dictated notes on her last patient into her recorder. It was good to keep busy because then she didn’t think about Cameron, or Lincoln.
Later, as she sat in her living room, she couldn’t help but think about Lincoln. The man knew how to kiss that was for sure. Cameron’s kisses had never gotten to her like that.
Stop! You can’t keep comparing the two men. She sighed in frustration.
Patsy and Carrie had gone to a movie and had asked her along, but she’d declined. Maybe she should have gone anyway, but then a movie just didn’t sound good right now. She glanced at the time before picking up her cell phone. She dialed Cameron’s number, again.
“Hi babe,” he said in what had become an irritating way of answering.
“I’ve left messages for you, Cameron. Why haven’t you returned my calls?”
“I’ve been busy. Business is good.”
“So good you can’t pick up the phone and call me? I am your fiancée, you know.”
“Veronica, we both lead busy lives. What’s so urgent?”
“Urgent? I’ll tell you what’s urgent…this relationship. I don’t think it’s going to work.”
“Are you breaking our engagement?”
Veronica sighed. “I don’t see how it’s going to work. We live apart, never seeing each other, and obviously, too busy to even communicate with each other. I’m not leaving Dry River and you won’t leave Phoenix.”
“A lot of couples live apart…”
“Well, I don’t want to be one of those couples, Cameron.”
“So, that’s it, huh? Not even going to give it a chance?”
“We have given it a chance! Good Lord, you can’t even return my calls because you’re too busy. Yes, it’s over. I can’t do this.”
“I love you, Veronica.”
“I’m sorry, Cameron. I’ll send the ring back to you. Goodbye.” She hung up and placed her hands over her face, but no tears fell. She really didn’t feel anything but relief that it was over. She glanced down at the phone expecting it to ring. When it didn’t, she shook her head. He didn’t even call her back to fight for her…for them. She was right to have ended it.
She jerked when it did suddenly ring. She picked it up, but didn’t see Cameron’s name. She answered it, and was surprised to hear Lincoln’s voice.
“I’m sorry to bother you, Roni, but one of the horses is down. It may be colic. Can you come out here?”
She wasn’t sure she wanted to see him but she couldn’t let a horse suffer. “I’m on my way.”
She gathered her things, hurried to her van and climbed in. She had to make good time because colic wasn’t good. It could kill a horse. Especially if the horse was down on the ground, and started to roll. The intestines could twist and the horse could die.
Steering into Lincoln’s drive, if asked, she’d have to admit she was a little nervous. She hadn’t seen him since she left him the day she kissed him. She groaned. Now was not the time to think about that. She had a job to do. Parking alongside the barn, she shut the vehicle off, grabbed her bag, and climbed out. Lincoln met her at the barn entrance.
“The men are trying to get him up, but it’s rough going.”
“How long has he been down?”
“Since just a few minutes before I called you. This isn’t one of mine and I’d really hate to call the owner and have to tell him his horse has died.”
“I’ll do what I can,” she said as she entered the stall. She kneeled down beside the horse and put her stethoscope around her neck. She leaned forward to listen to the horse’s stomach. It was rumbling and the horse kept trying to nip at his stomach. Sitting back on her heels, she withdrew a syringe and administered an antispasmodic medicine. She looked up at Lincoln.
“Please try to get him up. The shot I gave him should work quickly, but we can’t take a chance he’ll try to roll. His stomach is really bothering him.” When she began to get to her feet, the horse moved his head around and clipped her shoulder, sending her backwards. She would have fallen if Lincoln hadn’t caught her. She laughed. “Thank you.”
“Perks of the job, huh?” He smiled at her then looked to the men waiting to help. “Let’s get him up.”
Veronica stood back and watched as the men lifted using a strap hooked under the horse. After a few tense minutes, the horse finally stood. She glanced at Lincoln and smiled when he winked at her. She pushed at her hair with her left hand but stopped when she noticed Lincoln looking at her hand. He strode forward to stand in front of her.
“Where’s your ring?” He whispered the question near her ear. She saw the other men leave the stall.
“I took it off,” sh
e whispered back.
“Just took it off?”
“Permanently. It’s over, I broke things off.”
He jerked her against him and took her mouth in a deep kiss. He pulled back from her. “I have to have you, Roni or I’m going to go insane.”
“Yes, Lincoln.”
He grabbed her bag, and then her hand. He tugged her along through the barn, and she couldn’t help but wonder what the men standing nearby were thinking. Especially, when they reached the barn entrance and Lincoln scooped her up, and carried her to the house. Once inside, he kicked the door shut, set her on her feet, dropped her bag to the floor, and cupped her face in his hands.
“Are you sure?” He stared into her eyes.
“I can’t have you going insane, can I?” She smiled.
Lincoln laughed. “I think I will either way.”
“I’m sure.” She let out a little squeal when he picked her up again, and took the stairs from the kitchen two at a time.
He carried her into the bedroom and placed her on the bed then he stepped back and stared down at her. She raised herself up on her elbows to look at him. “Lincoln? I thought you wanted this.”
“I do. I just can’t believe you’re really here.”
“I am. Come here.” She held her arms out to him.
Lincoln lay down beside her and pressed his lips to hers. When his tongue entered her mouth, she moaned and thrust her fingers through his hair. His hand ran down her over one breast to the bottom of her T-shirt. He pulled it up over her head and hissed in a breath when he saw her black demi-cup bra.
“You are so beautiful,” he said against her lips. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve dreamed of this?”
“How long?”
“It seems like all my life.” He pressed his lips to hers as his hand moved to the snap of her jeans.
Veronica ran her hands all over him, from his hair, down his back to his tight butt. She squeezed him and felt his body shake with a chuckle.
“You have a great ass, Lincoln.”
“I thought the same about yours the day I took the dogs to your office and followed you down the hall.”
Lincoln Bad Boys of Dry River, Wyoming Book 4 Page 7