She did what she could to save Nero but his injuries were too severe. This was the worst part of her job—calling owners to tell them she couldn’t save their animal. She dialed the number to reach Nathan, and waited for him to answer.
“He didn’t make it, Nathan. I’m so sorry. He was bleeding internally. So much that I couldn’t stop it. I’m so sorry,” she said again.
Nathan’s sigh came over the line. “Thanks for trying, Roni. I don’t know how I’m going to tell Shelly. Can I pick him up? I’d like to bury him here.”
Veronica held back her tears even while they burned in the back of her throat. “Why don’t you have him cremated? I can return his ashes to you in a wooden box with his name on it.”
Dear God, she hated this!
Nathan cleared his throat. “That’s fine. Let me know when to pick it up.” He hung up.
Veronica slowly hung up the phone and felt tears running down her face. She should be used to this by now but this time it was Nathan’s dog. She knew how much he loved his dog. He took such great care of Nero. She sat at her desk in her office and cried until she had no tears left. That was how Patsy found her. She took a seat in the other chair. She’d been crying too.
“How’d he take it?” Patsy sniffed.
“He’s hurting. Animals become part are our families. It’s amazing how much we can love them, and they love us right back unconditionally. Nero is going to be cremated. I want to tell Lincoln what’s happened, but I want to see Nero first.” Veronica left the room and headed back to the exam room where she ran her hands over Nero’s soft fur.
“You were such a good boy, Nero. Your master’s going to miss you very much.” She could feel the tears coming again.
AS LINC WALKED INTO his kitchen, he heard the phone ring. He grabbed it. “Yeah, Cole.”
“Yeah, Cole? Well, that’s a hell of a way to answer the phone, Lincoln,” Roni scolded him.
He laughed so glad to hear her voice. “Sorry, darlin’. If I’d known it was you, I would’ve answered differently.”
Veronica laughed softly, and then sobered. “I have some bad news.”
Linc stiffened up. Please don’t tell me you’re going back to your dentist. “Bad news?”
“Nathan’s dog, Nero, was hit by a car. I couldn’t save him.”
Linc pulled out a chair at the table, and sat down. “It’s not your fault, baby. I’m sure you did your very best. How is Nathan taking it? He loved that dog.”
“He’s not good. He said he wanted to bury Nero out at the ranch but I suggested we have him cremated instead. I’ll let him know when he comes back. They’ll put him in a nice box with his name and everything.” Linc could hear the sorrow in her voice. He’d seen her work with the animals and he knew she loved them even though they weren’t hers. She was hurting because she couldn’t save Nero.
“I’ll call Nathan. He might want to talk about it. I’m not sure, but you don’t need to feel that you didn’t do all you could. I know you did, Roni. I know it.”
“Thank you, Lincoln. I think it’s mostly because it’s Nathan’s dog, and I know how much Nero meant to him.”
“Yeah, he did. I remember when he got him. He found the mother and pups under a house. Someone had abandoned them. He took them to the local shelter and one little pup kept climbing out of the box and into his lap. Nathan ended up taking him home. Nero rarely left Nathan’s side when he was working the ranch. I imagine it’ll be hard on Nathan for a while. I’m sure Shelly loved Nero too, but that dog meant the world to Nathan.” Linc sighed. He felt truly bad for his friend.
“This is the part I hate about this job. I hate having to tell someone I couldn’t help their animal. It’s what I’m supposed to be doing, and I failed.”
“No, you didn’t fail, Roni. Nero wouldn’t have made it either way.”
“I know that. I do, but it still bothers me.”
Linc could hear the tears in her voice. “Nathan will be fine and I know he doesn’t blame you.”
“I hope not, Lincoln. I really hope not.”
“I’ll see you this weekend, right?” Linc hoped her sad mood wouldn’t ruin his chance to see her.
“Of course…I’ll be there with bells on.”
Linc laughed. “No bells needed, nothing would be perfect.”
VERONICA LAUGHED AND hung up the phone. Lincoln knew just how to lift her spirits. She was so glad she had him in her life. She headed off to look for Patsy. She found her in the exam room with Nero. Patsy looked up when Veronica entered the room.
“I called the crematorium. They’ll pick him up within the hour.” Patsy kept running her hand over his thick fur. “I hate this part of the job, Roni, seeing the hurt on people’s faces when they lose an animal. You’re right. They’re family. I hope Nathan’s okay.”
Veronica touched Patsy’s arm. “It’ll take time, but he will be. I told Lincoln and he’s going to call him. They’re so close. Lincoln will probably call the other guys and they’ll go to Nathan’s to comfort him in their own screwed up ways.”
She wished she could comfort him more but as long as his friends were there, he’d be all right. She had a feeling Shelly would be a big part of helping Nathan get past this. She hoped so, although Shelly had to be hurting too. Fortunately, they could comfort each other.
Veronica took Patsy’s arm and led her toward the waiting room. They’d wait there until the crematorium came to pick up Nero. After the men from the crematorium collected Nero, the women left the hospital, each heading home, and quiet in their own thoughts. Veronica watched as Patsy drove off.
A little while later, Veronica leaned her head back against the tub, feeling exhausted. She didn’t want to cry anymore but she felt so bad for Nathan. She knew he’d eventually get past it, but it was going to take a while. Even the comfort of her bath wasn’t soothing the ache in her heart. She sat up, pulled the plug to let the water out, and stood. She reached for a blue fluffy towel and dried off. After putting her robe on, she headed toward the kitchen to get a glass of wine when someone knocked on her door. Since she wasn’t expecting anyone, she quietly crept to the door then peered through the peephole. She smiled when she saw Lincoln standing there. She opened the door.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, so glad he was here.
“I wanted to see you. I was in town to get some feed and so stopped by the hospital, but you were already closed.” He leaned down and kissed her softly on her lips.
“Is it snowing again?” she asked peering past him. The smell of snow was on his skin when he’d leaned close.
“Yep, it just started. I could be stuck here, you know. You wouldn’t happen to have an extra room by chance?”
“I do, but no bed in it. I guess I could let you sleep in my bed.”
Lincoln wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close knocking the door shut with a booted foot. “Are you going to be in the bed too?” He nuzzled her hair with his nose.
“I think you could talk me into it,” she whispered in his ear.
“Lead the way, darlin’.”
After Lincoln shrugged off his coat, and tossed his hat on a table, Veronica took his hand, led him down the hallway to her bedroom, and pulled him to the bed. He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her between his thighs. She stared down into his beautiful blue eyes.
“Your eyes are so beautiful,” she said, tracing her fingertips along his cheek.
“I like yours better. I used to dream of those green eyes staring up at me, filled with desire just for me.” He untied her robe and groaned when he saw she was naked under it. “God, Roni. You are so amazingly beautiful.”
She moved her fingers through his thick hair and pulled him close. He took a nipple into his mouth and suckled. She leaned her head back reveling in the sensation as he worked his magic. His hands settled on her hips then one hand moved across her stomach and down into her curls. He moved one finger between her folds and rubbed it back and forth. Veronica moved her hips
in rhythm with his finger, while his thumb rubbed against her clitoris.
“You’re getting wet, baby. Wet for me,” he whispered against her stomach as he kissed his way down. He stood quickly, moved her to the bed, and pulled her ankles toward him as he knelt between her legs. His tongue moved through her curls to her clitoris as he slowly inched a finger into her wet heat, while resting her legs over his shoulders.
Veronica grasped the quilt in her fists. She felt like she was going to burst into pieces. She placed one fist over her mouth and screamed as she came. She tried to catch her breath as Lincoln moved up along her body to kiss her lips. She could taste herself on his lips, and she had to admit she found it thrilling. Her legs fell away from his shoulders.
“I’m so hard, I ache. Feeling you clench around my finger when you came almost threw me over the edge. Now, I want to feel you squeeze my cock like that.”
She heard him unzip his jeans and discard them, along with his shirt. He ripped a packet open and the next thing she knew, he was inching into her. She glanced up at him through her lashes. He stood between her legs and began pumping into her. He folded her legs until her heels were resting on his shoulders. She was so sensitive from her last orgasm that it didn’t take her long to feel another wave of pleasure washing over her.
“Lincoln,” she groaned.
“Yes, baby.” He moved harder and faster against her.
Veronica wasn’t sure she could take much more but she knew she wanted it. She screamed out his name as he groaned out hers. She could feel him throbbing inside her as he came. The next thing she knew the bed gave way, and crashed to the floor with a loud bang. Lincoln landed on top of her. Both of them lay there stunned for a minute. Then she started laughing and Lincoln did too.
“You broke my bed,” she said, laughing.
“I don’t think I did it all by myself.”
Veronica burst out laughing when Lincoln tried to move off her, but slid to the floor.
“I hope you have a hammer.”
“I do,” she said in between guffaws.
“Christ woman! This is how crazy you make me. I’ll fix the bed.” He helped her up as she slid off the side leaning on the floor.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
“We can take a shower or whatever after you fix the bed.”
“All right. Let me fix the bed, and then we’ll…well, we’ll whatever.”
“There’s a hammer in the drawer by the fridge.” Lincoln nodded and left the room. She stifled her laughter watching him stalk away buck-naked.
“Never broke a bed before,” she heard him mutter as he disappeared around the corner, making her laugh harder.
LINC SHOOK HIS HEAD as he walked to the kitchen. He chuckled when he thought about the bed breaking. Never happened before with any woman but with Roni, it didn’t surprise him. There were times he wanted to take her fast and hard but making love to her slowly was amazing too. He so enjoyed worshipping every inch of her gorgeous body. Shit. Now his dick was getting hard again. He needed to get that bed fixed fast. He found the hammer and nails then hurried back to the bedroom. Roni was sitting in chair beside the bed with her robe on again. She looked up at him and started chuckling.
“It’s your fault,” he told her.
“Oh yeah, I broke the bed all by myself.”
“I’m not saying that. I’m saying if you weren’t so fucking hot, I’d be able to control myself more.”
Roni stared at him then burst out laughing. “I call bullshit.”
Linc laughed and started working on the bed. “Maybe I should reinforce this thing.”
“Maybe you should if you plan on staying more nights here.”
“Well, if we keep breaking this bed, you’ll have to live with me. My bed’s plenty sturdy.” When she didn’t say anything, he glanced over to her. She was frowning slightly. “I was teasing.”
“I know. But you never know, maybe one day.”
Linc held a nail and swung the hammer, missing the nail and hitting his thumb. “Son of a bitch!” He stuck his thumb in his mouth and looked at her. “Don’t say shit like that.”
“You brought it up.” She shrugged.
“If I thought you were serious, I’d help you pack right now.”
“Let’s just take it day by day for now.”
Linc tossed the hammer down and strode over to her. He kneeled down in front of her and took her hand in his. “Are you serious?”
She touched his face. “We’ll see how this goes. Let’s don’t rush it, okay?” She leaned forward and kissed him
Linc groaned against her lips. “All right.”
Roni grinned against his lips. “You’re so agreeable.” She frowned at him. “Are you sure, Lincoln? That’s a huge step.”
“I’m absolutely sure, but we’ll do it your way…” She cut off his words when she placed her hand over his mouth.
“Good. Now, get my bed fixed or it’s the floor.” She grinned at him and winked. In response, he pulled her forward and rolled her under him…on the floor.
Chapter Seven
LATER, DURING THE NIGHT, Lincoln woke her up by kissing her neck first and then moving slowly, and deliriously down to her breasts. She moaned as he ran his tongue around her nipple making it harden into a stiff peak. She clutched his hair in her fists. She sat up and pulled his hair.
“What?” He growled.
She pushed him onto his back. She moved her hand down to clasp his hard shaft, while kissing his chest then trailing her lips down over his six-pack stomach. She kissed the throbbing head of his eager erection, and then ran her tongue along the length of it. His fingers combed through her hair as he groaned out her name. She put her mouth over him and sucked on him gently. She kept at it until he grabbed her and threw her on her back before quickly donning a condom.
Lincoln thrust into her. He moved slowly in and out of her teasing her, and making her want even more. She was about to wrap her legs around him when he suddenly moved off her and grabbing her hips, flipped her onto her belly. He ran his tongue down along her spine and back up, making her shiver and moan. He nipped at her shoulder blade. Then he reached under her, lifted her hips into the air, spread her knees, before thrusting into her from behind.
Surprised that he’d had her get on her hands and knees, Veronica didn’t know if she was going to like it this way but when Lincoln put his fingers on her clitoris and moved them over it, she quickly changed her mind. He thrust in and out while he moved his fingers on her. When an orgasm hit her, it hit her harder than any other ever had. She screamed out his name. He kept thrusting then grabbed her hips, and pulled her tight against him. She heard him groan, and then she felt him throbbing inside of her.
He pressed a kiss to her back along her spine before he rolled over to his side of the bed. They were both breathing hard. Veronica lay on her stomach looking at him. He must have felt her gaze because he looked over to her.
“Wow,” she said. Lincoln started laughing as he rolled toward her. She laughed too.
“You aren’t mad?” he asked.
“For what? That was amazing. I’ve never done it like that before.” She smiled shyly. “I loved it.”
Lincoln nodded and smiled. “Me too.”
He looked at her then, his expression becoming serious. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get enough of you, Roni.”
“Same here,” she said with a long sigh, smiling, and then snuggled against him and kissed his chest. Lincoln wrapped his arms around her and they fell asleep with their arms around each other.
The next day, she was busy in the kitchen preparing their dinner when Lincoln surprised her by wrapping his arms around her from behind, and nibbling on her neck.
“Ha, you’re distracting me. I think the meat’s burning,” she told him with a laugh.
Lincoln burst out laughing. “You’ve got that right.”
Veronica shoved him away. “You might not want your steak, but I’m starving.�
� She pulled the steaks and baked potatoes from the oven. After plating the food, she motioned him to take a seat and set one of the plates in front of him. She took a seat across from him.
“Do you think Nathan’s doing all right?” She’d been thinking about Nathan all afternoon. She still felt terrible about not saving his dog.
“I’m sure he’s doing okay, and he’ll get better each day. I know he really misses Nero. Shoot, that dog rarely left his side. I tried to convince him to get another one, but he said he wasn’t going to.”
“I wish I could’ve saved him, but he was bleeding so badly he didn’t have a chance. No matter what I did and I tried everything.”
“I know darlin’. It wasn’t your fault. Nathan knows that. He knows you did your best.”
Veronica nodded. She knew she’d done everything she could but she still wished it had been different. She hated nothing more than not being able to save someone’s pet or livestock.
“What will happen with Chapman’s livestock? More than one of his cows is pregnant.”
“If he gets off with probation…then nothing…if he goes to jail, they’ll auction them off. I’ll probably bid on one of the pregnant cows. They’re from good stock.”
Knowing the animals would get good homes pleased Veronica. She had worried about what would happen to the cows and horses, if Chapman went to jail. After they finished eating, they headed to the living room to watch a movie. Before long, Veronica knew Lincoln was asleep by his deep breathing. She snuggled back against him and finished watching the movie alone. She wished they could be together every night for the rest of her life, but maybe that was too much to desire.
A week later, Veronica was back at work after another quick weekend with Lincoln. The buzzer at the back door rang and Veronica moved to open it. The only people that came to the back door were from the crematorium or the Humane Society with an emergency. She opened the door. The man from the Humane Society gave her a quick greeting as he carried in a yellow Lab.
“I don’t know if mama here is going to make it, but she has six puppies that desperately need help.”
Lincoln Bad Boys of Dry River, Wyoming Book 4 Page 10