by Lynda Chance
He went out the back door and made his way to the implement barn. He pushed the door open and made his way over to the old mama cat. His eyes hadn't completely adjusted to the darkness inside the building, but he knew he would find Selena there.
He came up behind where she was sitting cross-legged on the barn floor. "How're they doing?" He kept his voice low.
He came down on his haunches beside her and twirled a piece of straw between his fingers. She answered him in a whisper. "Fine. The little eyes are opening, see?" They both were quiet and looked at the baby skunks that were so tiny their eyes were not fully opened yet. The little kittens were about a week older and a bit more lively.
"Yeah, that old barn cat took to those new babies, quick fast. Just like a mama."
For the first time, he noticed what she was wearing. The shorts were small, and somehow made her look even younger. She was so incredibly tiny.
He took the piece of straw from his mouth and reached over and flicked her on the nose with it. "Supper was good. Thank you, Selena."
Selena rubbed her damp palms down her thighs and legs in agitation. "You are welcome, Travis. And thank you for my new shorts."
"Stand up and let me see." He paused and waited.
"You cannot see like this?"
"Nah. I want to see if the fit is right." His voice subtly flirted with her.
"It is right." Selena stood to her feet beside him. "But I have to go, anyway. Good night." She turned and dashed back to the house while he got only a glimpse of her legs in the darkened barn.
He sighed with frustration and stuck the straw back in his mouth.
****
It took Travis three days to realize the only new article of clothing she was wearing were those damn tan shorts. She rotated her original three shirts every day, and every day he was mesmerized by her gorgeous legs. Slender and toned, the last thing on his mind was the lack of variety in her apparel.
"Those shorts look good on you, Selena. But I'd kind of like to see you wear something else for a change."
Selena stiffened as she cleaned up after supper. Best to just appease him with an agreement and worry about it tomorrow. "Okay." Technically she wasn't lying, because tomorrow she would just put on a pair of her old jeans and that would be something else.
He grunted at her answer and didn't push it. They had slipped into an easy rhythm the last few days, and he didn't feel like screwing with the balance of things.
Every night she would slip out of the kitchen and head to the barn. Every night he would follow her, and they would watch the little skunks as they grew. The evenings were pleasant and companionable, and it had been days since they had fought.
He wanted to keep it that way.
****
The next morning Travis walked into an empty kitchen. It was empty a lot of mornings, but his breakfast was always on the table, and the signs of her occupation were everywhere. This morning the kitchen didn't look like it had been touched since the night before.
He walked out on the front porch but she wasn't there. He started to go look in the barn, but he thought he might as well check her room first. Her door was shut.
He knocked, but received no response. He knocked harder. "Selena, are you in there?"
A deep moan was accompanied by a weak, "Go away."
"Is something wrong?" Travis was alarmed and his voice was deeper than usual.
The moan got worse.
"Selena, I'm coming in." He pushed the door open and walked over to the bed and what he saw there had his heart skipping a beat. She lay curled on her side in a fetal position, and her face was streaked with tears. "Jesus Christ, are you okay?"
He sat down on the edge of the bed and she let out a wail at the movement to her body.
Travis jumped off the bed. "What is it? What's wrong? Did you eat something bad?" His mind ran over the possibilities. He reached down to stroke her hip and she wailed again. His hand jerked back in automatic response. He watched her holding her stomach in pain.
"I'm calling an ambulance." He changed his mind immediately. "Shit, no. That will take too long. I need to get you to a hospital now."
Selena opened her eyes and focused on him. "No. I'm fine. Just leave, por favor."
"Selena, Angel, I can't leave you like this. You've probably got acute appendicitis.
You might die."
"I d-don't have appen--I don't have that." She wrapped her arms around her legs and closed her eyes again.
Travis wasn't going to sit here wasting time arguing with her. She wouldn't wear the clothes he bought her, so she probably didn't want to use his money on a hospital. He pulled his cell from his pocket and flipped it open. "Juan. Get the black truck and bring it around to the back of the house. I've got to get Selena to the hospital. Something's wrong with her." He paused to listen. "Yeah. Hurry."
He saw she was wearing one of the two damn shirts she originally owned and probably nothing else but panties. Goddamnit! He had bought her at least four nightgowns. She was, without a doubt, the most stubborn female he had ever met.
And the only one who didn't want to spend his money. The sheet was covering her up to the waist. He moved to the chest of drawers and started pulling out clothes.
She was going to need some things if she had to stay in the hospital awhile.
The mudroom door slammed and seconds later, Juan walked into the room and handed him the keys. "It's out back, ready and waiting. What's wrong with her?"
Juan walked over to Selena and laid a grandfatherly hand to her forehead.
"Probably acute appendicitis. We've got to go now." He was stacking clothes on the dresser.
Selena grabbed Juan's hand and started babbling in semi-hysterical Spanish.
Juan patted her on the cheek with his wizened old hand and said, "Shh..Shh.. si, si, Senorita."
Juan straightened his back and stepped away from the bed. "Boss, I need to speak to you in the hallway." He walked over to the door and stood waiting.
"Not now Juan. Shit. We've got to go."
Juan raised his voice to get the other man's attention. "Travis. Young man, I want a moment, now."
That got Travis's attention and he looked up sharply at Juan. He glanced back at Selena who was silently writhing on the bed. A scowl crossed his face and he slammed out of the room and focused his attention on Juan.
"This had better be good, old man." Irritation dripped from his voice.
"She doesn't have appendicitis." Juan got right to the point. "She has menstrual cramping."
Travis tried to wrap his brain around what Juan was telling him. He was totally floored. He stared at Juan with his mouth open. "No way. No Goddamn way she could be hurting like that."
Juan put his hand on the younger man's shoulder. "It is so. She told me it is so.
Sometimes it happens like that. Nature is not always kind to women. Some never have a twinge. Some go through agony every twenty-eight days. She is one of the unlucky ones. Please don't make this any worse on her by threatening her with doctors and hospitals and truck rides over dirt roads. She is in too much pain for that."
Travis closed his eyes and hung his head. "Shit. Okay."
Juan nodded once and opened the bedroom door and walked into the room again.
He began talking to Selena in a low, soothing voice. She answered him back the same way, never opening her eyes.
The Spanish was too advanced for Travis to follow. He only understood maybe a fifth of what they were saying.
"She needs a couple of more pillows. Do you have extras in the house?"
Travis nodded and walked to the hall closet where the linens were kept. He brought two large pillows back to the bed. Selena mumbled her thanks and spoke another few low words in Spanish.
Juan came up and tucked the two pillows as closely to the base of her spine as he could get them to go. Again, she mumbled her thanks.
Travis was horrified that she could be experiencing this kind of pain. He had never he
ard of anything like this in his life. He had heard some of the girl's way back in high school whispering about the cramps, but he never imagined it could be like this. This was almost like what the animals went through when they were in labor.
His mind rebelled at the thought of her having to go through this every month.
Juan spoke again. "Do you have a heating pad or a hot water bottle?"
Travis didn't.
Juan said, "Okay. I'm going to go to town and pick up a heating pad and some supplies for her. I will be back as soon as I can." Juan turned to Selena and asked her a question in Spanish.
She let out a soft whimper and put her arm across her face to hide it.
Juan gentled his voice. " Senorita, I need to know this information."
Selena whispered her answer in Spanish.
Juan briskly turned to Travis and said, "Get her to swallow three ibuprofen. If you can come up with an idea for warmth before I get back, that would be good." With that, he turned and quickly left the room.
Travis paused for a moment and looked at the small figure on the bed. She let out another whimper and started writhing again. Travis left the room and went to his bathroom where he retrieved a glass of water and the pills.
He was back in seconds. "Selena, these will make you feel better. Sit up, baby, and let me give you these pills."
Selena awkwardly tried to sit up. She was in so much pain, she felt like she wanted to die. She knew from years of experience that it would pass, but for the next few hours, she wanted to die.
Travis sat on the bed and propped himself up against the headboard. He set the water and pills on the bedside table and reached over and slid her into an upright position between his thighs. Her back fell against his chest. He reached over and gave her the pills. Her hands shook as she put them to her mouth. She swallowed the water he gave her, and the medicine slid down.
He set the water back on the table and she let out a tiny moan that almost sounded like relief. "Pills are working that fast?"
She shuddered. "No. It is your w-warmth." She squeezed her body back into him, like she was trying to burrow into him. She picked up his hands and wrapped them around her and placed them directly on her abdomen. "P-please. For just a minute."
Travis felt a jerk in the region of his heart as he shared his warmth with her. He eased her back all the way into him and got comfortable against the headboard.
"Sure, Angel. As long as you need. My pleasure."
Immediately, she felt the relief from the heat on the small of her back and on her pulsing womb. Within seconds, she was asleep in his arms.
Travis knew the moment when sleep eased her pain. He closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of her hair. He hated that she was in pain, but God, she felt good in his arms. He relaxed and allowed the feel of her to seep into his soul. He closed his eyes and within moments he was asleep too.
The six-hundred milligrams went to work and Selena slept like a baby. After awhile, she felt too much body heat, and in her sleep kicked the sheet off her body.
Travis felt the soft little body wriggle against him and thought he was dreaming. It was a spectacular dream, and one hand enclosed a firm little breast, and the other moved down and found the spot he had been craving for weeks.
They slept on.
Juan walked back in the room an hour later and found them in that position. He dropped the bag in his hand and stared in shock.
Travis and Selena both surfaced from sleep at the same time from the sound of the bag hitting the wooden floor.
Selena saw Juan first and then looked down and saw her legs spread wide and Travis's hand cupping her over her panties. She started pushing his hand away, but it only tightened on her.
Travis was groggy and only half awake when his grip compressed unconsciously on Selena to hold her in place. But it took only a second for the sleep to recede as he assimilated the situation. He reluctantly eased his hold and Selena scrambled away from him and covered up.
He stood up as Juan belted out, "Young man, I want a word with you in the living room."
Juan turned and left the room. Travis groaned and bent to pick up the discarded sack. He pulled the heating pad from the sack of feminine supplies and plugged it into the wall outlet. He handed it to Selena and turned and strode into the living room.
Travis saw Juan waiting for him and resentment ran through him. "Since when have I become young man to you?" He sneered the words.
"Since that young lady needs someone to protect her from you, that's when. This can't go on. She can't keep living here like this. That girl is innocent and I recognize it and every other man on this ranch recognizes it, even if you don't."
Travis listened to the lecture and antagonism pierced him. "Oh, trust me, I do. I know it best of all, I guarantee you that." Travis inhaled a deep breath and studied the older man confronting him. He was smart enough to realize that Juan cared for Selena in a paternal way. "Juan, I was just applying heat to her stomach and we fell asleep. Nothing happened. Nothing's been happening. I'm sorry my hands moved when I was asleep, but I was asleep." The last four words were yelled.
"Take it from an old man, son. You ought to just get it over with and marry that girl.
She wouldn't put up a fuss about it, and you know you want to."
"Shit no, I don't want to." The thought was tempting, though.
"Are you sure? You want to give up all that food? The nice house? The clean laundry? You haven't once thought about having the right to the beautiful little senorita in your bed at night? What, you got no balls, boy?"
Travis scowled. "Listen, old man. Don't piss me off." Travis turned and raked his fingers through his hair in agitation. "I've thought about it all right. I've been thinking of that for every godforsaken day since she came here."
Juan paused a moment and then said, "Listen. My sister lives in San Benito. She's almost seventy. She's going to need help soon. We can take the little missy there and she can live with my sister."
Travis rejected the idea instantaneously and scowled. "No. She stays here."
Juan sighed and exhaled deeply. "Don't take advantage of her. I brought her here. I feel responsible for her. I couldn't live with myself if you ruined her and tossed her away. Don't do that to her. Don't do that to an old man." He shook his head sadly and walked out the back door.
Travis stood still while tension pulsed through him. The situation had him tied in knots. He was momentarily distracted when a loud growl came from his empty stomach. He was starving and Selena was incapacitated enough that he had to find his own food. The thought of the rubber eggs and burnt bacon that he knew Slim would be serving in the bunkhouse kitchen made his stomach roil. On top of that, all the hands would be asking a million questions about why Selena hadn't cooked his breakfast. The idea of the men speculating and possibly finding out something so private about her made his protective instincts rise. She would be horrified if the men knew what was going on. He would eat his breakfast here if it would help protect her privacy.
A few minutes later, he thought that idea was easier said than done. He hadn't cooked for himself in a long time. Until Selena came along, he had eaten all his meals with the men in the bunkhouse kitchen.
A dark mood settled over him as he threw six pieces of bread on the counter and began to smear them with peanut butter and jelly. The meal was unappetizing to say the least, but the worst thing was that with every bite, he realized more and more how much he had gotten used to her. The only thing that calmed his turmoil was the knowledge that she was down the hallway, asleep in her bed.
He refused to think about how he would feel if it was otherwise.
Selena was still incapacitated at lunchtime, but at six o'clock that evening, when Travis came in through the back door, she was moving around the kitchen slowly, like a pale, slender wraith.
He had had a lot of time to think things through today. His mind was still in turmoil, but there was a certain code he lived by, and there were a coup
le of indelible facts that he couldn't get away from. The first was that he wanted her in his bed and under him with a hunger that would haunt him for the rest of his life if he couldn't have her. And the second was if he wanted to be able to look himself in the face every morning, he couldn't take advantage of her situation and her innocence in a less than honorable way.
Selena balanced herself on the counter, preparing his meal.
"Baby, you need to be back in bed." His voice was low and gentle.
Selena smiled softly at him and shook her head slightly. "No. I am fine now." She turned to face him fully. "I am sorry but there is only ham and cheese sandwiches for supper. If that is not okay, Slim can--"
He cut her off. He had eaten her ham and cheese sandwiches before. They were piping hot and grilled to perfection. He damn sure didn't want to eat Slim's food.
"No. The sandwiches are fine. Do you need some help?" He took the first few steps toward her.
"No. Y-yes. C-can you carry this plate to the table for me?" Her hands shook slightly as she pointed to the large plate of sandwiches.
"Sure. Selena, you're weak. You need to sit down and eat." He moved to the counter and picked up the sandwiches and put them on the table. "Christ, have you not had anything to eat all day?" Why the hell hadn't he thought about her not eating? What kind of a selfish bastard was he?
Selena hesitated and shook her head. Until recently, her mother had always taken care of her during these episodes. But she hadn't had her mother during the last six months, and she knew that she would survive. She always did.
Travis saw the cans of soup on the counter and knew what she planned. She swayed slightly in front of him and he reached out and picked her up and moved her over to a kitchen chair. "Sit there. Don't move."
He began opening and dumping the soup into bowls to zap in the microwave.
Grabbing two plates, he put a sandwich in front of her. "Start on that."
Selena smiled weakly and took a few bites while he prepared the soup and put the bowls on the table. At first, she felt horribly nauseous when the food hit her empty stomach. But she ate small slow bites, and soon she was feeling much better.