by Eve Gaddy
Frustrated, she said, “This is me giving you an out.”
He shook his head, one side of his mouth lifting in a smile. “I don’t want or need an out. If I didn’t want to be with you, I wouldn’t be. Tell me what you want.”
“I want to be with you. But—”
“Honey.”
“What?”
“Shut up.”
Her eyes widened and she stared at him. “You did not just tell me to shut up.”
“Yes. I did.” He took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes, humor lurking in his. Then he kissed her. One of those deep, soul-stirring kisses he was so good at. It started out slow, like banked embers, and grew from that into an inferno. His kiss turned her legs weak, made her nipples hard, her panties wet and sparked an ache deep inside that only he could assuage.
“Oh,” she moaned when he stopped. “Not fair.”
He got up, scooped her into his arms and started walking.
“What—where are you going?”
“I’m taking you to your bedroom. What happens after that,” he paused and kissed her, “is up to you.” Moments later, he laid her carefully on her bed. And then he stood there, just looking at her, with a smile that made her want to jump him.
She reached out with her good arm. “What are you waiting for? An engraved invitation?”
“Engraved? No. But an invitation? Definitely.”
“Consider this an invitation to kiss me. And don’t stop.”
“Seriously, Honey, are you sure you’re up for this?”
“From the looks of it, you certainly are.”
“Cute. Very cute. I’m serious.”
“So am I.” She pretended to think about it. “Maybe I should be on top. Except… I’m afraid I’ll whack you in the head with my splint.”
He laughed. “I’ll take my chances.”
“I lied,” she said, putting her good arm around his neck when he came down beside her.
“About what?”
“I do need some help. I don’t think I can get undressed by myself.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.” He began to unbutton her shirt, then spread it open and sighed appreciatively when he saw she wasn’t wearing a bra. He traced his fingers lightly over her breasts, brushing her nipples to make them stand up. He kissed her mouth, cupping and rubbing her breasts as he did so. Then he kissed his way down her neck to her breasts, licked each nipple before taking it in his mouth and lightly pulling on it.
Honey squirmed. “Did you bring a condom?”
“No,” he said against her skin. “But I can go get one from my apartment.”
“Then you’d have to leave.”
“True. There are other options.” He whispered one in her ear, then kissed his way down her stomach.
“I’ll have to suspend judgment on that. Until we—” She sucked in her breath as his mouth found her center. Her back arched, her hips rose to meet him. “Until we… never… mind.”
Chapter Twelve
Since the day was sunny and pleasant, Honey walked to town to meet Martha. On her way she ran into Carol Bingley, the biggest gossip in Marietta.
“Why Honey Jordan, you’re just who I was looking for.”
Honey didn’t much like Carol, but she hated to be rude, so she stopped to talk for a moment. “Hi, Carol, how are you?”
“I’m fine. How’s your arm, you poor dear? I heard your horse ran away with you and threw you.”
Gee, thanks. Carol made her sound like a novice and her horse sound untrained. “Not exactly. We had an accident running barrels in the rodeo,” she said and left it at that.
“I hear you’re dating one of the Gallagher doctors. Sean, isn’t it?”
Ha, now we get to the real reason she wants to talk to me. “Yes,” Honey answered warily. It was never good to catch Carol’s attention. The woman could be toxic with her gossiping. “I’m meeting someone at the Java café, so I’m going to have to—”
“Oh, I won’t keep you long. Didn’t you date Dylan Gallagher a few years back?”
“Yes.” Not that it was any of Carol’s business. Honey didn’t add any more, determined not to give Carol an opening, but the woman didn’t need any help. She just barreled on with whatever she wanted to talk about, whether the person she was talking to wanted to hear it or not.
“So tell me, dear, are you working your way through all the Gallagher brothers?” She gave an insincere tinkle of laughter. “First Dylan and now Sean. You certainly have a head start.”
“I do, don’t I?” she asked, dripping sugar. “I’ll have to give Jack a pass since he’s married with a new baby on the way, but I’m keeping Wyatt in mind.” Honey left her floundering for something else to say.
She walked into the coffee shop. Martha waved at her, holding up a cup. “Here, I got you your favorite,” her friend said, pushing out a chair.
“White chocolate mocha latte? You are wonderful. That’s just what I need.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Small towns, that’s what.” She sipped her latte, sighing appreciatively. “I ran into Carol Bingley outside.”
“Who is that?”
“I forget you don’t live here.” Martha had driven in from Billings, both to see Honey and to talk about a new idea she’d had for their purse business. “She’s Marietta’s biggest gossip.” She told Martha about Carol’s dig. “I wanted to slap her, but I controlled myself.”
“Probably wise. How many Gallagher brothers are there?”
“Four, but one of them is married.”
“And one is your ex-boyfriend.”
“Right. Wyatt, that’s the other brother, is a doctor too. He’s my orthopedist, the one who operated on my wrist.”
“Is he cute?”
Honey laughed. “Very. They’re all good looking. But Sean is the one I’m interested in.”
“I can tell.” She rolled her eyes. “How is that going? From what I’ve seen, he seems pretty crazy about you.”
“Really? Why do you think so?”
Martha shrugged. “The way he was at the hospital when I saw him. Not to mention he’s been at your place nearly every time I’ve come to see you.”
“I wouldn’t say he’s crazy about me, but we did decide to keep seeing each other while I’m in town. I tried to tell him not to feel obligated, but—”
Martha started giggling. “I can just see you telling him that.”
Honey grinned too. “He didn’t take me up on it.”
Her friend sipped her own coffee drink. “How are you feeling? How’s the arm?”
“It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt nearly as much now. Unless I’m doing physical therapy,” she said, frowning. “Doing everything one-handed is a pain. But I’m getting better at it.”
“What about the purses? Have you been able to work on anything?”
“Not very well. It’s hard to do a lot of the close work with only one good hand. My fine motor skills suck with the broken wrist. Besides, if I use it too much it hurts like hell.”
“It hasn’t been that long. Maybe it will get better sooner than you think.”
“Maybe,” Honey said glumly. “But never mind that. Show me the new designs.”
Martha opened her bag, one of their creations, a large, orange leather tote studded with jewels in the shape of a horse’s head. She pulled out some papers and spread them out for Honey to see. “I don’t know which one to start with. I like all of them.”
“Me too, but I’d start with this one,” Honey said, choosing one of three designs.
“That’s the one I was leaning toward.”
They discussed Martha’s new design and how she planned to finish it. “Are you entered in the race next weekend?” Honey asked.
Martha nodded. “I wish you could go. When are you going to be able to run barrels again?”
Honey frowned. “I don’t know for sure. According to my orthopedist, I’m out for the season. Eight to twelve weeks before it�
�s healed.”
“And you can’t ride until it’s totally well?”
“He said I could ride at four weeks, but I can’t run barrels.” And by ride, he meant walk around slowly in the round pen.
“Well, that sucks.”
“It sure does,” she said glumly. “But I’m worried to death about Halo. I think the fall traumatized her.” When she’d told Sean what Wyatt had said about riding, Sean backed him up. If Dr. Jack Gallagher had been around, she had no doubt he’d have sided with his brothers too.
“Did he give you any restrictions on riding? Besides waiting four weeks.”
She snorted irritably. “What he said I could do is hardly riding. I can walk on a placid horse in the round pen.”
“I’d think anything else would hurt. Can you imagine how your arm would feel if you tried trotting or cantering?”
“Whatever. It doesn’t matter, but I have to do something about Halo. If she really is traumatized, then the quicker I can work with her the better.”
“You want me to ride her? She likes me.”
“She loves you. But she loves Tanner too, and she wouldn’t let her or Tucker or anyone else near her with a saddle. I’m going to have to do it myself. That fall really messed with her head.”
“Hasn’t she ever fallen before?”
“Yes, but not often. Something about this particular fall spooked her badly.”
“Poor baby. Give her a hug for me.” Martha paused and added, “Speaking of family, have you seen your dad?”
Honey narrowed her eyes at her. “We weren’t speaking of family.”
“We are now.”
She might as well answer her. Martha could be very stubborn. “He came by, the day before my surgery. My brothers were both there. It wasn’t pretty.” Mick and Kevin were pissed at him over how he’d treated her, but Honey was used to it. She had to admit, to herself, anyway, that his behavior this time bothered her more than usual.
“Did he say why he hadn’t come before that?”
“No. He didn’t even try. He just launched into why hadn’t I let him know I wouldn’t do him the favor he’d asked me to do. Stringing lights. On Monday.”
Martha goggled at her. “When you were still in the hospital? What’s wrong with him?”
“That’s what Kevin asked him. Among other things. Then he, Kevin and Mick got into a huge fight and Buster left.” She stared into her coffee cup. “We all know why he didn’t come. He was on a bender.”
“I’m so sorry.” Martha reached out and patted her hand on the table.
Honey shrugged. “He’s going to do what he’s going to do.”
Martha opened her mouth, then shut it. After she did it again, Honey said, “Spit it out. You obviously want to say something.”
“Have you talked to your dad about this? Recently?”
“About him going on a bender whenever he thinks I’ll be here to handle any trouble? No. What’s the point? He’s not going to stop.”
“How do you know?”
“Because all three of us have talked to him. Over and over and over. Together. Separately.” Mick and Kevin, however, had finally told Buster that he was on his own and they wouldn’t clean up for him anymore. They’d stuck to it, too. But their decision created tremendous stress between them and their dad. Kevin and Mick had both tried to convince Honey to follow their lead. They said Buster had no reason to change as long as she kept bailing him out. But however much she wanted to, Honey couldn’t stand by and watch Buster screw up because he was drunk or hungover. Or worse, lose his business.
Besides the lighting business, Buster ran a window washing service and a lawn service. She had no idea how lucrative any of it was, but he seemed to get along okay, money wise.
Honey’s way of handling the issue was to enter every rodeo and barrel racing event she possibly could.
And now she was stuck in Marietta. She wondered how long it would be before her father asked her to take care of something. She made a bet with herself of a week, tops.
*
Sean raised his hand to knock on Honey’s door just as she opened it.
“Sean. Hi.” She looked surprised, and her next words confirmed it. “Were we supposed to be doing something? I thought you had to work?”
“One of the doctors needed to trade call, so I’m off after all. I was going to see if you wanted to have lunch, but you look like you were headed out.”
Her discomfort and guilt were obvious. But why? Probably because she planned on riding, even though he knew Wyatt had told her to wait a month.
“Yes, I’m going to see Halo. Can I have a rain check?”
His gaze traveled over her. Boots, jeans, short-sleeved T-shirt. Her hair was pulled back and fastened with a clip at the nape of her neck. Yep, she meant to ride. “You look like you’re dressed for riding.” And somehow he doubted she was going out to ride the slug Wyatt had recommended.
“No.” She flushed and looked away. “Just going out to check on Halo, you know.”
Oh, he knew. He knew exactly what she was doing, the hardheaded woman. He walked inside, giving her no choice but to follow him. “Why don’t I go with you?”
“You’d be bored,” she said hastily. “Nothing to do but look at horses. I won’t be long. Why don’t I call you when I get back? We can do something then. Something more fun.”
He sat on the couch and looked at her innocently. “I like horses. Don’t forget, I grew up with them.”
Irritation flashed across her face. If he hadn’t been pissed at her for what she was clearly planning to do, he’d have laughed.
Apparently she had a flash of inspiration. “Tanner wants to talk to me. Girl talk. It’s not a good time for you to come with me.”
“Why don’t you want me to come, Honey?”
“That’s not it. Tanner—”
“Give it up, Honey. You’re not going simply to see how Halo is doing. You’re going out there to ride her, aren’t you?”
Still standing, she propped her good hand on her hip and scowled at him. “If I am, it’s none of your business.”
“Didn’t you hear what Wyatt told you? He told you not to ride yet. If you re-break your arm before it’s even healed—”
“Oh, for God’s sake, I’m not going to re-break my arm. I’m wearing a sling. I can hold the reins in my right hand.”
“Maybe you should run barrels while you’re at it.”
“Maybe I will,” she snapped back. “I’ve been riding since I was three years old. I know what I’m doing.”
“No, you don’t. You had a concussion—a significant one—a little over two weeks ago. You’re two weeks out from surgery on your broken wrist. Two weeks, Honey. On top of that, instead of the placid horse Wyatt said you could ride at four weeks—four, not two, you’re planning on riding your traumatized horse who’s been squirrelly since the accident. How st—” He broke off before he said what he’d been thinking.
“How stupid am I? I guess very. Because I’m going to see my horse, and neither you nor anyone else is going to stop me.”
He gritted his teeth, trying not to lose his temper. “I was going to say stubborn. How stubborn can you be?”
“Sure you were. Go away, Sean. I’m going to see Halo.”
“Then I’m coming with you.”
“No, you’re not.”
“It’s not up for discussion. I’ll either come with you or I’ll follow you. Your choice.”
“You—you—you’re being an ass.”
He shrugged. At this point he didn’t care if she was mad at him. He wasn’t happy either. “Make your choice, Honey.”
“Fine, come with me. But don’t think you can order me around.”
He thought she muttered “Jackass.”
“I’m going to change into jeans and boots. Will you still be here when I come back?”
“I might as well, since you’ll just follow me like some stalker.”
“Whatever. I’ll be back.”
<
br /> Honey didn’t argue with him when he said he’d drive. She didn’t say anything at all most of the way out to the Triple T. When he judged she’d had enough time to get over her hissy fit, he asked, “What do you think riding Halo will accomplish?”
She didn’t answer for a long moment. “I don’t know what else to do. I’ve told you how she’s been since the accident. Skittish, easily spooked, off her feed. All of us, Tucker, Tanner, Noah, Talon, and me have tried everything we know, and she’s still a mess.”
“She hasn’t improved at all since the accident?”
“No, everyone thought she’d get better. Instead, she’s gotten worse. She won’t let anyone near her with the saddle, much less allow them to ride her.”
“So naturally you want to ride her.” She was making him crazy. Did she even have a clue how dangerous what she wanted to do was? “How do you plan to do that? Even if you manage to get her saddled, how the hell do you think you’ll mount her—one-handed—when she’s so skittish?”
“I don’t know. But I have to try something.”
“I know you’re worried about her, but there are other ways to help her.”
“Of course I’m worried about her.” She didn’t add “you idiot,” but she might as well have. “Anyone who knows horses would be.”
If she meant that as a dig, it failed. “I might be able to do something.”
“Oh, really? What are you, a horse whisperer?”
Sean winced at the term. “No, I just have a knack with horses.”
“A knack to do what?”
He shrugged. “Calming them down. That sort of thing,” he added vaguely.
“If you don’t mind, and even if you do, I’ll decide what to do after I see her.”
“Suit yourself.” As long as you don’t think you’re going to ride her, he added silently.
Chapter Thirteen
Halo was in her stall, a large one lined with fresh hay, a bucket of water, and a bucket of oats hanging on the side. When she saw Honey, her ears perked up and she whinnied. As Honey patted her, the mare nudged her with her nose, making a whuffling sound that meant she was happy to see her owner. The day before when Honey had seen her, she’d been far more listless than she was today. Honey breathed a sigh of relief. Halo was definitely better. Maybe things weren’t as bad as she’d feared. The mare was a little nervous still, sure, but she’d calm down once Honey had a chance to work with her. Intending to take her out to the round pen, she clipped a lead onto her halter. Halo wouldn’t budge. Honey clucked to her, tugged on her, talked soothingly to her, to no avail. Halo laid back her ears and neighed her displeasure, almost, but not quite, rearing up.