Texas Temptation

by Kathryn Brocato

  “Fine, get started.” When she left, Carlos eyed LeBeau and Anderson. “Once she gets the results, you two start canvassing the parlors. Until then, comb through the reports and try to figure out how this guy came by what appears to be combat training with no military background.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “What are ya gonna do, Cody?”

  She dragged her gaze from the sheet of rain pelting the ground and looked at JC. Dad had asked him to come and stay with her while Dad was at Texas A&M for a weekend long clinic. They’d gotten bored in the house and wandered on to the porch.

  JC’s black Stetson cast a shadow over the faded bruises on his face. Had it almost been a week since Artie Jacobs beat him? More than a week since she discovered Heather Trisk’s body in her trailer. So much had changed in a moment.

  A damp wind tugged on the corners of her coat and she wiggled further inside the warm down lining. “I don’t know, JC. I really don’t know.”

  “You can’t skip the NFR. This is your first year to go. It’s almost like political suicide if you miss it.”

  She chuckled. “I doubt that.” Cody sighed and leaned against a support post.

  Why had things gotten so cotton pickin’ complicated?

  “Have they questioned you anymore?” she asked.

  “Naw.” JC leaned on the porch railing and picked at a painted-over bump. “I thought for sure they’d drag me in after I found that knife. Not a peep.”

  “I think something came up and took the focus off you.”

  “Thank God for that. I didn’t know what I would’ve done had LeBeau or his partner blamed me for Clare’s death again.”

  Cody pushed away from the beam. “JC, I’m sorry.”

  He gave her a crooked smile. “Whaddya have to be sorry about? You didn’t cause this. And you didn’t kill Clare.” His smile faded and a grim line formed along his forehead. “Kinda seems unreal that she’s gone.”

  “Yeah, it does.”

  He turned his back to her.

  Had JC grieved for Clare? With all that was going on, she didn’t get a chance to sit down and talk with him. Cody took a step and stilled when JC sniffed.

  Gripping his shoulder, she turned him to face her. Tears tracked down his face.

  “Why her, Cody? Why’d it have to be Clare?”

  Biting her trembling lip, she wrapped her arms around him. They stood that way while he let out his sorrow.

  This whole fiasco needs end soon. I don’t think any of us can hold out much longer.

  Thunder rumbled.

  JC stepped out of her embrace and swiped his shirtsleeve over his eyes, clearing his throat. “Sorry ’bout that.”

  “For what? You’re grieving for a friend.” She grasped his hands and squeezed them. “Just cause you’re a guy doesn’t mean you can’t feel.”

  “There went the whole tough cowboy image.”

  She smiled. “JC, you were there for me when it counted. I owe you big time.”

  He flashed his boyish grin. “Yeah, you’ve got a long way to go to catch up.”

  Headlights slashed through the evening fog. Cody peeked around JC and saw Remy’s Corvette park next to JC’s truck.

  JC sighed. “If he’s here, I’d better leave or I might punch him.”

  “Yeah. You’ve been in enough trouble with the cops already.”

  He flicked her shoulder. “Let me know when he’s gone and I’ll come back.”

  “’Kay.” She watched him dash through the rain to his truck.

  The two men said something to each other as JC got into his cab. JC’s truck roared to life, and he left. Remy hurried up the path and jumped onto the porch, shaking the water from his coat as he approached her.

  Her breath hitched in her throat. Why’d he have to look so good with his day old scruff, damp hair, and maroon shirt that made his eyes darker than normal? He probably smelled good, too. Was it peppermint or spice today?

  “We need to talk.” His voice was rough with emotion.

  Cody swallowed. “Got that right, Cajun.”

  “There’s something I need to tell you — ”

  “What possessed you to think — ”

  Remy held up his hand, and Cody stilled. A mist cloud formed when she exhaled. This was about to go downhill in a barrel.

  “I’ll go first.” He dropped his hand, hooking his thumb in his belt loop. “The Rodeo Sweethearts killer is baiting me. And it might have put you in the line of fire.”

  “Put me in the line of fire?”

  His eyebrows dipped down. “Cody.” His tone mimicked that of a scolding father.

  Cornered like a wild horse, she bared her teeth. “Don’t treat me like a child, LeBeau. You’ve put me at a greater risk, and no amount of bullshittin’ on your part is going to calm me down.” She jabbed a finger into the fleshy part of his chest. He winced and a twinge of satisfaction zipped through her. “I ain’t heard nothin’ but lies come outta your mouth lately. You’ve never trusted me. So why should I repay in the same?”

  “You just don’t get it, do you?”

  “Oh, I get it. I’m the poor damsel in distress, I need some big strong man to come save me.” She gave a derisive snort. “Here’s a new one for you. I don’t need a man to play hero.”

  He spouted off in French.

  “Mind saying that again in English.”

  He bent forward, and she caught a whiff of his cologne. Spice today. She clenched her jaw and her fists. No way was she going to be swayed by his scent.

  “I said, you’re too big for your britches.”

  “And you have the ego of a mail-order stallion.”

  Closing his eyes, he spun on his heels and marched to the end of the porch, halted, and about-faced. “I didn’t tell you about the threats until now because they weren’t against you.” He slapped his chest. “It’s me that son of a bitch wants. Not you.”

  “And what better way to get to you than threaten the people who are close to you. And if I’m not mistaken, you seem to think I might be. Or why did you bother to kiss me?”

  He stalked back. “Apparently I wasn’t thinking straight.”

  She scowled. “Got that right.”

  “We can go ’round and ’round about this, but it won’t solve our problem.”

  “When did this become our problem?”

  Sighing, he finger-combed his hair. “It became our problem when you showed up at my place and exposed your connection to me.”

  The warmth and fight drained from her body and joined the puddles in the yard. “He’s been watching your home?”

  “Somehow.”

  “Remy — ”

  “Cody!”

  She twisted around. One of the ranch hands — left behind to keep an eye on her and the ranch — waved from her horses’ stable. He cupped his mouth. “It’s Graham!”

  Panic seized her. She pushed past Remy and bolted from the porch and across the yard.

  “What’s wrong?”

  The ranch hand led the way to the older mare’s stall. “She’s down and groaning. I think it’s colic.”

  The panic turned into concrete-like fear. Cody froze on the spot, tears coating her eyes. Not that — anything but that.

  “Cody?”

  She blinked at the man before her. Throwing back the fear, she cleared her throat. “Call the vet.”

  He nodded and ran for the nearest phone.

  “What’s going on?”

  She jerked around. Remy walked up the aisle toward her, concern etched on his face.

  “Go home, Remy.” She turned and moved to the stall.

  His hand on her shoulder made her stiffen, and he turned her to face him. “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what�
��s wrong.”

  “My horse could be dying. Now let me go so I can help her.”

  He released his hold and stepped back, but he didn’t leave.

  Fine, if he wanted to be stubborn, she didn’t care. She hurried to the stall and flung open the door. Graham lay on her side, her hind leg kicking at her stomach. She lifted her head to look at Cody and gave a pitiful nicker, then let her head flop onto the straw with a pain-filled groan.

  “Oh, baby.” Cody dropped to her knees next to Graham’s head and stroked her sweaty cheek.

  The other horses shifted and called out worried whinnies. Cody didn’t have time to relocate them away from Graham. She had to get the mare on her feet and moving.

  “The vet’s on his way,” she crooned. “But we need to get you up.”

  She scrambled to her feet and reached around the stall door to grab the halter. Someone thrust it into her hand. Her gaze collided with Remy’s.

  “Let me help.”

  “You have no experience with horses, Remy. What can you do?”

  “Whatever you need me to do.”

  Her fingers coiled around the nylon halter, and she blinked at him. No way. She didn’t have time to give him a crash course in Equine 101. With a shake of her head, she returned to Graham’s side, ignoring the cursing behind her. Cody slipped the halter past Graham’s nose, but the mare wouldn’t lift her head to get it the rest of the way on. After a bit of a struggle, Cody managed to maneuver it in place and buckle it.

  Now the hard part. The soft cotton lead line in hand, Cody smooched and tugged trying to coax Graham. The mare groaned and writhed in agony. Wet heat prickled in Cody’s eyes. She had to get her up now.

  “Come on, baby.” She pulled on the rope, the mare’s head lifted, but she wouldn’t get her legs under her body. Keeping steady pressure on the rope, Cody strained, and Graham still refused to move. The tears slipped past her eyelids.

  “Cody.”

  “What!” She glared at the ranch hand.

  One of his eyebrows rose at her outburst, and he sighed. “Sorry, but the vet is on a call right now, and they don’t know when he’ll make it out.”

  Cody bit back the swear word. “What about his partner?”

  “She’s at a conference in Houston.”

  The world was crashing down around her. Damn it. Dad was over three hours away, by the time he made it back Graham could be dead. Cody wanted to scream.

  “Okay, we’ll just have to do as much as we can on our own until the vet gets here. We need to get her up.”

  “I’ll get the castor oil and tube.” He took off.

  A sob choked her, and she hugged her body. This couldn’t be happening. Warm hands on her shoulders drew her around. Remy locked eyes with her.

  “I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s going on.”

  She dragged in a ragged breath. “My horse has colic.”

  “What’s that?”

  “It’s a blockage in her gut. If we don’t get her up on her feet moving, it could make her intestines twist and kill her. If it hasn’t happened already.” She let a sob escape. “She can’t die, Remy. I can’t lose her.”

  He squeezed her shoulders, then titled her chin up. “Tell me what to do.”

  “Remy — ”

  “We don’t have time to argue. I’m a fast learner, just tell me what to do.”

  Maybe she needed his cool head right now. After all, she wasn’t thinking straight. “Fine. Get behind her back and push while I pull on her. She shouldn’t kick you, but stay clear of her hind legs.”

  He nodded and moved around Graham. The mare let out a pitiful moan, breaking Cody’s heart further.

  “Remy.”

  He paused before leaning down. “Yeah?”

  “Take your coat off before you ruin it.”

  He gave her a half-cocked smile and shrugged out of the leather coat. “Sure thing.” He threw it at her, and she caught with one hand.

  She hung it on the halter hook outside the stall and picked up the rope. “Slap her butt, it might give her some incentive.”

  “Okay.”

  “Here we go.”

  With Remy pushing and Cody pulling on the lead line, they managed to get the mare rolled onto her stomach instead of her side. Cody didn’t release the pressure on the rope. As long as Graham had her head up, she’d stay in that position.

  “She’s stubborn.” Remy panted as he rolled up his sleeves.

  “No, just in a lot of pain. She doesn’t know laying down can make it worse.” She nodded. “Ready?”

  “Allons, cher.”

  After some coaxing on Remy’s part, and hard pulling on Cody’s, Graham lunged to her feet. When the rope went slack, Cody fell on her rear. Remy scrambled around the horse, grabbed Cody’s arm, and hauled her onto her feet.

  “You okay?”

  “Fine. Take her rope and lead her out before she lays down again.”

  He did as she ordered while she eased out of the stall, wincing at the pain shooting up her backside.

  “Walk her up and down the aisle, and don’t stop until I tell you.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  The ranch hand returned with the needed supplies. He cocked an eyebrow at Remy and then turned to Cody. “Looks like you’ve got it under control.”

  “Not really. I’ll need every hand I’ve got to get this castor oil down her. Then I’ll need you to keep an eye out for the vet between your turns walking her.”

  “I called your dad. He said keep doing what you’re doing until the vet gets here. He’ll be home as soon as he can. But the storm is causing flash flooding in College Station.”

  Cody released a ragged breath. “Thanks.”

  “I know what she means to you, Cody.”

  While he set up the hose and rigging for it, Cody watched Remy walk Graham up and down the aisle. He didn’t have to do this, could’ve gone home and gone to bed. But the stubborn Cajun stayed and demanded to help her.

  His gaze met hers as he passed, and he gave her a thin smile. Her heart tripped.

  Forget the tension between them. Who cared that both of their lives might be in danger? And while she was at it, dump out all the reasons why they weren’t a good match and that it had been only a little over a week since she met Remy.

  Cody was in love with him.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Remy checked his watch — eleven-thirty. Would the vet ever get here?

  With his head resting against the tack room wall, he let his gaze linger on Cody a few steps away. She stood next to the mare’s head, talking softly and stroking her sweat-streaked body. The animal seemed to do a little better after Cody soused her with castor oil, but she remained in critical limbo.

  And Cody refused to leave the horse’s side.

  His stomach growled. Remy lifted his head off the wall and rubbed his aching gut. What he wouldn’t give for a cup of coffee.

  “If you’re hungry, you can get something to eat in the house.” Cody looked at him. “She needs to rest for a while.”

  “And what about you?”

  She pressed her cheek against the mare’s neck. “I’m staying here. I don’t want her laying down again.”

  “Cody, you need to eat.” Remy stood. “And you need some rest yourself. You’re about to fall flat on your face.”

  She had sent the ranch hand, to his quarters to grab some sleep. But the thickheaded cowgirl refused to take a break herself.

  She shook her head. “Can’t. I’m not leaving her.”

  “Then I’m not leaving either.” He moved closer and cupped Cody’s elbow, tugging her to him. “I don’t want to come back here and find you passed out on the ground under Graham’s legs.”

  One thin eyebro
w peaked as a corner of her mouth quirked upward. “Not gonna happen.”

  Smoothing back the hair that dangled in her face, Remy fingered the silky strands. He’d come to the Red Moon with the full intention of cutting all ties to Cody. Almost succeeded during their argument. This crisis changed everything.

  He wanted her to be safe, but he couldn’t walk away. Not from her. Somehow in the course of these few weeks, she’d wiggled past his armor and took root in his heart. He wouldn’t say he loved her. He’d loved Marie. With Cody, he didn’t know what it was, but it couldn’t be love. Could it?

  Her eyelids fluttered and she sighed. The woman was nearly dead on her feet.

  Graham nickered low in her throat, stirring Cody. She turned to the horse and pressed her ear to the mare’s stomach.

  Remy took the white cotton rope and placed a hand on Graham’s neck. “Hear anything?”

  Cody’s face scrunched and she pulled away. “I can’t tell.” She straightened. “Wish I knew where that stethoscope disappeared to.”

  “Would any of your neighbors or friends have one?”

  Light flickered in her deep-green eyes. “JC.” She groaned. “I should have called him already. He’s probably freaking out.”

  “Why would he do that?”

  She frowned. “Dad asked him to stay with me while he was gone.” She shook her head. “JC might have a stethoscope. And I could probably hit him up to bring us some food and coffee.”

  “Go call him. I’ll keep an eye on her.”

  She pursed her lips, her gaze darting from him to the horse. “All right. I should check on the vet’s progress, too.” She headed for the door.

  Rubbing Graham’s neck, Remy moved around to face the mare.

  “Remy.”

  He looked to the doorway. Cody leaned on the frame, staring at him.

  “Oui, cher?”

  “Thank you. You didn’t have to get involved, but I’m glad you did.”

  He smiled. “She means a lot to you, yes?”

  “More than you’ll ever know.” She tapped the wood with the side of her fist and left the stable.

  His gaze swung back to the horse. “And because of you, mon amie, I didn’t make the biggest mistake of my life.”