by Cat Johnson
The back door opened. Nick jerked when it slammed shut. He shifted around on his crutches to see Dusty storm into the room, his face more fierce than the dark clouds hanging in the sky.
He stopped less than a foot away from Nick. “Do you know what Keely’s been doin’?”
“Is this a trick question? How would I know what Keely’s been doing?”
Dusty pointed out the window. “She’s been feedin’ and waterin’ your cattle, that’s what she’s been doin’. Luis told me she insisted on helpin’ him and the other guys over the weekend. Now she’s coughing so much, she can barely breathe and she’s lost her voice.”
A chill ran through Nick’s entire body. “Keely is sick?”
“I’d say it’s a good case of bronchitis on its way to pneumonia if she doesn’t get some medicine to fight it.”
It didn’t matter that his ego had been bruised, or that Keely paid off the bank loan behind his back. Nick had to help her. He immediately headed for the back door as fast as he could move on his crutches. Dusty caught up to him before he’d taken the third step, then stopped in front of him so Nick couldn’t move any farther. “Where do you think you’re goin’?”
“Get out of my way, Dusty. I have to help her.”
“How far you gonna get on those crutches?”
“As far as I have to. Move!”
The scowl faded from Dusty’s face, to be replaced with a grin. “You love her.”
“Hold the I-told-you-so’s until later, okay? Keely needs help now.”
Dusty’s grin widened. “I told Luis and Quade to get her to the house if they have to physically pick her up and carry her. They should be comin’ in the back door any minute. Since you’re good friends with Doc Brickman, you call his office and see if he’ll call in a prescription to the drug store for Keely. I’ll go pick it up.”
“I’ll do better than that. He takes his lunch between twelve-thirty and two. I’ll tell him to get his ass out here and take care of her in person.”
Dusty’s eyebrows shot up to almost disappear beneath his hat brim. “He’ll make a house call?”
“He will today if he doesn’t want a broken ankle to match mine.”
Nick hovered at the end of Olive’s bed, staring at Keely’s pale face. She half reclined, half sat beneath the covers while Don checked her ears, heart, and lungs.
“Dusty’s a good diagnostician,” Don said while removing his stethoscope. “Definitely bronchitis. I’m going to give you a steroid shot and call in prescriptions for antibiotics and cough medicine.”
A coughing fit racked Keely’s body. Don helped her sit up and rubbed her back until the coughs subsided. Her face seemed even paler now, her eyes watery and dull. Nick squeezed the handgrips on his crutches in frustration that he couldn’t help her.
Don lowered Keely back to the bed. “Unfasten your jeans and roll to your side for me, Keely. The shot needs to go in your hip.”
She nodded and rolled toward the wall. Don tugged down her jeans and panties, cleaned the area with alcohol, and gave her the shot. He applied a bandage, then pulled the covers back over her once she settled in her original position.
“You should feel better by tomorrow.” Don looked at Nick. “Is there someone to pick up the prescriptions?”
Nick nodded. “Dusty will go.”
“Shouldn’t take long. I’ll call them in now and ask Martha to call Dusty when they’re ready.”
“Do you have Dusty’s cell number?”
“He gave it to me when I arrived.” Don stood, picked up his medical bag, and clapped Nick on the shoulder. “Let me know if she isn’t better in a couple of days. Make sure she drinks plenty of liquids.”
“I will. Thanks, Don.”
“Hey, I didn’t want you to break my ankle.” He grinned. “I know my way to the front door. See you later.”
Nick turned back to the bed to see Keely watching him. He propped his crutches at the end of the bed and sat beside her hip. “How are you doing?”
“I’ve been better,” she whispered in a raspy voice.
He pushed her damp hair back from her face. He had so many things he wanted to say to her, he didn’t know where to start. An apology would be the best place. “I’m sorry for being such an ass, Keely.” He stopped, then blew out a breath. “I can’t believe you were out there in the cold, taking care of my cattle, when I hurt you so badly. Knowing you got sick because of me . . .”
A lump tightened his throat. He had to clear it before he could speak again. “That debt made me feel like a failure. Then when you paid it off instead of me, I felt like even more of a failure.”
Tears flooded her eyes. “I didn’t do it to make you feel bad. I just wanted to help you.”
“I know that.” He caressed her cheek with his thumb. “I’m sorry I didn’t accept your help. I want to make it up to you.”
A hint of sparkle returned to Keely’s eyes. “How?”
“You took care of me last week. Now it’s my turn to take care of you. You left all your stuff here when I told you to leave. I hope you’ll let me move everything to my room.”
The sparkle grew brighter as she smiled. “I’d like that.”
“I don’t mean only until we’re both better.” He brushed his thumb across her cheek again. “I’m hoping you’ll agree to move in here with me. You can help me decide how to remodel the master bedroom. I want it to be a special place for us . . . a place where we can start our family.”
Tears filled her eyes again, but Nick knew they were happy tears this time. Those didn’t upset him. He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm. “I hope you know I want to marry you.”
“I think that might be a good idea before we start making babies.”
“We can practice making those babies before we actually create one, right?”
She grasped his hand in both of hers and pulled it close to her heart. “Well, practice does make perfect.”
Cat Johnson is the author of contemporary romance in genres including western, military, romantic comedy, and paranormal. She is known for her creative research and marketing techniques. Consequently, some of her closest friends/book consultants wear combat or cowboy boots for a living, and she owns an entire collection of camouflage and western footwear for book signings. She’s also the proud sponsor for real live bull-riding cowboys. Cat is the author of over a dozen published full-length novels and numerous shorter works.
Visit her on the web at www.catjohnson.net
Born into a hippie commune filled with undercover cops and raised in a tent, Vonna Harper discovered her writing talent while penning excuses (supposedly written by her keepers) for her many school absences. Despite her spotty attendance, she graduated college at fifteen and joined a group of foreign mercenaries. Unfortunately, she was bitten by a brown recluse and shown the door. Upon returning to the U.S., she bought a gold mine and spent the next year perfecting her pickax technique. Despite the mine’s awesome output, the resident rattlers finally drove her to sell it. Being independently wealthy and jetting around the world in her own jet proved boring, so she finally gave in to the muse and turned to her computer in earnest. Twelve computers and three carpal tunnel surgeries later, she’s still writing and LOVING IT, LOVING IT, she says. She somehow found time to get married, give birth twice, and find various dogs to own her. Like the stereotypical old soldier, she plans on just fading away when she can no longer pound the keyboard, sans shoes and pantyhose, of course.
Visit her on the web at www.vonnaharper.com
Lynn LaFleur is a native of Texas and has been writing since she was eight years old and wrote her first story for an English assignment. She also loves reading, traveling, scrapbooking, photography, and learning new things on the computer.
Visit her on the web at www.lynnlafleur.com
ONE NIGHT WITH A COWBOY
One Sweet Ride . . .
Oh yeah. A single look at the leggy blonde in the stands and Tucker Jenkins is ready to b
uck all night long. It’s time to forget all about his cheating ex and his usual hands-off policy.
One Hot Night . . .
Becca Hart is an East Coast professor. Not a buckle bunny. But no degree can prepare her for the moves of the sexy bull rider she hooks up with at her first rodeo . . . or the shock of finding him at her first Oklahoma State University staff meeting.
One Happy Ending . . .
Tuck knows it’s all about holding on, no matter how wild the ride. Now he just has to convince Becca that a rough start out of the chute doesn’t mean they aren’t a smokin’ combination. . . .
YES, MASTER . . .
Enter a world of forbidden pleasure, where complete surrender means total ecstasy....
STARK PLEASURE
Tawny Taylor
Alice Barlow is sexually inexperienced, but no stranger to erotic desire. After one night of unimaginable pleasure with the darkly enigmatic Tristan Stark, she can only beg for more, eager to obey his every command....
RUBY’S AWAKENING
Anne Rainey
Ruby London can’t wait to celebrate her big promotion, but her boyfriend leaves her high and dry. When she spies her darkly sensual neighbor naked in the pool, she’s ready to get wet for a long night of untamed pleasure....
RUNA’S HIGH
Vonna Harper
A dedicated runner, Runa Mullan is always on the move. But when sexy masseuse Ken Paro places his hands on her body and tells her to simply relax, she finally lets go and revels in total submission to her master....
NIGHT SHIFT
Their human form is ephemeral, but their sexual desire is endless. Enter the mysteriously sensual world of the shape-shifters and share in their erotic passion....
DREAM CATCHER
Kate Douglas
She comes to him at night in dreams of carnal pleasure. Real or imagined, Mac doesn’t know and doesn’t care. For his body throbs with a need that only his mystery lover can satisfy. . . .
TAKEN BETWEEN
Crystal Jordan
Kira lives to protect her queen, but the king’s brother is the one who commands her desire. She longs for him with a feral sexuality and ferocious passion she can barely control....
THE RIGHT NUMBER
Lynn LaFleur
Jay may have dialed the wrong number, but the right woman answers. She is the mate he’s been looking for all his life. And when he hears the sexy purr of her voice, it arouses the hungry wolf inside....
APHRODISIA BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
Compilation copyright © 2013 by Kensington Publishing Corp.
“Two for the Road” copyright © 2013 by Cat Johnson
“Soul of a Cowboy” copyright © 2013 by Vonna Harper
“Trouble in Boots” copyright © 2013 by Lynn LaFleur
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
Kensington and the K logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.
ISBN: 978-0-7582-8887-5
eISBN-13: 978-0-7582-9263-6
eISBN-10: 0-7582-9263-5
First Kensington Electronic Edition: August 2013
Table of Contents
Also by Cat Johnson
Title Page
Two for the Road - CAT JOHNSON
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2
3
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5
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7
8
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11
12
Soul of a Cowboy - VONNA HARPER
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Trouble in Boots - LYNN LAFLEUR
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
ONE NIGHT WITH A COWBOY
YES, MASTER . . .
Copyright Page