by Roni Adams
Late afternoon in Sweet Meadow was quiet. Most folks worked until five and so the ‘rush hour’ hadn't begun yet. Tyler parked on Main Street and pulled open the door to the boutique. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he glanced around with no real idea what he was looking for. He still needed to get a Christmas gift for Flo and the girls, but this place didn't look like it would have anything for most of them. Maybe Susan; he fingered a silky shawl and wondered if she wore anything like that.
An hour later, with the sales girl's more than eager help, he managed to find something for Susan and even Sara, but Flo and Beth were still on his list. He tossed the packages into his truck and walked across the street to another store. He'd barely opened the door before he stepped out again. The window at the jewelry shop next door caught his attention and he found himself staring at rings. Where was Beth's engagement ring? Obviously she wouldn't still wear it, but he wondered if she'd tucked it away somewhere.
Opening the door, he stepped inside even as a voice in his head told him a gift of jewelry was the last thing she wanted from him.
The salesman showed him gold bracelets, diamond earrings, and emeralds the size of peas. Nothing seemed right. He did manage to find a pin and matching earrings for Flo, but came up empty-handed for Beth
The salesman took his credit card and walked away. Tyler glanced around at the holiday decorations. The dolls dressed like Santa and Mrs. Claus took his memory back to the pantry a few days ago. Beth had been sexy as hell, and he couldn't get the image of her out of his mind. He couldn't stop himself from touching her, and she'd responded as if she was dying of thirst and he was a tall glass of cool water.
His jeans tightened and he shifted in discomfort. She'd trembled in his arms and cried out when he'd stroked her. Dr. Beth Sampson might like him and everyone else to believe she'd gotten over him, but her body told him otherwise. Or was it something else? Was it only a physical reaction? Did she respond to Cole in the same way?
* * * *
Beth wiped impatiently at the sweat streaming down her face and grimaced again as the horse tried to jerk away from her touch. “Shh, easy, Princess. I'm sorry sweetie.” Her hand inside the horse's birth canal, she turned and twisted one of the foals while Cole tried to hold the mare still. Dropping back to her heels she shook her head. “I can't turn him. The two of them are stuck in there together."
Frustration edged her voice and her mind raced, wondering what to do next. She'd been at this for hours with Cole, and neither one had been able to do anything for the mother or her twins.
"Try Doc's phone again,” she snapped.
Cole shook his head. “Honey, he's out on a cruise ship. He can't get calls, you know that."
Beth lowered her head to her chest. She'd already tried Grant, but he too was out of reach. There was only one other person she knew who might be able to do anything different than she was already doing. Swallowing hard she yanked the phone off her belt. Her bloody gloved hands made a mess but she was beyond caring.
She stood up and walked out of the stall, sensing Cole's stare. The phone was answered on the second ring. “I'm out at Cole's. I need your help.” Quickly she explained what was happening and hung up the phone. She turned to Cole. “Tyler's coming."
He lifted a surprised brow. “You okay with that?"
She nodded. “I have no idea if he can do anything we haven't already done, but I need to know I did everything I could for her.” Her frustration threatened to choke her as she watched the mare's heaving sides. Time wasn't on their side, and she had a bad feeling one of the foals had already died. Her goal right now was to save the mare's life and, if possible, one of the babies. With the stethoscope at her ear and against the horse's brown side, she listened. Very, very faint, she could pick up a heart beat, maybe two, but she wasn't going to get her hopes up ... or Cole's.
In what seemed only thankful minutes, a truck roared up the driveway.
Cole walked out of the stall and she heard the two men talking. When Tyler appeared at the doorway, her heart quickened. She struggled for professional detachment but couldn't help her relief. Quickly, she ran down what was going on. He grabbed a pair of gloves out of the box and squatted down next to her by the horse's rump.
He put his hands on the mare's side and felt around. “I'm going to go up and see if I can turn them."
Beth shook her head. “Both Cole and I have been trying. It's only making things worse."
He ignored her and she moved to the mare's side as he reached up inside the horse. The mare jerked and whinnied. Beth's heart broke for her. Cole held her down and she watched his face as well. He'd had Princess a long time and this was rough on him.
"Maybe I should try to put her under and do a C-section.” She should have done that an hour ago, but thought it was too dangerous. Now she figured it might be their only chance to save the mother.
Tyler shook his head. “No, that's dangerous and your chances of losing her are too big."
"I'm already losing them Tyler,” she screamed in frustration, and then realized she was upsetting the mare and calmed down. What the hell kind of vet was she? Why couldn't she emotionally shut this off and just do her job?
Tyler didn't say anything. His face contorted and changed as he felt around inside the horse. One eyebrow lifted and he nodded. “Okay, now we're getting somewhere. I can do this."
Beth frowned. “Do what?"
He ignored her question. “Cole, come here."
The rancher moved where Tyler was positioned. Under his instructions, Cole worked with him and, seconds later, a foal hit the stall floor. Beth's eyes widened, not sure what he'd done but elated that at least one baby was out. But the foal wasn't moving.
"Let me see him,” she hollered.
Cole switched with her and held the mother down while Beth put her stethoscope on the newborn. She wiped at his nose and mouth and worked on him for several futile minutes. She bowed her head and clenched her jaw against the threatening tears.
Tyler picked the still foal up and carried him out of the stall and then came back. “We still have a mother and another baby to save."
Beth forced back all thoughts of the loss and put her professional face back in place. With the one baby out, chances were better for the second. She laid her stethoscope on the mother again. Her heartbeat was dropping, but she could still hear another one inside. She glanced up. “The second one is sill alive."
Tyler once again reached up inside the mother and worked whatever magical touch he possessed and, within seconds, the second baby was born, alive and seemingly healthy. But the mare wasn't making it. Feverishly, Beth worked on her, doing everything in her power to get the animal stable. In the end, the events of the birth proved too much, and the horse slipped away.
Beth sat back on her haunches wanting to cry, knowing she couldn't. She stood up and faced Cole. “I'm so sorry."
Cole nodded and glanced at the horse. He swallowed several times and struggle for control. “You did everything you could."
Tyler put a hand on Cole's shoulder and walked away. Beth heard him on the cell phone, calling over to the Double B for a few hands to come out and help with the dead mare and her foal.
Beth stared at the live newborn already wobbling on his first legs. “I'll get him started right away on a bottle of nutrients, formula, etc."
Tyler walked back into the stall. “We've got a mare that just gave birth a few days ago. Maybe we can get her to think this one's hers as well."
Beth forgot about that and felt like an idiot. She should have suggested it, not Tyler. “Yeah, MoonDancer, Susan's horse."
Cole picked up a rag and wiped his hands. “I think it's best we get him there as soon as possible, don't you think?"
Beth nodded. “Yes."
"I'll stay here and help Red and Slim,” Tyler offered.
Beth kept the baby calm in the horse trailer as Cole drove the truck to the ranch. As soon as they reached the barn, they got the colt into the stal
l with MoonDancer. It was touch and go for a few minutes as they took one foal away from the mare and replaced it with another, but, within a few short tries, MoonDancer was licking her new baby and the colt was feeding.
Beth blinked back tears. “This looks like it's going to work just fine.” Cole touched her shoulder and she hugged him. “I'm so sorry. I know Doc could have..."
He tipped her chin up. “Stop it. You know what Doc would say. It's nature and you can't always win against nature. Even you said she was too old to carry twins. It was too much on her, that's all."
Beth nodded, but inside she still felt as though she failed. Doc would have saved them both. Doc would have known some special procedure.
Cole kissed the top of her head and squeezed her hand one more time. “I'll have one of the hands bring your truck back."
She nodded, hugging herself around the middle as she watched him leave, feeling worse that he tried to make her feel better when he was the one who had just suffered the loss.
Beth checked on the baby one more time, before heading through the clinic to take a shower.
* * * *
The moon was high in the sky and everyone else on the ranch was long fast asleep. Tyler carried two beers out to the barn. He'd seen the light on when he pulled in, but he needed to get a shower first. He knew her well enough to know she wasn't going to go to bed tonight.
Sure enough, Beth stood watching MoonDancer and the two foals together in the larger stall. He touched her shoulder with the cold beer and she jumped. The gaze she lifted to his was full of agony and pain.
With a curse, he set the beers down and pulled her into his arms. She shuddered against him and sobbed, her body shaking as he rubbed her back and held her tight. She cried hard, her tears soaking his T-shirt and breaking his heart. It was too obvious what she'd been thinking. She was doubting herself, doubting her abilities as a vet, and doubting if she was tough enough for this job. What she didn't realize was that those emotions were what made her such a good vet. As far as he was concerned, a vet who didn't feel like this when he lost a patient didn't deserve to be in practice. Tonight being a double whammy, though, didn't help.
"Shhh.” He stroked her short hair and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. His hand caressed her damp cheek. When she began to pull out of his arms, he reached to the paper towel holder on the wall and ripped off a sheet.
She took it from him and tried to step back, but he looped his arms around her waist and held her there.
He tried to think of the right thing to say, but words escaped him. She tipped her head up. Without even thinking twice, he lowered his head and kissed her lips.
He meant it to be a light, comforting kiss but Beth's arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him hard to her. She opened her mouth under his.
The kiss grew hotter and Tyler's conscience warred with his heart. She needed a distraction, he understood that. She was trying to blot out what had happened earlier and was using him to help her forget. Okay, he could handle that. He was more than willing, but he couldn't fool himself into thinking it was because she actually wanted him. He twisted until his back was propped against the barn wall then pulled her between his legs and pressed her against him, her soft body cradled into his rock hard erection. Still, that didn't stop her as she tipped her head and kissed him feverishly.
He tasted her sweetness, and vaguely wondered if he tasted like the beers he'd consumed with Cole before he came home.
Beth's fingers tangled in his too long hair and her hips gyrated into him. He slid his hands under her sweatshirt and caressed the soft, supple skin of her bare back. His fingers glided over body, wanting to caress every inch, needing to hold her. When he cupped her rounded bottom in both hands and pressed her into him hard, she whimpered.
It drove him insane when she pulled his tongue into her mouth and began to suck in and out. He reached under her shirt and cupped her small but perfect breasts. Lifting them, he brushed his thumb across the velvety peaks. Beth trembled and tore her mouth from his. Her breath came in fast rushes as she stared at him through hungry eyes.
Pushing up her sweatshirt he lowered his mouth to one pert pink nipple. She arched her back and dug her hands into his hair as he feasted on one and then the other.
His mind raced back to a time when they would sneak away and hide out in one of the older barns and make love. She was always ready for him, always wanted him as much as he wanted her. He'd missed her so much and wanted her with a hunger that was quickly becoming out of control.
Still, the rational part of his brain knew this had to stop, soon. She wasn't in the right frame of mind and he wasn't about to give her one more reason to hate him.
As her nipple slipped from his mouth, he lifted his head to look down into her half closed eyes. Tyler fought for her control as her hand settled against his fly and molded against the hardened shape. He needed to walk away from her now, before it went any further. He pressed his head back against the wall of the stall and closed his eyes. “Beth,” he pleaded.
She flipped open the snap on his jeans and eased down his zipper. He drew a harsh breath, his mind screaming at him to stop now, but it was already too late. Right or wrong, the minute her soft fingers freed him from his pants, he knew he wasn't stopping. She looked down and him held in her hand. Slowly, she made circles over the tip in a move that made him half crazy. Her hand clutched around and stroked. He reached for her breast once more and caressed the firm mound as he attempted to breathe normal, but his chest heaved and he swallowed, hard.
"We have to stop.” His fingers pulled on her nipple even as he spoke the words out loud.
"No."
Was she saying ‘no they weren't going to stop’ or no as in ‘No'? He really wasn't sure. With a muttered curse, he reached between them and removed her hand from his swollen shaft.
Her gaze pleaded with him. She didn't want him to stop, did she? How the hell was he supposed to know what she was thinking? He didn't know her anymore, not really. Did she really want him or was it because he was convenient? Would Cole have done just as well?
He lifted his hands and framed her face, tucking her short hair behind her ear. “What do you want, Beth? Tell me what you want me to do."
She stepped out of his arms. He forced himself not to reach for her and, instead, tucked himself carefully back into his jeans. Beth, on the other hand, lifted the hem of her sweatshirt and yanked it over her head. He stared at her bared breasts and glanced towards the open door at the end of the barn, hoping to hell no one was coming this way tonight.
"I want you to take me out of my mind and make me feel something other than this awful emptiness, this horrible ache. Please.” Her voice was a quivery whisper.
She walked back over and tugged at the bottom of his T-shirt.
Tyler whipped off his shirt. Beth pressed her bare breasts against him and sighed. His eyes closed of their own accord as he skimmed her bare back with his hands. Her upper body twisted and rubbed against his skin. Her mouth caressed his collarbone and then slid down to lick his nipples. He squeezed her jean clad rear end, grinding her into him. Her fingers pressed down his body to his bared stomach.
Tyler threaded his own fingers in her hair as she followed the path of her hands and kissed her way around his rib cage, teasing the edge of his waistband with her mouth. She nipped his skin and he hissed.
Before she could drop to her knees, he stopped her. “Not here,” he rasped.
He grabbed her hand and pulled with him to the very far end of the barn. Inside the small office, he shut the door, glanced around and shoved a chair in front of it. The lights were off but enough glow came from under the door for him to see.
The room held a desk and small cot, a clean blanket folded at the foot. Tyler didn't dare move. There was still a chance she was going to change her mind, and he wanted to be ready for that. Instead, she kicked off her sneakers and unzipped the fly of her jeans. When they shimmied to the floor, he sighed at the sight
of her clad only in a pair of white panties. Maybe she wasn't stopping after all.
He didn't take his eyes off her as he dispensed with his boots and jeans. When he was naked, he caught her staring at the scars on his left side. Preparing himself, he waited for the questions, but they never came. Instead, Beth sat down on the edge of the narrow bed, reached out and took him in her hand, molding him in her palm, and cradling the sacs beneath his erection. Tyler bent over and kissed her greedily as she caressed him. When she leaned back, he followed her down.
Her slim thighs opened to make room for him and he covered her, kissing her mouth, her jaw line, her chest. He lifted her breasts to his mouth and lathed them with his tongue, suckling and making her writhe beneath him. He welcomed each velvet bud back home to his mouth and paid homage to each of them before sliding his palm down her belly to the juncture between her legs to cup her.
Beth came off the cot and bucked up against him. She cried out, and he'd only barely touched her. This time, he shoved his hand down the scrap of panties and caressed her intimately. Beth whimpered and grabbed at his shoulders, her legs falling open wider in invitation to give her more.
Tyler tried to slow down, wanted to take his time, but Beth was half crazed. She reached down and removed the white covering and then pulled him towards her. Her mouth was hot and hungry, and her teeth gnashed against his own. He almost laughed, but her fervor was causing his own passion to skyrocket. If he didn't take her soon, it would be too late.
Tyler positioned himself at her entrance. He looked into her eyes once more, even now not sure if this was what she wanted. Her gaze was focused and intent, and she seemed as if she wanted this as much as he did. Appeased, he slipped inside her, exuding a hoarse cry as the pleasure overwhelmed him. Her softness squeezed him and he pressed higher, wanting nothing more than to stay there forever.