Ain't No Angel

by Henderson, Peggy L

  This time, she remembered to bring a change of clothes. She’d have to ride back in a dress, since Tyler had only given her one pair of pants, but it was better than coming back soaking wet again. Luckily, the stallion was as cooperative as the day before, and she returned to the ranch in less than three hours.

  Tyler had apologized the evening before that he wouldn’t be able to take her into town today like he’d promised, and she hastily waved him off.

  “It’s all right, Tyler, I can wait another day. Besides, I think I’d much rather stay here and take care of the gray.”

  As much as she wanted to speak to the reverend about sending her home immediately, a twinge of guilt hit her for not spending more time with the stallion to help heal his injury before she went back to her time. And now, with the flu outbreak, how could she leave the horses without helping? The thought of Gabe and his old-fashioned treatment methods sent a shiver of dread down her spine. Blistering and scarring was still done in her time, too, for reasons Laney simply couldn’t understand.

  She’d stayed in the barn with the gray colt until late into the night after Gabe had left to check the rest of the horses. Tyler had remained with her, leaving only for a few minutes to bring them both some food from the bunkhouse. There wasn’t a whole lot she was able to do for the colt except keep him comfortable. She’d made a hot slurry out of bran and oats, and coaxed the colt to eat as much of it as possible after it cooled. Anything to get some liquid into him.

  “Looks like you’re much more comfortable cooking for horses than you are cooking for me,” Tyler had teased with a grin on his face when Laney asked for some hot water, bran, and oats.

  “I’m pretty good with a box of mac and cheese, but that’s about it.” She returned his easy smile, her heart fluttering in her chest. Tyler’s forehead wrinkled at her words, and Laney cursed under her breath. “I mean . . . I’ll try that roast again tomorrow.”

  Tyler offered her a plate of stew, and they sat on overturned water buckets, eating in silence.

  “I’m glad you’re here, Laney.” Tyler’s husky voice broke the quiet. His hand reached out and covered one of hers.

  Laney closed her eyes for a split second, savoring the warm sensations sparked to life by his simple touch. What had brought about such a change in him from the way he’d acted over the last few weeks? He’d been cordial, pleasant, polite to a fault, but had kept his distance. Suddenly he wanted to kiss and hold her, and get all cozy with her? Now that she knew that she had to leave before either one of them got hurt.

  She swallowed the lump in her throat. Tyler’s kiss, the way he held her in his arms, had been so unlike any other kiss from a guy. It wasn’t a demanding kiss, something that would get out of hand any moment and land them both between the sheets. Tyler kissed her with such tender devotion, she couldn’t do anything other than respond. There was nothing lustful about the way he’d wrapped her in his arms, the way his strong hands gently caressed her. She’d felt cherished, appreciated, and desired as something other than a plaything.

  As the seconds ticked by while Tyler held and kissed her, panic had engulfed her. Panic that she was drowning in her feelings. She’d already fallen for Tyler, but staying away from him was so much easier if he kept his own distance. These emotions, these sensations . . . they would only lead to one thing . . . another heartbreak. Even if Tyler had changed his attitude, and decided he wanted a wife now and didn’t compare her to his mother, she’d had her hopes up too many times about finally finding the right guy.

  Laney sighed. She had no choice. This time, she would be the one to leave. A permanent relationship with Tyler was out of the question. They were from two completely different worlds after all, and she had no plans to stay in this one.

  No matter how well everyone treats you here.

  She shook her head. It wouldn’t be fair to lead Tyler on or encourage him. She’d been on the receiving end of that too many times. She touched her fingers to her lips. Was Tyler starting to care for her, or did he simply think it was time to consummate their marriage?

  It didn’t matter if she failed in her task. She had to get back to her own time. Back to your empty existence, Laney. Hadn’t she already firmly decided that there was no Prince Charming out there for her? Tyler’s face flashed before her eyes. She laughed softly. He’d already swept her off her feet the moment she saw him walking across the street the very first day she arrived in town.

  This can’t end well. None of her relationships ever ended well. The idea crossed her mind that she could tell Tyler how to treat Rap, and he could continue the therapy after she was gone. It was better this way for both of them. With a forced smile on her face, Laney glanced up from her stew. Tyler watched her intently.

  “I have to ride to Ian’s, and tell him what you told me about the influenza,” Tyler continued, his thumb grazing across the top of her hand, sending ripples of longing up her arm and through her entire body. Heat crept up her neck at his relentless stare.

  “Of course. I understand.” Laney sat up straighter on the bucket after setting her plate on the ground. She eased her hand out from underneath Tyler’s. “The horses come first. You can take me to town when this is all over.”

  Tyler’s gaze fell to her hand. He frowned slightly, then pulled his arm back to rest on his knee. “There will still be time to get a dress made for Widow Hansen’s birthday party.” His eyes met hers again, and his lips twitched in a smile.

  Laney’s eyes widened. She’d forgotten all about that. A new dress was the last thing on her mind. She had to see the reverend. Hopefully she’d be gone from here well before this weekend. She shook her head slightly. She could easily get to like all these people she’d met so far. Well, maybe with the exception of Gabe McFarlain. He was no different than the guys she knew in the future, but he seemed harmless enough.

  “Day after tomorrow. I promise.”

  “It’s no big deal, really.” Laney stood. She turned and opened the door to the colt’s stall. She needed a diversion. She dipped the rag she’d used to clean the horse’s nostrils into a bucket of water, and cleared the mucus from his nose, then offered him some more of the bran slurry. The colt stuck his nose into the bucket, and slurped listlessly at the soupy mixture. Laney patted his neck.

  “I wouldn’t want to go into town anyway,” Laney called over her shoulder. “I’d rather stay here and make sure this guy eats and drinks.”

  She turned her head. Tyler stood right behind her. Laney tensed. Her heart rate increased, and she sucked in a deep breath when his hands rested on her shoulders. Delicious chills raced down her spine, following the trail of his warm hands sliding down her arms and back. Tyler’s breath tickled her neck, and she melted into his touch.

  “Why do I get the feeling that my horses have found a guardian angel?” he whispered against her ear.

  ****

  Laney tucked the bundle of wet clothes under her arm, and hurried to the house. She shot a quick glance toward the corrals where the saddle horses were kept. A deep sigh of relief escaped her lips. Charlie wasn’t in the corral. That meant Tyler hadn’t returned yet from Ian’s place.

  She tossed the wet pants and shirt in a corner of her bedroom, retied her ponytail, and headed back out of the house. She ran her clammy palms down the front of her dress, and inhaled deeply to calm her nerves. Time to head to the barn and see how the gray colt had fared through the night. She wished she could have checked on him first thing this morning, but she needed to go to Rap without Tyler finding out.

  She hurried across the yard toward the barns, and slowed as she walked past the corrals. To her relief, none of the older horses sounded or appeared sick. So far, the virus must have only struck the two-year-olds. She headed around the new barn to the holding pen. She counted twelve colts still there. Three were in the barn, including the gray, and Gabe must have found four more that showed early symptoms and had separated them from the group into a corral away from the others. It was the only way
Laney could think of to contain the outbreak. At least Gabe had listened to her advice, even if he seemed skeptical of her the evening before. He obviously had a lot of respect for Tyler, and wouldn’t go against his boss’ wishes.

  She’d been stunned last night that neither Tyler nor any of his employees had heard of influenza in horses. Was it really not something they would have encountered before? Most horses in her time were routinely vaccinated for the virus. Outbreaks at racing stables or show barns could cripple an operation for weeks, if not months. What would it do to a breeding operation in this time, where none of the horses were vaccinated?

  Hopefully, everyone’s quick actions would help contain the virus, and no further animals would be affected. Ian Frazier’s place must have been hit worse than Tyler’s. If he could convince his neighbor to follow the same safety measures as she’d suggested here, Ian’s other horses might be spared.

  “Good morning, Mrs. Monroe.”

  Laney wheeled around from gazing out at the corrals. She smiled at Eddie, who walked toward her.

  “Morning, Eddie,” she returned the greeting. “How often have I told you to call me Laney?” She shot him a mock annoyed look.

  Eddie shrugged, and held a thick piece of cloth out to her. “I knocked on the door at the house earlier. I made some fresh bread this morning, and thought you might like some.”

  Laney’s stomach grumbled at the mention of food. She accepted the bundle the large man handed to her, and unwrapped a huge chunk of bread.

  “Thanks, Eddie.” She smiled to hide the jolt of adrenaline that shot through her. He’d come to find her, and she hadn’t been home. Had Tyler told anyone that he didn’t want her riding alone?

  “I was out for a quick ride with Mariah,” she said evenly.

  “I figured.” He grinned widely. “You sure have a hand with that filly. Took Tyler a long time to break her to saddle. Then you come along, and just like that,” he snapped his fingers, “she’s as gentle as a kitten.”

  Laney broke off a piece of bread and popped it in her mouth. She breathed easier. Eddie didn’t seem to have a clue that Tyler had asked her not to ride alone.

  “Have you seen the sick horses today?” she asked, eager to change the subject. “I could use some hot water to make more mash.”

  “Talked to Gabe just a while ago. He and Ty looked in on the gray first thing this morning. Gabe says he’s already lookin’ much better.” He glanced over his shoulder, then leaned toward her. “Overheard them both sayin’ how glad they are that you’re here, and that you knew what to do to make these colts better.”

  Laney stared up at him and smirked. “Gabe didn’t seem all that happy with me yesterday. I had the impression he was rather mad that I undermined his authority.”

  Eddie waved his hand in front of him in a dismissive gesture, and shook his head. “Gabe ain’t mad. He might not understand what you were doin’, but he likes the ladies . . . ah . . . he respects a female’s point of view. Like the rest of us, he’s just glad that whatever you’re doin’ is helping get these horses well.” His face turned red.

  Laney grinned. Yes, she had no doubt Gabe liked the ladies.

  “If you can heat some more water for me, Eddie, I’ll be in the barn and see if I can get the gray to take more food.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Eddie tipped his hat, and hurried off toward the bunkhouse. Laney stared after him for a moment, wrapped the rest of the bread back in the cloth, and headed for the barn that housed the sick colt.

  Tyler had told his foreman that he was glad she was here? In this male dominated world, that must have been an interesting conversation. She couldn’t picture these cowboys having discussions about women unless it dealt with one subject only. That Tyler seemed to hold her in such high regard doused her in a warm veil from head to toe. He’d even gone against Gabe the night before and taken her side in front of several other men, something else that probably wasn’t done.

  Laney sighed. Why did life have to be so unfair? Why did she always fall for the wrong men? She shook her head and laughed. Tyler was definitely not the wrong man. He was so right in every way but one. He lived in another time. He was finally showing an interest in her, and for whatever reason had decided he now wanted a relationship with her, but she had to put a stop to it. Her heart was already hopelessly lost to him.

  That’s exactly why you need to get the hell back home. Pronto.

  Her vision blurred, and Laney increased her strides and hurried to the barn.

  Tomorrow I’m going home. The reverend has to send me home.

  It had to be this way. She couldn’t take another heartbreak. She scoffed. For her, it was already too late for that. Gritting her teeth, she wiped at her eyes and pushed the barn door open. The faint scent of turpentine and pine tar remained, mixed with the rich smell of hay and that wonderful smell of horse. A lantern hung on the wall by the door, the wick flickering softly and casting a warm glow inside the dim barn. One of the horses nickered softly. Her eyes narrowed when they fell to the empty bucket on the ground at the barn entrance. A paintbrush stuck out from the pail. At least someone had emptied it of the offensive-smelling turpentine.

  Laney glanced quickly at the two other horses that were stabled in the barn. To her satisfaction, they were munching contently on some hay in their stalls. They hadn’t been as affected as the gray colt. She turned, and moved down across the aisle to the gray’s stall at the end of the barn. The stall door swung open, and Gabe emerged. Adrenaline rushed through her at his unexpected appearance, and she stopped in her tracks. Their eyes met, and a wide grin spread across his face. Laney eyed the bucket he held in his hand. Anger surged through her, and her eyes narrowed. What had he done?

  “Howdy,” he said, and closed the stall door behind him. He swaggered toward her. Laney straightened her back and squared her shoulders. He was so much like the usual guys she encountered; cocky, smug, and so full of himself.

  “How’s the colt?” She raised her chin and stepped toward the gray’s stall. Gabe McFarlain was not going to intimidate her. What was in that bucket he carried? Would he go against Tyler’s orders and blister the horse after all?

  Gabe rubbed his chin, and shook his head. He stopped much too close in front of her. “Whatever it is you did to that horse last night seems to be working,” he drawled. He held up the bucket. “Just fed him some of that mash you made, and he ate it all up. Don’t seem to be coughing so much anymore, either.”

  Laney expelled a breath of relief. She stared up into Gabe’s eyes. For a second, she was sorry she’d jumped to the wrong conclusions about him. Despite his attitude, he did seem to have the horses’ best interest in mind. She ignored his unwavering perusal of her.

  “Ty was mighty happy to see the improvement this morning. He’s got nothing but good things to say about you.” His grin widened. “Fact is, I ain’t never seen him as happy as he’s been lately. He’s been struttin’ around here with his head in the clouds ever since you arrived.”

  “I’m just glad the horses are improving,” Laney said, and skirted around him to the colt’s stall. Straw rustled softly from within, and she glanced over the wooden gate. The horse snorted, and thick mucus dripped from his nostrils. He wasn’t cured yet, but his eyes certainly looked brighter than they had last evening.

  Gabe was beside her the next instant, his arm grazing hers. Laney stepped quickly to the side. She peered up at him.

  “I’ll look after the colt for a while. I’m sure you have other things you need to get done,” she said, dropping the hint that he could leave.

  Gabe didn’t move. “I didn’t know what sort of cockamamie story you were trying to fill Ty’s head with last night about these horses,” he continued, as if she hadn’t said anything. “But sure seems like you were right.” His eyes darkened and his voice grew sultry. “You sure have been full of surprises.”

  Laney’s forehead wrinkled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “I told you before,
you ain’t what I expected. You sounded a lot different in your letters.”

  Laney laughed nervously. She needed to steer clear of this conversation. If he asked her about anything specific from those letters they’d supposedly written to each other, there was no way she could answer him.

  “Look . . . Gabe.” She emphasized his name. “I’m pretty familiar with guys like you, who like nothing better than a good joke. I don’t know why you thought it would be funny that your boss gets married, and I really don’t care, but you need to stay the hell away from me.”

  Gabe laughed. “You do put on a good act, Miz Monroe. I sure didn’t think Ty would be so taken with you. He told me he’d never fall in love with a woman on account of the way his mama left his pa. I thought things would play out different between you two, but this might work out all right, too. Keep up the good work, and we’ll get along just fine.”

  What the hell was he talking about? What did Gabe McFarlain know about her? Did he suspect she wasn’t who she pretended to be? Her heart sped up, and she swallowed her sudden apprehension. Had he just alluded that Tyler was in love with her? Her stomach dropped to her knees. All the more reason to quickly get out of this time.

  “I’m aware that Tyler is upset about his mother,” Laney said quietly. “I don’t plan to do anything to hurt him.”

  Gabe’s eyes widened. He stared at her for what seemed like an eternity. “You’re in love with him,” he said slowly, almost in awe. “I’ll be damned.”

  Some emotion that Laney couldn’t identify shot through his eyes. In the next instant, he plastered that grin back on his face. He nodded wordlessly, and stepped away from her.