Dallas at Midnight [Midnight in Montana 1] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Bella Settarra

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  Shane grinned with relief. Relief that she could talk, or that she spoke English, or just that she was awake—he didn’t know, but he sure was relieved about something.

  “Wh–where am I?” she asked in a croaky voice.

  “You’re in my house, on my ranch, at Moonlight Hollow in Midnight County, Montana.” Shane felt stupid. He didn’t know quite what she meant so he told her everything. “What’s your name?”

  She swallowed and he wondered if she was deciding whether or not to tell him.

  “Dallas,” she croaked. “Dallas Somerville.”

  “You from Montana?”

  “Wyoming,” she whispered, shaking her head. Then she pulled her arm up from under the covers and coughed into her hand. She sniffed. “Think I might have caught a cold,” she said apologetically, giving him a shy smile.

  Cute dimples appeared on her cheeks and she looked more gorgeous than ever. He loved her smile, and vowed to himself to make her do it more often.

  “Here.” He offered her another drink of water and held her head while she drank it.

  She cleared her throat as he put the glass back down. “Thanks,” she said, her voice a little better.

  “How about something to eat? I’ve heard chicken soup’s good for bad colds.” He grinned as he slowly stood up, and was rewarded with a beautiful smile in return. Shane congratulated himself as he boiled up some thick chicken soup and warmed some bread rolls in the oven. It was almost lunch time so he made enough for two and joined her.

  “Hope you’re hungry,” he told her as he took the tray into the guest room.

  Dallas shuffled up the bed and he rushed to put the tray on the night stand before helping plump the pillows up behind her so she could sit up a little.

  “It smells divine,” she said appreciatively.

  “I hope it’s not too hot. The doc said I had to keep you warm but I don’t want you to burn your mouth. Blow on it if you need to.” He watched her face fall and inwardly kicked himself for suggesting such a childish thing. What will she think of me now? “Um…I mean…” he stumbled over his words, trying to think of something to say to make it right.

  “You had a doctor out?” She frowned, staring at him.

  He was a little taken aback at her concern, but relieved that it wasn’t his remark that had worried her. “Yeah, Doc Baron. He’ll be stopping by in a while to see how you’re doing. Said you’d be lucky not to have caught pneumonia. What in heck were you doing out there last night, anyhow? If you’d knocked on the door you could easily have stayed here in the warm and dry.” And safe, he kept thinking, don’t forget safe!

  Shane silently cursed himself for sounding so brutal, and turned his attention to the lunch. He took one of the bowls of soup and a spoon, eyeing them awkwardly. Her hand was shaking as it came up to take the spoon from him and he shook his head. She looked so fragile and now he was afraid he might have upset her, too.

  “I’ll do it,” he told her firmly, and then cursed himself again.

  “It’s OK. I can feed myself.” Her beautiful green eyes were staring up at him and her voice sounded small. He was afraid she was about to burst into tears, and noticed her clench her jaw.

  “You’ll spill it. Let me help.” Shane’s attempt to sound caring and gentle didn’t seem to be working. Instead of grateful she appeared offended, but she said nothing.

  With a regretful sigh, Shane spooned out some of the warm soup and offered it to her. Without a word she opened her mouth and took it in. Shane felt himself go hot as he watched her mouth open wide and then surround the spoon. Her expression after tasting the liquid was one of absolute pleasure, and he couldn’t help wishing that it was his cock and not the soup that she was enjoying with such relish.

  Chapter 2

  Dallas was even hungrier than she thought, and drank the delicious soup as quickly as she could. The bread was also warm and its softness made it easy to swallow in her sore throat. Shane Patrick sure was a handsome guy, and quite a domineering character. He had black wavy hair and the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. They were almost cobalt. She studied his rugged jaw, peppered with stubble. His lips were full and he had a gorgeous smile. He also had a determination about him which she found a little unsettling. He was insisting on spoon-feeding her the soup, and even broke up the bread roll for her. She wasn’t sure whether he was doing it to help her or if he was just concerned about her making a mess on the pristine white sheets of this over-sized, sumptuous bed.

  “More water?” His voice was deep and quiet as he asked.

  She’d just started coughing again, and nodded. His strong hand held the back of her head while the other offered the cool drink to her lips. She sipped it slowly, not wanting to annoy him. She was still trying to figure out why he seemed so aggravated in the first place. Why on earth would I have knocked at his door last night? I didn’t know who lived here or what their reaction would be. They might have just called the dang sheriff to take me away and I’d end up right back where I came from! She’d decided her best approach was to just keep on eating so she wouldn’t have to answer any of his questions.

  “OK?” That deep voice of his, full of concern, caused a burn deep inside her. She’d never known anyone to sound so caring when they spoke to her. His eyes looked anxious and kind. His dark lashes framed the deep blue orbs beautifully. She suddenly realized they were staring at each other.

  Quickly, she nodded, and he leaned over to put the glass back on the night stand. Dallas couldn’t help noticing the muscles in his arm as he stretched over.

  “Thank you. That was lovely,” she murmured.

  He turned back to her and she felt her insides melt. “The lunch…I meant,” she stuttered, suddenly feeling the need to clarify her comment.

  He grinned. “Of course. What else would you have meant?” His voice was husky now and he gave her a suggestive look which made her insides burn like fire. Her face was also aflame as she blushed profusely, realizing how stupid she must have sounded. What else would I have meant? Did he notice me staring?

  She shrugged and she snatched her eyes away from his as she fumbled with the coverlet.

  “Do you want any more?” His voice was thick with honey and laced with innuendo, which made her squirm, and she felt her cheeks flush even more. She could feel her breathing become heavier and she couldn’t speak. She shook her head, still not looking up. Damn! He had noticed!

  “OK. In that case do you mind if I stay and have mine?”

  She shook her head again, and heard him take the other bowl and spoon from the tray. Taking deep breaths to calm her nerves, she eventually looked up at him. He was sitting casually on the edge of the bed next to her, eating the soup and roll. She noticed his big hands, and his biceps which rippled each time he moved his arms. He was devastatingly handsome and she quickly checked his finger for a wedding ring. She was pleased not to find one.

  “Do you live here alone?” she asked as casually as she could manage.

  “Yep. It was the family home until my parents died. Then my brother moved to the city to pursue his career, leaving me to run the spread.” Shane took another bite of the warm bread as he spoke.

  “You have a brother?”

  “Yup. He’s a couple of years younger than me. Caleb always was the smart one. Did great at college and went into journalism—landed himself a good job. He never was interested in this place. Took off as soon as he could.” Shane finished his meal and put his bowl back on the tray. Dallas couldn’t help thinking he looked a little sad.

  “You want the bathroom or anything?” He looked a little embarrassed as he asked.

  Dallas was relieved. She’d been wondering how to ask him, but she was now becoming desperate. “Yes please.”

  Shane pulled the covers off her, and she was horrified to notice that the robe had ridden up her leg, exposing a good amount of thigh. She quickly tried to pull it down and sit up at the same time. Her head swam a
round and she closed her eyes to the swirling colors. She felt strong arms envelop her and she leaned in to his hard muscle with a moan.

  “Shh. Take your time, darlin’,” he soothed close to her ear.

  Her hands instinctively clung to his broad back and she sat in his arms while the world whizzed around her. The throbbing of her head and the sick feeling in her stomach consumed her and she wasn’t sure whether she had actually blacked out for a moment or two. She was gradually aware of his voice cooing in her ear as he rocked her gently to and fro.

  “It’s all right,” he kept saying, “you’re safe now.”

  She slowly opened her eyes and was relieved to see that the room had stopped spinning around her. She gradually became aware of the deep voice which rumbled through the chest beneath her ear, soothing her gently. Her hands had somehow become entangled in his shirt and she could feel his heat under the cotton. Eventually she pulled her head up, loosening her grip on him.

  “It’s all right, darlin’,” he assured her, as his deep blue eyes gazed down at her.

  Dallas felt herself blush again and she quickly looked away from his lovely face. A low chuckle emanated from his throat, and he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the en suite bathroom.

  “Hey, what are you…?” she gasped as he carefully put her feet to the ground, still holding her.

  “You do still wanna go, don’t you?” He frowned.

  “Yes, but…” Dallas suddenly realized that she really needed to go now and blushed again.

  “Want me to hold you on?”

  “No, I can manage,” she assured him.

  “As long as you’re sure. Sit yourself down and I’ll wait outside.”

  She backed herself onto the toilet and pulled the robe up around her, being careful to protect her modesty.

  Shane, obviously satisfied that she was safe, left the small room. “I’ll be right out here if you need anything. Call me when you want to get off.” His voice was full of humor as he called through the door, and she cringed.

  After she was done, Dallas steadied herself by holding onto the wash basin, flushed the toilet and washed her hands. Her head was spinning as she took the opportunity to wash her face with the warm water, and then caught sight of herself in the mirror. Screwing up her eyes to focus properly she winced at the sight before her. She looked as dreadful as she felt. Big, dark bags lay under her eyes and her skin was almost white. As she gasped at her reflection she saw the door open behind her and Shane’s gorgeous but blurry face appeared in the mirror.

  “I thought I told you to call me.” His voice was gruff as he held her around the waist.

  “But I was…” The sick feeling had returned to her stomach and she saw the room whiz around her again. She was aware of him muttering something in her ear but she couldn’t make it out, and she felt as though she was drifting just before her world turned completely black.

  * * * *

  Shane was relieved when he heard the front door open and Dr. Baron’s croaky old voice called in. He had been watching Dallas sleep for almost an hour, since catching her as she passed out in the bathroom and tucking her back in bed. Her face sure looked pale and he was surprised she’d had the strength to stand and wash herself.

  “In the bedroom, doc,” he called out, and heard the old man come into the room.

  “How’s she doing?”

  “Well, she woke up and had some soup. Then I took her to the bathroom for a…you know…and the next thing she was fainting into my arms,” Shane explained, getting up to let the doctor get nearer to the bed.

  “I’m surprised she made it out of bed at all. Looks as weak as a kitten to me,” the elderly man mumbled.

  Shane flushed slightly, wondering if he should have let her go to the bathroom after all, but didn’t really think he had much choice under the circumstances. He watched the doctor check her blood pressure and took the opportunity to clear away the dishes and grab himself another coffee.

  “Blood pressure’s real low, but she seems to be warming up OK. Any signs of a cold?” Dr. Baron was just putting the covers straight as Shane returned to the room.

  “Yeah. Coughing a bit. Sounds like she’s got a sore throat, too,” Shane replied.

  “She needs plenty of rest—no getting out of bed unless it’s real necessary. Keep her warm and give her lots of water. And keep feeding her too. She looks far too skinny for my liking.” The doctor gathered up his things and stuffed them back into his bag. “Call me if you need me. Otherwise I’ll drop by tomorrow anyway.”

  “Thanks, doc. I appreciate it. Got a might worried when she collapsed on me, I can tell you,” Shane admitted.

  Dr. Baron nodded. “That’ll be the low blood pressure. Plenty of rest and she’ll be OK. Did you find out what she was doing out in your barn last night?”

  “No, sir. I haven’t actually asked too many questions. She seems a bit…fragile.”

  The old man pursed his lips. “She’s that all right. You take care of her, son. Like I said, you know where I am if you need me.”

  “Yes, sir. Thanks for stopping by.”

  “I’ll see myself out,” the doctor told him as he left the room.

  Shane looked back at the beautiful woman sleeping in his bed. She had a little more color than this morning, and he put it down to the soup. He took another sip of his coffee as he studied her. She was painfully thin, and he wondered when she last had a good meal. She had weighed nothing in his arms, and Shane frowned, wondering how she had gotten that way.

  He strolled over to the window and looked out at the ranch. It was mid-afternoon and the sun was bouncing off the steel roof of the barn she had slept in. The hands seemed to be coping quite well without him, although he knew there were a few jobs stacking up for him to take care of when he could. For now, though, his priority was sleeping in that bed, and that was all he wanted to take care of.

  Shane sat in the chair next to the bed, not wanting to disturb her. Although pale and unwell, she was still a gorgeous woman. She exuded natural beauty, nothing like the women he usually met. Take Lucy, his last girlfriend. She had worn so much make-up he’d almost forgotten what her actual face looked like. When they’d first gotten together she hardly wore any—that was what attracted him to her in the first place—but after a while she just got more and more into her looks and she piled on the face paint like she piled on the constant additions to her wardrobe. He grimaced. That girl must have thought he was loaded, given the amount of outfits she persuaded him to buy her. And he was an idiot to oblige, he knew that now. She used him until the money ran out and then tossed him aside like one of her old purses, and moved on to that rich guy who had just moved in from the city.

  His mom had been right about Lucy all along. The shrewd old woman had seen straight through her, and had tried to warn him, but he hadn’t wanted to listen. She had been real supportive about their break-up, though—never once did she say, “I told you so,” although Shane knew she would have had every right to. He missed his mom and dad.

  He sighed, remembering the shock he’d had when a lawyer’s letter had arrived about a year after his parents’ death. It was claiming that his father had borrowed a small fortune from a loan shark in order to keep the ranch going. The guy hadn’t bothered to contact him at the ranch, although Shane had a sneaking suspicion he might have left messages on that dang mobile phone his daddy used to carry around with him. Shane didn’t have time for new-fangled technology and never learned how to use the thing. Consequently he just threw it out when his daddy died without going through it for messages or contacts. Naive of him, really. He just figured that anyone wanting to talk to his daddy would have contacted the ranch, and any financial agreements would have been put in writing with the rest of the spread’s accounts, which he, Shane, had handed right over to the accountant to sort out. He knew his daddy would turn in his grave—he only used the accountant when he really needed to, usually for his annual tax returns, as he said he charged too
much—but Shane didn’t have much choice. The guy turned out to be real helpful too, even taught Shane the things he needed to know for keeping the returns in order. Up until then, Shane had been allowed to take care of day-to-day finances, but anything big was always left to daddy. Now he could see why.

  When it was discovered that his daddy had taken out the loan, which those dang sharks were adding interest to every day his daddy didn’t repay it, he had no choice but to honor it. He sold up some of the land to the nearest rancher, who was only too happy to expand a little, and even some of the cattle had to go. The temporary staff was laid off and he even had to sell most of the furniture as well as some of his momma’s jewelry. Caleb had gotten real mad at him and stormed out. He’d accused Shane of not honoring their parent’s memory by getting rid of the things which had meant so much to them. Shane had tried to explain that he had no choice—it was either that or selling the whole spread, and he knew his parents wouldn’t want that, but Caleb wouldn’t listen. Never having taken an active part in the running of the place, the young lad didn’t understand all the financial implications, and there was no way Shane was about to let his father’s name be blackened by those sharks. He missed Caleb, and had tried to phone him several times, but the stubborn youngster refused to return his calls.

  He saw Dallas move slightly, and her eyelashes fluttered, but she didn’t wake up.

  “Shh,” he whispered, holding her hand over the coverlet, and she stilled and drifted back off to sleep.

  As Shane gazed at her he wondered how she would have reacted if she’d been his girlfriend when he lost almost everything. Lucy had been so disappointed when he’d told her that he had to pay off the ranch’s debts and that the money was going to be short for a while. She had tried to persuade him to sell the ranch and buy a small house so they could settle down together. Maybe he should have. Scratch that. If he’d given up the ranch he knew Caleb would never speak to him again and he wouldn’t blame him. The ranch had been in the family too long to give up on it now. It was everything his parents had worked so hard for—there was no way he could wash his hands of it even if he’d wanted to. And he didn’t want to. He’d been born and brought up here and always envisaged running it himself one day, hopefully with a good wife and kids by his side.