As she made her way down the second floor hallway, Callum came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his hips. His dark hair was slicked back, thin rivulets of water running down his chest. They both froze as if caught in the headlights.
“How’s your back?” she asked, trying to appear unfazed by his near nudity.
“Feels fine.” He hadn’t moved, his voice monotone.
She took the first step, circling him until completely behind him. He ass was hard and toned under the towel, his back all defined muscle. She briefly noted the healing wound. It was minor, already scabbing over. What she really wanted was to lick the drips of water off his tanned skin. His shoulders were so broad, she craved to smooth her hands along them. Could he feel her desire? It felt like a living force all around her, tempting her to act. Hailey was a virgin, not that she’d advertise the fact. She’d rather consider herself a twenty-six year old woman at her sexual peak than inexperienced. Touch him, just run your fingers along his back, her inner voice demanded. But one wrong move could spell disaster if it wasn’t reciprocated. Her insecurities held her back. She bit the inside of her lip hard enough to draw blood.
“Well? Am I on the mend?” he asked.
She shifted back into reality, her chance to act slipping away. “It looks good.” She gently touched the marred skin. The intimate human contact was something she’d lacked and never knew it. She wanted to touch and be touched, but it had to be for the right reasons. There was no way she’d end up the town trollop being gossiped about by Cassie in the diner. Hailey wanted a relationship based on real love, not convenience or financial gain like her parents. Although most of her reading was research related, she did indulge in romance novels from time to time. If only there was a stitch of truth in the pages of those fiction books—like true, irrevocable love.
He turned his head. “I’ll just be two minutes.” Then he entered his room and closed the door tight. She exhaled, nearly dizzy from holding her breath. The man was so delicious, so well-built, how could she not be tempted?
****
Callum insisted they take his truck for the drive into town. It was bad enough he brought attention to himself with his Tourette’s. A truck lacking a muffler was just asking for trouble. He usually liked to get what he needed and leave just as fast.
“It’s the next left. The second house,” she said. He knew the boarding house.
“How long have you stayed there?”
“Two years—since I finished my Masters and had to get off campus.”
A boarding house wasn’t a home. It didn’t seem natural for a young woman to be surviving all on her own without family or a man.
“It’s not much of a home,” he said, pulling into the driveway.
“It’s all I can afford. Just because I’ve spent most of my adult years in university doesn’t equate a six-figure income. I’m lucky if I can buy food week to week.”
“Then why bother?”
She looked at him, the sunlight reflecting off her blue eyes. “Because I love it. I love learning about people and animals, creating solutions to problems…and being independent of my family.”
“Ahh, there’s the heart of it, no?”
She shook her head. “Just a piece.”
Hailey left the truck, trotting up the path. He lowered his window and called out. “How much you gettin’?”
“I’m taking everything,” she said simply and disappeared inside the Victorian-style house. Everything? Did she plan to stay at his ranch that long? Permanently? He followed her into the house, needing answers. If she was clearing out, she’d also need help.
The interior was dim, forcing his eyes to adjust from the bright sunlight. He wasn’t a small man, and always felt awkward around such dainty things—little antique tables with doilies, miniatures displayed on tiny shelves. If he moved the wrong way, it could be disastrous. It certainly wasn’t comfortable, not a place he’d want to live in.
“Hailey?” he called out.
Old Mrs. Chambers came around the corner. “Can I help you?”
“I’m helping Ms. Watson collect her things.”
“So you’re the reason she’s moving out? I didn’t hear of a marriage proposal.”
“No, ma’am. I’m just lending a hand. We ain’t together in the way you’re thinking.” His eyes began to twitch, one worse than the other, not uncommon when he was put on the spot. It was one of the reasons he preferred his solitary lifestyle.
She huffed, lifting her chin. When Hailey peeked down from the stairs, she was his saving grace. He passed the landlady and took the stairs two at a time. Once he entered Hailey’s room, she closed the door tight.
“I’m sorry. She’s terrible.”
“Maybe a little,” he said with a smile. After a minute he realized he was standing in the middle of Hailey’s room, her private domain. It was like taking a look inside the mind of the woman he knew so little about. She was neat, her bedspread made and dresser top organized. He sat heavily on the bed, enjoying the lush mattress compared to his firm one. Callum picked up one of several teddy bears and observed it. The brown bear in his hand was thread-bare from lovin’.
She tried to snatch it from him but he kept it out of her reach with an outstretched arm. “Callum!”
“What’s this? Your little teddy? You best bring him along to keep you company at night.”
She climbed over him until he dropped to his back, determined to retrieve her stuffed toy. “Stop it,” she said, waving her arm around. He held her around the waist so she couldn’t get higher. Their bodies were pressed together. It felt good having her soft curved flush to his hard muscle. She hadn’t yet noticed the intimacy of their position—but she would. Was this where he wanted things to lead? Could he handle having a woman in his life full-time? It would only be a matter of time before she tired of his constant noises and physical tics—a perpetual irritation. He could scarcely stand himself some days. Since there was nothing he could do to control his body’s random actions, he thought it best to avoid disappointment and stay single.
She stopped struggling, her full weight settling over his body. Her chest rose and fell in deep waves. “You’re terrible,” she whispered, resting the side of her face to his chest. He was surprised she felt comfortable enough to stay in such close contact. Most people feared him, or at least chose to stay away. This girl accepted him, no fear whatsoever. If only the approval could last forever.
“Just teasin’. You can keep your teddy. And we best get to work before Mrs. Chambers comes in and gives us both a spanking for being inappropriate under her roof.”
“True.” She rolled to her side and looked him in the eyes. Hailey reached out and cupped his face. “Thank you for being so sweet to me.”
He frowned. “I did what any other man would have done,” he assured. Callum didn’t think he’d done anything extraordinary. Certainly nothing to earn him such attention.
“No, you’re special.”
She slipped off the bed and pulled out a couple of empty suitcases from the closet, ending the moment that made time stand still for Callum.
He sat up. “Everything’s going? Including these?” He held up the bears.
“Yes, everything, Callum.” The sound of his name on her lips was the sweetest thing. It seemed every hour he spent with Hailey increased her beauty in his eyes. She was no longer the annoying girl from the university. She’d transformed, and now he swore he looked at an angel as she hurried to fill the bags with her folded clothing. Her long blonde hair fell to the side like a silken fan, her feminine fingers moving ever so daintily to fold and organize.
Together, they emptied all the drawers and shelves. When he got to her bottom drawer, the ache in his balls increased. All her intimate wear was organized into the one place—lace and cotton panties and brassieres of every color. He couldn’t help but imagine her wearing the little bits. The fact she kept well covered left his imagination on overdrive. When he held up a whisper thin pi
ece of black lace, she grabbed it away.
“Hey!”
“What? I’m helping.”
She used both arms to scoop out all the drawer’s contents at once, shoving it into a shopping bag. After half an hour the room was cleared out and loaded into Callum’s truck. They were ready to head off to the market. He needed to get more food than usual to accommodate Hailey and her special diet. Steak and chicken were the main staples after potatoes and corn, but she wouldn’t touch them.
They drove to the market, the sun now high in the sky. He left his shirt in the truck, only wearing his black tank top. Even so, he still felt like he was walking in a sauna. “It’s a scorcher,” he said.
“And you don’t have air-conditioning at your place, do you?”
“Just the river cutting through the west end of the property, and perhaps some shade from the weeping willows out back.”
“I guess that’ll have to do.”
Walking side by side, they checked out all the fresh produce being sold at the market. He felt an odd possessiveness about Hailey, which he had no right feeling. She wasn’t his and he had no plans on changing that. She squeezed some fruits, knocked on others, and smelled the rest. It was amusing watching her choose what to buy. When he’d come alone, he’d grab what he needed and be gone in the blink of an eye.
“What do you think?” Hailey approached him with a watermelon in her arms. He took her load, weighing it in his palms. “Do you like watermelon?” she asked.
It was one of his favorites, a rare treat. “There ain’t much I won’t eat.”
“We can have it tonight after dinner. This one has to be sweet.”
He chuckled. “It’s passed all your tests, has it?”
His carefree mood was spoiled when he spotted one of the objects of his angst. Jeremy Majors and two of his lackeys entered the market. Normally he wouldn’t care about dealing with them. He was used to their verbal abuse and was man enough to handle anything else they wanted to dish out. But he was with Hailey. The thought of being humiliated in front of her brought his nerves rushing to the surface. His Tourette’s immediately flared, embarrassing guttural sounds escaping from his lips in a rapid sequence. He felt like a spectacle, unable to stop the train wreck he was becoming.
“What’s the matter?” she asked, a look of concern on her face.
“Nothing. We should go, though.” His eyes must have been zeroed in on Jeremy’s approach because she turned around to see.
“Look, the retard has a girlfriend.”
Chapter Five
Hailey was brushed aside as Callum barreled forward. He grabbed the other man by the collar, nearly bringing him off his feet. Callum was bigger than most men she’d ever met, tall and built. For another man to goad him was a fool’s cry for attention.
One of the guy’s friends hit Callum from the side, which only appeared to aggravate him more. He tossed the man he held to the ground and threw a solid punch to the gut of the other. His enemy crashed into one of the fruit displays, apples spilling out in every direction. Shoppers created a wide arch of space around the melee, careful not get too close to Callum. He looked like a born fighter, every muscle taut and defined.
Her only concern was that he didn’t get hurt.
“You no-good, piece of shit,” called the first guy, picking up a broken, wooden table leg as a weapon.
“Callum!” she yelled.
He turned around just in time to grab the club before it struck him. She hadn’t noticed at first but there were three guys against Callum. As he wrestled the weapon from one, another came up from behind and sucker punched him several times in the side. He was weakening, the sight terrifying her. Nobody else would step in to help even though the fight was three to one. She screamed as they ganged up on the lone cowboy. She felt desperate, unable to help.
Just as one of attackers got the wooden table leg free, raising it to strike Callum in the head, a stranger grabbed it in a strong fist.
“What the fuck?” The man turned around, coming face to face with the cowboy she only knew from pictures. “Ar–Arden O’Shea?” He grabbed the collar of his friend, all three looking like they’d seen the angel of death. They ran off, not looking back. She’d never seen grown men become so afraid by the presence of one solitary man. Was Arden’s reputation that severe?
Callum was still on the ground. She was about to run over to him when Arden blocked her way. He tilted her chin up so she was forced to look at him square in the eyes. He looked strikingly similar to Callum, the same height and broadness, but his hair was unruly and eyes as blue as the mid-day sky. “You best take my little brother home.” It was all he said, his Irish accent working magic on her libido. Then he strode off, people clearing a path for him. He had a strong air of confidence, as if he owned the ground he walked on.
Was he home for good? Callum said he hadn’t seen him in a year. Would he take back his room now? If so, what would become of her now that she’d given up her place at the boarding house? The landlady said she had a waiting list, so getting it back was an impossibility—not that she had money without a new grant.
She watched Arden depart, his spurs chiming as he walked, then turned and ran over to Callum. He was already dusting himself off with his Stetson, no worse for wear. “Are you okay?” she asked, patting him down for injuries.
“I’m fine,” he said curtly. “Where’s that watermelon of yours?”
She pointed to the ground. It was still in once piece. Callum bent over and picked it up, bringing it to the cash out. The lady took his money without a word, everyone staring as they returned to the truck.
He started up the engine and drove in complete silence, looking straight at the road ahead. She felt a twisted knot in her gut, a mix of unease, pity, and insecurity.
“Who was that guy? Did you know him?”
“Jeremy Majors. We went to school together.”
The truck jostled as he handled the dirt roads with less caution than necessary. She didn’t say anything else. He was likely pissed off and embarrassed. Hailey wouldn’t even try to imagine what it was like to live in his shoes. Once back at the O’Shea Ranch, Callum took off, slamming the truck door, and disappeared into the barn. She didn’t know if she should go after him or give him time to cool off. She’d never known someone so passionate, both tender and volatile all rolled into one.
It was probably the worst choice, but she followed him.
“Callum?” she whispered. The inside of the barn was dim. It smelled strong of hay dust, oats, and leather. There was a creak in the wooden floorboards above her, some dust raining down on her, so she knew he was up in the loft. Hailey climbed the rickety ladder and found him standing at the open loft doors, staring out into the fields. The sun was lowering on the horizon, not yet set.
“You shouldn’t be up here,” he said without turning around.
“I’m worried about you.”
“Why?”
“You could have been hurt. Were you hurt?”
“I’m not a fucking child,” he snapped. “I said I’m fine.”
She felt slightly apprehensive. Was he capable of hurting a woman? Did she know him enough to feel completely safe?
“Obviously you’re not. It can help to talk things out.” His random noises were increasing, along with the throat clearing. The harsh sounds stole the peaceful calm of twilight—but she didn’t blame him. Instead, she felt drawn to the mysterious cowboy, desperate to help his plight in any way she could.
He whirled around, fire in his eyes. “If I liked to talk I wouldn’t be living out here alone, now would I? Everything was just fine until you showed up. And I’m no better off than before you came, the hogs still running amuck.”
She took a cleansing breath, reminding herself he was speaking out of anger. Her years of studies flooded her mind. He was reacting to the unjust treatment, and Tourette’s was known to flare up in times of undue stress. Still, she wouldn’t encourage him to alienate her. “You know w
hat? I thought you were a nice guy, but maybe I was wrong.”
“Damn straight you were wrong. I’m on the town’s most unwanted list, or didn’t you check before taking the job? It was only a matter of time until you discovered what kind of a freak I was anyway.”
“What kind of freak would that be, Callum?” Her patience was wearing thin. His self-abuse was unhealthy and unnecessary. “You can stop trying to scare me off because it won’t work.”
“Are you that hard up for a room that you’d put up with the likes of me?”
“Stop it,” she warned. “I’m here because I want to be.”
“Well ain’t that just dandy. I’ll stay out of your way until you get your research done. No reason we need to deal with each other.” He walked by her to leave, but she grabbed his arm. His muscles were tense, his bicep too large to hold securely.
“Stop being such an asshole!”
He froze for a moment, and she wondered if she’d made a huge mistake, pushing him too far. If he hit her, she’d survive. She braced for the worst, closing her eyes as time stood still.
She wouldn’t be able to stop him should he decide to leave. He would dictate the next step. When he wrapped a hand around both her upper arms, walking her backwards, she opened her eyes in a flash. He pressed her flat to the wooden slat wall, holding her firmly in place so she couldn’t move. “I’m a monster, Hailey. Look at me for what I am, dammit. You must be blind not to see what the townsfolk see.” He leaned in and inhaled at her neckline. Her pussy moistened.
“I see a man choosing to hide away from society rather than face his problems head-on. Stop feeling sorry for yourself.”
He stared at her as if seeing her for the first time. His eyes narrowed, his hands tightening around her arms. “You don’t know what you’re talkin’ about. And you’re playing with fire, little one. Maybe I should give you a sample of why society chooses to keep away.” There was a hint of threat in his tone, but he didn’t scare her. Not any more. He may not know it, but he was testing her, trying to find loyalty or betrayal. Hailey lived for this, lived for the challenge of understanding the mind. Callum’s was both highly complex and simple at the same time.
Cowboy Outcasts Page 4