The Doctor's Cowboy

by Trish Milburn

  “I see your sad puppy eyes, you adorable rascal.”

  “I don’t envy the man who ends up falling for you,” Owen said as he sauntered toward her. “He’ll never beat out ol’ Roscoe here.”

  Chloe scratched between Roscoe’s ears again. He enjoyed that more than anything. “What’s not to love? He adores me, doesn’t talk back, isn’t demanding.”

  Owen leaned against the edge of the porch, and she could tell he wanted to say something else.

  “What is it?”

  “Thought you should know that scuttlebutt around town is that you’re Verona Charles’s next project.”

  She sighed and stared out toward the road. “That woman needs to find her own man and maybe she’d stop poking around in everyone else’s love lives.”

  “You’ve got a love life?”

  Chloe snarled at him. “Be careful. I’ll sic Roscoe on you.”

  Owen laughed. “I’m shaking.”

  “Go on, Roscoe. Get him. Use his arm as a chew toy.”

  “I think you could wrap my arm in bacon and these two still wouldn’t rouse themselves to attack.”

  As if to prove his point, Roscoe let out a doggy sigh and closed his eyes as if about to take a nap while using her leg as a pillow.

  Chloe shook her head at the dog. “Well, I guess I have to look elsewhere for my knight in shining armor.”

  “From what I hear, you already have. Maybe silver spurs instead of shining armor.”

  Chloe narrowed her eyes at her little brother. “Owen Brody, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll stop believing town gossip.”

  Owen whistled. “Hit a nerve, did I?”

  “Owen,” she said, warning in her voice.

  He held up his hands. “Okay, okay. I’m backing off.”

  Chloe continued to sit outside after her brother followed their father inside. If people were already pairing up her and Wyatt based on her just trying to be friendly, how long before Wyatt got wind of it? And when he did, how was she supposed to face him without letting it show that she didn’t mind as much as she should?

  * * *

  WYATT WATCHED THE minutes tick by on the clock, wondering when Chloe would be by to do her hospital rounds. If the other riders could see him now, laid up like an invalid and with nothing to look forward to beyond a visit from a doctor, no doubt they’d think him pathetic. Even the single guys on the circuit had someone—a girlfriend, brother, sister, best friend...parents. Most of the time, his lack of family didn’t bother him. It was just the way things were. He had friends, but they were out on the circuit somewhere, heading to the next event and another batch of points.

  He heard Chloe’s voice from somewhere nearby, and his pulse jumped. Chances were if he’d met her in any other situation, he wouldn’t be so fixated on her. Yes, she was pretty, but it wasn’t as if she were the first pretty woman he’d ever seen. She was more like a lifeline to sanity than anything else, one he’d been denied the past two days.

  Forty-eight hours of mind-destroying boredom. He’d read every one of the magazines she’d brought him cover to cover, even the Cosmopolitan, a fact he would never admit to anyone. That was boredom. In the wee hours when he couldn’t sleep anymore, he’d finished the last puzzle in the crossword book, and he’d only had to cheat a handful of times.

  But if Chloe was just a way to keep from being bored, why did he get more excited to see her than anyone else who traipsed into his room? Sure, he talked to everyone from the nurses to the gal who mopped the floors. But Chloe, for some reason, was different. Maybe it was nothing more than hers was the first face he’d seen when he’d awakened in the emergency room.

  He really needed to stop being so damn philosophical.

  “So, I hear you’ve been contrary the past couple of days,” Chloe said as she breezed into his room with a scolding expression on her face.

  “I deny that accusation.”

  “So you haven’t been pestering the nurses to let you get up and saunter around the hospital?”

  “I thought doctors liked to get patients up and out of bed as soon as possible.”

  “As soon as possible. We’d prefer not to risk undoing the work we’ve done. Trust me, you don’t want to reinjure yourself. I’m sure it hurt enough the first time around.”

  “Fine,” he said, unable to hide his frustration. “Then the least you can do is to play that game of Scrabble with me.” He gestured toward the board on the rolling table that belonged to the still-empty second bed, where he’d already played the word wander for twenty points.

  “Where did that come from?”

  “Your friend Sophie.”

  Chloe rolled her eyes. “Of course it did.”

  What was that about? “Am I missing something?”

  She waved away his question and walked toward the Scrabble board. “Well, that seems appropriate.”

  “What does?”

  She pointed toward the tiles. “Wander. Sort of describes your life, doesn’t it?”

  He knew she didn’t mean anything negative by it, but for some reason he suddenly felt as if his life didn’t have a lot of meaning. That was odd since he enjoyed what he did. Wasn’t that all anyone could ask for from a career, to enjoy it?

  Chloe didn’t wait for an answer, but instead selected her tiles from the bag, quickly rearranged them then played her word. She rolled the table toward him so he could see.

  He barked a laugh, one that hurt a little less than it had before. “Ornery?”

  “I wonder why that word came to mind.”

  He looked up at her and was struck anew by how pretty she was with those bright eyes, soft-looking skin and a smile always at the ready even when she was being serious.

  “Can you honestly tell me you wouldn’t be doing the same thing if our roles were reversed? You don’t strike me as a woman who does idle very well.”

  She pressed her lips together for a moment. “Who knew cowboys were such good judges of character?”

  “Have to be able to peg a bull’s attitude.”

  “You’re comparing me to a bull?”

  He thought he’d made a huge tactical error until the edge of her mouth twitched. “Bullheaded, maybe.”

  She feigned offense with a dramatic gasp. “Pot, meet kettle.”

  He laughed again, and so did she.

  “Okay, we’ll get you on your feet in a few minutes, see how it goes.”

  At that news, he threw back the covers before she could change her mind. “Better avert your eyes, Doc.”

  “Oh, honey, you’re not going to flash anything I haven’t seen here a million times.”

  He raised an eyebrow at that, tempted to prove her wrong. The idea of making her blush sounded like the most fun he’d had in days.

  “Hospital gowns aren’t the most modest of attire,” she said. “We’ll get you a second one to cover the back so you’re not flashing everyone your bum. Mrs. Carter down the hall might not be able to handle it. She’s ninety if she’s a day and a former Sunday school teacher to boot.”

  “Yeah, blame a poor little old lady.”

  Chloe pointed toward the word she’d spelled out again. “Like I said, ornery.”

  “I like to think of it as entertaining.”

  She huffed a little laugh. “I’m sure you do.” She headed for the door. “Be right back. Do not get out of that bed or I’ll tie you to it.”

  She was in full-on “I’m the doctor, do what I say” mode, but he had a flash of being tied to a bed for an entirely different purpose. He wasn’t into that kind of stuff, but damn if what his hospital gown hid didn’t react to the mental image.

  “Yes, ma’am.” He shot her a salute then pulled the blanket back over his lap, hoping she didn’t notice how his body was reacting
because how the hell was he supposed to explain that?

  He closed his eyes and imagined being in an ice-cold shower, diving into the waters of the Arctic, sitting on a giant ice cube. Thankfully, it worked enough that by the time Chloe came back with one of the nurses, he wasn’t in danger of embarrassing himself.

  Chloe stepped to the side of his bed. “We’re going to go slowly, okay?”

  Damned if that didn’t make him imagine being in bed with her, taking his time.

  Ice water, ice water, ice water.

  “Yeah,” he said past the mantra repeating in his head.

  The nurse pulled the IV pole out from where it sat near the head of the bed, while Chloe placed one hand on his shoulder and offered her other to him to grasp. The moment he wrapped his hand around her smaller one, he realized how very rough his was. It wasn’t really something he’d ever considered when he’d touched a woman, but he found himself hoping he didn’t mar her delicate skin.

  He kept the blanket on his lap as Chloe tightened her grip and gradually helped him to a sitting position on the side of the bed. Despite the fact he had to convince her he was ready to leave the hospital, and his mounting medical debt, he couldn’t suppress a groan when the muscles around his injuries protested loudly. Neither could he prevent the sweat that broke out on his lip and down his neck at the effort.

  “Tell us if you feel like you can’t do it,” Chloe said.

  Oh, hell no. He wasn’t stopping now. “I’m good, Caitlin.”

  “Nope, still not it.”

  He saw the curious look the nurse turned toward Chloe.

  “He’s trying to guess my first name, so don’t tell him.”

  “Okay,” the nurse said slowly, as if she thought they were both odd. She unfurled the second gown and helped him slip it onto his shoulders so it covered his backside.

  “Thanks,” he said, smiling at the nurse whose name tag read Amanda. “Was feeling drafty back there.”

  “Think you can stop flirting with Amanda long enough to stand up?” Chloe asked.

  He shifted his attention toward Chloe. “Would you rather I flirt with you, Camilla?”

  She propped one of her hands on her hip. “Really? I look like a Camilla to you?”

  He smiled wide. “It’s better than some of the names I thought of.”

  “Well, you’ll have to save that stellar list for another day. You’re out of guesses for today. Now, cowboy, let’s get you on your feet.”

  His smile fell away as he pushed slowly to his feet. He hated that Chloe and Amanda had to support him on both sides, but damned if he wasn’t wobbly.

  “You’re probably light-headed from lying down so long and the rush of pain from engaging your stomach muscles for the first time since surgery.”

  “I’m fine.” He almost managed to sound convincing. Almost.

  “And I’m the queen of Denmark.”

  “Lead on, Your Majesty.”

  “I’d swat you like I do my brothers, but there’s that whole ‘do no harm’ thing and I’m afraid you’d topple over.”

  “Saved by the Hippocratic oath.”

  When she met his gaze, he saw the surprise in her eyes. He leaned forward a little.

  “I’m full of surprises.”

  Chloe seemed uncharacteristically flustered for a moment before she glanced at Amanda, then back at him.

  “Do you want to walk or not?”

  Deciding not to push his luck, he nodded once. He took a step and had to bite down against the pain that sliced through his middle. But he wasn’t about to give up that easily. So he took another step and another. A few more and he was out in the hallway. The moment he spotted the sliding doors at the end of the hallway, probably the entrance to the emergency room, he wanted to make a break for freedom. But as much as he wanted to flee outside, he had the horrible feeling that if he tried he’d collapse from the pain before he got there. And falling flat on his face probably wasn’t going to do wonders for the healing process.

  As if Chloe could read his mind and didn’t trust him not to make a run for it, she guided him in the opposite direction. He winced when he twisted his torso.

  “Doing good,” Chloe said. “But don’t push too hard.”

  He wanted to tell her to stop babying him, but he kept his mouth shut, instead focusing on how putting one foot in front of the other was taking him closer to getting out of this place.

  “Okay, let’s turn around,” Chloe said after he’d taken a few more steps.

  He stiffened. “No.” He realized he’d said it too loudly when the other two nurses at the desk that sat in the middle of the horseshoe of rooms looked straight at him. He took a breath and forced a smile. “I’m doing okay. Let’s keep going.”

  When he glanced at Chloe, close enough that he could see the flecks of brownish gold in her eyes, she looked as if she might overrule him. But then something changed in her expression, a softening, a hint of understanding.

  “Okay, but don’t go so far that you don’t think you can make it back.”

  Still looking down into her eyes, and deciding he really liked them, he nodded.

  She was the one to break eye contact, and if he weren’t mistaken her cheeks had pinkened before she did so.

  Wyatt smiled as he focused on the hallway ahead of him. So Dr. Chloe Brody wasn’t as unflappable as she tried to appear. Good to know.

  “Onward,” he said. “I hear there’s a Mrs. Carter I need to go flirt with.”

  Chloe laughed under her breath, and that made his smile grow even wider. As he started walking again, he was even more determined to get better...and soon. Because the moment he could stand on his own two feet and walk under his own power, he just might see what else he could do to make Chloe Brody blush.

  Chapter Five

  “So this is the handsome young man I keep hearing so much about?” Mrs. Carter said when she looked up from her knitting to see Wyatt leaning against her doorway, more out of breath than he’d likely ever admit.

  Wyatt turned his gaze to Chloe, a mischievous glint in his eyes and a smile on his lips, lips she really, really shouldn’t be looking at so much.

  “Have you been talking about me?”

  Chloe laughed a little. “Don’t look at me. You must have a secret admirer.”

  Wyatt shifted his gaze back to Mrs. Carter. “Well, whoever it is can’t possibly be as pretty as you.”

  Chloe would swear she saw Mrs. Carter blush from across the room. If she weren’t careful, she was going to scorch her pale, aged cheeks.

  Mrs. Carter pointed a knitting needle at Wyatt. “You’re going to have to watch this one. He’ll be charming every female in the building.”

  “Shh,” Wyatt said. “You’ll give away my secret. I aim to charm my way out of this place.”

  “What’s going to get you out of here is to do what your doctor says, and I’m saying it’s time to go back to your room.”

  “Don’t worry,” Wyatt said in a fake whisper to Mrs. Carter. “I’ll sneak back when I can. And we’ll blow this joint.”

  Mrs. Carter smiled. “I’ll hold you to that.”

  “Okay, Mr. Jailbreak, let’s go,” Chloe said, guiding Wyatt back toward his room four doors down.

  By the time they walked through the door, she could see the strain on Wyatt’s face. Even so, he balked as she tried to steer him toward the bed.

  “I’m going to sit in the chair for a while. I can’t stand that bed another minute.”

  For a split second she considered arguing but then realized there was no point. As long as he wasn’t in danger of collapsing and tearing open his stitches, it didn’t make any difference if he were in the bed or the chair.

  “Besides, we can really get this game going,” he said as he nodded t
oward the Scrabble board.

  Chloe and Amanda flanked him as he reached the chair, but they let him use his own strength to lower himself to a sitting position. If he’d been alone, Chloe got the feeling he might have let a few choice words fly. But once he was seated, his muscles that had tightened up all over his body relaxed.

  “You do realize that I’m working, right?”

  “It’s a small hospital,” he said. “Just swing by to play a turn whenever you can.”

  “You’re right. It is a small hospital. But those aren’t my only patients. I have a full day of office visits at the clinic next door.”

  “You know what they say about all work and no play.”

  “I also know that it’s frowned upon when you don’t pay your bills.”

  The teasing expression on his face fell away. “Valid point.”

  An unexpected regret bubbled up inside her. She hated how with a single sentence she’d erased his good mood. “But I can probably sneak over once or twice during the day. Just remember, I’m a whiz at this game and you asked for it.”

  A hint of a smile tugged at his lips again, and some of her regret eased.

  “I think I can handle it.”

  Throughout the rest of the day, Chloe saw patients at the clinic as usual. What wasn’t normal, however, was how distracted she felt and how she slipped out the side door next to the hospital at lunch and then twice more in the afternoon to play rounds of the Scrabble game with Wyatt. She had to admit, he was proving a stronger opponent than she’d expected.

  When she came in to see he’d played the word zombify for thirty-six points, she scanned the room. “You hiding a dictionary around here somewhere?”

  “Yeah, I ran out and bought one while you were gone.”

  “A phone with internet access?”

  “My phone is in my truck, which I guess is still sitting at the fairgrounds. Unless my lucky streak has continued and someone stole it.”

  “Would you like your phone? Surely you need to check in with someone?”

  Wyatt glanced away for a moment. “I do need to make a couple of calls.”

  “Where are your keys?”

  He pointed toward the closet. “Liam Parrish brought by my gear bag.”