Brought to His Knees-Tough Guys Laid Low By Love
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William cocked an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Is that hard to believe?”
William’s gaze traveled the length of her. “Not really.”
“Well, I better get back to my date.” She cringed inwardly.
Why did you say date?
“Sure.” William turned his back on her, totally nonplussed. It was like a slap in the face. It stung, but what else could she expect from a one night stand?
Only, this was different.
This hurt and that hurt scared her, because it shouldn’t. She’d been brushed off before, had dates not call her back.
Why was William affecting her so and she’d only known him a couple of days? What kind of hold did he have on her? Whatever it was, it wasn’t welcome.
She turned her back on him and headed back to the booth, just as Ronnie returned with the beers.
“Who was that?” Ronnie asked as he set a mason jar full of beer down.
“Just a new rancher in town. I met him a couple of days ago, told him about your practice.”
Ronnie nodded. “That’s good. Always open to new clients, especially with a new clinic opening near Fort MacLeod. Some more competition for us.”
Molly smiled, but it was halfhearted. She slid into the booth and took a sip of her beer. Ronnie talked about the new veterinary clinic, but Molly really didn’t hear any of it. She couldn’t take her eyes off of William.
And as he stood there, the song he hated the most, Cold Hearted Hillbilly played over in her head.
The name of the song sounded strange, but the words stuck with her.
Girl, our love shines. Our love remains rooted and strong like a pine, as clear and deep as Maligne.
Only, there was no love between William and her.
Only lust.
That was it.
How could you fall in love with someone after one time?
Molly wasn’t a believer in love at first sight. How could she be when her mother had three failed marriages? When her two friends were so unhappy in their relationships, and those had been love at first sight?
Still, she couldn’t take her eyes off him.
“Molly, are you okay?”
She realized that Ronnie was staring at her. “Sorry, what?”
Ronnie cocked his head to one side. “You seem so distracted today. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Ronnie. Fine. A little tired. I was up late last night.”
“I’m sorry for keeping you.”
“No it’s okay.” She reached out and touched his hand. “It’s fine. This is nice.”
He smiled. “I think so. So, what’re your plans?”
“Plans?”
“You told me you might go to university in the fall. Become a full–fledged vet. Should I be looking for a new tech?”
Sweat broke across Molly’s brow, as she thought about taking that next step. One she’d never been able to take, because financially she wasn’t able to. Now she was set, but she was nervous about doing it. What if she failed?
“I’m not sure yet.”
“Well, you’re always welcome at the clinic. I don’t know what I would do without you.” He squeezed her hand, his thumb running over her knuckles in an intimate way.
One that would make any woman swoon.
Except her.
What was wrong with her?
And then she glanced across the bar and knew exactly why.
William tried not to look her way, but he couldn’t help himself. He knew the moment she walked in the door with Dr. Shaw.
He didn’t think they were dating. She told him that she wasn’t dating the vet, but it was obvious that she was.
Though he’d sent her away, he was still watching her.
Watching as the vet put his hand on Molly. As they laughed and talked and, though he shouldn’t care, the green eyed monster reared its ugly head.
All he had with Molly was sex.
Just one night of fucking awesome sex.
He didn’t want a relationship, because a relationship meant letting someone in and he wasn’t prepared to do that. The women he’d dated when he’d been a star were using him. For money, for fame, for power.
Molly would find out who he was and she’d use him too. It’s why he built the walls, to keep people out. The walls were good. The walls were safe.
Molly was dangerous.
Come off it.
He glanced over at them again. They were laughing with ease and he seethed inside just a little bit.
Mine.
It was a possessive voice and it caught him off guard. He didn’t know where it came from other than deep down inside. Molly wasn’t his. They’d made that clear when they’d been together.
He’d understood what he was getting into, but now he wanted to take that back. He wanted to be the one sitting with her now having a beer, holding her hand and just talking with her. A normal life.
When he was young all he thought he wanted to be was famous, and when he obtained that goal and saw what it really brought, he just wished for privacy.
Now he wished for normalcy, with Molly.
He had to get out of this bar. As he set down his cue stick, he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Molly and Dr. Shaw were leaving. As they walked away the vet put his hand on the small of Molly’s back, leading her out of the bar.
William saw red when Dr. Shaw touched Molly, even if it was just a light touch. He didn’t like it one bit. Only he couldn’t give Molly that life. He couldn’t let her in, because he couldn’t trust anyone.
He couldn’t.
Let her go.
It was the best thing. Except, he didn’t want to, but instead of chasing after her he let her go. She deserved better.
He had to stay away from her, but he knew he was deluding himself.
Chapter Five
For three weeks Molly hadn’t seen hide nor hair of William. Ever since the night at the bar he’d literally dropped off the face of the Earth.
Not that she should care in the least, since he gave her such a brush off, but she did care and she hated the fact she did.
She shouldn’t.
Molly cursed under her breath as she hefted a hank of rope into the back of her pickup truck. She couldn’t think about William avoiding her right now, she had to go out to a new client’s ranch and inseminate a mare.
Apparently a prize mare, and she was inseminating it with super sperm.
Fun times.
She closed the gate of her pickup truck and climbed inside the cab. She glanced at the sky. Though it was sunny there was something funny in the air. Something she couldn’t put her finger on.
Probably a thunder storm.
When she was belted in she grabbed the address from the new file and saw the name.
Oh. Crap.
William Sharples. It was his mare.
She just hoped they could work together. She hoped it wasn’t awkward and she really hoped that she could fight the urge to jump his bones.
In the last two weeks Ronnie had asked her out a few times, but she just wasn’t interested and turned him down. Even though her mother had cried foul.
“Are you out of your mind? He’s a doctor.”
As if being a doctor made him so much better. She could be a doctor.
But you’re not.
And that was the crux of the matter.
Molly turned the ignition and headed out of town toward William’s place. As she turned down the dirt driveway to his ranch she glanced over at the small road which led down to the slough.
Even though it had been a couple of weeks, you could still see a trail from where his truck had swathed a path in the long grass. A flush of heat spread through her when she thought of what had happened down at the slough; of what they shared.
Get a grip on yourself.
She shook her head and headed up the driveway toward the house instead. When she faced William she wanted to go with a clear mind. She didn’t want him inside t
here, creeping up on her, making her all flustered and forgetting what she was here for, and that was her job.
The driveway rose and, at the top of the rise, she caught sight of a simple board ranch house. There was a wraparound deck, with a porch swing that wasn’t hanging up.
Interesting use.
The board on the outside of the house was grey and weathered, but the windows looked new and when she parked next to a pile of freshly cut lumber Molly could only assume the weathered wood was going to be replaced in the near future.
She turned off the ignition and climbed out of her truck.
There was no sign of William. She glanced around the property. It was sitting on top of hill and from this vantage point you could see for miles. Including the coulee walls of the Oldman River. Dark clouds were piling in the distance. They were still far enough away not to worry about. Hopefully the storm would pass them by.
She took a deep breath. She loved it here. How can she leave all of this and go north to Calgary? She couldn’t, she’d never been able to leave. Change was too scary.
Change could ruin your life and she should know. When she followed Mark out east it almost ruined her.
Don’t think about that now.
William had embraced change. Sure she teased him about being a city boy, but he came out west to start something. To rebuild what was once lost.
And she admired him for that.
He had balls. He was stable, rooted and had a good head on his shoulders.
Mark had been flighty. Always wanting to go somewhere else, not wanting to set down any roots. And she needed roots.
She stood there for a few more minutes and then headed toward the door of the main house. She knocked, and the moment she did the door swung open.
“Hello?” Molly stepped just inside the open concept ranch. It was furnished with stuff out of the seventies. Probably all his grandpa’s stuff, except for a large, overstuffed black leather chair in the corner, with an old guitar in a stand next to it.
It was eclectic and the place had piles of papers. At least the kitchen to her right was clean. When her brother was a bachelor, she was scared about what was in his fridge. She chuckled and bumped a stack of mail over.
“Shit,” she cursed, bending down to pick up the papers. As she stacked the mail, she glanced at one from Big Time Records in Nashville and then saw the name it was addressed to.
Liam Sharp.
Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. He looked so familiar, but she could never place him. William Sharples was Liam Sharp.
Oh. My. God. So this was the secret he’d been hiding. But why? Why didn’t he want anyone to know he was Liam Sharp? Why did he give up his career, the fame, the fortune?
Maybe it was lonely in the spotlight. She could see that. He came back to the place he loved. A place he could just be himself.
And she admired him even more.
“Hey.”
Molly almost jumped out of her skin. She crammed the letters back on the shelf they’d been sitting on and turned. William was standing on his porch in front of the open door with piece of lumber over his shoulder, a hammer dangling from his tool belt. Instead of the white cowboy hat he wore a ball cap. Sweat glistened on his skin, which she could see because he wasn’t wearing a shirt.
Damn. Of course he had to be half naked.
“Hey,” she replied, trying to keep the emotion out of her voice. “How have you been?”
William set the lumber down and then pulled his work gloves off. “Good. I was working. I was expecting Dr. Shaw to come out today.”
“I can handle a simple insemination without Dr. Shaw.”
William’s eyes widened. “A…sorry, a what?”
“Insemination. I can handle insemination.”
William stared at her and then began to laugh.
“What the hell is so funny?” She asked, crossing her arms.
“I didn’t ask for any insemination today.”
“You did.”
“I didn’t.” He crossed his arms. “I think I know what I called the veterinarian out here for.”
Molly scowled and pulled out the file. “Look, it says right here that you have a mare that you want inseminated today.”
William grinned. “What I wanted was Dr. Shaw to come out and investigate my mare. Not inseminate my mare. Perhaps your administrative assistant is a bit hard of hearing.”
Molly stared at the file and then doubled over in laughter. Sarah had been the administrative assistant since Dr. Shaw’s father was the town’s veterinarian. She was getting on in years and lately Molly did have to speak to her very loudly.
“Oh my God.” Molly shook her head and stuck the file back in her bag. “I’m sorry for wasting your time, but since I’m here do you want me to look at your mare?”
“Can you?” He asked confused.
“Yes, you know that. I vaccinated all those yearlings.”
He grinned. “Thought you said I couldn’t afford you.”
I think you can.
“You can’t, but I’ll look anyway.”
William removed his baseball cap and ran his fingers through his hair. “I think it might need a vet’s touch.”
“I’m a specialist in equine medicine. Whatever the problem is, I can help. And if it’s beyond what I can do Dr. Shaw is only a phone call away. He’ll come if I call.”
A strange expression crossed his face. “Is that a fact?”
“Yes. So are you going to show me where this mare is?”
“Yeah, this way.” He barely glanced at her as he turned on his heel and walked toward the barns in back behind the house.
Was he jealous and, if so, what was he jealous about?
Everything had changed when she mentioned she mentioned Ronnie. Was he jealous of Ronnie?
Men.
Molly shook her head and followed him to the stables. He opened the door. “There’s only one mare in here. I’m starting out slow.”
She stepped into the stables and saw rows of empty stalls. On the other side of the stable the door was open and she could make out a beautiful corral. Molly made her way to the other end of the stable and looked out. The boards were new. So that’s what he was doing with the lumber.
It was hard to picture bad boy Liam Sharp getting his hands dirty and building a barn. Liam Sharp was bad to the bone, at least that’s what he sang about.
Breaking the law, getting in fights for his woman.
The songs were catchy, dark.
She loved listening to the songs, she thought Liam Sharp was sexy, but standing here beside the real person, she preferred William Sharples.
The man who took chances on a ranch which most families would’ve sold off piece by piece. Working his blood, sweat and tears into every inch of this place to make it his, to make it right and good. That man was sexier to her than the fake façade of Liam Sharp.
“What do you think?” He asked as he stood beside her.
“You’re fixing to set up a large operation. I’m impressed.”
He grinned. “Well the mare is near the door.”
She headed over there, but she didn’t really need to know where the mare was. At the sound of his voice, she stuck her head over the stall door and whickered.
“Hey girl,” Molly whispered, as she stroked the mare’s muzzle. “She’s gorgeous, so what were you worried about.”
“I think it’s the heaves.”
Molly frowned and pulled out her stethoscope. “Heaving?”
William nodded. “That’s why I’ve been working for the last few days nonstop on the corral. I know she’s been stabled for far too long.”
“Good call.” Molly listened and could hear a slight wheeze. She bent down and checked the rib cage for heave lines. If there were any, which meant the horse would be in respiratory distress, they’d have to get Dr. Shaw out here fast. “No heave line.”
“Is that good?”
“Yes. If she had a heave line then we’d have t
o get Dr. Shaw out. That’s beyond what I know, even as an equine specialist.”
William nodded. “But she does have the heaves doesn’t she?”
“Sounds like the start of it. We need to get her outside. Is your corral finished?”
“Just finished today.”
“We need to get her outside. She needs to stay outside for as long as possible.”
William nodded. “I’ll get her ready.”
Molly stepped back as William swung open the stall door and grabbed a lead from the wall. She packed her stethoscope away and watched him deal with his horse. He had such a gentle hand.
She stepped out of the way as he led the mare out of the stall toward the new corral. William led her outside and then removed the lead, letting his horse out into the fresh air. He handled the mare gently, expertly. Like he’d been doing this his whole life, and a man who had a kind touch with animals melted her heart just a bit. He shut the stall door and they stood there, watching the mare slowly walk out into the sunshine.
“How long should I keep her outside?” William asked.
“For the rest of the day and probably the night. The fresh air will help her lungs.”
“What about the storm?”
“You have an outside shelter for her to hide under, so she’ll be fine. I’ll head back to town and get Dr. Shaw to come out here as soon as possible, but I think you’re going to have to get rid of all the hay and straw from the stable.”
William nodded. “Can do.”
“How long have you had her?”
“Just got her last week. Do you think the heaves might’ve started with her previous owner?”
“Could’ve. Who did you buy her from? Did you get her from Maarten’s.”
“No. Jenkins Horse Farm in Taber.”
“Never heard of them.”
William scrubbed his hand over his face. “Dang, I thought they were reputable.”
“Don’t beat yourself up. They could be. This could be just this particular mare.”
“Glad to hear it, because I plan on adding to my stock. Not only just other horses, but sheep like Maarten has and bison.”
“Bison?” She asked surprised.
He nodded. “I like them.”
“So you’re going to raise a herd of bison because you like them?”