Cowboy Strong (Cowboy Up Book 5)

by Allison Merritt

  Just the beginning of what? A future she had never even considered. Rescuing not just her horses and the others in Benton’s lot, but other horses with their sadness and tragedy? She sighed and walked down the hall, peeking timidly into the room she thought was Joe’s.

  His bag was flung on the bed. She hoped the Roberts’ family would forgive her lack of manners. She couldn’t go down again, even just to say goodnight. Someday, if Joe and she developed a real relationship…. The idea she could spend a major holiday here made her grin ruefully. That would never happen.

  She’d bathed and burrowed into the covers on the huge bed before Joe wandered in.

  “I wondered where you’d hidden,” he chided. “Everyone was looking for you.”

  “But you found me.”

  He smiled. “One of the twins told me to get my behind up here. She said she recognized an introvert when she saw one.”

  Jody blushed. “I thought I’d fooled them,” she muttered.

  “No need to fool anyone,” Joe said, stripping off his shirt and tossing it aside. “They’re fine with you, Jody.” He sat on the edge of the bed, twisting around and leaning over to brush her cheek with his lips. “And so am I. Which is what matters.” He kicked off the boots and stood to remove his jeans. When he started to pull off his briefs, she protested.

  “Not tonight, Joe. It would just seem so…weird.”

  He shot her a startled glance, but shrugged and climbed onto the bed in his underwear. “Weird because we’re at my brother’s, or because we actually have a full-sized bed to roll around in instead of doll furniture?” he teased.

  “Both,” Jody retorted. “I hadn’t thought about that. I’ll have to give up my place.” She swallowed. “I never thought I’d be back on the ranch, even though it was my mom’s.”

  He scooted over and gathered her against him. “Don’t think tonight. Just let me hold you. Tomorrow we’ll worry.”

  “Sounds good,” she agreed, pressed into the warm hardness of his body.

  ***

  In spite of getting an early start, most of Joe’s family got up to say goodbye. Jody lost track of the hugs and kisses and demands that she come again soon, and she slumped in the passenger seat, eyes closed, as Joe threaded their way expertly back towards I-35 South and escape.

  “Playing possum, are we?”

  “Can I?” She snuggled deeper into the upholstered cushion. “Your family is nice, Joe. But there are just so many of you!”

  “Them, Jody. There’s only one me.” He shot her a grin, then peered through the window. “Damn! Looks like there’s some kind of snarl ahead.” He slowed to a crawl. “But don’t worry. Once we get back to your place we’ll have lots of time for details. And for worrying.”

  The screen on his dashboard display lit up and he hit a button. “Yeah, Chuck?”

  “I think we’re set, Bud. We have at least six two-horse trailers lined up. Ram is taking a one-horse in case there are any bad actors or any in such bad shape they need solo transport, and Susan is trying to get her brother’s gooseneck. No reason we can’t move sixty-three horses in a day’s time.”

  “That’s a load off. Thanks, bro. Hey, call me later when we’re back in your area. We’ll finalize details. I owe you big time.”

  “Don’t sweat it. Anyway, we’re not doing it for you.”

  “No?”

  The voice chuckled over the speaker. “We just want to meet this Jody chick of yours.”

  “Shut up!” Joe snarled and ended the call.

  He glanced at Jody. Predictably, she was bright red, but a tiny smile eased his worry.

  “How do they even know about me?” she asked curiously.

  “The grapevine. Osmosis. I don’t know.” He thought about it. “I guess when I asked for help moving horses I must have mentioned you. We can’t really keep you a secret, Jody. You’re the one who got us into this mess.”

  “It seems to be working out pretty well,” she protested. “Let’s not call it a mess.”

  “This adventure,” he amended, and she nodded.

  He turned back to pay attention to the line of eighteen wheelers ahead and behind them, and flinched when a livestock carrier with horses pulled around them. The truck looked old and unsafe, and he hoped that Jody hadn’t noticed it or its cargo. Her soft gasp told him she had.

  “We’re kidding ourselves, aren’t we?” Even though she whispered, her voice shook. “That we’re making a difference.”

  “Jody, I knew it wouldn’t be enough. We’re saving sixty of them. One means the world to you, and a lot to me. Let the rest go.”

  He sped up, passing a number of trucks, eager to get off the interstate and away from any other grim reminders of the horse slaughtering business.

  “We are saving them,” Jody said eventually. “I guess I really meant…what happens when there’s no us? We’ve known each other less than a week,” she persisted doggedly. “You said you didn’t want a relationship. I…want you. Maybe I even need you. But when the horses are safe and sorted out, and we can be who we were before…what then?”

  He shot her a startled glance. He didn’t have an answer. He couldn’t pull off the packed freeway and pull her into his arms, which he wanted to do. He couldn’t even reach far enough toward her to wipe at the silent tears trickling down her face. “Let the rest go,” he said again, and to his relief, she nodded and turned to stare out the window.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Jody straightened up slowly, exhausted from helping repair a sagging bottom line of fencing. Her hands were blistered and she leaned against a post momentarily, looking down the line. Joe and Eric were working on another trouble spot, shirtless in the blazing sun. Men did have certain advantages, she thought wryly. Eric had looked at her tank top with disapproval and Joe with interest, but either way—they were probably cooler than she was.

  Her task was finished, so for a minute or two she just admired Joe as he bent and strained, his bare skin glistening. Aware that Eric might look her way at any moment, though, she pulled her phone out to check. She had a missed text, which surprised her, as she hadn’t heard her phone. She looked at it more closely and blinked. Not Their First Rodeo would like to talk to you about horse rescue. Major! Darlene.

  When she glanced up the fence line again, Joe was fishing for his phone. She grinned. Either Darlene or Dora, undoubtedly. His look of frustration and headshake verified her hunch as Joe and she walked toward each other. As she drew closer, she bit her lip. If she thought he looked good from behind…but Eric had noticed them. She fought back the urge to kiss his chest. Or stomach.

  “Mine was from Darlene,” she announced. “Yours?”

  “The other. I thought we made it clear we weren’t interested?”

  “Darlene’s convinced they’re legit, and someone named Sheila is your sister’s friend.” She fished her bandana out of her pocket and handed it to him since his was dripping wet. “Joe, maybe we should just listen.”

  “We don’t have time,” Joe protested. “We need to run in to town to buy halters and leads. The guys can’t have sixty-three of them, and even if we can turn some of the horses out, we need to be able to deal with emergencies.”

  He glanced over his shoulder to where Eric was draining a jug of water, leaned forward, and kissed her quickly. “Besides, everything’s falling into place. We might be done by early Saturday without even breaking a sweat.”

  “And then what?” Jody leaned forward and brushed a kiss on his chest. He shivered and salt burned her lips. Behind them, Eric was choking on water. Or anger.

  “Maybe we shouldn’t tempt the fates,” Joe murmured, his eyes dancing. “But we can celebrate ahead of time, if you want.”

  Jody smiled in answer and headed toward his truck. One more run to the feed store, a quick stop for some notes she’d left at the house, and tomorrow or Saturday, Cowboy would be home. When she turned to find Joe, he was still where she’d left him, talking to someone on the phone.

&nb
sp; He came over shaking his head. “Talk about being on you like ticks! Apparently we’ll have company when we pick up the stuff at the feed store.

  “Company?” Jody gasped. “Who? Why?”

  “I took a call from Darlene. Only she’d loaned her phone to Sylvia from the rodeo show.”

  “And you agreed we’d meet them?”

  “Not exactly, no.” Joe headed down the drive. “I told them we’d been fencing and weren’t presentable. They said ‘we do reality. Come as you are.’ I’m stopping for a shirt.”

  “Shucks,” Jody retorted. “Guess I’ll put something on, too, then.”

  “We’ll bore them to pieces,” Joe said. “But that’s a good thing, right? No more helpful family members saddling us with nosy strangers.”

  “Exactly,” Jody agreed with feeling.

  ***

  Hours later, Jody closed her bedroom door and locked it, blushing, but determined to be comfortable with what she had told Eric: “We’re together.” Joe had bathed and changed in his room, because, he told her, that would optimize time for everything else.

  “So what’s this everything else?” she demanded, scooting across the bed and kissing his neck. He hardened immediately and pulled her close. She relished in the sensations that flooded her when he held her. She felt wanted. Cherished, too, yet brazenly sensual. Awareness made her blush, or maybe it was just the need she had for the man trailing kisses down her throat, making her skin burn.

  His hands slid over her, cupping her ass to bring her fully against him. She let him roll with her, straddling him as he moved her over him, and for a second, she wanted to hide.

  Then he gave her a lazy smile and began moving, his hands caressing and holding her, and she forgot everything but the need she had for him.

  ***

  “We’ve done a lot in less than a week,” Joe said quietly, then lifted himself on an elbow and peered at her.

  “Yes, I’m still awake,” she muttered. “But you sure pick odd times to talk.”

  “Well, that’s all that’s left until tomorrow morning. Let’s just be sure we have a plan.”

  Jody rummaged under the linens for her phone. “Morning as in two hours?”

  “Saturday when the last horse is unloaded and fed, we’ll sleep.”

  “We were going to feed all your buddies to thank them. And the two vets.” Jody swung her legs over the edge of the bed and slipped out of his grasp as he tried to catch her.

  “Where are you going?” he asked, and yawned.

  “To worry. It’s what I do best.” She jerked the rumpled bedspread up to his waist. “Go back to sleep. You’ll be busier than me later today.”

  “How do you figure that?” he demanded.

  She shrugged. “For all that I love horses, I semi-trained one that still can’t be ridden. You’re the guy who gets to deal with sixty-two others.”

  He groaned and rolled over, and she went down to the kitchen to put coffee on and fight her nervousness over the day ahead.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  At six-forty, someone knocked on the front door. Jody started, and the egg she’d been holding splattered against the floor. “This is not the way the day is going to go,” she told herself, cleaned up the egg, and went to find out who had arrived unannounced.

  “Jody!” Darlene squealed, crushing her in a hug. “We’re here for ‘Save a Horse Day’!”

  “What the hell!” Eric looked at the small army that had taken over his kitchen, muttered, and left, bumping into Joe and muttering again.

  “We’ll win him over,” Darlene predicted. “We brought breakfast. Tell us what our plans are.”

  “I knew I woke up too early.” Joe made a face when Darlene hugged him as enthusiastically as she had Jody, but he smiled at his niece. “Y’all got the memo, right? We can’t screw this up by pissing Benton off.”

  “Don’t worry,” Sylvia assured them. “We’re not going to make our presence known until the horses are yours. And then it’ll be low key. After all Darlene is family and a journalist student. The story is she’s just documenting the heartwarming deed that her uncle and girlfriend are undertaking.” She frowned. “I’ve seen a little of Benton on some film someone showed us. We won’t deal with him if we can help it.”

  “We’re following some of the trailers from Chuck’s ranch toward Benton’s place,” Darlene added. “We brought extra breakfast for anyone who needs it. Let’s go, guys. Maybe we can get some covert shots while Benton’s at the bank with Joe and Jody.”

  “Darlene—”

  “Chill, Joe. Everything will be fine. All Benton wants is money.”

  “He’s a bastard,” Jody retorted, going red when she realized she had spoken out loud. “He’d probably just as soon have dead horses as money.”

  Darlene came over and gave her another hug. “You can do this,” she whispered. “You’ve corralled my cowboy brother in less than a week. Everything else is easy.”

  “They ran Eric off,” Jody said, when the crew had gone. “I hope he’s not too bent out of shape.”

  “Let’s touch base with him, grab a bite, and get going. I think we should do a head count before we hand over the money.”

  “Eat while I find Eric,” Jody suggested. “We’re going to need him today.” The words sounded strange, coming from her. But they were sincere.

  ***

  “Jody, Chuck,” Joe introduced them. He felt agitated, but didn’t know what could go wrong. The money was ready to hand over in a little less than an hour. There were sixty-three horses in the pens. Jody and he had each counted them.

  “Benton told me no one should be on his property until he okays it, Chuck. You’d think getting his hands on the dough would be enough, but he’s being a jerk.”

  “Everyone knows. He also told us he’d only allow one trailer in at a time and we had to empty the pens in order. The first pen completely, then the next. He introduced me to some guy who’s supposed to oversee for him. I told him we were taking as many as we could today and the lot would be moved well before midnight tomorrow.”

  “You guys are the best,” Joe said with feeling, and Jody nodded.

  The trip seemed to drag on forever, but they got to the bank ten minutes before the lobby opened and still had to wait for Benton.

  He came in with his secretary, Marsha, dressed much the same as before but carrying an oversized shoulder bag with tiny plush horse heads adorning the sides.

  They came straight over and by way of greeting, Benton touched the secretary’s bag and said smugly, “Horse hide. Unique.” None of them shook hands.

  The transaction took half an hour, because a supervisor came in late. He apologized profusely to Benton, who blasted him anyway. As soon as Benton received the cashier’s check for the remaining money, he sent Marsha to deposit it and handed a paper to Joe. Joe held it so they could both look at it—a bill of sale for “the sixty-three horses in the pens” giving the date and time, and mentioning that it was conditional upon removal of all horses by midnight on Saturday.

  Jody’s fingers shook as she took it from Joe. Cowboy was safe. So were sixty-two others. This wasn’t the way she’d envisioned raising horses with her mother, but the horse she’d always meant to be the centerpiece of her dream would be coming home, not going to slaughter.

  “Can my guys start moving the horses, Benton?” Joe prodded, his voice terse.

  Benton glanced at his watch. “Not yet. Two of my guys need to get there from Eagle Pass to pick up some equipment that’s in the building. I don’t need a bunch of trailers in and out before they do. I’ll send one of ‘em out to tell your guys when they can go in. Meanwhile, it’s still posted property, Roberts.”

  “The sooner you let us in, the sooner you’ll have the place free and clear. We wouldn’t steal from you, Benton. We’ve got what we wanted.”

  He nodded. “Sixty-three horses. You counted them yourself?”

  “We both did,” Jody said. “They didn’t have food again.
”

  “But they will now,” Benton sneered. “Rainbows and unicorns. We’re done, then. I’ll have another lot next week if you’d like to keep being heroes. Keep your guys off until they hear from my men.” He turned and walked off, Marsha clinging to an arm.

  “It’s almost over, isn’t it?” Jody whispered and shocked herself by wrapping her arms around him and hugging him.

  “New car or new house?” a smiling woman asked, passing them.

  “Neither,” Joe grinned. “Sixty-three horses.”

  She looked stunned, but murmured her congratulations.

  Jody smiled and unwound herself, catching Joe’s arm instead. “Let’s get to the ranch and be sure everything’s ready. I want to be sure Cowboy has his old stall back.”

  “I may be second fiddle once that horse comes home,” Joe said. “Let’s go.”

  ***

  Two and a half hours later, a crew from “Not Their First Rodeo” pulled in. Sylvia introduced the camera crew, explaining that Darlene was filming the loading at Benton’s and would come over later. The woman got teary-eyed talking about some of the horses she’d seen, and Jody self-consciously patted her arm, wishing she had words that would matter.

  “I think Benton is trying to make it more difficult than it should be,” Sylvia warned. “His goons just let Chuck in a while ago. He’ll be here any time, but they’re only allowing one trailer at a time.”

  Fifteen minutes later when Chuck drove in, the Rodeo crew cheered. Jody grabbed Joe’s arm and hung on. He kissed her, then belatedly remembered the camera crew.

  “Let’s help Chuck,” Jody whispered, tugging him toward the rig.

  “Remember they’re doing the first pen. Cowboy—”

  “Will be from the second. But our first horses are here.”

  “Bastards who do this to animals should be shot,” Chuck greeted them, sliding out. “Don’t get too close. The bay mare’s a sweetie and the gelding’s too weak to do much, but they’re both full of ticks. And the gelding’s just bones. Looks like he was cut up pretty badly, too, at some point, but he’s so muddy it’s hard to tell.”