Finally she slowed, then stopped. Were they there? No, she got off again and opened yet another gate.
“Drive through. I’ll close it after I’m on the other side.”
“I can close it this time.” Rhett was determined to pull his weight.
“Do you know how?” Her voice was teasing. She had a flashlight, and the beam hit him squarely in the face.
“I’d be an idiot if I can’t figure it out.” He drove past her then hopped off. He was back to the gate as fast as he could manage. Which wasn’t fast since he had no idea what he might be stepping in. The air was pungent with cow patties. Then he thought about rattlesnakes. Shit. Did they come out at night?
She sat on her vehicle, waiting until he was finished. When she revved her engine, Rhett hurried then regretted it. The ground was uneven and he almost took a header.
“Don’t leave me here,” Rhett called out as she moved forward.
“Wouldn’t dare.” She grinned and shined her light under her chin, making a face like a ghoul in a fun house.
“Very funny. Make the city guy sweat.” He looked around. He’d have a hell of a time finding the house if she did abandon him here. He wasn’t a coward, but he couldn’t forget that someone wanted Sierra gone. Why hadn’t he brought his gun? Had Sierra brought her rifle? He hadn’t noticed. Stupid.
He saw movement nearby and froze. Then he realized it was yet another cow, chewing grass. Noises filled the air—the pump of the oil rig, the lowing of another cow and a suspicious rattle. Not that he could have really heard it over the nearby idling engines. His writer’s imagination was going wild. He had to calm the hell down and get on with it. He got back on his ride and followed Sierra again. Ahead he saw twin headlights cutting through the darkness. Hopefully it was Darrel waiting for them.
“Hiya!” The sound meant someone was driving cattle. Rhett had learned that already. Sure enough, a moving light, probably a flashlight, came toward them.
“Sierra? Got about six head here. Turn off your engine and lights, I’ve got them turned toward where I want them. Your lights will confuse them.” Darrel was giving orders.
“You think you got them all?” Sierra turned off her engine.
Rhett followed suit but wondered why the truck’s headlights stayed on.
“Not sure. I’ll come out here in the morning when I’ve got daylight and double-check. Who’s that with you? Dylan?”
“No, it’s me, Rhett.” Rhett climbed off. Did he have a flashlight? He dug around between the seats, no luck. Going by feel, he found a glove compartment and hit pay dirt. He didn’t care what the cattle wanted; he needed light. Good thing, because what he saw ahead of them made him lunge for Sierra.
“Watch out! There’s a ditch right in front of you.” Rhett caught her elbow just before she stepped into it.
“Where did that come from?” Sierra clung to his arm. “Darrel, what’s going on here?”
“Don’t ask me. I’m busy with these danged cows. I think one is about to drop a calf. You hear her?” Darrel moved in front of them then screamed. “Shit. I think I done broke my leg.”
“Don’t move.” Sierra shined her flashlight down into what looked like a freshly dug gash in the earth. Darrel lay in the bottom of it, his face a mask of pain. “You need help getting up?”
“Yeah. I really think it’s broke.” The ranch hand struggled to sit up but couldn’t manage it. He was sweating and his face was pale. His leg stuck out at an awkward angle. “Son of a bitch!”
“I’ll get you.” Rhett moved his own flashlight to see what he was up against. “Where did this hole come from?” He made his way carefully down the side of a steep ditch. Fresh dirt fell as he slid to the bottom.
“Utility work maybe.” Darrel pointed a shaky hand toward light poles running along the side of the road several feet away.
“On the wrong side of the fence?” Rhett shined his flashlight around the area. This didn’t make sense.
“What’s going on down there? Rhett? Darrel?” Sierra stood near the edge of the hole.
“Stay back. I’ll help him move across to where I see the ground levels out. Meet us by his truck, Sierra. Be careful where you step!” Rhett finally found a spot where the earth hadn’t been disturbed and aimed his light toward it. “We’re going this way. Look at where my light is shining.”
“I see it!” She began to move parallel to them.
“Get me out of here. This hurts like hell.” Darrel was struggling to stand. “I can’t believe I did that.”
“Grab my arm and I’ll help you.” Rhett managed to get Darrel to his feet, but it was obviously extremely painful for the man.
“Take him to his truck, Rhett. Keep moving toward the headlights.” Sierra was making her way slowly in that direction, using her flashlight to help them find the way. “I’ll meet you there.”
“We’re coming, but it’ll be slow going.” Rhett helped a cursing Darrel move along until they were on flat land. Sierra was waiting for them there. The truck faced the ragged hole in the fence. Darrel had effectively blocked the cattle in with the pickup after he’d driven them inside.
“I need a hospital.” Darrel moaned when Rhett carefully edged past barbed wire to heave him inside the truck cab. “Call 9-1-1.”
“I can’t get a signal.” Rhett had already checked.
“I have one.” Sierra made the call. “We need an ambulance on the county road that runs by my place, Connie.” She gave the number. “My hand Darrel had a fall. He thinks he broke his leg. Yes, you can get to him. It’s next to the fence line. Thanks.” She patted Darrel’s shoulder. “They’ll be right here. You know they’ll have to take you to Austin if it’s a complicated fracture.”
“I can’t afford that.” He gripped the dashboard. “I mean, I’ve got good health insurance, thanks to you, but the time! You need me.”
“I’ll manage. Take care of yourself, Darrel. We’ll get your truck back to the house for you. Don’t worry about it. And we’ll see to the cattle.” Sierra glanced at the pasture. “You really think one of the heifers is about to drop her calf?”
“Hell, I don’t know. Could be I was imagining it. Fix the fence before you lose any more of your herd. This is not… Oh, shit, I hurt like hell.” He leaned back and closed his eyes. “How long before they get here?”
“Volunteer paramedics, you know. Fifteen minutes if you’re lucky. The doc in town will X-ray you; then we’ll see how it goes.” Sierra glanced at Rhett. “We do need to get that fence repaired. Let’s go.”
“In the dark? You want to break your leg, too?” Rhett didn’t relish stepping into the dark himself.
“We know about the hazard now. It’ll be easy.” Sierra walked to the front of the truck.
But it wasn’t easy. The job was to hold the wire taut while Sierra hammered in special nails to secure it to the fence posts. Doing that in the dark to Sierra’s exacting standards convinced Rhett that what some people thought was a glamorous life on a Texas ranch was a fantasy. Reality was a hell of a lot of hard work. He was sweating and threw off the jacket halfway through the job.
While they were finishing, the ambulance showed up. Luckily there was an extra paramedic on board who offered to drive Darrel’s truck back to the bunkhouse. That left Sierra and Rhett in the dark and inside the fence with six cows and two things that Rhett was beginning to think of as clown cars. When one cow began bawling and kicking, he had a feeling his night wasn’t over.
“Damn it, that heifer is giving birth. Shine your light over here, Rhett.” Sierra approached an enormous cow standing alone next to a tree.
“Is it smart to get near her? Can’t you see she’s upset? Look at those teeth.” Rhett had no choice but to pursue Sierra, who was determined to see to the distressed cow.
“There she goes. She’s dropped over to her side. That means she must be clo
se to delivering.” Sierra was obviously excited.
“Watch out! She’s trying to kick you!” Rhett grabbed Sierra’s arm, but she jerked away and grabbed the cow’s tail. “What are you doing?”
“Lifting her tail. Look! Here it comes. I see the hooves. That’s a good sign; the calf’s in the right position.”
“You’re kidding. We’re delivering a calf right here in the middle of a field in the dead of night with nothing to help the mother and certainly no vet.” Rhett could hear himself babbling but holy shit! The poor cow was making a terrific noise, bawling and carrying on like she was dying. All the other cattle were smart enough to move away and give her a wide berth. Birth.
Not the time to think about wordplay. He should be paying attention. Taking a picture. Except it was about to get disgusting. He was pretty sure of that. Still, this could go in a book.
“Come on, Mama. You can do it. Push that baby out now.” Sierra murmured more encouragement and moved behind the heifer so she was out of danger from the thrashing hooves. She reached over to stroke the cow’s massive stomach. With a mighty heave and some pretty awful sounds, the cow got serious and her calf slid into the world. Sierra’s face lit with pure joy.
Rhett just stared. Not at the cow or the calf. No, at Sierra. Fascinating, strong. None of the mess bothered her, and there was a hell of a mess. No, she was delighted. She oohed and ahhed over the calf as if it were the most beautiful creature on God’s earth.
“It’s a boy!” She looked up at Rhett with a grin on her face that made him wish he had pulled out his phone. Sierra glowed. “He’s perfect. I’m so glad we were here for that. Aren’t you?” Sierra stood and wobbled a bit, putting out a hand to brace herself against the tree trunk.
Rhett couldn’t say a word, only nod. He grabbed Sierra’s arm to steady her.
She hugged him, obviously high on the whole experience. “We might as well go. Mama’s cleaning him up. She doesn’t seem to need us.”
Rhett walked her back to the four-wheelers. His flashlight flickered and he stopped. Had he ever thought being out in nature under a million stars would be romantic? Hell, he just hoped he got them both back safely to those vehicles without falling into a hole, stepping in shit or getting bit by a rattlesnake. Sierra seemed unconcerned. She walked by his side, leaning on him a little as if she was tired from their day and night, but not worried at all. Sure, she limped, but it was part of her, more proof that nothing could hold her back or get her down.
“You’re honestly just going to leave them out here?” Rhett finally said as he heard the cow moo again.
“I’ll check on them tomorrow. If there’s a problem with either of them then, I’ll call the vet. But they both look good to me.” She squeezed Rhett’s arm. “Thanks for coming. This would have been a disaster without your help.”
“It was a disaster. Darrel broke his leg falling into a hole that shouldn’t have been there. He was your only ranch hand. What are you going to do now?” He helped her into her driver’s seat then just stood there looking down at her. He really wanted to kiss her. But he also really wanted an answer.
She turned on her headlights. It was easy to see the cattle then. There were five large ones, calmly standing in a bunch. Then there was the one who had stood to let her baby take her first meal. Sierra ran a hand over her face.
“I’m thinking I want to sell my cattle, all of them.”
“What? Why?” Rhett leaned against the steel roll bar.
“You just saw how much trouble they are, and the time is right. The market price is up a little right now. The truth is I don’t enjoy this part of my business as much as the horses.” She nodded toward the pasture. “Think, Rhett. That precious life that just came into being is destined for a dinner table.” She gripped the steering wheel. “That doesn’t exactly bring me joy.”
He touched her shoulder. “No, I guess it wouldn’t. You have to be tough to be part of the beef industry.”
“I can be tough. I’ve proved that. But if I can just work with horses, it would make me a lot happier. Without the cattle, I wouldn’t need a ranch hand either, now would I?” She turned on her engine. “Let’s go back the way we came. Stay close. When we get to a gate, I’ll stop and flash my lights. Then I think I’ll let you open and close all the gates this time, if you don’t mind.”
“It would be my pleasure.” Rhett leaned in and kissed her as he’d been wanting to do. She slid her fingers into his hair and held on while they both lingered, learning each other’s taste and texture. Finally Rhett eased away and stepped back. “That was my pleasure too.”
Chapter Thirteen
By the time they got back to the house, it was late. Sierra was tired, yet exhilarated. Watching a new life come into the world always did that to her. Then there had been that kiss. Her blood was still singing from the connection she’d felt when she and Rhett had finally come together. She had a lot to think about, good and bad. Yes, bad. Poor Darrel and another downed fence.
Her phone rang before she could do more than park and take Rhett’s hand when he held it out to help her from the driver’s seat. The number was unfamiliar but the area code was local, not Dallas.
“Hello?” She smiled up at Rhett. He wasn’t letting go.
“This is a nurse at St. David’s Hospital in Austin. Darrel Lockhart asked me to call you.”
“Oh, yes, Darrel. I’m his employer. How is he?” Sierra leaned against the dirty vehicle behind her.
“He’s about to go into surgery. I’m sure he’ll be fine but it’s a complex fracture. We expect to keep him here a few days.” The nurse cleared her throat. “He asked me to tell you he’s sorry.”
“Sorry?” Sierra looked up at Rhett. “I guess he means because he’s leaving me without help. I’ll try to get up there to see him soon. Thanks for calling.”
“He said not to come. He’s arranging for a buddy to collect his truck. Then he’s going to,”—she seemed to be studying notes—“an aunt’s house in Tyler to recuperate. Anyway, he thanked you for the good insurance coverage but didn’t want you to bother visiting him. He said he’ll be in touch.” She sighed. “I’m just the messenger. He was in pain, being prepped for surgery. I hope that message makes sense to you.”
“Sure, thank you.” Sierra hung up. “That’s too bad about the surgery.”
“I heard most of it. I guess Darrel is one of those men who doesn’t like to be seen when he’s down.” Rhett smiled at her. “Ready to head for the house?”
“More than ready.” She loved his warm, strong hand in hers. “I didn’t know he had relatives in east Texas. Or any relatives. But then he didn’t talk much.”
“Can we forget Darrel for now?” Rhett pulled her out of the garage. “You do lock up this garage, don’t you?”
“Sure. See the keypad? Same code as the back door and the gate. There’s a camera out here now too.” She hit the button by the large door and it came screeching down. “You in a hurry to go inside, Mr. Hall?” She stopped and faced him. He’d changed into one of his new shirts after dinner. Now it was streaked with mud from pulling Darrel out of that hole.
“Are you hungry? That meat loaf wore off a while ago.” They’d eaten their meal early at Dylan’s insistence. After he’d told them about Oxcart and heading to Dallas, she knew why.
“I’m hungry all right, but not for food. I bet you’re exhausted, though.” He stared down at her. “Is this day typical for you? Fixing fences, cattle drama?”
“Not exactly typical. I didn’t get a ride in.” She flushed when he grinned. But it was enough for her to do the unthinkable. She pulled open some of those snaps on his shirt. “What do you think? Are you too tired from all this unaccustomed activity to try something else tonight?”
“You’re kidding me.” He scooped her up in his arms. “Too tired for what I think you’re suggesting? That’s the kind of challenge a
man just has to rise to.” He carried her to the screen door then reached down to pull it open. “Bet you didn’t even bother to set the alarm in here when we left.”
“No, we were in a hurry.” She ran her hand up the smooth column of his throat. “You started this, you know. With that kiss in the pasture.”
“I couldn’t help myself. You were so damned sexy out there. I’m crazy about strong women.” He leaned down and kissed her, the screen door slapping him in the back.
Sierra held on and breathed him in. There was something about this man. She couldn’t get enough of him. She had been tired, and she did ache from too much walking over rough ground. But she also yearned for the closeness Rhett could give her. He made her feel desirable. Which was crazy considering where they’d been and the filth on her shirt and jeans. His mouth on hers was fire and thirst and a craving for all the things she’d needed for so long. Too long.
“Inside.” He growled it as he turned the doorknob and got them into the kitchen. “I’m locking up and setting the damned alarm right now. If it goes off, it had better be Armageddon.”
“You’ve got that right.” She tossed her phone on the counter. “Wait. Leave the muddy boots by the door.” She wrinkled her nose. “Dylan is going to kill you. You definitely stepped in something.”
Rhett set her on the kitchen island. “Woman, don’t slow me down with shit I couldn’t care less about right now.” He made quick work of her boots, dropping them by the door. He sat for a minute to get rid of his own and handled them carefully. “You’re right. He’s going to be unhappy. We’d better order him a new pair.”
“I can do that.” Sierra reached for Rhett. “Tomorrow.” She hadn’t finished with his snaps. Now she got the rest of them open and ran her hands over his chest. Firm, warm and strong. She wanted all of him.
“That feels good. Keep going.” He reached for her snaps.
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