The Temptation of Dr. Colton

by Karen Whiddon

  Edith came back into the room. A broad smile softened her austere features. “Everyone, I have good news. We’ve had our very own miracle. Abra is awake. Eric is tending to her right now.”

  Chapter 10

  Eric stood in the doorway of his mother’s room, his stomach in knots. His father sat, hunched over her bed, his shoulders shaking as he unabashedly wept. The nurse, a plump woman with coffee-colored skin, noticed him and came over.

  “It’s a miracle,” she whispered, her large brown eyes shining with tears.

  Confused, Eric could only stare. As he realized the impact of her words, he straightened his shoulders and entered the room.

  “Let me look at her,” he said, glad he’d regained his professional detachment.

  “I don’t think—” the nurse began.

  Big J raised his face, his florid cheeks wet with tears. “It’s all right, Latonia. This is my son Eric. He’s a doctor.”

  Both gratified and concerned, Eric approached his mother’s bed. Though she continued to lie completely still, her eyes were open. For the first time in months, her eyes were open. That didn’t necessarily mean she was responsive.

  “Mother?” Leaning close, he softly kissed her cheek. “It’s Eric. Blink once if you can hear me.”

  Though no other part of her moved, she blinked. Elation filled him as he met his father’s still-wet gaze. “Did you see that?”

  Big J jerked his head in a nod. “I did.” He lifted his hand, revealing he held Abra’s. “She squeezed my fingers.”

  Eric’s inhaled sharply. “Can you do that again, Mother? Just once, for me?”

  As the seconds ticked by, Eric refused to let go of his hope. And then, slowly and painstakingly, Abra’s hand moved. Just the tiniest bit. But that was enough.

  “We need to get her to the hospital,” Eric told his father. “Run some tests, get some images of her brain.”

  Big J stared back and then slowly shook his head. “No. When she comes all the way awake, I want her to be here at home surrounded by her family. That’s what she’d want, too. She’s staying here.”

  Somehow, Eric refrained from groaning out loud. “I understand and we can bring her back here as soon as the tests have been completed.”

  But the closed-off expression on his father’s face said the elder Colton had already made up his mind. “No.”

  Eric glanced at the nurse, kind of hoping she’d back him up, but Latonia had busied herself cleaning up something on the back table. Clearly, she didn’t want to get involved in family matters. Eric couldn’t say he blamed her.

  “Dad, please listen to me.” Pitching his voice low so he wouldn’t agitate his mother, Eric called on every ounce of his composure. Years of medical school, residency and practice had given him the skills to know exactly how to treat a patient in this kind of situation. His father couldn’t take that away from him.

  “We need to make sure she’s meaningfully responded to external stimuli.”

  Big J snorted. “She is. You saw just the same as I. She blinked. She squeezed my hand. What is some big fancy machine going to tell us that we don’t already know?”

  “We need to know how much neurological damage exists.”

  The stubborn set of the older man’s chin told Eric he wasn’t buying it. Again, aware the worst thing he could do would be to agitate his mother, Eric gave up. For now.

  “At least let me call her neurologist?”

  To this olive branch, Big J nodded. “I’ll give you his name in a minute.”

  Edith spoke from the doorway. “How is she?”

  “Awake,” Big J said, joy in his voice. “She still can’t move much yet, but I’m sure that will come with time.”

  “I know the others would love to see her,” Edith continued. “Would that be all right, Eric?”

  Gratified that she’d asked him rather than his father, Eric nodded. “Maybe one at a time. We don’t want to overwhelm Mother.”

  “I think she’s done for today,” Big J said, his soft voice full of a mix of pride and sorrow. “Just that little bit wore her out.”

  A quick glance at Abra revealed she’d closed her eyes.

  “He’s right,” Eric told Edith. “I’ll let everyone know they need to hold off on visiting her for now. Maybe we can try again tomorrow.”

  And then he went to find his siblings, well aware they were going to want a complete rundown on what had just occurred.

  * * *

  The next morning, Eric woke with the strangest sense of anticipation. He sat up in bed and looked around the room, momentarily disoriented.

  Home. He was back at the Lucky C. And his mother had appeared to wake from her coma, however briefly. More tests needed to be run to find out more, but since it didn’t appear his father was going to allow them, Abra’s healing would either happen or it wouldn’t.

  Eric hated to leave such a crucial and vital aspect of her recovery to fate. Especially when he knew how much modern medicine could help.

  After showering, he dressed and made his way down to the kitchen. Since it was still relatively early, he didn’t want to disturb MW. For all he knew, she might enjoy sleeping in.

  But when he reached the kitchen, to his surprise he found MW sitting near his father at the kitchen bar, sipping from a mug of coffee. Edith stood at the stove with her back to them, cooking. She turned and smiled. “Good morning.” Her cheery greeting sounded just the way it had for years.

  “Good morning,” Eric said back. MW echoed him.

  “Mornin’, sleepyhead,” Big J said. “All that city life must have made you forget how early we get up on the ranch.”

  Oh, Eric hadn’t forgotten. Not at all. Too many mornings of being dragged from bed at 4:00 a.m. to help work cattle had made sure of that.

  Deciding it would be safer not to comment, he settled on a weary smile instead. “Good morning to you, too.” After procuring a cup of coffee, he took a seat across from MW.

  “Why don’t you show your sweetheart the ranch?” Big J drawled, draping a heavy arm around MW’s shoulders. Though Eric’s jaw tightened, he didn’t correct his father. Some things were more trouble than they were worth.

  “Morning’s the best time, darlin’,” Big J told MW. “Otherwise it’s too damn hot to do much of anything.”

  MW nodded. To Eric’s surprise, she appeared relaxed, even with his father’s arm around her. “Sounds good to me.”

  “Go on horseback,” the older man ordered. “It’s the greatest way to see the land.”

  Horseback. Eric wondered if MW could ride. When he glanced at her, she shrugged, apparently correctly reading the question in his eyes.

  “That’s a wonderful idea, Dad.” It felt strangely gratifying to see the pleased expression on Big J’s face.

  “Yes, it is,” MW agreed. “Although I’m not sure I know anything about horses and saddles or riding.”

  “It’s easy, sugar,” the older man reassured her. “And Eric can show you the finer points in case you forgot them.”

  Eric realized Big J didn’t remember being told how MW had amnesia. His brothers had mentioned several times before how worried they were about their father’s faulty memory. He made a mental note to watch closely for any other signs that might indicate the beginnings of Alzheimer’s or dementia.

  “Well?” Big J demanded, holding up his coffee mug for a refill. Immediately, MW hopped up and fetched the coffeepot so she could carefully refresh his cup. “Are you going to take her or not?” the older man continued.

  Though it sounded like a directive, Eric understood his father. Big J took pride in the Lucky C and this was his way of making sure Eric showed it off. Plus, the idea of showing MW the ranch from horseback sounded like a lot of fun.

  “I think I will,” he said
. He glanced at MW. “How about we go right after breakfast?”

  Gaze locked on his, she gave a slow nod.

  “Edith’s whipping up some scrambled eggs, sausage and toast,” Big J said. “It ought to be ready any time now.”

  “It’s done,” Edith announced. She placed a large bowl full of eggs on the table, then a second one full of sausage patties. Finally she added a platter of toast.

  “Anyone want juice? We have orange and tomato.”

  The delicious hot breakfast reminded Eric of his childhood. Since their cook, Maria, didn’t come in until midmorning, Edith had always handled making breakfast. Funny how most of his favorite childhood memories of mornings centered around Edith and her home-cooked breakfasts. His mother had preferred to sleep in, so she’d rarely even been present.

  Once they’d finished, Eric excused himself, motioning with his eyes at MW so she’d do the same. Getting the hint, she stood and followed him into the foyer. At the bottom of the staircase, he stopped. “You’ll need to change,” he said, glancing at the Bermuda shorts she wore. “Jeans and boots, if you have them.”

  “I don’t.” She grimaced. “I only have what Greta so kindly chose for me. Will sneakers do?”

  “They’ll have to, at least for now.” The somehow sensual image of him helping her try on a pair of soft leather cowboy boots made him actually consider buying her a pair. Maybe he would, if it turned out she had an aptitude for riding.

  “I’m going to pop in and check on my mother,” he told her. “After, I’ll meet you here.”

  She flashed him a smile that he felt all the way to his core. “Take all the time you need. It’ll just take me a second.”

  He hoped her idea of a second wasn’t the same as his sister’s. He watched her hurry up the stairs, unable to keep from admiring her curvy figure. Greta would keep him waiting fifteen minutes minimum.

  The nurse, Latonia, stood up when he entered his mother’s room. “How is she?” he asked, keeping his voice low since Abra appeared to be sleeping.

  “About the same.” Latonia handed him a chart, just as a nurse would do if they were in the hospital. “Last night apparently plumb wore her out. She fell asleep and hasn’t opened her eyes since.”

  Nodding, he studied the number on the chart.

  “You don’t think she’s slipped back into a coma, do you?” Latonia sounded worried.

  “That happens sometimes,” he admitted, giving her back the chart. “Patients come in and out of consciousness for days. Right now, we need to let her get all the rest she can. It’ll help her heal.”

  After checking his mother’s pulse and her reflexes, he left the room and went back to the staircase, expecting he’d still have a few minutes to wait.

  To his pleasant surprise, MW waited for him. She now wore a pair of faded jeans that fit her like a glove. His mouth went dry and he took her in.

  “Are you ready?” he managed to ask. When she nodded, he took her arm and led her from the house. The sky had started to lighten, and the pinkish-orange tinge that heralded the coming sunrise also promised a scorching-hot day.

  As soon as they were down the front steps, she pulled away and turned to face him. “Before we go any farther, I honestly don’t know if I can ride a horse.” The way she wrinkled her nose appealed to him. “I think I’m a city girl, through and through. I don’t think riding lessons were part of my past.”

  “That’s okay. I’ll choose a gentle gelding for you. We won’t be doing anything dangerous, I promise. It’s just a matter of staying in the saddle and controlling the horse.”

  “Oh, I wasn’t worried about that,” she said, smiling slightly. “I’m pretty sure I can manage staying astride. I just don’t want you to have unrealistic expectations about my abilities.”

  He hid a smile at her serious tone. “No worries. We’ll take it easy, okay?”

  “Okay.” Then, to his surprise, she slipped her hand into his instead of taking his arm. “Lead the way.”

  A jolt went through him; one he took care not to show as he took her to the barn where the ranch horses were stabled.

  Big J must have called ahead, since two of the barn workers had already led out Smokey, a middle-aged and extremely docile quarter horse gelding, as well as Elvis, the gelding Eric had ridden the last time he’d been home.

  “Wow. They’re beautiful,” MW breathed, stopping to stare.

  “The gray one is for you. His name is Smokey.” He noticed one of the workers emerging with a comfortable Western saddle. “You wait while they get him saddled up for you.”

  She nodded, clearly unable to tear her gaze away from the horse. Grinning, Eric hurried into the tack room, waving away the young ranch hand when he offered to take care of saddling up Elvis for him. “I’ll do it,” Eric said. “It’s been a while, but I don’t think I’ve forgotten.”

  “Just make sure and tighten the cinch,” the kid advised. Eric nodded and hefted a saddle from its saddle tree.

  As he’d figured, he hadn’t forgotten the steps. He showed MW how to put the bit in her mount’s mouth, and how to fit the bridle.

  Once they were all done, he gave Elvis’s reins to one of the hands and cupped his hands together to give MW a leg up in her saddle.

  He waited until they got her stirrups adjusted before mounting Elvis, thanking their helpers. “Are you ready?” he asked MW.

  She grinned, pure joy shining in her lovely eyes. “I think so.” And then she pressed her heels into Smokey’s side, urging him forward.

  “Looks like you know what you’re doing,” he observed, grinning back. As he’d expected, he still felt at home on horseback. Like he belonged. Eager to show MW the majesty of his family’s ranch, he rode alongside her and slightly ahead, leading the way.

  They rode from the barn to the gate that separated the closest twenty acres from the rest of the ranch. “We keep our ranch horses near,” he explained, using his hand to sweep the landscape. “There are certain pastures we use at different times of the years.”

  “Do you raise horses, too? Or just cattle?”

  “Mostly cattle.” He reined in, so they could take in the sight of the sun rising over the flat horizon. “Look.”

  “Wow.” The way she sucked in her breath made him look at her. With her face tilted up in wonder, and the yellow glow of sunlight bathing her skin and hair, he thought he’d never seen a more beautiful woman.

  “Come on,” he said, to cover his own confusion. “We have a few hours before it starts to heat up. I’ve got several places I want to show you.”

  If he kept busy, maybe he could banish the aching need that clawed at him every time he looked at her.

  There were several gravel roads bisecting the Lucky C, all of them gated. Since he had a direction in mind, they cut across one of the unused pastures. At the gate, he dismounted, opened it and held it for MW to ride through. Once she had, he led his horse past and closed the gate after.

  Astride again, he smiled at her. The morning breeze had tossed her hair into a mop of curls. She looked as disheveled as if she’d just risen from bed after making love. The thought made his body heat.

  Quickly looking away, he took a moment to compose himself.

  Luckily, she didn’t appear to have noticed. Instead, she gazed ahead, where the road disappeared into the horizon. “This is absolutely beautiful,” she breathed. “I can’t imagine wanting to leave it.”

  Despite his fascination with her profile, her comment surprised him. “It is, I agree. But not everyone is cut out for wide-open skies.”

  Though she nodded, the expression of wonder remained on her pretty face, making him ache with the need to touch her. “True.” She met his gaze briefly, just long enough to heat his blood. “But that doesn’t mean it’s any less lovely.”

  She had a point. He
rode alongside her, trying to view the ranch with fresh eyes. The land undulated gently before them, with twisted trees permanently leaning in the direction the wind had blown them. The grass, acres and acres of gold-tinged green, provided nourishment for the family’s herds of prime beef cattle.

  It had always been beautiful. Though none of it could hold a candle to her.

  His heart skipped a beat. He gave himself a mental shake, telling himself to get his libido under control.

  Though it wasn’t yet 7:00 a.m., the bright sun and pink sky blazed a promise of later heat. He suspected the temperature hovered around eighty-five; much less than the low hundreds that had been forecasted for later in the day.

  August in Oklahoma was the time of grass fires. In the driest time of the year, these could race across the plains and take out hundreds of acres of pasture. All the ranchers had their own pumper trucks and each other’s numbers on speed dial. The instant a fire was spotted, all able-bodied men dropped everything to go and help put it out.

  When he told MW this, she appeared to find it fascinating. “I’m glad for sunshine today,” she said. “But honestly, it feels like it’s going to rain.”

  She was right. Something in the air felt different. Eric lifted his head, scenting a warning hint of moisture in the air. Out here in the plains, one could actually feel the barometric pressure change. Rain? He glanced up at the perfect blue sky, perplexed. As he turned in the saddle, his heart sank.

  Instead of blue, dark gray clouds had begun to amass. Even as he watched, they blotted out the sun and were accompanied with a low rumble of thunder that sounded like a herd of cattle stampeding. Lightning flashed in the distance. Across the prairie, he could see the vertical slashes of deeper color telling him where the rain had begun to fall. The storm was moving their way, following the normal pattern of spring storms.

  Except this was August, full-on summer. Late summer, everyone prayed for rain. Unfortunately, the sky rarely answered their prayers. Moisture was always considered a blessing and celebrated accordingly. Unless one was unlucky enough to be caught out in the open in one of the more violent storms.