Cowboy Brothers of Rainbow Canyon: A Western Contemporary Cowboy Romance

by K. C. Crowne

  I’d always been the protective sort, but she was really making me feel something fierce. It might’ve had something to do with her good looks. But I felt like there was more to it than that.

  We sat and sipped our coffee, Mama and I doing our best to try to jog Jessica’s memory. But she had no recollection of anything before I’d saved her from the cold.

  “I’m gonna go ahead and call the Houston police to see if anyone’s reported you missin’,” I told her.

  “Oh, I guess that’s a good idea,” Jessica said. “That could help answer a lot of questions.”

  Before too long, the ambulance arrived. I helped Jessica out of her seat and to the front door. The paramedics stepped in and immediately began asking questions about what happened. We explained it as best we could, and soon Jessica was on her way out.

  I didn’t like the idea of her leaving my sight until I knew a hundred percent for sure she was safe.

  “I’d like to come with you,” I said to Jessica as she let the paramedics lead her out.

  One of the paramedics, the lead, if I was guessing, stopped me. Her voice was firm. “Sir, we think it’s best you allow us to monitor her overnight. She seems to have a concussion, and with cases like this, limiting her interactions with an unfamiliar outside world is best. We have a handle on this. You don’t need to worry.”

  Like hell I don’t.

  “Jessica,” I said as I took her hand in mine and looked into her eyes. “I want you to have my number. I want to make sure you’re safe.” I jotted my number on a nearby piece of paper and handed it over. “I’ll also be calling the hospital and checking on you shortly after you’re admitted and requesting updates. I hope you won’t mind.”

  “I don’t. Thank you,” she said, not moving her hand away from mine. “Again. For everything.”

  My grip on her hand tightened. Frankly, I didn’t want her to leave. Yet she needed proper medical supervision in case her injury was severe. I’d hoped like hell it wasn’t.

  After only barely an hour of knowing her, I felt this instinctual feeling of protectiveness I’d never experienced before. Not in a controlling way, but in a needing to shield her from harm kind of way.

  Whatever the hell it was, it was happening, and I couldn’t do nothing about it.

  With a heavy heart, we said our goodbyes, and like that, she was off. I watched the ambulance pull away from the house and disappear among the trees. And as I did, all I could think about was how much I wanted to make sure she was safe.

  I had a feeling it wasn’t the last I’d be seeing Jessica Whitman.

  I hoped like hell I was right.

  Jessica

  “Listen, I really don’t remember anything,” I said, frowning in frustration. “I was in the rain somehow, and that man –Wyatt. He saved me. I would’ve frozen to death out there if it wasn’t for him. He saved my life.”

  And there I was again, thinking about Wyatt.

  The whole matter of what the hell had happened to me weighed heavily in my mind, but I kept coming back to the way I felt around him. Secure. Safe. Protected.

  Turned on like hell.

  He helped me through the rain and made me feel warm - in every sense of the word.

  I could still feel the warmth of the natural blush from my cheeks as he examined me from head to toe.

  I knew it was foolish.

  In a moment when I needed to focus on jogging my memory, all I could think about was getting closer to the man who’d saved my life. Maybe it was a survival mechanism. Or perhaps I just had the hots for the stranger.

  While I didn’t know who the hell I was, I apparently had an excellent idea of the kind of man I was into.

  And Wyatt was that man.

  I wondered if he was single, then wondered why the hell that was the question on my mind amongst the slew of questions I should have been asking.

  Like, how the hell did I end up alone in the middle of nowhere? Or why I didn’t have any memory of my past, including my name?

  Fear crept through my body. Were you running from someone?

  “Do you remember falling? Hitting your head? Were you alone or with someone else?”

  “Honestly, I don’t remember anything. I don’t know anything other than I woke up in the rain with no idea how I got there.”

  I looked around the small hospital room. It was sterile and clean and harshly lit. It made me think about how much of a contrast it was to that cozy living room at Wyatt’s family ranch. Part of me wanted to go back and have coffee with him and his mom.

  God, what was wrong with me? Didn’t I have bigger things to worry about?

  “How about drinking,” the doctor on the right asked. “You remember having anything last night?”

  The two doctors, both tall and skinny with thinning hair, almost looked like twins.

  “I haven’t the slightest idea. I feel more like a truck ran me over. And my head’s still killing me.”

  “Well, judging by your symptoms and the knot on your head, you have suffered a concussion. That would explain the memory loss and the headache,” one of the doctors explained.

  “Is my memory ever gonna come back?” Panic rose in me at what the answer to the question might be. I couldn’t imagine anything scarier.

  “It should,” the doctor on the right said, nodding sagely.

  “Should?” I asked, a bit of the panic leaking into my voice.

  “We really don’t think this is permanent.”

  “But how long will it take?”

  “Might take a few days or even a few weeks,” he said, pressing his lips together when he saw my horrified face. “Keeping your stress levels down will help greatly.”

  “I’ll do my best,” I said, snark in my tone. I sighed and grumbled, “I don’t mean to be difficult. I’m just upset. And freaking out a little.”

  “Of course.”

  They straightened simultaneously and crossed their skinny arms over their chests almost simultaneously. Maybe my concussion had me seeing double. “Give yourself time. Your mind will heal.”

  “Yeah, but a few weeks?” I asked. “What am I supposed to do until then?”

  “We checked your jacket and pants pockets when you came in but found no phone.”

  “It must’ve fallen out in the field. It’s probably ruined.” Suddenly, a thought popped into my head. “Wyatt,” I said.

  One of the doctors raised his eyebrows at me. “Wyatt? Is he someone you know?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know that I really know him, but he’s the man who found me. Wyatt Walker,” I said, remembering that he’d given me his number.

  “Actually, a gentleman is waiting out in the lobby for you. That must be him. We wanted to give you a complete exam before allowing visitors. If you feel up to it, we can allow him in to check up on you?”

  My heart soared in anticipation.

  “Yes, please let him in,” I said.

  I felt my heartbeat skip a beat when I heard Wyatt’s voice in the lobby. For the second time that day, Wyatt’s presence somehow magically made me feel at ease. The doctors stepped out, and I eavesdropped on their conversation with Wyatt.

  “Hello Mr. Walker, it seems Ms. Whitman was very fortunate to have had your assistance today.”

  “How’s she doing?”

  “As well as can be expected,” one of the doctors responded.

  One doctor poked his head back in, “Ms. Whitman, we’ll leave you to it and come back in a bit to check on you.”

  The doctor left, and I had to admit I was a little relieved to see them go. And more than that, I was enthusiastic to see Wyatt.

  My heart soared when I finally saw him step into the room.

  He stepped close to my bed. The man looked so good it hurt.

  He was tall as hell, for one, and built strong, exactly what you’d expect from a guy who worked on a ranch. He had mussed, brown hair, and eyes that were almost golden. His features were handsome but also gentle, with a strong jaw
and full lips.

  And I loved the way he dressed, all rugged in his jeans and flannel and boots.

  His hands, too. I remembered when he’d offered his to me that day; I’d noticed how rough and strong they were.

  More than that, his presence was reassuring.

  He was the kind of man who seemed to always have things under control, the kind of guy you could trust with anything. He appeared capable, self-reliant, and poised.

  And he was so, so hot.

  He also appeared to be at least ten or twelve years older than me.

  And I kind of dug it.

  “There you are,” he said, flashing me a kind smile as he stepped closer.

  “Here I am.” I smiled back.

  “How’re you feelin’?” He set his hat on the nearby counter and took a seat in one of the open chairs. “The doctors find out what’s goin’ on?”

  “Well, they wanted to make sure I didn’t have a mishap with a bottle of vodka last night.”

  He let out a soft laugh. “They’re just doin’ their jobs. And for what it’s worth, I don’t think that’s what went down. You don’t strike me as the type.”

  “Thank you for not assuming I’m a raging alcoholic.” I smiled to let him know I was only joking.

  “Not at all.”

  “I can’t say for sure on account of the whole ‘not remembering anything’ part, but it’s not the vibe I get from myself either.”

  The smile faded from his face, and his expression became one of concern. “Your memory. They say anything about that?”

  I shrugged. “They told me I have a concussion and that it should probably come back in a few days or weeks.”

  “Hell, that’s a relief. I can’t imagine how frightening this must be for you. Wouldn’t wish somethin’ like that on anyone.”

  I was very touched by his kindness, his concern. It was apparent he wasn’t there to see me out of some sense of obligation – he seemed to sincerely care about what happened to me.

  “Yeah, it’s…not fun,” I agreed with a little chuckle. “But I’m ready to get it back and find out what the hell happened.”

  “Any guesses on that? You don’t think…” His expression was hard, with a tinge of anger to it. “You don’t think anyone did this to you, do ya?”

  He looked like all I’d have to do was point in the right direction, and he’d be out for revenge. I couldn’t help but be turned on.

  “It’s hard to say. I mean, I’d like to think I don’t know anyone who’d do something like that. But I guess I can’t really know until I remember why I was there. Speaking of, did you have any luck with the Houston police?”

  He clenched and unclenched one hand into a fist for a brief moment before letting the anger fade from his face. “They didn’t have anything yet but I gave them my number in case something comes in. I’m glad to hear you’re likely on the mend.”

  “That’s what I’m hoping.”

  He smiled slightly and looked away as if there was a joke on his mind that only he understood.

  “Why are you smiling?”

  “No reason,” he said. “Just thinkin’ you look mighty cute in that little gown.”

  I blushed, my face heating as it colored. There was no self-consciousness to Wyatt’s words, and I was taken aback by how adorable I found it to be.

  I cleared my throat and spoke. “Well, thank you again for coming to my rescue. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t come and Prince Charming’d me back to life.”

  He flicked those golden eyes back up at me, another smile playing on his features. “Prince Charming, eh? Hell, I’ll take it.”

  Despite my dire situation, I couldn’t help but be affected by the man’s presence.

  Everything about him took my breath away.

  And I couldn’t help but notice something I probably shouldn’t have. His jeans were loose-fitting, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t make out a serious bulge in his crotch. No doubt, he was packing down there.

  At least I knew my sense of attraction to the opposite sex was fully intact.

  He cleared his throat and continued. “Anyway, there’s the matter of what we’re going to do with you.”

  “Wait, what do you mean ‘we’?”

  “Well, I’m assumin’ you don’t know anyone in the area.”

  I shook my head. “Don’t know anyone, really.”

  He chuckled at my little joke, nodding his head. “That’s right. Which means I’m about the only friend you got.”

  I smiled. “Yeah, as far as I know.”

  “And you’re gonna need someplace to stay until your memory comes back and we can figure out what the hell went down out there.”

  He glanced at the room’s window and I did the same. I hadn’t noticed it was raining again, a veritable monsoon. “It’s bad out there. Flooding, actually, in some parts. Not really safe to travel.”

  I was beginning to see what he was getting at as far as having a place to stay. “Are…you asking me to stay with you?”

  “Truthfully, yes. I know we only just met but I want you to know you’re more than welcome to stay at the ranch. In fact, I insist upon it. Women don’t end up alone in woods, in the middle of a storm every day. There might be someone runnin’ around out there who wants to do worse to you than what’s already happened. I’d feel much better if you were somewhere I could keep a good eye on ya.”

  His expression hardened again for a brief moment, doing all sorts of things to my body. I heated in places I had no business heating, not with my current circumstances.

  “I don’t know. I don’t want to impose on you and your mom.”

  He flashed me an easy smile. “Well, it’s more than just me and my mom.”

  “Really?”

  “Yep. We’ve also got my brothers, Chance, Travis, and Silas.”

  Holy shit, there are four of them? Wyatt already took my breath away in each encounter, I wasn’t sure I could handle three of his brothers.

  “And my sister Emily, too.”

  Wait, was this guy married? I hadn’t even thought to ask.

  “Wow,” I said. “You’ve got the whole brood up there with you.”

  Another sexy as hell smile. “Yep. We’re a tight knit family. You’ll see that when you come. Assumin’ you want to.” He raised his hand as if remembering something. “And don’t worry about imposin’. The place is big enough for a few families. You’ll have your own space and privacy.”

  “I don’t know.” Despite his generous offer, I still felt guilty about his entire family being imposed by my presence. For all they knew, I could have been some serial killer and it wasn’t like I had any proof to tell them otherwise. But the idea of having a place to stay for a few days, not to mention the gorgeous man I’d be sharing the place with, was a tempting offer. And I didn’t really have any other options.

  “If it sweetens the deal, there’s gonna be a home-cooked meal waitin’ for you there. Mama G always makes too much food –plenty to go around. And she said she’d love to have you.”

  The more he talked, the more I felt like I’d have to be stupid not to take him up on his offer. And despite only having met, I got nothing but warm, friendly vibes from him. He was the perfect combination of sexy and charming and kind. Kind of a dream guy.

  I hoped like hell, whoever I was, I was very much single.

  “Um…okay. I’ll do it. And thanks.” I smiled warmly, and he responded with one of his own mesmerizing smiles that seemed to take my breath away each time.

  “Perfect. Then let’s get you checked out and get on the road.”

  He rose and extended his hand to me. Doing my best to hide my excitement of soon living in close quarters with this dream man, I got up and placed my palm on Wyatt’s.

  “Come on, let me help you up.” The guy was old-fashioned, but in a good way. Men like that were hard to come by. I assumed, anyway.

  He then completed my discharge paperwork and I managed to sneak a look at hi
s hand to see if he had a ring on his finger. To my pleasant surprise there was none. It instantly made me feel better about my attraction to him. Had he been taken, my feelings would have been shut down really quickly.

  Whoever I was, I wasn’t a home wrecker.

  At least I hoped not.

  I got dressed in the restroom, and then together we left the hospital.

  The moment we stepped out, the wind whipped my face with a bitter chill, and the rain had subsided to a drizzle.

  “Worst storm in a long time.” He raised his voice over a whipping wind that blew at that moment.

  There was no guessing which car was Wyatt’s – it was a huge black truck with a trunk bed big enough to fit a room’s worth of furniture. We reached the truck and he opened the passenger door, placing his hand on the small of my back to help me in.

  God, how much I loved it. I knew he was just being helpful but honestly I wasn’t sure I would’ve even objected if he were to move that hand from my back to so many other parts of my body.

  I had to wonder how long it had been since I’d even been with a man intimately.

  Perhaps this was the first time in my life I’d been around a man like Wyatt.

  The engine growled to life once Wyatt was inside, and we were off.

  The truck rolled through the small downtown area of the quaint little town.

  A place I couldn’t remember the name of.

  It was charming none the less.

  But there didn’t seem to be a soul out, no doubt because of the weather.

  I assumed I couldn’t be from here. Everybody knew everybody, I’d bet. Surely Wyatt would have recognized me if I was a local.

  “Oh,” Wyatt said as we pulled off the main road and drew me out of my thoughts. “Forgot to mention something –can’t believe it slipped my mind.”

  “What’s that?”

  “My brother Silas. He came back in a little after you left and mentioned that he saw a car on the side of the road. I’m thinking it just might be yours.”

  “Are you serious? Can we look?”