Mystic Cowboy(65)

He sighed as he stroked her hair, the motion hypnotizing her. It sounded like surrender to her fading ears. “I will never let you go, Madeline. I couldn’t, even if I tried.”

Never.

She drifted off, feeling wanted and loved for the first time ever.

Feeling whole.

And she knew he’d still be there in the morning.





Chapter Thirteen

Rebel sat on the edge of the bed, waiting. He didn’t want to wake her up, but the coffee had already made itself, Blue Eye was pawing around outside and Albert wasn’t getting any deader. He needed to get going before the sun started racing across the sky.

But he didn’t want to wake her. It was easier to ignore the complications of his reality when her eyes were closed, her hand tossed over her head as her chest rose and fell, one perfect breast exposed for his eyes only. Like a composition, her form was balanced in a perfect function of femininity.

A loud clomp came from the front of the house, followed by another. The floor trembled under his feet. Damn. His reality could not be ignored, not when Blue Eye was standing on the porch. If he didn’t get his ass in gear, that mare would be inside in minutes. Madeline didn’t like horses in the clinic. He was sure she wouldn’t want one in her cabin. Short of him just leaving, he couldn’t imagine a worse way for her to wake up.

He leaned over and kissed her, fighting the urge to let his hands get underneath the sheets and do the waking for him. Instead, he just licked her lips until she startled beneath him. Slowly, her eyes opened. Man, he hated to wake her. Her eyes were still bloodshot from too much crying and too little sleep, and the way she scrunched them shut made him think she was working on a hell of a headache. Still, she kissed him back as she touched his cheek, like she was making sure he was real and not a dream.

“Good morning, Madeline.”

Her eyes cracked open again with a tired smile. “Hmph. What time is it?”

Damn reality. Always complicating things. “Almost six thirty. I need to get going.” For a second, she just looked at him, like he’d said something in Lakota instead of English. Then her eyes closed again as she turned her head away and pulled the sheet up high. She looked like he’d slapped her in slow motion. Always easier to jump to conclusions when she wasn’t awake yet. That had been his problem last time. She’d started jumping and he’d just let her go. This time, he wasn’t going to make things worse. Not if he could help it. “Have you ever gone camping?”

Eyes suddenly wide, she turned to look at him. “Not really. Why?”

That was better. At least she didn’t look like he was wounding her again. “It’s Saturday.”

“And?”

“I’ve got to take Albert to the funeral home in town. And while I’m there, I’ll need to get a few more...supplies.”

She still looked confused, but at the mention of condoms, she managed a small grin.

“But I don’t have anything to do tomorrow, and I’m under the impression the clinic is closed on Sunday.”

The relief crept over her face like a sunrise after a stormy night. “Your impression is correct.”

“If you want,” he said, fighting the urge to kiss that sunrise smile, “I’ll come back for you tonight.”

“So we can go...camping?”

“Just for the night,” he said, feeling way more hopeful than he really had a right to. One night of camping was a hell of a lot different than one week, one month, or even one year of camping. But he hadn’t lied. He couldn’t let her go, and he’d hold onto her for as long as she’d let him. And, judging by the look she was giving him—sleepy and awake and coy and knowing all at the time—she might let him hold on for a while longer. “You won’t have to walk it this time.”

She took a deep breath, and he wished she hadn’t covered up with the sheet. Well, there’d be time for that tonight.

“How could I refuse an offer like that?”

“I was hoping you wouldn’t. Pack light—and a swimsuit is optional.”

She hit him with the pillow just as another ominous thud came from the front door. “What the—”

“Blue Eye,” he said, catching another kiss. “I really do have to go.”

“Go then,” she replied, pushing him off the bed. “But come back.”

“I will.” He leaned down and took a quick kiss. “I promise.”

The image of Madeline, bare shoulders and bright smile, stayed with him on the brisk ride to Albert’s. But it wasn’t enough to make his reality any less complicated.

Jesse was sitting on the front step, his cast jutting out in front of him. He looked like hell that hadn’t even been warmed over.