“Hello?”
“Gwen, what in the fucking hell are you doing? Trying to scare us all to death?”
Teresa cussing? She’s serious.
Gwen could hear a man speaking consolingly to Teresa in the background, probably Angel or Joaquin.
“Hi, Teresa. Yeah, it’s me. I’m sorry if I worried you. I just needed some time to think.”
“Three damned days of not returning our calls! Just posting pictures in all those isolated places. You drove a ton of miles. Did you sleep at all? Oh wait, that’s right, you camped one night by yourself in Big Bend? A mountain lion could’ve eaten you!” Gwen heard the male voice in the background again “No, damn it, I will not sit down! Yes, please do that. Thank you, Angel. Okay. Gwen, Angel wants to talk to Chris for a second. Will you put him on?”
Disgruntled for being cut out of the conversation, Gwen frowned as she handed Chris his phone.
Chris held her gaze as he spoke. “Yeah. Looks really tired. We’re up at Divine Drip, in the parking lot. She bumped her elbow, and her hands are in need of attention. Otherwise she seems fine. She’s got a flat on her horse trailer which looks like it’s on its last damned legs…” He paused and gazed at the truck and trailer as if he was seeing it for the first time. “Julián is out on Interstate 10 looking for her but he’s looking for her fancy rig.”
Julián is looking for me? That was the last thing she needed right then. Why couldn’t people just let her do what she needed to do? She pulled her hat down lower on her head and wanted to go hide in her bunk and sleep—for a few decades.
Chris made an affirmative sound, chuckled, and handed the phone back to Gwen. “Hello?”
“Gwen, this is Angel. I’m on my way to get you right now, sweetie. Chris will change your flat tire and bring the truck and trailer out to the Divine Creek Ranch. Is that okay with you?”
She didn’t like everyone doing for her, making decisions for her, and standing over her like that. “I don’t mind changing the flat. You know I’ve done that a time or two. It won’t take me long and then I’ll drive out there.”
“Sweetie, Teresa is beside herself with worry. Let Chris change the flat and bring the truck out. He said you’ve injured your hands.”
“Just hard use, that’s all.”
“Did you really camp in Big Bend all by yourself?”
“Yes, but I had my .38.”
“You’re well traveled so I won’t give you a geography lesson, but do you know how damned close you were to the Mexican border? I wouldn’t want to be you when Teresa gets a hold of you, sweetie.” Angel chuckled before adding, “But I’m glad you didn’t get eaten by a mountain lion. Ow! Woman! I’m going! Gwen, I’ll see you in just a few minutes. Just so you know, Teresa is in a mood and it’s all your fault.”
Gwen smiled when she heard the good humor in his tone. “I’m sorry, Angel. See you in a few.”
She handed the phone to Chris and he said, “If you think your phone is just misplaced, why don’t you give me your number and I’ll dial it, see if we can’t locate it that way.”
Yeah, that puts my number in your call history. “Very smooth, cowboy.”
“Darlin’, I have a whole collection of lines to try out on you. That was a sincere offer.”
“So…you know Julián Alvarez?”
“You could say that,” he said with a nod as he stood to his full, intimidating height again. His muscular chest was so broad there was no way she could wrap her arms around his shoulders. And his arms. Damn, they were like tree trunks. His hands looked like they got a lot of hard use. Big and strong. Capable. But she knew they were also gentle. They’d been almost hesitant as he’d pushed the hat back from her head earlier. She could imagine how careful he would be undressing a woman. Her heart thrummed with excitement that was just as quickly dampened as she realized he was explaining how he knew Julián.
Oh you loose woman, you!
“Darlin’?”
“I apologize. I got distracted.”
Chris grinned broadly, good-natured humor in his eyes. Then he actually flexed his biceps and turned so she could see it bulge against the snug sleeve on his denim shirt. He tapped the large, solid mass of his arm and said, “Feel that, gorgeous. Hard as a rock.” His eyes twinkled as she poked him experimentally and then he said, “At your disposal, darlin’. Now why don’t you show me where your jack is.” She glanced at his crotch for just the briefest of seconds and looked back up into his eyes. He chuckled as if he could see the exact moment her mental imaginings went X-rated.