Stone Cold Cowboy (6 page)

“Where is he?” Mark pushed.

“I don't know. He left me there. I begged him to help me, and he just left me there.” The softly spoken words punched Rory right in the gut. She'd tried so hard over the years to help her brother, only to have him turn his back on her when she needed him to save her.

The deputy shook his head, as disgusted as Rory about this whole damn thing.

“You know the drill. If you hear from your brother, or find out where he's hiding, you need to call me. If you don't, if you give him money or any other kind of help, you'll be an accessory. Don't let that happen, Sadie. You can't help him this time. You've already found out the hard way that Derek Pete is not a man to be messed with. Unless Connor turns himself in, he's going to find the path he chose only leads to hell.”

S
adie woke up, staring at the window who knew how long after Mark left, leaving her with those ominous words about her brother heading straight for hell. Well, she felt like she'd been living there a long time, her brother's mistakes setting flames at her feet, making her dance to get out of them, and him out of whatever trouble he got into. This time, he'd tied her hands. Literally and figuratively. She tried to raise her hand to look at her swollen fingers and the bandages around her wrist to remind herself that he'd left her without even trying to help. Someone held her hand still. She glanced down and straight into a pair of bloodshot hazel eyes. Rory sat beside her bed, holding her hand, waiting for her to wake up and . . . what? What did the man want from her?

“You were having another nightmare.”

“I don't think I'll ever sleep again without thinking of what happened,” she admitted.

“Me either.”

She eyed him, wondering what he meant by that.

“When I found you, I thought you were dead. I've
never seen anything so gruesome and cruel. I never got a chance to ask before . . . Are you okay?”

He'd seen her hanging from that tree, the damage inflicted to her body. He asked about something deeper. He wanted to know about her mind and heart. Her mind wanted to deny what happened. Her heart broke the minute she'd seen her brother stealing the cattle and shattered into a million pieces when he turned his back on her.

Tears welled in her eyes. She wondered if she'd ever think about what happened and not cry for all the reasons, all the wrongs.

“I will be fine,” she vowed. “I always am.” She'd held it together through all the tough times in her life. Losing her mother. Trying to raise her brother the best she could and feeling so inadequate for the task every time he chose to do the wrong thing. Begging her father to see a doctor when what seemed like nothing more than a bug and fatigue turned into a way of life that got progressively worse these last months. She barely recognized her father now. His mind and body deteriorated with each passing day.

“I know you will. To survive what you've been through . . . takes guts and determination.”

“Thanks. What are you still doing here? You look wrecked. Go home and get some sleep.”

“I'm not leaving without you.”

“Look, if it's about the money I owe you, I'm good for it. I won't run off. I pay my debts.”

“You don't owe me anything. It's not your debt to pay. I'm not worried about you running off, but I am concerned about how you'll get home.”

“I'll give Luna a call and see if she can take me home.”

“I'm here. I found you. I'll take you home.”

“You found me, so you're keeping me?” She narrowed her eyes, trying to figure him out.

“Sounds good.”

“But you don't even like me. Every time you see me, you glare a hole right through me.”

“What? No I don't.”

“Yes you do. You're doing it right now.”

“I am not,” he snapped.

“Are you always this grumpy?”

“No. I barely slept last night. I saved your ass, and now you're giving me grief.” His deep frown and narrowed eyes showed his annoyance, but the way he held her hand, his fingers lightly tracing her palm, said something else entirely. Over the last few years, she'd caught him watching her on occasion. She always thought it had something to do with her brother. That Connor had pissed Rory off about something and he'd been looking for a way to get back at Connor, or for her to make things right. She'd left it alone, hoping to never have to confront this huge, kinda scary guy. But now, looking closer, he wasn't really scary at all. Just gruff, to the point, and, dare she say, shy. While he had no problem looking at her, he had a hard time holding eye contact. He groused at her instead of really talking. He seemed perpetually perturbed. But maybe she'd read him all wrong. After all, she didn't even know him.

Sadie grabbed his hand and gave it a firm shake, ignored the pain in her wrist, then held it. “We've never actually met. You graduated before I got to high school. I'm Sadie Higgins. I owe you my life. Thank
you for finding me and getting me to the hospital. I owe you a debt of gratitude I can never repay, but I'll sure try.”

“Uh, Rory Kendrick. I'm glad I found you when I did. You don't owe me anything.”

“Yeah, I do.” He opened his mouth to argue, but she squeezed his hand. “I'm just as stubborn as you, so don't try to convince me otherwise. It's useless and will only make you frown more.”

His sour face deepened until a touch of temper showed through.

“We need to get Kaley back in here. Seems you only smile for her.”

His mouth softened. He did not smile. “She's a sweet girl.”

“Yeah, and I'm a pain in your ass because I can't tell you where my brother is, or what happened to your cattle.”

The frown came back. “That's not why I'm here.”

“No. You don't care where he is?”

His eyes narrowed with determination. “Oh, I will find him, but I'm here for you.”

Surprised, she blurted out, “Why?”

He stared down at their joined hands. She had yet to pull hers free. She didn't really want to, because as long as he touched her and the buzz crept up her arm, she didn't have to think about anything but the warmth of his skin against hers.

“I want to help you,” he whispered. “Your brother, I want to kill.” He cocked up one side of his mouth, like,
Obviously
.

“Well, if you think he's coming here to check on me, you're wrong.”

“Exactly the reason he should be shot. You don't turn your back on family.”

“Another thing I've tried and failed to teach him.”

“I'm happy to do so for you.”

Sadie stared around the room. She hated hospitals. “I really need to get home to my father. He needs me.”

“You're in no condition to go anywhere right now.”

“Did Dr. Bowden say I had to stay?”

He frowned. “Bell stopped by while you slept. She'd like you to stay another day.”

“I can't leave my dad for that long. He's sick. I'm fine. Nothing that won't heal on its own.”

The deep frown came back. “Hang tight, let me go see what she says.” Rory walked out of her room and returned a few minutes later, looking grim. “Bell said that since the cops aren't arresting you, I can take you home to finish recuperating, though I don't agree.”

Sadie sat up, wincing when she hit a particularly bad cut, proving that Rory might be right about her staying at the clinic longer, but she needed to get home to her dad.

“You okay?” He squeezed her hand.

“I think it's going to be a few days until at least a few inches of me feel better. The rest will take time. Mind handing me my bag?”

Rory let go of her hand, but didn't move away. He stared down at her. She stared back, waiting to see if he'd speak his mind.

“You're beautiful.” He reached out and traced a lock of her hair, tucking it behind her ear.

She didn't move, didn't breathe, didn't know what to say. His softly spoken words went in through her ears
and dropped straight down into her heart. She held on to the warmth that settled there.

He turned to get her bag from the set of drawers across the room, but she snaked her hand out and grabbed his forearm. His very thick arm.

“Thank you.”

He turned back and stared down at her, this time looking her right in the eye and holding it. She read so much in that look. A deep longing. A truth that went beyond words. Sincerity to match the depth of emotion he put in those simple words. She saw deeper to the part of him that wanted to say more, share more, but held back for whatever reason, so all he said was “I mean it.”

His gaze went to her hand on him. She thought he might have growled under his breath, but let it go as just her imagination. He saved her. They shared a traumatic experience in different ways, but still the same. He felt something for her because he'd seen her vulnerable. He'd seen her injuries up close and personal. If what happened to her affected her this deeply, seeing her bloody had to touch something inside him to make him stay by her side this whole time. He had a ranch to run, a family of his own, he didn't need to be here with her, but he'd stayed anyway. It touched her deeply that this strong, stoic, keep-to-himself man cared enough not to leave her alone during the worst time of her life.

“Where'd you go?” His rich voice resonated through her and connected to something deep inside she couldn't name.

“You stayed.” It hit her all at once. The fog from the pain meds cleared enough for her brain to start putting
things together beyond the events that landed her in this hospital bed. Her brother left her to die, but this stranger, this man she didn't know at all, not only saved her but stayed. He held her hand through the night and today. He might not be the best communicator, but he'd comforted her to the point that up until this moment she didn't realize her own family hadn't come to be by her side.

She didn't blame her father. His health prevented him from doing what he wanted. The stress of what happened probably made him feel worse. Still, it would have been nice if for once he'd come to take care of her instead of it always being the other way around.

“I couldn't leave you,” Rory whispered.

Sadie fell back onto the pillows and stared up at the ceiling. “Why not? Everyone else has.”

Rory planted his hands on either side of her shoulders and leaned over her, staring down into her tear-filled eyes. “I'd never do that to you.” He quickly pulled away and stood up. “Sorry.”

For what? Pointing out that a near stranger would do something her own family wouldn't or couldn't? Or that he'd gotten too close? She actually wished he hadn't backed off, but wrapped her in his thick arms and held her. She'd like to be wrapped up in all that strength. Stupid. Silly. She didn't need a hug; she needed to figure out how to repay this man for all he'd lost and all he'd done for her.

“It's okay.”

Rory handed her the bag his brother had packed for her.

She unzipped it and shook her head. “Does Colt think I've got a hot date, or something?”

“What? Why?”

Without thinking, she pulled out the black lace bra and panty set Luna had bought her for her last birthday, teasing her that maybe if she wore them she'd feel sexy and say yes to one of the many guys who came into the diner and hit on them. She'd never worn them and didn't have time for dating. The guys she met never really captured her interest. Well, one man had her full attention. He stood in front of her, his eyes wide and locked on the lingerie in her hands.

“Uh, I guess he grabbed whatever was there.”

“Yeah, right. He had to dig deep to come up with these.” She slid off the bed. “My feet are still swollen.” She wiggled her sore toes. “I'll make whatever he brought work. Really, I'm grateful you guys thought to do this for me, otherwise I'd be wearing this ridiculous gown home.”

“It's better than what you arrived in.”

She laughed under her breath, not really feeling it at all. “I guess you know black lace isn't exactly my everyday thing.” That's right, he'd seen her practically naked in her less than appealing cotton bra and panties. Great. Add humiliation and embarrassment to everything else that happened to her.

“There's nothing for you to be embarrassed about.” Rory's gaze dipped down, scanning her body all the way down to her toes. She felt the heat wash over her skin even as the flush bloomed on her cheeks. The man barely said anything to her, but what he did say seemed to hit her hard and deep.

She ducked her head, slid off the bed onto her sore feet, and hobbled to the bathroom, carrying the duffel at her side, happy to be free of the IV line. It brushed
the gash on her leg, and she hissed in a breath. Rory was beside her in the blink of an eye. Who knew the big guy could move that fast?

He held her arm to keep her steady and stared down at her. “Are you okay?”

“I just hit the cut on my leg.”

“Do you need some help getting dressed?”

She put her hand over his on her arm. “I've got this. Really, I'm okay.”

He pressed his lips together. Lips that looked soft, despite how they always seemed to be turned down into a frown. “You don't look fine at all.”

“You don't look so hot yourself, cowboy. You need to get some sleep and eat a decent meal.”

“You barely ate your breakfast. You refused lunch.”

“Sorry, I guess I should have given it to you.”

“I don't want to take you home,” he said out of the blue.

“What? Why?”

“I can't be sure you'll be safe there.”

“It's my home. Nothing is going to happen to me.”

“I bet you thought that when you went after your brother. His friends are dangerous. Do you have somewhere else I can take you? How about to Luna's place?”

“No. My father needs me. I'm going home.” She stepped away, pulling her arm free of his light grasp. She walked into the bathroom and closed the door. She needed the distance. Rory sitting beside her bed watching over her gave her comfort when it shouldn't. She could take care of herself. Okay, except when some nutcase strung her up in a tree to get his rocks off watching her bleed. Still, she didn't need Rory to worry about her. She didn't need him to act like he cared.

She didn't need him.

But God, wouldn't it be nice to have someone like him. Strong. Dependable. Someone who cared about family, the land, a way of life she used to have but lost these last years as her ranch turned to dust and the horses got sold off. Instead of working her ass off to keep her head above water and her brother out of jail, what would it be like to have a home, a husband, a life that included love and happiness and laughter? God, when was the last time she laughed? When was the last time she went on a date? Or felt the way Rory made her feel with one look? Although sometimes those looks could mean he'd like to kill her as much as they could mean he wanted her. There wouldn't be a whole lot of laughing with him. The man never smiled.