Back Where You Belong (8 page)

“Like I was kicked in the head by a bull.” His head throbbed so bad he could barely see.

“Want some ice water?”

“Oh, yeah.” He took a few welcome sips of cool water and wiped off his chin. “My mouth doesn’t want to work. I’m surprised you stayed. Glad, but surprised.”

“I needed to know you were okay. Plus, someone had to stay with Olivia. Pete went home to check on things.”

He nodded and winced at the throbbing pain the slight movement caused. “Give me the rundown of my injuries, ’cause I hurt like hell.”

She placed his hand on a button contraption. “First, this is your morphine drip. Press it once to get some relief from pain.”

He pressed it twice.

Her lips pursed. “You pressed it twice, didn’t you?”

“Hell, yeah.”

She shook her head, her displeasure evident. “Men are such wusses when it comes to pain.” Her whispers were evidently to keep Olivia from waking, but the tone of her voice had a sensual quality to it.

“Hunh. A kiss would make me feel better.” A man could always hope.

When she leaned over him to press a tender kiss on his forehead, his hand drifted up to her waist to hold her in place. Her floral perfume was a welcome change from the antiseptic smell of the room. The warmth of her nearness soothed his battered body.

“My head hurts so bad, one kiss won’t take care of it,” he whispered.

“You’re going to milk this for all it’s worth, aren’t you?”

More gentle kisses feathered across his brow. Her fingers sifted through his hair in a gentle, soothing motion.

He sighed, relaxing more from her touch than the drugs. “Don’t stop, Sugar. I need this.” When had a woman touched him the way she did? When had he needed the comfort another person could provide? Anna Beth was never one for tenderness, but there was something in Lacy’s being that oozed it for people she cared about. Could she ever come to care for him and Olivia? “More.”

She feathered kisses over his cheeks and nose. “I can’t kiss your mouth with the stitches there.”

“Try.” He heard the plea in his voice and, although the tone should have unmanned him, he didn’t give a damn. What he needed right now was her. One petite woman with a mountain of strength and an ocean of caring.

Warm lips kissed the corners of his mouth, and he was lost. Lost in the essence of her. His hand slid to her back and pulled her closer. Both of her hands slipped behind his neck, sending chills of heat down his spine. Her tongue swept along his lips, and he opened for her taste. Breaths mingled. Soft moans danced around the sterile room. One thought prevailed as she gently kissed him. He was home—home where he belonged.

Advice from his pappy floated back.
“Find a woman who spoils you, son. Then spoil her back so she never leaves you. Ain’t nothin’ finer than two people seein’ to each other’s needs.”
If only he’d listened to pappy’s words before he hooked up with Anna Beth, Miss Austin Texas. Still, if he had, he wouldn’t have his daughter.

Beeps on the monitor grew louder. Slowly, Lacy pulled back. “If we don’t stop this, alarms are going to go off and nurses will come running in to see why your pulse rate is sky high.”

“Damn the nurses. Kiss me again.”

She patted his chest. “I think you’ve had enough.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.” Could he ever get enough of her?

“Sorry, cowboy. With your injuries, you need your strength for healing, not for making out with the ladies.”

“There’s only you.”
Hell, is that how I really feel? Am I starting to get serious about her? How damn foolish is that? No doubt, first chance she gets, she’ll leave me for another man just like Anna Beth did.

“I think it’s time we change the subject. You asked about your injuries.” She fussed with his sheets, smoothing them out as she talked. “You’ve got a concussion, scrapes and contusions over your face and body, stitches from your nose to your upper lip.” Her voice grew shakier as her descriptions continued. “Surgery to stop internal bleeding. They took out your spleen.” She swiped at tears. “Badly sprained ankle.”

He reached for her hand. “Not bad. Been hurt worse by a bull.”

“Oh, Tyler, didn’t I tell you my coming to watch you ride wouldn’t be a good idea? I’m like a jinx where you’re concerned. Every time I’m around, something happens to you.”

A stab of pain took his breath away for a few seconds. He pressed the button on his morphine drip—twice. “Bullshit.” A fuzzy grey haze pulled at him. He’d be asleep soon. “Stay…”

The next time he woke, a nurse was peering under his hospital gown. “Whatever you’re looking for, it’s broken.”

She chuckled. “Just checking your bandage. I see it needs changed. There’s some post-surgery drainage.”

When she began tugging at the adhesive, he pressed his magic button—twice dammit.

“Where’s everyone?” Lacy and Olivia were gone, and he fought a strange sense of abandonment.

“Your wife and daughter went to the cafeteria for some breakfast. How about you? Think you could eat?”

“Coffee, extra sugar.”

The door to the room opened and Lacy walked in. She looked tired and wrinkled, having slept on a chair all night. Even so, he found her beautiful. “Mornin’ Sugar.”

The nurse chuckled. “My husband calls me Sugar, too. I think it’s sweet.” She winked at him as she applied a fresh bandage. “Pun intended.”

“I’m merely a friend. I’m not his wife.” A charming blush crept up Lacy’s throat and kissed her cheeks.

Olivia was right behind her. “Not yet, but I’m working on it. Grownups can be so obtuse, don’t you think?” Her remarks were directed at the amused nurse. “I’m thinking if they were to marry around Christmas, I could have a baby brother or sister by the end of next September. Bella if it’s a girl and Tyler Junior if it’s a boy.”

Tyler’s gaze ricocheted to Lacy’s. She was staring at the tops of her boots, her face red with embarrassment.

“Do Lacy and I have anything to say about this?”

His daughter tore a piece of pastry off the Danish she was holding and popped it in her mouth. “Not if I have anything to do with it. I mean, a Christmas wedding would be beautiful. Red poinsettias and pine. Lots of candles. I’d be the maid of honor, of course. A long, slinky red velvet gown.” She twirled around, obviously lost in her fantasy. “White cowgirl boots.”

“Excuse me.” Lacy all but ran from his room.

Well, hell.

“Olivia Renee. What were you thinking to talk that way in front of Lacy? You’ve made her feel uncomfortable. What’s gotten into you?” Much as he wanted to, he couldn’t go after Lacy. How would he explain to her he had a daughter hell-bent on getting him married?

“I want a normal family with a mother and siblings. Is that so wrong?” She crossed her arms and arched a brow.

“You can’t force adults to fall in love. And marriage without love can be hell on earth.”
I should know
.

Chapter Ten

Lacy sat on the bench in front of the hospital entrance waiting on her grandpa. By now, Olivia had probably told Tyler all about her teenaged infatuation and her current attraction to him. She tugged her sunglasses from her purse and slipped them on.
I’ll never be able to face him again. Probably just as well with that video coming back around
.

Her cell rang, and she answered.

“Lacy, it’s Olivia. I’m sorry I upset you. I didn’t mean to.” Every word dripped with her teenage angst.

“It’s okay, honey. Don’t cry. It’s time I went home anyhow. Pete should be here soon to pick you up. Stay in your dad’s room until he gets there, okay?”

“Okay.”

“I have a ride coming to take me home. Take good care of the patient.”

“Wait.” She sniffled into the phone. “Daddy wants to talk to you.”

She heard low conversation and rustling as the cell phone was handed over to Tyler. Her stomach clenched.

“You okay?”

“Embarrassed, but okay.”

“Olivia and I had a long talk about not forcing people to fall in love.”

Of course he wouldn’t want to fall in love with her. She was simply someone to pass the time with, nothing permanent or serious. “Don’t fuss at her. She’s just a kid.”

“Kid or not, I don’t like her hurting your feelings. Where are you?”

“Outside, waiting for Grandpa. I figure it’s time I get home. Shower and change clothes so I won’t feel so grungy. You need to rest.”

“Will you call me tonight? Hold on. Olivia, what’s the number on my bedside phone?”

He repeated the number for Lacy, and she scribbled it on a scrap of paper from her purse.

“You won’t forget to call me? I’ll be going stir-crazy by tonight. I’m not one for being idle.”

Grandpa’s truck rumbled in front of the hospital. “My ride’s here. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Lacy? Thanks for everything. I won’t forget how great you’ve been. You’re a good person.”

By eight o’clock that evening, Lacy’s eyes were gritty from too many hours last night in a hospital chair and too many today in front of her computer. She took another hot shower, slipped on her pajamas and soothed her eyes with drops before collapsing between the sheets. Honeybun jumped on the bed, turned around twice and settled next to her side.

She scratched behind the collie’s ears. “What do you think, Honeybun? Should I call Tyler?”

The bed jiggled with the thump of Honeybun’s tail as she rested her muzzle on Lacy’s arm.

“He said I should call him, but…”

A canine whine replied.

“I should just do it, huh?”

The collie woofed, and Lacy dialed.

“Hello?”

“How’s the patient tonight?”

“Lonely. Hate lying still. Tired of having a flashlight shined in my eyes. These ice packs wrapped around my ankle make my foot feel like a frozen popsicle.”

She laughed at his tone of voice. “Grumpy.”

“Hey, I figure if I complain enough, they’ll let me out of here tomorrow. I walked around the room twice today. Damn crutches won’t cooperate, but I’m getting used to them. My cousin, Billy Wayne, stopped in for a visit. I told him all about you.”

“Me? Must have been a boring conversation.” His soft chuckle made her smile. “How’s your headache, cowboy?”

“Easing up.”

Fluffy fur ran through her fingers as she stroked Honeybun’s ears. “Are you still using that morphine pump?”

“No, I told them to take it out of my stent. Made me too muzzy-headed. Felt like I wasn’t in control.”

Control would be important to a man like Tyler. He reminded her of the Coyotte Buttes she saw once in Utah—larger than life, strong, proud, enduring. “Too bad you won’t be able to ride for a while.”

He exhaled a hard bark of laughter. “Wanna bet? It’s my left ankle that’s sprained, but Comanches can mount a horse from any side. I’ll be riding the day after I get home.”

No doubt he would. Stubborn man. “Maybe what you need is a keeper.”

“You volunteering for the job?”

Was that hopefulness in his voice? “You couldn’t handle me for a keeper. I’m very strict. In fact, I’d keep you in bed for a week after you got out of the hospital, even if I had to hogtie you.”

“Now you’re talking.” Humor tinged his words.

Oh, good Lord. Did he mean…?
“Are you into kink, cowboy? I never understood the desire to be spanked or tied up.” She paused and pursed her lips, searching for something to say. “I don’t think I could trust a guy enough to give him that much control. No. No, I couldn’t. It would leave me too vulnerable. No one likes being vulnerable, do they? Although I do feel vulnerable to you sometimes.”
Crap, I shouldn’t have said that
. “N-not that we’re in a sexual relationship or even heading in that direction…”

“Aren’t we?”

Her mouth went dry. Were they? He’d kissed her a few times, but would a man like Tyler be interested in her? “Well…ah…well…”

Deep male chuckling tingled her insides.

“Don’t tell me you’re speechless. Not you. Tell you what. Let me take you to dinner Friday night. We can go to the Lonesome Steer, have supper and listen to the Rattlesnakes. Might even be able to dance a slow tune or two by then.”

“Will you be able to drive? Shouldn’t you rest?” He was asking her out on a date, but could he physically do it so soon after surgery, to say nothing of crutches. “Maybe I should do the driving. I could come to the Star-D and pick you up.”

“A man does the driving on a date, Sugar.”

Now wasn’t that the silliest thing? “That’s a rather outdated idea.”

“I’m an outdated kinda guy. Get used to it. If you call me every night like this, I’ll rest all day Friday.”

“Was there a promise in that statement, cowboy?” Men like Grandpa and Tyler weren’t ones to nap. A visual of him lying on the sofa covered with an afghan and hugging a teddy bear came to mind. She rolled onto her side, fighting the urge to giggle.

He sighed and she smiled.

“Okay, dammit, I promise to rest all afternoon. How’s that.”

****

Tyler never knew the span of time from Sunday, when he last saw Lacy, to Friday would be five months long, or so it seemed. The only thing that kept him sane was their bedtime phone conversations. He’d even taken to emailing her—and he never emailed anyone unless it was business related. Olivia helped him with his texting skills so he could send a text every so often to let Lacy know he was thinking about her.

She was starting to mean a lot to him. Was that wise? Hadn’t he sworn off women after Anna Beth put him through marital hell? Knowing your wife preferred other men to you did something to a man’s soul and permanently wounded his pride. Would Lacy be the same way? Surely not. As he grew closer to her, he hoped he was laying his faith in the right woman this time.

Now was a fine time to think about Lacy’s growing importance as he headed north on Interstate 27 in the direction of Route 66 to pick up his date.

Nervousness warred with excitement. A date. What had he been thinking to ask Lacy out? For one thing, the girl was ten years his junior. For another, he sensed she still believed in the happily-ever-after fairytale. While he’d learned long ago, love was a temporary emotion, a fit of insanity, a heart-itch that needed scratched.