At the Cowboy's Mercy (2 page)

He sat back. "What the hell happened to you, Kennedy?"

Apparently she realized half her dinner was gone when he'd barely started. She reached for a napkin and wiped her mouth slowly, then took a sip of water.
 

"I haven't eaten all day."

He took in the narrowness of her face. "How broke are you?"

She kept her gaze on her food. "The bank took the house for Dad's gambling debts. His medical bills took the rest. I sold my car this week. I need a job, Luke. I'll do anything, work with the animals, shovel shit, whatever you need me to do."

He didn't want to answer, still too angry about the phone call she'd made to tell him about Red's funeral, the afterthought. But could he just kick her out when she had nothing else? Christ, look at her. Red would kick his ass if he abandoned her. And hell, she'd been a vet tech to put herself through college. They could use always use a trained hand around.

"I'll talk to Gary tomorrow about getting you a job with the livestock.Finish your dinner, then take a shower. I'll get your bag out of the truck. You can sleep in my bed tonight."

Her alarmed gaze snapped to his, and his temper spiked. She was willing to fuck his brother for a place to stay and a sandwich, but she didn't want him?
 

"Don't worry, I won't touch you." He'd sleep out here, on the couch that was even shorter than the too-short bed.

She closed her to-go box with half the sandwich still inside. Hadn't she just been reaching for it? Was she saving the rest for later? How hungry was she? He clamped down on his temptation to reassure her that she'd have food. If it made her feel better to have a meal stored, great. She slid out of the seat and made room for the container in the refrigerator.
 

"Thank you for dinner," she said softly. "You said you'd get my bag? I'd like to shower now."

***

What the hell had he gotten himself into here? Luke stood in the doorway of the bedroom and looked at Kennedy, sleeping the sleep of the innocent in his bed, curled on her side, hands tucked beneath her cheek. He wondered when she'd last slept. She'd taken forever in the shower and there'd been no hot water left, so he wondered about that, too. Was she really homeless? Was he stuck with her?

He turned back to the couch he'd made into a bed and dropped on it, his arm across his forehead, as if that could block the thoughts of her. When she'd been in the shower earlier, he'd remembered how he and Liam used to try to sneak peeks of her when they'd stay at the ranch. The t-shirts she wore hadn't left much to the imagination, but he'd have been in heaven to get a glimpse of a nipple.

He shifted, willing his hard-on away. She'd come to him for help. Besides, she'd cut him off from being with Red when he died. He couldn't forgive that.

For Red's sake, he'd find her a job working with the livestock and let her stay a few days, until it was time to head to the next rodeo.
 

He jolted awake later when he felt the RV shift. He blinked to see a flash of bare legs disappear into the bathroom. A few minutes later, she emerged, then paused in the hallway. Mesmerized by the silky legs, he watched as she disappeared into the bedroom, only to reappear moments later with a blanket. She placed it over him gently, not meeting his gaze, though she had to know he was watching her. Then, without a word, she disappeared down the hall, leaving him awake and aching.

CHAPTER THREE

Kennedy leaned on the rail and watched Luke burst out of the chute, his attention on the young steer racing between him and his hazer. He leaned over and caught the steer by a horn with almost no effort, letting it pull him out of the saddle. But the steer swerved, making him lose his grip, and he hit the dirt of the practice arena. He rolled to avoid injury, but damn, that still had to hurt. He was on his feet in a moment, glaring at his hazer as he dusted himself off. Then he turned his attention to Kennedy, who dutifully trotted forward to loop a rope around the young steer and guide him back into the chute for another go.

She couldn't let herself get distracted by Luke's maleness, or his ability. He'd been kind enough to get her a job with the livestock, and he'd fed her and given her a place to sleep--the best sleep she'd had since she left home--but he'd been clear that he was doing this for her father's memory, not for her. He barely spoke to her this morning, just placed the box of cereal on the table and told her to hurry up if she wanted to get to work.

The rhythm of the job came back to her quickly, but why wouldn't it? She'd grown up on the rodeo circuit, doing anything that needed doing to earn her keep. She couldn't help being glad, though, that he'd gotten her a position working with the animals. Sure, it was the dirtiest part, but she'd always loved it. Did he remember that?

Once the steer was back in the chute, Luke walked into the other one, leading his mount, a horse she hadn't seen before, this one an Appaloosa. The last time she'd seen him, he'd ridden a bay.
 

"Where's Angelina?" she asked before she could stop herself.

He turned his head only briefly, then mounted the Appaloosa. "Retired, being a good mama. This is Rocky." He patted the big horse's neck, then craned his head so she'd get out of the way.
 

She retreated to the edge of the arena again. His focus sharpened and he gave a brisk nod, then the gate opened with a clang. This time his hazer kept closer to the steer, guiding it in a straight line, and when Luke leaned from the saddle, he caught the animal just right, held on, and with a twist of its head, dropped it into the dirt.

Both he and Kennedy looked toward the time keeper.
 

"Six seconds," the young man called.

Luke shook his head. "Again."

Once the steer was in the chute, Kennedy backed toward the rail.

And shrieked in alarm when hands grabbed her waist. She whirled, fist raised, to look into the laughing green eyes of Liam Delaney, Luke's older brother. She drove her fist into his shoulder to release the adrenaline running through her, then let him pull her close for an embrace. He smelled good, fresh from a shower, while Luke had been working for two hours already.
 

"Should've stayed with me last night. I wouldn't have you up working so early, at least not out here in the dirt," Liam said, setting her away from him so he could look at her--all of her. "Still the best rack in rodeo."

Her face heated. Their history was very firmly that, but her body remembered the pleasure he'd shown her. She broke free before she did something stupid. "You still using ropes to catch your calves?"

"Making good money at it, too," he said, folding his arms over his chest. "You're still more than welcome to check out my fifth wheel any time you want. Big as a house."

Nothing had changed. Liam always spent money as fast as he could earn it.

"Where are you staying?" he asked.

Something in the way he said it made her think he knew. "With Luke, for now."

He lifted his eyebrows and looked from her to his brother, who was stalking back to the chute after another missed ride. Something in Luke's posture told Kennedy his mistake was somehow her fault.
 

"With Luke? Has he forgiven you for not telling him about Red?"

"Oh, not at all."

"He loved your dad more than ours--not saying much since our dad was never around. That was cold, what you did."

"He asked me not to tell you. He didn't want you to see him like that."

Liam's green eyes softened. "That bad?"

She sucked in a deep breath, filling her lungs with rodeo. "As bad as you can imagine."

"You shouldn't have had to deal with it on your own. You could have told us. We wouldn't have let on that it was you."

She huffed a laugh. "And who else would it be?" She shoved away from the rail. "I need to get to work."

The eyebrows lifted higher. "My brother has you running after his livestock?"

"And shoveling shit," Luke added, his voice a growl. "Don't you have work to do?"

Liam backed toward the rail, hands raised. "Yes, sir. Prize money to win and all that." He turned back to Kennedy. "Good to see you. Maybe we can go get another drink tonight. A real one."

She didn't chance a look at Luke. She'd heard of sibling rivalry, but these two took it to a new level. Her father had insisted that they compete in separate events so they didn't kill each other. "Maybe," was all she said, not wanting to piss Luke off further as she trotted to gather up the steer.

As she led the tired animal back to the end of the arena, she watched the brothers. Their parents might not have had much time for them, but the genes they'd passed on were outstanding. Liam was shorter by half a head, slightly broader, and a touch blonder. His features were carved by an angel, his green eyes rimmed by thick lashes, his lips full and soft, something she knew from experience.

Luke was more ruggedly handsome, darker-haired, long jaw, a nose that had been broken by a steer's head a time or two. His eyes were more whiskey than green, though he was also blessed with thick lashes. Liam was the easy-going one, Luke was the hard worker, though before she'd hurt him, he'd been unfailingly kind. Apparently having her around put him in a foul mood. Perhaps she should start thinking about how she could make it up to him.
 

Luke stalked back to the chute and she met him there.
 

"This one's worn out, Luke. We need fresh livestock."

He didn't look at her, but caught his mount by the reins and looked into the animal's face. "No, we're done here, for now. I'm sure Gary can find you something to do." He nodded toward the older man who'd been running the chutes.

Kennedy wanted to ask what time he'd be back at the trailer, whether he would have dinner there or would go out, but all those questions sounded too domestic. He was letting her stay with him, they didn't have a relationship. And from the look of him, he didn't want even her friendship. So she turned her back as he walked Rocky toward the barn.

***

Kennedy was filthy and starving as she trudged toward the trailer. She hadn't had money for lunch, or time to come back to finish her sandwich, and the bowl of cereal she'd eaten for breakfast had worn off long ago. She couldn't decide what she needed more--food or a shower.

She stopped outside the RV and pulled off her muddy boots, banging them against the asphalt to remove most of the gunk. They were still pretty nasty, so she tucked them under the step, then opened the door and entered.

Luke froze in the hallway outside the bathroom, a thin towel clasped low on his belly. His hair dripped onto broad shoulders. The water trickled down over his chest, following the path of least resistance through the soft-looking hair that covered smooth muscles. She couldn't tear her gaze away as she followed the droplets over his flat stomach to the towel, which he held with one hand over his groin. The pose left his hips bare.

Holy shit, the towel shifted, and not because his hand moved.

"Don't you knock?" he demanded, taking a step back toward the shadow of the bedroom.

She snatched her gaze from his groin and looked up. "Don't you lock the door when you're in the shower?"

"I don't usually have women barging in."

"I'm sure your pleasant demeanor takes care of that." She walked to the refrigerator and grabbed her foam container.
 

"Put that back."

She glanced at him. "It's my sandwich."

"And it's all soggy. We'll go get something fresh."

"There's no sense throwing away perfectly good food."

"Except that's not. It's nasty, the bread is falling apart and the chips are stale."

Had he looked at it? Why would he? "I can just eat the chicken out of it."

"Why are you always so damned stubborn? I said I'd take you for food."

"I can't let food go to waste."
 

He crossed the RV in two steps, still holding the towel. He let the container drop to the table, popped it open, grabbed her sandwich with one hand, and ate half of it in one bite.

"There," he said around a mouthful of chicken salad, backing toward the bedroom again. "Not wasted. Now shut up and take a shower, then we'll go." He turned, giving her a glimpse of one fine naked ass, before he pulled the sliding door shut.

"My clothes are in there," she called as she stepped into the bathroom.
 

"Payback's a bitch."

Did he intend to keep her clothes hostage? Fine. If he wanted to see her naked, she'd march out of the shower naked. As the water rained down on her, she imagined Luke stepping in the tiny shower behind her, cupping her breasts in his big, rough hands, easing the ache he'd caused. She knew he wanted to, the way he looked at her. Just thinking about the heat she saw in his eyes, she curved her hands over her breasts, plucking her nipples. God, she could imagine his mouth on her. But before she could do more to ease the ache, the water went cold, and she shrieked. She finished bathing faster than she would have liked, since Luke's hot water heater was apparently tiny. She grabbed a towel so thin as to be almost useless, did her best to dry off, then slid open the pocket door.

But the RV was empty.

***

Luke's heavy coat was no match for the north wind, but he huddled outside anyway. No way could he be in the RV with her showering, thinking about her naked body, not after the way she'd looked at him earlier. Jesus, even the cold couldn't fight his dick's reaction to the interest he saw in her eyes. What would it feel like to take her up on that offer?

It would feel like shit, that was what, because he didn't like her. Part of him was still sad about that, because they'd been good friends before. She'd been his ally against Liam on more than once, until she'd landed in Liam's bed. She'd stood by his side as her father taught him everything he knew about rodeo, had soothed ruffled feathers, had teased him out of foul moods when he let Red down. Maybe that was part of the reason that he'd felt betrayed. She knew how he felt about her dad.