BuckingHard (7 page)

He’ll wake and be relieved I’m gone.

And maybe a bit guilty. His honor and their friendship would
demand some token attempt at making her feel she was more than a one-night
stand. He did care about her, after all. And now that she thought about it,
he’d probably be mad that she hadn’t given him a chance to play the good guy.
But he’d get over it and eventually forget last night.

Unfortunately, she never would.

* * * * *

Mason hummed to the tune on the radio and turned up the
drive to Bradi’s house. He’d had Cal drive him into town to get his truck,
hoping she’d still be at the Lucky Draw, chatting it up with Lindsey.

He’d been pissed at Bradi’s note, with no mention of last
night or seeing him later. Just “Borrowed your truck. It’s at the Lucky Draw.
Keys under the mat. Bradi.” But then he’d smiled. Short and to the point. That
was his Bradi.

And nothing, not even her absence from his bed when he woke,
could have spoiled his mood. He’d showered and shaved, excited to see her again
but wanting to look his best when he told her he loved her. He couldn’t wait to
see the surprise on her face and, more importantly, the love he’d seen in her
eyes last night. The same love that had been there all these years but he’d
been too blind to see.

He had it all planned. They’d take a walk down to the lake
behind her house. He’d kiss her under the willow tree then pull her down to sit
between his legs, her back against his chest, and they’d make plans for a
future together.

She’d finish her internship with Doc and take over his
practice, just like she planned. But she’d come home to him every evening and
they’d talk about the day they’d had. And the nights…having Bradi in his bed
every night for the rest of his life…

His balls tingled and his cock stretched against his fly. Maybe
they’d go back to his place to make those plans.

A smile tugging at his lips, Mason pulled up to the Kincaid
home and killed the engine. He glanced at the row of vehicles, Bradi’s car not
among them. He shrugged and winced, feeling the tenderness where she’d sunk her
teeth into him when she shattered. His smile deepened to a stupid grin. She’d
marked him with that bite, branded him. He was hers as surely as she was his.

Jumping out of the truck, he trotted up the steps to the
porch and knocked on the front door. He didn’t have anywhere to be except with
her so he’d wait. Besides, it’d been a while since he’d had a good visit with
Jenny and Mike. They’d been as close to parents as he’d ever have after his mom
and dad died, and he hadn’t been out to see them much since Bradi left for
A&M.

The door opened and Mike Kincaid answered the door, looking
tired and more than a little disgruntled.

“Bradi here?” he asked when Mike didn’t say anything. Mason
couldn’t imagine Bradi telling her dad where she’d spent the night or what
they’d done, but if she had, Mason would assure the man he aimed to marry his
daughter.

“Who is it?” Jenny’s soft voice called from the kitchen.

Mike’s frown deepened as he opened the door wider. “Come on
in.” He turned toward the back of the house. “It’s Mason.”

Mason stepped inside and shut the door behind him as Jenny
hurried through the arched doorway, bringing with her the tantalizing aroma of
chocolate chip cookies. He smiled. “Something smells good.”

Mike sank into the recliner. “She’s been baking since
sunrise.”

“Oh, hush.” Jenny wiped her hands on her apron and leaned
into Mason for a quick hug. When she pulled back, Mason saw the red rimming her
eyes and staining her nose. She always had a cookie jar full, but excessive
baking meant something was worrying her.

Guilt stampeded through Mason like a herd of scared
longhorns. He hadn’t thought to call them last night and let them know Bradi
was safe. But she might not have told them she was with him either. “Bradi did
get home this morning?”

“Oh, yeah. She spent the night with Lindsey.” A jittery
smile lay at odds with the moisture in her eyes. “Said she did a bit too much
celebrating and didn’t want to try to drive.”

Mason nodded, a little uncertain how to proceed. He’d
obviously stumbled into some family drama. “She home?”

“No, but you’re welcome to wait.” She sniffed and motioned
to the couch.

He hated to intrude but he didn’t want to miss Bradi either.
“I can wait on the porch.”

“Oh, don’t be silly. Sit down.” She shooed him with one hand.
“Would you like some lunch?”

“No, ma’am, I’m not hungry. But thank you.” He turned back
to the door, intent on waiting outside. His gaze fell on two suitcases beside
the door. Bradi’s suitcases. He’d loaded and unloaded them often enough those
first few years when she left and came home from school. His breath hung in his
throat and dread weighed heavy in his gut. “Where’s Bradi?”

“She went to tell Doc Harper.”

“Tell him what?” Mason swiveled to face both Bradi’s
parents. Fresh tears gathered in Jenny’s blue eyes, reminding him of Bradi’s
when she’d lashed out at him yesterday for being such an ass. Was that only
yesterday? “What’s going on? Where’s she going?”

“Oh.” Jenny twisted her hands in the worn apron. “I thought
she rode over to talk to you yesterday. She said her decision depended on you.
But maybe…” She looked at Mike then back at Mason and lifted a shoulder. “Guess
she decided on her own. We only found out this morning so…”

“Just tell the boy.” Mike rubbed a hand over his face. “He
might be the only one who can talk some sense into her.”

“She’s leaving. Taking an internship with the PRCA.”
Lowering herself to the arm of the sofa, Jenny dabbed at her eyes. “She told us
a while back about the offer, but I thought for sure she wouldn’t take it. I mean,
I know it’s a great opportunity, but…”

Mason’s stomach roiled. She was leaving?

“I don’t think she really wants to go,” Jenny continued,
though Mason could barely hear her over the blood rushing through his ears.
“But that could be my wishful thinking.”

Is that what she’d tried to talk to him about yesterday? The
reason she’d been calling? Her dream had always been to come home and take over
Doc Harper’s practice. She talked of nothing else in high school. Had something
changed?

“No, I don’t think so.” Mason shook his head and started
backing toward the door. He missed the knob twice before latching onto it and
slinging the door open. The pictures on the wall rattled with the force. The
sound yanked him from the stupor of disbelief and hurled him into action. Last
night felt right. This didn’t. “What time does her flight leave?”

Jenny blinked but Mike sat forward. “Midnight.”

Nodding, Mason crossed the threshold and jumped all three
steps of the porch in a run toward his truck. The engine roared as he stomped
on the accelerator and threw the truck into reverse. Without letting off the
gas, he shifted into first and the truck fishtailed down the drive toward the
highway.

What if Bradi’s plans
had
changed?
She
had.
And he sure as hell hadn’t seen that coming.

His foot eased off the gas pedal, doubt crowding in. What if
last night was just the side of Bradi he hadn’t known existed? She’d said she
needed to get laid. Wanted some down and dirty sex. No, there was more to it
than that. He’d seen it in her eyes. She loved him.

Bradi might not have been the innocent he thought—hell, he’d
set out to teach her a lesson and she’d wound up teaching him a few—but her
pushing him until he broke wasn’t about being too drunk to know better or
needing to scratch an itch. She’d wanted
him
. And deep down he knew she
would never be that careless with their friendship.

But if she loved him, why the fuck was she leaving?

“Something to remember when I’m gone.”

Mason slammed on the brake and the truck skidded to a halt
in the middle of the road.

She’d known.

She’d made love to him and all along she’d fucking known she
was leaving. And he’d bet his last dollar she planned to go without a fucking
word goodbye.

* * * * *

By the time Mason turned up the road to Clay Talbot’s ranch,
he wasn’t any closer to figuring out what was going on in Bradi’s head. Or in
his. One second he was pissed as hell. The next he was scared to death.

He’d stormed into the animal clinic, hollering her name and
practically bitten the heads off everyone until someone told him she had gone
out to Clay’s place with Doc Harper. Mason had muttered a quick apology and
stalked out.

The reckless drive at speeds that nearly sent him into the
ditch twice hadn’t calmed his anger, but at the sight of her car parked next to
the Doc’s beat-up truck, he breathed his first sigh of relief since seeing her
suitcases.

God, he couldn’t fuck this up. He had to get a grip on his
temper before they talked.

Pulling behind her car so she couldn’t leave before he found
her, he killed the engine, jumped out of the truck and slammed the door. He had
no idea what he was going to say or do, but if she thought what they’d shared
last night was just some souvenir to take with her, he would damn well set her
straight.

Clay met him on the way out of the barn, looking as if he’d
been up all night. “What brings you out this way? Or do I need to ask?”

“I need to talk to Bradi.”

“She’s inside with Doc.” Clay hitched a thumb over his
shoulder, indicating the barn. “I’ll be in the house if anything changes.”

Mason nodded, stepped into the shadows of the barn and
stopped dead. Any reason or calm he’d gained—and there wasn’t much—fled as
Bradi stood on tiptoe to place a kiss on Evan McNamara’s cheek. Her hand
lingered on his arm and she laughed at something he said. Worse, the second she
spotted Mason, her smile dissolved.

Rage blocked common sense, driving Mason forward. Her hand
fell away as Evan turned around and offered his. “Montgomery.”

Mason ignored the gesture. “Fuck off.”

“Mason!” Her eyes widened in shock.

Evan laughed. “I was just leaving.”

“Evan, you don’t have to go.” Cheeks flushed as pink as her
tank top, she glared at Mason. “What’s wrong with you?”

“That’s all right.” Evan held up his hands. “She’s all
yours.”

“Damn right.” Mason ground his teeth, knowing he was
screwing up but unable to stop himself.

As soon as Evan cleared the doorway, she jabbed his chest
with her finger. “You had no business acting like that. He’s done nothing to
you.” She shook her head and bent to grab the black bag at her feet. “What are
you doing here anyway?”

The irritation in her voice stung both his pride and his
heart. And didn’t do much for his temper. “We need to talk.”

“I’m busy.”

“Not too busy for Evan McNamara.”
Damn.
This wasn’t
about Evan or his jealousy. No matter what he’d just seen, Mason knew she loved
him. He just knew it. And it pissed him off that she was pushing him away. What
he couldn’t figure out was why.

“Look, Mason—”

“No, I’m sorry. I don’t give a shit about him.” He grabbed
her upper arms and hauled her against him. Her breath caught and she looked up
at him with startled eyes. “God, Bradi, were you even going to say goodbye?”
The color drained from her face along with her anger. She blinked and swallowed
and he had his answer. “So last night meant nothing to you?”

She shoved at him. “That’s right, Mason. It was just sex.”

Bradi was never a good liar, but he’d hurt her and deserved
whatever punishment she dished out. Still, he wouldn’t let her give up on him.
“If that’s so, then why the hell are you running off?”

“She ain’t going nowhere, boy.” Doc poked his head over the
stall door. “We got work to do.” He angled a frown at Bradi. “You got my bag?
This little mama needs our help.”

Darting a nervous glance at the old man as he returned to
his patient, then back at Mason, she whispered, “I can’t talk about this now.”

“You haven’t told him?”

“No.”

The band around his chest loosened. If she hadn’t told Doc
about the other job, he still had time to change her mind. Inhaling a deep
breath, he released her and folded his arms over his chest. “Go do what you
have to. I’ll wait.”

“This could take a while. You should just go home.”

“So you can cut out on me like you did this morning?”

“Mason—”

“I’ll wait.”

“Fine.” She spun on her heel, stomped into the stall and
shut the gate with a soft click. No doubt she wanted to slam it but already had
the suffering animal in mind.

Mason leaned over the gate as she maneuvered to the far
corner and squatted next to Doc. “Are you going to try to turn it?”

Doc handed what looked like a surgeon’s gown and a long
plastic glove to Bradi. “No,
you
are.”

Top teeth latching on to her lower lip, she tied on the
gown, slid the glove over her entire arm and knelt at the south end of the
mare. From that moment forth, her training took over. She tuned out the world,
totally oblivious to him or her surroundings, and focused on the mare and tiny
life determined to enter the world backward.

The longer Bradi worked, the more convinced he was that she
would hate the limitations of working the circuit. This was what she loved,
what she was meant for. She knew exactly what to do and half the time she did
it before Doc opened his mouth. Was she willing to give this up to work with
the colic and minor injuries of rodeo stock? He didn’t think so.

After a long fifteen minutes of Doc mashing the horse’s
belly and Bradi doing her best to maneuver the foal internally, she backed
away. “I think I got it.”

The mare’s stomach contracted and two tiny hooves appeared.
Bradi’s laughter filled the stall, and her gaze locked with his. The smile that
lit her face melted his heart, and all anger faded.