Daddy with a Deadline (17 page)

“Trent! Trent! Wake up!”

Trent thought he heard Annie’s voice. He’d been dreaming about the woman again. And now the dream seemed real. He could almost feel her soft touch.

“Trent!”

There it was again. That voice. Unmistakably Annie.

Trent tried to open his eyes. Didn’t work. OK, he’d try one eye. Even using just one, he recognized the lovely Annie bending over him.

“Can you wake up?” she urged. “Please try.”

He managed to open both eyes simultaneously. Ouch! “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Are you in labor again?”

“Oh, Trent. Do you know where you are? Do you know what happened to you?”

Were those trick questions? “Of course I know where I am. I’m here with you.” He let his heavy eyelids drift shut.

“Do not close your eyes, Trent Madison. Do not, do not, do not!”

Definitely Annie. Bossy as ever.

Trent squinted and saw her flip open her cell phone. “I’m calling 911. The ambulance will get here soon and take you to the hospital.”

“The hospital?” That startled him so much he tried to sit up. But didn’t quite make it.

Annie’s blue-as-the-sky eyes brimmed with tears. “Why are you crying?” he asked.

She sniffed. “Because you’re hurt.”

Trent gazed around and for the first time realized where he was. Flat on his back in the corral. His memory inched back into place.

“Do you remember what happened?”

“Of course I remember. I tried to mount Wildfire, but he had other ideas. Where is the old boy?”

“Over there in the corner. Will he stay put? Or come over here and trample us?” Annie bit her lip as her gaze flitted nervously to the horse.

“You never know about Wildfire.”

“Let’s get you out of here. I’m calling 911, and don’t try to stop me.”

Her declaration shocked Trent enough that he pulled himself into a sitting position. Yow, but his head ached. And a meteor shower danced before his eyes.

“Lie down this minute. You’ll hurt yourself.”

“I already hurt myself. But I’m getting over it.”

Annie punched a number into her phone and Trent grabbed it just in time. “If I call 911 every time I get bucked off a horse, I’ll live at the hospital.”

She glared at him. “You probably have a concussion and possibly a head injury. Stop being so stubborn.”

“Let’s look at Plan B. I’ll sit here a minute or two. Then I’ll see if I can stand up. If I can’t, you can call the paramedics.”

She sighed. “Have it your way. You always do.”

Trent’s gaze focused on Annie and he couldn’t quite force it away. She wore a yellow dress and looked like sunshine personified. “You’re dressed up. Did you go someplace special?”

She frowned. “I told you earlier that I was going to Mrs. Higginbotham’s. You aren’t thinking straight.”

“I remember now. You were making preserves. See? My brain works just fine.”

The frown intensified. “What kind of preserves?”

“Peach.”

“Wrong.”

“Oh yeah. Strawberry.”

“Lucky guess.”

Trent wanted to stall Annie a little longer. Until the meteor shower died down. But she studied him anxiously. If he didn’t stand up soon, a couple of burly guys would plop him onto a gurney and haul him to Ash Grove Memorial.

“Do you think you can stand?”

“I’d rather sit here and talk to you. Why are you here, anyway?”

“I brought some preserves for you and Rosa. Good thing, too. You could have died out here and no one would know.”

She looked so anxious that Trent didn’t argue. He just smiled. That hurt too.

“You like me more than you think,” he said.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because you were crying earlier. I saw you.”

“I wasn’t crying.”

“Well, misting, then. Definitely misting.”

Annie stuck out her chin. “Maybe I was misting. But you scared me, Trent. Big-time.”

“Sorry. You’ve got enough on your mind without worrying about me. I’m ready to get up now.”

Her face brightened. “Really? Or are you just humoring me?”

He was, of course. He didn’t see how his brain and body could cooperate well enough to get him into an upright position. But he had to try.

“Here, Trent. Lean on me.”

When Annie slipped her arm around him, Trent wanted to stay in the corral forever. Her sweet scent reminded him of lazy summer days and breezy summer nights. He breathed deeply and sighed with pleasure.

“Are you trying to get up?”

Oh yeah. He’d forgotten.

“I can’t put much weight on you,” he said. “Not in your condition.”

“I’m strong as a horse. Just lean on me.”

After several futile attempts Trent managed to pull himself up without overstraining Annie. “How’s that?” he asked.

“Impressive. Can you walk?”

“Not far.”

“I know. I’ll get Pete and drive you to the door.”

“I like the way you think. I’ll just lean on the corral till you get back.”

“Try not to fall over,” she cautioned.

That would take supreme effort, but he’d manage.

Moments later Annie pulled the VW up to the corral gate, and with her help Trent climbed in. After considerable maneuvering and lots of encouragement from Annie, they made it into the house and headed for the den. With relief, Trent dropped into his recliner. “I feel like I just ran a marathon.”

“You must see the doctor.” Another Annie Samuels ultimatum.

“Hey, no fair. I stood and walked on my own. I’m fine, Annie.”

“Either I drive you to the hospital or we call that ambulance.”

“Let me call Doc Rivers. I sold him a horse awhile back and he owes me a favor. Maybe he’ll drop by the house.”

“Hmm.”

“Would a house call earn your stamp of approval?”

“Maybe.”

Annie retrieved Trent’s cell phone from the kitchen table, and he called Doc Rivers, who agreed to a house call. “He’s coming in half an hour. Satisfied?” Trent asked. “Why don’t you head on home, Annie. You must be tired.”

“I’m not going anywhere until the doctor checks you out. I won’t rest until I know you’re OK.”

Trent smiled even though it hurt. Pretty much everything hurt. But having Annie fuss over him was a new experience. And she actually seemed to care about him. They’d switched places, and Trent liked the attention.

“Never thought I’d see the day,” he mumbled.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing, Annie. Nothing at all.”

Annie waited in the kitchen while Dr. Rivers examined Trent. She wanted to be in the den hanging on the doc’s every word, but that wasn’t appropriate. After all, she wasn’t Trent’s wife, fiancée, or girlfriend. She was his...

His what? Their relationship defied description! Trent was like her pretend husband/bodyguard. Or maybe her babysitter. Her thoughts swam crazily.

Doc Rivers was white-haired, tanned, and fit for his sixty-plus years. He came out to the kitchen. “You’re Annie, right?”

“Yes. Nice to meet you, Dr. Rivers. How’s Trent?”

“He took a hard fall. But I won’t hospitalize him if someone can stay with him for the next twenty-four hours.”

“I’m not sure where Trent’s housekeeper is.”

“Then maybe we should...”

“I’ll stay.” Annie couldn’t believe she’d made that offer.

The doctor nodded. “I’m sure that would please Trent.”

“Are you kidding? My very existence annoys the man. We disagree on everything.”

The doctor’s eyes twinkled when he smiled. “You do more than annoy him, my dear. He spoke of you in glowing terms.”

Annie’s heart skipped a beat. “He did? What did he say?”

“Patient privacy doesn’t allow me to elaborate. But if you can spend the night, Trent will be pleased. I assure you.”

Annie blushed. Her cheeks must look as red as the bowl of apples on the kitchen counter.

“The man fell on his head,” she pointed out. “He doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

“You may be right.” But the wry grin stayed firmly in place. “I gave him a painkiller with codeine that he can take every four hours. Some folks react to codeine. They get a little, well, loopy is the layman’s term.”

“Loopy, huh? I’ll keep an eye on him.”

“If he has a concussion, it’s slight. But I’d like him to stay awake as long as possible. If he has any problems, just give me a call. And if you can get the guy to slow down for a day or two, he’ll be fine.”

“Thanks for coming. I wanted to call an ambulance but Trent refused. He can be very, um, strong-minded.” Annie didn’t use the other adjectives that came to mind: bull headed, immovable, and stubborn to the core.

“I see you understand Trent. But I’m betting you can hold your ground where he’s concerned.”

She lifted her chin. “You bet I can.”

“Nice to meet you, Annie. Call me if anything changes.”

After the doctor left Annie went to the den to check on Trent. He sat on the couch staring into space. And he did look loopy. Oh dear. She had her work cut out for her.

“Did it go OK with the doctor?” she asked.

He hadn’t noticed her come in and jumped at her words. “Oh, hi, Annie.”

“Hi.”

“When did you get here?”

Her sense of panic returned. “I found you in the corral, Trent. Don’t you remember?”

“Of course I remember. But I thought you left when the doctor came.”

His thoughts weren’t tracking properly, which caused Annie’s heart to pound. “I said I’d stay until the doc checked you out.”

He nodded. “Oh yeah. With my head pounding like this it’s hard to concentrate.”

Annie sat beside him on the couch. “What did the doctor say?”

“That I should rest a day or two.” He paused and grinned. “And that someone should stay with me for the next twenty-four hours.”

Hmm. The man remembered some things just fine.

“I’ll call Rosa,” Annie offered. “I’m sure she’ll drive back from Clinton. You know how protective she is.”

Trent’s grin disappeared. “Please don’t do that. Rosa will smother me. Besides, she needs some time with her sister.”

Good. He’d remembered that too. At least part of his brain was functioning.

His forehead creased into a frown. Because Annie didn’t want him to feel distressed, she told him the truth. “I promised Doc Rivers I’d spend the night.”

Trent chuckled. A deep, sexy chuckle that rumbled through Annie’s body, stirring up every single nerve ending. “That’s a wicked laugh, Mr. Madison.”

He winked at her. “Hey, I’ll get bucked off Wildfire more often if it means you’ll spend the night.”

The surge of desire that flared inside Annie shocked her. Worry and anxiety were enough to manage without battling attraction as well.

But from the moment this cowboy showed up—unannounced—on her doorstep, she’d felt attracted to the man. She’d tried again and again to shrug off the sensation. To her chagrin, it seemed on the increase!

At least he was talking—not just staring into space. A moment later his eyelids drifted shut. Trent had amazing eyelashes, Annie noticed. Thick and black, they framed those smoky eyes to perfection. She studied him a few minutes longer and then scooted closer to him on the couch. “Trent? Are you OK?”

His eyes opened lazily. “What?”

“Doc Rivers said you should stay awake, remember?”

“I am awake. I’m awake with my eyes shut.”

“That’s unacceptable. When your eyes are closed you look asleep to me.”

He straightened up and blinked a few times. “I see the problem.”

Trent went back to staring into space, and Annie stared at Trent as he stared into space. “How are you doing now?”

“Even better than the last time you asked—thirty seconds ago.”

Annie smiled. Trent had an uncanny gift for making her smile. “Good. Are you getting hungry?”

“A little. Are you?”

“I’m pregnant. I’ve been hungry for nine months.”

He chuckled. “You’re funny.” His eyes drifted shut again and Annie inched even closer and nudged him.

“Huh?”

“Your eyes keep closing.”

“I can’t help it. My eyelids weigh more than usual.” Trent turned to her and smiled. “It’s nice when you cuddle up to me like this. I could get used to it.”

Annie felt her cheeks flush. “This is not cuddling. I’m only here for...”

“For what?”

“For guard duty.”

“Ouch. You know how to shoot a man down. I thought you liked me, Annie.”

“I do like you.”

Trent listed toward her. “Can I put my head down? Just for a minute?”

Before Annie knew it, Trent’s head rested squarely on her shoulder. Having him so deliciously close made her heart race. “OK, but just for a minute. And keep those eyes open.”

“Yes, sir. Very good, sir.”

Trent’s head on Annie’s shoulder felt heavenly. And perfectly natural. And his thick shiny hair looked touchable. Far too touchable. Annie suppressed the urge to tangle her fingers in the strands. He’d probably never know, since he was practically comatose.

Don’t touch the man
, she told herself. Annie took several deep breaths, trying to harness her emotions.

Trent slumped toward her and looked uncomfortable. “I’ll put my arm around you so you won’t be in that awkward position,” she told him.

He shifted his weight and let Annie slip her arm around him before leaning on her shoulder. “Better?”