Fallen Angel (12 page)

              “Good morning sunshine.”  Angelica smiled, having Luke be the first thing she saw when she woke was not the worst thing in the world.

             
“Good morning yourself.” She said. “What is the plan, are you going to go get the wagon?”

             
“I figured I would take a look at the wound and decide then.”

             
“Oh, you haven’t done that.” She was kind of surprised.  He smirked at her,

             
“You have my arm.”  She looked down and realized his arm was tucked under her head.  She sat up quickly.

             
“Oh, sorry.”

             
“No problem.”  He got up and walked over to Ice, Angelica followed him. When Ice saw her she stood up.

             
“Well it doesn’t seem to be paining her too much, that’s a good sign.”  Angelica waited patiently while he looked over the foal. Finally he finished and turned back toward her.  It doesn’t look too bad, I think we can try to let her walk on it and just keep an eye on it.”

             
Angelica fed her the last of the milk she had before they got underway again. Riding with Luke was as nerve racking this time as it had been the last time but she was starting to adjust a bit. At least it didn’t feel like her heart was going to pound right out of her chest. 

             
They were only about halfway back to the ranch house when they encountered George and James coming in the opposite direction.

             
“Hey Boss, we were just coming to look for you. Did you run into trouble?”

             
“Hey George, yeah ran into a few coyotes. They attacked the foal, couldn’t see the wound well enough in the dark to tell if she could walk on it.”  Angelica sat up straight and put her hands on Luke’s sides as he spoke.

             
“Everything okay?” Angelica looked up at the sound of James’ voice. She looked around Luke and James’ gaze locked with hers, she wasn’t sure what he was looking for but it felt as if he were searching her eyes for something.  She met his gaze evenly and smiled.

             
“Yeah she seems to be okay, but there are a couple of dead coyotes south of here that need to be taken care of.”

             
“No problem, Boss.” George urged his horse on in the direction they had just come from, Angelica saw James hesitate just a moment longer before he followed George.

             
“What was that?” Luke asked over his shoulder once the others were out of earshot.

             
“What?”

             
“James.”

             
“I’m not sure.”

             
“I think he was worried about you.” Luke said and chuckled.

             
“Me, why would he be worried about me?”

             
“My first guess would be that he figured my intentions were less than honorable.”  Luke laughed again and Angelica laughed because she thought that was what he expected. She was glad he couldn’t see her face, she was certain it must be bright red as the memory of what had passed between them the previous night ran though her head.  Luke had been a perfect gentleman, if James was worried about anyone’s intentions he should’ve been worried about hers.

Once they returned to the barn, Angelica watched as Luke carefully examined and cleaned the wound
then applied a thick salve.

“Do you think she’ll be alright?” She asked quietly when he finished.

“If it doesn’t get infected she should be fine.” Ice trotted toward her and she held out the new bottle she had made her. Luke rose and left without saying anything else.

Luke rode out to check on the bailing crew, he had hired the day before. Tom and John were out working with them but he wanted to check in anyway.  He also just needed the time to think.  His life had been planned out since he was ten but that had mostly been about the ranch where it would be, how much land he would have. He expected that he would get married at some point, he wanted sons, after all he would need someone to pass the ranch on to. He had just never given much thought to that part.  Now he was having trouble thinking of anything else. He had just assumed that he would marry someone that he could get along with, someone that could help him run the ranch. Angie was a quick learner and didn’t mind the work, she had shown impressive dedication on behalf of that orphaned foal. She would make a good helpmate. He wasn’t quite as confident in his ability to get along with her. She could get under his skin faster than anyone he had ever known. He had always considered himself pretty even tempered but when it came to her, his fuse was surprisingly short. However, he had to admit any temper she inspired was overshadowed by the passion she inspired. He had never desired any woman the way he desired her it was unfamiliar territory.  This whole situation was unfamiliar territory, the type of thing he would normally avoid but he just couldn’t this time. It was like he couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.

“You know I think you can move back into the house.”  Angelica looked up and smiled at Luke as he let himself into the stall. “She has started eating grass, she can make it through the night. There is really no reason why you have to stay out here.”

“I like to be close to her, and she does still wake up and eat in the night sometimes.”

“But she doesn’t have to.” He sat down beside her and immediately bent forward and kissed her softly. She smiled, she didn’t want to move back into the house because of this, because he always came and sat with her at night after everyone was settled. During the day he kept his distance but every night for the week since they had spent the night under the stars he had been here with her talking and laughing and kissing her. She would spend every night in the barn for the rest of her life if it meant that this would continue.

“The bailing crew finished up today, we brought in the last bales.”

“Good, that didn’t take too long.”

“No it went pretty quick.  I think I am going to have the boys bring the herd in closer tomorrow and we’ll start branding the day after.”

“Sounds good, is there anything you need me to do?”

“No I a
m just letting you know that Ice will probably have to stay here in the stall.”

“Alright.” She smiled at him again, this was another new development she found that she liked, he was talking to her about the ranch, telling her what he was going to do she felt almost like he was drawing her into his life.
He stopped short of directly asking for her opinion but he still listened to what she said and answered all the questions she asked.

Branding day was everything he had said it would be, it was chaotic there were people and animals everywhere, cattle and men on horseback. Every corral was full as animals were shuffled from one stage of the process to the next. Angelica was fascinated she stood back and watched in awe, every man had a job and they all knew what they were supposed to do.

“It amazing isn’t it, the
way they all just work together without even having to talk to each other much.” Angelica looked at Ella the awe showing in her eyes and Ella smiled.

“It is.
I guess I have gotten used to it but you’re right. It is one of the reasons that it is so important to build a good team. These men live together and work together day in and day out with very little reprieve. If you get someone who doesn’t fit, who can’t get along with the others it can cause the team to come apart. Some owners battle that with strict discipline not Luke, he has handpicked each of them just to assemble a good team.”  Angelica smiled that sounded like Luke, he thought every action through down to every detail. She scanned the activity until she found him sitting astride Blaze he was moving the next group of cattle that was to be branded and castrated into the holding pen, one calf broke from the group and before she even had time to register what was happening he had Blaze bearing down on the calf his lariat swinging over his head he roped the calf and returned it to the group continuing with his original task as if nothing had happened.

Angelica felt her chest swell with a mixture of pride and admiration. He was so good at what he did that he didn’t even notice. Ever
ything about him made her smile. The thought of him kissing her made her weak. She was in love with him, she wasn’t sure exactly when she realized it but with each passing day she was coming to terms with it a little more.

It took all day and half the next to accomplish everything that Luke had set out for them to do, once they were done the competitions began.  Luke looked but he didn’t see Angie anywhere so he went to the barn. He found her leaning on Ice’s stall door
.

“Hey, there you are.” He stepped up beside her and ran his hand up her back. She turned and smiled up at him.

“Yep you found me.” He bent to kiss her but just before he did they both heard the door open, he straightened up and stepped away just as he always did if there was someone else around. She sighed, she wished he wouldn’t she was fairly certain everyone knew was what was going on but let him pretend anyway.

“Hey Boss, the boys want you to judge,
they don’t think I am impartial.” Tom said and laughed Luke laughed too.

“Alright, I’ll be right out.” Once Tom had gone Luke continued on his original purpose he kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him. His shirt was wet with sweat from working in the sun but she didn’t care the times when she got to hold him were so few there was no way she would be deterred by a little sweat.

“Come on let’s go watch, I think you’ll enjoy it.”  Angelica followed him back out into the yard, she itched to take his hand but held herself back. If he didn’t want their relationship to be public knowledge she would respect that at least for now.

She watched as the men raced across the yard two at a time each roping a calf then leaping off their
horse flipping the calf on its back and tying its legs. Then they would look to Luke to declare the fastest. All of the competitions were accompanied by tremendous banter and relentless teasing. Luke was right she did enjoy it, she laughed and cheered and just enjoyed herself in general. She sat beside Luke the whole time and was surprised to see him laughing as well, usually when she saw him around his men he was more reserved.

“Alright Boss, you’re up.” George handed Luke several lengths of leather.

“Oh, you been practicing George, think you can beat me this time?”

“Not me.” George laughed and handed the second set of leather
to Angelica. Luke looked at her surprised and she just smiled, he grinned and looked back at George.

“What are we making?”

“A halter.”

“Alright.” Luke scooted away a bit to give them both enough space to move.  “Say when.”

George started them and Angelica worked furiously weaving the leather just like she had practiced so many times. She concentrated only on what she was doing resisting the urge to check Luke’s progress.

“Done.”  She said the second she was
. Luke said he was done immediately after her.  The men took both halters examining them and conferring with each other. Luke’s eyes held hers, he was still smiling at her.

“By unanimous decision Angel is the winner!” George exclaimed. She felt someone lift her arm in the air and then they pulled her to her feet and out amid the crowd.

Luke watched as the men twirled Angie around in a spontaneous celebration dance. He couldn’t stop smiling she fit, here with him with all of them, she fit perfectly.  He was going to marry her, he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt as he watched her and listened to her laugh. He was going to marry her and spend the rest of his life building his world around her.  He felt the acorn in his pocket, he had been carrying it since she gave it to him. He was certain something had changed in him that day, maybe that was the day be had begun falling in love with her more likely it was before that. Either way that time and place felt significant and he intended to ask her to marry him under that tree.  He would do it tomorrow.  Now he would just revel in the moment.

Angelica woke early, they had all been up late, they had built a bonfire in the yard and Tom told stories late into the night keeping them all entertained. She had leaned on Luke and he let her. Seemingly not caring that there were people around. She fell asleep lying against him and only woke when he was tucking her into the bed. She had protested that she should be in the barn but he had silenced her argument with a kiss and assured her that Ice would be fine. Now she couldn’t help but smile as she dressed for the day. She wanted to see him to spend some time alone with him, Ice would need exercise today after having spent the last two days cooped up in the barn. She left the bedroom and found Luke already in the kitchen drinking coffee.

“You’re up early.” She said smiling brightly at him.

“I couldn’t sleep.” He said and smiled back at her, she slid her arms around his waist and turned her face up to him. He bent and kissed her softly just as she expected him to.