One Stubborn Cowboy (20 page)

Kelly sat up gingerly and put the tray on her lap. The food was delicious and she felt pampered to be served in bed. Her headache was not as strong as yesterday. Maybe it would go away soon. She'd taken two more of the pain pills earlier and they were starting to take effect.

"Kit and Clint already gone out?" she asked, trying to be casual.

"Yes. Won't be home for lunch, either. There's a lot to do on a cattle ranch, and we don't have a lot of hired help this time of year. What with inoculations, checking the fencing, the water, keeping tally of the herd, moving them from one pasture to another and all the government paperwork, it's a hard job. And you never know ahead of time what the beef will sell for."

"And you love being a part of it," Kelly said, smiling at her enthusiasm.

"I sure do. Of course, my folks do it, too, so I've known ranching all my life. I help the guys when things get hectic," Sally said.

"Have you known the Lockford men all your life?" Kelly asked, again conscious of the difference in their lives. She'd been shunted from home to home, and had no friends she'd known for years. Sally came from such a stable background. Did she appreciate it?

"Sure have. Though they are older than me. Clint said he noticed me when I was a senior in high school, but couldn't do anything about it then. I was too young." She giggled softly. "So he waited and asked me out three days after graduation. Then he waited until I tried college before asking me to marry him."

"Did you like college?"

"No. I only went two years." She sighed gently. "We were to be married that fall, but that's when Kit was so badly injured. When Clint offered to help him out on his ranch, Clint postponed our wedding. He said he had to wait and see how much care Kit needed. He didn't want to tie me down. He was so stubborn about it, even when I told him there would never be anyone else for me."

Kelly looked at her, puzzled. "They weren't partners before?"

"No. Clint worked at his dad's place. We'd even talked about his taking over my folks' place when they get too tired of doing it. I'm an only child, you see. Then the accident happened. I worried for a long time that we wouldn't get married. But we finally did and things have worked out great."

"And does Kit take a lot of care?" Kelly asked carefully.

"None. I cook the meals, but he could if he wanted. He can do anything he wants, I think."

"Me, too." Kelly finished the last of her tea and gently replaced her cup. "In fact, I told him I think he should try riding again."

Sally looked surprised. "Oh, Kelly, I don't think he can do that."

"He won't know if he doesn't try. He misses it so much. He's not happy."

"You wouldn't be either, Kelly, if you'd lost your livelihood and the woman you loved," Sally explained.

Kelly kept quiet about Althea, knowing Sally was her friend. But she wished she could let her know how despicable she thought the other woman was, how awful her treatment of Kit had been when he'd been in the hospital.

Instead, she shrugged. "So maybe he should find another woman to love."

Sally looked at her for a long time. "I don't know if he can. Love a woman, I mean. Physically, I mean."

Kelly met her gaze. "Yes, he can," she said, her eyes steady.

"Well, maybe, but riding's different."

"He told me the doctors said he might never walk, yet he's done that."

"With crutches," Sally clarified.

Kelly shrugged. "So, he's still mobile."

"They also said there was a chance he'd have even more mobility if he had another operation, but he won't have it. I think he's gone as far as he can," Sally said.

"What operation?"

Sally shook her head. "I don't know all about it. Clint just told me one night that Kit was adamant about refusing any more surgery. I think he's resigned himself to what he has now."

Kelly was thoughtful. Another operation might make a difference, and Kit wasn't taking the risk? It didn't sound like him. Was there more to it than Sally knew? Hadn't Molly said something about further operations? Why hadn't Kit mentioned it to her?

Sally's eyes dropped to the empty plate on Kelly's tray. "I'll clear that away for you." She took the tray and left the room, her face troubled. Kelly leaned back and scooted down in the bed, thinking about the situation at the ranch. Did Sally and Clint ever want their own place? Were they content to live with Kit forever? Replete from breakfast and with the pills easing the throbbing in her body, she drifted back to sleep.

By afternoon she was bored. She slept as much as she could, wondering if she'd be able to sleep tonight. She'd scanned all the magazines Sally had brought her with lunch, finding farm magazines not quite her thing. She wished she had the mystery she'd started a couple of days ago, or her sketch pad. Stirring restlessly on the bed, she straightened the covers and glanced out the window.

The rolling, grass-covered hills hadn't changed since the last time she'd looked. Nothing moved in the wide expanse. Even the grass was still in the afternoon sun. No air stirred, no birds trilled. The timeless tranquility of the land was undisturbed.

"Kelly, up for company?" Sally smiled at her in the doorway.

"Delighted, but I shouldn't take up your time. I ought to be at home," Kelly murmured.

"We went through that already. You're not a bit of trouble. And there'd be no one at your place to help you."

"Molly Benson," Kelly countered.

"She's too old to be traipsing up and down your steps. Truth to be told, I'm glad of the company." Sally perched on the chair near the bed and smiled at her guest. "It gets a little lonely here during the days. I like it better when I'm helping out on the range. At least I get to spend the day with Clint then."

"I'll be fine in a couple of days," Kelly murmured, feeling the tension building behind her forehead. Her head was beginning to ache again, just when she thought she was getting better.

"How about some iced tea?" Sally asked brightly, hopping up. She was back in only minutes. "Is everything all right?" she asked, setting down the tray of tea and handing Kelly a frosty glass.

"Sure, my head aches but I'll take another pill. Tell me about the expansion plans Kit and Clint were discussing the other evening."

With a happy nod, Sally began chatting about ranch issues, mutual friends and the Lockford plans for the future. Carefully explaining who people were, and some of the ranching terms she used, Sally made sure Kelly understood everything.

Kelly knew nothing of ranching or livestock. She listened avidly as Sally talked, soaking in everything she said. She delighted in the stories about the families in the area. She had no family of her own and longed for one. At one point Kelly wondered how Sally saw her. A nobody from the city coming in and trying to fit into the small community?

Sure, she had no family, but she wasn't exactly a nobody. She had lots of great friends and had built a satisfactory career all by herself. With talent alone. Maybe she should remember that and not long so much for the family she didn't have.

Just then the screen door slammed.

"Sally?" Kit's voice called.

"I'm in with Kelly," she called back.

"How're you feeling, Kelly?" Kit asked, appearing in the doorway. Moving to the far side of the bed, he leaned against his crutches and stared down at her, taking in the paleness of her skin, the dark bruise showing more clearly today than before.

"Better," she said, meeting his eyes for a second before sliding hers away. She tingled all over from his caring look.

"Clint back?" Sally asked, standing.

"Yes, he's in the barn."

She smiled and with a murmur about seeing them later took off to find her husband.

Kit waited until she'd left, then reached out and took Kelly's chin, turning her to face him again.

"How do you really feel?" he asked quietly.

"Like hell. My head keeps pounding, even with the pills. My hip is sore if I roll on it. How's the pony?"

"Sadder than usual," he said, his eyes dancing.

She made a face, then winced as the scrape on her forehead pulled. "Listen to me, Kit Lockford. I'm wounded. I don't need your mocking ways in my face now. I know you don't think the pony can look sad—"

"Oh, sweetheart, of course he's sad. He realized he's the reason he can't see you for a few days and his little black head is drooping."

She giggled softly. "Don't make fun of me."

His hand smoothed back her hair, tangling gently with the waves and combing through the soft tresses as he gazed down at her. "Maybe I'll wait until you're feeling better," he conceded.

She smiled up at him, relishing the feel of his fingers in her hair, reveling in the shimmering excitement that built when she was near him. She was lost gazing into his warm eyes and wondered if she'd ever get tired of being with him. If she'd ever get over longing to spend every moment of her day with him.

"Kit, did you sleep in here last night?" she asked at last.

He smiled and nodded. "But I left before Clint got up."

"I thought I had dreamed it, but wasn't sure."

"Do you have a lot of dreams about me?" he asked whimsically.

She went still, unwilling to admit it, yet curious if he ever dreamed of her. "Some," she said slowly.

He sat on the bed, placed the crutches against the wall and leaned back, threading his fingers through hers and looking down at her as she lay against the pillows. "Tell me what they're about," he invited in a soft, sexy drawl.

It was like fine wine, intoxicating every cell in her body. She couldn't draw her eyes away; she was caught in the snare of his gaze. Heat stole into her cheeks and her heart tripped faster at his look. She couldn't reveal how she dreamed about him, how erotic those dreams were. But he was waiting for her to speak.

Saying the first thing that came to mind, she did. "Why didn't you tell me there is another operation that might help?"

He withdrew. Shut down, put up walls.

Kelly was startled. She hadn't expected it. He even pulled his hand away. Looking out across the golden hills, he said nothing, his expression remote and closed. She shivered, almost wishing she hadn't asked. But if there was a chance to improve, why hadn't he taken it?

"Kit?" she prodded softly when he remained stubbornly silent.

He flicked her a glance, his eyes cold and almost defeated. He stared at her for a long moment, but Kelly felt as if he was staring right through her.

Finally he looked away and replied to her question. "I didn't tell you because I didn't feel it was any of your business."

She felt as if he'd struck her. Struggling a little, she pulled up on her elbow and glared at him. "Fine, you're probably right. It's not. Sorry I asked."

"Who told you, Sally?"

"She mentioned something today. Molly Benson mentioned something a few weeks ago. I didn't know it was a deep dark secret. And excuse me for prying." She was hurt. She thought they were at least friends who could discuss things.

"It's not a deep dark secret. Hell, it's not even a small secret. It was a possibility, that's all. Some experimental process at Stanford Medical Center. I chose not to try." His voice was void of all expression.

"Why?"