Captivating A Cowboy

Her dream was to take time off teaching to write. She had ideas for several children’s books, but she needed the time. Teaching seemed to drain away her creativity.

She’d sublet her apartment at the beach for the summer and planned to spend her vacation repairing plaster and painting. Then she’d put the house up for sale and go back to Los Angeles in time to start teaching. When the house sold, she’d take a leave of absence to write.

Julie walked back into the bedroom. She’d checked recent sale prices of Victorians in Ferndale. She figured she could take next year, maybe even the next two, off if she moved away from the beach and into a cheaper apartment.

There were a few pieces of her grandmother’s furniture she’d like to keep, but the rest she could offer with the house. She made a mental note to talk to the people who ran the Foggy Bottom Antiques Store and Cream City Antiques. They might be willing to take some of it on consignment.

Her mind wandered back to Tony. Why had she agreed to dinner tomorrow night? She didn’t plan to get involved. She’d ended her on-again-off-again relationship with Alan before she left L.A. He had indicated he wanted to get more serious, and she wasn’t interested in a commitment.

Julie rummaged through the bag from the hardware store and laid out the tools recommended in the book. In L.A. she wouldn’t think of going out with someone she didn’t know. But here in Ferndale nobody was really a stranger.

She turned her attention back to work and did a quick scan of the section on repairing plaster. She climbed the ladder to get to the damaged wall, then donned the mask and goggles. Within minutes of chipping away at the plaster dust covered her hair and sifted into her bra.

She sneezed and a cloud of fine white powder drifted down.

Why would anyone choose to do this kind of work? She thought of Tony as she wiped at her face with her sleeve, then climbed back down the ladder to tuck a rag in the waistband of her jeans.

She flipped on the portable compact disk player and with Jimmy Buffett wailing about cheeseburgers in paradise, she went back to work.

By midafternoon her arms ached. Even though she had worn the goggles, she had to use saline drops to get the dust out of her eyes. But she’d made good progress. All the old plaster was down. Tomorrow she would start patching. Her arms were too sore to start today.

Julie took a shower and washed the plaster out of her hair. Then she fixed herself a snack and contemplated what she would do with the rest of the afternoon.

The closets. Bessie had a lifetime of stuff stored on the shelves and in the cupboards. Julie felt like an intruder going through her grandmother’s belongings, but it had to be done.

The woman had never shared anything personal with Julie, and would probably be horrified that someone was poking through her things, but Julie couldn’t get rid of them without sorting them.

Reluctantly she trudged back up the stairs and started in the room where she had slept as a teenager.

She slipped off her shoes and used the chair from the dressing table to reach the shelves in the closet. There were boxes of hats and gloves that must have dated back to the forties. Bessie had worn a hat to church every Sunday.

Julie wondered if they would be worth anything at a vintage clothing store. She knew of a good one in L.A. she could call, she thought as she piled them in a corner of the room.

After she finished the closet, she opened the cupboards above the closet. Large boxes marked Bedding were stacked to the top of the space. Had her grandmother saved old bedding as well as old clothes?

Julie reached as high as she could and tugged at the top box. It seemed to be caught on the box below. She should go get the ladder, but she was tired and the thought of getting down to get the darned thing was too much work.

She gave the box a yank and it slid toward her. The cardboard came apart in her hands and a waterfall of huge leather-bound books tumbled down on her, knocking her from the chair.

As she hit the floor beside the bed she heard a sound that reminded her of a dry twig breaking.

She lay up against the bed, stunned. The books were ledgers from the insurance business her grandfather had run in Ferndale for years.

Furious with herself for being so stupid, she struggled to sit up. It hurt to move her right arm and she had a gash on the inside of her left elbow that was starting to bleed freely. Her legs felt okay, so she struggled to her feet and grabbed a towel from the bathroom to hold against the cut.

She got as far as the top of the stairs when she started to feel dizzy, so she lowered herself to the top step and leaned against the wall. She needed a moment to think about what she’d do next.

Tony skirted the rotten boards on Julie’s steps and paused at the front door. He glanced down at the plaster finishing tool he held in his hand. His offer of help so soon after she had turned him down twice might make her mad, but getting a smooth finish to match the rest of the room was tricky, and he wanted to help her out.

He turned the crank on the old doorbell.

“Come in.”

He heard her faintly through the heavy door. He stepped into the dim foyer and glanced up the stairs to find her sitting on the top step. She’d washed her hair and changed clothes.

He smiled. “Wear yourself out?”

“Something like that,” she said, her voice flat and low.

She was mad at him and he hadn’t even offered his help yet. She’d undoubtedly spotted the trowel in his hand.

But then he realized as he looked up at her something was wrong. She was leaning against the wall as if she needed the support. Her face was pale and drawn.

He dropped the trowel and took the stairs two at a time, flipped on the light switch and crouched down on the step below her.

“You showed up at just the right time,” she said, an edge of pain in her voice.

He could see her struggle not to cry and it tore him up inside. “What happened?” He didn’t want to touch her until she told him where she hurt.

“I was cleaning out a cupboard and pulled a box of books down on my head.”

“Did you fall?” He cupped her face gently in his palms and studied the bruise blooming on her cheek.

“Yes,” she said with a catch in her voice.

He dropped his hands from her face. “Off the ladder?”

She shook her head. “I was standing on a chair.”

“Did you black out?” This was not the time to tell her how foolish she had been. Besides he could tell by her voice she had already told herself the same thing.

“No. I remember every last detail.” She attempted a laugh but it came out as a little sob.

Tony didn’t want her to fall apart so he patted her briskly on the knee and said, “You’re doing fine.”

Julie nodded and seemed to pull herself together.

“Tell me what else hurts besides your cheek.”

“It hurts when I move my arm.”

She had a dark green towel in her lap. She’d been cradling her right arm with her left hand. “Okay. What part of your arm?”

“My shoulder.”

She had on an oversize blue shirt. “I need to unbutton your blouse, okay?”

She gave him a lopsided smile. “Is that the best line you have, cowboy?” she asked with a little hitch in her voice.

He returned the smile, relieved she still had her sassy sense of humor. “It’ll have to do for now.”

He unbuttoned her shirt and gently eased the fabric off her shoulder, trying to ignore the electric-blue lacy bra strap.

He ran his fingers lightly along her clavicle, stopping at a big lumpy spot. There was no doubt the bone was fractured. Swelling and discoloration had already begun.

Carefully he pulled the shirt back in place and buttoned her up. “You broke your collarbone.”

“I was afraid of that. I heard a snapping sound when I hit the floor.”

“What else?”

“I have a cut on my elbow. I think I landed on the corner of the bed frame.” She glanced down at her left arm.

He needed some space. She was leaning with her left arm against the wall. “I’m going to help you up and we’re going down into the kitchen so I can get a good look at your arm.”

“Okay.”

“Can you walk?” He couldn’t carry her without hurting her and he needed to assess her overall condition.

Her chin came up. “Yes.”

He stood up and backed down a step to give her the room to stand. She braced herself against the wall and swayed a bit.

“Dizzy?’ He grabbed her hips to steady her, braced to catch her if she fainted.

“A little.”

There was no color in her face and her skin looked clammy.

“I’m going to get beside you.” Tony stepped up to the same stair she was on and reached under the back of her shirt, grasping a handful of the waistband of her pants.

“Just take it slow.”

She nodded and started down the steep stairs, wincing as each step jarred her arm.

He guided her to a kitchen chair and she lowered herself gingerly. He knelt on the floor beside her and pulled the towel away from her arm. A jagged gash about three inches long lay across the elbow joint along the inside of her arm. The towel was so dark he hadn’t noticed the blood.

He went blank for a moment and then pulled himself together. On missions he’d acted purely on his training. It was different with Julie. She shook him up.

Tony pulled himself together and said, “It’s still bleeding. I need to put some pressure on it. Where are the clean towels?”

“The drawer next to the sink.”

He found a stack of white dish towels and made a thick pad with one, pressed it against the cut, then wrapped it tightly with a second towel.

He slid into the chair next to her. “Okay, that should hold you until we can get it stitched up.”

She raised an eyebrow and gave him a long look. “You want to do it? My grandmother’s sewing box is in the living room.”

He shook his head, knowing she was kidding. He had put stitches in before, but that was when there were no medics around. Her beautiful smooth skin deserved more of an expert than he was.

She stared at him. “Where did you learn to do all this?”

“Navy. I went through some medical training.” He helped her to her feet, grabbing hold of her waistband again. The skin on her lower back was smooth and warm. He wondered if her panties matched her bra. He had always been a sucker for those lingerie ads.

He shook his head, disgusted with his thoughts. He must be more hung up on her than he’d thought to be considering jumping her bones on the way to the hospital. “Next stop, Redwood City emergency room.”

Since the accident and Jimmy’s death he’d been numb, unable to feel any real emotion, but taking care of her this afternoon had changed that.

He wasn’t sure he was ready.

She twisted until she could get up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for coming to my rescue.”

The sisterly kiss sent a zing through his system. “No problem,” he said and led her out to his truck, knowing his comment was probably the biggest lie he had ever told.

His instincts had always been good. This woman could cause him plenty of problems, the kind he had never dealt with before.

The kind that involved his heart.

Chapter Two

Exhausted and fighting tears, Julie stood on the sidewalk beside Tony and contemplated the steps leading to her front door.

They reminded her of Mount Everest.

He had a firm grip on the upper part of her left arm. At least he was no longer hauling her around by the back of her pants.

“Thank you. For everything.” She tried to pull away from his big warm hand. She wanted to get in the house before she fell apart. The last thing she wanted to do was cry in front of him.

Tony didn’t let go. “Let’s get you in the house.”

She looked up at the dark windows. “Thanks, but I’ve taken enough of your time.”

He ignored her and urged her up the stairs. “I’ll help you get settled.”

She didn’t want to be rude after he had rescued her, but she needed to be alone. She never let anyone see her cry.

Through the haze of medication that didn’t quite block the pain, she was beginning to realize she wouldn’t be able to work on the house for quite a while. The doctor had trussed her up like a Thanksgiving turkey, with her arm in a sling strapped to her chest to immobilize her broken collarbone.

She couldn’t finish fixing up the house on her summer vacation.

The utter frustration of her situation overwhelmed her and she groaned. At least her anger at herself helped overcome the urge to cry.

Tony dipped down until his face was level with hers. “Julie? What’s wrong?”

If she’d had a good hand, she would have smacked him. What wasn’t wrong?

She shook her head. This experience had turned her into a shrew. “Let’s just get in the house.”

Tony opened the door, flipped on the light in the foyer and led her across the threshold.

She needed to get him out of the house. She just wanted to go to bed and wallow in misery for a while. Tomorrow she’d think about what she was going to do.

“I really appreciate everything you’ve done. I’d like to pay you for your time.”

He looked amazed at her comment, then his mouth thinned into a grim line. “Pay me? You’re not in L.A., lady. Folks in small towns help each other.”

His angry attitude took her by surprise. She didn’t need to be reminded she wasn’t in L.A. Stiffly she said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it as an insult.”

She just wanted him out of the house so she could fall apart. “I’ve taken up enough of your time.”

“My time isn’t your problem. Come on, I told you I’m staying until you’re settled.” Gently, his touch a contrast to his voice, he grasped her arm and started toward the stairs.

Immediately she stiffened up, anger catching up with distress. Getting rid of him was starting to look as tough as getting gum off the bottom of a shoe. Digging in her heels, she decided to be direct. Hinting hadn’t worked. “I’m fine. You don’t need to stay.”

Tony dropped her arm and studied her for a moment. “So, you’re fine, huh?”

She nodded. “Yes,” she said through gritted teeth.

“How are you going to get undressed?”

Julie hadn’t thought about that. Her chin came up. “I’ll manage.”

He took off his hat and tossed it onto the knob on top of the banister. “How are you going to get your bra off?”

Good question, she thought, feeling slightly embarrassed. How was she going to get undressed? One arm was strapped to her chest and she couldn’t bend the other at the elbow because of the stitches.

He threw her a smug look that irritated her. “Do you have any female friends in town?”

She hadn’t made close friends except for Lynn, and she lived in New York now. When she’d been sent to live with her grandmother after her parents died, she’d resented being yanked from her home and friends in L.A. and been pretty much of a loner all through high school.

The only person who came to mind was Betty, Lynn’s mother. She’d heard Betty was off visiting her son in New Mexico.

“No.” Darn him. At least now she was so angry she no longer felt like crying.

“Come on,” he said briskly, urging her up the stairs. “Things are going to look much better when you get a little sleep.”

Julie didn’t think she had ever met a guy who seemed to relish being in control the way Tony did. It rankled. She was used to taking care of herself.

Most of the time.

A little voice in her head reminded her she wasn’t doing such a good job.

Her collarbone ached and her stitches burned. Lacking the energy to fight him any longer, she gave in and let him lead her into her old bedroom.

The chair lay there on its side, surrounded by the ledgers.

“What do you sleep in?” he asked matter-of-factly, ignoring the mess.

“There’s a nightshirt in the top dresser drawer.”

He left her side to rummage through the drawer and came up with a pink flannel nightshirt with the words Uppity Woman scrawled across the front in red. “This?”

She nodded and he laid the shirt over his arm and came back to stand in front of her. With sure fingers he unbuckled the strap around her middle that held the sling close to her body.

“I’m going to take the sling off. I need you to do nothing. Concentrate on keeping your arm perfectly still, okay?”

Julie nodded. That shouldn’t be hard. It hurt when she moved even a little.

He slipped the sling off. “You doing okay?”

“Yes.” For all his muscles he had a gentle touch.

“Now I’m going to unbutton your shirt.” His big hands were quick with the buttons.

For the second time today he had his hands inside her blouse, she thought. It was getting to be a habit.

He slid the shirt off her left shoulder and eased it over her left arm, past the wide elastic bandage covering her stitches.

“Now, let me do all the work here. You just think about holding still.” He slid the shirt off her right shoulder and eased it down her arm.

She sighed when he had it off. He had such warm, careful hands. Slick as a whistle, he hadn’t hurt her at all. She glanced down to see her nipples puckering through the blue satin of her bra. She wanted to be as cool about this as he was, but her body wasn’t cooperating.

Keeping his eyes on her face as if he couldn’t be bothered to look at all the skin he’d just uncovered he said, “Turn around.”

His voice sounded low and husky.

He wasn’t quite as detached after undressing her as he’d like her to believe. Good, because she wasn’t detached at all. Obediently she turned.

He stood so close behind her she could feel the heat of his body on her bare back.

He unclasped her bra and slid the straps down her shoulders, over her elbows and her hands, then dropped it like it was a poisonous snake.

Her heart thudded in her chest. What was wrong with her? She barely knew the man and she wanted to feel his hands on her.

It must be the pain medication.

“You’re doing fine.” His breath feathered the hair behind her ear.

She shivered.

“Cold?” He reached around her from behind to slide her right arm into the sleeve. The back of his hand grazed her bare breast.

He cleared his throat. “You’ll be covered up in just a minute.”

She was anything but cold. He brought the shirt behind her back and gently eased the fabric over her stiff elbow.

“Okay, turn around.” Hands on her shoulders again, he turned her toward him.

She looked up into his face as he did up her buttons and had the oddest sensation of being a desirable woman and a cared-for child all in the same moment.

He eased her into the sling and strapped her up, then stepped back. “There. All set.” He was back to his matter-of-fact tone again.

She kicked off her shoes. Julie wanted to hear the husky desire in his voice she’d heard before.

A little devil in her made her say, “Help me with my jeans?” Besides, she thought, how was she going to get the snug denim off without help?

She could see beads of sweat on his upper lip just before he leaned over and fumbled under her nightshirt for the fastener on her pants. His position gave her a great view of his hair, thick, dark and slightly wavy.

He eased the zipper down, hooked his thumbs into the waistband and slid the denim over her hips. She could feel the trail of heat down her body left by the touch of his hands.

He backed up and heaved a sigh as she stepped out of her pants.

“Anything else?” He rubbed the heel of his hand over his chest as if he was in pain.

Julie looked down at her bare toes, hiding a smile. Just one more thing before she let him off the hook. “Ah, my, ah…panties.”

She glanced up at him and swore she saw his eyes cross for an instant. It was all she could do not to smirk.

“Sure.” His voice was gruff. He reached up and hooked his work-roughened fingers over the elastic and slid the satin down her legs.

Satisfied he had been punished enough for being so controlling, she kicked the panties over with her jeans. “Thanks.”

He skirted around her as if she was on fire and pulled the covers down on the bed. “Get in. I’ll go get you a glass of water.”

He pulled her prescription of pain pills out of his shirt pocket and smacked the bottle down on the bedside table before he left the room.

Awkwardly Julie scooted under the covers. She lay back against the pillows and thought about what she’d just done. It was petty to harass Tony like that, but people who thought they knew best annoyed her. Plus, she was so angry at herself for fouling up all her summer plans she’d taken out her anger on him.

She supposed she needed to apologize, but she didn’t know how to do that without embarrassing both of them.

One more thing she would have to deal with in the morning, she thought as her eyes slid closed.

Tony came back with a glass of water and found Julie had fallen asleep. He pulled the covers up to her shoulders, turned out the overhead light and switched on a small lamp on the dresser across the room.

He wasn’t going to wake her up to give her a pill to make her sleep.

He didn’t want her awake.

Getting her undressed had been harder than most of the missions he’d been on for the Navy.

He picked up the scattered ledgers and righted the chair. Then he draped her jeans and shirt over the chair, along with the blue bra and matching panties. Her clothes were still warm and smelled like her. With a groan he settled into an overstuffed chair and watched her sleep. She looked so young and innocent lying there.

Hah, he thought. About as innocent as Eve when she teamed up with the serpent in the Garden of Eden.

And he wanted a bite of the apple.

The woman knew just what caliber ammunition she carried. She thought it was safe to mess with his head because she’d been injured.

She was right.

There was time, and Tony was a patient man. She needed him because she wouldn’t be able to work on this place for weeks. By the time he had the house in shape and Julie had mended, he planned to show her what happened when you played with fire.

Tony dozed off with a smile on his face.

Chapter Three

Julie woke after a restless night. She felt like she’d been hit by a truck. Groaning, she tried to lift her hand to rub her gritty eyes, but she’d forgotten her arm was strapped to her waist. She tried her other arm and found her elbow so stiff from the stitches she couldn’t reach up.

She closed her eyes and fought back frustration, furious with herself for being so clumsy. Her plans to get the house fixed up to sell during her vacation would be on hold for at least a few weeks, if not longer.

Her wonderful timetable was ruined, her dreams on hold.

A tear leaked out from under her lids. She was about to give herself a talking to for being such a weakling when she heard her bedroom door creak.

Before she had time to be frightened, Tony stuck his head in the room.

He grinned, managing to look bashful and incredibly handsome at the same time.

“I didn’t want to wake you.”

Quickly she turned her head and wiped her eyes on the pillow case. No way was she going to let him catch her crying like some wimpy little female. He walked in and brought the smell of fresh coffee with him as he handed her a steaming mug.

“Ah,” she closed her eyes and drank in the aroma. “You stopped for coffee. Thanks.”

She sat up and used her feet to scoot herself against the headboard.

She frowned as she noticed the coffee was in a mug from her grandmother’s kitchen.

“Where did you get the coffee?”

He grinned at her again. “Out of the coffeepot.”

Besides being extremely good-looking, the man had a killer grin. She wished he would stop using it. It ruined her train of thought.