Her Heart for the Asking (Book 1 - TEXAS HEARTS) (10 page)

"No!"

"You were both hurting.  People do
terrible things some times when they're in pain."

"He's still the same man.  And what's
worse is he's turning my brother Cody into the same stock."

"Beau."

"Forget it, Mandy, it was in the past. 
Any feelings I have for that man I've just shut off and left
behind."

She just stared at him until he turned to
look at her. 

He could see it in her eyes, the questions,
the conclusions she was coming to.  Was it that easy to let go
of us, too?

He wanted to say the words out loud. 
Tell her that, no, it had nearly killed him to leave her
behind.  He'd had no choice.  As he drove out of Texas
that day, he'd prayed that they'd both find happiness some day
without each other.  Because he knew his father would make it
impossible for them to be happy together.  It had taken all
his strength to keep from turning around and racing to the airport
to catch her before she left his life forever. 

But he'd clung to hope that Mandy would
eventually be happier without him.  That's what had kept him
moving forward even when he doubted his decision to leave her.

The rain had subsided some since they'd left
the cabin.  Although Beau had the urge to gun it back to the
ranch, he took it slow to keep from getting caught in a rut and
sliding off the muddy road.  The windshield wipers whined as
they smacked back and forth against the ends of the
windshield.  Mandy had her window open to catch what little
relief from the heat she could despite having the rain wiping her
in the face.

He couldn't help himself, he had to ask.

"You never answered me, Mandy."

She crinkled her nose into an adorable
frown.

"Have you been happy these last eight
years?  I mean really happy?"

She tossed him a wry grin.  "You mean
the kind of happy that follows you around like the moon?"

He chuckled.  "Yeah, something like
that."

"Beau, that's a fairy tale and you know
it."

His heart fell deep in his chest. 
"Happiness isn't a fairy tale, Mandy.  It's getting up and
knowing where you are and where you want to go and feeling good
about it.  It's not something that only people in books
have.  You deserve that, too."

"Are you happy?"

"Sometimes."

She looked at him thoughtfully and he
wondered if she was thinking of what had been between them. 
What could have been.  He knew he'd been thinking a whole lot
about it these last few days.

Easing the truck down an embankment toward
the creek, Beau groaned out loud. 

Mandy took in the expression on Beau's face,
already not liking what it meant.  "Is it bad?"

"Ruts are filled with water.  The tires
are skidding."

Mandy remained quiet and let Beau
concentrate on his driving.  If they skid off the road, it
would be an easier walk back up to the cabin than all the back to
the ranch.  It was late enough in the day that she knew Beau
would take the alternative to head to the cabin over heading
home.   

Raindrops pounded on the roof of the truck,
making her ears ring.  The windshield wipers whipping to and
fro did little to help the visibility.  Mandy kept her window
open and moved toward the middle of the cab.  It was easier to
see the bank of the road through the open window, despite the rage
of rain flying into the truck.

"Don't go too close to this side of the
road."

"I'm trying to keep her steady in the
middle, but already the ground is like a mud pit.  Oh, no,"
Beau said, groaning.  He slowed down as they made it to the
bottom of the hill and rolled down his window all the way to look
outside.

"What wrong?" Mandy asked, not being able to
see anything in the direction Beau was now looking.

"Cattle are one of the most beautiful of all
God's creatures and sure as spit they're the dumbest."

After stopping the truck in the center of
the washed out road, Beau pushed open the door.

"Why do you say that?"

"One of the cows broke from the herd and
decided to birth her calf in the middle of the swamp.  A
swamp, for crying out loud!  She could have had the whole
damned mountain and she chooses here and now of all times to give
birth."

"It's not like she had a choice of when,
Beau," Mandy said, moving over to the driver's side so she could
look in the direction Beau was pointing.

"No, but she could have chosen a more
practical spot to have her miracle.  Like one I wouldn't have
to wade through to go rescue her baby.  If I don't get that
calf out of there, her momma never will be able to once the creek
rises.  The calf will end up drowning."

"Oh, no.  Then we have to get her."

"Keep yourself dry in the truck.  I'll
take care of it."

"I'm already soaking wet."

The rain was loud as it hit the roof of the
truck that Mandy hadn't heard the plaintive mooing of the cow or
the much softer call of her calf until she slid out of the truck
and slammed the door.  She followed on Beau's heels down
toward the creek.  The creek was rising steadily.  Even
Mandy could tell the difference between now and when they'd first
driven up to the cabin.  It was only a matter of time before
the banks were flooded and the entire area around them would be
under water.

She carefully stepped over rotten stumps and
twigs toward the calf.

"You should have stayed in the truck," Beau
said.  "This ground is like a sponge.  You're liable to
lose a boot in this mud bog."

Too late.

"Ah, Beau?"

He halted his stride a few yards ahead of
her and angled back, tossing her a questioning glance beneath the
rim of his cowboy hat.

Mandy just smiled sheepishly, trying her
best to stand steady on one foot.

Beau shook his head and chuckled as he
strode back up the embankment toward her.  "I will never
understand the female species," he muttered.

"You don't have to understand them to enjoy
them," she said, smiling wickedly. 

Had she really said that?  It felt so
nature a comeback, like the easy banter they'd shared years
ago.  She was flirting with him, she realized, and the twinkle
in his eyes told her he knew it.  What surprised her more was
that she actually liked the feeling of flirting with Beau
again.

Beau walked past her to the point where
she'd stepped out of her boot.  As he pulled it from the muck,
it made a suction sound.  He shook it a few times to rid it of
mud, but it didn't seem to help all that much.

He was laughing as he stooped down in front
of her to help her put it back on.  She couldn't keep her own
laughter at bay either.

"I can't guarantee it'll be clean and dry
when you put your foot back in it, Cinderella, but there's nothing
I can do about it just this second, short of carrying you to the
truck and-"

"That won't be necessary," she
insisted.  Placing her hands on his shoulders to steady
herself, she said, "Just help me get my foot into the boot and I'll
live with the mud and grit."

He was touching her foot.  When she'd
stepped out of her boot her sock had half slipped off with it and
now Beau gently pushed it back up into place.  The feel of his
hand on her seemed too intimate.  She'd never thought of her
foot as being at all sensual, but the care in which Beau touched
her and eased her boot back into place made her suddenly feel
lightheaded.  She wondered vaguely if this was how Cinderella
felt having her glass slipper placed on her foot by the Prince.

Chuckling to herself as she put her foot
back down on the ground, Mandy decided that she may have one thing
in common with Cinderella, but she was sure the fairy-tale princess
hadn't found herself in the pouring rain having to rescue a calf in
a swamp afterward.

"Go back to the truck," Beau called out as
he headed back down the embankment.

"You may need my help."

"Stubborn woman," he said, laughing as he
shook his head.

The cow didn't like them getting too close
to her baby.  That much was evident by the way she stomped her
hooves and paced around them mooing her protest.  The calf,
who had to have been born mere hours ago, was barely able to get
his footing in the mud.  Mandy wasn't doing much better. 
All the while, the momma cow was mooing loud and eyeing Beau as he
eased the calf into his arms. 

As Beau started up the embankment, he hit a
flow of mud and started sliding backward.

"Hold on to her, Beau."

The look on Beau's face was truly hilarious
as he struggled to keep his balance, hold on to an agitated calf,
and avoid coming in contact with a more than distraught mother cow
as he inched up the small incline.

"Do you need me to help?"

"I got her," he called out.  "She's a
good kicker.  You might get hurt.  Just keep an eye on
her momma.  She's not looking too happy right now."

Mandy couldn't help but laugh.  Beau's
cowboy hat was tilted to one side, giving his face no protection
from the pouring rain.  The calf was calling out to her
momma.  The cow looked ready to charge on Beau, if only she
could make it up the hill without sliding back down. 

As they made it to the road, the calf's
agitation grew and she began kicking furiously.  Beau held on
tight, but in an effort not to drop the calf, he ended up stepping
right out of his boots and landing on his back in the mud, cradling
the calf on his chest.  His hat had fallen off behind him in
the mud and was now face up collecting rain.

"She's okay now," Mandy said, trying to
stifle a laugh.

Beau released the calf.  Immediately it
went in search of its mother who had finally made it up to the
road.  The cow let out a long moo.

"You're welcome," Beau called out, glaring
at the cow, who was still perturbed at him even though her calf was
now out of danger and strutting slowly back to her.

Mandy held her wet hand to her lips to hide
the smile she couldn't control.

"Stupid cow," Beau muttered, looking around
himself for his hat. 

It had been raining steadily, but now
another wave of heavy rain came down on them.  Beau emptied
his hat of rainwater and propped it on his head, all the while
continuing to search the area around him.

"Where are my boots?!" he barked out.

Unable to contain herself any longer, Mandy
busted out laughing, doubling over.

"I'm glad you think this is so funny. 
Those are my favorite boots," Beau said, laughing himself.  He
was positively covered with mud when he stood up in his stocking
feet.  He grabbed his boots, which were soaked and
mud-stained, and stood staring.  His devilish grin made her
pause.

"What is spinning in that head of yours,
Beau Gentry?" she said in what she hoped was warning enough to keep
him from doing what she thought he was about to.

"You're too clean."

"No, I'm very dirty.  Remember, I lost
my boot in the mud, too.  I'm very wet and very
dirty." 

She started backing up slowly, then faster
when lack footwear did nothing to slow down Beau's
stride. 

"You need a little more mud, Mandy."

"You wouldn't dare."

"You know I would."  And he did. 
Before she could spin on her heels and race back to the truck, Beau
picked up a handful of mud and catching up to her, he smeared it on
her.  Then retreated before she could reach him and counter
the attack.  The glob of muck oozed down the right side of her
hat, tilting it so half the mud dripped down her ear and neck.

"You dirty rat!" she said, laughing until
she couldn't tell if the tears on her face were from laughter or
rain.  

Bending down she quickly tried to toss a
ball of mud in his direction as she rounded the side of the truck,
hoping to gain some cover.  It landed pitifully on the hood of
the truck. 

It was one thing to fling mud on the outside
of the truck, but she was sure Beau would take pains not to muddy
her inside the cab.  Dripping with mud and wet to the bone,
she yanked open the passenger side door and crawled in.  The
second after she slammed the door shut, Beau climbed into the
driver's seat and slammed the door.  Both of them laughing so
hard Mandy's sides hurt.

"Look at my boots," he said, muttering as he
dropped them on the floor.

It was too much for her to take.  Rain
was dripping down his face, dragging strands of hair into his eyes
and matting it against his face.  A drop of water made a slow
trail down the corner of his eye, down his cheek and rested just to
the side of his chiseled chin next to a smudge of mud.  Mandy
had the unbelievable urge to touch him there, kiss that drop of
water from his face.

She wanted to bury herself in his arms, lose
herself in his kisses and feel her heart collide with his.

Instead, she stared at him, at the drop of
water on his face, at his slightly parted lips and the way his
chest rose and fell with each breath he dragged in.  Mud and
all, he was incredibly handsome.  She wanted to reach across
the cab of the truck, which suddenly seemed way too big and much
too small for anything she had in mind. 

"Are you okay," he said.  His voice was
low and smooth as a calm pond on a breezeless day.  And he was
staring back at her with the same intensity she felt inside
herself.

"Yes."

"You sure about that?"

 
No, she wasn't
okay.  What she was feeling right now was a raging storm of
emotion that would surely lead her back to
heartbreak. 

"What I said before about there being
others."

Beau's expression grew tight.  "It
doesn't matter," he said, leaning across the space between them and
placing his hand on her cheek, gently brushing it.  His
fingers felt gritty, but his touch turned her knees to jelly and
sent shock waves through her whole body.