Sharp Shootin' Cowboy (19 page)

“Hello, Bud.” Haley reached down to stroke the horse's heavily crested neck. “You know, Reid, I feel like I'm straddling a barrel.”

“I can promise he won't hurt you today,” he said, as he proceeded to adjust her stirrups. “But tomorrow might be another story.”

She gazed down at him with a panicked look. “What does that mean?”

He chuckled. “You'll be cursing a blue streak the minute you get out of bed and will probably be walking bowlegged for a few days after.”

“Thanks a bunch, Reid. You know, a pony might have suited me much better.”

“Maybe so, but we don't have any. Ponies are too smart for their own good, and most are mean little bastards to boot. They're always trying to run roughshod over the bigger horses. It's that Napoleon complex.”

Haley laughed. “As one of the smaller people on this planet, I can certainly relate.” Her laugh died when she noticed the rifle in his saddle holster. “You're bringing a gun?”

“Yeah. The ranch abuts thousands of acres of wilderness. You have to be prepared.”

“I can understand bear spray, but I don't like guns, Reid.”

“The gun's not going to hurt you. See?” He patted the butt. “It just sits there. I always carry it when I ride.”

She scowled. “I'd rather you didn't this time.”

“Sorry, Haley. I'm not leaving common sense behind just because it makes you uncomfortable. You can carry your bear spray if you like, but I'm taking my gun. Ready?” She returned a sulky nod but didn't offer any further protest. “Just keep your feet in the stirrups and the reins in your hands,” he instructed while tying her gear bag to the back of the saddle.

They started out side by side, with Reid pointing out various landmarks around the ranch. Located ten miles outside of the town of Dubois, they were sheltered to the north by the Absaroka Mountains and to the south by the Wind River Range. Although mostly arid terrain, the vistas were breathtaking. They were also blessed with Chinook winds that kept it cool in the summer and melted the snow in the winter. He was proud of the place, but when Haley only made cursory replies to his remarks, he eventually gave up.

After about an hour, she finally broke her silence. “Your sister doesn't like me.”

Ah, so she wasn't pissed off about the gun, after all; it was Krista that had her rattled.

Tension rolled off him with understanding. “Don't take it personally,” he said. “She still wants to see Tonya and me back together and views you as a threat.”

“Am I? A threat to that?”

Her direct question took him by surprise. He spun around to answer it head-on. “Dunno. Do you
want
to be?”

She hesitated. “I don't know. Maybe. But this is all really hard for me, Reid. I believe what I believe. I don't know
how
to be any different…even if I wanted to be.”

“I don't want to change you, Haley. I'm just looking for you to meet me halfway. That's what it's about. There has to be some give and take on both sides. If you aren't prepared for that, we're done talking.”

“I've only been involved in one other relationship, and it was nothing like this. There were never any major conflicts. Sure, we disagreed from time to time, but we never argued about anything substantial.”

“You're talking about that professor guy.”

“Yes. His name's Jeffrey,” she corrected with a mild look of annoyance.

“Alright,
Jeffrey
,” he conceded. “Are you still involved with him?”

“No. I broke it off. It's part of the reason I came here.”

“How long were you together?”

“Almost five years.”

“
Five
years?
” His jaw tightened. “Did you love him?”

“No,” she said softly. “I was infatuated at first, mostly with his intellect. At one time I thought there was more to it. I
wanted
it to be more, but it wasn't. I know that now. There was always something missing.”

He cocked a brow. “So your Professor Perfect…wasn't?”

“No,” she said. “He wasn't. I still care about Jeffrey and respect him as a colleague, but we drifted apart. We didn't want the same things. He wasn't interested in a long-term commitment.”

He scowled. “Are you saying you are?”

She swallowed hard. “I might be…given the right circumstances.”

“Just not with
me
.”

She sighed. “I don't know, Reid. Part of me really wants to try, but I don't see how we could ever bridge our differences. Do you
honestly
think there is any way we could ever make a relationship work?”

“I think that all depends on how much we
want
to make it work. Do you want to, Haley?”

She slanted him an uncertain look. “I still don't know.”

“But you're considering it?” he asked.

“Yes. I've been considering… I can't
stop
thinking about it… About you and me.”

“And why's that?”

Her gaze wavered and then darted away.

“I'm listening,” he encouraged.

“You see…the thing is…” She wet her lips. “When I was with Jeffrey, it was never like it is with you.”

That
reply eased the tightening in his chest.

“There. I've said it. Now you know. But just because we have a great physical connection doesn't mean we can build anything more on it.”

“It's more than just physical,” he argued.

“Okay, so maybe it is a little more,” she confessed. “But is it enough?”

“Are you planning to stay in Wyoming?” he asked.

“I can't answer that either, Reid. I'm sorry, but I need more time to think.”

“Fair enough.” He digested her answer with a nod. “I can give you some space, but just know this up front: I'm not taking this halfway again. It's gonna be all or nothing with me, so you'd better think good and hard before you answer.”

The trail had narrowed, so Reid rode ahead of her now, his form tall and straight in the saddle. As her gaze tracked over his wide back and broad shoulders, she felt a load slipping off her own. She'd tried to convince herself all along that their attraction was purely physical, but that was a lie. The physical chemistry was real enough, but it went deeper. If she confessed the truth, it always had. Her desire was for the man himself, not just his hotter-than-hell outer shell.

Reid had substance and principle. Unlike Jeffrey, he didn't pander to anyone. Nor did he tolerate politics or bullshit. She might not agree with him on most things, but he'd certainly earned her respect. Maybe it was stupid to think they could work it out, but their conversation and his patience with her had given her hope.

Reid abruptly pulled up his horse, pointing to the sky where a flock of turkey buzzards circled, a sure sign of carrion. “That way,” he directed. “Don't know if it's Buckshot, but they're definitely feeding on something.”

They turned up another narrow and rocky path that ran parallel to a deep ravine. The terrain made Haley's legs clamp around the horse and her hands clench the reins. As they approached the site of circling vultures, the horses snorted and balked, increasing her nervousness tenfold.

Just when she feared her horse would turn and bolt, Reid came up alongside and took hold of Bud's bridle. ‘“Easy ol' boy,” he said, soothing the fretful horse. “Looks like it's down there in the ravine. It's probably Buckshot,” he declared grimly. “Horses have a sixth sense about these things. They always seem to know when it's one of their own.”

He dismounted and then helped Haley do the same. “We'd best proceed the rest of the way by foot. It's too treacherous to ride.”

“What about them?” she asked as he tethered the nervous horses. “Will they stay put?”

He cocked his head. “Let's just hope so.”

She chewed her lip as he retrieved his rifle, but refrained from any comment about it. They moved cautiously down the rocky embankment, Reid leading the way. Several times he caught her as her footing slipped on loose rocks. Even in cowboy boots, Reid proved as sure-footed as a bighorn sheep.

The putrid smell of decay assailed them before they even reached the bottom. Haley fought her gag reflex. Reid offered his handkerchief. She accepted it gratefully, covering her nose and mouth with one hand as they approached the carcass. It was indeed a horse, or what remained of one. By the look of things, the kill was at least two days old.

“It's him.” Reid nodded. “And something's been making a meal of him.”

“It isn't a wolf kill,” Haley declared with certainty. Although wolves and grizzlies were both known to scavenge, the hindquarters were still intact. Wolves almost always attacked from behind and devoured their prey the same way.

“Agreed,” Reid said. “It's also half-buried, which means it was either a mountain lion or a grizzly. My first guess would be griz, but I don't relish getting up close and personal with either one of 'em.” Reid grabbed her by the elbow. “C'mon. We have the answers we came for. Let's go.”

“Just a minute,” she protested. “We came all the way out here. Let me at least document the predation. If it was a grizzly, the WGF needs to know. You also have every right to file a claim with your insurance company.”

“Look, Haley. You know as well as I do that there's
nothing
more dangerous or aggressive than a griz that's protecting his meal. I'm not about to risk my life or yours for a few hundred dollars. C'mon.”

“But I only need a few seconds to take some pictures.” Shaking off both his hand and his warning, she pulled out her phone, moving quickly around the carcass snapping shots of the carnage.

“I'm not screwing around,” he warned. “We need to get the hell out of here.
Now
.”

The brush stirred to life behind her. Reid's warning had come too late.

Haley's heart surged into her throat as a huge fur-covered body emerged. Her hands flew to her can of pepper spray but were too unsteady even to release it from the holster.

The bear let loose a bone-chilling growl and then charged.

“Hit the fucking dirt, Haley!” Reid bellowed.

His voice barely penetrated her consciousness. She recognized the command to play dead, but was utterly paralyzed by fear. The following seconds unfurled in a fog. A deafening roar filled her ears. Her body hit the ground with a bone-crushing force that drove the air from her lungs. Then the distinct smell of bear assaulted her nostrils.

She contracted into a ball, squeezing her eyes shut on a fervent prayer.
Dear
God
in
heaven, please don't let me die!

An explosion. A low groan. And then dead silence.

* * *

With his instincts screaming at him to protect, Reid reacted instantly to the attack, but he still wasn't fast enough. The bear charged, taking Haley down, but now his shot was clear. It was a monster, but at this close range, one well-placed cartridge took him out. Releasing a final agonizing roar, the bear crashed lifelessly to the ground.

His pulse still racing with adrenaline, Reid rushed to Haley. Dropping his rifle and kneeling beside her, his hands shook as he proceeded to assess the damage. She was pale, her skin clammy, her body trembling convulsively, but other than torn clothes and a few abrasions, she appeared unharmed.

“Y-you sh-shot it?” Her voice was a choked whisper.

“Yeah, I shot it.”

“B-but I h-had b-bear spray.”

He pulled her into his arms. “Shh,” he soothed, gently, wiping the dirt and debris from her face. “You're babbling, sweetheart. It's a common shock response. No amount of pepper was going to stop that son of a bitch. Are you hurt?”

“I d-don't know. My head is throbbing real bad.”

He gently palpated her scalp. “There's no blood, but you hit the ground pretty hard. Could be a concussion. Least I got him before he could do a dance on you. What else are you feeling?”

“Kind of numb.”

“Numbness is shock too. Anything like this ever happened to you before?”

“N-no. Never.”

“Count your blessings. I've seen it more times than I can count. Can you move your legs?”

“Y-yes. I think so.”

“Think you can walk? I'd like to get you out of here and back to the ranch.”

She sat up, looked wildly about and then began crawling around on all fours. Was she out of her mind?

“What the hell are you doing?” he asked.

“My phone. I've lost it. I need my phone.”

“You get mauled by a griz and you're worried about your damned phone? Un-fucking-believable.”

“You don't understand. Killing it is a felony, Reid. I'll need a picture to file a report. It's documentation for
your
sake.”

He joined her on the ground, digging around through leaves, pine needles, and debris until they found it. Reid placed it in her hands with a shake of his head. She blew off the dirt and then scrambled back to the dead bear to take a few more pictures.

“Finished yet?” he asked impatiently.

“Yes. I'm finished.”

He gave her a hand to stand up, but her legs almost instantly gave way. Before she could protest again, he scooped her into his arms. “Put me down, Reid. There's no way you can get back up that embankment carrying me.”

“Oh yeah? Just watch me. For the record, you don't weigh much more than the pack I carried for eight years.”

Needing a free arm to aid the climb, he hoisted her across his shoulders in a fireman's carry, and then proceeded to navigate the incline. To his immense relief, the horses were still where he'd left them. “Can you ride?”

“I think so,” she murmured.

He hoisted Haley into the saddle, but she was shaking so hard she could barely hold the reins. “Just hold on, okay?”

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Bud's a big boy. He can carry us both.” He turned his own horse loose and slapped it on the rump. “This one knows the way home. He doesn't want to stay up here any more than we do.”

Mounting the horse behind Haley, Reid guided them back to the ranch.

* * *

She didn't know when she'd fallen asleep, but in the far periphery of her consciousness, Haley was aware of the jolting of her battered body, of the soft snort of horses, and then the weightless sensation of being carried again.

When her eyes finally fluttered open, she was lying in a bed in an unfamiliar room with a ceiling and walls of rough-hewn log. It was a single room cabin, Spartan but adequate, with a tiny kitchenette and a breakfast bar, a table and two chairs, a love seat, and a queen bed. There was a wall-mounted TV above a small fireplace. A dog sprawled nearby with its tongue lolling.

“Where am I?” she whispered.

“My place.” Reid appeared instantly, covering the floor in long strides and then squatting down beside her. The dog soon followed, nudging her hand with its cold, wet nose.

“I took over one of the guest cabins when I got home,” Reid said. “I thought you'd prefer the privacy of it over the house where the family would all be gawking and hovering—only with the best intentions, of course. Mama's already been by to check on you twice, but I sent her away. I've stalled, but I'm afraid you won't be able to avoid them forever.”

“Thanks.” She smiled up at him and scratched behind the dog's floppy ears. “Who's this?”

“Jethro. He's a Bluetick Coonhound. They're supposed to be good at tracking mountain lions, but this one's not shown a whole lot of promise at anything, let alone hunting. Yet, he's somehow managed to insinuate himself into my place.”

“Or maybe into your heart?” she suggested with a smile. “I didn't know you were such a softy, Reid.”

He shrugged. “Least he's helped me watch over you.”

“Has he? How long have I been asleep?”

“'Bout twelve hours. How's your head feeling?”

She lifted it tentatively from the pillow and then let it drop back again with a groan.

“Still throbbing, eh?” His brows met in a frown. “Should I take you to the hospital?”

“No. Honest. I'm fine. Just feeling a bit beat up.”

“You hungry?” he asked.

“Maybe.” She paused to assess her stomach, unable to determine if the churning was hunger or impending nausea. “I'm not sure.”

“Mama brought vegetable soup. Wanna try some?”

“In a bit. I really need to get up first. Nature is calling.” She pulled the blankets away and threw her legs over the side, suddenly realizing they were bare. She looked down to discover she wore nothing but a USMC T-shirt. “Who undressed me?” she asked.

“Who do you think?” His brows rose at her accusatory scowl. “I've seen it all before, remember?”

“But that was different. I was conscious then.”

“You think I had my wicked way with you?”

“Of course not! It's just—” The fact that she was unconscious made her feel all too vulnerable.

“
Trust
, Haley. You need to learn it. Your clothes were torn and dirty. I pilfered some of Krista's for later, but thought this would be more comfortable for you to sleep in. C'mon. I'll help you to the john.”

A wave of dizziness swept over her the moment her bare feet hit the floor. His arm came instantly around her waist. “You okay?”

“I will be. I just need a minute or two.” She clutched his arm until the moment passed. “I haven't thanked you.”

His jaw clenched. “It was a dumbass move to take you down there. I shouldn't have done it. It wasn't safe.”

“You're not my keeper, Reid. I was doing my job, remember? It's not like you have any say in that.”

“As your guide, safety
is
my job.”

“I didn't hire you as my guide. I was doing an investigation. But there's no point arguing it any further,” she said. “I freely admit I was wrong. I should have listened to you.”

Her confession seemed to take him aback. But rather than the smug reply she half-expected, he acknowledged it with a grunt.

“I'm steady enough now,” she said. “Can you just help me get across the room? I should be okay after that.” He helped her to the bathroom, but then remained in the doorway. “I don't need an audience, Reid. I have a shy bladder.”

“I'm not leaving you. What if you pass out?”

“I won't. I'm fine. Now please go.”

He turned with reluctance, leaving the door cracked. Haley closed it sharply behind him. His sudden mother hen act was annoying as hell, but also mildly endearing.

After relieving herself, she clutched the sink and stared into the mirror, getting her first look at herself.
Ugh! What a mess.
Her hair was tangled in knots and scratches from the fall covered her face. She found a hairbrush and a toothbrush and set out to repair some of the damage. Although she'd washed her face, her body was still covered with dirt from rolling on the ground. She felt grimy and smelled like bear.

Thank God he'd taken it down before it'd gotten its claws into her. Grizzly claws were extremely lethal weapons. The memory of those fateful seconds struck her anew.

What if Reid hadn't been there? Or what if he'd gone along with her wishes and left the gun behind? She didn't want to think about it anymore. One confession of fault was her quota for the day. She couldn't bring herself to make another. They'd begun a reconciliation of sorts, but a lot of things were still up in the air.

Haley was suddenly aware that Reid was waiting on the other side of that door, and she found herself stalling. They were alone together in his cabin. He'd even undressed her. Now what?

She glanced longingly at the bathtub. Although she didn't feel stable enough to stand long enough for a shower, a bath would be soothing to her bruised body. She turned on the tap. Then knowing he'd probably bust down the door if she didn't come out soon, she opened it.