ankle,
already twice the size of her other one.
While Becky folded Kali's clothes and laid
them on a nearby chair, Trace found a scarf and bound up her ankle.
"That'll have to do until later. We have a complete first-aid kit
at home and I'll get an Ace bandage to immobilize your foot. If
you're not feeling better in the morning, maybe we'll take a run
into town and have it x-rayed."
"It’s only sprained. It already feels
better," Kalli said, settling back against her pillows. She ached
from head to foot, and probably would for a couple of days. But she
wasn't seriously injured. And was still in charge of her ranch. She
hoped Trace understood that.
"Thank you for all your help," she told
them.
Trace nodded, reluctant to leave. She looked
so small, so helpless in the big bed. How would she manage?
"Trace, before you leave, tell Charlie and
Josh, okay? Then they can come check on me," Kalli said.
Like hell they would. There was no way he
was going to let those rough cowboys in to see her in her bed. See
her in those soft T-shirts that molded her figure like a second
skin. Let them see her silky legs, indecent panties.
"I'll be back to fix your supper, make sure
you are okay for the night."
"No need. One of the men can see to it."
"I'll be back!"
6
When Kalli awoke, it was dark. She lay still
in the quiet night, loath to move. She ached from head to toe. Her
ankle throbbed lightly, enough to let her know it was sore, but not
enough to wake her. Her shoulder was tender. She rolled over,
stifling a moan. She sat up on the edge of the bed. Slowly she
rose, hopped to the bathroom, each step painfully jarring her
already hurting body.
On her way back, the hall light flicked on,
then the door to her room which had been left slightly ajar, was
pushed open. Trace stood silhouetted in the frame.
"What are you doing?" he asked, taking in
her disheveled appearance, her tousled hair, the T-shirt that fell
to her thighs, the swollen ankle she was trying to keep from
touching the floor.
"I needed the bathroom. What are you doing
here?" she asked belligerently, holding onto the door jamb to the
bath. The best offense, she told herself as she felt a wave of pure
pleasure crash over her at the sight of him.
"Taking care of you." He walked across the
room and swept her up into his arms. Turning, he began walking to
the bed.
"I don't want to go back to bed. I've been
asleep for hours and I'm hungry," she said, encircling his neck
with one arm, trying to maintain some sane distance between them.
Which was about as easy as staying on a bucking horse. She was, out
of necessity, pressed tight against his chest. The strong arms that
held her locked in place were warm beneath her bare legs, through
the thin cotton of her shirt. His face was only inches from hers.
She could see the small lines radiating from his dark eyes and
could smell his tangy scent.
He hesitated then turned toward the open
door. "I'll fix you something to eat."
"I thought I told you to tell Charlie or
Josh about me. Charlie could have brought me something for
dinner."
"I have no intention of letting a bunch of
randy cowboys raid your room with you dressed like this," he
muttered as they reached the kitchen. She didn't weigh anything.
She could stand to gain a few more pounds.
"I'm the owner here," she said impotently.
Randy cowboys? The only one randy around here was her, and only
when he was so close. Shyly she let her fingers touch his neck.
That's all. Just a touch. But she didn't expect the tingling to
spread throughout her body from where her fingertips touched
him.
"You're the owner, but I give the orders,"
Trace replied as he gently placed her in a chair. "What do you want
to eat?"
"What does it matter, you'll decide and feed
me whatever you want.” She hated being dependent on him when she
was trying so hard to show she was up to running this ranch.
"Don't sulk, it's unbecoming," he chided
gently. In only minutes he was cutting vegetables and cheese
already twice the size of her other one.
While Becky folded Kali's clothes and laid
them on a nearby chair, Trace found a scarf and bound up her ankle.
"That'll have to do until later. We have a complete first-aid kit
at home and I'll get an Ace bandage to immobilize your foot. If
you're not feeling better in the morning, maybe we'll take a run
into town and have it x-rayed."
"It’s only sprained. It already feels
better," Kalli said, settling back against her pillows. She ached
from head to foot, and probably would for a couple of days. But she
wasn't seriously injured. And was still in charge of her ranch. She
hoped Trace understood that.
"Thank you for all your help," she told
them.
Trace nodded, reluctant to leave. She looked
so small, so helpless in the big bed. How would she manage?
"Trace, before you leave, tell Charlie and
Josh, okay? Then they can come check on me," Kalli said.
Like hell they would. There was no way he
was going to let those rough cowboys in to see her in her bed. See
her in those soft T-shirts that molded her figure like a second
skin. Let them see her silky legs, indecent panties.
"I'll be back to fix your supper, make sure
you are okay for the night."
"No need. One of the men can see to it."
"I'll be back!"
6
When Kalli awoke, it was dark. She lay still
in the quiet night, loath to move. She ached from head to toe. Her
ankle throbbed lightly, enough to let her know it was sore, but not
enough to wake her. Her shoulder was tender. She rolled over,
stifling a moan. She sat up on the edge of the bed. Slowly she
rose, hopped to the bathroom, each step painfully jarring her
already hurting body.
On her way back, the hall light flicked on,
then the door to her room which had been left slightly ajar, was
pushed open. Trace stood silhouetted in the frame.
"What are you doing?" he asked, taking in
her disheveled appearance, her tousled hair, the T-shirt that fell
to her thighs, the swollen ankle she was trying to keep from
touching the floor.
"I needed the bathroom. What are you doing
here?" she asked belligerently, holding onto the door jamb to the
bath. The best offense, she told herself as she felt a wave of pure
pleasure crash over her at the sight of him.
"Taking care of you." He walked across the
room and swept her up into his arms. Turning, he began walking to
the bed.
"I don't want to go back to bed. I've been
asleep for hours and I'm hungry," she said, encircling his neck
with one arm, trying to maintain some sane distance between them.
Which was about as easy as staying on a bucking horse. She was, out
of necessity, pressed tight against his chest. The strong arms that
held her locked in place were warm beneath her bare legs, through
the thin cotton of her shirt. His face was only inches from hers.
She could see the small lines radiating from his dark eyes and
could smell his tangy scent.
He hesitated then turned toward the open
door. "I'll fix you something to eat."
"I thought I told you to tell Charlie or
Josh about me. Charlie could have brought me something for
dinner."
"I have no intention of letting a bunch of
randy cowboys raid your room with you dressed like this," he
muttered as they reached the kitchen. She didn't weigh anything.
She could stand to gain a few more pounds.
"I'm the owner here," she said impotently.
Randy cowboys? The only one randy around here was her, and only
when he was so close. Shyly she let her fingers touch his neck.
That's all. Just a touch. But she didn't expect the tingling to
spread throughout her body from where her fingertips touched
him.
"You're the owner, but I give the orders,"
Trace replied as he gently placed her in a chair. "What do you want
to eat?"
"What does it matter, you'll decide and feed
me whatever you want.” She hated being dependent on him when she
was trying so hard to show she was up to running this ranch.
"Don't sulk, it's unbecoming," he chided
gently. In only minutes he was cutting vegetables and cheese
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