Cowgirl Up (21 page)

“I can
take care of myself.” Stubborn pride carried in her tone.

He held
out his hands in the age-old gesture of peace. “I know you can, but humor me. I
just about lost my mind when I saw Gary first muscle you, then throw you to the
ground. All I could think about was getting to you as fast as I could.” He
studied her face carefully. “I care about you, Trinity. Let me watch over you
tonight. For both our sanity’s sake.”

She
blew out a breath and seemed to wilt a bit without the fires of rage to hold
her up. “I don’t want to be a bother.”

He
shook his head and ever so gently ran his knuckles down her cheek. “You could
never be that.”

Fear
faded from her face, replaced by a more relaxed expression. Relief.

“You’re
always around. Do you ever sleep?”

“Not so
much.”

Compassion
flashed in her eyes.

Hope
returned in earnest as he spoke, softly, reassuringly. Showing her he offered
no threat. He wanted to be her protector. Her hero.

At
least she seemed to be offering up an olive branch. He seized it and prayed she
could find forgiveness for his stupidity.

“You
mentioned time with the SEALS. Is that why?”

He
slowly nodded his head. Always before he avoided the subject, but tonight, with
Trinity, he didn’t mind talking nearly as much. The tender moment and small
amount of intimacy ensnared him as well. He couldn’t deny her answers. Not now.
“I was a Navy SEAL.” That explained everything to him and those in the
military. Her eyes softened in appreciation and awe. He’d told her this before
but appreciated her reaction just as much. A balm to his old war wounds. “Saw a
lot of action until I was injured.”

“You
look fine to me. And the way you move. Beautiful, like living poetry.” She
raked him with her soft gaze. His heart thudded against his ribs at the tender
expression on her face. Much better than the fury he’d faced a minute ago. “It
had to be bad. War. Injury. All that stuff. I’m sorry.”

He
tensed, then forced himself to chill. No sense getting all worked up over what
can’t be changed. Old news. Besides, she didn’t need him getting all defensive
tonight. Hell, he wanted to kick his own ass for his snide comments about
catching her and Gary in an intimate moment. Speaking of…no time like the
present to get things off his chest. “It is what it is.”

A
shudder shook her body.

Reaching
out, he lightly placed a hand on her shoulder. “Sit down before you fall down.”
She shot him an annoyed look, but plopped down on her cot just the same.

He
followed suit, taking the space next to her, finding losing the touch of her
body, even the innocent brush of her leg against his, unacceptable. Learning
this morning that she hadn’t freely given herself to Gary solidly lodged his
perspective back into place and washed away the accusations and ill temper
along the way. Trinity hadn’t done anything wrong.

But he
had. “I’m sorry for snapping at you earlier. I thought you’d brushed me aside
to be with Gary when I saw the two of you in that lip-lock. Lacey straightened
me out. I meant to come by earlier and apologize, but I just couldn’t get away
for ten minutes to do so.”

She
glanced up, then nodded. “I know. It’s okay. We all make mistakes, and I’m sure
Gary made sure the embrace looked legit.”

He
cupped her chin and held her gaze with his. “You should have told me what he
did.”

Lifting
her head, she pulled away from his touch. “Cody.” She blew out a puff of air.
“We’re friends. Good ones. Heck, probably the person I like the most on the
circuit except for possibly Lacey. However, you’re the vet, not my bodyguard,
and have enough responsibilities as it is.” She peered up into his eyes once
more and rested a hand on his knee. “Besides, it’s not your place to police the
horny young studs with ego issues.”

He
frowned even as her words and actions told him more of the story and billowed
his flame of hope higher.

“Thank
you for coming to my rescue.” She treated him to a small smile, one of
forgiveness and appreciation.

His
heart skipped a beat. “I’ve got a confession to make. I was coming to see you
anyway.”

Her
face softened. “Really?”

“Yep.”

“Why?”
She tilted her head.

The
motion spurred him into action. “To kiss you like I’ve wanted to all day long.”
Lazily, he ran one hand through her hair and tenderly lifted and angled her
head. Keeping an eye on her face to judge her reaction, he ever so slowly
lowered his mouth until their lips met in a brief caress so slight, he wasn’t
positive they’d even kissed. Hearing and feeling no complaints, he flicked his
tongue along the seam of her lips, suckled the top one, then covered hers once
more. With infinite patience, he moved his lips against hers, offering up a
caress, loving affection, and an unspoken pledge.

She
returned the action with enthusiasm, both a little unexpected and a relief
considering her ordeal.

However
long they sat there kissing, he didn’t know, but as soon as his heated body
began to pound with demands, he leaned back, breaking the contact.

Trinity
opened her pretty eyes and peeked up at him in curiosity mixed with
appreciation.

He felt
like a hero when she gazed at him like that. Sexy, smart, and capable of
jumping this barn in a single bound. Something he could definitely get used to.
Lightly, he stroked her cheek. “We should probably get you to bed. You’ve got
another few races to go and need some shuteye.”

She
gave him a crooked smile. “You can go back to your RV. I’m fine.”

“No
way. I’m staying.”

They
both glanced at her cot. “No offense, but I’m not sure this old thing will hold
us both.”

He
chuckled. “It doesn’t need to. I’ll just stretch out on the ground.”

A hint
of sadness entered her expression. “That’s not comfortable.”

“Done
it so many times in the past that it doesn’t bother me in the least.” He stood.

Trinity
snagged his arm.

Peering
down, he watched the wry grin appear.

“I have
a better idea.” She pulled two blankets from a bag and stepped toward the stall
door once more.

Confused,
he asked, “Where are you going?”

She
paused with her hand on the bolt. “To sleep with my horse.”

Of all
the answers she could have provided, that one never crossed his mind. He
blinked at her, totally thrown off balance by her practical solution, the
generosity of giving up her comfy bed for one filled with straw, and the return
of her spirit.

“You
take the cot. I’ll sleep with Legacy.”

He
protested. “It won’t be comfortable. Just take the cot and I’ll be more than
fine on the ground.”

She
shook her head and entered the stall, nudging Legacy’s lips away from her
ponytail. “I’ve done this a lot. Trust me. He likes to cuddle, so it’s a
win-win for both of us.” Without preamble, she spread out her blanket along the
left side of the stall, against the wooden barrier, then stretched out.

Cody
knew Legacy wouldn’t step on her for a couple of reasons. First, she chose an
out of the way space to allow him ample room to move around. Secondly, a horse
didn’t intentionally step on a person except in rare and extreme cases. If she
spoke the truth, and he knew she did, Legacy spent more than one night watching
over his mistress.

Sure
enough, Legacy snuffled Trinity’s belly, received a brief, but loving pat on
the nose, then proceeded to lay down right beside her. As Cody watched, the
horse groaned, then extended his body, resting his large head across Trinity’s
middle. She placed her hand on his cheek, sighed, then relaxed.

Well, I’ll be damned.

Cody
shook his head at the sight before his eyes. Who knew the big stallion needed a
living teddy bear when he slept? The thought brought amusement and amazement.

Afraid
of disturbing them, Cody eased back, returned to Trinity’s cot, and reclined
back. He found her pillow and blanket, adjusted both, then wiggled for comfort.
While not exactly cushiony, the makeshift bed offered more than the hard
ground. The scent of horses, hay, and clean night air filled his senses. Animals
stirred now and again while crickets chirped.

Peace
and tranquility with Trinity just a few feet away. And safe.

Tonight
had been a revelation. Tomorrow would be here soon enough.

Maybe,
just maybe, if his cell phone would quit ringing for a bit, he could hang out
with Trinity, dig a little deeper, and see where their path together might
lead.

Comforted
by the thought, he drifted off to sleep.

Cody
woke up like usual, asleep one moment, awake the next. He remained perfectly
still and opened his senses to ascertain his environment, a trick learned from
the front lines and around prank loving SEALs while on base.

The
sound of horses stirring garnered his attention along with the scent of hay and
straw. He opened his eyes and blinked at the subtle light of dawn streaming
through the aisles from the open doors.

Bewildered
for a split second, he quickly recalled why he rested on a lumpy old cot in the
horse barn.

Trinity.

Sitting
up, he pushed the blankets aside, careful to remain quiet as not to disturb her
if she still slept. He stood, then strode silently to the stall door and peeked
inside. The sight before him made him smile.

Sure
enough, Trinity still slept, curled up against the western corner of Legacy’s
stall. He’d stretched out fully on his side, his muzzle nearly touching
Trinity’s chest.

Cody
shook his head and enjoyed the sweetness for a long moment. Legacy might not
like people in general, but he obviously adored his owner. The love they shared
couldn’t be mistaken, especially seeing them like this.

Checking
his watch, Cody realized breakfast would soon be upon them. For humans and
four-legged companions alike. Trinity would have something in her cooler, but
for the life of him, he’d rarely seen her eat something other than fruit or
sandwiches throughout the season. Certainly nothing hot except for the couple
of meals he brought to her the last two rodeos.

Well, that’s about to change.

Fine tuning
his plan, he slipped out of the horse barn, headed toward the food vendors, and
followed his nose from there.

A few
minutes later, he returned to find Trinity up and about, caring for Legacy as
the big horse chomped down on his breakfast. Whether she woke on her own or
Legacy demanded his food, he couldn’t tell. Either way, the horse seemed
content and Trinity’s fluid motions as she brushed the straw from his body told
him the unwarranted attack last night didn’t do much damage.

Thank God. I’d kill the son of a
bitch if he had really hurt her.
Hell, he still wanted to beat Gary into a pulp for daring
to steal an unwanted kiss let alone the other.

Anger
returned as he remembered the sight of Gary wrestling with Trinity. Cody shook
his head to dispel the image, focusing on the present instead of the past. She
needed a bit of pampering and care, not another lecture, especially after he
behaved like a horse’s ass as well.

Dressed
in her wrinkled sweats, she exuded beauty. Even the pieces of straw clinging to
her rumpled clothes didn’t deter from her natural allure.

She
glanced his way. “Good morning.”

He read
her face, found nothing of resentment or leftover fury from last night.
Instead, he saw only perkiness, happiness, and spunk. Whatever life threw her
way, he’d give Trinity credit for resiliency. He wasn’t sure he could rebound
like she did.

“Good
morning. I brought breakfast.” He lifted his arms to show the two Styrofoam
boxes.

“Thank
you.” She finished brushing Legacy, then stepped out of the stall, and tossed
the grooming tools into a bucket. “You didn’t have to do that.”

Cody
shrugged. “I was hungry and knew you would be too. Besides, a person could wilt
away to nothing living on sandwiches alone.” He waited as she opened up one of
the lawn chairs, then took a seat on the rumpled cot.

“They
work just fine, but I am hungry this morning.” She took the top container, set
it on her lap, then opened the lid. Her eyebrows shot up. “Oh my. Where on
earth did you find biscuits, gravy, and eggs around this place?”

He
grinned, pleased to have not only caught her off guard, but provided something
above and beyond. Something that she liked and appreciated, judging by the
almost predatory way she stared at the still hot food.

“There’s
a small café on the outskirts of the grounds. Decided they would be better than
a quick cinnamon roll from one of the trailer vendors.” He handed her a bottle
of milk and some plastic utensils, then took the empty seat. “It smelled good
anyway.”

“Oh,
I’m sure it’s going to be excellent.” She opened the cap on her drink and
sipped. While replacing the lid, she met his gaze. “You’re full of surprises.”

He
shrugged and dug into his meal, savoring the flaky biscuit that nearly melted
in his mouth. “I’m just a guy who likes food.” He made a mental note to return
the next few mornings to sample more of the café’s products.

“Not
just that. Thank you for checking on me last night. For intervening. For
staying with me even thought that cot is like sleeping on a bed of rocks.” She
sighed. “You’re too good to me.”

Her
quietly spoken words hit him hard in the gut. She didn’t have anything to thank
him for, he was only doing what was right. Especially since he’d been such a
prick yesterday. “Not even close, sweetheart. You deserve so much more.”

She
tilted her head and pursed her lips. “Why do you say that?”

He
shoveled another bite in his mouth and chewed. “Because it’s true.” Taking his
cup in hand, he loosened the top and drank deeply.

She
stared at her take-out meal for a few seconds. “Cody, I think you’re
overestimating me. I’m just me. Nothing particularly special. Heck, I don’t
even know what I want to do in life or where I want to go. I’m just going
through the motions right now and swimming through a mire.”

Holding
tight to his food, he stood, then scooted his chair closer so their knees
touched. Sitting back down, he used one hand to cup her face. “You want to know
what I see in you?”

Her
blue eyes met his.

He saw
the uncertainty in them and wanted to beat the shit out of Gary for not only
spooking Trinity, but shaking her to the core. While he was at it, he needed to
kick his own fucking ass too. “You’re beautiful. Smart. You care for your horse
like no one I’ve ever seen before.”

“He’s
all I have.”

The
whispered words carried easily to him. “First of all, not everyone would put up
with such an ornery hothead as Legacy. That says a lot about you.” He trailed
his knuckles along her jaw line. “All you have to do is look around to see what
all you have. Sure, he’s a big part of it, but there’s more.”

Trinity
nodded. “I didn’t realize how many friends I have until he fell. People started
coming out of the woodwork. Because of you.”

“I just
made a couple of inquiries. No big deal.” He dropped his hand and gestured to
the box on her lap. “But, if you don’t start eating, your food will be cold.
And all the trouble I went through jogging from the café back here will be for
naught.”

She
smiled and dug in. “Don’t tell me you actually ran in order to get back here
before the food cooled?”

“That
would be telling.” He grinned ruefully.

“Uh-huh.”

For a
while they ate in companionable silence. Guilt still weighed heavily on Cody’s
shoulders. He didn’t even stick around to find out her side of the story,
didn’t make time to go to her and apologize, and because of that, accepted some
of the responsibility for Gary’s drunken attack. They seemed to get back on
track last night, but a few hours’ sleep could have changed her mind set. She
might not show any signs of blame or anger. That didn’t mean she didn’t harbor
any. Best not to guess on this important matter and just get it out in the
open.

“Can
you forgive me?” He asked the question pressing on his mind.

She
blinked. “I forgave you last night. Forgotten already. Things happen, life goes
on.” Her lips turned up in a grin. “Besides, hot biscuits and gravy fixes just
about anything.”

Her
attempt at humor didn’t go unnoticed. Cody worked to stay in the mood. “I
thought only men were ruled by their stomachs?”

“Must
be contagious.” She finished her milk.

He
relaxed, the tension in his body easing significantly, knowing she spoke the
truth. SEAL training included reading body language precisely. Hers shouted
honesty and sincerity.

Damn
amazing she could look past his stupidity and lack of faith. He couldn’t, but
wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. He could only make sure she was
safe, cared for, and no other bastard tried to harass her from here on out. She
was his, at least for now, and he vowed to do his best to keep her sane, happy,
and competitive throughout the long, drawn-out finals. Afterward, he’d get a
whole lot more personal. See if indeed they fit together both figuratively and
literally. He’d set his sights on her weeks ago and nothing short of her
throwing him out would change his mind. She was too precious, too important to
let slip through his fingers. Until he knew where their path led, he was
sticking beside her like a raccoon to a corn field.

Then,
he’d carry her to his bed, lay her down, and proceed to kiss every inch of her
glorious body. Only when she begged for release would he plunge deep and take
them both to the edge and over.

“What
are you looking so serious about?”

Oh, just about taking you to bed
and keeping you there for a good long time.

He
shrugged, biting his tongue to keep from blurting out his thoughts.

“Something
smells good.”

Cody
glanced behind Trinity to spy Lacey walking toward them dressed in her typical
jeans, boots, and western shirt. Her hair had been pulled back in a ponytail,
like she’d just climbed from bed, gotten presentable, and made a beeline for
the barn in order to care for her mare.

“Cody
brought me breakfast. Biscuits and gravy.” She held up the box. “Want some?
There’s plenty.”

Lacey
shook her head. “No thanks. I grabbed a couple of bagels already.” Her
attention turned toward Cody. “You’re here early.”

“Yep.”

“Why?”

He
blinked at her protective tone. As far as he knew Lacey was on his side, but
this morning she seemed prickly.

Trinity
turned to face Lacey. “There was an incident last night. With Gary.”

Lacey
frowned as her lips thinned. “What kind of incident?”

“He
came back late, drunk, and wanted to pick up where he left off.”

“That
good for nothing jackass…” Lacey fisted her hands at her sides.

Trinity
waved her hand in the air. “It’s okay. I’m fine. Cody stopped by at the right
time.”

“I hope
you had that useless bastard thrown in jail.” Lacey’s eyes snapped with anger.

“Actually,
no.” Trinity patted the cot beside her. “Sit down and I’ll explain.” When she
did, Trinity continued, “He was drunk. Cody took care of him and called
security. They carted him out of here. To call the police would have made a
late night mess. Legacy was upset enough already. I didn’t need the cops and
media running around disturbing not only him but the rest of the horses too.”

“Trin…”

“It’s
okay. Really.”

Lacey’s
gaze landed on Cody. “Aren’t you going to talk some sense into her?”

“I
tried, trust me.” He blew out a breath. “She’s damn stubborn. But, I can
promise this. She’s not spending any more nights alone in this fucking barn.
Horse or no horse. Either she beds down with you girls or I’m bringing in
another cot and camping out.” His attention shifted to Trinity.

Her
mouth fell open. “You don’t have to do that. I’m sure there won’t be any other
incidents.”

“You don’t
know that and I, for one, am damn well not taking a chance.” He kept his tone
level, but serious, needing her to understand that he wasn’t about to fight
with her on this. She averted her eyes, but didn’t say anything.

Lacey
patted Trinity on the back. “If I were you, I’d throw in the towel. Something
tells me he’s not about to bend an inch.”

“I’m
not,” Cody reinforced.

Trinity
nodded. “I still think it’s unnecessary, but I won’t argue.”

“Good.”
He started making plans in his head. Even if he had to stretch out on the
ground, he wouldn’t dare leave her at the mercy of Gary or any other human
predator again.

Lacey
hugged Trinity. “It’ll be okay. Cody will make sure of it.” Lacey glanced at
him, then back to Trinity. “Whoever’s dumb enough to take him on deserves the
ass kicking he’ll get.”

Trinity’s
lips twitched.

Much better.
Cody didn’t take promises
lightly, but when it came to Trinity, he’d take on the devil himself.

Lacey
finished her morning chores, cleaned up the area, and double-checked the latch
on Candy’s stall door. Trinity had been quiet most of the time, even after Cody
received a call and left to attend yet another rodeo animal. She’d tried to
engage Trinity into conversation, but Trinity didn’t seem to be in the mood to
chat. Understandable considering her long night.