Christopher frowned and murmured, “I see.”
Her cell phone rang and she pulled it from her purse. “Sorry,” she whispered as she looked at the screen before she answered with a tentative “Hello?”
“Abby?”
Her eyes met the man across the table.
“Chase?”
A shiver rolled down her arms when his voice caressed her ear. “Yeah. You said you wanted me to let you know when they’ll be releasing me.”
“Of course. What did they say?”
“They’re going to let me out tomorrow.”
“That’s great. Did they say what time?”
“Not exactly. I’ll have to call you in the morning and let you know once they discharge me, I guess.”
“That’s fine. I’ll be at your house first thing to feed the horses. You can try me there first if you want. Do you need me to exercise any of them?” She pushed a piece of hair behind her ear and dropped her gaze to the tablecloth. Abby felt a little funny talking to one man with another sitting across the table from her while he watched her with undisguised interest.
“No, it’s okay. They’ll be fine for a while a yet. I’ll worry about that later.”
Silence.
“What can I get you two?” The waitress stood at the end of the table with her tablet eyeing her speculatively while she held the phone to her ear.
“What would you like, Abby?”
“I’m sorry. I forgot you were going out tonight. I’ll let you go. Talk to you tomorrow,” Chase said in her ear.
“Okay. Night, Chase.”
“Have fun.”
“Um…sure. Sleep well.”
* * * *
Chase dropped the receiver onto the cradle on the table, and unmistakable urge to punch something surged through him.
His heart whispered, “
You are such a liar, Chase. You knew damned well she was out with Christopher tonight.”
He grumbled out loud to the silence surrounding him. “What do I care? It’s not like we have anything going on. We’re just friends, just like she wants.”
Rubbing his hands across his eyes, he tried to get the thought of Abby off his mind, especially thoughts of her with Christopher.
What if he tries to kiss her goodnight? Will she let him?
Finally giving up, he hit the button for the nurse and when she came in he asked for something for pain and something to sleep. He needed the dreamless state tonight. He would see her again tomorrow and worry about his troublesome thoughts later.
He finally drifted off to sleep an hour later, picturing Abby kissing Christopher on the front steps of her house.
Chapter Six
The next morning Chase called bright and early. The sun was barely over the horizon, but the doctor had already been in and signed his discharge papers. He really didn’t expect her to pick up the phone at his house, but he tried there first anyway.
“Good morning,” Abby answered when he heard the phone pick up.
Silence.
“Chase?”
“Abby. Sorry, I really didn’t expect you to be there already this morning.” It felt so weird hearing her voice answering his phone.
The tinkle of her laughter sent shivers down his back. “Then why did you call here?”
“I don’t know. I just thought I’d get it out of the way, I guess. Why
are
you there so early?”
“Well, duh—feeding your horses. What else would I be doing here?”
“God, woman, I don’t even feed them that early.”
Abby laughed again. “Well, I do. I’m an early riser, always have been. Have they released you already?”
“They are doing the discharge papers right now.”
“Good. Let me finish up what I’m doing and I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.”
“That should be fine. Be careful. The roads still aren’t that great from what I hear.”
“Of course. I’ll see you in a little bit.”
Exactly fifteen minutes later, Abby sailed through the door of his room like a breath of fresh air. She’d tied her hair back in a ponytail with little wisps that escaped at her neck, making his fingers itch to touch them.
He could feel the desire start to rush through his veins at the sight of her, and it soured his mood even more.
Damn it! Why does she have to be so beautiful even without makeup and all that?
“How are you feeling?” Her bright, sunny disposition just put him that much more on edge.
“Fine. Can we get out of here, please?”
She frowned. “Okay, Mr. Grumpy. Can you wheel yourself out if I carry the crutches and your things?”
“Yeah. Let’s go.”
Abby followed behind and he managed to make it out the front door of the hospital to his truck parked near the curb. She pulled open the door before she handed him the crutches so he could work his way inside. They had placed a hard cast on his leg, but he wasn’t going to be able to walk on it for a bit yet.
She put the crutches behind the seat with his bag and shut the door once he was settled. Walking around the other side, Abby climbed in, started the truck, and in a moment they were picking their way along the highway.
“Go a little slower, Abby. You’ll put us in a ditch.”
“Excuse me, but I know how to drive. I realize this is your truck and I’m sure you, like every other man I’ve been around, hate the thought of
anyone
driving your vehicle. If you would like to do it, just let me know and I’ll pull over.”
He glared and grumbled under his breath, and her smile got even bigger.
She tone dripped with undisguised, over exaggerated sweetness that made his teeth hurt. “Oh gosh, I forgot. It’s your
right
leg that’s broken. I guess you’ll just have to shut up and let me drive.”
When they pulled into his driveway and Abby parked the truck next to the house she said, “See. Safe and sound, not a scratch.”
“Insufferable female,” he growled, popped the door open and reached for the crutches.
She gave him that sickly sweet smile again as she said, “I heard that.”
Walking around the front of the truck, she held the door while he fumbled with the crutches a little before he got them under his arms and managed to hobble to the porch. She moved around him to hold the front door open as he worked his way into the house.
When he saw the living room, his anger disappeared. Abby had cleaned the house, dusted all the tables, scrubbed the kitchen, washed all of his dirty dishes and even did his laundry.
“I’ll put this in your room if you tell me where it is,” she said, holding up his bag.
“Down the hall, second door on the left.”
She walked down the hallway without another word while his eyes followed her. Chase tipped his head back against his shoulders, and sighed.
* * * *
Slipping through the doorway to Chase’s room, Abby dropped the bag on the bed as tears gathered on her lashes. His angry temperament upset her, and she didn’t know why.
All I’m trying to do is help and he’s chewing my head off.
Swiping at the tears angrily, she sniffed and headed back out into the living room. She found him sitting on the couch, the crutches by his side.
“Would you like some coffee? I made some right before I came to get you.”
“Yeah, thanks. The coffee at the hospital sucked.”
Abby chuckled softly before she made her way to the kitchen. After she had made his cup and one for herself, she brought it to his side, and set it on the table in front of him.
As she started to move away, Chase reached over and grabbed her hand, pulling her down next to him on the couch.
“Abby, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m snapping at you. None of this is your fault and all you’ve tried to do is help. You cleaned my house…” His voice trailed off and waved his hand to indicate her handy work.
“Yeah. It wasn’t that bad for a man who lives alone, but it gave me something to do after I fed the animals.” Chase smiled for the first time since she’d see him at the hospital, and she smiled in return.
His thumb skimmed across her wrist and a shiver rolled down her back. “Thanks again for taking care of them.”
“No problem. Like I said before, I love horses and animals in general.”
“However did you survive in New York City?”
“I had a cat, but I left her with my mother when I moved here. I didn’t think it was fair to make her stay in a cage all the way to Wyoming.”
He really laughed then, a full, gut rolling laughter that showed off the dimples in his cheeks to perfection. It left her slightly breathless with anticipation until she saw them again.
When Chase was finally able to control his laughter except for an occasional chuckle, he said, “I don’t think you ever told me why you moved here.”
The smile slid from her face. She closed her eyes for a moment as the conversation her and Josh had about moving somewhere and buying some property flashed across her mind, only this time, it didn’t hurt. Not like it had before.
“You don’t have to tell me, Abby. I’m just curious about you, that’s all.”
She opened her eyes again as she let a small smile ripple across her lips. “It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt as much anymore.” She took a deep breath before she continued. “Josh and I had always planned on moving out of New York. I wanted a farm with horses and animals to raise our kids. I didn’t like the city, even when we lived there. Living somewhere like here in Wyoming was our dream. When he was…gone, I took the money from his life insurance policy and bought the property next door. And here I am.”
“You don’t have horses or any other animals yet, though.”
“No, not yet. I will eventually. I want to find the right ones to start with, kind of like yours. You have some magnificent animals out there.”
Chase shook his head as a smile rippled across his mouth again.
“What?”
“You. Every time I learn something new about you, you amaze me.”
“Yeah, well, I’m an amazing woman,” she replied with a small, flirty smile.
“You sure are,” he murmured when their eyes met.
Abby cleared her throat and pulled her gaze away as she stood. “I need to put these clothes away. I’ll be back in a minute.”
Taking the clothes into his room, she laid them on the bed and methodically put them away. His jeans in one drawer, t-shirts in another, long sleeved shirts hung up in the closet, each one smelling just like him, that musky, male, sexy-as-sin scent. When she put the last shirt in the closet, she brought it to her nose before hanging it up.
I love his smell
.
Once everything was put in its proper place, she returned to the living room to find him trying to get up off the couch.
“Here, let me help you.” She moved to take him under the arm and help him to his feet.
Once he was up, he moved to hobble down the hall but almost tripped over a rug on the floor. “Damn it! This is going to be impossible!”
Great! We’re back to that again.
“I’ll help you if you tell me where you are trying to go.”
“I’m going to the bathroom, Abby. I really don’t think you want to help me take a leak—or do you?”
Heat rushed up her neck and splashed across her cheeks when she looked up at him and stammered, “Well, I…” Her voice trailed off and the heat on her cheeks deepened.
“I didn’t think so.” He moved off down the hall the rest of the way, slamming the bathroom door behind him.
Abby sighed heavily before she went around the house picking up throw rugs and folding them so they could be put somewhere until he could get around better.
I should have thought of this in the first place.
When he finally returned, she could tell he noticed the rugs missing and folded in a neat pile next to the couch under the end table.
“Would you like something to eat?”
“You don’t have to cook for me, too.”
“All right, Chase.” She folded her arms across her chest. “Let’s get something straight here, okay? I’m trying to be tolerable of your grouchy mood since I know you are probably in pain. You aren’t going to run me off by grumbling and yelling at me, so forget it. I’ve heard it all before.”
He ran his hands across his eyes. When they met hers again, a sheepish smile crossed his lips. “I’m sorry. Yes, I’d like something to eat. Thank you.”
“That’s better.”
Chase hobbled to the dining room table, and she pulled out a chair. He slid onto the seat with a groan. “You have to understand something about me. I haven’t had anyone around to take care of me in a couple of years. I’ve become pretty independent in my own right.”
She nodded and said, “Independent. Got it.” Abby pulled out lunchmeat, bread and mayonnaise from the refrigerator and set them down to make sandwiches for both of them. He shot her a glance when he saw the food on the counter. “Yes, I went shopping, too, so don’t start with me.”
He just shook his head. “What am I going to do when you go home later?”