Cowboy Country (40 page)

Gage hauled off and sent a fist right at him, a hell of a right cross that threw Sterling off balance and flat on his ass. He’d been in the military for five years and this had never happened to him—now, twice in one week, no less.

Gage stared down at him and laughed then rubbed his chin and scissored his jaw.

Sterling wanted to slap the condescending smile from his face.

“Sterling,” Regina cried as she ran to his side. She dropped to her knees beside him, pulling his head onto her lap then looked up. “Gage, are you crazy? He’s injured.”

“He threw the first punch,” Gage said, flicking his bloody knuckles at Sterling.

She stared down at him and snapped, “What’s come over you? You’re acting like a jealous idiot.”

“Because I am one—I don’t happen to like the idea of sharing my girl.”

“What! How dare you—” Regina huffed in response and jerked away and stood.

Before Regina finished her sentence a Sheriff’s patrol car rolled up beside them.

When Regina pulled away, his head smacked the ground. He clamped his hands to his temples and let out a growl.

Dane got out and ran over to his brother.

Sterling remained on the ground, still, his eyes couldn’t focus, his head throbbed.

“What’s the trouble?” Dane asked. He squatted down to help Sterling up then walked him over to the front seat of the patrol car. “What the hell happened?”

Sterling’s jaw clenched. “Did you know Regina had a boyfriend?”

“What? You’re nuts.”

“Find out for yourself.”

“You stay here, don’t move,” Dane gave him a direct order.

Dane ambled over to Regina. He crossed his arms as he spoke, his hand was on his holstered gun, defensively, eying Gage. He questioned Gigi then turned and glared at him.

Regina spoke first, but he couldn’t hear what she said. And Regina laughed. What the hell was so damn funny?

Gage said something and Regina laughed harder.

Dane shook his head then turned and gave him a look of pure disgust.

Dane kissed Regina’s cheek, shook hands with Gage, then swaggered over. “Get out of the car and turn around.”

“What?” Sterling said. “Why?”

“You’re under arrest.”

“For what?”

“Assault. You threw the first punch.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“No. Turn around.”

Sterling was stunned. He got out of the car and turned around.

A crowd gathered. There were murmurs of disbelief.

“His own brother—”

“No way.”

“Unbelievable.”

What the hell? Why did he have to have an audience to witness the worst day of his life?

Dane wasn’t the least bit gentle as he slapped the handcuffs on him then helped him into the back seat, and buckled him in. Then he got in the car and drove to the Sheriff’s Office.

His brother didn’t say a word the whole way there, just kept glaring at him in the rear view mirror. Even as he removed the cuffs and was put in a cell, Dane remained silent.

The click of the lock when Dane closed the cell door on him was like a guillotine slashing down toward his neck, loud and deadly. Sterling clutched the collar of his shirt. He unbuttoned one button then another and tried to swallow but couldn’t.

Dane walked away and closed the door separating the jail from the office.

He clung to the bars for an hour waiting for Dane’s joke to come to an end. His body weakened and his shoulder hurt like a son-of-a-bitch from being cuffed behind him. Rubbing his shoulder to loosen it, he all but came to the conclusion that this was it. He was done.

The minutes dragged by. His headache returned at a full roar. He staggered to the cot in his cell and collapsed.

Rays of dawn had just broken through the window above him when Sterling’s heard voices, but he didn’t care. Regina was no longer his and his own brother arrested him. On top of that his headache was well on the way to becoming the worst migraine ever.

He lay on the cot, his arm over his eye to shield it from the light.

He didn’t realize he’d fallen asleep until a cold compress was placed over his eyes.

“Dane, get in here. I have to get him to the house. It’s going to be a bad one. I already recognize the signs. Help me get him to my car.”

He heard footsteps which sounded more like slamming doors. He cringed. A kaleidoscope of psychedelic images swirled thru his eyelid.

“Let me help you up.”

He recognized Regina’s voice. Only he couldn’t move. His head felt like it weighed a hundred pounds. He couldn’t open his eye. And when he finally did the sound of his eye blinking was loud enough to rupture his ear drums.

Somehow, Dane and Regina managed to get him into her car. They reclined the seat. Dane must have followed—no way could Regina get him into the house on her own.

He lost all control of his limbs.

Regina helped him into bed.

She struggled to get him out of his clothes. By the time she got his meds into him and another compress, he felt the darkness begin to take over and let it sweep him away. Anything was better than the hell he was in.

****

Regina tried to leave Sterling alone. He needed the rest and she need time to think about so many things.

Sterling’s behavior last night was atrocious. Hell so was his behavior the last five years for that matter. What did it mean, for both of them?

As stupid as it sounded, seeing Sterling react to Gage so severely and seeing his jealousy was the first real emotion he’d exhibited to her since he came home.

She kept her distance, sipping a cup of herbal tea on the sofa. There was nothing on the television and she’d finished the last of the three books she borrowed from the library.

Regina was shaking all over, torn between wanting to throttle Sterling for his ridiculous behavior at jumping to the wrong conclusion, and fear that she didn’t get the meds into him fast enough.

How in the world could he believe she’d be attracted to Gage? Okay, so maybe walking into the room while she was hugging him might have done it, but at the same time she was furious at Sterling for thinking the worst.

Moans coming from the bedroom drew her attention. She put her cup in the sink then closed up the house for the night.

Somehow, even after a shower she felt no better. She brushed her teeth, donned a nightshirt, and added a dab of Sterling’s favorite perfume then she crawled into bed and spooned him. She hugged him tightly, breathed in the sexy all male scent of the man she loved more than life itself. The only things she loved more than him was her daughter, and she was half Sterling.

She had missed the everyday events of the past five years that turned him into the man he’d become. The changes in him were startling.

Running her hand along his side she stroked his naked hip. The warmth of his skin lit a fire inside her. She scooted closer, resting her hand on his chest. The beat of his heart thumped against her palm. His chest had always been a magnet she couldn’t resist. Sparse curly hair trailed across his chest, over his abs, and down to the center of his toned stomach. Her fingers slid over the scar on his left side. She ached for the pain he must have suffered. Considering the length and how jagged it was, it must have been horrible. And yet he never said a thing.

Her hand gravitated back to his heart, beating slow and steady. She kissed his shoulder, and pressed her cheek against his shoulder blade.

Hugging him close and she drifted off to sleep, grateful to have Sterling home and alive.

Somewhere in the night they rolled face-to-face, arms around one another. She was awakened to Sterling cupping her backside. His palm gently squeezed, kneading her bottom.

Twice during the night she got up to wet his compress. Keeping his eye covered and his forehead cool was a priority to keep a jump on the pain.

As dawn broke, Sterling’s lips nibbling her neck was a wonderful wake-up call. That and his throbbing anatomy pressed between her thighs.

“Thanks for taking care of me. Sorry if I was any trouble,” he said.

“It was nothing.” She kissed him gently.

“Does this mean you broke it off with Gage?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

“You can’t break off what doesn’t exist.”

“But—”

“But nothing, you were mistaken.”

“You were hugging him.”

“I was thanking him.”

“For what?”

“None of your business.”

Sterling frowned.

“You need to trust me.”

“I do.”

“Bull! If you did, you wouldn’t have jumped to conclusions, and a wrong one at that.”

“Are you going to tell me what you were thanking him for?”

“No.”

Sterling raised a suspicious brow. “I see.”

His reaction made her smile. She liked this jealous streak in him. “No you don’t, but you will, soon enough.” She kissed him again.

Sterling pushed her onto her back then rolled on top of her. They made love then slipped back into a restful slumber, wrapped in each other’s arms.

Regina startled awake then checked the time.

“Sterling—wake up! Do you feel well enough to go watch Silver ride?”

His eye fluttered. He blinked, frowning at the light. “Sure.”

“Then we need to get a move on or we’re going to be late,” she said.

They had time for a quick shower then coffee and toast before they had to be at the fairgrounds.

Saturday morning there were several events for the kids to participate in, from the greased pig contest, the chicken chase contest, mutton bustin’, and more. Saturday afternoon was designated for the rodeo, with everything from Bronco Bustin’, calf roping, bull riding, and barrel racing.

On the drive to the fairgrounds she brought up the previous evening. “You might want to know that I convinced Gage to drop the charges again you.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Sterling grew silent.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

“Will you go somewhere with me tomorrow?”

“We have church and then the Easter Egg hunt and the picnic.”

“I know. I mean afterwards. Alone just you and me.”

“I see. What do you have in mind? Is this another excuse to get me into bed?” she asked shaking her head and letting a titter of laughter accompany her question.

“It’s a surprise.”

“Sure. Do you want Silver along too?”

“I’d prefer to take you alone if you don’t mind. It’s nothing against her. I simple want to talk to you alone.”

“We’re alone now.”

“Tomorrow, okay?”

“Fine.”

The place was packed. They had to park in the back of the parking lot.  

“I hope we didn’t miss Silver ride,” Regina said as she jumping out of the car then gathered her things.

“Me too.” Sterling slipped on his sunglasses and hat, and still put his hand over his eye. He didn’t feel anywhere near as good as implied.

Sterling paid their admission and they rushed to the grand stands, searching the crowd for the family. The kids were all gathered near the sheep pen.

Nate stood up. “Over here. We saved you seats.”

Regina slipped past Nate, Lena, and Dane and took the seat next to him.

Dane and Sterling stopped nose-to nose, glaring at one another, not saying a word.

Sterling broke eye contact and sat down on the far side of Regina, before his family started asking questions.

Darcy squatted by Silver giving her last minute instructions then she ruffled Silver’s hair. They did a knuckle bump followed by a hip bump. Both were laughing.

Darcy fasten Silver’s helmet into place, checking to make sure it was secure.

Regina leaned over to whisper to Sterling, “Bruce Stoddard is up first. He’s the boy who teased Silver. That’s Jake, his brother standing next to him.” Regina held her breath as Bruce climbed on the back of the sheep.

The gate opened and the sheep charged out, racing into the arena, it zigged then zagged, tossing Bruce on his butt after four seconds.

The crowd “aahed” in unison.

Two more kids took their turns and were tossed to the ground.

Silver’s turn was coming up.

****

Silver saw her parents in the stands and waved.

Her mother blew a kiss for good luck.

Daddy waved then gave her a thumbs up.

They looked happy. This was going to be a good day, she could feel it.

“Bruce got tossed off because he leaned back. Remember what I told you—weave your fingers into the wool and squeeze your legs as tight as you can, and lean forward over its neck so your body stays in motion when it runs.”

“Okay. I’ll remember. I just wish Virgil was here.” Silver gnawed on her bottom lip.

“I know you do, but you show him that all his help wasn’t in vain. Win it for him.”

The crowd “oohed.”

Silver turned her head in time to see Nicholas Johnson hurled to the ground, tumbling under the sheep’s feet. The sheep jumped and darted away. He managed to stay on three seconds.

“Aunt Darcy—”

“Yes Cupcake?” Darcy tweaked her nose like she always did.

“Nothing—” She couldn’t voice her fear.

“Go ahead, ask.”

“Do you think Daddy will still love me even if I don’t win?”

“What a silly question. Of course, he’ll love you no matter what. Listen sweetie, daddies don’t just love you when you win or when you’re good. They love you no matter what. That’s how mommies and daddies are supposed to be.”

“But I heard Bruce saying his daddy would be mad at him if he didn’t win.”

“Some mommies and daddies don’t realize what they do to their kids.”

“It makes me sad. I almost want to let him win.”

“Cupcake, that’s sweet of you. Honestly, if he doesn’t win it on his own then he didn’t earn it?”

“No, I guess not.”

The crowd stood and cheered then “aahed” again.

Sally Benson leaned forward and had a chokehold on the sheep. Her weight over the sheep’s neck and her hold caused the sheep to go down head first, flipping them both end over end. Sally was crying. The man dressed like a clown helped her up and ushered her into her mother’s arms. She stayed on three seconds.