Footsteps sounded in the hallway, and they all turned to see Cage and Hardman striding toward them. “Got here as fast as I could,” Cage said. “Had to stop at the warehouse first.”

  Hardman raked a hand through his hair and sat. “That should’ve been me,” he said, his voice hoarse.

  “It shouldn’t have been anyone,” Colleen whispered. “This is on Sidney Coleman. Hope the bastard rots in jail.”

  Chase returned and took a seat with them. “Had to throw those clothes out,” he said to Rhonda.

  They sat in silence for maybe another fifteen minutes when the double doors leading into the surgical unit opened. Everyone stood. Chase tucked Colleen’s hand into the crook of his elbow as they waited for the man in scrubs to draw nearer.

  She nearly groaned when he pulled down his mask.

  Sean’s gaze went straight to her, and he frowned before turning his attention to Chase. “He’s in recovery; he’ll be there for at least another hour before we move him into a room. Mr. Brown was really pretty lucky. The bullet penetrated the diaphragm and nicked his spleen, but no other organs were involved. I expect a full recovery.”

  Everyone let out sighs of relief.

  “Thank you, doctor,” Chase said.

  Sean’s gaze turned to Colleen. “Got a minute?” he said, his voice clipped.

  Colleen drew in a deep breath and gave her new friends, who all stood with raised eyebrows, a crimped smile. “I’ll just be a minute.”

  “Think again,” her brother muttered.

  “That’s her brother,” Chase whispered to the group.

  Colleen followed Sean into the surgery unit. He led her to a break room, pointed toward a chair, and waited until she took it. “Seriously, Colleen? You’ve been MIA for days, and now you show up with these people?”

  “I left you a message—”

  “Saying you’d be away for a few days. You didn’t say you were going to hook up with a bounty hunter.”

  “I… How’d you know?”

  His lips curled in a sneer. “Your…fuck buddy told me so.”

  Colleen drew back from the rage in his face. “He’s not my fuck buddy.”

  “You’re fucking him, aren’t you?”

  “It’s not like that.”

  “Really? How long have you known him? How soon after you met him—in this hospital—were you screwing him?”

  She clamped her jaws shut, fury building inside her. How dare he shout at her when the man she cared about had just survived being shot?

  For most of her life, she’d worried about his approval or her father’s approval. She’d compared herself to them and their successes and had always found herself wanting.

  Well, this time, he was wrong. This was her life. He had no business judging her. “You can stop right now,” she said, stiffening her back and keeping her tone even.

  “You need to go home.”

  “I’m staying right here.”

  “You’re not anything to him. It’s embarrassing, you being here.”

  “To you? Is this somehow any different than any of the other times I embarrassed you?” She raised her finger and stuck it in his chest. “This is my life, Sean. Butt the hell out of it.”

  Her brother opened his mouth, but must have seen something in her expression, because he shut it.

  “I’m heading back out there to my friends. And when Cowboy wakes up, if he wants to see me, I’ll be there for him.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest but stayed silent.

  “And by the way, I quit my job. I have a new one, and it’s in Dead Horse. Those people out there are now my co-workers. I belong here.” With that, she turned on her heel and walked away.

  * * *

  Cowboy woke, coming up through a fog of medicine. His chest hurt. No, it was lower than that. The lights were too bright. Better not open them, he thought. Where am…

  Then he remembered. Sidney’s arm raising. Him, trying to escape the bullet aimed at his heart. The explosion.

  I’m alive. Thank God. There were still some things he wanted to do with his life. Like…

  He remembered red hair, lush curves, sweet kisses, sexy sighs…

  Where was Colleen?

  A subtle bleeping sound came from beside him. He blinked open his eyes and saw the patient monitor beside his bed. An IV was in his arm; a blood pressure cuff was around his upper arm.

  “You’re awake,” came a too cheerful voice on his opposite side, so he looked that way and delivered a glare.

  The nurse smiled. “Feeling a little groggy still?”

  “Where’s Colleen?” he asked, surprised at how ragged his voice sounded.

  “Colleen? You have a crowd of people out in the waiting room. Do you feel up to seeing them?”

  “Colleen…” he repeated, beginning to get annoyed with her. He didn’t want to waste effort talking to her.

  “I’ll go see if she’s there.”

  He closed his eyes and felt himself sink into the bed.

  Then… A hand brushed the side of his face, a whiff of something—not alcohol or cleaning fluid, but something much sweeter—teased his nose.

  Again, he opened his eyes and focused. Red hair and pale bluish-purple, glacier eyes looked down at him. He opened his mouth then had to swallow because his tongue was dry.

  “Here, I have some water for you. The nurse said you should drink.”

  A straw entered his mouth, and he pulled on it. He wished it was her tit.

  A soft laugh followed.

  Had he said that out loud?

  “You’re here,” he croaked.

  Her eyebrows drew together. “Do you want me here, Cowboy?”

  “’Course. Do you…?”

  Her smile was an angelic curve. “There’s not anywhere else I want to be.”

  “’S good.” His eyelids dipped again, and he sank into sleep.

  * * *

  Colleen sighed and returned to her seat beside his bed. Cowboy was going to be okay. And he wanted her there. For now. Maybe when he was feeling more himself, he might not, but she could wait. He could try to push her out of his life, but she’d be sticking around.

  Rhonda and Laura had warned her they’d seen it before. Men, when they weren’t feeling their best and strongest, tended to be as mean as hungry bears, lashing out at those closest to them.

  Rhonda had nodded her head. “He might fight you over every little thing—the TVs too loud, not loud enough.”

  “The food’s too salty or not salty enough,” Laura said. “Little things. And he might sound a bit snappy.”

  “You think that’ll be Cowboy? He’s always so nice.”

  Rhonda nodded again. “Even the nice ones get grumpy when they can’t do for themselves.”

  “So be warned. It’ll pass,” Laura said.

  “And you think waiting it out is worth it?” she asked, raising her eyebrows. She was teasing, of course, but their alarmed expressions made her chuckle.

  “This is your chance to seal the deal,” Rhonda said, leaning closer. “Be there, but don’t smother him. Give him a foot massage, but make him hold his own damn spoon.”

  “Sounds confusing.”

  “He wants you to be concerned, but he doesn’t want to feel babied.”

  Laura shook her head. “Rhonda, you crack me up.” She turned to Colleen, her expression serious. “He’ll want company, but don’t talk his ears off.”

  Rhonda wagged a finger. “When he wants to go to the bathroom, make sure to call a nurse or orderly, because he’ll be embarrassed.”

  Sitting beside him now, Colleen wasn’t worried. Not yet. He was weak and tired. His normally healthy complexion was a little gray, maybe even a little blue, but that might have been the horrible lighting.

  Thinking about horrible hues, she dug into her purse to look for her mirrored compact. When she opened it, she grimaced. She pinched her cheeks to add some color to them and slid tinted lip gloss on her mouth.

  “Pretty,” Cowboy said.

  She pushed up from her chair. “You’re awake again,” she said, giving him a smile.

  “Out long?”

  “Fifteen minutes.”

  “Not long enough to miss me.”

  “Oh, I missed you,” she said.

  “Come here.”

  He patted the mattress beside his hip, but she shook her head. “You’re healing. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  He pointed to the opposite side where he’d been shot then patted the bed again. “Join me.”

  “What will the nurses say?” she said, shaking her head. When he grinned, she added under her breath, “At least you left out the ‘with’.”

  She took off her shoes and slowly sat then stretched out beside him, watching his face to make sure she didn’t cause him any pain. When she was there, she turned on her side, facing him. “Can you rest now?” she asked.

  “Like a baby. Stay.”

  That second, Colleen didn’t care who might walk in the door. She was where she wanted to be. Where he wanted her to be.

  With her head lying on his shoulder, they both slept.

  Chapter 10

  Two weeks later, Colleen was convinced the male in her bedroom was the spawn of the devil himself.

  She walked out onto the balcony on the opposite side of the apartment from her bedroom to place her call.

  “And I thought Cowboy was the nice one,” Rhonda said. “What’d he do now?”

  “He’s mad at me.”

  “Did he yell?”

  “No, he didn’t say anything.”

  “Then how do you know he’s mad?”

  “His eyes follow me everywhere, and he frowns—all the time.”

  “Well, what’s he upset about?”

  Colleen wrinkled her nose.

  “Colleeen?” Rhonda said, stretching out her name. “Is he wanting sex?”

  Colleen’s mouth dropped a little. “How’d you know?”

  “He’s a male. His stitches aren’t going to come loose. He’s got a cock. That’s all a man thinks about.”

  “I offered to…you know.”

  “Blow him?”

  “Yeah. That.”

  “You did that the day you brought him home from the hospital.”

  “And the next day, and every day since.”

  “Ah. He’s feeling guilty and probably not very manly because you aren’t getting off.”

  “I don’t expect him to do that for me. He was shot, for Pete’s sake.”

  “He might even be wondering if you’re still attracted to him or just giving him pity blow jobs.”

  Colleen didn’t think she’d ever get used to how easily her friends talked about sexual acts, and she was awfully glad they weren’t having this conversation face to face. Caring for Cowboy in her apartment in Bozeman did have its advantages.

  “So, do you think I should…have sex with him, I mean?”

  “Have you asked the doctor?”

  Her eyes widened. “You mean, my brother?”

  “Oh, right. Still not speaking.”

  “Nope. And I won’t initiate a conversation until he apologizes to me.”

  “Good for you. But back to Cowboy. I say, as long as he’s not exerting himself too much, go for it.”

  “Really?” Now that she allowed herself to consider the possibility, the idea tantalized.

  “You’ll have to do the exerting, my dear.”

  “Huh. You think I can’t?”

  “Of course, I think you can. I’m just emphasizing the issue so you two don’t get into any trouble.”

  “Oh. Okay. Um, I better get back in there.”

  “Have fun, sweetie,” Rhonda said, chuckling as she ended the call.

  Colleen glanced out over the walkway below. For the first time, she wondered whether the insulation in the walls of her apartment would be enough to keep her neighbors from knowing she was having sex. She liked her privacy.

  Back inside, she walked slowly toward her bedroom. The sound of water running made her move faster. Entering her bathroom, she jerked back the shower curtain to find Cowboy standing in the space. “What are you doing?”

  “Takin’ a shower,” he said, arching an eyebrow.

  “What if you fall?”

  “I’m a grown man, in reasonably good shape. I can climb over a tub—and there’s this,” he said, gripping the guardrail inside the shower.

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “Still, you should’ve waited for me.”

  “Wanna join me?” he said, his voice deepening.

  Colleen tapped her toe. “And increase the possibility of you having an accident? Do you miss my brother that much?”

  Cowboy picked up her bottle of bodywash and squirted it over his chest. “You might want to close the curtain. The water’s gettin’ on the floor.”

  Only she couldn’t close the curtain. Not yet. Not while he was rubbing suds over his studly chest and lower. Hell, his cock would smell like roses when he was done.

  “I’ve been thinkin’,” he said.

  “Never a good sign,” she muttered.

  “We should head back to Dead Horse.”

  She blinked, ready to disagree, but why would she? She’d been chafing to get back as well. But did he want to get back because he was bored with her company? “Sure you’re ready?” she asked.

  “I’m healing. I can do my physical therapy there as well as I can here. Why not?”

  “Okay,” she said.

  “And one more thing…” he said, his eyes narrowing.

  She straightened her shoulders. “What’s that?”

  “We should make some plans, like you getting out of this apartment.”

  She kind of liked where this was heading. “Do you mean, me giving up my apartment, as in moving out?”

  “Yeah.”

  “And where should I go?”

  Cowboy gripped the rail and lifted his leg over the tub, barely wincing, then lifted the other to stand in front of her. All naked six-feet-two of him. “I’m thinking we should find a place in Dead Horse.”

  She gave his wet body a onceover, her gaze snagging on his cock, which was standing perpendicular to his body. She couldn’t help it, she licked her lips.

  Cowboy gripped his cock and gave it a slow stroke. “Why don’t you head back into the bedroom?”

  She tossed back her hair. “Want me to start packing?” she teased.

  “I want you…on your back…”

  She shook her head. “I should do the work.”

  Cowboy’s chest rose. “Sure.”

  She turned and headed straight for the bedroom, already pulling her tee over her head and plucking at the drawstring on her joggers.

  When she stepped out of them, a hand pushed her toward the mattress. She landed on her arms and glanced behind her, but Cowboy was already standing close to her. He pushed again, flattening her torso to the mattress. His feet knocked against hers, forcing them apart.

  “I have to do the exerting,” she repeated.

  “Shut up, Colleen. The only thing that’s hurtin’ is my dick. Let me have this.”

  How could she argue with that? Tilting up her hips in invitation, she smiled.

  * * *

  Cowboy tipped back his cowboy hat and glanced across at Colleen, who was humming along with the radio. She’d packed up the clothes his team had brought from Dead Horse, packed her own bags, and met with the apartment manager to give her notice.

  Cowboy felt pretty useless. Having sex with her had worn him out. Which sucked. He’d felt like he was getting back to normal when he’d risen that day and decided to clean himself up. But maybe he still had a way to go.

  The therapist had told him he could push himself now, but to pay attention to his body.

  So, he’d slept during the drive back to Dead Horse.

  “You’re awake,” she said, giving him a sideways glance.

  “The road,” he snapped, when her Corolla bounced on the shoulder.

  “Such a nervous Nellie,” she said, smiling.

  “How much farther?” he asked, wondering if he should sleep the rest of the way because watching her drive was going to give him a heart attack.

  She pointed up ahead, and his gaze followed to see the city limits sign. He’d never been so relieved to see those old horse bones.

  Colleen passed the motel, and he angled his head around to watch it in the rear window. “You missed our turn.”

  “I have a stop to make, first.”

  Maybe she needed groceries, but she passed everything. Soon enough, they pulled to a halt in front of the MBH office.

  “Why are we here?” he asked, although he was kind of happy to see the place. He’d missed the morning meetings, munching on Laura’s donuts and shooting the shit with the team while they reviewed the list of available bounties.

  “Cage asked me to swing by.” She cut the engine and turned to him. “Want to come inside, or are you needing more sleep?”

  Her tone was kind of different. Maybe a little too cheerful. Brittle. Was she annoyed about something? Was she tired of taking care of him? He hoped that having him underfoot for so long hadn’t tarnished their romance.

  Worried now, he said, “I’ll come in. What did Cage need with you?”

  She didn’t answer, leading the way to the front door, which she opened and then held for him to pass through it, which rankled because his mother had raised him to be a gentleman and he wasn’t a damn invalid anymore, so why hadn’t she let him open the door for her? However, before he could say anything, he heard, “Surprise!”

  He blinked as his eyes adjusted from the bright light outside. The team was all there, along with their women and the twins, and there was cake on the counter, and everyone was smiling.

  Feeling a little overwhelmed, he stepped deeper inside and gave the group a weak wave. “What’s all this?”

  The grin on Chase’s face stretched wide. “Man, you should see your expression. You look about ready to head back out the door.” He strode forward and held out his hand.

  They fist-bumped.

  “Man, you’re a sight for sore eyes,” his partner said. “We’re not lettin’ you go that fast. Come on in. You can sit if you like, seein’ as how you’re an invalid and all.”