The Long Paddock, page 25
Cressy leaned forward as Arrow pushed the Hereford around the last peg. The scent of blossoms intensified as Cressy’s shoulder touched his. She didn’t move away and he savoured the contact. He’d been a fool to think he’d ever be able to settle for less than everything with the cowgirl beside him.
All too soon Tanner and Arrow sent the cow through the pegs that marked the end of the campdraft.
Cressy leaned back in her seat with a contented sigh. ‘Those two are magic together.’ She patted his thigh. ‘Of course, you and Bandit are as well, except Arrow’s far prettier and I know I’ll still have a hand if I feed him.’
Denham hoped his smile reached his eyes. Cressy’s touch may have been casual but there was nothing low-key about his unbridled response. He was a heartbeat away from listening to his testosterone and kissing her soft lips. It was his cue to leave. He moved forward to the edge of the seat.
‘I’m sure Bandit’s fine about not being called pretty. Speaking of which, I’ll go and get him warmed up. See you tonight.’
She nodded and again looked at his side. ‘I hope you’ll be okay. Sally and her friends have already dibbed your first two dances.’
He groaned and came to his feet. ‘They have far too much energy for an old bull rider like me.’
***
Denham had spoken the truth. When he’d ridden Bandit in the warm-up yards, his bones had creaked like he was a hundred. Buckshot had given him a workout. But now as he and Bandit waited for the first buckjumper to compete, adrenaline pushed aside his aches and pains. Bandit’s ears flickered back and forth. The gelding had been introduced to Seth’s experienced pickup horse and the two geldings had been ridden side-by-side so he’d have an idea that pickup riding was teamwork.
The first horse leapt out of the ute, the cowboy lasting three seconds. Seth rode on one side of the runaway horse, grabbing his lead, while Denham rode on the other to release the flank strap. Together they herded the horse out of the arena.
Denham chuckled as Bandit swung around, attention on the chutes, ready for the next horse. ‘I thought you’d like this.’
As cowboys and horses came and went, Denham realised that as a pickup rider he experienced as much action in eight seconds as he did as a competitor. If there was a wreck and a cowboy was in trouble, he and Seth were the first ones into the fray. As a stubborn chestnut proved difficult to herd, Bandit used his shoulder to force the horse to change direction. When the chestnut disappeared through the gate, Seth gave Denham a nod. Bandit had found his true calling. The buckskin could be as arrogant and as bad-mannered as he wanted to get the job done.
As Seth had predicted, things could get hairy fast. With only two competitors to go, a cowboy fell, his hand trapped in the rigging. Unable to flatten his palm to slide his fingers out of the suitcase-like handle, he was dragged along the ground. Seth and Denham moved quickly to get on either side of the bolting horse. Not wanting to trample the cowboy, Denham came in at a sharp angle. The horse reared, his hooves flailing. His left hoof caught Denham’s chest before the horse finally stopped.
The cowboy staggered to his feet and slipped his hand free. Then, holding his wrist, he stumbled over to the chutes where the first-aid officers waited.
Denham ignored the pain high on his ribs and escorted the horse out of the arena. After the last cowboy had ridden, Seth rode over with a smile. He tipped his hat.
‘Bandit’s one of a kind. You can come and work with me anytime.’
‘After that adrenaline rush, we might just do that.’
Knowing that once the buzz died, he’d feel where the hoof had collided with his body, Denham rode Bandit straight to the horse float.
Cressy was already there.
He greeted her with a smile which she didn’t return.
‘I thought bull riding was supposed to be the most dangerous thing you did today,’ she said, arms folded.
Denham slid out of the saddle. ‘It was.’
Cressy frowned and helped him unsaddle Bandit. When the gelding had his nose deep in a feed bucket, she turned to him. ‘Okay, show me where you were kicked.’
Her firm tone brooked no argument.
Denham sighed. ‘I thought Fliss was the only one with the bossy gene?’
Cressy didn’t reply. Instead she reached out and pulled up his shirt to look at his chest. He stood still, knowing what she’d find: marked and already bruised skin. Concern widened her eyes. She took out her phone.
‘I’m calling Fliss.’
‘I’m okay. It was just a light blow. There’s no need—’
But Fliss had already answered. Cressy put her phone on speaker before explaining what happened.
Fliss took charge, her voice clear and clinical. ‘Right, shirt off, Denham.’
‘Really?’ he asked with a sigh.
‘Yes, really,’ Fliss fired back. ‘Get your gear off, cowboy. Any trouble breathing?’
‘No.’ Denham shrugged off his shirt. Even Bandit would be powerless against the combined wills of the two Knight girls.
Cressy hung his dusty shirt on the side of the horse float.
‘I’m sending through a photo of last time,’ Fliss said. ‘Tell me if his ribs look like this again.’
A photo appeared on the phone. Cressy’s face paled. Denham was the first to admit it wasn’t pretty. The full impact of a bull’s head had left his ribcage and hip black and blue.
‘No,’ Cressy said, lifting the phone. ‘The injury’s higher and looks like this.’
She snapped a picture of his ribs.
‘Okay,’ Fliss said after a long moment. ‘There doesn’t look to be any breaks. Run your fingers lightly over the spot to feel for any dents or lumps.’
Cressy stepped close and he breathed in the floral scent of her hair. As her fingertips drifted over his chest, he clenched his jaw. Just like in the kitchen when she’d tended to his wallaby scratches, her touch incinerated his self-control until it held by a thread.
‘No,’ Cressy said, biting her lip as she concentrated. ‘Everything feels normal.’
‘Good. He’ll live. You can put your shirt back on now, cowboy.’
‘Thanks, Dr Fliss.’
Expression still serious, Cressy handed him his shirt.
He slipped his arms through the sleeves as Fliss replied. ‘Normally I’d advise rest but seeing as it’s you, Denham, I’ll hand you over to Cressy instead. I’m sure she can think of something to keep you quiet and out of trouble.’
‘Yes, I can. I have the perfect thing for risk-taking cowboys …’ Cheeks now filled with colour, Cressy watched his fingers flick his buttons into place. ‘Sitting next to Edna tonight and checking dinner entry tickets.’
CHAPTER
17
‘I thought you’d drowned in there,’ Ella said with a grin over the top of her coffee mug as Cressy entered the kitchen.
‘Sorry.’ She rubbed at her wet hair with the white and fluffy towel Ella had left folded on the guest room bed. ‘I tried to be quick but I just couldn’t leave all that hot water.’
‘That’s because it’s a proper shower.’ Ella’s grin widened. ‘What’s with that showerhead in your main bathroom anyway? It only delivers a fine mist.’
Cressy seated herself at Ella’s kitchen table. The vet had been painting her nails a vivid pink while she sipped her coffee. ‘It’s a water-saving one.’
Ella tapped the tabletop and Cressy put her hand out, fingers splayed. She remained still as Ella painted her nails.
‘I know why it saves water, it shortens showers to under five minutes. I get in and out as quickly as I can. Don’t get me started on that time I tried to wash out my shampoo …’
Cressy smiled. ‘I won’t. I already know the story too well. Denham had no complaints.’
‘Cressida Knight, have you been holding out on me?’ Ella looked up, her attention no longer on Cressy’s nails. ‘When did he use your shower?’
Cressy draped the damp towel across her lap and placed her other hand on the table. ‘I did tell you. When he rescued the wallaby.’
A smile tugged at Ella’s lips. ‘Sorry, that’s right, you did. I must have only focused on the near-kiss part of the story.’ She continued painting Cressy’s nails. ‘So is there to be a repeat car park performance at the rodeo dinner tonight?’
Cressy didn’t fight the warmth that flooded her face. She’d been dwelling on the same thought. ‘No, there won’t be. The only “ing” word that will be happening is “talking”. I need to make sure Denham’s not going to up and leave again. I’m not chasing those rainbows you mentioned unless I know for sure there’s a pot of gold at the end.’
‘Talking is a good “ing” word. Dancing and kissing is even better but I’ll let Denham off because not only is he injured, he also has to check tickets with Edna. I can’t believe that’s what you came up with to keep him quiet and out of trouble.’
Cressy grinned. ‘There’s no better person than Edna to keep a close eye on a stubborn cowboy. When I’m not with him, at least I’ll know Edna will make sure he doesn’t overdo things.’
‘True. There’s very little that Edna misses.’ Ella secured the lid on the nail polish. ‘Now we’d better get dressed and straighten your hair.’
Cressy blew on her nails. ‘I am dressed.’
Ella cast a quick eye over her conservative pale blue western shirt she saved for special occasions.
‘It’s clean,’ Cressy added as Ella’s fine brows met. ‘And isn’t too big.’
‘True, but if you want Denham to start talking you need to throw him a little off balance. My shirts would all swamp you. Have you got anything else, maybe without sleeves?’
‘Only a singlet-type top I brought as pyjamas.’
‘Sounds promising. Let’s take a look.’
***
Half an hour later, dressed in jeans, pink boots and the tight, ribbed white top, which Ella had undone the top button of, Cressy stood in the dinner queue. Country music pulsed around them and overhead the first star pushed through the blanket of dusk grey. The aromas of barbecued meat and fresh bread wafted on the balmy breeze.
Cressy flicked the ends of her straightened hair over her shoulder. Two unfamiliar cowboys sauntered past. They slowed to give her and Ella the once-over. Cressy sighed. Ella might be used to such attention but she wasn’t. She glared at the cowboys who registered her ‘get lost’ message and kept walking.
Beside her, Ella laughed softly. ‘Cressy, you crack me up. I’ve never seen so-called tough guys walk away so fast.’
‘Well, if they remembered their manners I wouldn’t have to give them a death stare.’
‘There’s one person I don’t think you’ll have to give a death stare to again.’ Ella dipped her honey-blonde head to where Shaun stood ahead in the line. Brooke huddled close beside him, smiling at something he said. ‘I don’t know what you and Shaun talked about but he’s back to being the Shaun I remember before he got too big for his mirror-shiny boots.’
‘How did you know we had a talk?’ They walked forward in the queue. ‘Did he tell you?’
‘Not really. When I bumped into him in the rodeo car park this morning his ute was dusty. I commented about it being dirty instead of immaculate. All he said was that you’d made him see things differently.’
Cressy nodded. ‘I hope so.’
She also hoped Shaun had taken her advice that there were more women out there than Ella. She looked sideways at her friend. Bright-eyed, and with a half-smile on her lips, she looked around the crowd. But if any man caught her eye, she looked away. Ella still wasn’t ready to move on from whatever heartache she’d suffered overseas.
Ella stretched to look towards the head of the queue. ‘I’m sorry to say but your Edna Plan has failed. Denham isn’t beside her checking tickets. I can only see Scott from the rodeo committee.’
Cressy sighed. ‘Let’s hope he isn’t here because he’s taking a rest in his swag.’ She looked around at the crowd, both inside and outside the dinner entry point, but couldn’t see a familiar pair of broad shoulders. ‘Stranger things have happened.’
Ella laughed. ‘They have but I don’t like your chances. The word “rest” wouldn’t be in Denham’s vocabulary.’ Ella’s brown eyes sparkled as she draped an arm around Cressy’s shoulders and hugged her. ‘Much like someone else I know … which is why you’re such a perfect match.’
‘Perfect nightmare more like it. I know exactly how hard it will be to keep him quiet.’
Cressy sent Denham a quick text. She hadn’t received a reply by the time it was their turn for Edna to check their wristbands.
The town’s social queen greeted them with an approving smile. ‘Don’t you two look pretty? There’s some nice young cowboys here tonight.’
‘Too bad Ella and I will be too old for them,’ Cressy said sweetly. ‘Denham not helping you?’
‘No.’ Edna’s expression turned smug. ‘Our rodeo champion is quite the celebrity. Woodlea’s going to be in all the papers. Denham’s being interviewed as we speak. I’m sure your sister will agree that talking to a city reporter passes as a quiet activity.’
Cressy repressed a sigh and nodded. It was what he’d do after the interview that she’d guarantee Fliss wouldn’t approve of. Denham was never any good at taking it easy. She followed Ella as they headed over to where the dinner was being held in front of the bar.
‘Who are you calling old?’ Ella said with a smile.
‘Me. If I have one more cowboy check me out who can’t even shave yet I’m going home to put on my other shirt. Now where do you think Denham could be?’
Ella tucked her arm in hers. ‘Denham will be fine. Look, there he is over past the end tables.’
Cressy turned to see Denham shaking hands with a man dressed in a city shirt and navy trousers. As the reporter left, a bevy of girls surrounded Denham wanting to have their picture taken with him. She couldn’t blame them. Dressed in a black embroidered shirt, Wranglers and fancy boots, Denham looked gorgeous and every inch the cowboy.
‘Poor Denham,’ Ella said, ‘he must be wearing his world-champion belt buckle. There’s only one area of his body that group is focused on.’
Cressy unlinked her arm from Ella’s. ‘We’d better rescue him.’
If Denham was uncomfortable with the attention his ornate gold and silver PBR champion belt buckle garnered, it didn’t show in his easy grin as pictures were snapped. But after he’d excused himself from the group of girls and walked over to her and Ella, strain deepened the grooves beside his mouth.
‘Nice belt buckle,’ Ella said with a grin.
‘Thanks. You can wear it anytime.’
His gaze touched Cressy’s then flickered over her hair.
‘Sue’s work?’
‘No, mine,’ Ella said, touching the glossy, smooth hair that fell over Cressy’s shoulder. ‘But next time I’m supergluing Cressy to a chair, she wriggles far more than any of my puppy patients.’
‘I do not wriggle.’
Denham grinned. ‘Yes, you do. I remember taking you in the tractor and we shared a seat, you squirmed the whole time.’
‘In my defence, I was only twelve.’
‘You still wriggle.’
His now-dark gaze briefly dipped to her unfastened top button. Unlike when other masculine eyes looked at her, this time she didn’t feel irritation. Instead her skin heated and her self-control unravelled. Without him using words she knew exactly what he was referring to. Whenever they’d shared the snug confines of a swag she’d always fidget until she’d fall asleep.
‘So how’s your side?’ she asked to change the subject. Her face already felt too warm.
‘Good. As per Dr Fliss’s orders, I’m taking it easy.’
‘A wise decision,’ Ella said with a nod. ‘Dr Fliss isn’t to be messed with. You’re welcome to eat with us.’ She threw Cressy a cheeky look. ‘Us oldies are in for a quiet night.’
‘Thanks. I will.’ Denham gazed over Cressy’s shoulder. ‘Tanner might like to join us. I owe him a birthday beer.’
Cressy half turned to see the drover heading their way. Dressed in jeans, silver monogrammed belt buckle and a red cowboy shirt he cut a handsome figure. His head was bare and his dark-blond hair touched his collar. Two brunette cowgirls lowered their beers and turned to watch as he strode by. The cowboys standing beside them scowled.
Denham made the introductions between Tanner and Ella. In their open smiles and the firm shake of their hands Cressy could see their first impressions were favourable. Tanner appeared to not be blindsided by Ella’s blonde beauty and Ella appeared to sense the same depths Cressy and Denham had seen in the drover.
‘Thanks,’ Tanner said with a warm smile as Denham asked him if he’d join them for dinner. ‘That would be great.’
Giggling sounded behind them before Sally and her group of friends approached.
‘Hi, Sal,’ Denham said as the teenager stopped in front of him. ‘Congratulations on getting your licence.’
She blushed. ‘Thanks. Mum said we’ll bring your car back next week. She hit a roo in ours and it has to get fixed.’
‘Tell your mum there’s no rush. Keep it until your car’s back on the road.’
‘Thanks. I will.’
The brown-haired girl beside Sally elbowed her. Sally spoke again. ‘Will you dance with us tonight?’
‘I’d love to but …’ Denham’s eyes met Cressy’s. ‘I got kicked by a horse this afternoon and I’m supposed to be taking it easy.’
Disappointment drooped the corners of the four girls’ mouths.
‘That’s okay.’ Sally glanced towards the already swollen crowd in front of the bar. ‘There’s some guys asking us to dance later and I said we already had someone to dance with.’
Denham’s eyes narrowed. ‘Which guys? They do know you’re all only seventeen?’
