The Cowboy's Valentine Bride. Patricia Johns

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СКАЧАТЬ right now.”

      “You’re not going to give me pain meds first?”

      “No.” She met his gaze evenly, and Brody heaved a sigh. “If you don’t start putting some weight on that leg, it’ll only get harder.”

      Brody pushed the covers back and Kaitlyn bent to help lift his injured limb over the side of the bed. Every movement was a fresh blaze of pain, and he closed his eyes against it, willing his stomach to settle. He felt vulnerable sitting here in an undershirt and a pair of army-issue shorts. His muscles were tense along his shoulders, and he sucked in a sharp breath.

      “Take a moment to breathe...” Her voice was quiet and close. “You’ll be fine. I’m right here. When you’re ready, you’ll stand, but you’ll put all your weight on your good leg. I’m not that mean.”

      The pain slowly subsided, and he had to admit it was marginally better than yesterday. She’d said it was a good sign, hadn’t she?

      “Okay,” he said.

      Kaitlyn’s cool fingers slipped under his biceps and she tugged him gently forward. He followed her encouragement and pushed himself up, all of his weight on his good leg. He wavered slightly, and Kaitlyn moved in closer—sliding an arm around his waist to steady him.

      The auburn top of her head shone just at his shoulder level, and he was distinctly aware of where her hands touched his sides, even if he was trying to ignore it. She smelled good—something like vanilla, but not quite—and it made him start thinking of things he should know better than to connect to Kaitlyn Harpe.

      “Can you straighten your leg?” she asked, and her voice was close to his chest as she looked down at his injured leg—that was her focus, at least. He straightened it with a grimace, and after a moment, he put a little bit of weight onto it.

      That was too much, and the pain made the room tilt and spin. She’d never be able to catch him if he went down...

      “Brody, this is great!” Her tone lost the nurse quality, and she looked up at him with shining eyes. It brought him back to the one time he’d kissed her when he was all of twelve... They’d been kids, and nothing had ever come of it, of course. If he were a little less woozy, he’d be tempted by those pink lips so close to his face—just a matter of dipping his head down and catching them with his—but with the room tilting like that, he’d probably miss. He wouldn’t come off as anything better than an awkward twelve-year-old, pecking a girl on the lips and not knowing what else to do.

      “I’d better...” His voice was weaker than he liked, but she expertly eased him back down to the side of the bed, and he rubbed his hands over his face. She was his nurse, but having her this close to him was going to be harder than he’d imagined.

      “A little dizzy?” she asked.

      “A bit.”

      “That’s natural. It’ll be easier the next time we do it. You’ve been on some pretty strong pain medications.” She was back to being the nurse again, and she chattered on about his different doses of meds as she adjusted his pillows so that he could sit propped up in bed.

      “I think I need a few minutes to myself,” he said discreetly.

      “Sure.” She shot him a grin. “I’ll go get your breakfast sorted out. You shouldn’t take any more pills on an empty stomach. Just trust me on that.”

      She made a grossed out-face; he laughed softly. This was definitely going to be strange to get used to... The Kaitlyn who joked around and made faces was also the woman who was taking care of him. This was going to be a delicate balance, he could tell.

      “I believe you,” he said.

      “I’ll be back in a bit.” She left the room and closed the door behind her with a click, and he was left in silence.

      That quiet felt good. Last night, he’d had all sorts of attention from his family. Everyone had questions, and his mother had wanted to make him comfortable, but only ended up leaving his pillow lumpy behind his back. But he couldn’t tell her, because every time she fussed over him, he could see the tears misting her eyes. No matter what had happened over there, she was still his mom, and that was something that hadn’t changed. Except that she’d been part of the deception, too, and that rankled him. When he was off serving the country, he should have been able to trust his family to have his back.

      But they thought they had.

      And maybe that was the biggest problem.

      Of all the changes around here—Nina’s betrayal, Dakota’s marriage, Kaitlyn—he was the biggest change of all, and he wasn’t sure he could fit back into his spot here again, even for the short term.

      You’re brave, Valentine. He’d kept it—a standing joke between them—but it had turned into a kind of good luck charm. He’d tucked that slip of paper into his front pocket because it made him feel braver somehow. A lot of the guys had good luck talismans...a small stone from their home driveway, or a hair elastic from a girlfriend. He’d had the Valentine card.

      In the army, he’d learned that when you were wounded, you had to keep focused on the next step. That might be pulling yourself across the rocky ground, or tying off your own tourniquet. That was what he had to do now with his recovery—grit his teeth and take the next step. The rest of the answers would have to wait.

      * * *

      WHEN KAITLYN HAD arrived at the Mason ranch that morning, Millie Mason was making breakfast—oatmeal with raisins, stacks of toast with butter and boiled eggs. The Mason kitchen always smelled of baking and food, something Nina had resented.

      “I’m not a cook,” Nina had insisted when Brody said that all he wanted for his birthday was a cake made by his girl. “Why can’t he just get his mother to make the cake and let me provide...other things?”

      Nina always managed to sound like Marilyn Monroe with her innuendos, but she had had a point. Since when did a fiancée need to replace a mother? But Kaitlyn had sensed that Nina’s frustration went deeper than a different skillset—Nina hadn’t ever been terribly nurturing. She’d been beautiful, and everyone else had nurtured her. Including her sister. Kaitlyn hadn’t been so different from everyone else, constantly making excuses for Nina. Nina isn’t very good at that. Her heart is in the right place. But maybe her heart hadn’t been quite so well situated after all.

      Nina had suggested that Kaitlyn just bake the cake and let Nina take the credit, but Kaitlyn had said no. It was one thing to have her sister dating the guy who had her heart in a vice, and quite another to bake the cake that would make Brody love Nina even more. So Kaitlyn flat out refused...but consented to pick one up at the bakery since Nina wasn’t dressed yet. Looking back, Kaitlyn couldn’t believe she’d been such a pushover.

      Now, as Kaitlyn left Brody in his bedroom and returned to the Mason kitchen, she found it empty, the food on the table and the air fragrant with freshly brewed coffee. This was a kitchen where love took the form of food, and while that was hard for a girlfriend to compete with, it certainly did make for a cozy home. Growing up with Millie Mason’s cinnamon buns and strawberry pies would have been idyllic.

      “Mrs. Mason?” Kaitlyn called.

      There was no answer, so Kaitlyn opened a cupboard and pulled out some bowls and plates to set the table. СКАЧАТЬ