Taken By The Bull

“Really?” Her eyes were as round as a kitten’s as she looked him up and down, noting the blood spatters that had made their way onto his jeans even though he’d pulled them on long after the wound had been made. “It looked really bad.”

“I told you before, I’m a fast healer.” He reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder reassuringly. “Mind you, it looks like it’s the end of my run for the PBR Championship this year.”

“Oh no!” Her hand flew to her mouth. “Really?”

“Can’t ride with an injury. I heal up fast, but I doubt it’ll be that fast.”

“Oh sh*t.” Shaking her head, she stared up into his face. “I’m sorry.”

He looked back with nothing but calmness. “Isn’t your fault. Hell, I’m almost relieved to have one less thing on my mind. Maybe I’ll take the time to really train up Seth. Maybe, this’ll be his year to make it. That’d make me happier than a hundred titles.”

The ER nurse cleared his throat. “Mr Law? If you’d like to follow me to the front desk, we can get your discharge papers for you to sign.”

“Ah, good. Can’t wait to be back, asleep in my own bed.”

Where we had been before all of this started, Staci thought as Steve took her small hand in his and they walked off down the hall of the hospital. I want to be back in your bed, too.

“Now, you look after this big lump, don’t let him over-exert himself.” The ER nurse told her. “Make sure he takes his painkillers and anti-inflammatory medication every four hours for the first three days, and twice a day after that. And if the pain gets worse or there’s any difficulty breathing, get right back here.”

“I’m-” Going home in the afternoon, she started to say; and then stopped herself. “I’ll do what I can.”

*****

Of course, he insisted that he didn’t need help, didn’t need anything at all from her; but after she’d passed him his painkillers, made him drink hot chocolate and put him to bed like some massively overgrown child, he leaned over despite the pain in his bandaged side and and kissed both her eyelids as they lay in bed together.

“What was that for?” she murmured; it was nearly five am, and sleep was already threatening to pull her away.

“Making my life more interesting, I guess.” He settled down again, lying on his back. She turned on her side to face him, hand resting lightly on his shoulder. The room was bathed in the light that heralded the coming morning, and she could see that his eyes were open, staring up at the ceiling as if there was something quite fascinating to be read in the wooden beams and plaster.

“Steve?”

“Hmm?”

“I have to go back to Jackson in the afternoon.”

There was a long pause, as he continued to study the ceiling. The sound of Seth’s snoring drifted faintly down the hall, a sound on par with the huffing and puffing of the Big Bad Wolf. “I know.”

“Um…” She wasn’t sure what to say next. The idea that this goodbye would be the last one, that she’d never see him or the sprawling ranch lands again didn’t give her a good feeling. They might have known each other only a few days, yet… she felt as if she knew more about him, than almost anyone else she’d ever met.

He’s not like anyone else, she thought. I know, everyone says that about the men they – that they like. But in this case…. it’s really true. “Do you want me to, ah… want me to come back again?” Her voice was hesitant, as if fearing rejection. “At – at the weekend, maybe?”

“Providing the visit is of a personal nature, and not to finish up on some interviewing thing.” His tone was light, affable; and she realized that there had never been a chance of him saying no. Still…

“I was kinda gonna ask for a few minutes of your time before I was gone. To ask about – well, what you’re gonna do now that you won’t be going for the championship this year.” She paused, feeling awkward. “I mean, that’s what my story is going to have to be about, now.”

“Ah, I knew it. Sure, you can have your interview.” He sighed, deep and dramatic. “I’ll just talk through the tears, heart breaking because all you ever wanted from me was my mind, and not my body.”

“Oh – shut up!” She felt heat rising in her cheeks. “You know what I meant!”

“I do.” He turned his head, and smiled at her wickedly. “But I like seeing you all flustered.” His smile faded slightly as he kept his eyes on her. “Ain’t gonna be easy, you know. I’m tied to this land, and you’re a city girl with a career that could take you just about anywhere. Think you can handle being all tangled up with a farm boy with a dark secret?”

It was a good question, one she had been asking herself; but no one could possibly have the answers, not yet. “You’re not a farm boy,” she told him, running her fingers up the inside of his arm. “You’re a real-life cowboy.”

“I knew you were gonna say that, eventually.” That serious look was gone again, replaced with his usual grin. “I just knew it. Couldn’t help yourself, could you?”

*****

When she awoke, it was already past noon. She came back to the world still tired, her muscles a little sore from exertion. She was alone in the bed, and his side was already cold.

She felt a pang of misgiving as she looked for him in the bathroom, and found it empty of life; padding down the stairs, she half expected to find him laid out on the cold kitchen floor. She had a cousin who nearly died because of an adverse reaction to medication; these things took hold quickly, and no one could ever see them coming.

But, no; he was making breakfast.

“Oh, Steve!” She wanted to sound scolding, but relief and fondness softened her words as she slipped her arms around his neck and rested her chin on his firm shoulder. “You got all busted up, and you’re still set on cooking for us?”

“Wouldn’t say I was all busted up,” he chuckled, turning to kiss her on the top of her bed-tousled head. “’Tis but a scratch.”

She poked him sharply in the arm with her fingers. “Scratch, nothing! The doctor said you could’ve died if there was a just an inch difference!”

“The doctor ain’t an expert in people like me.” His logic was implacable, and as solid as granite. “You ever heard the saying, ‘strong as an ox’?”

With a sigh, Staci gave up and flopped into the nearest chair. She already knew that there was no use arguing with him. She was much the same; they were both stubborn sorts. “Still… you could have given me a holler, I’d have taken care of it.”

“Well, now!” He flipped the potatoes in the pan before glancing over his shoulder towards her, eyebrows raised. “I’ve heard of some of your ideas about what makes a meal. I’d be afraid that somehow, peanut butter and chili sauce would’ve made their way into the grits.”

“I wouldn’t! I swear!” Though now you mention it, she thought, it would probably be delicious.

“I can’t say I fully believe you, but – either way, grub’s up. Now, sit your butt down and tuck in.”

It didn’t surprise Staci much that breakfast was good; that it was damn good. Steve was one hell of a cook. She supposed that it had something to do with not being able to eat meat. Or maybe he just had a natural affinity for it; either way, she was grateful. She’d always been the sort of girl with a well-worn microwave and a barely touched stove – there just never seemed to be enough time to be chopping, preparing, and cooking.

Her mind was quite preoccupied while she ate; after all, she had a lot to be thinking about. Steve asked once if she liked the food, to which she enthusiastically replied; but other than that, they ate in silence.