Page 24 of Roping Reba

“You know what to do, Reba. You just need to come around to it. I’ll give you time, but I won’t give up.”

He turned to face me and hooked his finger through the belt loop on my jeans. My heart raced and I couldn’t stop the overwhelming feeling that something very wrong, or very right, was about to happen, again. Ever since he’d kissed me in the pasture, I couldn’t look at him the same way. It was getting harder and harder to deny what was between us, so when Johnny lifted his hat and tilted his head, I gave in. His lips were on mine, light as a feather, before he pulled away and walked back toward the fire.

My face burned with excitement. Maybe it was frustration I didn’t know. The only thing I did know was that I was in a world of trouble and the only person to blame was myself.

CHAPTER 10

Johnny

The sound of Jax’s cry sliced through the late afternoon air like a knife, and my heart damn near stopped. I was halfway across the pasture when I saw him on the ground near the fence, his little body curled in on itself, his hand clutching his knee. Reba was already there, dropping to her knees beside him, her face pale as she pushed his hair back.

“Jax, baby, talk to me,” she pleaded, her voice thin with panic as I ran up.

I slid to a stop and dropped down beside them, scanning him over. “What happened?”

“He was climbing the fence,” Reba said, her voice strained. “He slipped and landed wrong.”

Jax sniffled, his big, watery eyes looking up at me. “I’m okay, Papa. It just hurts.”

I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to stay calm for him. “Let me see, bud.”

Carefully, I pried his little fingers away from his knee. His jeans were torn and I could tell it was already bleeding, butfrom the small bit I could see, I was certain nothing was broken considering he stretched it out for me to take a look. Still, the sight of his pain did something fierce to me. I scooped him up into my arms, holding him close as his little hands clung to my neck.

“You’re gonna be just fine,” I murmured against his hair. “Toughest cowboy I know.”

Jax let out a shaky breath, nodding. “It stings.”

“I know, buddy. We’ll get you out of these jeans and get you cleaned up.”

I glanced at Reba, expecting to see relief, but instead, she looked… rattled. More than rattled. Her hands were shaking as she stood, brushing the dirt off her jeans. It looked like she was mumbling to herself as she looked down at her shaky hands, then wiped them on the denim and looked up at me with a tight nod. I didn’t know what to make of it all, but I had Jax to handle first.

Back at the house, I got him changed into a pair of shorts then sat him on the counter in the kitchen while Reba gathered the first aid kit. Her movements were still stiff, her jaw tight.

“Reba,” I said softly, but she didn’t look at me. She just focused on cleaning up Jax’s knee, her fingers gentle but trembling.

Jax, oblivious to the tension, grinned up at her. “Ms. Reba, you take care of me real good.”

Reba froze. Just for a second. Then she gave him a wobbly smile. “That’s what I’m here for, kid.”

But the way she said it just didn’t sit right. Like she was trying to convince herself instead of Jax. I cleared my throat, trying to ease the thick tension in the air, but it did no good. I stepped aside as Reba bandaged him up, got him an ice pack, and kissed his forehead before stepping away.

“Hey, bud, why don’t you go pick out a movie? I’ll be there in a minute.”

Jax nodded enthusiastically as I helped him off the counter, limping a little, but determined. As soon as he was out of earshot, I turned back to Reba, who was already moving toward the door.

“Reba,” I said, a warning in my tone.

“I need air,” she muttered, but I wasn’t letting her go that easy.

“You’re running.”

“I’m not running.”

I crossed the kitchen, stepping into her space. “Then look at me.”

She hesitated before finally turning, and damn if the look in her eyes didn’t cut me deep.

“I need a minute. I’ll come back. Just give me some damn space for once.”

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