Page 54 of Rainwater
“I think that’s something you should tell her. You know your mom’s pretty smart. She might see it for herself. She always seems to know what’s wrong with you before you do.”
Ellie studied him for a moment, her young eyes seeing more than her years dictated. “I know,” she said thoughtfully.
As soon as the truck came to a stop, Ellie gave a whoop and climbed out of the cab and ran toward the house.
As he opened his door and followed her, he thought sadly that he had never been this enthusiastic about coming home.
Jennifer heardthe truck and pleasure detonated inside her moments before her daughter came bursting through the door. “I won, Mom! Thanks to Corey, I won.”
She ran into her mother’s arms, and Jennifer hugged her bundle of energy.
“Ellie, how’s the wrist?”
“It’s fine. Corey was wonderful. He took me to the hospital and wouldn’t leave even though the doctors tried to make him. Don’t blame Corey. It was all my idea to stay,” Ellie said in a rush. “I’ll tell you everything later. I need to find Two Tone and Tex and Jimmy.”
Jennifer could feel Corey’s presence in the doorway and her palms began to sweat. She faced him and her heart began its familiar tattoo. God, the sight of him was enough to make her swoon. His hat was hanging down his back by the cord, his hip cocked in sexy male aggression and his turquoise eyes were doing a slow burn. The message he sent her had her breasts tight and tingling, the nipples contracting in painful need for his hot, wet mouth. He looked so damn good it was all she could do not to go over and throw her arms around him.
Ellie, totally unaware of the sexual tension in the room, said, “I’m going to show Jimmy and Tex my trophy and my broken wrist.”
But before she left, she threw her arms around Corey’s waist and hugged him hard. She reached up, tugged on his hair, and when he crouched and his face was close enough, she kissed his cheek and whispered in his ear, “Thanks a lot for taking me. You’re just as cool as Mom.”
Even after she bolted out the door with the ease of adolescence, Corey stayed crouched. Emotion choked him so that when he looked into Jennifer’s soft eyes, he knew that they both had him wrapped around their little fingers.
The kitchen smelled just as good as he imagined it would. She was making a roast. He watched as she picked up the oven mitts and shoved the roast back in the oven.
“How did she break her wrist?” Jennifer sounded nervous and anxious and she looked so good. She always looked good. She was dressed in an old red cotton shirt with the sleeves rolled up, exposing her elegant arms. Her hair was curling around herface from the heat of the oven. She wiped her hands down her jeans in a nervous manner.
“There was some idiot who didn’t know how to handle his own stallion. The black bolted into the ring and collided with Limelight.”
“Oh my God! Is Limelight okay?”
“Yeah, she’s fine,” he answered tightly. “A bruised foreleg and a gash along her ribs, but amazingly, she’s okay.”
“Thank God. Thanks for taking care of Ellie,” Jennifer said softly. “In the hospital, I mean.”
“Hell, Jennifer, I should have been paying more attention.” The self-condemnations was evident in his words.
“Was Ellie riding at the time?” Jennifer watched him closely and she saw an easing of his expression, and the tenderness that stole over his features took more of her heart.
“Yes.”
“Were you watching her?”
“Yes.”
“Corey, that’s what I would have expected you to do. As much as I would like it, I wish I could wrap her in foam rubber and keep her safe. Accidents happen. You can’t be everywhere, every minute.”
He shrugged.
“Right?” she pressed. “It’s just part and parcel of being a parent.”
He stiffened. “I’m not Ellie’s parent.”
“I know, but—”
“Jennifer, don’t go down that road, please.”
She stared at him for a moment, regret coursing through her, then she changed the subject. “Are you hungry?”
