Sweet Water Vet: Taking Rachael Part 2

21.

"You want me to make coffee, Mr. James?" she asked with a thick Spanish accent.

"No, it's okay, Isabella. I'll get these, thanks. This is Rachael Harrison, the new vet and Colin's cousin. Rachael, this is Isabella Mendez, our housekeeper and general domestic savior." James introduced them.

"It's nice to meet you, Isabella." Rachael nodded and smiled at the older woman.

"Encantada," she replied before bustling out again.

James talked to Rachael as he made the coffee. "Y'know, we were in the same year at elementary school, but you were in a different cla.s.s."

"Really? I don't remember clearly. Did you pull my hair?"

"I plead the Fifth."

"You can plead whatever you want. It won't save you. They do say that vengeance is a dish best served cold," she joked.

He laughed and held up a mug. "Let me guess." He deliberately glanced down at himself and slightly opened his arms. "You like medium-light with a little sugar?"

Rachael realized that James was a tease. Well, two can play at this little game. "Not usually, but I don't mind if there's nothing else. I prefer mine strong, dark and definitely not sweet." She let her gaze wander to Joshua and then back to James, smiling innocently at him.

"In fact, right now I need a big one."

James's mouth fell open, and for a few seconds, he was lost for words. Then he laughed. "I can give you that, sweetheart." He turned to the pot, grinning.

Joshua shifted his stance and looked a little uncomfortable. For a brief moment, Rachael wondered if she had overstepped the line and that her teasing had annoyed him. Then she noticed the impressive-looking bulge in his pants and understood that wasn't the case. She quickly snapped her gaze up to his face, swallowed down a gulp and feigned a look of polite inquiry.

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He cleared his throat. "About the procedure...what's needed?"

She immediately slipped into no-nonsense business mode. "Well, apart from the probe, which Colin will have to arrange to be couriered, you'll need a cattle pen that is capable of being opened at the sides because, if the bull has problems standing afterward, it might need to be released quickly. I also don't want a head bail with choke bars because it could put pressure on the animal's spine."

"Not a problem. We can do that."

Rachael explained the procedure in a matter-of-fact, professional manner, highlighting the pros and cons, rea.s.suring them that it was the best option for a bull with an injured leg.

"I'd better take a look at him to determine what size of probe we'll need."

As Joshua led the way to the barn, Colin walked with Rachael and leaned in close so that only she could hear his words. "Are you sure that you can handle this? I wouldn't want to lose good clients like the Rydens," he whispered apologetically.

"Don't worry. I've done it lots of times." She thumped his back rea.s.suringly.

When she saw the bull, she nearly had second thoughts. He was a huge beast, and she judged that her arm would only just be long enough.

"Well, this is an easy call. We'll need the biggest probe. Can you get one in time, Colin?"

"Yep. Mark can courier us one in from Houston. He's making a delivery there tomorrow, as luck would have it."

"Super. Are you still okay with me doing it, Joshua? I wouldn't want to force my services on you."

She looked at him with just a ghost of a smile on her lips. Joshua wondered if she was playing with him. It was a novel experience, as

23.

most people tended to err on the side of caution when dealing with him, and a lot of women were just plain unsettled by his size and character. Her words conjured a plethora of images regarding the various ways she could service him and, though he couldn't be sure, he had the impression that she knew what he was thinking. He tried to concentrate on ranch business and not his increasing interest in Rachael and the pounding in his pants.

"I'll give you a chance, Rachael, trusting that you are, in fact, good enough." He echoed her words from the conversation in his UV.

She nodded and gave him a genuine smile, which soften his hardened, and, if he were honest, lonely heart.

As they finished their coffee, he noticed that she looked a little drained. No doubt she was feeling the tiring effects of her long journey. That, together with the fact that Colin was clearly desperate to catch up with family news, had him wrapping up their business conversation quickly.

Watching them go, James turned to Joshua. "An intriguing woman."

"You blatantly seemed to think so."

"Well, you can't blame a guy for trying, but I have to say, brother, I've never seen a woman less interested in me and more interested in you. No offense."

"None taken; you try harder."

"Are you staking a claim of interest?"

Joshua considered his brother's words. "We'll see."

He recognized that she was smart and tenacious, which alone made her very attractive to him. Of course, it didn't hurt that she was mighty fine-looking too. He only hoped that her confidence wasn't misplaced. If Thursday turned out to be a disaster, she probably wouldn't be staying.

24.

Chapter 2.

Colin smiled to himself as he pulled away from the ranch; unless he was very much mistaken, there was some chemistry bubbling between Ryden and his cousin, but he kept his observation to himself.

There was so much to catch up on and they talked all of the way home.

"So, how are my favorite aunt and uncle?"

"Fine and working hard on the farm as usual. How about your mum and dad?"

"Oh, I expect they've changed a bit physically since you last saw them. Obviously, they're getting older, but they are well. They wanted to see you this evening, so they'll be popping over to the house later with my brothers."

"Save me! Tom and Harry were six- and eight-year-old little horrors the last time I saw them."

"Well, they are twenty- and twenty-four-year-old big horrors now." He laughed. "What about the Terrible Twosome?" Colin was referring to Rachael's older twin brothers.

"At the moment, they're in Aberdeen, Scotland, working on the offsh.o.r.e oil rigs. I think they may decide to come back here, though.

They've been thinking about it for a while."

"They aren't settled yet then?"

"No, they're still a bit wild, but I think Meadow Ridge County might be the place for them. I'm not certain, but I suspect they want a lifestyle like yours."

Rachael hadn't been able to make it to Colin's wedding, so he told her about his family. Susan was a teacher at the local primary school

25.

and Mark owned an air courier company. They lived in town, conveniently located near Colin's practice, the school, and the airport.

He marvelled to himself at his good fortune; the relationship was working even better than they had expected. He and his best friend loved their wife; they all complemented each other. Susan was the sweetest woman he had ever known, and she gave so much of herself that he felt almost humbled. He couldn't get enough of her and had been worried, at the beginning of the relationship, that he and Mark would be too much for her. It was an unfounded concern. She was a siren in the sack and demanded as much as they could give. They were lucky guys, no doubt about it.

"The relationship we have is working out really well. If your brothers think that they want to share a woman, they could do worse than to come here. What about you? Are you looking for two hunky guys?"

"Me with two men? Well, I guess it would depend on the guys, but I can't see it. I haven't found one Mr. Right yet, nevermind two."

When they arrived at Colin's home, both Mark and Susan dashed out to meet her.

"We rushed home from work as soon as we could. Welcome back, Rachael." Susan gave her a big hug.

"Save some for me, babe," Mark said, tackling Rachael away from his wife.

"It's great to finally meet you both. I feel like I know you already."

Colin patted his friend on the back and gave their wife a squeeze.

"Go inside, ladies. We'll get the bags."

Rachael instantly liked Mark and Susan. They were fun and easy to get along with. She noticed how often the guys touched their wife with fleeting kisses and caresses unconsciously given. It was clear to 26 Rachael that Susan adored both of her husbands. The woman positively glowed. Powered by a whole lot of loving, Rachael observed.

They chatted for a while before Rachael confessed that she desperately needed a power nap and a shower. The guys had already put her bags in the room that she would be using, and Susan showed her the layout of the place.

"There's a small en suite bathroom off your room, but if you want a super soak then use the master bathroom."

"Wow, I'm in heaven," Rachael exclaimed when Susan opened the door onto a huge bathroom. There was a ma.s.sive tub and a shower cubicle obviously designed to accommodate at least three adults.

That evening, Rachael was hugged and fussed over more than she could ever remember. Colin hadn't been kidding about his brothers.

They were tall, strapping young men but were still naughty boys at heart. Tom had picked her up and given her a big, bouncy bear hug before pa.s.sing her to Harry without her legs even touching the ground. Her uncle had to choke back tears when Rachael showed him the short video that her mother had made for him.

"It's been too long," he said, smiling with wobbly lips. "I've missed my big sister."

"She misses you, too, Uncle Earl. It's hard for them to take long holidays and leave the farm, but Dad's thinking about selling up.

Maybe they'll have more time then."

They all realized that Rachael was jetlagged, even though she tried desperately to stifle the yawns. Excitement had kept her lively, but toward ten thirty she was starting to wilt. They said good night and made her promise to come for supper the next evening. She thanked Colin, Mark, and Susan for their hospitability and padded off to bed. Her last conscious thought concerned a certain rancher with dark hair and malamute eyes.

27.

Rachael spent the next few days getting reacquainted with Ridge Water, the people, and her family. She vaguely remembered some of the folks who Colin introduced her to, others not at all. Everyone was very welcoming, though, and treated her like a long-lost relative. Her parents and grandparents had obviously been very popular people.

She quickly realized that staying in Colin's spare room could only be a very temporary arrangement. Even after just two days, she was beginning to feel voyeuristic and not just a little jealous. The sooner she got on with fixing up her grandma's old cabin the better.