Chapter Six
As Carly clung to Owen, her tongue slid between his lips teasing his. His strong arms wrapped around her and his erection pressed against her stomach, throbbing and insistent.
Somewhere in the barn something squeaked. Door hinges? Carly pried her lips away from Owen’s. “Did you hear that? Did it sound like the barn door opening?”
“It’s nothing.” His mouth covered hers again as his hand caressed her breast. This time she couldn’t contain her sigh of pleasure. Her knees threatened to buckle, and her hands clutched his biceps for support.
“Carly, you in here?”
At the sound of Dennis’s way-too-close-for-comfort voice, Carly jumped out of Owen’s embrace. Her body throbbing with need, she gathered her wits the best she could without a basket and a cold shower. “We’re in the tack room.”
A minute later, the slender middle-aged cowboy appeared in the doorway, glanced between her and Owen, and grinned.
Heat blasted into Carly’s face, and she grew lightheaded, as her future flipping burgers flashed before her. Her ears grew so hot, she expected them to burst into flames. Telling herself to calm down and quit jumping to conclusions, she insisted Dennis couldn’t have seen her and Owen kissing.
Kissing? More like losing every ounce of self-control and going at it like sex-crazed teenagers.
If she quit acting guilty, she’d be fine. Bluffing was her best bet.
“We were having trouble with Owen’s helmet. He thinks it makes him look unmanly.” Like that was possible. “But we’ve straightened that out.”
“No worries. I just started wondering if I had the time wrong,” Dennis said.
While she struggled to control her embarrassment, Owen stepped forward, cool, confident, not the least bit flustered, and shook hands with Dennis. Then she noticed his shirt hung open past the second button. Had it been unbuttoned that far before?
Oh, Lord. If it had been, she’d have noticed. A new wave of embarrassment flooded her system, remembering the way his ab muscles tensed against her palm when she’d caressed his bare skin.
“Good to see you. I didn’t know you helped out around here,” Owen said, his voice unflustered and even.
“This program is near and dear to me. It was here for me when I came home from the Gulf War. Besides, working around the stables and as a sidewalker gets me outta the house. Since Brenda gave up her part-time job at the church, my honey-do list is longer than my arm. If I didn’t volunteer a couple times a week, the woman would work me to death within a month. ”
At the mention of Dennis’s wife, Carly clenched her fists. If she speculated about her and Owen, rumors would rip through Service like a Texas thunderstorm. And her board members would hear them. People she needed for references.
Owen’s laughter cut through Carly’s panic. “Your five-foot-two inch, a hundred-and-twenty-pounds soaking wet with rocks in her pockets wife is a slave driver?”
“She might be small, but she’s feisty, stubborn as all get out, and can get more than a little bossy.”
“Sounds like someone else I know,” Owen said as he hooked his right thumb at Carly.
“If you see to saddling Whiskey, I’ll get the rest of what we need, and we’ll meet in the arena,” Carly said.
The older man nodded, said he’d see them outside, and left. Once the wooden barn door rattled closed, Carly exhaled and leaned against the nearby shelves.
“That was embarrassing. If anyone else hears how—” She stopped, unable to say the words out loud.
“You still have the hots for me?” Owen finished, looking way too pleased.
Sweat trickled between her breasts and she ground her teeth together in irritation.
Didn’t he understand how this lapse in judgement could affect her career? If anyone heard about her inappropriate actions, and how a volunteer had nearly discovered her…
“Your medical records didn’t mention you being delusional.
While the kiss was pleasant, the earth didn’t move, and it can’t—won’t—happen again.
” She turned over a small rock with her boot and placed her arms behind her back.
She should cross her fingers against the world swallowing her whole for lying.
Sure, Owen would believe her after her sweaty little hands unbuttoned his shirt to caress his skin, right after she mumbled how she had to touch him. Maybe she’d get lucky and his short-term memory problems would get her out of this mess.
Fire flaring in his gaze, he placed his left hand on her hip, while his right index finger slipped underneath her blouse to tease the skin above her jeans.
A shiver rippled through her. “If you want to lie to yourself, go ahead, but I know the truth. A woman who ’bout crawls into my skin like you did feels something, and given more time, I bet the earth damn well would’ve moved. ”
Her panties grew damp again, but she swatted his hands away and sidestepped him. Arms crossed over her chest, she pointed her chin in defiance. “You’re free to think whatever you want. It makes no difference to me.”
If she’d possessed any doubts about needing Addie to release her from her promise, this disaster erased them. Owen was part of her past. She intended to move forward with her life. Helping Owen would wreak havoc on her plans.
“I’ll finish today’s session, but then I’m turning your case over to either your physical therapist or our full-time speech pathologist. Do you have a preference?”
Owen stumbled backward, bumping into the small worktable. He gripped the edge to steady himself. “Don’t.”
The one word, barely audible and rattled with desperation, sliced through her.
“I think it’s best for us both.”
“I disagree.”
“That’s a big surprise.”
He paled, and his balance faltered. “My career, my life, are on the line. I know I’m not fit for active duty now, but if the Army wants to discharge me, I can appeal.
My best shot is convincing the board my condition isn’t stable enough for a permanent decision.
If I do, they can put me on the Temporary Disability Retirement List.”
They both knew the designation gave him up to five years to meet medical retention standards. During that time, he’d undergo physical evaluations every twelve to eighteen months, and if his condition “stabilized” a permanent decision would be made.
“I need to show them I’ve made progress, and all I need is more time.”
“I’m sorry you’re going through this, Owen, and I can’t begin to understand, but everyone here will do his or her best to help you. That includes me. I truly want the best for you, and for that to happen, you should work with someone else.”
He tugged on his shirt. “I’ve lost my best friend, the guy who got me through every scrape in my life.
I’ve got other friends, but none like that.
No one knows, knew me, the way Landon did.
No one except you. Don’t ask me to work with someone else when you’re the reason I’m here. I need you to keep me going.”
His hoarse, low plea the depth of Owen’s anguish, and vulnerability radiated through her. How could she forget he’d survived a suicide bombing and lost his best friend? He reached out, but she pulled back, and he shoved his hands in his front pockets.
“I can’t. And I really think this is best for you too. What if you’re wrong and whatever’s going on between us gets in the way of your recovery?”
“It won’t. Don’t give up on me.”
Her heart pinched. How could a human being with any compassion, any soul, turn her back on him after what he’d said? “That’s not what I’m doing. What you’ve been through would buckle the strongest of men. I think you can overcome this. I’m just not the right person to help you.”
“Yes, you are. How can I change your mind?”
“Earlier you said your career is on the line. In a way mine is too. While Dennis might not know what happened, you saw the look on his face. He knew something happened. What if he goes home and talks to Brenda about us?”
Owen shrugged. “But he doesn’t know anything for sure.”
“You can’t have been away from here long enough to forget how Service loves gossip.”
“Dennis isn’t going to gossip.”
“He wouldn’t but all it would take is Dennis talking to Brenda, and her talking to someone else. When someone on the board hears what’s being said, and they would, the fact that no one has proof might not matter.”
“You’re overreacting. Say people talk. With our past, I can’t see anyone having a problem with us getting involved.”
She clenched her hands together so tightly her nails dug into her palms. “Simply having folks speculating about inappropriate behavior between us could affect the agency’s reputation and cost Horses for Heroes donations and grants.
I can’t risk damaging the agency my grandmother, mother, and I have worked so hard to keep alive to help veterans. Plus, I could lose my job.”
“What if I agree to treat you like any other medical professional?”
“I’m not sure that’s possible for either of us.”
“You want the truth, Carly?” No, but she nodded anyway. “Here it is. I’m scared.”
*
The white-hot, sharp, swift panic that sliced through Owen when Carly said she’d turn his case over to someone else started receding as he followed Carly through the barn. Their boots clicking on the cement floor echoed around them as they passed the horse stalls heading for the outdoor arena.
He’d been close to disaster. Carly was the key to his recovery. No matter how rough the journey got, she wouldn’t let him quit.
Walking beside him, Carly retreated behind her professionalism, rattling off facts and statistics about the agency and its clients. At first, he tried to process what she said, but when a headache started behind his left eye, he quit.
He still thought she was overreacting. No one would be bothered if they dated. He smiled. Damn, the passion flaring between them when they kissed had nearly set the barn on fire. Didn’t she realize how rare that was? Only a fool would ignore something so rare.
Still, he’d given her his word, and he’d honor it.