Healing Hazel (Submissives of Rawhide Ranch #24)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Nigel

The ragged sound of oxygen being drawn into lungs was followed by the whoosh of carbon dioxide as each breath was released.

An increased pulse rate pounded beneath skin as blood raced through veins in order to help the body adjust to the rigors it was being forced to endure.

The sheen of sweat glistening as muscles rippled with each movement.

The rhythmic beats of a heart thumping harder to keep pace with the additional stress gave proof that the body was indeed an incredible instrument.

It was a machine most people often took for granted—until something went wrong and it demanded attention.

As a runner, I’d always been incredibly interested in how each part worked to make up the whole.

My original plan had been to specialize in sports medicine.

That changed in medical school when I discovered something even more fascinating after my introduction to gynecology, specifically obstetrics.

I found it both challenging and humbling that I could have the opportunity to help women through the process of each month’s progress in preparation of motherhood.

Nothing about that miracle could ever be found boring or trivial no matter how many women I’d help bring a new life into the crazy yet fabulous world.

As I pounded along the pavement, I realized that same physical responses also applied to my own body as I ran daily ten-mile circuits around Rawhide Ridge.

“Hey, doc!”

The casual greeting let me know it wasn’t a call to duty, but a friendly hello.

“Good morning!” I called back, lifting my hand in a wave as we passed each other on the road.

As I sucked in a great lungful of oxygen required to make it up the rise in front of me, I couldn’t help but consider the daily demands of our bodies we make just to keep going.

Of course that had me thinking of other demands, the ones that required a person to give actual thought.

The very ones I’d been ignoring. Which brought me full circle because all this thinking about bodies had a specific one popping into my head yet again.

That body belonged to one sassy young lady who had the sweetest smile and the sexiest ponytail.

Every time I saw it swinging from side to side, my pulse leapt.

I was pretty sure she’d become aware of the effect it had on me when she’d added a sway of her hips each time she walked away after delivering a patient to an exam room.

The thoughts of Hazel Waltman had my fingers flexing with the need to slap them down on an arse that I knew to be every bit as beautiful as the rest of her.

The image of pulling her to me, slipping my fingers into the waistband of her panties to tease that piece of heaven she had between her legs had my blood abandoning every vein in my body that didn’t have to do with the organ presently growing between my legs despite my increasing exhaustion.

Every step I took was a reminder that jogging in the mountains of Montana called for a level of endurance that this transplanted Brit still had yet to achieve.

The very hand I wanted to both tease and caress Hazel with was now pressed to my side in an attempt to relieve the stitch that grew more pronounced with every slap of my trainers against the pavement.

I gave a slight groan as I began the punishing climb it took to reach the summit of what I’d named Mount Robyn.

Not that I’d added mountain climbing to my repertoire, but because this was the very hill one had to take to reach the zenith where my destination sat perched.

Of course, the fact that finish line just happened to reside at Robyn’s Nest accounted for my attempt of waxing poetic, but I never claimed to be a poet. The bed-and-breakfast had become my home ever since I’d made the move from England to the United States.

“I still don’t understand why you’re leaving. You just got here! Why can’t you just keep living with us?” Brooke asked as I repacked my bags a month after arriving in Montana.

I had no doubt of my sister-in-law’s sincerity, but I also had absolutely no doubt that my brother would likely throttle me if I took her up on the invitation. While I wondered how to politely refuse, I needn’t have bothered as my big brother managed it for me.

“Stay as long as you like as I’m sure you don’t mind listening to groans, moans, cries, high-pitched screams and delighted squeals every single night,” Lawson said, slipping his arm around his wife’s waist. “Oh, and that’s before the baby arrives.”

His wagging eyebrows had Brooke’s face turning scarlet even as she slapped her hand against his chest and informed him that he was a big oaf.

“He’s right,” I said with a chuckle. “As your brother-in-law, I know your invitation is sincere, but I also know that you two need to get all the relaxation and sleep because it will greatly diminish when the baby arrives—”

“If sleep is what you got out of that, then obviously you weren’t paying attention to what Dad called ‘the talk’,” Lawson cut in to say.

Ignoring him, I addressed Brooke. “You’re right, he is an oaf. And as for ‘the talk,’ I not only paid attention, I enjoyed it so much I became a doctor specializing in women’s needs–“

“Again, not talking about babies. You do know where you’ve moved to right? I’m—”

“A broken record,” I said, my turn to cut him off, as I looked at Brooke.

“And it’s quite obvious I’m the one who inherited Mum’s manners.

But seriously, as your doctor, get all the sleep you can”—I switched my gaze to Lawson—“between all those bouts of hot kinky monkey sex that is, and even then make damn sure you let our momma-to-be rest. Wash a few dishes, clean a toilet or mop a floor for the woman while she sleeps. Got it?”

I had to give him some credit as he did look a tad bit sheepish as he dropped a kiss on top of Brooke’s head before nodding. “Yeah, I got it, and seriously, if you want to stay—”

“Good try, but I stopped falling for that ‘hey, do my chores for me’ line by the time I reached puberty.”

Lawson threw his head back and barked out a laugh. “You mean by the time you realized that touching a girl didn’t give you cooties?”

“Finally, something we agree on.” I didn’t let the slap he applied to my shoulder knock me off balance as I finished zipping up my bag and turned to speak to Brooke.

“Besides, it’s not like I’m moving far. If you need a break from Oafman here, come visit me at the B&B.

I’ll be just fine there until I decide where I want to settle long term. ”

“Or he decides that living on a kink Ranch might require he actually get a room at the resort,” Lawson offered as he picked up one of my suitcases and we continued the conversation on the way to my brand new truck.

“I’ve loved having you and getting to know you,” Brooke said. “Promise you won’t be a stranger?”

“Even if I wasn’t going to be seeing you regularly as your bump grows, I’m your brother-in-law so I’m afraid you’re stuck with me, sis.”

Brooke smiled and placed a hand on the slight roundness that had just begun to show. “You’re going to make a great Uncle to Baby Bean and I know I will enjoy every minute we’re with you.”

“Did you and Moira discuss those little monikers?” I asked as I put my last bag in the truck’s bed. “Baby Bean and Baby B can be a bit confusing.”

She giggled. “True, but the ‘B’ in hers stands for Baby Brother. George is so determined she have a boy, that when he was helping her go through their old baby clothes, he tossed every single one of Gloria’s outfits in the trash.

When Jagger asked him why he’d do that, George stated they didn’t need dresses, they needed more man ‘jeans’ in the family. ”

Instantly images of Moira and Gloria, George’s twin sister, popped into my head, and I could actually picture them both rolling their eyes at the three-year-old’s insistence.

The visual made me grin. “That’s because unlike me, he’s yet to hit puberty.

He’ll think girls are the most fabulous creatures on earth soon enough. ”

Lawson laughed. “Not to mention wanting to get those girls out of their ‘woman’ jeans.”

“Good grief, how can you two be so different?” Brooke asked giving her husband and Daddy another swat.

“Careful, little momma,” Lawson said, his eyebrow lifting just enough to cause Brooke’s breath to catch in her throat.

“Don’t think for a single moment that your Daddy isn’t keeping track of every single roll of your eyes, every sassy word said, and every swat you’re handing out so freely. There will be a reckoning coming due.”

Brooke’s eyes widened and then she smirked. “You forget, my doctor is also my dear sweet brother who wouldn’t dare let you spank me.”

This time, it was my laugh that filled the air. “Sorry, Brooke, but as long as your Daddy takes care, there is absolutely no reason why he can’t redden your arse.”

If I thought her eyes had been wide as saucers before, they turned into dinnerplates at that little tidbit.

One hand went to her belly as if to cover Baby Bean’s ears and the other lifted to point to the truck. “And here I thought we were on the same page. Feel free to take your traitorous self right on down the road Dr. Berringer!”

Ignoring her ire and her outstretched arm, I hugged her to me, kissed her cheek and told her I’d see her at the clinic soon.

She smiled and giggled when I softly added that if she needed some arnica cream, just give me a shout. “I will, but seriously, Nigel, promise me you’ll come for dinner at least once a week.”

“Forget that,” Lawson said, pulling his wife back to his side. “Promise me you’ll take George’s words to heart and let them remind my own Baby B that unlike a toddler, you’ll be old soon. Don’t let life go by without finding your own fabulous creature to explore the kinkier side of Rawhide.”

I’ve already found her.

Of course, I didn’t share that thought, but I definitely knew I had.

All I had to do was convince Hazel she thought the same.

Until then, I just said, “Those are both promises I look forward to keeping.” I kissed Brooke’s cheek again, punched the oaf in his arm and moved to a room at the bed and breakfast.

Speaking of breakfast, you know how you’re supposed to take time to stop and smell the roses?

Well, since it’s often a bit hard to find roses blooming in November in the Sapphire Mountains of Montana, I can personally assure you that the aroma of bread baking not only makes a great substitute, a whiff of freshly ground coffee beans, and the scent of bacon crisping in an iron skillet ensures your olfactory senses are satisfied.

When the sunny-side up eggs on your plate had been gathered that very morning from the coop in the backyard, you knew it was going to be a glorious day.

Every stitch in my side and bead of sweat worked up on my morning run was worth it just knowing that my room came with an incredible breakfast. Add in the fact I not only had already worked off the calories to cover breakfast, but I didn’t have to lift a single hand in preparing a feast fit for a king, and I was a very happy man.

The only thing that could make it better was if I was enjoying that breakfast while in bed and sharing it with Hazel.

The woman was proving much harder to reach than I’d thought when we’d first begun dating.

Every step forward seemed to be followed by taking three steps back.

Perhaps Lawson hadn’t been as far off the mark as I’d thought. What was I missing?

You’re not missing anything. You just need to stop being so damn polite and start being the dominant you are.

It appeared I didn’t actually need to be in Lawson’s presence to hear a big brother’s words of advice. The guy had never particularly given any thought as to whether I actually wanted to hear his opinion. Still, I couldn’t deny that this time at least, he was right on target.

I reached the top of the rise and smiled.

The sight of the sign swaying in the breeze in front of the pretty yellow Victorian home that Robyn had renovated, put a definite exclamation point on my decision.

It was time to stop playing Mr. Nice Guy.

It was time to get to the bottom of whatever it was that was keeping Hazel’s sweet arse out of my hands or over my knees.

My steps were lighter as I took the stairs to the back porch two at a time and pushed through the screen door.

“Something smells like heaven in here,” I declared, stopping on the threshold and inhaling deeply.

“That might be the chocolate from Angel’s Heavenly Bakery and Chocolate Shoppe,” Robyn quipped from where she’d just slid a tray of what looked like the world’s largest cinnamon rolls into the oven.

“Nope, it’s coming from right here from one of the best cooks I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting. Good morning, Robyn. I swear, the smell of those rolls and that coffee is the only thing that gives me energy to climb that mountain out front.”

Robyn laughed and dusted her hands off in her apron. “You do know how to sweet talk a gal, Doc. Breakfast in fifteen so you have time to shower.”

“Are you saying I stink?” I asked with an exaggerated look of shock.

“Not at all. Personally, I think the smell of a man is better than coffee, cinnamon, or bacon all combined,” she said.

I’d feel complimented if she wasn’t speaking those words while looking over my shoulder. However, from the way her entire face lit up, I didn’t even have to turn around to know that her favorite rooster was standing behind me.

“Morning, Winston,” I said as I let the screen door’s frame go without fear it would slam as I continued across the kitchen. “It might take me a whole twenty minutes to shower, soooooo…”

Winston’s deep laugh was joined by the sound of Robyn’s giggle and I knew they’d gotten the message.

As good as breakfast would be, I knew I could wait while the two did a bit of tasting of their own.

As I climbed the stairs to the second floor, I was more determined than ever to get Hazel to come clean about what she really wanted but had yet to admit, because it was way past time I not only tasted but immersed both of us in a smorgasbord of kinky bliss.