Five
W
ith morning sunlight at his back, Logan gunned his truck, heading for Carson Memorial Hospital. He turned up the volume on the radio, trying to focus on the words of a Tim McGraw song. But the lyrics didn’t sink in. Instead, an image of Sophia Montrose sprawled across his lap, arching toward him, giving him access to her body, flashed into his mind. He couldn’t drown those memories out with loud music. He couldn’t concentrate on business ventures. No matter how much he’d tried, the recollection of Sophia’s velvet-soft mouth brushing his, her firm flesh under his fingertips, the swell of her full, beautiful breasts in his palms continued to plague his thoughts.
Last night after leaving the cottage, he’d drowned out those images with a bottle of Jack Daniels. But today he’d hoped to hell he could fight the mental battles on his own. He refused to fall victim to Sophia Montrose, beautiful and desirable as she was, because he knew better. He’d seen what his father’s love for a Montrose had done to his family.
When he’d been in high school he wanted to teach Sophia a lesson. He’d wanted to put her in her place. He’d wanted to lash out at her. He’d kissed her, never expecting that he’d be the one to learn a lesson. That kiss had startled him, and he’d been surprised at his own reaction to her. He’d never expected it to be so good. Sophia had made him feel as if he could conquer the world. And damn it, last night, and as much as he’d fought it, that same feeling had returned.
He reached the hospital, and pulled into a parking space, hoping a visit with Luke would clear his mind. He was concerned for his brother. Luke would heal from his injuries, but he’d be a bear to live with during his recovery.
Logan got out of his truck and strode purposefully through the front doors. He walked through the lobby, and took the elevator up. The doors opened to the third floor and, as he marched past a row of rooms, he kept his eyes trained straight ahead. He didn’t like looking in on people in their sickbeds. His brother was too young to be laid up in a hospital. Though Luke had taken his share of tumbles while in the rodeo, he’d usually wound up getting patched up in the emergency room and sent on his way.
Logan reached his brother’s room and stopped by the door to steal a look inside.
Luke had a smile on his weary face, a brighter expression than yesterday. It was a relief to see him looking a little better until Logan noticed that he wasn’t alone. There was a reason for his brother’s good mood.
Sophia was in the room.
She smiled at Luke, her gaze focused only on him as she moved toward his bed with a ribbon-tied bouquet of flowers in her hand. She stopped by the window next to his bed, standing at his shoulder, and gently moved a stray lock of hair from his forehead. Her soft melodic laughter wafted through the room.
Logan winced at the scene they made together. An image of holding Sophia in his arms returned, and in that instant emotions he wouldn’t name streamed into his consciousness.
He cursed aloud and both heads turned his way.
“Logan,” his brother said in a weak voice. He managed a quick smile. “Come in.”
As he walked into the room, Sophia made herself busy putting the flowers in a plastic water pitcher.
“How you doing?” he asked his brother.
“Pretty good today. Considering.”
“You feel dizzy?” Logan asked. “The doc said you might for a few days.”
“Not too much anymore. Wait, are there two of you standing there?”
“You’re not funny,” Logan said, though he was relieved to see Luke hadn’t lost his sense of humor. He hated seeing his strong, good-natured brother reduced to wearing a tie-at-the-back hospital gown, lying on a remote-controlled sickbed. His right arm was in a cast, and three broken ribs didn’t allow him to move much.
“Sophia says I am.”
Logan shot Sophia a quick glance. She made eye contact with him for one second before focusing back on the flowers she was arranging. “Well, then it’s gospel. You are.”
“My brother is in full agreement with me? Doesn’t happen every day.”
“You’re not laid up every day.”
“Don’t remind me. Once the meds wear off, I won’t be smiling much.”
“I hear you.” Logan took a swallow. “You need anything?”
Luke shot him a pointed look. “Can you get me out of here today?”
“I take it your doc already told you no.”
“Flat-out no. Thought you could pull some strings.”
Logan put his hands out, palms up. “I didn’t bring a rope.”
“Now you’re not funny.” Luke closed his eyes then. Clearly, the conversation was a strain on him, which only proved that Luke wasn’t ready to come home. Knowing Luke, he wouldn’t get much rest at the ranch. As much as he hated to admit it, Luke was better off in the hospital right now.
Sophia gave Luke a sympathetic look, her amber eyes forlorn. God, she was gorgeous, and so wrong for any of the Slade men that Logan felt the truth of it deep down in his bones. She was forbidden fruit, sure to poison any man who dared to take a bite. He wasn’t entirely convinced she’d come to the hospital out of friendship and concern for his brother. He didn’t trust her motives and it wasn’t
just
because of his father’s indiscretion with her mother. Sophia herself had married a rich old codger for his money. That fact couldn’t be disputed.
Carefully, she put her hand on Luke’s arm and he opened his eyes to look at her. “I’d better go now,” she said. “I don’t want to tax your strength.”
He nodded. “I’m glad you stopped by. Thanks for the flowers.”
She smiled warmly and bent to kiss his cheek. “I’ll check on you later.”
She picked up her purse, and gave Logan a cursory glance as she walked out of the room.
With his eyes closed again, Luke murmured, “What’s up with the two of you anyway?”
Logan pulled a chair over to the bed and took a seat. He didn’t pretend not to know what his brother was talking about. “Nothing’s up. Why?”
“I’m injured, not blind.” He snapped his eyes open. “You two looked...
guilty
about something.”
“I hardly noticed her.”
Luke’s eyes drifted closed again. “Exactly. Sophia is hard
not
to notice. Did you have another fight?”
Just the opposite, he thought. They had...lust. And it’d been eating at Logan since their encounter last night. If Sophia had wanted retribution, she’d gotten her wish. “No. We didn’t fight.”
Luke took a long labored breath. His ribs must hurt like hell. Logan had broken a rib once as a kid, jumping out of a tree and hitting solid ground hard. He remembered breathing being really difficult for days.
“You working together okay?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Logan said. “As a matter of fact, we’re gonna work on Ruth’s party later in the day.”
“Just don’t give her a hard time, okay?”
It was a good thing Luke’s eyes were closed. He couldn’t see Logan’s mouth twist with annoyance. “Sure thing. We’ll be right as rain. You just concentrate on getting some rest. I’ll come by later on.”
Luke turned his head to the side and slowly nodded. “I’m coming home tomorrow, doctor or no doctor.”
Logan knew he meant business. Nothing much kept his brother down.
* * *
Sophia spent the morning going over upcoming events at the lodge with Ruth. There was the annual Memorial Day barbecue, marking the beginning of the summer season, as well as a wedding planned in the first week of June. Sophia took notes, reviewed the ledgers and read the week’s guest surveys to see if there was anything they could improve on. She made her daily rounds inside the lodge, checking on the staff, and then strolled outside to meet with sunshine and warm fresh air.
So far, so good, she thought as she stood on the veranda, looking out at the newly blossoming garden, the green pastures and beyond. Everywhere her eyes touched belonged to the Slades but for the dazzling Sierra Nevadas. Now she was a small part of that empire. Being half owner of the lodge brought her a fuller range of responsibilities than managerial duties and although it was a bit daunting, Sophia had geared herself up for the challenge.
She strode past the gates and headed for the stables. One of the services of the lodge was to offer guided horse rides on the property, and Sophia held a revised schedule on her clipboard.
Just as she arrived, Hunter Halliday rounded the barn wall, and stopped three inches short of bowling her over. Stunned, she leaned way back, the clipboard flying out of her hands as she lost her balance. Hunter reached for her, his hands firm and steady on her shoulders to right her.
“Oh, Ms. Sophia. Didn’t see you coming.”
He was taller than her by five inches and broad-shouldered for a boy of seventeen. She had to look up at him. “It’s all right. I didn’t see you, either.”
“As long as you’re okay,” he said, giving her body a quick scan. Once he realized his hands were still on her, he removed them quickly, and blushed red under his tanned skin.
She straightened herself out, took a breath and thought to ease Hunter’s mind by getting right down to business. “I’m fine, really. I need to run something by your dad.” She bent to retrieve the clipboard off the ground. When she came up holding it, Hunter appeared perplexed that he hadn’t thought to pick it up himself.
He blinked. “Sorry.”
“No problem. Is your dad here by any chance?”
“Nope,” he said. “Dad’s at the ranch today.”
“Actually, maybe you can help me. Will you check over this new schedule, and tell me if it looks okay? I made some changes.” She handed him the clipboard.
Hunter seemed relieved that she’d moved on to business. “Sure, I can do that.”
“No hurry. If you want to bring it by the office tomorrow morning, that’s soon enough.”
“I’ll do that.”
“Thank you. Oh, and Hunter...good catch. I might have fallen on my butt if you hadn’t caught me.”
Hunter smiled shyly. “I wouldn’t have let that happen.”
Sophia walked away from the barn thinking that Ward Halliday had raised a well-mannered boy.
Her mood brightened even more when she spotted Edward across the yard with Blackie at his heels. The boy tossed a ball and Blackie took off running.
Sophia came up just as Blackie returned. “Hello, Edward.”
“Hi,” he said.
“No school today?”
He shook his head. “It’s p-parent’s day.”
Sophia immediately ached for Edward. Neither one of his parents would show up for the parents’ conference today. His teacher wouldn’t share with them his strengths and weaknesses in the classroom. They wouldn’t hear about his behavior and his homework habits. They wouldn’t come home feeling proud of his accomplishments. Sophia hid her sorrow for the boy. She reminded herself that he had Constance. His grandmother was determined to make sure Edward knew he was loved. “That means it’s really kids’ day.”
The boy grinned, and Blackie jumped up against Edward’s lanky frame, pleading for another ball toss. Edward didn’t disappoint. He threw the ball and the dog went running again. “I g-get to play with B-Blackie and then go o-on a h-hike with Mr. Slade.”
Sophia winced inwardly. Logan was compassionate with the boy. She was glad of it, but seeing that side of Logan only confused her more. “Where do you hike?”
Edward pointed to a low rise on the mountains. “Up th-there.”
“And does Blackie get to go?”
“Yep.”
“Sounds like fun.”
Edward gave her a thoughtful look. “W-want to come?”
Sophia was touched by the invitation. “Oh, uh...”
“Ms. Montrose has work to do.”
Sophia whirled around, startled by the sound of Logan’s voice. It was the second time today she’d been nearly bowled over. “Logan, where did you come from?”
He grinned. “Same place as everybody else.”
She wanted to slap the crooked smile off his face, until he looked at Edward with warmth in his eyes, and ruffled the boy’s hair.
“Hi there. You enjoying your day off from school?” Logan asked.
“Yes, sir.” The dog jaunted back and Edward pulled the ball from his mouth.
“Good. You get your chores done, and I’ll come get you in three hours. We’ll go on that hike, okay?”
“Okay,” he said.
Edward tossed the ball toward the barn, and then ran as fast as he could to catch up to the dog that had dashed after it. Once he’d gotten a good thirty feet away, he turned and waved to Sophia.
Sophia waved back, and watched him until he entered the barn.
“You’re good with the boy,” Sophia said, not realizing she’d spoken the words aloud.
Logan clucked his tongue. “As opposed to being downright mean and rotten?”
Sophia snapped her head up, annoyed at Logan for sucking the joy out of a purely innocent comment. “It’s a wonder you can stand up straight with that giant chip on your shoulder.”
He put his head down, stared at his boots and sighed heavily. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right. You paid me a compliment and—”
“You found something sinister in an honest observation.”
Logan’s dark brows lifted, creasing his forehead. “You make me sound like a devil.”
Since when did Logan care
what
she thought of him? She searched his eyes and with a shake of her head admitted, “I don’t think you’re mean.”
He looked away, unwilling to share a poignant moment with her, unwilling to realize that she didn’t hold harsh feelings for him the way he did for her. “Edward has had a rough childhood. His parents have made bad choices, and the boy shouldn’t have to pay for that.”
As he spoke, she noted the pain in Logan’s voice. For a brief moment, she wondered if Logan related to Edward because he’d had pain in his life, too. Pain she was certain he attributed to her mother’s relationship with his dad. “Life isn’t always fair,” Sophia said.
He stared at her. “No, it isn’t.”
Sophia balked at his negative tone. This conversation was going nowhere. “I’d better get back to work.”
She brushed by him, but before she was out of his reach, he took hold of her arm, his fingertips gently digging into the flesh. His touch stirred her senses. She paused for a second, sensations rippling through her body. On a silent sigh, she turned to face him. “What?”