A Colorado Family Read online

  The older man held the door partly closed so she couldn’t see inside. “I’m sorry—you must be mistaken. There is a Cullen Brannigan at the main house.”

  “I’m not here to see Cullen. I’m here to see Austin.” She cocked her thumb toward the truck. “You know, the guy whose face is on the trailer. That’s who I want to see.”

  The older man cursed. “Well, that’s not going to happen. This is private property, and you need to leave before I have security remove you.”

  She folded her arms. “Since Cullen Brannigan is the one who hired me, I don’t have a problem if you call the sheriff.”

  “Jay, who’s at the door?”

  Erin arched an eyebrow. “It’s me, Austin, your therapist?”

  “Oh, Erin,” Austin called to her. “Please come in. Jay, let her in.”

  Still the man held the door, then reluctantly stepped aside and allowed Erin past.

  She stopped and turned to the man named Jay. “If you want to keep Austin’s location a secret, I suggest you hide that neon sign outside.”

  She walked toward Austin as he made his way to the living area.

  “Jay, this is my new therapist, Erin Carlton. Erin, this is my manager, Jay Bridges. He drove my rig here.”

  Erin smiled at Austin. “I can see that. And I think the entire world will see it, too. Tomorrow, there’s going to be riding lessons in the corral with several parents bringing their kids. I suggest you move it, at least the trailer.”

  Austin nodded. “I didn’t think about that. Good idea. Let me call Cullen and see if there’s room in the garage.” He sat down on the sofa and reached for his phone on the table. He punched in the number and began to talk.

  Jay walked over to Erin. “What are your credentials for this job?”

  “I’m a registered nurse, and I have two years of therapy training. And I worked with my disabled husband.”

  “Enough to help Austin?”

  “I think so,” she said. “Better yet, Austin thinks so. Since he only hired me yesterday, we haven’t even started yet. But I will work strictly with his doctor’s guidelines.”

  Jay started to speak, but Austin cut him off. “Leave Erin alone, Jay. She’s been checked out by my family and by me. Besides, you aren’t going to win sparring with her anyway.”

  Okay, maybe she was beginning to like this man. Her gaze moved over his shorts and tank top. Whoa. He was just as impressive today as yesterday. Sadness took over when she recalled how Jared once looked all trim and muscular.

  “Now, go park the trailer in the garage behind the main house,” Austin said. “Cullen’s there and he’ll help you get it inside.”

  Jay nodded. “Okay, but I’ll be back.”

  Austin got to his feet. “No, Jay. I don’t want you here to distract me. I need to concentrate on my therapy. Cullen said he’ll give you a ride into town so you can rent a car and get to the airport.” He slapped the man on the shoulder. “Call me next week and I’m hoping to have something to tell you.”

  Jay started to argue, but closed his mouth. “You better call me, or I’ll be on your doorstep.” He turned to Erin. “Take care of him.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  Jay walked out, leaving them alone.

  Austin turned to her. “I apologize for Jay. He’s a little possessive with me. I can handle it, because he believed in me. And all my endorsements are because of his hard work.”

  What about the man on the back of the bull? Erin wondered. “So he’s the brains behind your talent?”

  Austin laughed. “You can say that. The man has even helped me plan for retirement.”

  “Well, since you don’t want to do that yet, maybe we should get down to business.” She reached inside her oversize purse, took out his medical folder and a piece of paper.

  “I’ve talked with Dr. Kentrell. We went over your therapy schedule and exercises.” She handed him the piece of paper. “So I drew up a contract for my service. It’s pretty basic, but I need to protect myself.”

  Austin sank back onto the sofa and began to read. Erin wrote down the one-hour therapy sessions, twice a day for five days a week, and the dollar amount. The double price he’d offered her yesterday.

  He held out a hand. “Do you have a pen?”

  She reached back inside her bag, pulled one out and handed it to him. He signed with a flourish and gave paper and pen back to her with a smile.

  She felt the reaction clean down to her toes. She had to stop this. “Okay, let’s get to work.”

  Chapter Three

  It had been the week from hell.

  Austin felt pain and soreness in every muscle in his body. Erin had worked him hard during every session. She didn’t believe in going easy, but that was what he liked about her. She’d shown up in the morning after her shift at the convalescent home ready to do her job.

  At eight o’clock that morning, he made his way down the hall to the kitchen. He realized he was starting to move a little easier and able to put more weight on his injured leg. That made him hopeful.

  He went to the refrigerator and took out some blueberries, then peeled a banana. After he tossed the ingredients into a blender, he added milk and powdered protein, then began to mix the concoction. As much as he wanted a cup of coffee, he needed the energy for his upcoming rehab session. The next hour would be grueling when Erin put him through the series of exercises. He smiled as he poured the smoothie into a glass. He was looking forward to it.

  He had just finished his drink when he heard the key in the lock, and then Erin walked in. She was dressed in a pair of black tights and an oversize shirt. Her face was washed clean of any makeup, and her sloppy ponytail bounced as she walked toward him.

  She smiled at him. Damn, she was too appealing. “Good morning, cowboy. Good to see you’re up.”

  He shifted his stance. Oh, he was definitely up. “Yeah, well, I can’t afford any more demerits.”

  “Good. I like your go-get-’em attitude.”

  “Do I get extra points for that?”

  “First, you have to show me some hard work today.” She walked up to the counter, took down a glass and poured some of the drink from the blender. “I’m gonna need something extra this morning.”

  He frowned, seeing the fatigue in her eyes. “Rough night?”

  “One of my patients, Hattie, was frightened and kept crying for her son to take her home.”

  Austin’s gut tightened watching the tears in Erin’s eyes as she told the story.

  “We had to restrain her.”

  “Why didn’t her son come to be with her?”

  She sighed. “He had been there most of the day, but Hattie only got more agitated with him in the room. That’s the awful part about Alzheimer’s patients—you don’t always know what’s best to do for them, and it can change every day. Patients get frightened because they can’t remember anything or anyone. It’s like they’re trapped with strangers.”

  He could see Erin’s intense compassion and got a glimpse of the personal side of this woman. She must be one hell of a nurse.

  As if she realized she was exposing a side of herself she didn’t want him to see, she turned away. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to dump on you.” She quickly offered him a smile. “Ready to get to work?”

  He nodded and followed Erin into the bedroom. He sat down on the bench and removed his cast. He had a long knit sock to protect his calf and ankle and hide the ugly scar. She knelt in front of him and wrapped a small Velcro weight around his ankle. She looked up at him with those big green eyes. “Is that comfortable?”

  He nodded, hating that she could get a reaction from him with just a look. “Yeah, it’s fine.”

  With a nod, she began instructing him on how to do his reps. Moving up and down wasn’t ea
sy, especially not when she had him pause and hold it. It didn’t take him too long to realize how weak he was, but he refused to cry uncle.

  Over the next hour, Austin worked the weights, then the stretches as he labored to get through the series of exercises. He’d done some upper body strength training during his hospital stay, but nearly three months on his back had taken its toll. He’d always prided himself on his strength and agility. He didn’t have much of that right now. He felt weak as a kitten.

  “Okay, you’re done for now.” Erin handed him a towel and a bottle of water as he sat up on the bench.

  “You sure?” He wiped the sweat from his face. “I mean, you forgot to use the torture device.”

  “I’ll bring that out next week.” She arched an eyebrow. “Come on, Austin. You knew this wasn’t going to be easy. You’re lucky to be standing on two legs. So don’t rush it.”

  Okay, maybe she was right.

  He took a drink and Erin did the same. She tipped her head back and took a long swallow of water from the bottle. A trickle of liquid found its way from her mouth to her chin, then down the long arch of her smooth neck.

  He gulped the cool liquid, but it wasn’t enough to chill his thoughts. Damn. He’d been without female company for too long, recalling the times when he could rodeo all weekend and have some left over for celebrating. And he meant all night with the women. He brushed aside the memories as he looked down at his scar. He groaned.

  The sound got Erin’s attention. “Something wrong?”

  “Just frustrated. I want to be able to do more, and not have it be so difficult to get there.”

  “Then use that frustration to drive you to do more, to go an extra step.” She grinned. “You’ll need it when I turn your sixty-minute sessions into ninety. And I’m not even going to charge you for the extra pain.”

  He straightened at her comment. Hell, she was right. He had to stop letting his pride get to him, or he’d never get strong enough to ride a bull. “Okay, you’re on. I can deal with whatever you dish out.”

  “Good attitude.” Her smile quickly turned into a yawn. “I hate to end this party, but I need to go home and get a few hours’ sleep before I’m due back here.”

  Suddenly he didn’t want her to leave. “Sure.” He glanced at the clock on the wall. “Hey, you’re not going to get much time.” He got a crazy thought. “Why not just stay here and sleep?”

  Erin looked at him and tried not to be shocked at his suggestion. “Oh, I can’t.”

  “Why not? There’s a bed in the other bedroom. It’s only a twin, but I think you’ll fit.” He raised a hand. “Before you argue, by the time you drive to your apartment, sleep, then drive back again for the later session, you lose nearly two hours.”

  Erin couldn’t deny she’d like the extra time. She hadn’t been sleeping well lately. Maybe she was taking on too much. She’d rather it be that than this man distracting her.

  “Okay, I’ll just lie down for a while.”

  “No, you’ll sleep until our next session. That’s nearly six hours.”

  That sounded heavenly. “Okay, I’m too tired to argue. I’ll stay. This one time.”

  With a nod, he reached for his brace and put it on. He stood with his walker and started out the door. “I’m not sure if there are any sheets that would fit it, but you can make do with a flat sheet.”

  Erin followed him out into the hall, and he opened a linen closet. There were stacks of towels and two sets of sheets for his king-size bed.

  She took the linens from him, and their hands brushed in the awkward exchange. She jumped back and he frowned.

  “I can make this work.” Was she crazy? The man was her client. Yet she found that the simplest touch from this man sensitized her nerve endings. Why had her dormant sex drive suddenly been reawakened?

  She glanced at Austin. Or was her condition just the result of this sexy cowboy? It was pretty bad that a man with a walker turned her on. Either way, she needed to keep a safe distance from him. And if she weren’t so exhausted, she’d walk out the door. Instead, she was going to sleep in his house.

  “I should go make up the bed.” She turned and walked into the small bedroom. There was a pillow and a comforter covering the mattress. She quickly went to work adding the sheets. By the time she was finished, there was a knock on the door.

  She answered it. Austin smiled as he reached out his hand, holding a T-shirt and a new toothbrush. “I thought you might like something to sleep in.”

  * * *

  “WHAT ARE YOU doing back here?”

  Later that afternoon, Austin stood in the doorway, blocking the entrance to keep his business manager from coming in. Erin was still asleep, and the last person he wanted around here was Jay. He already made too much of her being his therapist.

  “What do you mean, what am I doing here? You’re not just my client, but also my friend, Austin.” With briefcase in hand, Jay stepped over the threshold and into the house. “And I wanted to make sure you’re doing okay.”

  Austin wasn’t buying it. “I have two brothers and my father around.” Not that the old man cared about him. “My two sisters-in-law keep me fed. So enjoy your off-duty time. Go on a vacation.”

  Jay frowned. “I wouldn’t do that, not when you’re still recovering. Besides, I need to keep all the fires going so people won’t forget you. We’re going to need to plan some big promotion for your comeback.”

  Damn, why did that make him feel so old? Hell, he was old. He made his way to the sofa and sat down. “Let me get through this rehab, Jay. Then we’ll talk.”

  The older man frowned. “Why? What’s wrong? I knew it—that therapist you hired isn’t working out. I can fire her for you. I know of this private rehab center outside Denver.”

  “No, Jay. I told you, I want to stay here while I recuperate. This is my home, my ranch.” He realized he liked having his own place and his brothers around. “Besides, wouldn’t the media find me easier in a rehab center?”

  His manager shrugged. “You’re probably right.” He lifted his briefcase onto the table. “The other reason I’m here is I have some papers that need your signature.”

  Austin leaned back on the sofa. His leg had been throbbing since his last session, but he refused to take any meds. So he wasn’t in the mood to go over any contracts, especially something new until he was sure of his future. “Just leave them and I’ll go over them later.”

  Jay frowned. “They can’t wait, Austin. They’re tax papers. Look, just put your signature on the bottom where I made the X and I’ll do the rest.”

  There were things about Jay he loved, like the fact that he’d taken him on as a client when he was a no-name bull rider. They both had made a lot of money on his talent and Jay’s business cunning. Austin trusted him, but he wasn’t foolish enough to sign anything blind, either. “Are you in town for a while?”

  Jay shrugged. “I need to be in Dallas in a few days.”

  He stood and started for the door, hoping he could get Jay out of the house before he woke Erin. “Okay, I’ll get them back to you before then. What hotel are you at?”

  “Hotel? I thought you might offer me your guest room.”

  Austin turned quickly to tell Jay he needed his space when he caught the end of the coffee table with his walker and it tipped him off balance. He did the windmill stroke with his arms, but he only managed to knock over a lamp, and they both crashed to the floor. Pain shot through his butt as he hit the hardwood.

  Jay started over to help him when Erin came rushing out from down the hall, all that rich auburn hair flying around her sleep-ridden face. What got his attention was her state of undress. She was wearing his T-shirt that hung to midthigh. Oh, boy, those legs.

  “Austin, don’t move,” she called and was kneeling down at his side. Her hands went to wo
rk examining his legs and arms. “Do you hurt anywhere?”

  He brushed aside her concern and sat up. “Yeah, my bony butt.”

  She frowned. “Not your leg?”

  A shadow appeared over them. He glanced up at Jay.

  “Well, I can understand why you didn’t need me here. Seems your therapist has everything under control.”

  * * *

  TWO HOURS LATER, the sun was setting over the mountains as Austin sat at the kitchen table enjoying the quiet peacefulness. In the dimming light, he could also see his brother Cullen’s horses grazing in the pasture. Thanks to the heavy rainfall over the past few months, the grass was high and green. Soon, the snow would come to the area. Great for the ski resorts around Hidden Springs, but hard on the cattle rancher. He didn’t have to worry since he hoped to be gone by winter. He glanced down at his injured leg. Already he’d gained more physical strength.

  His attention strayed when he heard the rattle of the old water pipes from the bathroom. He’d convinced Erin to take a shower here so she could go straight to the center for her night shift.

  Bad idea. His imagination was going wild. All he could picture was her naked body covered in soap, the spray massaging away her troubles and tense muscles.

  Suddenly a knock sounded and Austin jumped as the door swung open and his twin brother walked in, carrying a large container of food. “Delivery for Austin Brannigan.”

  Well, that sure threw cold water on his erotic thoughts. Austin started to get up. “Hey, good to see you.”

  Cullen motioned for him to stay seated. “Let me come to you, A.” He put the food on the stove, then came and sat down with him. “You’re in for a treat tonight—Shelby’s lasagna. There’s also a green salad and garlic bread.” Cullen hit the switch and turned on the kitchen light, showing off the room’s flaws. Old knotty-pine cabinets and tiled counters, though the appliances were in much better condition.

  “Are you sitting in the dark for a reason?”

  “No, just watching the sun go down over the mountains. It’s an incredible view.”