Part 15 (1/2)
Obviously, she was in shock. He was pretty sure she'd hated him on sight.
Walking on her knees, Chanel worked her way between his legs until their lips were inches apart. Hesitating for only a breath, she pressed hers to his. The kiss started gentle, but then desperation seemed to consume her. She nipped his lower lip encouraging him to open to her, and he did. Gripping his head, Chanel deepened the kiss, and Maddox found his hands on her back drawing her closer. Finally he lie back pulling her on top of him. Wet drops on his face made him open his eyes, and he realized she was crying.
”Hey,” he whispered, pulling away just far enough to speak. He wiped at a tear with his thumb.
”Sorry,” Chanel whispered back. ”Feeling a lot right now.” She lowered her lips back to his. They kissed for a moment before she pulled back. ”Make love to me.”
His desire was overwhelming, but Maddox was certain she'd regret it in the morning. He could already hear her las.h.i.+ng out, telling him he took advantage of her when she was emotionally compromised. Wrapping his strong arms around her, he gave her a squeeze and rolled so they were lying on their sides face-to-face.
Unwilling too ruin their delicate new friends.h.i.+p, he said, ”Not tonight, but I'll hold you as long as you want.”
Chanel rested her forehead on his chest for a moment, and then he felt her nod. She wiggled around in his arms until they were spooning. Her perfect b.u.t.t snuggled up to his belly. Maddox held her tight, and they both drifted off in the warm summer night air.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.
Late the next morning, Chanel rolled into the hospital parking lot driving Fritz's truck. She'd left Maddox behind, hoping for some time alone with Seth.
Her cousin was propped up on pillows when she entered his room. Fritz and Christine were nowhere in sight. Both of his eyes almost swollen shut, face mottled with bruises, but somehow he managed a weak smile.
”Hey, Chel.”
Chanel perched on his bed taking care not to jostle him. ”Hey. How're you feeling this morning?”
”They've got some pretty awesome pain meds here.”
Chanel smiled. Seth was perpetually lighthearted, even when the s.h.i.+t was flying from the fan.
”Where's your mom and Fritz?”
”They went over to the cafe for some breakfast,” Seth replied. ”Did you take a hit to the face too? You look like a racc.o.o.n.”
”Thanks a lot,” Chanel said. ”That's the last time I save your a.s.s and stay up all night worrying about you.”
”In my defense, I can't see too well.” Seth grimaced when he raised an arm to gesture at his eyes.
”Sit still,” Chanel said resting her hand on Seth's leg.
”You were awesome. I caught a glimpse of you riding Clint before I went out. You're ready for bulls. And Maddox, man, he missed his calling as a boxer.”
Hearing Maddox's name spread heat through Chanel's body. They'd awoken on the hill as the sun came up, and he'd held her hand on the walk back to the pickup. Mitch hadn't said a word when she straggled in, for which she was grateful.
”Are you blus.h.i.+ng? What're you thinking about?” Seth started to lean forward. He only made it a couple of inches before groaning and sinking back against the pillows. ”Did something happen with Maddox last night?”
Witnessing his pain caused Chanel to clench her teeth. Clint better get some jail time for last night. Who knows how far he would have gone if she and Maddox hadn't stepped in.
When Chanel didn't answer, Seth asked, ”Speaking of Maddox, where is he?”
”It was a late night, and I knew this was just a quick trip to town to get your mom and Fritz, so I let him sleep.” All points were true. He didn't need to know the rest of the story at the moment. She was still sorting through it.
”You're not staying for the finals?” Seth struggled to sit up again.
Chanel shook her head.
”What? That's crazy. You guys can't skip the finals because of last night. That would mean Clint won.” If his face hadn't been so puffy, Seth's brows would have furrowed creating what Chanel had dubbed years ago as ”the worry tunnel” between his eyes.
Chanel didn't know what to say. He had a point, but they were all tired, and there was comfort in returning to the regular routine.
”C'mon, Chel, you have to rope tonight. That buckle is yours, and I heard the prize check was pretty decent too.”
”Seth, I couldn't catch a slow moving elephant today.”
”Whatever. Who cares if you catch? Just go. Please? For me? h.e.l.l, I'd go if they'd let me out of here. They're keeping me until tomorrow as a precaution. They seem to be worried Clint smooshed my brain.”
”I'd like to smoosh his brain and a few other things,” Chanel grumbled as Fritz and Christine entered the room. Christine's eyes were puffy, and she looked ten years older. Fritz looked worn out.
”Mom, you're going to the rodeo tonight right?” Seth locked his battered stare on his mother.
”Oh, honey,” Christine sighed. ”I'm not up to it. If you feel okay here, I'm ready to go home and sleep for the rest of the day.”
”Someone needs to represent,” Seth insisted. ”Show this town that we won't be pushed around.”
”I hate to say it, ladies, but Seth's right,” Fritz said, and both women gave him surprised looks.
Seth eased back onto his pillows, a triumphant smile on his bruised lips. ”Thank you, Fritz.”
The older man's mustache twitched.
Chanel knew they were right too. She could picture the stares and the whispers that would follow them all evening, but they had a point to prove. And not everyone was as terrible as Clint and his buddies.
”Fine,” Chanel said slipping off the bed. ”I'll do my run tonight. I better go home and try to take a nap, so I don't fall off Vivi and give this place something else to talk about.” She leaned in and gave Seth a light kiss on the forehead. ”I love you. And after all this, you owe me big time.”
It was like dej vu. Maddox was back in the grandstand with Christine, only this time Fritz sat on her other side. Jessi and the Wilkins twins were sitting in front of him. Thankfully, she slipped off with Brad shortly after the dance had begun the night before and missed her brother's beating. Christine had let it slide, but Maddox had a feeling she would've been harder on her daughter on a regular weekend.
Maddox's gut clenched. Though he commended the family for holding their heads high, proving they would not be bullied, he worried about more pain coming to them.
Chanel had drawn to rope second in the finals. The woman ahead of her missed her calf.
”Next up, we have Chanel Eber of the Double O Ranch,” the announcer's voice echoed through the speakers. ”I'd like to take a moment to let you all know her team-roping partner and cousin, Seth Eber, is on the mend at Clifford's Bend Hospital. On behalf of Clifford's Bend, I want to let the Eber family know that our prayers are with you, and we are all saddened by the events of last night.” The audience grew still after the speech. Maddox noticed the stands weren't as full as the previous night, and the spot where Clint's father had held court was conspicuously empty. Fritz wrapped a comforting arm around Christine, and Maddox hoped the announcer's statements were true. Maybe last night rocked this community's little world, and next time-G.o.d forbid there was one-there would be more helping hands.
Maddox studied Chanel's drawn face as she maneuvered Vivi into the box. There wasn't any emotion or sign she'd acknowledged the announcer's words. To Maddox she looked tired but determined. Mitch had stayed behind the chutes with her to keep her calm and to keep an eye on the other cowboys. He'd left the fairgrounds before the fight and wasn't about to let his daughter out of his sight today. The older man had shooed Maddox to the bleachers to watch saying it was probably better if he laid low until Mitch could get a read on folks. Things were more likely to get feisty behind the chutes than in the audience where a lot of families gathered.
It was frustrating for Maddox to be so far from Chanel. When he discovered she'd gone to town without him that morning, he'd been furious. In his mind, she shouldn't be alone right now. At a loss for what to do with himself, he'd gone out to the hayfield where he'd left off on Friday and fired up the swather. Despite the dust and heat, there was comfort in the roar of the engine and the monotony of the work. Plus, he felt useful. His thoughts roamed as he guided the huge machine back and forth. They ranged from that first day on the tractor, how ticked she'd been when she landed on the dashboard, how she felt in his lap, to how her scowls had transformed to smiles as the weeks slipped by. He'd like to think they'd become friends. The tingle on the back of his neck, combined with the quickening of his pulse as memories of the hours on the hillside last night rushed in, made him admit he hoped they were becoming something more. Then doubt raised its nasty head and convinced him she'd turned to him because he'd been the closest warm body.