Page 23 of Hot For You

“I’m not the best patient.” She raised her head and gave him a weak smile. “I just got the wind knocked out of me. I’m okay.”

“I’ll determine if you’re okay.” He put the bandana on his thigh and opened the kit. He brought out antiseptic and a cotton pad. “Who’s the paramedic here?”

“That’s right. Firefighters usually have paramedic training, don’t they?” she said.

“Here they do.” He took the cotton pad and looked at the back of her head. Her red hair was dark with blood. “I’m going to clean and wrap this before we get you home.”

She started to nod and then winced. “Yes, sir.”

“If you can move, we’ll get you out of here.” Where there was one rattlesnake, there could be another if its mate was nearby.

He set about cleaning the dirt out of the wound then put a pad over the laceration. He wrapped the bandana around her head, holding the pad into place.

When he finished, he rested his hand on her shoulder. “How do you feel?”

“Like I just got thrown off a horse and hit my head.” She gave a wry expression. “It hurts to talk.”

“Then talk as little as possible.” He squeezed her shoulder. “How about the rest of you?”

“I can move.” She moved her feet and bent her other knee, too. “I think I’ll be okay.”

“Hold on and I’ll get the thermos of water so you can take Tylenol for the pain.” He got to his feet. “You’re going to need it.”

After he gave her the Tylenol and had put away the thermos and the first aid kit, he took a moment to bury what was left of the snake’s head and its venomous fangs.

He checked her again. When he was as sure as he could be that all she’d come away with was a laceration to her scalp and a mild to moderate concussion, he brought her up with him, supporting her as she got to her feet.

“You’re going to ride with me,” he said. “When we get to the ranch, I’m going to take you to the doctor.”

“I don’t want to go to the doctor,” she protested. “I—I’ll be okay.”

He frowned. “You may be hurt worse than you think you are.”

“No.” She looked like she was going to cry. “I hate going to see doctors. Please, just let me rest at your house.”

He didn’t answer as he raised her up and helped her onto Holly so that she was sitting at the front of the saddle.

“I mean it, Cody,” she said. “I’ll be okay. Promise?”

He looked at her for a long moment. “All right. But if you get worse, I’m taking you. Understand?”

Her chin jutted out as she looked at him stubbornly. With a shake of his head, he boosted himself up and swung his leg over the horse and seated himself behind Carilyn. Their bodies were snug against each other. He whistled to Molly who was standing a good twenty feet away. She trotted closer, but wouldn’t go near the snake’s body.

He wrapped one arm around Carilyn’s waist and handled the reins with his other hand. As they headed toward the ranch house, Molly fell into stride behind Holly.

Carilyn leaned back against him and he liked the way her body felt next to his. This wasn’t the way he’d have wanted to get this close to her, but she felt comfortable in his arms.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said. “But I don’t think I’m going to be playing Jeopardy anytime soon. Having a hard time thinking straight.”

“All part of the concussion.” He let the horse walk rather than trot to keep the jostling to a minimum. “You’re not driving anywhere for at least twenty-four hours.”

“I need to set up my laptop in the morning so that I’ll be up and running by Monday,” she said.

“Honey, you’re not going to feel like doing anything that requires brain power.” He gripped her more tightly. “You’re going to need to make yourself relax, no matter how hard that seems to be.”

“I’m not a workaholic,” she said. “But I do like to keep on a schedule.”

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