Page 17 of Captured by the Billionaire Cowboy (The Secret Billionaires #7)
“The vet hasn’t arrived, so we don’t know exactly what we’re dealing with.” She breathed deeply. “Colic is the number one cause of premature death in domestic horses.”
“Don’t go there, Ciara,” Rowan ordered gruffly, pressing the car forward, smoothly maneuvering between two slower vehicles. “Colic encompasses a wide range of gastronomical ailments. Sometimes it’s not serious at all.”
“And sometimes it requires major surgery. Sometimes there’s nothing they can do, no treatment that can help…
” She blanched. “This is my fault. She’s been unwell since I found her.
She displayed the classic signs of colic all along: depression, poor eating, excessive sweating.
I just assumed they originated from the trauma. ”
“A perfectly reasonable explanation.” He leaned on the accelerator, cruising through a yellow light. “The vet examined her. He didn’t find anything alarming.”
“But he hasn’t been observing her. He wasn’t the one supposed to take care of her.” Her voice broke. “He didn’t promise her she would be all right.”
“You are taking care of her,” he argued. “You saved that horse. You’re the reason she’s alive in the first place.” No matter what happened, this woman didn’t deserve guilt. “She doesn’t have every symptom of colic, and she has many symptoms of anxiety. You’re doing the best you can.”
“But my best isn’t good enough!”
“Sweetheart, your best is always good enough.” He gave in to the urge to comfort her, rubbing her shoulder, while keeping watch on the road. She was like him in so many ways, taking on responsibility, consequences that weren’t hers to bear. “ We’ll get through this.”
She sniffed, yet appeared a little less frantic. He wanted to also promise Jasmine would get through this, but Ciara was right. Colic was serious. “I’ll do everything in my power to get her the best treatment possible,” he promised.
At least that was a promise he could keep.
“Tympanic colic?” Ciara crossed her arms over her chest, hugging herself tight. Next to her, Jasmine pawed the ground, agitated, jumpy and clearly uncomfortable. A day’s worth of food sat untouched in the corner, and the oversized bucket of water was as overflowing as it had been that morning.
“It’s also known as gas colic,” Dr. Saunders explained. “It can be caused by a diet change or perhaps not enough roughage. The good news is abdominal distension isn’t present, so there’s nothing to suggest it’s anything more serious. Hopefully, medication will take care of it.”
“I’ve seen it many times,” Frank remarked in his calm, even manner. “It’s a common cause of colic.”
“She’s currently receiving a proper diet, but there’s no way to know what she ate before she arrived.
” Ciara gripped her hands tightly. “The previous owner didn’t care much for horses.
” Despite the reminder of the last owner’s cruelty, relief flared.
Gas colic was very treatable and would likely correct itself.
For the first time since Uncail Frank called, there was enough oxygen in the world.
She reached out and took Rowan’s hand. He squeezed it.
Dr. Saunders opened his bag and retrieved a prescription pad. “I’m giving her a spasmolytic medication. Keep an eye on her, because there’s always the risk of bowel displacement. Also, watch the others for the same symptoms. Any problems, call me.”
She nodded. She would not miss the condition in another horse.
Rowan came closer as the kind doctor departed. “You okay?” he asked softly.
“I’m fine now that this girl is.” She reached out to the horse, but Jasmine shied back, more panicked than ever. Clearly, they’d backtracked from the little progress they’d accomplished. How long would it take to recover their hard-won gains?
He clearly sensed her dismay. “She’s just not feeling well,” he soothed. “Give her time.”
“I will.” Ciara stood taller. She needed to stay strong for the horses. “Today may have been tough, but it could have been worse. Thank goodness it wasn’t too serious.”
“I agree with that.” Her uncail entered the conversation, returning from seeing the vet to his car. He pitched his hat. “So how did it go at the bank?”
She grimaced. “That couldn’t have gone much worse.
Mrs. Murphy won’t even consider a loan unless I produce both collateral and a collaborator with professional hospitality experience.
” She approached the open window, where horses peacefully roamed the grounds.
All animals deserved this. “Apparently I need a little help and a lot of money.”
“I can’t help with the last, but I have a suggestion for the first,” Frank grabbed a pitchfork and leaned on the handle. “Have you met Teara Hayes?
Ciara shook her head, but Rowan cocked his head to the side. A crease appeared between his eyebrows. “I remember her from when I was a kid. Didn’t her parents own the bed and breakfast on Clove Street?”
“That’s the one.” Frank smoothed out the hay. “She inherited it when her parents passed away, but hit a rough patch and couldn’t keep it. Things are better now, but she’s travelling two towns over to work at the nearest hotel. She may be interested in a position with the retreat.”
Ciara brightened. “That does sound promising. I can’t offer her anything yet, but at least I can see if she’d consider it.”
“I’ll get you her contact information.” A shout came from the distance as someone yelled for Frank. The older man put down the pitchfork. “Duty calls. If you need anything, let me know.”
Ciara accepted a warm hug from her uncail, yet she made no move to follow him out of the stables. For a moment, she and Rowan stood in silence, before he picked up the pitchfork and continued Frank’s work. “Do you want to stay with your horse for a little while?”
Despite their years of separation, he still knew her so well. “I just need to spend some time with Jasmine. Let her know she’s not alone.”
He didn’t seem inclined to leave either, so they stayed together, neither speaking nor touching, and yet comfortable in each other’s presence.
The rescue missions she’d attempted tangled her thoughts, the present and future endeavors she hoped to pursue.
The horses she’d saved each had their own unique personalities, strong and beautiful.
Would she be successful in helping more?
“Let me help you with the money.”
Ciara started at the softly spoken words. She gathered her strength, shook her head. “I have to do this on my own.”
“Why?” He stood taller, blocking the light with his muscular body. “Why can’t you accept help?”
“It’s not that I can’t accept help.” Yet was that entirely true?
She was asking for help from the bank. Only it was different – because it was Rowan.
“I wouldn’t be staying here otherwise. But I can’t take more from you.
Especially after–” She halted. Had she almost revealed her true feelings, the ones she couldn’t stop even if she knew how their tale ended? She had already read their story.
It did not end well.
She may have stopped the words, but she couldn’t stop the thoughts – or the desire. It didn’t matter. His intelligent gaze proved he knew exactly what she was thinking. “Especially with what?”
“Especially with…”
How much I care for you. How much I wish things were different. How much I want to try again.
“How much you rattle me,” she exclaimed to startled features. She hadn’t meant to share that. Still, it was better than admitting he was a sexy hunk who gave sizzling kisses.
His gaze was searching, as if he wanted to say a thousand things, to match a thousand thoughts. But she couldn’t give in to her urges to pursue the impossible… not again. She had to focus on the horses. “I still can’t believe I missed the signs–”
“No.”
She looked up at the sharply spoken word. “What?”
“You will not blame yourself any longer.”
“But I am to blame–”
“As much as I am,” he finished. “As much as Frank and even the vet. Since we’ve all been taking care of her, we share responsibility. But to be honest, I don’t think anyone is at fault. Sometimes these things just happen, and it’s good we caught it in time. Jasmine is fine. She’s going to be okay.”
Ciara couldn’t help herself. When he opened his arms, she walked straight into them. She allowed him to hold her, in a possessive grasp beyond the threshold of friendship. The world turned blurry, as Rowan softly caressed her back, whispering words of support.
How strange to lean on someone – no, not just someone, but Rowan, her oldest friend, her first love, her current… something . She looked up, up, up to his handsome face, where sapphire eyes gleamed. When he leaned down, she couldn’t move.
He took her lips.
He moved with deliberate slowness, caressing her lips, stealing her breath and infiltrating her senses. She pushed forward, desperate to get closer, to be nearer to the source of power. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her further into his grip.
She moaned softly, showing her own strength, even as he coaxed her to surrender. With a sigh, she parted her lips, giving him access to sensitive spots, needy and raw. Sensation seized her, readying her, preparing her. She wanted more. Needed more.
It was that thought that gave her the strength to pull back.
She heaved a breath deep into her lungs, starving for both air and clarity. Pulling back was more difficult with every kiss, but this couldn’t progress. She couldn’t let her heart get entangled again. “We shouldn’t,’ she whispered. “We can’t.”
Desire burned bright in his eyes, silently urging her to surrender, to take this further, way further. “Ciara–”
The chorus to “We Are Family” rang out, startling her and silencing him. Ciara mouthed a silent thank you for the interruption, amongst inexplicable disappointment, as she gripped her cell phone. “It’s my sister. I have to take this.”
It was sort of a truth, sort of a lie, but she couldn’t talk with Rowan right now, not when her emotions were so raw. Yet as she walked away from the man who was upending her life, one truth burned bright:
She would not be able to escape forever.