Page 105 of Rocky Mountain Home

“I feel fine,” Dare insisted. “Buckaroo is moving like crazy. I was just tired, or something.”

“We’re taking good care of her.” Tamara had come up to the bedside and pushed past Caleb. “With that in mind, if I could get everyone to step back a little. It’s a big room. Dare gets her share of the space and then the rest of you.”

She was glaring specifically at Caleb, fists resting on her hips.

He didn’t move.

Tamara made a feint toward his groin, and Caleb twisted in defense.

She was gloating far too hard as she reached for the rolling side table, swinging it around and forcing him to back up another couple steps.

Dare watched the interaction with amusement. Caleb’s sense of humour needed a kick in the butt at times, but she was glad they were there. “Come and talk. Where’re the girls?”

Jesse interrupted to say goodbye. “I’ll give you a chance to visit. Regular visiting hours start at eleven, and I’m pretty sure my mom plans on stopping by, plus I don’t know who else.”

He covered up a yawn best he could, but Dare caught his fingers and gave them a squeeze. “Go get some shuteye. I’m not going anywhere.”

He nodded. “I’ll be back around five. You need anything?”

“Burger and fries? Or pizza—with the works.”

He glanced at Caleb and Ginny before deliberately leaning in and giving her another one of those addictive kisses. It was far too natural to let her arms rise up and wrap around his shoulders, fingers stroking through his hair, soft against her palms.

He pulled back, cocky grin firmly in place. “Be good.”

“Why should I start now?” she teased.

Ginny and Caleb settled into chairs as Jesse took his leave. Ginny twisted to watch him exit the room. “That was hot.”

Caleb’s face stiffened. “Ginny.”

“Well, it was,” she insisted, lifting her gaze to meet Dare’s. “So, your hot-cowboy visit is turning out to be an adventure.”

Caleb twisted in his chair, arms crossed at his chest. “Do you want me to leave the room so you can talk about hot cowboys?”

Ginny waved a hand. “You don’t have to leave.”

Dare snickered as Caleb let out a frustrated growl, but she was glad everything was normal.

Or as normal as it was able to get as Ginny turned thoughtful then placed a finger on her lips. “Okay, I’ll be nice, and we won’t talk about Dare’s sexy cowboy.”

“Thank you,” Caleb drawled.

Ginny clapped her hands together and rubbed them. “So, Dare. Tell me more about your bodyguard. Was that not an awesome move she pulled on Caleb?”

It was no use. The small bundle of warmth inside her grew and grew and now it bubbled up into laughter. The long-suffering expression on Caleb’s face just made it worse, and Dare let herself go, protected and surrounded by the lingering sensation of Jesse’s caring and her family’s presence.

Jesse picked up a few groceries before heading back to the trailer and stripping down. He took a quick shower and tossed himself into bed to grab a few hours’ sleep before heading back to the hospital.

His rumbling stomach woke him. He pulled on sweatpants before stumbling to the kitchen and tossing bread into all four of the toaster slots.

He had the frying pan hot and was cracking eggs when the door opened and ice skidded up his spine. What the hell had he been thinking, walking around half naked in his brother’s place?

“You making enough for two?”

Instant relief struck as Joel stepped to the counter beside him, eyeing the pan hungrily.

“That depends. Are you starving or ravenous?”