Cowboys & Nightmares

Chapter Fourteen

After doing a thorough examination, Doc gave me a salve and bandaged me, giving instructions on how to clean the wound properly. "It will probably take a few weeks to heal," he mumbled from under his thick mustache as he closed his bag. "But you will be alright after that. Just take it a little easy."

    When he left, I gingerly tested my weight. While my leg still hurt, it wasn't too bad, and it was easy for me to walk- well, more like hobble, anyway. But I was able to make it to the door and down the steps. As I walked through the yard, a few of the hands patted me on the back or smiled. Butch and Hasty smiled as I passed them. "Glad to see you up and moving, Klintson," they called.

    As I came near the corner of the barn, I could see Ronnie leaned up against it, watching my progress. The evening sun was creating long shadows across his face, causing me to hesitate. He pushed off of the wood siding and approached me. "Hey, Doll Face," he cooed. "How's the scratch?"

    My hackles raised. "I'd hardly call it a scratch, Ronnie, and it's fine, no thanks to you."

    For a moment he looked hurt, and scratched his neck awkwardly. "I'm sorry that happened, Rylie, I am." Then, as we made eye contact, he seemed to remember himself, and he stood up taller, a confident smirk marring his face. "Why don't I make it up to you by nursing you tonight?"

    I growled, straightening to my full height. "I think I can manage, thank you," I growled before shouldering past him. Leroy was just coming around the corner of the barn, and wolf whistled. I ignored him entirely, and made it to the bunkhouse door without a problem.

    The first thing that came to my ears was a thumping sound from Dune's room, as if a ball was being thrown into the wall. Curious, I tiptoed to the only door that had always been closed to me. As I edged closer, I could hear my bunk mate muttering something over and over. I hesitated at the door, knowing I was probably crossing a line, before placing my ear gently to the door.

    Like a record player that kept jumping back, Dune's voice came through the solid wood. "Adrian, Adrian, Adrian..."

    I swallowed the lump in my throat as my heart went out to him. Whatever had happened between them, it was obvious that Dune needed her. In a part of me that had been buried away for a long time, I felt a tug. I wanted to comfort him. So I straightened before gently rapping my knuckles on his door. "Dune?" I called. "I'm okay, I'm feeling better."

    I heard a couple thumps, then suddenly the door swung open. Dune stood in front of me, his eyes a bleary red and his face blotchy. Before I could move, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a fierce hug that had me gasping for breath. His face was buried into my neck, and his stubble against my skin made me shudder. "Dune, it's okay," I whispered, my arms winding their way around him. "It's okay. I'm alright."

    As I rubbed his back gently, Dune shuddered, and I felt more than heard his shaky breath. He pulled away just enough to look me in the eye. Our foreheads were almost touching with how close he was. I was suddenly aware of how he enveloped me, how his bright blue eyes captured me in their watery gaze. "I'm sorry," he muttered, his lower lips quivering as his eyes flickered over my face. His hands came up to hold my face, and I froze. "I'm sorry, it's just that seeing you like that, it reminded me..." His apology tapered off as he continued to assess me.

    I gave him a small grin, placing a finger over his lips in the fashion that he always did to me. In return, his eyes locked onto mine, and the corner of his mouth tilted up, flashing his dimple. An unspoken agreement passed between us, and he joined me for a cup of hot chocolate. As the shadows lengthened over the painting, I smiled behind my mug. While it was small, it was progress between us.