“What?”
“Did you get the impression that she didn’t believe me about the pills? Or my pain level?”
“Yeah, it makes me wonder.”
“About?”
“How many of her patients lie to say they’re in pain just to get more drugs from her, especially the Oxy.”
“Damn, I never thought of that, but I gave my pill bottles to Caleb this morning. He even opened them, dumped the pills in his hand, and counted them. The look he gave me was pure shock when he saw all the Oxy there. I think if he didn’t see the proof for himself, he wouldn’t have believed me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Now, are you headed home?”
“I am, it was an extremely successful day, but I’m ready to go home and soak in a hot tub full of bubbles.” She rotated her arm with her hand on her shoulder, then rubbed her lower back, and started to do circles to work out the kinks. “I forgot how stressful racing is on the body.” She looked at him with a grin. “Granted, being off the back of a horse for two years might have something to do with it. As much as I hate to admit this, I’m not getting any younger.”
Shay chuckled along with her, gathered her in his arms, and held her loosely as he looked down at her. “Can you hold off on that bath?”
“Why?”
“Because I thought we’d go home, cook supper together, then we could take a bath together. I also have a lotion I can massage into your shoulders and lower back.”
“What type of lotion?” She gave him the stink eye.
“The type I used on you after one of our particularly arduous sexual encounters where I dominated you.” He waited until she looked at him with a frown. “The one when I used the flogger.”
“Ah, I remember both that session and the massage you gave me afterward. If you’re talking that lotion, I’m in.”
“I thought you’d say that.” He kissed the tip of her nose, then turned her toward her own truck, swatted her on the ass, and laughed when she glared at him. They climbed into their separate vehicles, because Shay had gone to see Caleb that morning, they had driven separately. Shay waited in his truck until Faith left the parking area, and slowly followed her home. They parked before their cabin, and went inside, waving to Tony and Staci as they left their vehicles and went into their own cabin. He liked that since moving to Colorado, he had been able to maintain his friendship with Tony, but not be together all the time like he had while they both lived in Pennsylvania. He knew now that not only did he check on Tony after his surgeries, but he had also done it because he had been lonely. That was his shame to bear alone. Maybe one day he would tell Tony how he had felt back then, but until that day came, he would keep it to himself. Now, he lived with the most beautiful woman he had ever met, and loved everything about his life on the ranch and with Faith.
He paused as he looked around him, and knew as soon as that one word popped into his head, it was what he had been feeling in his heart for weeks now. He couldn’t wait to tell Faith how he felt, but first, they had to get through supper, a hot bubble bath, some serious loving, and then his woman was due for a long overdue massage. With a grin on his face, heclimbed the stairs, and walked in the front door. Knowing his own feelings made the house feel different. He had noticed since coming back from Kentucky that he didn’t live in a house or cabin any longer. He now lived in a home.
A week later,Shay looked up and frowned when he saw Erin, Naomi, and another woman walk toward him. He was leading a horse out to the track to stage, and would wait until Faith was done racing to wait for further instructions. Pedro hadn’t made it yet, but was due any day. He liked that he was learning stuff every day, and he loved the conversations he and Faith had over dinner at night.
He had thought that it would be awkward working and living together, but it wasn’t, and he enjoyed their time together.
“What’s up?” Shay asked as he joined them.
“Who’s that?” Naomi pointed to Faith out on the track.
“Champ.”
“Damn,” she said with a shake of his head. “I’m sorry I haven’t been able to come out before this.”
“Don’t be. I know you’re just as busy as everyone else.” Shay nodded, then turned to the other two women. “Erin, Dr. Johnson, what brings you here?”
“I just interviewed Dr. Johnson to open her own office over at Broken Two. We’re going around to all the ranches so she can see what she might have to deal with.”
“I had mentioned to Ms. Riceman that I wanted to check on you. I saw that you’re not limping?”
“Nope, and I’ll be honest with you, I forgot to put the brace on this morning. The smaller one Caleb gave me. I haven’t even had a twinge.” He wasn’t going to admit that he and Faith hadoverslept, took a shower together, and started playing. When they finished, they hurried to get dressed, not wanting to be late. They had made it with two minutes to spare before they clocked in. In his rush to dress, he didn’t put on the brace.
“If you have the time, I’d like to examine you.”
Shay looked around and frowned when Tony arrived then, and threw something to him. He caught it, and grinned when he saw he held his own pair of shorts.
“Sorry, I heard why Dr. Johnson was here, so I ran to your place to get you something to change into.”
