Two Guardians for Little May Page 3

  "It sounds like no one can touch it for reasons other than the estate operations. I'll look at the documents later."

  "Let me show you boys around." Clara smiled as she rose to her feet. "Will you stay for dinner?"

  "Miss Clara, you just loaded us up on the most cunning form of bribery known to mankind," Layton patted his stomach. "Tonight won't be possible, but I'd like to return tomorrow and check things out. Would that be okay?"

  "I am taking the day off tomorrow, but I will leave you a pot of Texas Chili. It won't be ready until late, but it will give you some time to get to know the place and our special resident."

  The temptation of Texas Chili was one that no urban cowboy could ignore, and both men nodded eagerly. Layton glanced to see May standing in the doorway, and raised his eyebrow at her frantic gestures telling Clara to cut off the interaction.

  "I have to fix some fences around the ranch in the morning, but we should be here around two."

  "Perfect! Here," Clara handed Layton a jar of jam. "There is lots more where this came from. Enjoy."

  Chapter 2

  May muttered obscenities to herself as she turned away from the sitting room and made her way to the upstairs bedroom. The deep cut on her leg stung like the dickens, and she sat on the edge of her bed to let it rest for a moment. She berated herself for refusing to allow that heart-throb of a doctor to touch her. Indeed, he was one gorgeous piece of man-flesh, with unruly, short brown hair, warm blue eyes and lips that were ripe for kissing.

  The other one, Layton, was just as handsome, but boy-howdy, he annoyed the living crap out of her! She took in a deep breath, easing the onslaught of anxiety that frequently slipped into her mind when she contemplated the existence of the opposite gender. They both seemed genuinely concerned for her well-being, even Layton. They were not the ones who hurt me, she reminded herself. They are Lyle's sons and he trusted them to take care of me. I don't have to be so suspicious of every man that comes my way.

  Easier said than done. May bent her head between her knees and practiced her breathing. Anger and fear still controlled her life, ever since that horrid night. Would she ever recover from that fear? Her face had mended quickly from the bruises, and her dislocated shoulder seemed to be back to normal. Even the way she had been violated—the tearing of her delicate flesh—had healed. But the external injuries had left scars on her heart and in her mind, and the slightest thing could trigger her into a panic. And then there was the dark. Night was a time of horror, and she dreaded every sunset.

  May looked at herself in the mirror. The wide-eyed, doll-like visage staring back looked like a stranger. The eyes were haunted, the cheeks gaunt, and hair in disarray. The rape had changed her, and May felt completely out of control with not knowing how to resurrect herself from the ashes of who she used to be. Lyle had told her it would take time, and promised everything would get better. She hadn't expected him to go and die on her.

  "You can't keep running, sweetheart," a voice said from behind. May spun to see Caine entering her room, uninvited. He sat next to her on the bed. "I want to help you if you will let me."

  The softness of his voice took her by surprise. Lyle had been gruff and opinionated, much like Layton, but it had left her with an odd sense of comfort. This man, though, threw her for a loop.

  "Why would you do that?" Her accent was sharpened by the tightness forming in her chest. "I'm just a little piece of shit that needs to be tossed to the hounds."

  "I don't know who said that to you, but they were wrong. You are a sweet, lovely young lady, who deserves to be protected and cherished," Caine said gently. He did not touch her, respecting her need to keep a physical distance. "Give old Layton and me a chance, May. We're good people."

  "Layton is the last person I would tag as good. He's a mean, bitter, nasty old fart."

  "My brother has his moments. In fact," Caine chuckled, "he takes my moments and about five other people's as well for his own. Regardless, you will never find a better friend and protector in this world. He's a hard-ass, but that's because he tends to care too much and it scares the jeepers out of him."

  "Jeepers?" May cracked a little smile.

  "I've had to clean up my vocabulary. Laboring moms don't need to hear their doctors swearing as much as they do." Caine laughed heartily.

  "So you really are a doctor?"

  "One of the best, if I say so myself," Caine responded with a grin. "I'm very humble, too."

  "I can see that," May giggled. "What do baby doctors know about cuts?"

  "Well," Caine carefully tore the material away from her injured thigh and tenderly probed it, "we can clean it up and then kiss it and make all better. Will you let me?"

  "Is it going to hurt?" She felt strangely young and child-like in this man's care. It felt nice.

  "I'll be as gentle as possible."

  "No," she shook her head. "I don't want your help."

  "Very well. We are going to get back home. We'll be back tomorrow afternoon. Please clean that as best as you can in the shower and soak it with Epsom salts."

  "I know how to take care of a little scratch."

  "Please just do that. For me?" His dimples made her toes curl.

  "I'll think about it."

  ***

  The Marshalls returned late afternoon on the following day. May was sitting on the sofa, watching TV, when they walked in.

  "Ever heard of knocking?" she asked with annoyance, jumping off the cushions and putting her hands on her hips.

  Caine frowned, placing his hand on her brow. "You're flushed. How's the leg?"

  "I'm fine."

  "I'll be the judge of that. I'll be right back. I need to get my bag from the truck. You are not going to talk me out of looking at your leg this time, hear me? Go up to your room and sit your bottom down, prop up your leg, and don't make a move."

  May's mouth hung open in response to Caine's tone. It was so much like Lyle's had been! She climbed the stairs, entered her room and sat on the edge of her bed. Twiddling her fingers, she waited nervously for his return. Loud footsteps announced his arrival, and he promptly kneeled on the floor next to her. She watched in fascination as he sprayed the area with a numbing solution, then gently picked out pieces of dirt and fiber with a tweezers. All the while, he shared stories of what a horrible patient he was.

  "Pop used to say that 'ifn there be a splinter, my boy Caine will find it.' He had a sharp pocket knife that he used to scrape them out, and I would scream bloody murder because I was always so afraid he would accidentally cut off my finger."

  "When did you finally realize that he wasn't going to do that?"

  "Ask Layton. I still scream when that pocket knife comes out," Caine laughed. "How are you holding up?"

  "It hurts. It looks deep." She peered over his hands.

  "It is. It really should have been scrubbed right away and maybe had a couple of stitches popped in. It's too late now, and it looks like we've got some crud messing around in there. This is lidocaine. I'm just going to squirt a bit inside and do a little more scrubbing. When was your last tetanus shot?"

  "I ain't getting no shots. No how. No way." May shook her head wildly.

  "I'll prescribe some antibiotics for you. Please make sure you take the whole course. Hold on, baby, almost done," Caine said, as he scrubbed inside of the gap until it was bleeding freely again. Satisfied, he dressed it and covered the dressing with a happy face sticker, upon which he wrote his name.

  "Really? What am I? Five?" May asked, unable to disguise the pleasure she experienced by his care.

  "More like ten. There you go. We need to change this every time you soak, and see how it's looking. Oh, one more thing." Caine winked. He kissed the bandage. "All better."

  "You're a dork. Your patients must love you." May studied her dressing.

  "My patients are usually frightened young ladies who have no idea what being a mom is going to be like. Anything that I can do to help them relax and feel like they are being taken
care of, I will do. They all seem to like my band aid skills."

  "You aren't too bad in doctoring, I guess. It's really sore, though."

  "Let's keep an eye on it, okay? There is a lot of inflammation that we need to deal with. Epsom soaks two or three times a day, understood? I'll order the antibiotics and have Layton pick them up for you right away."

  "I don't want him doing anything for me. He's so mean."

  "He's a pussycat. The only thing that ticks him off is this." Caine tapped her lips. "He's the old-fashioned type, and doesn't have a long fuse for sassiness."

  "Well, I don't have a long fuse for bossy."

  "Good luck with him, then. He's the king of bossy. Always has been."

  "How can you stand it?"

  "Here's the secret." Caine leaned in to whisper into her ear. "I love him and he is almost always right. Shhh, don't tell him. We will never hear the end of it. Shall we go downstairs? I smell chili cooking."

  "Miss Clara makes the best. Will you protect me from Oscar the Grouch?"

  "Only if you promise the same in return."

  Caine escorted her to the living room, where Layton sat, papers on either side of him.

  "Are you working again? Put the stuff away and go take a run into town for me. I called in some meds for our girl, here."

  "Did she finally come to her senses and let you take care of her?" Layton asked, eyeing May sternly.

  "I didn't offer her a choice this time," Caine said with a smile. "I practiced your bullying technique and imposed myself upon her."

  "He was nice to me. You might try that sometime," May snipped.

  "Put away the snark, little girl. I have no tolerance for rudeness," Layton said in a low voice.

  "Then try being an example and practice some manners yourself."

  "Keep it up and you are going to find yourself face down over my knee," Layton warned her.

  "Try it and you'll be wishing for another life," May hissed back.

  "Do I need to separate you two?" Caine reprimanded. "Layton, gentlemen do not threaten harm upon a lady."

  "This gentleman does. Especially when the lady is sorely in need of a good, old-fashioned spanking. You can ask my brother," Layton stood over the young woman, "and he will confirm that I am a man of my word. My patience is at an all-time low right now, and you are pushing every button you can find. I won't ever harm you, but I will make it so that you can't sit for a week."

  May glared back at the man in front of her, fighting against the excited butterflies that fluttered in her tummy. Did he know that the words he uttered were the very ones she had dreamed about hearing for years? But why did they have to come from him, of all people? Now, Caine—she would love to find herself across that particular knee for a spanking, and maybe some special loving afterwards. She shook her head. What was she thinking?

  Layton took her silence as submission. He nodded with approval. "It seems I have made myself clear. Good. I'll go into town and pick up the meds. Do you need anything while I'm out?" he asked Caine, who silently shook his head. "I will be back shortly, then."

  Layton began walking out the front door and, on impulse, turned to May. "You need a new pair of jeans. That glass and my brother's scissors shredded yours. How about you come with me and I'll buy you some britches."

  "Britches?"

  "Pants," Caine said. "Go with him. Maybe you two can find something not to fight about."

  May looked at Layton suspiciously. "You aren't going to go all Neanderthal on me, are you?"

  "Not unless you get mouthy and disrespectful first."

  "If you are going to go, then hurry yourselves." Caine urged them both towards the door. "Dinner is nearly ready, and I'm starving."

  "We'll be back in a few," Layton said, holding the door for May's exit. He opened the truck door and held his hand out to help her inside. She stiffened when their palms met, and looked into his eyes with fear.

  "I'm not going to hurt you," he said gently. "Put your seatbelt on."

  Layton hoisted himself into the vehicle, checked the mirror and pulled out onto the road. He followed May's pointed finger and began the trek into town.

  "Are you from this area?"

  "Born and raised up in Wichita Falls," May answered abruptly.

  "We're from Dallas. I spent seven years up in Baltimore working for a law firm, then came back home when my mother got ill. She passed away two months ago."

  "I know. Lyle told me. He was so heartbroken. I guess it really took a toll on him."

  "It was too much for him to handle. He just went straight downhill after she died. He gave every bit of himself to her during her illness, and sacrificed everything he had for her comfort. I never saw anyone so devoted in my life. It was very humbling."

  "I can't imagine ever loving anyone that much." May's voice drifted.

  "Me neither."

  "What type of attorney are you?" May asked, changing the subject.

  "A boring one. Personal injury and malpractice."

  "That doesn't sound boring."

  "Trust me, it is. What do you do? Pitch for a woman's baseball league?"

  May slumped in her seat. "Sorry about that. I did rodeo for a while and won a few trophies in lassoing."

  "Why did you stop?"

  "My father sold my horse so he could buy more booze."

  "That sucks."

  "Yeah, it does. I really don't want to talk about my past," May said uncomfortably. "That's the pharmacy. You might want to watch out for June."

  "June?"

  "The clerk. She's what the locals call a man-eater. And not in a good way," May giggled.

  "That's an awfully naughty thing to say. Why don't you go on over to the retail store and pick out some jeans. I'll meet you there in a few minutes," Layton suggested, helping her out of the high-cabbed truck. He watched her cross the road before he entered the drugstore.

  "Can I help you, sir?" a bleached-blond clerk asked with a sultry voice. "You're new in town, aren't you?"

  "Here for a pickup called in by Caine Marshall, M.D." Layton said, ignoring her question.

  "Is that your wife waiting across the street for you?" The woman handed him a bag with the medication in it, making certain to offer him an eyeful of sunbaked cleavage.

  Layton glanced to where May stood, arms crossed and tapping her foot. "No, she is just a friend of the family. What's this?"

  "My number," the woman smiled, her cigarette stained teeth contrasting against the smudged dark red lipstick. "Call me when you get bored. I'll make sure you enjoy your visit here. I am very well known for keeping good company." She winked and leaned forward to give him an extra glance at her bosom.

  "I am sure you are very proud of that reputation. But, I assure you," Layton said sourly, putting his credit card back into his wallet, "I will never be that bored. You might also want to stop smoking. Those things will kill you."

  A string of curse words followed him as he departed the drugstore and crossed the street to where May stood impatiently. "Why didn't you go inside?"

  "I didn't want to. That stuff is way too expensive. These are just fine."

  "Nonsense. Those jeans have holes big enough to put your head through. March," Layton ordered, pointing to the small clothing store.

  "It's really okay." May eyed the pharmacy. "Was June in there?"

  "If you are talking about the blond who reeks of cigarettes, yes. Just so you know, Caine and I loathe cigarettes, especially after our mother died of lung cancer. Don't even think about coming around us if you decide to indulge in that habit. Caine would be even more pissed than I would be, and I will not be held responsible for the fallout after he explodes into a billion pieces. Go on. Keep walking."

  May grunted as Layton pushed her gently into the store. "Did she come on to you?"

  "She tried and I warded her off."

  "What did you say?"

  "None of your beeswax, little girl. What size do you wear?"

  "I don't know. I always wea
r hand-me-downs from Goodwill."

  Layton turned her around. "Stop pouting. Are you telling me that you've never had new clothes?"

  "Don't need them. These work quite well."

  "Excuse me, Miss? Please outfit this young lady with a couple of pairs of jeans, some tops, and whatever else she might need."

  "Like what, sir?" The sales clerk asked, eyeing the length of Layton's body hungrily.

  "Unmentionables. Whatever women require," Layton shrugged. "If she so much as utters one word of not needing something, I expect you to inform me immediately."

  May's mouth hung open in astonishment. "I told you that…"

  "And I told you not to argue," Layton interrupted. "If you like, we can go out to the truck and you will see how persuasive I can be. Well?"

  May hesitated for a moment. "Do you think you can always get your way by being a bully?"

  "I'm an attorney. So, yes. I'm going to hit the tackle shop while you ladies do whatever it is you do. I will be about a half-hour. Maybelle?"

  "What?" May pouted. "Don't call me that."

  "It's your name and I will use it. You are to get whatever it is that you like. No more hand-me-downs. I want everything you are wearing tossed into the trash."

  "I'm not throwing out my boots!" May yelled after him. "I just finally broke them in."

  "Then keep the damn boots," Layton yelled back while still walking. "Toss the rest. No arguments!"

  ***

  "You hit the jackpot, honey-girl," the clerk said to the stunned woman.

  "How do you figure? He's a bossy, arrogant…"

  "Steaming hot pint of spiced apple cider. Yum. How long have you two been courting?"

  "We are not courting, dating, going out or anything else. We just met, and he is being generous for whatever the reason. Probably feels guilty because he knows that he's a jerk. Can we just do this and get it done with?"

  "Would you like me to just pick out some nice things for you?"

  "Better you than me. I wouldn't know where to begin."

  "Let's get your size and then you can sit back and relax. Would you like some sweet tea?"

  "Sure. Thanks."

  Layton returned thirty minutes later, his cell phone plastered to his ear. Without acknowledging May (or her new outfit), he continued to talk while the purchases were tallied. May's eyes widened in disbelief as he nodded his approval of the total and signed off on his card.