Vivian Arend - Rocky Mountain Heat

Calgary Stampede, Alberta, July

Are you sure you cant last a bit longer? Travis looked away, but not before shed spotted the disappointment in his eyes. The annoyance.

Jaxi leaned her temple against the wooden boards of the pen, fighting to keep herself vertical. The familiar scent of farm animals did nothing to ease the swirling pain. She felt like the bottom of a horse stall and faking her way through any more of the day was impossible. Im sorry. I have to go home now, she pleaded.

We bought tickets for the grandstand show tonight and

Why are you two still here? I thought youd headed back to the fairgrounds. All our livestock showings are done. Blake Colemans deep voice cut through the pounding to soothe her aching head. She opened her eyes a crack to peer up at him.

People wandered past, admiring the animals on display in the livestock pavilion of the Stampede grounds. Watching the rodeo and chuck-wagon races kept many of the visitors entertained, but a good crowd remained here in the quiet of the barns, far away from the roar of the midway rides. A low murmur of voices and the contented sounds of animals filled the oversized building. All of that faded into the background as she focused on Blakes strong jaw and concerned gaze.

Ahhh, Jaxis being a wuss and wants to cut out early, Travis bitched.

Jaxi? A wuss? Get real. Blake tugged her arm to bring her to his side. His hand rose to her forehead and she caught her breath.

In spite of the lingering sensation of being kicked by a mule, his touch had its usual effect. The tingling in her limbs had nothing to do with the fever consuming her. She dropped her gaze and bit her lip. He wasnt supposed to affect her this way. Going out with Travis put big brother Blake firmly off limits.

Damn, youre burning hot. Jaxi, why didnt you mention you werent feeling well? You guys could have done the Stampede another time. Last day isnt until Sunday. A crease folded between his eyes.

Travis wanted to come today and so did his buddies. I was fine until after lunch. I guess I should have stayed home. Jaxi wrapped her arms tighter to contain the shivers that threatened to surface. She drew farther from Blakes body and the temptation to lean into him, let him hold her close.

Travis will take you home in my truck and Ill drive the others later, Blake offered.

I want to stay for the show. All my friends are here and I dont want to leave Traviss voice trailed off. Blake had slipped him a head nod, indicating he wanted a private conversation.

Jaxi sat on a nearby bale of hay, holding as motionless as possible in the hopes the world would stop spinning. Their voices went quiet but remained clear even as Blake dragged Travis away from her down the length of the main barn of the exhibition grounds.

Shes your girlfriend and shes sick. Id think youd want to get her home safely instead of taking off to hang with your friends. Come on, Travis, do the right thing for a frickin change.

Hell, Blake, its justthis is the first time in a long while some of my buds have made the Stampede.

Not good enough. Any better reason to leave her high and dry?

Fuck you. There was a pause, then she barely heard the rest. Travis dropped his volume to a whisper. Things aint been so hot with Jaxi lately and, well, I planned on breaking up with her sometime soon. So it would be a damn pain in the ass to leave when everyone else is sticking around having a good time. Ill just go home alone and end up with blue balls again anyway.

Jaxi bit her lip. So, the other shoe dropped. Travis had reached his limit of her not putting out for him, even though shed willingly played his games.

The room whirled.

Oh hell, she needed to lie down. She stumbled to the nearest empty stall, forced the door open and collapsed onto the clean straw. She closed her eyes but everything kept turning in circles, their voices echoing strangely in her ears.

Shit, shes messed up my whole evening. Traviss whine broke off suddenly, followed by a solid thump, as if something hit the ground. What the fuck was that for, you asshole?

Blakes contempt was thick enough to cut. I shoved you because if I slugged you Ma would give me hell. At least until I explained why, and I dont want to have that conversation with her. Damn it, Jaxis sick and youre bitching about not getting any? Youre an ass. Ill bring her with me. I have to get some of the stock out of here anyway. You drive the old pickup back after the show. Theres room for everyone who came with us to town. But, Travis, Im warning you. Youre the designated driver. You drink more than one beer between now and getting home, and Ill take you apart for being an overall idiot as well as a shit to Jaxi.

Their voices died away. She lay still, waiting for something to happen. Soft footsteps approached. The door of the stall swung open and Jaxi swayed as she sat up. Blake stared from his six-foot-plus height. The anger tingeing his face faded as he shook his head sorrowfully and held a hand to her.

Ah hell, Slick. Youre a strong one, arent you? In spite of Travis giving you grief. Come on, lets get you home.

As he lifted her to her feet and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, gratitude and a whole lot of other emotions rippled through her. She was glad she wasnt the one whod pissed him off. Glad that hed care for her, just like always.

She stumbled and he caught her, guiding her shaky steps out of the barn. Even with her mind cluttered with fever, she recognized the ironyhere she was in his arms the way shed always dreamed of, and the situation was the furthest thing from what she truly wanted.

Sometimes life sucked.

It took far too long to hitch the trailer and load the animals headed back to the ranch. Blake checked Jaxi a couple of times. She did nothing more than lift a finger to indicate she was still alivealthough looking thoroughly miserableas she waited in the cab of the truck. Thank God, she didnt seem nauseous, only dizzy. Blake shoveled down a quick sandwich as he forced the rear doors shut. He wasnt about to eat in front of her, just in case, but it had been a long time since hed eaten and they had a good two and a half hour drive to get home.

He opened the door to find her asleep on the bench seat. Shed hauled an old blanket from behind the backrest and wrapped the threadbare material around herself, but even the extra layer hadnt stopped the shaking.

Slick, what have you done to yourself this time?

Blake lifted her slightly and managed to get behind the wheel, arranging her to rest in his lap. She muttered something before shivering from head to toe. He got them on the highway headed north out of town before turning his attention downward.

Shed braided her blonde hair into two pigtails. The style made her look closer to twelve than eighteen. At twelve shed still been Jax, her best friends his youngest brothers, the twins Joel and Jesse. He could see the three of them in his head, running wild through the horse stable, and building castles in the bales crowding the hayloft of the Colemans ranch. An only child, Jaxi came calling on a regular basis, longing for company. Whenever her ma and daddy got busy, she would cross the field between their properties and jump wholeheartedly into whatever mischief the Colemans were cooking up.

At fourteen shed declared they all had to call her Jaxi, and thats when the trouble started. All of a sudden she wasnt only a great fishing and riding buddy to the boys, there were hips and breasts and all the interesting parts that went along with being a girl.