Unbroken

  UNBROKEN

  8 Seconds to My Heart series

  #1

  by

  Barbra Campbell

  Copyright © 2020 Barbra Campbell

  All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction.

  Cover design by Hans Campbell

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  https://BarbraCampbell.com

  Lily

  Watching and cheering as roughstock riders battled the bulls and horses was contrary to my oath to ‘do no harm’, but the primal fascination of man against beast stirred something in my core. The next few hours weren’t going to be any different.

  I oriented myself in the mobile medical trailer then scrolled through the notes of who’d been treated at the previous rodeo. Luckily, the stars had been shining on the cowboys and there hadn’t been any major injuries. Talking a rider out of competing was nearly impossible, so I would advise the ones with minor injuries on how to avoid making them worse.

  My two sisters hadn’t shown up yet. They’d convinced me to volunteer my medical services for the rodeos in our small town and a couple of surrounding towns. We’d grown up with rodeos and couldn’t get enough of them. Being able to offer our medical expertise to the cowboys was the best we could do to pay them back for what they put their bodies through.

  A shudder ran down my spine.

  I wasn’t going to stop attending rodeos any more than the cowboys were likely to stop competing. The least I could do was cheer from the chutes and be ready if anyone got hurt.

  No telling how much tape, or how many painkillers they’d use to get through the evening, but with no red flags in the medical notes, I was able to clear everyone to compete.

  I stepped outside of the mobile unit, closed the door, and leaned against it.

  “Howdy ma’am,” A cowboy said, tipping his hat as he walked past.

  I acknowledged the greeting and chuckled. My cowboy obsession didn’t end with boots, ass-hugging jeans, and cowboy hats. My insides also melted with their drawls and extreme politeness. They were the only people who could call me ma’am and get away with it.

  Otherwise, the term reminded me I wasn’t getting any younger. Medical school had been my sole focus for roughly a decade. I’d made a decision not to hang out with guys unless they were valuable study partners. And now, getting myself established as a sports physician wasn’t the time for distraction.

  Rodeos fed my appetite for feral masculinity while allowing me to keep my distance. I had no interest in dating a guy who tried to get himself injured on a regular basis. And my practice kept me tied to strict office hours, leaving no time to go on tour. The most travelling I did was rotating the days I worked between the small towns and the hospital and rehab facility in the neighboring big city.

  I surveyed the fairgrounds. Snorts and whinnies punctuated the whir of the air conditioning unit keeping the medical trailer a steady temperature. A deep breath filled my lungs with the undeniable scent of animals you either loved or hated.

  I enjoyed the peace amongst the chaos.

  Screams and a string of obscenities pulled my attention to a group of cowboys in the adjacent parking area. Tempers didn’t usually flare until afterward but it wasn’t unheard of for situations to escalate quickly.

  One of the cowboys was holding his own hand, pacing frantically within the group, and doing most of the cursing. Had he gotten hurt or were they goofing off, maybe replaying some incident from a previous day.

  I studied the scene, quickly realizing he was the first casualty of the evening.

  One of his friends was pointing my direction and I caught his eye. He grabbed the injured cowboy by the good arm and was trying to get him to walk but he wouldn’t cooperate.

  Time to step in. Rodeo docs didn’t just treat injuries that occurred in the arena, sometimes we treated family members, animals, and spectators. I sprinted down the fold-out steps and got to him in a matter of seconds. “I’m a doctor. What happened?”

  “I think I broke his hand. He’s going to need an x-ray, Doc,” the helpful friend informed me.

  The unwilling patient flinched when I touched his shoulder.

  My heart skipped a beat. It was Colt Parker. No amount of professionalism could keep my stomach from knotting. He’d been my fantasy fodder for years. Broken fingers, not as exciting, especially on rodeo night.

  I directed my attention back to the friend and feigned innocence. “What’s his name?"

  “His name’s Colt. Colton Parker, ma’am. I just slammed his hand in the hood of my truck. We were checking out my engine rebuild and I didn’t see his fingers resting on the frame when I closed the hood.”

  I swallowed back the wave of excitement over getting to care for him. He wasn’t broken in the ‘need a woman to fix him’ kind of way, and the exhilaration between my legs defied my strict rule not to get intimate with any of these guys.

  “Colt.” Placing a firm hand on his shoulder, I got him to quit pacing and positioned myself in front of him. “Let’s go to my office and I can check it out.”

  His head was lowered and I wasn’t sure if he was paying attention while I talked to his cowboy hat. Slowly raising his head, his bright blue eyes met mine. The string of muttered curses faded.

  For a second, I forgot why he was staring at me. But only a second. His friend burst into a million apologies and worry about preventing Colt from being able to ride. If there was one thing I knew, this setback wouldn’t stop Colt from getting on his bull.

  It was my job to make sure he did it as safely as possible. Limit the permanent damage.

  The silence since we locked eyes had me worried. Was he waiting to tell me off? I tore my eyes from his and glanced at his hand. Damn it. His left hand. I’d watched him enough to be certain it was the one he used to hold on. Why couldn’t it have been the other?

  “Let’s go.” Shock rushed through me when he responded to my gentle tug on his upper arm.

  Pursed lips and deep breaths kept him quiet. His hand was already a little swollen and bruised. Not necessarily broken, but he had to be in considerable pain.

  “I’m gonna ride tonight,” he said through gritted teeth.

  A broken bone wasn’t grounds for sitting out, but his hand was going to take a lot of abuse. This was the type of nonsense I didn’t want to deal with on a personal level.

  Colton

  Her smirk made me suspect she wasn’t impressed by my insistence on riding. It also meant I’d probably lessened the chances she’d consider going on a date with me, a ridiculous thing to be worried about given my predicament. Plus, I didn’t make a habit of asking every beautiful woman out. I was pretty damn selective.

  I decided not to point out that if cowboys didn’t ride when they were injured, they didn’t eat. Riding was our job. And if she didn’t get something out of the thrill, why did she volunteer as a rodeo doctor? A small suspicion that would up my chances for the date I wanted.

  Instead, I let her guide me to the medical unit. Anything to spend more time with her so I could regroup.

  She asked me basic questions about my health as we walked. All business until I caught her gaze drifting from my hand to my face. The way her cheeks blushed when she tried to look away and pretend I hadn’t caught her staring stirred something inside of me. I wasn’t a player like some of my competitors. That’s why it struck me as strange I was so damn attracted to her.

  Initially her outward beauty had caught me off guard. My first glimpse of her had been her form-fitting jeans, but as I took in her rolled up sleeves and top couple of buttons exposing her cleavage, most of my pain had subsided. Then her dark eyes had searched me for answers. But it was her sense of calm, her command of the situa
tion, and her confidence that had won me over. She was the type of woman who could handle a guy like me.

  And a freaking doctor no less.

  Inside the trailer, she settled me into a chair and had me place my hand on the exam table. Poking and prodding, she ran me through a few motions.

  Was I an ass for not focusing on my injury while she maintained complete professionalism? Her touch was enough to heal me. Silky, soothing, and sexy. Seemed she didn’t have any idea what she was doing to me.

  “We should x-ray it.”

  “I’m fine, ma’am. I don’t need an x-ray, but I would like to get your name.” With the initial adrenaline wearing off, I was almost certain it wasn’t broken.

  “I’m Dr. West, and as the medical professional here, I’d prefer we let the x-ray speak for itself.” She slipped her hands away and rubbed her neck.

  Taking advantage of her diverted gaze, I studied her. Something was lurking beneath the controlled exterior. “Shouldn’t Dr. West be wearing a lab coat, slacks, fancy shoes… not well-worn boots, jeans, and a cleavage exposing shirt.”

  She fussed with the unfastened button where my eyes had landed and the rosiness returned to her cheeks.

  I reached out instinctively and wrapped my fingers around hers.

  She gasped and gently pushed my hand away. “You have to protect your hand.”

  “Didn’t mean to embarrass you, but Dr. West’s a little formal. No disrespect meant.”

  “Lily.” Her breaths were shallow and her fingers still rested on my hand.

  “That’s more like it. Lily, pretty name for a—”

  The door swung open and a nearly identical looking woman to Lily waltzed in, not noticing me. “Hey Stat, want to grab a bite to eat before…” A smile crossed her face as her gaze landed on me.

  Stat? What kind of nickname was that?

  Lily yanked her hands away from mine and stood abruptly. “I’m about to x-ray Colt. Got his hand smashed in the hood of a truck.”

  She reached for my arm but awkwardly regrouped before making contact, pointing where the x-ray machine must be.

  The woman at the door shook her head. “Colt Parker. Not a single bull’s been able to smash you but you got tangled up in a truck hood? Go figure. If anyone can make sure you’ll ride tonight, it’s my sis. She’s had her sights on you for years.”

  “Enough.” Lily blurted.

  Curious about the last comment, but deciding not to press it, I smiled and nodded. “Thanks, ma’am. I’m sure she’ll take good care of me. But I didn’t smash my hand, my friend did it.”

  Lily cut in. “Better bring me a burger, no telling how long this will take. If it’s broken, I’ll have to cast it. And get one for Daisy too, she should be here any minute.”

  “Gotcha. And I’ll knock before I barge in next time.” She fiddled with the door handle. “Remember, you can lock it.”

  “Rose!” Lily scolded.

  Her sister dashed out, slamming the door shut.

  Without a word, Lily ushered me into the small x-ray room and positioned my hand in the machine. “You better take your shirt off. The metal snaps.”

  I chuckled and bit back a suggestive comment as she pointed to the pearl snaps on my cuff. Complying, I took my time peeling it off. Not a striptease, but I enjoyed Lily’s attempt not to look. Each stolen glance stoked my fire. I tossed my shirt onto a chair. “Done.”

  The sharp inhale when her eyes landed on my chest was a hint I hadn’t misread her. She was interested, but her nervousness implied I should calm myself, aside from the fact I didn’t normally hit on women I just met.

  “Your sister call you Stat because you’re a doctor?”

  She pursed her lips. “It’s a stupid childhood nickname. She always teased me for liking statistics.” Lily handed me the lead apron and positioned my hand as she’d done minutes before.

  But this time I was shirtless. The ease with which her hands could travel over my skin had excitement surging through me. Holding onto my composure was harder than holding onto a bull. I was only in town a couple of days and wasn’t a one-night-stand kind of guy. I’d always wanted something more. Could I convince her to give me a chance?

  “Have a seat and I’ll get you an ice pack.” She guided me to where we’d initially sat, working extremely hard not to look at me while setting me up. “Keep it elevated.”

  My game plan was set when she rejoined me. I wasn’t an easy guy to love which made it all the more important I act natural. People either liked me or they didn’t. A simple motto, but something was different. I needed Lily to do more than like me. The first time I ever cared what someone thought. The only judgment I normally paid attention to came at the end of my eight seconds.

  Lily sat across the exam table after a few minutes and opened my x-rays on her computer. “You’ll be happy to hear nothing’s broken. You’re free to go. But be careful.”

  I waited for her to stop pretending she was interested in the uneventful x-rays. Heaviness filled the air along with a burning desire to climb over the table and take her right there.

  She glanced at me sideways, and I let her confirm I was staring. She took a deep breath and faced me. Her mouth dropped open and I worried she was going to ask me to leave.

  I said, “Lily, can I take you to dinner?”

  “No.” The word came out of her mouth so fast, I thought I’d imagined it.

  “I know your sister has you covered tonight. What about…”

  “Never.” She pushed away from the table and stood. “I don’t date roughstock riders.”

  “Do you date business men? Ranchers? Entrepreneurs?”

  A knock on the door gave her the option to rush over and answer it instead of me.

  Rose entered with food and drinks. Her eyes flitted from Lily to me, clearly curious.

  Lily provided the answer. “Colt was leaving. Nothing broken. No further treatment.”

  I’d have sworn the disappointment crossing Rose’s face equaled the defeat running through me. But not wanting to force any more discomfort for Lily, I nodded and walked toward the door. “Thank you.”

  The soft floral scent of her perfume hit me as I approached. How had I missed it before? Was I so consumed in her touch and my attempts to plan our future that I’d missed it?

  I brushed my fingers over hers. I wasn’t done trying.

  Lily

  My plan had been to hang out with Rose and Daisy strolling around the fairgrounds introducing myself. Instead, I hid in the medical trailer and avoided all of Rose’s attempts to ask about Colt.

  He had a reputation for being the Good Boy of bull riding. He didn’t let his fame go to his head. He didn’t use women just because they wanted him to. And he didn’t self-medicate the numerous aches and pains he earned in the arena. I had respect for the guy.

  But I was also wildly attracted to him. A problem I hadn’t suspected would be such an issue.

  At least his reputation for not sustaining injuries requiring medical attention meant I wasn’t likely to see him again.

  Watching the clock, I didn’t leave the safety of my hidey-hole until the opening ceremony was starting and I was obligated to be present.

  I purposefully kept my attention off the bull riders when they came into the arena for the Grand Entry. I’d made my decision not to date rodeo cowboys long ago after my high school boyfriend suffered a concussion bull riding and turned into a total asshole. Our relationship didn’t survive his personality shift and my heart had been broken even though I fully understood it could have been worse.

  Yet, the lure of the rodeo was strong. I’d always loved science and medicine which was how I ended up deciding to become a sports physician. I’d do my best to protect the athletes.

  Hanging out near the chutes, my palms sweated more as the safer events gave way to riskier ones.

  Avoiding Colt had been going well until I was busy watching his brother, Travis, gear up for the Saddle Bronc.

  Warmth covered my
shoulders. I felt Colt’s body close behind me. Call it a sixth sense, whatever, it was the elusive part of life that science couldn’t explain. I knew it was him.

  “He drew a feisty horse, ought to earn him some points.” Colt’s breath flowed past my ear.

  I leaned against the railing to keep from letting my knees give out. Why was I wishing he’d wrap his arms around me? “Let’s hope for a clean ride.”

  Colt brushed his fingers over mine. “You didn’t answer me about dating. I’m more than a roughstock rider.”

  Fully aware I was going to dash his hopes, the burden of dashing my own settled in my heart. I’d been attracted to Colt from the first time I saw him grinning on a Facebook post in a rodeo group I followed.

  Of course, I was attracted to him, everyone was. He couldn’t walk through the spectators without a gathering of females asking him to sign things: programs, clothing, body parts. I never understood the body part request unless it was simply to have him touch them. A bit foolish, but their choice.

  When he’d stood bare-chested in front of me while I’d taken his x-ray, wet heat had pooled between my legs. If I didn’t have a personal rule against dating roughstock riders I would have tested my suspicion he was willing to play doctor. A suspicion that was confirmed when he asked me out.

  Even though his chest wasn’t bare, it was brushing against my back, stirring up the previous feelings and then some. Time to make my limit clear.

  I turned but was unable to put any distance between us. He was several inches taller but he was looking down, putting our faces only inches apart. His arms shifted to the metal rails, landing on either side of me and his cowboy hat loomed over us, creating a buffer from the rest of the world.

  How had my hands ended up on his chest? Nowhere else to put them? I’d already seen his sculpted pecs but I’d resisted fondling them. Had resisted fondling them. Why wasn’t I maintaining my resistance.

  He focused past me. “Hold on.”

  How embarrassing that I’d forgotten his brother was up. I would have turned to watch but Colt pressed into me, trapping me against the rails. I craned my neck enough to see the bucking bronc giving quite a ride.