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“Yes, I can walk.” The words were snappish. She was pissed. Had she really thought he’d hand over her family’s ranch just because she had apologized? It only confirmed the Holidays’ arrogance.
“Good. Because I’m sure as hell not carrying you into the house.” He turned and headed for the door, grabbing his shirt and hat on the way and pulling them on. He didn’t know if she followed and he didn’t care. Okay, maybe he did care. Once they were out in the storm, he couldn’t help glancing over his shoulder.
Her head was lowered against the driving rain and she limped as if every step caused her pain. With a muttered curse, he turned around and lifted her up in his arms, bending his head so his cowboy hat shielded her face from the majority of rain.
“I said I can walk,” she grumbled.
He trudged toward the porch, ignoring her. What he couldn’t ignore was the way she felt in his arms. For a tall woman, she weighed practically nothing. One arm curved around his shoulders while the other was folded in front of her, her hand clutching his shirt as if he planned to drop her. Her lemony scent filled his lungs every time he took a breath.
When they got to the porch, Mimi was holding open the door. “I was just coming to look for you. Belle?”
Belle lifted a hand and smiled weakly. “Hey, Mimi.”
Mimi didn’t look at all upset to see her granddaughter in Corbin’s arms. In fact, a smile spread over her face as she motioned them in. “Come on in here, you two. You’re soaked to the skin.” Once inside, he started to put Belle down, but Mimi stopped him. “Take her to the laundry room, Cory, and I’ll bring y’all some towels.”
Sunny was the only one he let get away with calling him Cory. Which reminded him of why he’d gone out to the barn in the first place. The thought of his sister being out in the storm caused a stab of fear to slice through him.
“Did Sunny come back?”
Mimi nodded. “She got caught in the storm, but she’s fine. Hank found her and she’s changing into some dry clothes as we speak. Which is what y’all need to do.”
Relieved, Corbin followed Mimi’s orders and carried Belle to the laundry room. Darla was cooking something at the stove in the kitchen. She stopped when she saw them and hurried after them.
“Corbin? Belle? What happened? Don’t tell me you two were out in this nasty storm. And why is Corbin carrying you, Belle? Are you hurt?”
“It’s nothing, Mama.” Belle sent him a pleading look. “Corbin is just a gentleman and didn’t want me walking through puddles.”
He sat her down on the bench by the door. “She was thrown off a horse and might need to see a doctor.”
Darla gasped and hurried over. “Oh, sweet Lord, Belle. What were you doing on a horse in the middle of a thunderstorm?”
Belle shot him an exasperated glare before she answered her mother. “It wasn’t raining when I started out from the Remington Ranch. And I’m fine. I don’t need to see a doctor. But I do need to call Cloe and make sure Lady Grantham gets home.”
“I’ll call Cloe once I make sure you’re okay. Lift your arms and legs and wiggle your hands and feet.”
Belle rolled her eyes. “I’m not a kid who needs to do the hokey pokey before you know I’m okay. I’m an adult woman who knows if something is broken. Besides a bruised behind, I’m fine, Mama.”
Since Belle’s physical health wasn’t any of his business, Corbin should have kept his mouth shut. He didn’t. “Then why were you limping?”
She glanced at him. “If you ever take a spill from a horse, you’ll understand.”
“A sore butt does make walking and sitting difficult.” Mimi came into the room carrying towels. She handed one to Corbin and then one to Belle. “It’s not the first time Belle has fallen off a horse, Darla. I’m sure she’s fine. Although she needs to get out of those wet clothes and into a hot shower.” She glanced at Corbin’s open shirt and her eyebrows lifted. “It looks like you already started getting out of yours.”
Before Corbin could do more than self-consciously hold his shirt closed, she clapped her hands. “Well, don’t just stand there dripping water on the floor, Cory. Get those boots off, towel off, and get upstairs.”
Again, Corbin found himself following her orders. While he hung his hat, toed off his boots, and dried his hair, Darla and Mimi carefully removed Belle’s boots and fussed over her. He couldn’t help feeling a little resentful. Not for himself, but for his sister. Sunny had never had a mother figure fuss over her.
Which probably explained why Corbin did.
When he was as dry as he could get with his wet shirt and jeans still on, Corbin tossed the towel in the washing machine and headed out of the room. Whatever Darla was cooking smelled delicious. Since he hadn’t eaten lunch and was starving, he couldn’t help stopping to peek into the pot on the stove. The chicken and dumplings bubbling away in thick gravy made his mouth water. So did the cherry pie sitting on the counter cooling.
He glanced behind him to make sure no one was watching before he quickly snapped off a piece of crust and popped it into his mouth. It melted against his tongue like flaky butter and he snapped off another piece before he headed for the stairs.
There had to be over twelve steps that led to the second floor. All he could think about was how difficult it would be climbing them with a bruised butt. When Belle came limping around the corner, he muttered a cussword before he lifted her into his arms and carried her up the stairs.
“Would you stop it? I can walk.”
“Not well.”
