That Night (Coming Home To The Grove 4)

The Keller Ranch is big, so I ride my horse, Lightning, over to where we have the sickly steer. Once I get down off my horse and wipe the dirt and grit from my face from cattle driving, I let him loose in the corral so he can graze. Trent and the vet are standing over the sick cow, and the woman’s back is to me. I recognize that shapely backside.

My pulse starts to race, and I have no doubt who the new vet is now. I’ve heard there was a new one, but I had no clue who it was. I’m never up on the town gossip, but it looks like this may have been some good information to have. I hit my hand to my head. Duh, Derrick. She’s living right next to the veterinarian clinic. It makes perfect since now.

Trent and Olivia both turn toward me, and I can see the instant that she recognizes me. Her lips flatten, and her body straightens tightly.

There’s no doubt she remembers me. I was just buried balls deep inside of her the day before. I sure as hell haven’t forgotten. Hell, my cock is hardening in my jeans just by seeing her from a distance. I walk slowly toward Olivia and Trent, trying to stop my heart from racing in my chest.

My hands clench at my sides seeing them standing next to each other. I don’t know why. My brother’s been in love with his fiancée since he was a kid. He has no interest in Oliva, but that still doesn’t stop me from grimacing at them together.

When I get close enough, she holds her hand out to me. “Hi. I’m Olivia. The new vet at Happy Critters.”

She’s smiling up at me, acting as if I didn’t spend all of the night before last tasting her body in every way. She’s acting like she doesn’t even know who the fuck I am.

Well, I’ll be damned.OliviaSeeing him come riding up on that horse, looking so manly and like a classic cowboy, I do my best to remain calm. My heart is racing. For how many times I’ve been to the ranch, how have I not seen him before?

I want to stomp my foot into the ground and ask him why he left, but of course I can’t; that would be completely unprofessional. So instead I play it cool… like I don’t even know who he is.

“Derrick Keller,” he says, gripping my hand and holding on to it longer than he needs to. Too bad I didn’t get his last name the other night. I would have known right then who he was. He owns the biggest ranch in Forest Grove. Heck, half his acreage spreads over into Heart County.

I pull my hand roughly from his and turn my attention back to the steer.

“Is it bad then?” Trent asks me.

I swallow hard, trying to find a calm tone of voice before I dare speak. “It’s bloat. It seems to be a bad case of it, and this is a condition that can be deadly. This requires treatment. It’s a good thing you called.”

“Should’ve called yesterday though. I told him that,” Derrick says with a pointed look at Trent.

A dozen snappy comebacks leap to my mind; I wouldn’t have thought communication was your strong suit. Really? You told him to call when you couldn’t be bothered to do the same?

I so badly want to call him out. But I have a feeling it’s not going to go well if I demand to know why he left after our amazing night of sex.

Exhaling, I continue to examine the distended triangle shape on the left side of the steer’s stomach. “There are two different ways I can treat this. One, run a tube into the stomach and release the gas via the tube, or two, I can puncture the stomach from here and use a tube to let out the gas, but that is only if this is an emergency. How long has the steer been bloated this way?”

“He went missing, and I rounded him up yesterday. I’d guess at least three days,” Derrick answers.

I look the steer over and check him for dehydration. I decide it’s best to use the trochar tool, option two, and let out the gas that way.

Derrick and Trent watch me, and both seem to appreciate that it’s a delicate procedure. When the steer moves a little, I throw my leg over to hold him still. After I’ve finished, I insert the small tube, and the gas begins to escape.

I breathe a sigh of relief because you can visually see that the cow is feeling some relief already. I rub the soft fur on his head.

“You’ll need to make sure this stays clean and unobstructed. I can come back and check it again tomorrow when I screen Petey’s blood,” I tell no one in particular.