Stockman’s Stormcloud (Stockmen #3)

Twenty-one

Twenty- one

As Sophie drove Dex across to the cottage the silence was deafening. She couldn’t bear it any longer and asked, ‘Rough morning?’

‘Why did you bring the cat?’ It had jumped into Dex’s lap for a scratch, his noisy purr echoing inside the vehicle.

‘Mr Purrington likes the drive, and you.’ She parked behind a ute standing in front of the cottage. It must be Lenny’s—whoever Lenny was. Reminding her how strange this world was. She didn’t belong here with these people, and she most certainly wasn’t here to get involved with anyone.

The handbrake creaked into place, as she gazed at the soft flowers gently waving through the wrought-iron fence out front of the cottage. It was so peaceful.

‘Will it be safe for us to go inside, if Bree is angry?’ She was still reeling from how protective she felt over Dex, and from the whole family drama. Sophie didn’t do family drama, ever. But when it came to Dex, she forgot herself.

‘We’re about to find out.’ Dex opened the passenger door.

‘I shouldn’t.’ She didn’t want to face the angry redhead. And Dex was crazy, too. Wondering if she too was crossing into crazy land herself, for not turning this car around and leaving.

‘Bring the cat. You can’t leave it in the car, you’ll kill it with this heat.’ He climbed out.

‘Take your oxygen bottles.’

‘No.’ He stormed to the front gate, only to stop and heave for air .

‘Please, take them.’ She quickly jumped out, rolling the handmade oxygen trolley over to him.

‘I’m sick of this, Soph, I really am.’ Dex lowered his head, leaning against the fence as if in defeat. ‘I couldn’t get on a horse, or ride the bikes, to search for our cattle. All I could do was sit at the table, like some old man, left behind with the women and children.’ He then lifted his head, revealing a raw vulnerability worn across his face, that had her heart falling for him.

She tenderly rubbed his shoulder, then let her fingers entwine with his and held his large hand. ‘You’ll get there. In fact, it won’t be long, and you’ll be leading the charge.’

‘Can you promise me that?’ He narrowed his eyes at her as if watching for signs of a lie.

She swallowed hard under that intense gaze. ‘If you keep up your breathing exercises and finish your course of meds, I don’t see why not. You have the willpower to want to do it. So now, can I please give you an examination to see how you’re progressing? It’s my job.’

‘Fine.’ He pushed open the gate, leaving the oxygen trolley behind.

‘Dex?’ She pointed to the trolley.

He scowled at the oxygen tanks. ‘Don’t need it.’

‘Take it, in case you do.’

‘If you want it, you bring it.’ He pushed open the door, like a child ignoring his mother—and she was not his mother. She was his nurse, who was stupidly attracted to the jerk acting like a man child.

But she had to empathise with what he must be going through. Dex was a fit, strong, and dangerously sexy fighting man, who was being forced to sit on the sidelines, helpless to search his own property. It’d have to be frustrating.

‘Do you want me to bring out Battleship, so you can whip my arse?’

That made him pause in the open doorway, glancing back at her with a dark and hungry shine in his eyes.

It made her shiver as a wash of lust moved so fast inside her it made her mouth water.

Dex didn’t say anything, before heading inside. Yet it still left her blushing like a teen over this guy. It was embarrassing.

But, then again, what should it matter? He was just her patient, and the way he was behaving it wouldn’t be for long, she’d never have to return.

‘Come on, Mr Purrington.’ She tugged on the ginger cat’s lead. ‘Let’s hope the lady of the house likes cats or this is going to be a very quick visit.’

Then she was clocking off from this job for good.