Ridge

  Chapter 17

  The whole Cauthen clan descended on the apartment later that evening. Mrs. Cauthen brought in a dinner. Ridge carried Mallory into the den so that she could join in the family craziness. It seemed to help her feelings as she watched the Cauthen brood talking all at once.

  "Honey, if we get to be too much for you, please tell us." Mr. Cauthen said as he sat down on the arm of the chair beside her.

  "I love this family time. It's something I missed out on. Thanks for including me in yours." She was touched by their love and warmth.

  "We consider you part of the Cauthen family. That might not be a good thing on your part." He grinned when his wife popped him.

  Around eight everyone left and they were alone. For the first time she realized that Ridge would be staying with her. She sat quietly watching him. "Thank you for all you've done."

  He turned with a smile. "It's no problem at all. I'm glad I can help you." Grasping her hand he pulled it to his lips. "Are you tired?" The dark circles around her eyes were telling him she needed to get some rest.

  "I do feel tired." She went to sit up and winced as pain ran through her bruised body.

  Instantly he was at her side. "What's wrong? Can I help?"

  "I just moved the wrong way. The doctor said until the healing starts I'll be sore." She smiled and reached up to caress his cheek... "Don't worry so much."

  "Seeing you in pain is almost too much to bear." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

  Carefully he picked her up and carried her to bed. He arranged her pillows so that she was propped up a little. "Do you need anything before I go to my room?"

  "No, I'm good." She said as she tried to get comfortable.

  "Good night Mallory." He leaned down and kissed her lightly.

  "Good night Ridge." She watched as he walked out, turning the lights out and leaving the door halfway open.

  "Just shout if you need me." He said before he walked into his room.

  Sleep didn't come quickly for either of them. It felt odd to her having someone else in her apartment. For him it was hard to go to sleep. He was afraid she'd cry out and he wouldn't hear her. Once her pain meds took affect she drifted into a deep sleep.

  Around two in the morning Ridge was woken from a nightmare with the sound of moaning. For a long moment he wasn't sure what he heard, and then he realized it was Mallory. Quickly he ran into her room and turned on the bedside lamp.

  "Do you need more pain medication?" He could see she was drenched in sweat.

  "I turned the wrong way in my sleep and it felt like my rib went through my chest." She said in a raspy, pain filled voice. "I'll be alright, sorry I woke you."

  "That's what I'm here for. What can I get to help you?" He didn't know what to do as she lay there pale and in pain.

  "Just sit here with me. Talk to me, get my mind off this."

  "What do you want to talk about?" He sat down on the other side of the bed and propped on a pillow.

  "I don't know; maybe tell me about growing up with three brothers and a sister." She adjusted her pillow under her back and turned to look at him.

  For a moment he thought and then he laughed. "I know a good story." He settled down further into the bed. "Our house has always been active. With four boys the house was always a mess. Mom could hardly keep up with us and dad just smiled saying boys will be boys." A rumble erupted from his chest as he remembered? "Then Maggie came along. She was a perfect little angel. Of course Luke was jealous because he'd been the baby. Chase wasn't happy because he didn't think we needed a little sister. Oakley was indifferent about it all. But I fell in love the minute I saw her big bright eyes staring back at me. She'd hold my finger and giggle when I spoke."

  "I knew the moment I saw the way you looked at her that you were close."

  "Even though I was twelve years older than her, she filled a place in my heart that I didn't even know was empty. She followed us everywhere we went. Oakley didn't mind, but Chase and Luke would try to lose her in the woods. I was constantly saving her from one thing or another. She was a tomboy from the start, but how could it be helped. Mom tried to change that, but a girl raised on a ranch didn't stand a chance."

  He smiled at her for a moment. "When Maggie started to notice boys let's just say the brotherly protectiveness came out. She brought home some poor guy when she was fifteen. It was horrible. All of us sat giving him a look that said one wrong move and it won't be good."

  "That's sad. How long did she date him?" She giggled and winced when the movement caused pain.

  "Not long. With four brothers, she couldn't find many guys that would date her. I guess we intimidated them."

  "Maggie doesn't look like she'd put up with too much over protectiveness."

  "She's a little spitfire and when we start acting too over bearing she quickly stands her ground. Now she doesn't allow her dates to come around the ranch."

  "I can't blame her. But it's nice the way you look after her." She put her hand under her face and closed her eyes. "Sometimes I wish I had a brother to watch out for me." Yawning as she said it.

  His heart was full as he watched her sleep. Her beauty overwhelmed him. It happened so fast the feelings he had for her. She was everything he'd ever wanted in a woman. How could he not love her?

  Sometime as he watched her thinking about how things were progressing, he drifted off to sleep. For the first time since their night in the horse stall he slept without any nightmares. As the sun rose and slipped through the blinds she woke up. Slowly turning, careful not to cause pain she realized someone was in the bed with her.

  Ridge lay on his back with an arm draped over his face. His jaw covered in stubble was cute. As she watched him sleep her mind drifted to the night they sat up with Blaze. He'd showed her for the first time that he had a soft side. That first kiss made her toes curl. Smiling she watched as he stirred and opened his eyes.

  Turning his eyes in her direction he grinned. "Sorry, I guess I went to sleep."

  "That's alright. It seems you didn't have nightmares last night."

  "As a matter of fact I didn't. I slept soundly, thanks." He sat up and stretched his arms overhead. "Do you want pancakes?"

  "You don't have to go to that much trouble." She started to protest.

  "It's no trouble at all." Standing up, he winked at her. "Pancakes are my specialty."

  "Well I'll be the judge of that."

  "Do you need anything before I go to the kitchen?"

  "Could you hand me the crutches?" She pointed to the corner of the room.

  He helped her stand and position her crutches. "Will you be alright?"

  Playfully she pretended to wobble. He immediately came to her rescue. "I've got this. Going to the bathroom has been something I've done alone for a long time." She giggled when he turned beet red.

  "Uh, Yeah, right. I'll just go to the kitchen and get started on those pancakes." He wheeled around and almost ran up the hall followed by her laughter.

  It took her longer than normal to get dressed and washed up. Every turn was difficult and then when she tried to do something normal it didn't work right. The broken arm made even pulling on her t-shirt hard work. With frustration she finally landed in a kitchen chair.

  "Here you go, enjoy." He put a plate of steaming pancakes in front of her.

  "They look good, but do they taste good?" Smirking she took a small bite. "You pass the test because these are great."

  "I told you." Sitting down opposite her, he dug into his pancakes. "These are spectacular, I outdid myself."

  Giggling she wiggled her fork at him. "Don't get too cocky."

  "What do you want for dinner tonight?" He said as he put their plates in the dishwasher after they'd polished off all the pancakes.

  "Let's see here, what do you know how to make?"

  "I make a mean chili, but maybe that wouldn't be good on a hot night. I can whip together some spaghetti and salad."

  "I like spa
ghetti." Her leg was starting to throb badly. "Can you get me a bottled water and one of my pain pills?"

  Concerned he turned to her. "What's hurting?" Then he immediately grabbed the water and pills.

  "My leg is having shooting pains up and down it." Rubbing her leg above the cast, she groaned. "I hate being helpless, it's not me."

  Kneeling down in front of her, he gave her the water and pills. "You'll be on your feet soon, but right now you're going back to bed to put this leg up." He looked down and noticed her swollen toes. Before she knew what was happening he'd gently swung her up into his arms.

  "I can manage to get back to my room on the crutches. You don't have to carry me everywhere I need to go."

  "I'm here to help you and if that means I have to play the caveman, then I will."