Anita's Triple Temptation [Men of Montana 4] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour) Read Online Free Page B

Bright lights seemed to explode in his head as searing pain coursed through his face. Blood spurted from his nose and the gash on his cheek, his eyes not able to see anything except his beautiful horse, though for some reason he was looking up at him from the ground.
    The shouts around him got louder as someone continued to scream, though he didn’t know who. Moments later, his horse was pulled away as gentle hands pulled on Dave and his horse was moving away from him. It was only a few moments later that darkness encompassed him.
    Later, he woke in the hospital, the whole left side of his face numb and bandaged up. Crying could be heard and he had to turn his face far to the left to see his mother sitting next to the bed he was lying in. Her face was red as were her eyes, her hands in her lap. His father stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders, his stony features belying any emotion, as usual.
    As he moved his mother became attentive, moving closer to the bed. Standing, she placed her hands on the rail. “Oh, Davey. I can’t believe this happened to you. You are never going back there.”
    Her voice was shaky while tears were evident in her eyes. Dave shook his head at her comment. Trying to speak, Dave had to clear his throat a couple of times before he was able to get something out. “Please let me go back. It wasn’t his fault.”
    “That horse could have killed you!” she cried. “I won’t—”
    His father interrupted her by placing a hand on her hand on the rail. “Don’t, Ann. Let him be. It was an accident. My father was there.”
    A pout formed on her lips as she deferred to her husband though she didn’t agree with him. It wasn’t a secret of how she felt about the ranch, but it was the way Dave’s father had grown up so she knew it was pointless to argue.
    A nurse came in and checked Dave’s vitals before addressing his parents. “The doctor will be in to go over a few things with you.”
    “Will he be able to go home now?” his mother asked.
    Shrugging, the nurse looked at his chart. “That is up to the doctor at this point. He’ll be here in just a bit.”
    Several hours later Dave was wheeled out of the emergency room by an orderly. Stopping at the doorway to the waiting room, Dave saw his grandfather sitting in one of the chairs. His larger frame seemed to dwarf the chair, his normal presence seeming larger than life. It was the first time he had seen his grandfather worried about anything.
    A deep worry line ran across his forehead while below that his eyebrows were knitted together. His hands were in his lap, clenched together, white knuckled. Glancing up at the doorway, he spotted his grandson, a flash of relief in his eyes. Tears filled his eyes as he first looked up at Dave’s father and then his mother. “I’m so sorry.”
    “Dad,” the middle Olson man said, a bit exasperated. “I’ve already told you there is nothing to apologize for. It was an accident. I was coming up to the corral when it happened. I saw the whole thing.”
    Dave looked up at his grandfather through his only good eye at that point, fear registering at the possible loss. “Gramps? I still get to keep him, don’t I?”
    A gasp was heard from his mother who was behind the orderly, but they all knew that the best way for Dave to overcome his trauma would be for him to keep the colt. His grandfather glanced up at Dave’s mother briefly. Seeing her worried face, he breathed in deeply. Letting out the breath slowly, he nodded. “Yes, son. You can keep him.”
    Smiling though it hurt his face, Dave was happy. That had been one of the best summer vacations of his life, and yet he remembered the pain and heartache that came with it. His grandfather passed away toward the end of August that year from lung cancer. His grandmother had been right about the cigars.
     
    * * * *
     
    The memory flashed through Dave’s mind as he watched the older man rise from his chair as a nurse stepped into the room. “Mr.