Free Hot for You by Cheyenne McCray

it at the rattlesnake just feet from where Carilyn
landed. He pulled the trigger. The snake collapsed as Cody hit it
in the head dead-on with the snake shot.
    He dismounted Holly in a rush and ran to
where Carilyn lay flat on the ground, motionless. As he reached her
a breath of relief rushed out of him when she stirred.
    She groaned and started to move but put her
hand to her head and grimaced.
    “Shhh.” He crouched beside her, one knee on
the ground, and touched her shoulder. “Don’t move.”
    She blinked. Her pupils were dilated and she
had a dazed look about her. “What happened?” Her speech came out a
little slurred.
    “A rattlesnake spooked Molly. You got thrown
and you likely have a concussion.” He saw blood on the rock behind
her head. “You also have a head wound. I’m not sure if you have any
other injuries.”
    “My head hurts.” She tried to get up but he
lightly but firmly pressed her down by her shoulders.
    “Relax the best you can.” He let out his
breath. “Give me a moment and I’ll get the first aid kit.”
    He went to the saddlebags and from the bottom
of one he pulled out a first aid kit and a clean bandana that he
kept for working in the heat. When he turned around he frowned when
he saw that she was now sitting up. She had one knee bent and she
was resting her elbow on it, her forehead in her hand.
    When he went to her, he knelt and set the kit
aside with the bandana on top of it. “I told you to relax.”
    “I’m not the best patient.” She raised her
head and gave him a weak smile. “I just got the wind knocked out of
me. I’m okay.”
    “I’ll determine if you’re okay.” He put the
bandana on his thigh and opened the kit. He brought out antiseptic
and a cotton pad. “Who’s the paramedic here?”
    “That’s right. Firefighters usually have
paramedic training, don’t they?” she said.
    “Here they do.” He took the cotton pad and
looked at the back of her head. Her red hair was dark with blood.
“I’m going to clean and wrap this before we get you home.”
    She started to nod and then winced. “Yes,
sir.”
    “If you can move, we’ll get you out of here.”
Where there was one rattlesnake, there could be another if its mate
was nearby.
    He set about cleaning the dirt out of the
wound then put a pad over the laceration. He wrapped the bandana
around her head, holding the pad into place.
    When he finished, he rested his hand on her
shoulder. “How do you feel?”
    “Like I just got thrown off a horse and hit
my head.” She gave a wry expression. “It hurts to talk.”
    “Then talk as little as possible.” He
squeezed her shoulder. “How about the rest of you?”
    “I can move.” She moved her feet and bent her
other knee, too. “I think I’ll be okay.”
    “Hold on and I’ll get the thermos of water so
you can take Tylenol for the pain.” He got to his feet. “You’re
going to need it.”
    After he gave her the Tylenol and had put
away the thermos and the first aid kit, he took a moment to bury
what was left of the snake’s head and its venomous fangs.
    He checked her again. When he was as sure as
he could be that all she’d come away with was a laceration to her
scalp and a mild to moderate concussion, he brought her up with
him, supporting her as she got to her feet.
    “You’re going to ride with me,” he said.
“When we get to the ranch, I’m going to take you to the
doctor.”
    “I don’t want to go to the doctor,” she
protested. “I—I’ll be okay.”
    He frowned. “You may be hurt worse than you
think you are.”
    “No.” She looked like she was going to cry.
“I hate going to see doctors. Please, just let me rest at your
house.”
    He didn’t answer as he raised her up and
helped her onto Holly so that she was sitting at the front of the
saddle.
    “I mean it, Cody,” she said. “I’ll be okay.
Promise?”
    He looked at her for a long moment. “All
right. But if you get worse, I’m taking you. Understand?”
    Her