Free Cowboy Rush (Dalton Boys Book 5) by Em Petrova

animal, making sure to tuck the lanky legs in a certain way. When he had the bulky body in his arms, he turned to Ryan. “See?”
    “Got it. Now what? We call the vet?”
    Judging by the calf’s response to him lifting it, he didn’t believe it was very bad off. “If we get some fluids into her right away, she should be fine. Witt’s got the bottles and cow brew.”
    She laughed at his reference to the milk. In a heartbeat he went from angry to aroused. His chest tightened and his balls clenched. He’d rarely heard her laugh, only at dinner sometimes when she played with one of the nieces or nephews.
    Actually, he loved watching her those times. Seeing her in a totally new light. In the fields she was a tough cowgirl. Around the family, she was all female. Helping Momma clear the table. Burping a baby. In a few weeks, she’d melded seamlessly with his family. If he were an outsider, he’d think she was a Dalton.
    “Kade? Dalton?” She waved a hand before his face and he snapped out of his thoughts. Damn, she’d used both of his names again, though separated.
    “Let’s get this calf fed before that storm rises.” He gave a chin-nod toward the horizon where a black cloud hovered.
    Worry crossed her pretty features. He didn’t need to be a mind-reader to know she hated storms. He’d worked alongside her twelve hours a day, and whenever she saw the threat of lightning or high winds, she got that pinched look.
    “You can go on in, Ryan.”
    “Why would I do that?”
    “Witt and I’ve got this covered. You go on.” He stared right into her eyes as he spoke and to his surprise, she actually listened. As he watched her make tracks to the main house, a seed of sadness sprang up. He missed her already.
    * * * * *
    When Ryan came out of the shower, she heard a truck engine roar to life. Listening hard, she stopped toweling her hair. A shout. Then another.
    She dropped the towel and hurried into her clothes. She burst out of the bunkhouse in time to see Ted Dalton’s truck flying down the drive. The brothers were gathered in a knot, talking urgently.
    Oh no. Ryan ran out barefoot, heart pounding. Something told her Mrs. Dalton was having a medical emergency. She’d gone to the doctor a while back, and he’d put her on medication to steady her heart rate. Since then, she’d seemed a little out of sorts. Ryan didn’t know her very well, but she knew when someone wasn’t feeling well.
    She laid a hand on Kade’s arm. He looked down at her but wasn’t seeing her. His blue eyes were fixed, pupils dilated. “What’s going on? Is it your momma?”
    He jerked. With a grunt, he spun away from her and strode to the house. She gaped after him for a moment before Hank rested a hand on her shoulder.
    “Yeah, Momma started feeling dizzy and nauseated. Pa’s rushing her to Vixen but since it’s such a small hospital, they might need to transfer her.”
    “Hell, why do we live in such an isolated spot?” Cash ran a hand over his face. Each Dalton boy wore the same expression of dread. All but Kade—his had been devastated, as if he’d already lost his mother.
    “It’s our land and we’d never give it up for more convenience,” Hank reassured his brother. “Momma will be all right.”
    Ryan looked after Kade. I’m not so sure your brother will be.
    Hank squeezed her shoulder. “Why don’t you go see what Kade’s doing? I have a feeling he’s going for the moonshine.”
    “Oh. Sure.” As she left the brothers standing in the drive, she padded barefoot to the house. Inside, she found Kade rummaging in the pantry. When he spotted her, he narrowed his eyes.
    “What the hell do you want?”
    She rocked back, a little hurt by his tone. She shouldn’t expect anything less, though. He still didn’t like her, and well…she reckoned she felt the same.
    “I’m making sure you’re all right.”
    “Hank sent you, right?”
    She nodded.
    “You can head back to the bunkhouse. I’m fine.”
    She stood there,