Lincoln Bad Boys of Dry River, Wyoming Book 4 Read online

  LINCOLN

  A Bad Boys of Dry River, Wyoming Novel

  Book 4

  Susan FisherDavis

  Erotic Romance

  Erotic Romance

  Lincoln

  Copyright © 2015 Susan FisherDavis

  First E-book Publication: December 2015

  Cover design by Amy Valentini

  Edited by Amy Valentini/Romancing Editorially

  Proofread by Toby Schuler, Dedee Hayes, Kelli McCleeary

  All cover art copyright © 2015 by Susan FisherDavis

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER: Blue Whiskey Publishing

  Susan Davis

  www.susanfisherdavisauthor.com

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Epilogue

  **THE END** | About the Author

  Dedication

  For Chris Boutot for being Lincoln. You totally rocked it!

  https://www.facebook.com/chris.boutot?fref=ts

  For CJC Photography for doing the shoot for me. You are amazing!

  https://www.facebook.com/CJCPhotography/?fref=ts

  I love you both!

  Chapter One

  LINCOLN COLE STOOD in the doorway watching the doctor do his best to save her. It was hard to watch, but Linc couldn’t lose her. He heard the doctor sigh—not a good sign. He watched as the doctor stood and stared down at her then he glanced over his shoulder at Linc.

  “It’s touch and go right now, Lincs. I’ve done all I can for her. We just have to wait and see,” Dr. Jack Gleason told him.

  “I appreciate it, Doc. She’s tough. She’ll get through this.”

  Linc wasn’t a betting man but this horse had already been through so much, he only hoped she wasn’t about to quit now. Beaten and mistreated the first three years of her life, before he came along to save her. He’d seen a man beating her with a whip while holding onto her halter in a field. So angered by the mistreatment, he’d just about beat the man himself. When a man of Linc’s stature stands over someone, most likely he backs down. The man had, and when Linc grabbed the halter and loaded the horse into his trailer to take her home to his ranch, the man hadn’t had much problem with it, except to yell at him as he left that the damn horse was no good anyway…that he was happy to have her gone. Linc had applied the brakes, and then chuckled when the man ran off. He’d had Bess ever since then, almost five years now. He’d always treated her right and she loved him.

  Now she was in labor and the foal was trying to come out the wrong way. Bess was panting and sweating hard, but Linc wasn’t about to give up on her. She was a strong horse. He’d made things ready for her, such as putting clean straw down since it was much better for a foal due to it not sticking to the foal’s coat like wood chips or sawdust would. This wasn’t Bess’s first foal but it was her first rough time. Linc didn’t like it at all. He couldn’t lose her. She’d been in labor over thirty minutes when he’d called Doc Gleason. He only hoped it wasn’t too late.

  Foals came out front feet first, but this one was backwards and Bess was down. She’d quit trying to get up. Linc had done his best to reach inside of her and turn the foal, but with no luck. Doc Gleason had done the same with the same outcome. It was now a wait and see situation.

  Doc stood beside him as he looked down at the mare. Linc knew Doc didn’t have an optimistic outlook on what was happening. Linc moved closer to the mare, squatted down near her head, and rubbed her velvet nose. He had a way with horses, but he suspected Doc didn’t think it would do any good this time. Linc stroked Bess’s nose and talked to her in a low gentle tone. The horse looked up at him and whinnied.

  “I know, girl, it’s hard, but you’ve been through rough times before and come through okay. You can do this, Bess,” he whispered. Then he stood and walked to the back of her again.

  He put clean plastic gloves on that covered above his elbows and lubricated the gloves with lubricant. Linc slowly inserted his arm into the birth canal and felt for the foal. He could feel the legs, but he wasn’t sure if they were back or front legs, so he moved his arm around and found the head. The foal had finally moved around into the right position, but still hadn’t moved toward the birth canal to come out. Linc grabbed hold of the front legs, and then waited for Bess to have another contraction. He had to be ready to pull when she pushed for this to work.

  Doc squatted beside him and they watched as Bess had another contraction. Linc pulled. Two small hooves appeared at the opening of the birth canal. Linc glanced up at Doc and grinned. Doc grabbed a leg, and pulled with him, out and down with each contraction. Then a nose appeared. Both men laughed with relief. The foal fell out onto the straw, and both men moved back and waited.

  Nothing happened. The foal wasn’t moving or breathing. Both men scrambled to their knees to get to work. Doc removed the sac from over the foal’s nose and used a suction tube to remove the mucus. The foal still wasn’t breathing. Linc leaned down putting his hands over the mouth and nose, He slowly blew into the foal’s mouth and watched as the ribcage rose and fell. He kept it up until the foal finally took a breath, and then he sat back on his heels and watched with pride as Bess stood and nudged her baby. She’d had a filly, a beautiful little girl.

  Linc fell back into the straw on the floor, exhausted. He watched Doc check both horses and smiled happily when he announced them both healthy.

  An hour later, both men sat in Linc’s kitchen drinking coffee. It was five in the morning. Both of them were exhausted. They’d worked most of the night with Bess and her filly, which Linc had named Trouble. He’d explained to Bess that the name fit since all three of them had gone to a lot of trouble getting the foal out and ensuring she lived. He’d chuckled when she bobbed her head up and down in agreement.

  He looked at Doc over his coffee cup.

  “So, when are you retiring?” Linc really didn’t want to hear the answer but he had to know. He watched as Doc put his cup down and exhaled.

  “Next week. I’m too old for this, Lincs. I’ve been a vet for forty years now. Dottie and I want to travel a little before we get much older.” He sighed again. “My replacement will be here the end of this week to take over. She’s good, and a whole lot younger.”

  “She?” Linc raised his eyebrow as he lifted his cup to his mouth.

  Doc laughed. “Yes, she. In fact, I believe you know her. Veronica Bailey?”

  Linc sucked in a breath and nearly choked on his coffee. “Roni Bailey?” He narrowed his eyes at Doc when he laughed.

  “Yes. Do you remember her? She left here right after high school to attend Arizona State University…one of the best teaching colleges in the country.”

  “You know damn well I remember her,” Linc growled.

  He knew that Doc knew he remembered her too. Linc had had it bad for her and she’d wanted nothing to do with him. He was four years older than she was which made her twenty-nine now. God, he still remembered how she’d shot him down.

  He’d finally gotten the nerve up to ask h
er out and she’d looked at him with those beautiful green eyes, smiled and told him, “Not in this lifetime.”

  She’d walked away and left him standing there feeling like an idiot. He knew why though. He’d had a bad reputation where everything was concerned. From breaking and entering when he was fifteen to underage drinking, and having sex with all the wrong kinds of girls.

  Linc ran his hand down his face. Jesus! Why was she coming back? She’d hated this town. Dry River was a small town with less than a thousand people. Everyone knew everyone. To this day, Linc still couldn’t walk down the street without some people looking down their noses at him. Yes, he’d been a rebellious youth, but his father had always believed in the man he’d become one day, and Linc hoped he hadn’t let him down.

  Linc had a way with horses that amazed people and they came from across the states to get help from him. They’d pay him whatever fee he wanted. People said he had a sixth sense where horses were concerned. His father had known it and always told him that a day would come when people would look up to him and not down their noses, and not just because he stood six feet four and weighed two hundred and thirty pounds. There were many more women now, who couldn’t keep their eyes off him, and not because of his past but because of the man he’d become.

  Linc jerked back when Doc waved his hand in front of his face, bringing him back from the memories. Linc smirked at him. Doc smiled at him and stood.

  “I need to get going. I’ll check on the baby before I leave. Get some sleep, Lincs. You look like you could use it.” He went out the door chuckling.

  VERONICA BAILEY STARED at the front façade of the Dry River Animal Hospital, and smiled. It was hers. This was what she’d wanted for as long as she could remember. She anxiously pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. How was this going to work with her fiancé, Cameron, in Phoenix while she was living here though? Mentally shrugging, she had to hope they could work it out. A long distance relationship wasn’t something that appealed to her at all, but there was no other way.

  Of course, Cameron thought this was just a phase she was going through and she’d eventually return to the Phoenix Animal Hospital where her career had begun. She knew she wouldn’t. This was what she wanted—her own practice and hospital. When Doc Gleason sent her the letter about buying the hospital, she jumped on it. Cameron hadn’t been pleased.

  Dry River Animal Hospital was where she had worked in the summer months from the time she was sixteen until she graduated high school. It was what made her yearn to become a veterinarian. After graduating, she’d attended college in Phoenix and upon graduation as a doctor of veterinary medicine, she had immediately been hired on at the local animal hospital. She’d worked there for two years when this opportunity came up. She just couldn’t pass it up. Cameron had to understand that. She glanced down at the huge diamond sparkling from her finger. They could do this if their relationship was strong enough…of course, she had her doubts.

  However, she never thought she’d return to Dry River, Wyoming. She’d been so anxious to get out of the little town that returning was the farthest thing from her mind. A young man with dark hair and beautiful blue eyes flashed before her mind’s eye. She shook her head to get rid of his image. No doubt, he was probably long gone from the town either, by way of going to jail or leaving on his own. Lincoln Cole had been one of the six bad boys of Dry River. From theft to breaking and entering, they were all in trouble all of the time. She’d never let anyone know she’d had the biggest crush on him. Yet because she’d been so afraid of him, she’d said the meanest thing she could think of that night he’d asked her out. Not in this lifetime. The look on his face had told her he was hurt but when she saw his hands clenched into fists, she’d turned and ran. Never looking back.

  Sighing at the thought of things that were but will never be…she entered the building. No one was in the waiting room. Was that a good sign or a bad sign? Walking to the desk, she rang the bell and waited. No one appeared. She rang it again.

  “Hold your damn horses, I’m coming,” a female voice shouted followed by a woman appearing from the back who stopped and glared at her. She folded her arms across her ample chest and looked Veronica up and down.

  “What can I do for ya? You ain’t got no animal, so what is it ya need? I ain’t buying nothing.” She continued to stare at her.

  “I’d like to see Doc Gleason.” Veronica gave the woman her prettiest smile. It didn’t work on her.

  The woman narrowed her eyes at her, and then placed her hands on her large hips. The woman’s eyes suddenly widened. “Roni? Veronica Bailey? Is that you?” She started walking toward Veronica.

  Veronica knew then just who this was. “Dottie?”

  Dottie gave a boisterous laugh and grabbed Veronica, pulling her into her big arms. Veronica got tears in her eyes. She’d always loved Dottie and it surprised her she hadn’t recognized her right away.

  “Yep, it’s me, honey. I gained a little weight,” Dottie said sheepishly.

  Veronica smiled leaning back from her, and looked the woman up and down. “You look fantastic. I’m so happy for you and Doc. I hear you’re going to do some traveling?”

  Dottie nodded. “Come with me. Doc’s here in the back.”

  Veronica followed Dottie through the door that led to the exam rooms. The memories came flooding back. She’d spent so many Saturdays here helping out. She remembered even coming by some days after school. Her love for animals had never faded as she grew older just stronger. The hardest part she’d had to deal with was when one had to be euthanized. It about killed her the first time she helped with the procedure. Soon, after the first few times, she got used to it and knew in her heart that it was best for an animal in pain, or suffering from some type of serious illness with no hope. Sometimes she’d still cry, especially when the owner of the animal couldn’t hold their tears back.

  Stopping at the door marked as room one, Dottie opened the door and ushered Veronica inside, where she saw Doc Gleason spin around. His eyes almost popped out of his head when he saw her. Veronica smiled, walked straight forward and hugged him.

  “Hi, Doc. It’s wonderful to see you again.” Veronica tightened her arms around him.

  “Roni, you turned into a beautiful woman. I’m so happy that you could do this.” Doc dabbed at his eyes. He was a tall man, around six two, but he stooped a little more than Veronica had remembered. Like everyone, he was getting older but she loved him so much. Without him, she never would’ve become the vet she was today. She had tears in her eyes too. She pulled back, kissed his cheek, and looked over at Dottie, who was also wiping her eyes.

  “I’m so looking forward to this, Doc. I won’t let you down.” Veronica smiled through her tears.

  “Just remember this ain’t no fancy hospital. You’ll have to make house calls at this one. Out of all the people in this town, I’d say about ninety-nine percent have animals. All kinds too, from dogs, cats, rabbits to cows and horses,” Doc told her. “Then you probably remember all that. Are you ready?”

  Veronica smiled, nodding. “I’m ready.”

  Dottie burst out laughing. “I believe she is, Jack.”

  “You can change the name if ya want,” Doc said to her.

  Veronica shook her head. “Nope. I like it just the way it is.” She almost laughed when she saw Doc let out relieved breath. She might be taking it over but it would always be Doc’s place.

  Dottie grabbed her arm. “Let’s go have some dinner. We can talk about how you’ve been these years, and you can tell me about that gorgeous diamond ring on your finger.”

  Veronica laughed. “Okay…is Zellene’s still here?”

  Zellene’s was a local restaurant owned by Zellene Baxter. The food had always been home cooked and wonderful. She’d never experienced better anywhere.

  “Her granddaughter, Chloe owns it now. Zellene passed away quite a few years ago,” Dottie told her.

  “I’m sorry to hear that. I used to love to go there af
ter school every day. I remember Chloe though.” Veronica was sad to hear about Zellene. She’d always been so nice to everyone.

  Together, they left the hospital and walked down the street toward the restaurant.

  LINC WAS IN THE BARN mucking out the stalls. His ranch hands were busy checking the pastures and he had no problem doing his part when needed. He might own the ranch but he did his part to keep it running, and clean for the horses. Trouble was doing great. She was running, jumping, and trying to play with her mother, who just seemed to tolerate her. Linc smiled as he watched them. That was the last time for Bess. He wouldn’t chance it again. He’d come too close to losing her, and the foal, this time.

  Bess walked over to him and whinnied. He moved closer to her and rubbed her ears. She put her face against his chest. If it was possible for a horse to purr, he was sure she was doing it now. She butted her head against him when he stopped petting her. He chuckled at her.

  “I have work to do, girl. I’ll be back later to check on you.”

  As he walked away from her, he glanced over his shoulder to see her head hanging over the gate, her eyes following him. He grinned. He’d done right by rescuing her. He clenched his jaw and his hands at the thought of what might have happened to her had he not. It still pissed him off to this day to think of her abuse. Even Doc had been angry about it. Bess’s ribs had been showing and there were welts on her skin from the man beating her. Linc had wanted to take a whip to him.

  He hated that Doc wouldn’t be helping him anymore. He sighed. Damn it! Why did it have to be her? Shaking his head, he walked toward his home, letting his eyes take it in as he did. He’d completely remodeled the old farmhouse because it had been in a bad state, but it was home.

  Linc’s mother had left him and his father when he was two years old. Linc never knew her and he never cared to. His dad passed away eighteen months ago, but he’d lived long enough to see Linc become the man he had become, and the man known for miles around as the man with the ability to take a wild stallion from the Plains and tame it with just his voice and body language. A horse whisperer, they called him. He wasn’t sure he could claim that title, but he knew he loved working with horses.