His Outback Cowgirl (Wildflower Ranch Book 4) (5 page)

By now Bridie barely registered Ethan’s words. It was as though his heat and stillness had woven a warm and safe cocoon around her. She relaxed even more and her head found the hollow in his shoulder. Her eyes closed. For the first time since she’d sat with her parents in the specialist’s office and heard her father’s cancer diagnosis the world stopped spinning. Her boundless energy drained from her weary limbs. She turned her head a fraction so that her cheek touched the wet cotton of Ethan’s shirt. She almost felt ... peaceful.

Then from the depths of her soul a sob rose. A raw and anguished sob that threatened to consume her. A sob that signaled her grief was close to breaking free.

She pressed her lips closed, sat upright and slid off the rock. Not now. Not here. Not with this cowboy. This wasn’t what she’d planned. She wasn’t alone in the mountains and she wasn’t losing control in front of a man she instinctively knew wouldn’t hesitate to console her. She didn’t need gentleness, compassion and understanding.

For then her tears would never end.

E
than remained seated allowing Bridie space. One minute she was soft and sweet, tucked beneath his arm and the next she was rigid and agitated. Pale-faced, she now paced the wide mouth of the rock shelter.

He knew there’d been nothing in his story to upset her but they had talked about her father. It was only natural her emotions would be raw and running wild. He rubbed at his neck. She wasn’t the only one feeling out of control. When she’d relaxed into him and turned her head into his shoulder, something had shifted deep inside.

Before Cordell had found Payton he’d broken many a heart and it had been Ethan who’d picked up the jagged pieces. He was no stranger to holding a woman who needed a shoulder to cry on. But this time when he’d held a woman and offered companionship, friendship was the last thing on his mind. All he could feel was the warmth of Bridie’s cheek through his damp shirt, all he could breathe in was the rose scent of her hair and all he wanted to do was to kiss her.

He pushed to his feet, his mouth twisting at the irony that he’d finally found a woman who intrigued him and not only were they from different hemispheres, they were incompatible. He also had no idea if she were even single.

Bridie paused to slip the pebble into her jeans pocket and then commenced pacing again. She’d wear a track in the cave floor if she didn’t relax soon.

“We’ll be all right to head back soon,” he said as he walked over to the horses. “The rain’s easing.”

Bridie came to his side. She stared at the wall of water in front of them with a desperate intensity. “Are you sure?”

“Yep.” He pointed to a small patch of blue to their left. “See ... blue sky.”

Bridie stared for a second and then let out a breath loaded with relief. “So there is.” She swung away to head for Molly. “Let’s go.”

Ethan caught Bridie’s elbow in a gentle, brief grasp. “Whoa, not quite so fast. There might be blue sky but it’s still raining.”

A crease marred her brow. Dark smudges of exhaustion underlined her eyes. “But we’re wet anyway, what’s a little more rain?”

“We might be but the horses aren’t. Another five minutes will mean the difference between them getting soaked again or just being damp.”

“Good point. It might be summer but I keep forgetting it’s not as hot here as back home and the horses won’t dry off as quickly.”

She walked over to Molly and the mustang rubbed her head on Bridie’s jeans. Bridie combed her fingers through her black mane and sectioned off areas for braiding.

Ethan collected his Stetson from off the rock, put it on and secured Captain’s reins over his arm. He glanced at Bridie’s set profile as she concentrated on a braid. He was sure she’d be mentally counting down from five minutes to zero.

“So tell me more about your home?” he asked, to help the time pass. “I’d love to go on a tour of some Angus cattle studs down there one day.”

She shot him a quick look and stopped braiding. “You breed Angus cattle?”

“Yes. Black Angus.”

She started braiding again. “Be sure to look us up when you visit. My family property is Mayfield and we too breed black Angus.” She paused as pain pinched her mouth. “Well, Dad and I did and now my uncle will continue with the stud.”

Ethan’s gaze remained on her mouth. “And you won’t?”

She shook her head. “Not on Mayfield. My uncle has bought Mom and me out. He has two sons and eventually the farm will pass to my cousin, Angus, who’ll take good care of it. The place holds too many memories for us. Eventually we’ll buy another farm but Mom looks like she’s settled in her Marietta home for the moment. I’ve an agricultural science degree and run courses online for farmers so can work from anywhere. I’m just taking the summer to decide where my own ... new home could be.”

“Good luck with finding it and if you ever need a cattle-fix you’re welcome to visit my ranch at Colorado Springs.”

“Thanks.”

The quick way she answered let Ethan know she wouldn’t be taking up his offer anytime soon. Bridie’s independence might make her as prickly as a cactus but it also reminded him that they’d never work as a team, let alone a couple. They’d be locking horns more than a few times in their two days away. He blew out a slow breath. The fact that she hadn’t mentioned anyone waiting for her in Australia shouldn’t make him feel so relieved that she was single.

He examined the blue patch of sky now easily visible through the thinning rain. “Okay. We’re good to go.”

Together they led the horses out of the rock shelter into a glistening world. Water dripped off boughs and leaves and gleamed on water-slickened rocks. The breeze carried the kiss of rain along with the fresh scent of damp earth and pungent pine.

They swung into their saddles and retraced their steps to the north meadow. By the time they emerged from the treeline the rain had eased to an intermittent flurry of tardy raindrops.

Ethan glanced over his shoulder to where Bridie trailed behind him. He pulled Captain to a stop. Bridie had reined in Molly and now dug into her jeans pocket for her cell. Face relaxed and a smile curving her mouth, she snapped pictures of the rainbow that arced beside them.

“It’s so beautiful here.”

“It is.”

Ethan answered without once looking at the rainbow. Wet and windblown Bridie too was beautiful. Her grey-blue irises mirrored the grey-blended sky, her smooth skin shone after her drenching and her damp shirt clung to curves that were all woman.

Molly tossed her head. Bridie soothed her with a soft hand on her neck and a gentle word. Henry had been right. The mustang was a perfect match for Bridie. Ethan had been worried the young mare would prove too excitable but seeing the bond that already existed between the two restless spirits, he knew Bridie wouldn’t be happy riding any other horse.

Photo-stop over, they turned for home. Light flashed from the direction of the ranch house and Ethan lifted a hand in a wave.

“Henry’s watching us with his binoculars,” he explained at Bridie’s curious look. “He’ll be making sure we’re okay.”

She lifted a hand and waved too.

The horses picked their way through the long, wet grass and midway across the meadow shafts of sunlight shot through the clouds. Ethan welcomed the heat on his skin and glanced sideways to check that Bridie was thawing out too. Color flushed her cheeks and her full lips were no longer pale but a warm pink. He looked away before she caught him staring.

Once at the barn they unsaddled the horses and towel dried them before turning the pair into their corrals. Ethan left the tack out to dry. He’d return later to clean the wet saddles and bridles. He then led Bridie around to the side of the ranch house to the door that opened into the mudroom. He could hear mock growls from inside as Rocket and Milo wrestled. Henry had to be behind the door too and waiting for them.

Bridie’s lips quirked. “So much for Henry needing time away from you; I think he missed you.”

Ethan grinned. “More like he has a crossword clue he can’t decipher.”

He stepped away from the door. “Ladies first.”

“Of course, you letting me go before you is just good manners and has nothing to do with me having to face Henry first.”

“Of course.”

Smiling, Bridie pushed open the door.

Henry’s gaze met his as he followed Bridie up the steps. He was sure Henry’s faded eyes watered before he grunted. “What were you doing out there? Catching beaver trout?”

Bridie looked up from where she patted Rocket and Milo. “Zane has warned me not to believe any of your stories about furry fish. The only thing we were catching was a chill. The cattle rustler cave might have been dry but it was as cold as an ice-box.”

Henry scowled. “Wait until I see Zane Nash. Fur-bearing fish do exist. I pulled one out of the river myself.”

Bridie laughed and bent to tug at her water-logged boot. “Yeah, he told me you did on ... April Fool’s Day.”

“Why let such a little fact ruin a good story?” Henry’s glower softened into a smile. “Rosa has coffee on and she said she’ll dry your clothes while you take a shower.”

Bridie gave up on her right boot and tugged at her left. “That’s lovely of her, but I’m fine. A bit of water never hurt anyone.”

Henry frowned. “I can’t send you back to Clara wearing wet clothes.”

Ethan removed his own boots waiting for Bridie and Henry’s power struggle to play out.

Bridie straightened, her boots still on. “Yes, you can and besides my shirt’s almost dry. But I would love a coffee before I head to Hollyhock Creek Ranch, if I can ever get these boots off.”

To Ethan’s surprise Henry didn’t persevere with insisting Bridie take a hot shower. “Okay then. Coffee it is. I’ll tell Rosa.”

He quit the mudroom, Rocket and Milo close behind.

“See, he isn’t so scary,” Bridie said, again attempting to remove her boot. “He’s really a big old teddy bear.”

“Now that’s something I’ve never heard Henry called before.” Bridie wouldn’t accept any help with her boots but he had to ask. His mother hadn’t raised him to be bad-mannered. “Need a hand?”

“That would be great. My boots are new and now they’re wet they seem to have shrunk even tighter.”

Hands on hips, she lifted her right foot and waited for him to bend and tug at her boot. The shoe didn’t budge. She lifted her second foot and again he couldn’t remove the boot.

He straightened and met her laughing eyes. “I think you’ve met your match, cowboy. I’ll just have to wait for them to dry and hope they stretch.”

“No, you won’t.”

The bench along the side of the mudroom would provide a perfect seat while he again tackled her boots. His hands found the indent of her waist. Her eyes widened and she clasped his shoulders as he lifted her. He sat her on the bench, intending to let go of her waist and step away but Bridie’s hands remained on his shoulders. Frowning, she stared at him.

He braced himself and held her gaze. Taking a page out of her spontaneous book had been a bad move. If he weren’t careful, she’d now take aim for the body parts he didn’t need for riding. But all she did was continue to stare at him, her expression more dazed than angry.

Beneath his hands she felt soft and feminine. She smelled of flowers and lazy summer days. Her smooth pink lips were so close it would only take a small dip of his head and his mouth would find hers.

Then she blinked. Her hands slipped from his shoulders. Chin angled, she leant back and waited for him to step away before holding up her foot.

“Okay cowboy, do your thing.”

His fingers curled around the heel of her boot. “Hold on.”

This time when he tugged, the cowgirl boot shifted. Another tug and it slid off her small foot.

“Success.” He sat the boot beside her on the bench. “Now for the other one.”

Again it only took two tugs and the second boot slipped free.

Before he could set it beside her, or help her down, Bridie wriggled forward and off the bench.

“Thanks.” Without looking at him, she placed both boots on the floor before heading for the door. “That coffee sure smells good.”

Ethan didn’t follow. He flexed his hands that suddenly felt empty now they didn’t hold her. He didn’t need coffee to chase the chill from his bones. Just being within kissing distance of Bridie had fired his blood.

He scrubbed his palm over his face.

How was he going to survive two days alone with her? The clash of their temperaments was suddenly the least of his worries.

He never rushed in. Not when buying new boots, a new stud bull or even a new pickup. But now an unfamiliar and insane part of him wanted to throw caution to the mountain winds and start something with Bridie ... something that wasn’t steady or sensible.