“I—I don’t know … why … that happened,” she said when she was finally able to get her vocal cords to work. She had never been more embarrassed in her entire life.
“I think I do,” he said as his hand continued to stroke her hair in a soothing manner. “You’ve had a hell of a day and you’re so tired you can barely keep your eyes open.”
His understanding words and the gentle tone of his deep voice helped ease some of her humiliation. “You’re probably right. I think this has quite possibly been the most stressful day I have ever endured.”
He reached over to switch off the lamp. Then, cradling her to him, he kissed her so tenderly another wave of tears threatened.
“Try to get some sleep, angel.” His arms tightened around her. “It’s all going to work out. I give you my word on that.”
Too exhausted to think about everything that had happened since her return to Aspen two months ago for the reading of her father’s will, Melissa snuggled against Shane and closed her eyes. Maybe with the morning light things would be clearer. Maybe then she would be able to cope with the fact that her life had spun completely out of control and there didn’t seem to be a single thing she could do to stop it.
When Shane led the gelding out of the barn and over to the fence, he smiled. “Does this horse look familiar?”
Lissa’s blue eyes twinkled with excitement. “He looks just like Smoky Joe.”
“That’s because he’s old Smoky’s little brother,” he said, handing her the reins. After hearing that the blue roan had been her favorite at Jarrod Ridge, Shane purposely chose the horse for her to ride to Rainbow Falls.
“Thank you,” she said as she softly stroked the horse’s velvet muzzle. “What’s his name?”
“He’s registered with the American Quarter Horse Association as Smoke Storm, but we just call him Stormy.” Walking back into the barn to get a saddle and blanket from the tack room, Shane returned to placed the saddle over the top fence rail. Then, smoothing the saddle blanket over the gelding’s back, he added, “I don’t want you to worry that he might be more than you can handle. In spite of his name, there’s nothing stormy about him.” He picked up the saddle and positioned it on the blanket. “I’ve seen kittens with more piss and vinegar than this guy.”
Lissa smiled as she hugged the animal’s neck. “Smoky Joe was that way, too. You could do just about anything with him.”
Shane nodded. “That’s why we bred the same mare and stallion several different times. The colts they foaled were all good-natured and perfect for people who aren’t used to riding a lot.”
“In other words, perfect for the inexperienced guests at Jarrod Ridge,” she guessed.
He pulled the cinch tight. “That was the idea.”
While Lissa and Stormy got to know each other, Shane quickly saddled his sorrel stallion. “Need a leg up?” he asked, turning to see if she needed help mounting the roan.
“I think I can get this,” she said, slipping her booted foot into the stirrup.
He stepped behind her in case she had problems and immediately decided that he would have done well to take her at her word. When her perfect little blue-jeans-clad bottom bobbed in front of his face as she climbed onto the saddle, the air rushed out of his lungs like helium from an overinflated balloon.
Holding her soft body to his throughout the night, then waking up with her in his arms this morning without once making love to her, had been a true test of his control. But Lissa hadn’t needed his lust. She had needed his comfort and he had been determined to give it to her or die trying.
Exhausted, emotionally spent and extremely vulnerable, she had tried to give the impression that she was fine. He knew differently and once he had taken her into his arms, she had finally let down her guard and accepted the support he had promised her. But not without considerable cost to his well-being.
With her breasts pressed to his chest and her delicate hand resting on his flank, he had spent the entire night aroused. And if that hadn’t been enough to send him hovering on the brink of insanity, he had awakened this morning with one of her long, slender legs intimately lodged against his overly sensitive groin.
That had sent him straight into the bathroom for a cold shower. By the time he finally stepped from beneath the icy spray, his teeth had chattered uncontrollably and he would have bet everything he had that he could spit ice cubes on command.
Unfortunately, his gallantry was beginning to wear thin. He wasn’t sure how much longer he would be able to play the consummate gentleman without going stark, raving mad.
“Earth to Shane. Come in please,” Lissa said, bringing him back to the present.
“What?”
She laughed. “I asked if you are going to just stand there daydreaming or if we’re going for a ride?”
“Uh, sorry,” he muttered. He couldn’t tell her that he had been thinking about how much he wanted to hold her, how much his body ached to be inside her. “There are a couple of different ways to get to the falls and I was trying to decide which would be the fastest,” he said, thinking quickly. There was only one trail leading to the waterfall, but she didn’t know that and he wasn’t about to admit that he’d been fantasizing about stripping them both and making love to her until they both collapsed from exhaustion.
“How far is it to Rainbow Falls?” she asked as he mounted the stallion and they rode through the corral gate.
“It’s only about three miles as the eagle flies, but having to skirt some of the steeper terrain and due to all of the bends in the river, it takes a few hours,” he explained.
She gave him a wistful look. “I wish I had known about this trip before we left the lodge. I’d have brought my camera. I’m sure the scenery is going to be gorgeous.”
He decided not to remind her that once he made her his wife, she would be able to take as many pictures of his ranch as she wanted, any time she wanted. But he wasn’t a fool. If he did remind her of that fact, she would most likely come up with more ways they didn’t know each other and be on the defensive.
That was the last thing he wanted. His plan hinged on the element of surprise. When he played his ace in the hole, he had no doubt he would have her agreeing to marry him faster than he could slap his own ass with both hands.
“Shane, this is absolutely breathtaking,” Melissa said as they rode single file over the ridge and around a switchback into the upland valley.
“It isn’t much good for pasturing the horses, but I like to camp out here occasionally,” he said, leading the way down the slope.
“I love camping out,” she said, remembering the wonderful time she’d had when her father allowed her to go on a couple of overnight trail rides with some of the resort’s guests.
It had taken considerable thought on her part and several arguments with her father to convince him that she would be there to address any special needs of the Jarrod Ridge guests. He had finally relented, but only after she had pointed out that she would technically still be working for the resort and not just
