Читать книгу The Cowboy Who Came In From The Cold - Pamela Macaluso - Страница 8

One

“You might as well get into the truck, lady. I’m not leaving you here. A snow flurry is one thing, but a blizzard is something completely different.”

Patrice Caldwell looked from her sports car resting in the shallow ditch to the tall stranger. He was bundled up from the cold. All she could see of his face was the vague shape of his eyes in the shadow of his Stetson. For all she knew he could be a crazed ax murderer.

She glanced at his truck. No ax, but there was a rifle in the back window. Lack of sleep, the long hours of driving and the turmoil that had sent her on this mad dash from Phoenix, Arizona, to somewhere in Montana weighed heavily on her.

She spoke her thoughts without considering how they would sound. “Freezing would be less painful than bleeding to death from a gunshot wound.”

The stranger shook his head and said something she couldn’t quite make out because of the muffling layers of scarf covering his face. Before she could ask him to repeat what he’d said, he stepped forward and scooped her into his arms.

Patrice had been swept off her feet figuratively before, but this was the first time it had happened literally. It was unsettling to say the least. Even through layers of clothing, she could tell this guy had a rock-hard body. Struggling to get away wasn’t an option. In size and muscle power he held all the cards. She would have to be sure any battle between them was a battle of wits.

Right, Patrice, like your wits are in any kind of competent shape after a day and a half with little sleep and over twenty-four hours on the road.

He carried her to the truck. When he opened the door, the heated air hit her face in a blast of warmth. He set her in the driver’s seat because that was closest to where they’d stood. For an instant she considered throwing the engine in gear and driving away, but he was right behind her. Because of his height, the bench seat was back far enough that it was easy for her to scoot across to the other side—all the way to the passenger door.

The stranger started the truck moving as soon as he got in and closed the door.

Patrice looked back at her car. She hated to abandon it this way. They’d come so far together in the past twenty-four hours that a special bond now linked them. It had never been more than a way to get to and from work, until her whole life had come crashing down around her, and then it had become her means of escape. Now she was saying “Thank you” by abandoning it.

Her thoughts snapped to reality when she remembered the personal items she’d brought on the trip with her. “Wait! My luggage!” How could she have forgotten?

The stranger continued to accelerate. “It won’t go anywhere.”

The suitcase was in the trunk. “My briefcase and laptop are in the back seat, and my cellular phone is on the front seat, and I didn’t lock the door.”

He peeled the scarf off the lower half of his face, tucking it around his neck. It didn’t give her any better view of her rescuer, since he had a dark beard covering his chin and jaw, and a mustache that hid his top lip. All that was new to the picture was his nose and full bottom lip. But it was enough for her to know this man was a looker—in that sexy rugged mountain man way.

Now that his eyes weren’t squinting to protect them from the frigid wind, she could see them better. They were an incredible shade of blue...and framed by thick dark lashes.

He had great eyes, seductive eyes, except at the moment, the message they were sending was one of annoyance, not enticement “Lady, your stuff will be safe. No one is dumb enough to be out in this weather.”

“Meaning no one else is dumb enough to be out in this weather.”

He glanced her way. No words were necessary; the glance spoke volumes.

Did he have any idea how stop-in-your-tracks good-looking he was?

What was she thinking? A stranger picks her up along the side of the road and all she can think about is how attractive he is? Maybe her brain had frostbite.

Technically he was a stranger to her, but an expected stranger, and one she was relieved to see. She’d spoken to the sheriff of Clancy, Montana, and he’d said he would send someone with a tow truck to help her.

Suddenly she realized she wasn’t sitting in a tow truck. “Sheriff Jackson said he was calling someone with a tow truck,” she said nervously, slightly suspicious of her rescuer.

“I have one. But at the moment, it’s on the far side of the ranch. Besides, we never would have made it in time.”

“In time for what?”

“In time to be back safely before the storm gets going.”

“You’re really expecting a blizzard?”

He took a deep breath and let it out. Even with the heater on the highest setting, a white puff of condensation accompanied it. “Surely those fancy city wheels of yours must have a radio. Haven’t you been listening to it?”

She’d been listening to CDs—soft, soothing music, in an attempt to counter the turmoil in her mind and spirit.

“Yes, the car has a radio, but I hadn’t been listening to it.”

He shook his head. “Didn’t you notice the clouds gathering?”

Earlier, all her attention had been on the road. Two lanes, wet where the snow hit and melted.

Knowing where the conversation was heading, she didn’t answer him. After the past thirty-six hours, the last thing she needed was some modern-day Jeremiah Johnson lecturing her about being on the road without keeping track of the weather.

She settled into her seat, rubbing her gloved hands together. Thank heaven she’d bought the gloves, hat, scarf and snow boots the last time she’d stopped for gas. She was cold enough with them. Being without would have been unthinkable. A heavier jacket would have helped, too. Something like the sheepskin-lined coat the man beside her was wearing.

The stranger slowed the truck, looking to the left. A minute later, he turned, steering between two metal stakes. There was a shallow buildup of snow on what seemed more like a trail leading into the forest than a road. He put the truck into four-wheel drive.

Patrice looked around trying to memorize the surroundings—just in case. But she couldn’t make out any discernible landmarks. There were lots of trees and a number of rocks, all dusted with white snow. None were distinctive enough to make a good marker. Metal stakes were posted at regular intervals, marking the trail, but she had no idea how many similar trails were in the area. Would she be able to find her way back alone and on foot if she had to make a run for it?

Part of her was nervous and on guard, while the other part urged her to give the guy the benefit of the doubt, trusting that he really was there to help, not indulge in nefarious deeds. Her budding trust was shaken when the trail narrowed even more, curved and started upward.

“We’re going higher? Shouldn’t we be heading down the mountain?”

“The nearest shelter is this way.”

Shelter? How did he define shelter?

The flakes were falling faster, whirling around before splatting against the windshield, and there were more of them joining in the dance as time passed. A shiver of unease passed through her as she finally admitted to herself that he might be right about the blizzard after all.

They drove another five minutes or so, then the road widened into a clearing. In the middle of it was a snow-covered log cabin. Patrice would have appreciated it more as a photo on a Christmas card than up close and personal as she sat shivering in a pickup truck.

The stranger pulled around to the side of the cabin, parked beside a lean-to and turned off the engine. Without the rumbling and the whooshing of the heater, the wail of the wind echoed outside the truck’s cab. Her mysterious rescuer reached across her and took a cellular phone out of the glove compartment. Tucking the phone into his pocket, he opened the driver’s side door, slid out, then grabbed the rifle.

Patrice couldn’t stop her quick intake of breath. “Do you have to bring that? I mean, can’t you leave it in the truck?”

“Most bears are hibernating this time of year, so if one shows up, it’s liable to be extra cranky.” He closed the driver’s door and headed for the cabin.

Bears?

Patrice looked in all directions before hopping out of the truck and quickly following him to the narrow porch. A wooden sign hung over the door. Burned into it was the letter G nestled inside a larger letter C, and next to that, the number five.

Inside, the cabin looked larger than it did from the outside, but it was still a long way from what anyone would call spacious. And it was dark. Light struggled through the shuttered windows and only the open doorway made a dent in the darkness.

The man took off his gloves and lit the two kerosene lanterns sitting on the wooden table. He left one on the table and set the other on top of the dresser sitting next to a set of bunk beds. The only other furniture in the room was two benches along either side of the table and a small couch.

“Close the door.”

She did as he asked. Leaning against the heavy wooden barrier, ready to make a run for it if needed, she watched him light fires in the stone fireplace and the woodstove. When she noticed he’d left the rifle on a rack beside the door, she felt more at ease.

He took the phone from his pocket and dialed. “Mack? It’s Stone. I’ve got her.” He tipped his Stetson back a bit. A lock of hair fell over his forehead. It was a shade darker than his beard. “Yeah, we made it safely to number five. Let Jackson know, will you? I’ll call again in a few days.” He paused. “Right. Talk to you later.”

Stone, his name was Stone. It suited him—rugged and hard. “Is Stone your first or last name?”

“First.”

Patrice inched her way into the room, leaving her safe haven by the door. Stepping closer toward him, she slipped off her right glove and reached out her hand. “I’m Patrice Caldwell. It’s nice to meet you, Stone.”

He looked at her hand, then slowly reached out and took it in his. She was immediately struck by how much larger his hand was and how much warmer. His grip was firm, but in a comforting way, not threatening.

He let go of her hand. “You’d better get your glove back on, ma’am. Your hands are colder than ice cubes.” He turned and headed for a pantry cupboard across the room. “I’ll make some coffee.”

After Stone had gathered what he needed and walked to the stove, Patrice investigated the cupboard. There was an inventory posted on the inside of the door and labels on the shelves identifying where everything belonged. And to think her friends had teased her about being overly organized.

“Have you lived here long?”

He let out a short, dry laugh. “I don’t live here. This is a line shack. Someplace for the ranch hands to stay when they’re out riding fence or working the herd and it gets too late to go back to the ranch for the night. Or someplace to hole up if the weather turns nasty ... like today.”

“Oh.” She closed the cupboard. “Are you a cowboy?”

There were ranches and cowboys in Arizona, but Patrice had never actually met one before. For her, cowboys were the larger-than-life heroes that she’d watched, along with her father, during the Wild West movie marathons on TV.

“I’m a cowboy.”

“Do you like your job?”

He shrugged. “I guess. I’ve never given it much thought.” He turned. “The coffee will be ready in a bit. Meantime, let’s see about getting you some warmer clothes.” He walked to the dresser. “They’re on the large side, but they’re the smallest we’ve got.”

The thermal underwear, blue jeans and flannel shirt he brought her would be much warmer than the linen pantsuit she was wearing.

“Thanks.”

“I’ll get a jacket for you to wear until it warms up in here.”

He rifled through a second cupboard near the first one. Inside she could see sleeping bags, pillows, stacks of blankets and towels, as well as a supply of jackets, hats and gloves.

Patrice looked around the small cabin. The only door was the one they’d come in. “Um, is there somewhere I can change?”

“What you see is what you get.”

A strong gust of wind rattled the shutters. Dare she suggest he wait outside?

“You’ll keep your back turned, won’t you?”

“Of course.”

He brought her the jacket then stood in front of the fireplace to give her some privacy.

“I’m going to change now, if that’s okay.”

“Yes, ma’am. Let me know when you’re finished.”

She walked to the bunk beds, setting the clothes on the top mattress. Turning her back to him, she shrugged out of her clothes and put on the others. Roomy was an understatement, but already she could feel the extra warmth and was grateful.

She turned toward the fireplace and her breath caught in her throat. He still had his back to her, that wasn’t the problem. What disturbed her was the vision he created. Like something out of a fantasy. He had one arm raised and leaning against the mantel, the other rested at his side and held his hat. The red-orange tinged light from the fire flickered as it cast its glow over him. His jacket was long, hiding his backside, but making his denim-clad legs look that much longer, and powerful.

She reached her hand to her mouth to stop the whistle of appreciation that threatened to escape and got a face full of flannel.

A quick inspection of her attire confirmed what she already suspected. He might look like a fantasy come to life, but she looked like a five-year-old playing dress up.

Laughing, she started to roll up the sleeves. “You can turn around now. I’m decent.”

After the sleeves, she tackled the pant legs. She looked up and stopped laughing. He was watching her. While she couldn’t interpret his expression, the intensity of his gaze had her wondering if she’d forgotten some article of clothing.

“There’s rope in the cupboard you can use as a belt.” His voice had an extra huskiness to it.

“All right.” Patrice easily found the rope. Fortunately there were already some pieces cut, and one was the exact size she needed.

When she turned, Stone was still standing in front of the fire, looking too at home, too handsome and way too sexy.

He took a step forward. “The coffee should be just about ready.”

“Coffee.” She repeated the word, but it had no meaning at first. Only as he poured the dark brew into two speckled blue enamel mugs did the fog in her mind clear.

“How do you take it?”

“Usually with a little milk.”

“Is powdered creamer all right?”

She nodded. She wasn’t in a position to be picky.

They sat on opposite sides of the table on the end farthest from the lantern.

Patrice sipped her coffee, then wrapped her hands around the warm mug.

An unsettling thought weaseled its way into her mind. “There’s only one room here.”

“Like I said, what you see is what you get If you’re worried about sleeping arrangements, don’t be. I’ll stay in my own bunk, and I don’t snore.”

Good grief! She hadn’t even gotten around to worrying about sleeping arrangements. And she needed to. Once asleep, she would be absolutely, positively at his mercy!

Only first things first. “What I was wondering about was, um, the facilities? The bathroom?”

“The outhouse.”

“Right”

“It’s out back.”

“It’s snowing out there.”

He took a drink from his mug before answering. “I know. That’s why we’re here.”

“But the bathroom is out back?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Who designed this place?”

“It’s intended for occasional use only, and it wouldn’t be cost-effective to install modern plumbing.”

“What about some not-so-modern plumbing?”

He smiled, the first real smile she’d seen on him. She felt it all the way to her toes. He shook his head.

Patrice sighed. “Not cost-effective?” She tilted her head, looking at him. Cost-effective wasn’t typical cowboy lingo. Maybe he was foreman or ranch manager. “Getting eaten by a bear can’t be cost-effective, either.”

There was that smile again. She caught a glimpse of it before he hid it by drinking his coffee.

She took a sip from her mug. Already the contents were starting to cool.

“An angry deer can be dangerous, too,” he said.

Terrific! Bears and her too-sexy rescuer weren’t perilous enough.

She remembered the large deer she’d swerved to avoid hitting before ending up in the ditch. “Are all the deer around here extra large?”

“There are some good-size animals in the area. What do you consider extra large?”

“The size of a small horse.”

He raised one brow in question. “You saw a deer the size of a small horse?” he asked disbelievingly.

“It was crossing the road.”

“It was probably an elk,” he corrected.

“An elk? Are they any friendlier than deer or the insomniac bears?”

He chuckled. “’Fraid not.”

“It figures. I don’t think I’m cut out for this wilderness thing,” she confessed.

“I could have told you that,” he said honestly.

She set her mug down. “How can you say that? You don’t even know me.”

“I don’t have to. If you were used to the wilderness, you wouldn’t be driving a convertible through the mountains of Montana with a storm coming.”

“The top was on.”

He shrugged. She waited for him to launch into the lecture she’d expected earlier. Instead he asked if she wanted more coffee.

“No, thanks.” She stood. “I’m going to take a short walk.”

“Out back?”

She nodded.

“Let me make sure nothing has decided to nest out there since the last time the place was used.”

Nesting things? She didn’t even want to know what the possibilities were. “Be my guest.”

Once Stone was back, Patrice headed out. It was still light outside, but it was clear nightfall was on the way. The amount of snow falling had increased, too, but not enough to block visibility of her destination.

She was almost back to the cabin when Stone came around the corner holding a rope. A flutter of fear settled in her stomach. “I was just on my way back.” She tried to sound casual while glancing around for something to pick up and use as a club.

“I’m going to string up a line between the end of the cabin and the outhouse, in case you need to get out there after dark or in a whiteout.”

“Oh...thank you.” She felt silly for letting her wild imagination get to her.

“Don’t mention it, ma’am.” He tipped his hat, then headed toward the corner of the cabin.

Patrice went back inside. She slipped off her gloves and stood in front of the fireplace, holding her hands toward the flames.

When she heard the sound of Stone’s boots stomping on the porch, she went back to full alert.

“Let me add a few more logs there,” he said.

Patrice moved. Standing to the side, she watched him. He looked right at home, completely in his element.

A yawn escaped her. “Pardon me.”

He glanced over his shoulder. “You’ve had a rough day, runnin’ off the road and all. Maybe you should turn in.”

Okay, Patrice, now’s the time to worry about the sleeping arrangements.