He slid his dark eyes to the books, then back to her. “There are worse habits to have.” He rose to his feet and held out a hand to help her up.
Callie stared at his hand for a beat. She finally set her hand in his, and he closed his big, rough, calloused fingers around it and lifted her to her feet. Her heart galloped in her chest, which made her cheeks flush.
“Enjoying your stay so far?”
She sighed dreamily—she couldn’t help it. Every damn thing about him, from his sensuous voice to his chocolate-brown eyes and his too-hot-to-think-about body, made her go weak. Oh, hell. She had to pull herself together. It was now or never. She couldn’t spend the next twenty-four hours acting like a silly fan girl. She drew in another deep breath…of him. If he hadn’t been holding her hand, she’d have crumpled back down to the floor.
“Yeah, it’s really peaceful here.” She couldn’t believe it. She was actually talking, breathing, standing…and he still held her hand.
“I like to think so. Your friends really pulled a fast one on you. Are you okay with this?”
She looked down at their hands, and his eyes followed. When he let go, she missed his touch and wanted it back.
“They meant well,” she said.
He glanced at the books again. “Were you looking for a book? I have a few that a friend picked out for me.” He smiled, and it set her body on fire again.
“No, I just...I’m just sort of drawn to them. I can’t pass a bookshelf without stopping to look.” Her pulse quickened, and she worried her ability to speak might be short-lived. “I should probably get back to my cabin.”
“I’ll walk you out. It’s pretty dark by the cabins.” He patted his thigh, and Sweets trotted along beside him.
“Do you bring Sweets with you everywhere?”
He smiled down at the loyal dog. “Yup. I can’t stand to think about her alone after what she went through before I found her. I can only imagine how scared she must have been, and I never want her to feel that way again. I want her to know she can count on me, you know?”
“Yeah.” Her breathy voice took her by surprise. She knew exactly what he meant, and she wished he’d found her out on the trail.
Once they were outside, Callie filled her lungs with the crisp night air and breathed a little easier, despite her churning insides. They descended the hill at a lazy pace.
“I was surprised to see you. Your application said Calliope Barnes, and I never put two and two together. I don’t think I even knew your last name before today. I’m glad you’re here, though.”
You are?
His eyes were warm and honest, and one look at them nearly stole her ability to speak again. She forced words from her lungs to keep the flow of oxygen moving.
“Calliope is my given name. I have no idea why my friends put my full name, but…an application? We had to apply to come here?”
“Yeah. Everyone does. That way we know about experience levels, medical concerns, that kind of thing. Your group is pretty experienced. You all did high school sports and have been hiking and riding for years, so you shouldn’t have any trouble.”
If by hiking he meant walking from one end of her college campus to another, she was very experienced, but hiking in the woods? Never. Not once. Not even close. She should fess up to her lack of experience, but she was enjoying his company too much to inflict something that would only spark a discussion about either how lame she was or how her friends had lied on the application—neither of which was worth ruining what little time she had in his company.
“Did you always want to be a librarian?”
“Pretty much. I spent a lot of time in the library in elementary school, after school, when I’d wait for my parents to pick me up, that sort of thing. Every day I’d choose a new book, read a few chapters, and disappear for a while.” She smiled at the memory, realizing her nerves were finally, thankfully, settling down.
“How about you? Did you always want to own a dude ranch?” Dude ranch. The term made her smile.
“I don’t know. I was an adventure guide for a few summers, but I missed the animals. My partner, Chip, and I grew up together and went to college together. With a double major in engineering and biology, I was in this strange place with degrees in fields that I was really interested in but that didn’t really complement each other. I couldn’t be strapped to a desk—that much I knew—and field research wasn’t really my thing. One night Chip and I were talking about what we really wanted to do for a living.” He shrugged. “We both wanted jobs we would enjoy, you know? We love animals, and we love ranching and the outdoors, but we wanted to build something, too. Something that we’d be excited about years from now.” An easy smile formed on his lips. “My cousin Treat owns resorts all over the world and lives over in Weston. He knew Chip and I were debating opening a ranch, and when this property came on the market, he told me about it. Two months later, Chip and I owned nine hundred acres. That was eight years ago.”
“And do you still wake up happy to go to work?”
“So far so good. My sister, Emily, is an architect, and she designed the lodge, the cabins, the whole deal. She’s since opened a design-build firm, but we were her first client, so the whole place means even more to me.”
She loved knowing his sister designed the property and that this wasn’t something he bought and continued but something he and his friend had conceptualized and brought to fruition. He was much more than the adrenaline junkie she’d thought he was.
“Hey, are you too tired to take a walk? I’d like to show you something.”
Sleeping was the last thing on her mind. “No. I’d love to.”
He put his hand on her lower back and guided her up a hill, past outcroppings of rock and through a path in the woods. Her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness as they moved around trees and over rocks and sticks. Focusing on moving forward instead of concentrating on how good his hand felt against her back was a good distraction.
“I come out here sometimes.” He led her deeper into the woods. “Do you have any place that you go to be alone?”
“Well, in Trusty, I don’t really know anyone yet, so there’s no need to go anywhere, but back in Denver, where I’m from, there was this park I would go to on Saturday afternoons. I’d sit and read for hours.” She hadn’t been there in ages, and she wondered if there was a similar place in Trusty.
“I can see you doing that—reading for hours, I mean.”
They came to a mountainous boulder, and Sweets put her paws up on the side of it.
“Doesn’t she ever bark?”
“Not much. I think she probably barked a lot when she was left alone on the trail, because she was hoarse when I found her, but she’s never barked much around me.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “Give me a sec.” Wes scaled the boulder in three easy steps, then crouched and reached for her hand.
“Take my hand. I’ll help you up.”
She looked down at her boots and back at the boulder. “I’m not very good at climbing. Or heights.” She looked up and swayed backward, dizzied by the sight.
“You don’t have to climb. I’ll lift you up, and I promise not to let you fall.”
His confidence and eager reach curtailed her fear and made her want to touch him again. With her stomach twisting in knots, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and thrust a shaky hand up toward his. He grasped it tightly, and in one swift move, she was on top of the boulder—and folded in his powerful arms. His chest was just as hard as she imagined it would be, and—oh gosh—she could feel his heart pounding against her knuckles as she clutched his shirt for dear life.
“Callie, I’ve got you,” he said in a calm, soothing tone. “Open your eyes.”
No, thanks. I’ll just stay right here plastered against you and pretend we’re on the ground. She shook her head and felt him lowering them both to a seated position. His arms remained around her, holding her pressed to his side.
“Better?”
If
I say yes, will you let me go? She had a death grip on his shirt, and she wasn’t taking any chances. “Still a little nervous.”
“Okay. We’ll just sit here until you feel safe.”
“I do feel safe,” she admitted before she could stop herself.
“You just said you were nervous.”
With eyes still closed, she answered, “I am nervous, but I also feel safe.”
“Fair enough.” He kept her close. “You know those books you give me each week? Sometimes I read them right here on this rock, when I’m taking a break or just need a few minutes to breathe.”
Breathe? Oh yeah, almost forgot. She gasped a deep breath, forcing herself to try to breathe normally again. Nope. She’d have to settle for simply breathing, even if shallow and thick with desire.
“I really appreciate that you take the time to choose books for me. Not many people would do that.”
She opened her eyes at that. She thought of the way he’d asked her to collect books for him all those weeks ago, as if the person who had held the position before her had been doing it forever. “Didn’t the last assistant do it?”
He laughed and drew one knee up. “Patricia Olson? No. Never.”
“Really?” She realized she was still clutching his chest and dropped her hand to her lap. As long as she didn’t look down, she’d be okay. Maybe.
“Do you do that for everyone?”
She considered lying, but she had never been a good liar. “No. Just you.”
He smiled, and it sent her pulse wild again.
“Just me?”
“Yeah.”
He nodded at that, and she wondered what he was thinking. The silence stretched between them. Every second felt hotter than the last. She tried to fill the gap.
“You don’t have to hold me. As long as I don’t look down, I’ll be okay.”
“You sure?” He held her tighter.
No. “Yeah. I think so.”
He took his hands off slowly. “You okay?”
She nodded, though she wished she hadn’t said she was okay.
“You don’t really have a lot of outdoor experience, do you?”
“Only if you count all the time I’ve spent in the park.” She fidgeted with her dress.
“This should be interesting.”
He said it with an arc of amusement in his voice that made her stomach lurch again—and made her want to prove she could do it. Or run away. Maybe running away was better.
“I’m sorry they lied on the application, but I won’t stay and ruin it for everyone.” She pushed to her feet and stumbled toward the edge of the boulder with a shriek. He shot to his feet and caught her, and in the next second, she was wrapped in his arms again.
“I’ve got you,” he assured her.
Panting and clutching his shirt—and a handful of muscular pecs—she looked up at him and stumbled backward a step.
“Stop. Don’t move.”
She froze at the seriousness in his voice. He took a step backward, bringing them both away from the edge.
“Okay, now take a deep breath.”
She did. Then another.
“Callie, I don’t care that you’re inexperienced. I meant it would be fun to help you learn what you need to know, but you can’t react like that out here. You could really hurt yourself.”
He used his finger to tip her chin up until she had no choice but to meet his gaze, which sucked her right in. She felt like putty waiting to be touched, molded, taken.
“Okay?”
“Okay.”
He stared down at her, and she wondered if the heat of their embrace sent the same lustful rush through him as it did through her. She was suddenly certain he could feel—or see—how much she wanted him to lower his mouth to hers. Just one kiss. One kiss would calm her nerves, satiate her greedy desire.
“I shouldn’t have brought you up here.” His eyes darted away.
And just like that, her hopes deflated. I’m an idiot. How could she respond to that? She’d blown any chance she had with him. Not that she’d had any chance to begin with, but she’d thought—hoped—that his bringing her here was a sign of something more.
“Why…did you?” She had to ask. She had to know.
“I’m not really sure. We were talking, and it felt right to share this place with you.”
“Then you realized I’m afraid of heights and socially moronic around you? I could have saved you lots of time.” She pushed away from him, stumbled backward, then clutched for him again.
“Sorry. Sorry.” I have to leave. Forget staying a day. I need to call a cab and get the heck out of here tonight. Maybe out of Trusty, too.
“What? No. Neither of those things.” He lifted her face again, and this time there was no misreading his annoyed and slightly angry dark eyes. “I meant on top of this boulder. Christ, Callie. You’re afraid of heights. Why’d you let me pull you up here?”
Because you’re hot and I’m stupid. She swallowed her words and dropped her gaze.
“God, I’m an idiot.” He lowered her to a seated position again. “Don’t move. Don’t stand. In fact, don’t breathe for a second, okay?”
She managed a nod at his careful command as he climbed down the boulder, stopping midway. He held his hands toward her, and she wondered how the hell he wasn’t falling backward, because she definitely would have.
“Callie, scoot forward on your butt. Don’t stand up.” Another command.
She scooted forward, and when her feet were inches from the edge, her heart raced again. Goose bumps chased the hair on her arms upright, and she stopped cold.
“I…can’t.”
“Just get your legs off the edge, and I’ll take you down.”
“How about…you leave me here and come back with a ladder. Or firemen. Yes, firemen would be even better. Three, please.”
He cracked a smile. “Firemen? To climb down an eight-foot boulder?”
“Hundred foot. Not eight. There’s no way it’s only eight feet, and I’m not going to look over the edge to find out, but I remember. It’s at least fifty.” She crossed her arms to keep him from seeing her tremble.
“Look me in the eyes, Callie.”
She did, feeling embarrassingly silly.
“Do you trust me?” he asked with a soft, thoughtful gaze.
She nodded.
“Can you come a little closer? I promise I won’t let you fall. You can even pretend I’m a fireman.”
She laughed a little and bit her lip again.
“You’re incredibly cute when you do that.”
Cute? Cute! “You find scared women attractive?” She scooted forward, and he grabbed her just above her knees, on the bare skin below her dress, sending another shot of warmth to her naughty parts.
He let out a soft laugh under his breath. “I find attractive women attractive.” Their eyes met and held for a hot second. “I…” He shook his head and his eyes grew serious again. “I need to get you down from here.”
“I can stay right here. Really. If I lay back and don’t move, I’ll be okay.”
He sighed, and she realized that he was probably wishing he’d never run into her.
She closed her eyes. “Okay, tell me what to do.”
“If you scoot forward a little more, I can get a good grip on you and carry you down. You’re safe with me, Callie.”
She scooted forward with her eyes closed, trusting him as he gripped her hips and lowered her against him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and in two of his giant steps, they were on level ground again.
“You can open your eyes now.”
“No, I can’t,” she said in a croaky voice. When I open them, I have to unlock my arms and pull away, and you feel way too good to do that. She felt him shake his head, and she forced herself to open her eyes. Oh boy. There was no misreading the desire in his eyes or trapped behind his zipper, which was currently pressing against her belly. For another hot second they stared into each other’s eyes, befor
e he pulled back and stepped from her embrace.
“Come on. I’ll make sure you get home safely.”
She couldn’t move as the reality of his pulling away struck her. He pulled away. She definitely needed to leave.
They walked in silence out of the woods with Sweets beside them, and Callie felt him distancing himself even further, which didn’t surprise her in the least. She knew she was far from his type, and she’d just spent their time together proving it.
As they crossed the bridge, she forced her thoughts into words. “I’m sorry, Wes. I’m sorry they lied. I’m sorry I freaked out back there. I just—”
He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, stopping halfway across the bridge and pinning her in place with a piercing stare. “Callie, you didn’t do anything wrong. So you’re afraid of heights?” He shrugged, and something else flashed in his eyes before he shifted them away.
Desire.
Oh Lordy. I must be dreaming.
He shoved his hands in the pocket of his jeans and looked in the direction of her cabin. “Come on. We’ve got an early ride tomorrow. You’d better get some rest.” He stopped at the bottom of the porch stairs, hands still deep in his pockets. His eyes darted to the dark cabin, then back to the trail, everywhere but at Callie.
She got the message loud and clear. “Thanks, Wes.” She took a step toward the stairs and felt Wes’s hand gently touch her arm. She turned and found his dark brows knitted together. He was leaning forward, as if he’d been intent on kissing her or whispering in her ear. She hoped for the first.
“Callie,” he said just above a whisper.
He felt it, too. He had to, regardless of the conflicting messages he was sending. She saw it in his eyes, felt it in the heat that swirled around them, sending shivers down her back. Her lips parted in anticipation. His Adam’s apple jumped as he swallowed, then licked his lips. His mouth was a breath away from hers.
A light flicked on in the cabin, and his eyes shifted to the door.
He looked down at Sweets, sitting beside his feet, then back at Callie. With a nod, he turned and walked away, leaving Callie to stumble up the stairs, wondering what the hell just happened.
Chapter Four
Fated for Love Page 5