“I’ve been there, and everything that they have I already had. Found it online while I was planning to come here,” she said.
“I can see why you’re a historian; you like the adventure and digging up information, don’t you?”
“I do. But I love the stories behind it all the most. That’s what drew me to it. When I was little, I got in trouble one time for gossiping about a girl in my class. Well, my parents were so mad at me, obviously, and the lesson they taught me always stuck with me.”
“What did they do?” he asked, reaching over and grabbing Olivia’s hand, wanting to feel its warmth and to let her know that he was there for her.
“After marching me over to her house to apologize, they sat me down and gave me the one and only intense lecture of my life. Not that I didn’t deserve more, ever. They told me that if I wanted to talk about others and create stories that I should focus on finding out the real stories and the histories of what I heard about before just rattling it off based on my assumptions or ‘what I thought I heard.’ Then they went on to talk about some aspects of history that were plenty skewed from people making assumptions.” Olivia looked at Colton and wanted to rest her head on his shoulder, so she did. “Anyway, they went on and on, but it sort of started this thing with history, exploring and learning as much as I could so I could share something real with the world. The ring fell into the equation by dumb luck, really, but now it’s become kind of an obsession of mine.”
“Because it’s part of your family’s history?” he asked.
“That, and because everyone said I could never succeed. I don’t really respond well to that type of challenge.” They both laughed.
When she lifted her head she was greeted by his lips on hers. The two sat there, neither of their bodies moving or their hands losing their connection with each other, and softly kissed. It was their way of sealing the deal, showing that they were going to be helpful and honest, not participate in those silly games that had put this entire thing into motion—going a different direction than either had wanted all along.
After they separated, Olivia felt an overwhelming urge to cry. It wasn’t out of sadness, but more out of relief and this feeling that she could find herself being happier than she’d ever imagined she might be. It breathed new life into her, and invigorated her completely.
“I’m really sorry about putting you through all this, Colton. It wasn’t the smartest approach, I guess.”
“Hindsight is perfect, but I’m not. I played a role, too. I just don’t understand why you weren’t honest upfront.”
“I didn’t know you, which means that I didn’t know if you were honorable or trustworthy. If you helped me find the ring and we were successful, you’d have legal rights to it. I checked.”
“You are well researched,” Colton said. He smiled at her and brushed her cheek with his hand. It was so warm, and a trail of goose pimples traveled down his entire arm from the simple gesture.
“Well, this is a long ways to go to find what I’m looking for and I really am eager to prove everyone wrong who thinks I’m a fool,” she said.
“Why didn’t your sister come and help you?” he asked.
“Well, we are each hard to handle on our own, but put us together for something like this, and watch out—we’d be more like a tornado spiraling across the plains, making people run for shelter.”
“Yikes,” he said.
“Plus, I told her to stay and work, save up money. That’s important, and I just happen to be between engagements.” Olivia rolled her shoulders and then her stomach growled.
“You hungry?” he asked.
“I haven’t had much of an appetite. Didn’t even eat my tasty meal last night. Just couldn’t focus.”
“I understand what you’re saying. How about we go down to the café and have some food. We can discuss a plan to help you find that ring.”
“You’re really going to help me out?” she asked.
“I am, and I have no desire in keeping it for myself, either. I’m just glad to help out someone in need.”
“You are such a good guy. Thanks so much, Colton.”
Olivia pulled her hand away and reached in and hugged him tightly. It grew even tighter when her eyes opened slightly, reminding her how high up she was. That was Colton Tisdale for you, making you feel comfortable and secure even in the craziest situations. Or at least that was the man she’d been getting to know.
Chapter Nine
Colton had decided to take advantage of Mal’s desire to play matchmaker and asked her and Wade to watch the ranch for a few days while he went on a little camping excursion at the foothills of the mountains that were located along one of the ranch’s borders. As he expected, it was an easy “yes” for Mal to give.
With everything that Olivia had told him, he’d become as invested in finding that darn ring as she was. The way she went about everything intrigued him and this intellectual juggernaut kind of surfaced in her. He could see her being interviewed for a documentary on the History Channel, talking about seeking out lost treasures, debunking myths, that kind of thing. He’d always been a smart enough guy, but he felt a bit out of his league next to Olivia when she was in her element. But she was a good teacher, naturally explaining everything and all the details that were necessary to track along with her train of thought.
All was in place and Colton was eager to talk with Olivia and tell her what he had planned. He hoped that it would be an offer she couldn’t refuse. So when she pulled up in the driveway in that truck whose sound he’d grown so happy to hear, he was waiting.
“Good morning,” she said with a euphoric look on her face.
“Same to you,” he said.
She came up to him and gave him a hug and a friendly kiss on the cheek. There was something about those two seeing each other for the first time every day that demanded that they touch each other as soon as possible. Instead of pinching to see if it was all real, they just hugged. Colton often found himself dreaming of more, but was committed to being a gentleman—even if it was rather uncomfortable a time or two.
“Hey, I have a surprise for you,” he said.
“Did you find any new leads?” she asked. Her eyes brightened and she stared at him in such a way that he almost forgot what he was going to say.
“No, but I have an idea, a different approach if you will,” he said.
“Intriguing.”
“Let’s go into the house for some coffee and some homemade cinnamon rolls.”
“You made cinnamon rolls?”
“Um, no. But Kitty did.”
Once they were in the house and settled by the small breakfast nook that overlooked the pasture, Colton was ready to talk, hoping that the idea wasn’t too bold or that she’d think poorly of him for suggesting it.
“I was thinking that we could go camping on the back edge of the ranch for a few nights. Look at the property from a different perspective. Plus, there’s a full moon on the calendar and a meteor shower. Might be kind of nice, a little working vacation, if you will.”
“Wow, that sounds like a blast. I’ve only camped a few times before, but can you afford to be away from the ranch for a few days?” she asked. She’d learned that it was hard for a rancher to really take a break. If his body was someplace else his mind was still at the ranch.
“I’ve got it covered, and we wouldn’t really be that far away, anyhow.”
“When did you want to do this?”
“I was thinking tonight and tomorrow night, if you’re up for it, of course. I have two tents.” Colton felt he had to shove that in there so she didn’t get the wrong idea. He watched her reaction and thought that she maybe showed a flicker of disappointment. Or maybe he hoped, it was hard to tell for certain.
“When you decide to do something, you sure move fast, don’t you?” she said. She shook her head appreciatively and took a sip of her coffee. Afterward, she finished with, “Don’t get me wrong; I like it.”
*
**
There were two small pup tents set up, side by side, and a small manmade fire pit just in front of them. It was a dug pit with a few field rocks around it. The wood for the fire had been brought by Colton, who knew that there weren’t too many good pieces of firewood in the area where they were camping. And there was an old military wool blanket laid out for them to sit on.
Colton felt so content and good that night. Being out in nature like this—away from all the technology and concerns that came with work or doing the ranch’s books—was taxing. He was grateful for this pleasant interruption to his routine, because it forced him to take the break that he probably needed a long while ago. “I’ve never had someone cook me dinner by a campfire,” Olivia said. “Anything I can do to help?”
“Why don’t you repeat the information on where you thought those old buildings may be from what you’ve looked at? Maybe something will register differently.”
Olivia smiled. She was glad to do so, as that was her main objective for being here. Okay, that’s what she kept selling herself on, but being right next to Colton by that fire and watching him grow more relaxed was really exciting to her. He was such a gentleman, though, and she was beginning to think that she might not be able to be a lady any longer. It took one glance over at the two pup tents to make her softly shake her head. Her night might be rather restless if she kept thinking about Colton.
“Everything okay?” he asked, catching her shaking her head. He’d noticed her looking from tent to tent and was trying to read her thoughts. But he had to admit that he was not much of an expert in reading women’s body language. And just when he thought he might have it down, something changed. All he wanted to do was hold Olivia close, smell that wonderful fragrance of her hair, and feel her taut body next to his. That would feel pretty good, he thought.
“This is just so peaceful. It’s nice. My mind has been going a hundred miles an hour for so long now, between all this and knowing that time’s running out. It’s nice to shut it down.” Olivia wanted to shut down her desires for Colton, as well, because there was so much against them. Her time in Cherish was limited, she needed to find a job, and a long distance relationship with a rancher was not a feasible sounding plan. Relationships! Her thoughts screamed that word in shock. And she completely understood what that nagging little voice meant.
“It is good to be out here. Maybe we should just forget about the search for a bit and relax, have some fun. Clearing our head may be just what we both need.”
“I don’t want to take advantage of your time,” she said.
“What if I want you to?” he asked. It was a direct and friendly question, but he didn’t mind saying it. He wasn’t shy; he was practical.
“Well then, so be it for me to stand in your way.” If the stars that were rising in the sky had been able to illuminate her face, they would have shown a woman who was not blushing, but flushed with desire. Her hands shook slightly as she tried to process it all.
“Cold?” He didn’t wait for an answer and slid over on the blanket that they were sitting on, nestling in next to her. He looked at her with such wonderful affection in his deep brown eyes and at that moment, he couldn’t think of any other place he’d rather be. Or anyone else he’d rather be with.
Olivia saw Colton’s face so clearly, while she realized that the stars in the sky wouldn’t give away what she was thinking. The fire would do it. She released an unwilling laugh.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“I don’t even know how to explain it. Stress release, I guess.”
“Well, the grill should be heated up now. I’ll get dinner started. Want a beer?”
“That sounds great. I can get those if you want.”
Olivia got up and went over to the small cooler at the back of the truck, opened it up, and pulled out two cans of beer. She shut the lid and paused for a moment, feeling as excited as she had been the first time she’d ever gone out on a date. What a strange thought. That was so long ago, but there was something about the newness of this experience with Colton that was so appealing. Was it really a date? No. The six-shooter competition had been, she suspected, but this had been introduced as business. Maybe it was business to him, but it didn’t feel like it to her. She’d have to be careful. She wanted to find that ring, but losing her heart in the process was rather scary—more worthy of a Nicholas Sparks novel than what she was embarking on.
She walked back over and sat down, setting the beer on the small makeshift log table. “What are we having, anyway?”
“Some salmon. Had some saved from a fishing trip last year. It’s good on the fire. You like salmon, hopefully?” he added nervously. He should have thought of that first.
“Love it. I can’t wait to try it.”
“And some bread heated up to go along with it.”
She leaned over to the beers and popped the tops, handing one can to him. “To a fun night of relaxing and—” She had no idea how to finish.
Colton knew just the right words to add. “—having a new adventure.”
Yes, a new adventure, she thought. That was something that she was eager to embrace. Well, it was one of the things she was eager to embrace. She glanced over at Colton. Man, he was ruggedly handsome.
With dinner done and both of them feeling content from a full belly and also a few beers to help them relax, they lay back on the blanket, each propping their elbows behind their head and staring up at the stars. The fire crackled as they looked up.
“Do you think that the meteors will even happen when we’re awake? They usually seem to take place at such obscure hours,” Olivia commented.
“They’re supposed to be on and off all night. We’ll see, but what I really love is the full moon,” Colton said. He removed one arm and pointed upward. “When you’re out here, it seems bigger and brighter.”
“Have you taken a lot of girls out to see the full moon in your life?” she asked.
“No.” He didn’t offer anything else.
Hearing his response made her feel special. She stared back up at the sky, looking at all the small worlds that existed out there and it mesmerized her, making her feel like her small place in this world, while seemingly insignificant, had the ability to have a big impact in some way.
“Look, there’s a shooting star,” he said, his finger trailing a flash in the sky that was falling down to earth.
“Beautiful. I wonder where they land.”
“Not sure, I guess. They probably burn up, I’d imagine.”
“That’s kind of sad,” she said. “But better to have seen one than never to have seen one, I suppose.”
“I love the way you look at things, Olivia. You have so much appreciation for the smaller things in this world. You don’t find that too often.”
She rolled to her side and rested her head on one of her hands. “I agree. I actually see that in you, Colton. The way you appreciate everything about the land and the sky and how everything is kind of linked together.”
There was a moment of silence and two adults who clearly wanted to be by each other lay there, staring at each other, and there was no more denying what they each wanted.
“I want to kiss you, but I’m afraid I won’t want to stop,” Colton said. His eyes glanced away quickly, but were drawn back to hers. He knew he had to see her response. He’d put himself out there and what was the worst that could happen? Aside from a no and a return to the ranch.
“What’s stopping you then?” she asked.
That was it and Colton was looking at her inviting glance and ready to accept the invitation. His hand went to the small of her back and he pressed her body against his and then he took his other hand and gently pressed behind her head, rolling her over onto him.
With the stars looking like fireworks in the sky, he delighted in how well their bodies fit together. It was almost like it was meant to be and he was drawn to her response with each new place they touched.
Colton’s masculine touc
h made Olivia feel like she was the only thing that mattered in his world, and it was an utterly romantic notion. The thought of connecting with someone like him was so inviting and she was sick of fighting the entire idea. Whatever he wanted, she wanted too.
The excitement of the moment was evident in the way the slow kisses and roaming hands grew more urgent, their hips beginning to move toward each other’s ever so slightly. The more parts of them that connected, the better.
Colton rolled Olivia over onto her back and pressed his body against hers, allowing his hands to touch her beautiful soft skin, gliding up and down her arms and then teasing her just above the waistline of her jeans. She was so soft to the touch and he was grateful that the fire kept them warm so less layers were needed. He wanted to enjoy her completely, without hindrance, and didn’t want anything to ruin the flow of their moment. It was perfect.
The way his hands touched her skin was exciting. They were just rough enough to let her know what a rugged man he was, but they touched her body like it was a fine piece of art, which invited in a conflict that she was most happy to experience.
“I want this so much, Olivia,” he said.
“Me too,” she whispered. Then her body shifted so she could feel that firm and muscular chest that he kept so modestly hidden beneath his shirt. She slowly unbuttoned his shirt. To see his chest and feel it pressed against her was exciting. She demanded to have her curiosity satisfied and started to grow more aggressive, showing him that there was no going back—or any holding back.
The two had been like a slow marinating moment, each taking their time to get to the place where they were at that exact moment. Neither showed a desire to rush anything. Instead, they smoldered like a slow and steady burn, savoring each touch offered by the other. Each kiss was imprinted in their minds, and their responses urged the other on, knowing that what they offered was being received with excitement. There, under those stars in that ideal setting, they found beautiful simplicity.
Piece by piece, their clothing came off and with each revealed body part there was a need to explore it.
Cherished Moments (Cherish Cowboys Book 2) Page 8