Chapter Two
Dane
It happens so fast. Panic surges through me, and I am already moving before I can fully process what is happening. My heart races as I reach out, my hands extending toward her just in time.
I’m barely thinking as I lunge forward, my fingers grasping her arms before she can crumple to the ground. The warmth of her skin sends a jolt through me when I wrap an arm around her waist and pull her flush against me. I bite back a groan when the scent of her hair fills my nose, a mix of something floral and sweet.
If my eyes weren't locked on hers, then I would have missed it. The second when her pretty golden eyes grew unfocused and she swayed slightly, but I was watching her. Heck, my eyes have been locked on her since I saw her seated on that bench, deep in thought.
She’s beautiful. No, that’s an understatement.
Cherry Dunbar is stunning. With her long, beautiful red hair and eyes that could hypnotize even a strong-willed man like myself, she is easily the most beautiful girl I have ever seen, and…she's passed out in my arms.
Any man would probably consider himself lucky to have a girl like her in their arms, but given the circumstances, I don’t feel particularly fortunate. I’ll be having some strong words with Paula about her lack of communication skills the moment she gets home, but in the meantime, I have to figure out what to do with the beautiful girl in my arms. A voice in the back of my mind wonders if this is yet another matchmaking attempt by my mischievous and hopelessly romantic niece, but I shake away the thought. That better not be the case. I’m not one for relationships or commitment; I’m married to my ranch and don’t have time for anything else. If only I could get that through to my meddling niece…
I shift my grip, making sure Cherry is secure before brushing her hair from her shoulder and checking her pulse. I let out a relieved sigh when I feel the rapid beat beneath my fingers.
She’s fine. At least I think she is.
God, what the hell did my niece get me into?
I was working in the field early this afternoon when she called in a panic to tell me that her flight was canceled and she wouldn’t make it back in time to pick up her friend. In fact, she wouldn’t be coming home for another day as there were no more flights available. When she’d first asked about inviting her friend to stay at the ranch, she hadn’t given me many details. I’d assumed she simply wanted to catch up with a friend, but looking at Cherry now, I can’t help but wonder if she had an ulterior motive. Ranch life isn’t for everyone, and it would have made more sense for Cherry to stay at the local hotel. Given Paula’s frequent reminders that most people my age are married with kids old enough to ride a bike, I should have been more suspicious. But marriage has never really been a priority to me.
I may be coming up on middle age and still single, but I am the furthest thing from lonely. I own and run a ranch, I barely have time to breathe let alone look for a wife to warm my bed.
A low groan snaps my attention back to the girl in my arms. Her eyelids tremble, and I hold my breath, waiting. Slowly, they begin to part, revealing those beautiful, confused eyes. For a moment, she just stares at me, and I can see the haze of uncertainty clouding her expression.
“Hey, you're okay,” I say softly, my voice steady despite the fire burning in my mind. She blinks a few times, as if trying to piece together where she is and what happened. I see the moment clarity washes over her as confusion is replaced by panic.
“Did… Did I… Oh God!” she cries out, pushing away from me. I release my arm from around her waist but keep a hand on her arm.
“Here, let me help you sit down,” I say, guiding her back to the bench. She plops down with a sigh before dropping her head to her hands. I lower to a crouch in front of her and study her face, picking up on the dark circles under her eyes. She's made an effort to cover them, and I missed them earlier, but this close, they’re obvious. She's exhausted. I have questions, but now is not the time. There’s clearly something more going on, but it’s none of my business. If I’m smart, I’ll take her straight to the only hotel in town and leave her to rest there until Paula returns.
Christ, why does that thought make my heart wrench painfully? I don’t know this girl! Why do I feel the intense need to be the one to take care of her?
“Paula’s supposed to be here. She said she’d help me,” she whispers, her face still buried in her hands.
“Cherry…”
She looks up and meets my gaze, and I don't know what I was expecting to see, but it's not the look of devastation and fear I find there. “Four days,” she cries. “That's how long I have left to figure something out. What am I going to do? They’re going to track me down and arrest me. Oh my God, I left the city! Will they think I tried to run? Are they going to follow through on their threats? I’ve never been to Scotland, I have no money, I don’t know anyone there. What am I going to do?!”
“Cherry, take a breath. I don’t want you to pass out again.” I take her hand in mine and press it to my chest, still crouched in front of her. Taking her chin with my other hand, I guide her gaze to mine. “Breathe with me, sweetheart. Follow my breaths and copy me.”
She does, and after a few deep breaths, she is noticeably calmer. Her gaze darts down to her hand on my chest and her face flushes nearly the color of her fiery hair. She snatches her hand away like the touch burned her. I immediately miss the feel of her hand on me, but I shove the thought away.
“I’m s-sorry,” she stammers with a sniff, quickly wiping her eyes dry. My hand is still holding her chin and I stroke her jaw with my thumb.
“I think I’m missing some important details here,” I say.
“What?”
“Up until a few hours ago, I thought you were coming for a friendly visit, but it’s clear there is more going on.” I breathe out a sigh and make a mental reminder to scold Paula for putting me in this position. “Look, Cherry, my niece won’t be back for another day, but maybe I can help you. Can you tell me what’s going on?”
Her lips tremble and more tears fall down her cheeks. “Paula didn’t tell you?”
Fuck! Seeing her cry this way chips at my heart, and I find myself reaching out to brush my thumbs over her wet cheeks before I’ve fully processed the thought. Touching this girl is a bad idea, but fuck if I can stop myself.
“All I know is you’re her friend from school and you needed a place to stay for a bit. Are you in some kind of trouble? Do you need money?”
“I don't want your money.” She sniffs, and my brows draw in confusion. “I mean, I could use money, but that's not why I'm here. I need a lawyer.”
“Why?”
“It’s…complicated.”
“If you can explain it to me, maybe I can help you find someone. I know more than a few lawyers.”
Her eyes narrow on mine, and she watches me for a long moment. “Why are you so willing to help me?”
“It’s the least I can do for my niece’s best friend. I know firsthand Paula’s antics aren’t the easiest to keep up with.”
She smiles at that. “I love Paula’s antics. It’s what makes being her friend so much fun.” Cherry sits up and leans back against the metal of the bench. She tilts her head back, closing her eyes, and I can practically see her mind racing. “When is the next bus out of town?”
Wait, she’s leaving? Right now?
Fuck, why does that thought make me so nauseous? For her to leave town without seeing Paula or getting the help she needs has my entire body tensing. My heart starts beating hard at the thought of whatever she might be going back to.
I bite back a possessive growl at the thought of anyone, especially another man, causing this girl distress. Is it a boyfriend that has sent her running? The thought of a man putting his hands on her beautiful skin has me seeing red.
Mine!
But God, she’s not mine. I don’t want a relationship! I don’t need someone sleeping in my bed or invading my space. I like my life the way it is. I like the silence in my home when all my ranch hands have retired to their bunks and the animals have been tended to for the night. I like eating at the table alone in silence, food that was professionally prepared by hired hand.
I’m not lonely. I don’t need a woman to mess up my simple routine.
“Stay,” I blurt out, my head-to-mouth filter glitching.
Her eyes snap open and lock on mine, her brows knitting in confusion. “Huh?”
“For the night,” I manage to get out. “Another bus won’t get here until tomorrow morning. You might as well wait until Paula gets home.”
“I…I’ll get a hotel room.”
“There’s only one hotel in Valor Springs. We can try it, but it’s probably full. There’s a big fair going on in the next town,” I lie. I don't know what the fuck I am doing. The bus schedule is printed on the noticeboard right behind her. There will be another bus at six, and the hotel a few miles from here has plenty of space as the county fair ended a week ago. I could easily drop her off and then forget about this whole ordeal, but there's no forgetting this girl.
One night is all I need. To make sense of my feelings and get her the help she clearly needs before I send her on her way. Besides, she needs the rest. I can see it in her eyes.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to be a burden.”
“You’re the furthest thing from a burden, sweetheart. Let me help you.” I don’t care to examine why I’m so desperate for her to say yes, but I implore her with my gaze to agree.
“Why do you care?”
I have no fucking idea. Sure, she’s my niece’s friend and Paula would have my head if I let her leave now, but it’s more than that. The thought of Cherry being with someone else sends murderous thoughts running through my head. I want to break the hand of any man that has ever dared to touch her.
“It's the right thing to do,” I respond, figuring she probably doesn't want to hear about these possessive and confusing thoughts. The last thing I want to do is scare her. “Look, Cherry, I promise you can trust me. You are safe with me in my home, and tomorrow, Paula and Darrell will be back. There are a lot of good people that work for me on my ranch, so you won't be totally alone with me.”
“You want me to stay at the ranch?”
“I do,” I respond, not giving more than that.
“I… Paula’s told me about the ranch. She makes it sound like heaven on earth.”
“It is,” I tell her. I own one of the biggest ranches in the state, and I am the primary supplier of organic beef in Valor Springs and the rest of the county. Despite coming from a long line of lawyers, I picked the lasso over the gavel. I wasn’t made for suits and courtrooms. I need to be outside in the fresh air and open spaces. “There’s no place more peaceful to rest and relax,” I tell her, and if I’m exaggerating a bit to convince her to come with me, that’s my own business. “It’s getting late, and I bet you are tired. Let’s get you home.”
She doesn’t argue this time, letting me take her luggage and following me to my truck. I toss her suitcase in the back before opening the front door for her. “Thanks,” she says, climbing in, and I try to ignore the way her dress rides up her thighs as she settles in. It’s no use, and my cock begins to fill in my jeans at the sight of her creamy skin. I quickly close the door before she can spot my rapidly growing bulge.
Fuck!
I can’t be hard right now. Though it makes sense why I am. The girl is gorgeous, with a body made for wet dreams, but I can’t have these thoughts for someone I have every intention of sending away. Still, there is no getting my erection to go down, so I adjust my shirt to hide my erection.
Cherry seems distracted when I climb into the driver’s seat. Her gaze is locked on the window, and she has a faraway look in her eyes that makes me want to take her hand and assure that everything will be fine.
I have questions. Why is someone as young and gorgeous as this girl in such distress? What has brought her running to Valor Springs of all places? She seems so innocent, but she’s afraid someone is going to arrest her. And what does Scotland have to do with anything?
It’s not my place to ask about her personal business, but something inside of me wants to wipe that frown off her face. I want to reach out and take her hand in mine, promise to take care of all her problems for her. I have the resources to do it. Whatever it is, I can fix it for her.
But I can’t afford to care.
Not when I can’t give her what she deserves. I can’t be the man for her, so why the hell am I thinking of ways to stop her from leaving?
“I’m hungry,” she says quietly, her words snapping me back to the present. “Can we stop somewhere and grab a bite?”
“Not too many options around here, but there’s a bakery that sells coffee and the best pastries in the state.”
“Perfect, let’s stop there.”
It doesn't occur to me to say no. Valor Springs is a small enough town that news of me with this girl will spread like wildfire and fuel all kinds of rumors. Even so, I can’t bring myself to care about people making assumptions about me and Cherry. She'll be gone tomorrow, and the town will shift their gossip to someone else.
I just need to get through today, and then tomorrow, she’ll be someone else’s problem.