Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
The rhythmic thud of hoofbeats carried far in the cold stillness of a Montana morning. Cole laid his tools on the tailgate of his truck and stripped off his gloves. Mila could still be a couple of minutes away, but he’d get a kiss out of this visit or know the reason why.
He didn’t want to touch her with cold hands, though, so he shoved them in his jacket pockets and scanned the area. The road, crisscrossed with tire tracks embedded in a thick crust of ice, was empty.
A flash of gold in a thick stand of evergreens told him she’d chosen a trail instead of the road. Stepping through the open gate, he went to meet her.
The narrow path to his left was faint, likely used by wild horses more often than Laughing Creek riders. Mila would know those trails well. Coming this way instead of using the road told him she hadn’t wanted to advertise her morning ride.
Even more telling, she’d worn a suede sheepskin jacket instead of her red parka. She couldn’t do much about her flashy horse, though. All the more reason for him to meet her in the cover of the trees.
He lost track of her after he’d trudged several yards into the forest. Ah. There she was, ducking under the branch of a tall ponderosa as she rode toward him.
She straightened and pulled Sol to a halt. “You came to meet me.”
He kept walking, pushing his hands deep into his pockets. “Figured I stood a better chance of kissing you if we weren’t standing in the middle of the road.”
Her gaze traveled in that direction. “I can’t even see your truck from this spot.”
“Kinda the point.” When he got to her, he took hold of the palomino’s bridle and stroked his velvet neck. “Hey, Sol. How’re you doing, buddy?”
“Where are your gloves?”
He glanced up and tilted his hat back. “Left them on the tailgate. Care to come down from there? Or do you want me to come up?”
Grinning, she looped the reins around the horn and dismounted. “Let’s not confuse Sol.”
“Let’s not.” Reaching for her, he pulled her close.
“Wait. I’ll take off my gloves, too.” She tucked them in her coat pocket and nestled against him. “Hi.”
“Hi, yourself.” One look into those deep brown eyes brought it all back — the taste of her mouth, the feel of her skin, the welcoming heat of her body when he—
“I thought you were going to kiss me.”
“I am. I’m just…remembering.”
“Me, too.”
“We had a lot fewer layers.”
She chuckled. “Mostly none.”
“You know what? My hands are getting cold.”
“You could put them inside my coat.”
“What a concept.” Heart thumping, he began unfastening the buttons. “How about you? Are your hands cold?”
“Freezing.” She unzipped his jacket and slid her arms inside. “That’s better.”
“Way better.” He followed suit, pulling her in tight with a sigh as her warm, tempting body sent his into overdrive. “God, you feel good.”
She moaned softly. “You, too. I thought we’d have tonight to ourselves.”
“We could have early tomorrow morning to ourselves.”
“I might fall asleep on you.”
Lowering his head, he dipped under the brim of her hat. “Not if I can help it.” He settled into a kiss that instantly short-circuited his brain.
He couldn’t get enough of her lush mouth. She kissed the way she made love, holding nothing back. He lost track of everything but the urge to stoke the fire, letting it rage out of control until they surrendered their bodies to the flames.
Her soft whimper sent a message to his lust-fogged brain. He had to touch her, had to at least—
A horn beeped. He stilled. And registered that he’d unfastened her jeans. His hand was halfway to its destination.
She broke away from the kiss. “Someone’s… someone’s—”
“At the gate.” He barely got the words past his clogged throat. Slowly he withdrew his hand from her jeans.
She gulped for air. “You’d better go see.”
“Stay here.”
“Okay.”
Backing away from her, he zipped his coat. “Be right there!” he called out as he glanced down at his fly. Oh, boy. Couldn’t go out like that.
He turned his back. “Don’t watch this,” he murmured.
Unzipping, he freed his cock, scooped up a little snow lying in a shady spot on the forest floor, clenched his teeth and sprinkled it over the evidence. After a quick swipe with his bandana, he zipped up and faced Mila again.
She was quietly having hysterics, tears of laughter rolling down her cheeks. Tugging down the brim of his hat, he touched two fingers to the brim and left, lengthening his stride as he retraced his steps to the gate.
Rio’s red truck sat on the right side of the road by the open gate. When Cole appeared, Rio lowered his window. “Figured you were answering nature’s call, but I decided to beep anyway, just to let you know I was out here. Hope I didn’t rush you.”
“No worries.” Cole crossed to the truck. “What’s up?”
“I had to run into town for some last-minute Christmas shopping and didn’t see Mom’s text about your offer to drive tonight until I stopped for gas. Do you still have room for me in your truck?”
“Probably.” He took out his phone and checked for texts. “Looks like it. Claudie asked me this morning and here’s a request from Monty. That’s all so far, so you’re in. Now I’m full up.”
“Your truck seats five, right? That’s only four. I wonder if Zay—”
“I forgot to say I’m taking Mila.”
“Oh. That’s cool. Can I have the front seat? Monty likes the back and my sisters probably want to sit together.”
“Sorry, dude. Mila gets the front.”
Rio did a double-take. Then a slow smile lit up his movie-star handsome face. “I see.”
Cole didn’t respond, just kept his gaze steady.
“Well, then. I’ll be seeing you tonight at five. Thanks for volunteering to be the DD.”
“You’re welcome.”
As Rio started rolling up his window, a loud whinny drifted from the forest. Pausing with the window halfway up, he glanced at Cole. “Interesting.”
“Probably a mustang.”
“Maybe.” Amusement sparkled in his eyes. “Sure sounded like Sol, though. That horse really likes me. Calls out like that when he hears my voice.”
Cole shrugged. “I guess Mila could be taking a ride this morning.”
“Guess so. See you tonight.” Flashing him a big smile, he rolled up the window and drove through the gate.
Dragging in a breath of cold air, Cole made his way back to Mila. “Did you get any of that?”
“Clear as a bell. He knows.” She’d buttoned her coat and likely zipped her jeans, too. “That’s on me. I was taking a risk coming out here, but I wanted to see you.”
“I wanted to see you, too. As I’m sure you could tell.”
“Claudie can keep a secret but Rio won’t. This is too good a story and he won’t be able to resist.”
“I don’t care. Do you?”
“Not really. The word would’ve gotten out sooner or later. Now that the party’s replaced our private evening together, we might as well go public. Then nobody will be surprised if I end the night at your place.”
“I like the sound of that.” He kept his hands in his pockets. “I want to kiss you again, but—”
“Better not.”
He sucked in another breath. “I only meant to kiss you.”
“As I recall, that’s all you meant to do the first time.”
“Evidently I can’t just kiss you without pushing for more.”
She smiled. “I like that about you.”
“You don’t think I’m some uncontrolled maniac?”
“Oh, I do.”
“And you’re okay with it?”
“I’m very okay with it. That’s what I’ve been looking for all my life.”
He held her gaze and let those beautiful words sink in. “Me, too.”