Chapter Six
Over the next hour, Emily and Cole kept up a conversation the whole time. They talked about everything from family, favorite movies and books, to politics and even the stock market.
Cole pointed out different things about the ranch. From a herd of cattle he was experimenting on to see what worked the best for more hardy animals to a deer and her fawn on the edge of a group of trees.
Emily was enthralled by everything he told her, and she saw. Ideas about storylines she could use for her book raced through her mind.
The feel of the horse beneath her and the sound of Cole’s voice relaxed her.
Emily could tell that Cole noticed her eyes droop a bit, and her body sway in the saddle.
“Neil, Emily and I are going to stop for a bit. We’ll catch up.”
Neil looked back and raised his arm, indicating he heard.
Cole turned slightly and moved toward a small pond at the edge of some trees. “Come this way.”
Emily straightened and tensed as she watched the group move away. Did she really want to be left alone with Cole?
“Emily.”
Emily turned her horse, which had stopped on the trail. She watched as he dismounted and laid the reins over a bush before making his way toward her. She looked down into his face, and her heart stopped in her chest when he raised his arms.
“Come here.”
“Why?
Cole smiled. “Because I’ve seen you grimace a few times and you started to look sleepy. It will help to walk around for a bit.” He studied her face. “Didn’t you get any sleep last night?”
Emily nodded, and her grip on the reins tightened. “I got some sleep.”
Cole nodded, not believing a word of it from the dark circles under her eyes.
“But not enough,” he murmured. “Come here.”
“I can get down by myself.”
Cole watched her for a moment before he nodded, took a small step back, and crossed his arms over his chest. “Okay.”
Emily lifted her leg over the back of the horse and knew right away she’d made a mistake.
She tightened her grip on the horn of the saddle and the end of the saddle.
The second her feet touched the ground, her legs started to give out under her.
A thick arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back against a very hard chest.
She froze as mixed feelings raced through her. Relief that she wasn’t going to make a fool of herself by collapsing in front of Cole. The mortification that she needed his help and, most importantly, the fierce streak of desire that shot through her. Her hands came up and gripped his arm.
****
Cole bent his head and breathed in the scent of her and almost groaned.
His favorite smell had always been horses.
Now, it was Emily. He raised his other arm and placed his hand over hers, holding her hand against his arm that she gripped.
He stayed like that and listened to their labored breaths burst from them.
His body hardened further at her display of desire.
The way she melted against him, the little points on her nipples that poked through her shirt, her breathing, and the way her nails dug into his arm.
Cole rubbed his chin against the side of her head. “Are you okay, baby?”
Emily opened her mouth to respond but couldn’t seem to push the words she needed out through her constricted throat.
“Emily?”
Emily nodded. “Y-yes. I’m fine.” She tightened her leg muscles and straightened. “You can let go of me now.”
That was the last thing he wanted to do and knew it was going to hurt him to do it.
“All right.” He released her and moved a step back only to reach for her again when her legs gave out. Cole chuckled. “I don’t think you’re ready yet, baby.”
Emily tilted her head back against his chest and bit her lip as a flash of color crept onto her cheeks. “This is awkward.”
“Don’t be embarrassed. You said it’s been a while since you’ve been in the saddle.”
Emily nodded and closed her eyes and let Cole take her weight against him. “Still.”
He bent and nuzzled the side of her head some more before moving his mouth to her ear.
“There is no still,” he whispered.
He could feel a giant shiver course through her at the feel of his mouth and breath against her ear. They both groaned as the heat increased between them.
Cole took in several deep breaths and wrapped his arm around her back. The last thing he wanted was to let her go, but he needed to get her moving to prevent her from cramping. “Let’s move around a bit.”
Emily kept her eyes on the ground and nodded. Her arm moved around his waist as they walked around to get the blood running through her veins. After a few minutes, Cole moved her to a large tree and leaned her against it.
“Can you stand okay until I get a blanket?” He could see Emily tighten her leg muscles.
“Yes.” He took a few steps toward his horse when she realized what he’d asked. “Why are you getting a blanket?” She didn’t know her voice had risen with nerves.
He stopped and turned back to her. “Emily, I very much want you to try to trust me. I know we just met, but I will never do anything to hurt you or go farther than you’re willing to go.
Right now, I want to get you to lie down for a bit and rest before we head back.
That’s it. Just rest. Can I do that for you? ”
Emily nodded. “Yes. I’m sorry. It is a good idea to rest for a bit.”
Cole nodded, pleased. When he came back, he had a thick blanket that he spread across the lush grass a few feet from the pond. He walked to her and slid his arm around her waist and guided her toward it before helping her to bend down, so she was sitting on the blanket.
He watched Emily relax, drawing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.
Cole sat down next to her and handed her the bottle of water.
“Drink.”
Both sat silently, drinking and watching the different wildlife move about. The frog at the edge of the pond, the grasshopper that jumped from weed to weed, and a fish that broke the surface for a second.
Cole’s arm curled around her. “You look exhausted. Why don’t you lie back and rest for a bit?”
Emily looked toward him. “You don’t have time to waste watching me take a nap.”
Cole ran his hand over her back, pressing on the tense muscles.
“I’m the boss, remember? If they need me, I have a satellite phone that they can use to get in touch with me.”
“What’s a satellite phone?”
“There is no cell service out here, so we have to communicate through the phone that uses a satellite. You can communicate pretty much anywhere.”
Emily nodded and tightened her arms that clutched her legs.
“That’s good you have that.”
“Yeah, it’s come in handy a few times.” There was a moment of silence between them. “Will you lay down for a bit? I promise to let you rest for just a short time.”
Emily looked at him for a moment before nodding and turning on her side away from him, curling her legs and using one arm to lay her head on. He watched the tension leave her and relaxed on the blanket.
Cole listened to her breath even out and deepen before he relaxed. He laid his arms on his bent knees and let the peace soak into him. Just sitting next to her was calming for him. He couldn’t remember being this at ease with a woman before. Her personality inspired tranquility.
He didn’t know how many minutes went by before he noticed her start to shiver. He didn’t want to startle her, but he didn’t like that she was uncomfortable. He leaned back against the blanket and softly touched her shoulder.
“Em, baby?” He waited until she awoke. She was groggy but alert. “Can I lay down beside you? You’re starting to get cold.”
“Yes, that would be nice.”
Cole curled his body around her, placed his arm under her head, and used his other to pull her tighter against him and held her there.
“Better?”
Emily shifted a bit and relaxed.
“Mm.” She nodded, and a sigh slipped from her lips before sleep claimed her again.
Cole felt his heartbeat as a feeling of contentment settled over him.
The emotions were so overwhelming it helped him to ignore the fire that was racing through him.
The need to bury himself as deeply as he could inside her and show her exactly how much he felt for her was eating at him.
He knew that making love to her was going to have to wait until she trusted him, but he was content with being able to hold her and breathe her in.
The fact she trusted him enough to let him hold her while she slept thrilled him and made something inside of him settle further. After several minutes, his eyes started to droop. He tightened his grip on her waist and let sleep drag him down.