Chapter Seven
A bird’s song pulled Emily from her nap.
At first, she couldn’t remember where she was until one of the horses snuffed out a breath.
The strong arm wrapped around her waist prevented any kind of movement, and Cole’s breaths whispered over her head.
The heat from his body permeated through her clothing and made it impossible for the cool breeze that swept over them to chill her in any way.
She wasn’t used to having a man hold her while she slept. Her ex-husband didn’t like touching at all unless it had to do with sex. The minute he was done, he moved away from her, leaving her feeling cold and unattractive.
She could get used to this, Emily thought. Very easily. Her breath caught when he shifted and tightened his hold on her, tucking her tighter against him. Emily squeezed his arm. “Cole?”
“Hmm?”
Emily couldn’t help but smile.
“Don’t you think we should be headed back?”
Cole shifted but didn’t release her. “Why?”
Emily chuckled. “Because we both have work to do?” His hand glided over her stomach.
“But I’m comfortable right here,” he grumbled.
Emily relaxed her head back against his arm. Did she dare tell him that she didn’t want to leave either? They had agreed to be friends, and she didn’t think it was smart to lie plastered intimately together as lovers would. She patted his arm. “I still think we should go.”
Cole blew out a gruff breath. “Okay.” He slid his arm from under her head, sat up, and turned to her.
Emily’s breath caught in her chest at the way his eyes roamed over her and heated. As much as her body was telling her to lie back and give herself to him, her brain was yelling at her to move away. Emily scrambled up and away from him.
“Ahh,” she cried out in pain.
Cole stood and gripped her arm as her body loosened enough for her to straighten. “Are you okay, baby?”
Emily waved his concern off. “Yeah, I just moved too fast.”
Cole’s hand glided up and down her back. “Do you want me to give you a massage?”
Emily’s muscles tightened, making her bite back the groan that clawed at her throat. “No,” burst from her.
Cole chuckled. “Are you afraid you might like my hands on you too much?” The smile left his face at the desperate look in her eyes she tried to hide.
She pulled away before he could say anything.
“We need to head back.” She turned and walked toward her horse. She stopped short and turned. A furrow pulled his brows together at the sharp look of embarrassment on her face. “Cole, um, I need to use the restroom?”
He held onto the chuckle that wanted to spew out. “Are you okay peeing out here?” he asked. Not that she had any choice.
Emily looked around, unable to meet his gaze, and bit her lip.
“Yes. But I don’t want you to ... you know?”
Cole smiled. “Yeah, I understand. Try that tree over there. It’s far enough away for your privacy,” he said, pointing to a large one several yards away, then walked toward his horse. “But first, let me get you a bit of toilet paper.”
“That’s okay to use and leave on the ground?”
“Yeah. It’s biodegradable. It’s meant for people who camp. I always carry some with me.” He handed her a few squares and watched her move toward the tree. It didn’t take her long to do her business before heading back to her horse. He walked over to her as she stood by her horse.
“Let me help you up.”
Emily stiffened. “I don’t need help.”
“Think about it, Em. You’re pretty stiff, right?”
Better to get help than land on her ass in front of him. Emily paused and then nodded. “You’re right. I could use a boost.” Cole wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her onto the saddle. She was astonished by his strength.
“Are you steady?”
She exhaled. “Yes. Thank you.”
Cole made sure her foot was in the stirrup before looking up at her. He smiled at her and snatched up the blanket, folded it, and pushed it back into the saddlebag. “Let’s head back.”
Her breath caught at how graceful he was mounting his horse.
Everything about this man was attractive.
She hadn’t found anything that she didn’t like.
She nudged her horse forward and stared at Cole's back as he moved in front of her. He was so large. His legs were twice the size of her own and looked as hard as stone. She could see the muscle definition through the dark blue t-shirt he wore when he moved in a specific way. She could see how his biceps strained the fabric of his shirt, and his chest was massive and well defined. She couldn’t see his stomach, but she’d bet he had a nice drool-worthy six-pack.
The more she got to know of him the more significant the divide.
He had so much more than her ex-husband in everything.
How could she ever be able to keep his attention if she couldn’t even keep Winston’s?
Her spirits lowered the closer they got to the ranch.
She needed to stay away from him as much as possible for her own health.
****
Cole looked back at Emily a few times and caught the look of sadness that she tried to hide when she knew he was watching. He could guess what was going through her mind, and it pissed him off. If she assumed this friendship wasn’t going to continue, she was crazy.
They made it back to the ranch within an hour. Cole dismounted and walked the few feet to her. He raised his arms.
“Let me help.”
Emily looked around before lowering herself into his arms. She sagged against him as the blood raced through her veins and some of the numbness left her legs.
He held her against his chest with one arm while the other held the back of her head and pressed her face into his chest. He knew he only had a few moments before she would move away, so he wanted to savor every second.
It was incredibly challenging for him when she loosened her grip on his waist and took a step back.
She peeked up at him. “Thank you for everything. I’ll never forget today as long as I live.”
His arms had loosened when she’d stepped back. He raised one hand to her face and rubbed his thumb over her cheek before moving over her lips.
“I’ll never forget it either. Maybe we can do it again soon?”
Emily nodded nonchalantly and took another step back.
“Yeah, sure. Maybe we’ll both find time to take another ride.”
His eyes narrowed at her. He had a feeling she was saying that to appease him and had no intention of going anywhere with him.
She was pulling back, and he couldn’t do anything about it at that moment.
He had to get her to trust him before he demanded anything from her.
He nodded his head and watched in anger as she turned and made her way toward her cabin.
****
Emily held her breath as she moved away from Cole.
She had the feeling he was holding himself back from pouncing on her, and she didn’t think she had the strength right then to resist him.
Also straining her already tight nerves was the cramping pain from the horseback ride she tried to hide from him.
She knew if he caught even a hint of pain, he’d be on her and trying to take care of her faster than she could take a full breath.
The breath she’d been holding whooshed out when her cabin door closed behind her.
A groan escaped next as she leaned against the door.
God, her legs had never ached this way, not even when she pushed herself to run another mile.
Besides horses, running had been the only time she’d felt free.
It used to drive Winston nuts, but this was the one thing besides her girls that made her truly happy.
He complained there was too much she needed to get done around the house.
Sadly, she also ran to stay in shape, hoping maybe Winston would want to make love with her and not end up putting her down for something.
Funny thing was, he bitched about her running but then bitched at her to lose her fat ass.
Nothing she did made him happy. It was only after he left her for the other woman did she realize how poorly he treated her. She deserved better.
Emily was afraid her daughters had watched how much of a mouse she acted—the things she let happen to her—and would end up in a relationship with an asshole like their father.
They had talked about it once after the girls were both in college.
They had always hated the way their father treated her.
At a very young age, they’d recognized their father as a jerk.
They both just wanted her to be happy. She was so glad to know she was close to having everything she’d ever wanted.
Both girls were successful, so she didn’t have to worry about them too much.
She was looking for a place out in the country of her own, and had a career as an author.
At no time had she ever contemplated a man being in the equation.
She didn’t want to put herself in another situation where it was all about the man’s happiness, and her contentment got lost again.
Emily pushed herself away from the door, locked it, and shuffled toward the bathroom. A nice hot bath and Advil were the only things that were going to help her at that moment.