Page 31 of Bedroom Rodeo
“I know. Warm too.” She plastered her body closer to him. “You give off so much heat, Piers.”
He brushed his lips over her forehead. If it were possible, he’d make sure she was never chilled a minute in her life from now on.
“Do you know what happened with Charlie?” Her faint tone sounded completely sober, but his ears would perk up to listen whether she was drunk or sober. If she told him something bad about Charlie, he couldn’t be responsible for what came next.
Like boarding the first plane bound for Washington and beating Charlie senseless.
“No, I don’t, Peachy.”
“He cheated on me.”
Outwardly, he controlled his reaction. Inside, he was in an MMA ring about to deliver the takedown blow.
“I’m sorry. He’s a total idiot.”
She nodded, rubbing her face against his chest. “I’m glad I’m here with you and Ash. I needed an escape.” She let out a huge yawn, and next thing he knew, she was slumped in his arms, fast asleep.
Tenderness washed over him. He’d forgotten Sylvee needed at least eight hours a night, and he and Ash definitely interrupted that schedule the previous night. That cold water and the drop in adrenaline after her near miss probably wiped her out too. But he wasn’t about to complain about holding her while she slept.
As he and Ash pushed the cattle toward the summer pasture, his mind kept returning to the moment she was swept off her horse into that river.
His heart still hadn’t completely recovered from the terror he’d felt.
He’d come too close to losing her.
Ahead of him, he settled his gaze on Ash. The man was pure grace in a saddle, but he knew by the set of his shoulders that he was more on edge than usual. He’d almost lost Sylvee too, and neither of them were the same people they were when they set out from the Boot Knockers Ranch this morning.
At any point, Ash’s horse might have slipped on the river rocks. It could have easily been Ash caught up in the rapid flow.
He couldn’t lose him either, dammit. All these years they’d claimed a deep friendship. They openly admitted that they enjoyed the physical part of their relationship. Not once had either of them brought emotions into the equation, but now there was no denying it.
Could he admit his feelings to Ash? Or to Sylvee?
Not now. Maybe in time.
For now, he just had to get Sylvee to that cabin and tuck her away safe and sound. They had little time together, and he and Ash had a lot of healing work to do.
They’d worked with a lot of ladies in similar situations. They felt undesirable, unworthy of love after some jerk broke their trust. While Piers was confident that he really had sent those women home from the ranch in a better headspace, he worried about Sylvee.
He would not fail.
The cabin came into view. The small structure sat on the edge of the pasture. It served as a place to stay while one of the Boot Knockers watched over the herd. It was small, sporting only a single bedroom and an open living space with a fireplace on one wall and seating. The kitchen consisted of a few cabinets, a sink and a small stove.
It also boasted a bathroom with a great shower and a bathtub for taking care of aches after a long ride on horseback.
Ash used his horse to push the cattle into the field. The cows immediately spread out and began cropping the nutritious grass.
Piers went directly to the cabin and brought his horse to a halt. The absence of motion woke Sylvee. Her blue eyes cracked open and burned up at him.
“We’re at the cabin, Peachy.”
She looked up at the cabin that had received a fresh coat of green paint the previous fall. The roof was pitched high enough to handle the Alaskan snows.
His gaze dropped to her lips. There was no stopping the urge to lean in and steal a taste of her.
She gave into the kiss, mouth moving against his in a soft way that triggered his protective instincts even more. When they broke apart, she sent him a heart-flipping smile.
Oh yes, a dozen ideas were already forming in his brain about how make her feel beautiful…and loved.