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  His amusement took some of the edge off his passion. “You can have as much as you want.”

  “I’ll make sure to toss you a leg or something,” she quipped, then bit her lip to stop what he was sure would be an ornery grin.

  That juicy, succulent lip. He just barely stifled a groan.

  “Is there anything important you’re missing back home?”

  He focused on her words, allowing them to redirect his thoughts. He was really in trouble here. “Just the usual stuff. Except”—he suddenly remembered the mess waiting for him—“there’s sort of a problem I have to deal with.”

  Her forehead wrinkled. “I hope it’s nothing serious.”

  “Hopefully, it won’t be.”

  “May I ask what it is?”

  He could hear the hesitation in her voice, and was glad she’d felt comfortable with him enough to at least push her uncertainty aside to ask. “Last week, I shoed a horse and everything was fine when his owner collected him. I then heard the animal died the next day, not sure from what, but the man blames me.”

  “Why?”

  Tom shrugged. “No reason other than it was me who had his horse the day before. Nothing out of the ordinary happened though. The horse was just fine from what I could tell.”

  “I wonder what happened.”

  “No clue. These things just happen sometimes.”

  “What does the man want you to do?”

  “He expects me to pay for damages so he can buy another horse.”

  “That doesn’t seem fair,” she grumbled, and satisfaction wove through him that she took his side on the matter.

  “It isn’t, but that happens a lot too when you own a business. I don’t think he has a lot of money to spare, so I can see why he’d go after me.”

  “Because you’re a millionaire?” She chuckled at her joke as she walked back to the meat.

  He shifted in his seat, grateful her attention was turned away. She’d thrown out her question as a joke, but the truth was, he was a millionaire. After all the deals he’d made with miners to fix their equipment at no charge in exchange for a percentage of their mine, he’d come out with more money than he could ever spend. It wasn’t too well known, but enough knew of his dealings to at least guess at his wealth. “I do well enough he thinks he can squeeze something out of me.”

  “You’re not going to pay him, are you?” she asked with concern.

  “No. If I had been at fault, or there was some doubt, I would pay him in a heartbeat. But just because I might be able to afford it, doesn’t mean I’ll let someone take advantage of me.”

  “Good.”

  “We’ll see what happens when the judge comes to town. Ronald might make a big fuss of it then.”

  “Ronald?”

  “The guy with the dead horse.”

  “Ah.”

  She turned back toward the fire and he stood from his chair, moving toward her. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  She peeled off a chunk of meat and his mouth watered…but not for the food.

  “Nope. I think we’re just about there.” She held out the piece still on the fork. “Would you like a sample?”

  Before she could say anything more, he snatched her wrist, then pulled her hand slowly toward him without breaking eye contact.

  Her eyes widened at what she must have seen in his eyes, but he couldn’t extinguish it. He should have never gotten closer to her. He should have never stood from the table. He could smell her over the cooking meat, and he shivered at her scent. She shouldn’t smell so good, but her own personal scent tantalized him more than the curling steam coming from the food.

  He opened his mouth and took the offering, chewing the succulent meat, before swallowing. “Delicious.” He didn’t let go of her hand, and he loved that she didn’t shy away.

  “You said this was a bad idea,” she reminded him quietly.

  “It is. We need to stay friends.”

  “Yes. But...” Her eyes were round and innocent.

  He groaned and closed his eyes. “You’re going to kill me.”

  “I’m not trying to.”

  “Honey,” he looked at her softly, “you don’t need to try to do anything. Just being you drives me crazy.”

  Her gasp was soft and sharp, and he wanted to taste it, to have her make those same sounds when his mouth was on hers. “I shouldn’t… but I have to. Just once more,” he said with a groan, unable to look away from her lips.

  “Yes. One more time.” She leaned toward him and the pull was too much to bear. Still holding her wrist, he wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her snug against him, taking her lips quickly.

  Colors and sensations flooded through him, and he felt like he was being sucked up inside a tornado. All he could do was feel, and taste, and lick. He was addicted to her, to her taste and smell and feel.

  He kissed her deeper, longer, opening her up until her tongue tangled with his. He caught her moans in his mouth and reveled in each one, greedy for more.

  The fork dropped to the floor with a clatter, and he let go of her hand a second before she brought it to his shoulder and squeezed.

  Yes.

  The word drew out in his mind. Everything in him screamed. Yes to her, yes to this, yes to this moment, yes to the future. He wanted it all, and he wanted it now.

  Before he was completely lost, he pulled away from her lips and pulled her body in tight, squeezing her as he closed his eyes, his head resting on hers.

  They both sucked in deep breaths, and he tried to hold on to his control, to remember why things could not go any further right now. She deserved better than this, and he didn’t care if it killed him, he would always treat her with respect.

  After a few minutes, she wiggled, but he squeezed her tighter. “Just give me one more minute.” He thought she might try to pull away again, and he would have let her go if she had, but instead, she wrapped her arms around him and held him just as tightly as he was holding her.

  I will be strong for her.

  “Are you all right?” she asked.

  Her hair muffled his laugh, but he finally released his grip and she eased back a little. Worry filled her eyes, and he stroked her cheek with his index finger. “Everything is great.”

  Her eyes cleared. “Good. I was worried that…”

  “That I would regret it?”

  She bit her lip, not saying anything as she nodded.

  He leaned forward and brushed a soft kiss against her lips. “I can’t regret kissing you, when it felt better than anything else in my life ever has,” he said honestly, not allowing the thought of how they were supposed to only be friends at this time intrude.

  She dipped her head, but he could tell she was pleased.

  “Why don’t we eat and go to sleep? It’s getting late,” he said, hoping the meal would distract him.

  “Sounds like a good plan to me. I hope it doesn’t get too cold tonight,” she said and turned back toward the food.

  His steps slowed as he followed her. “About that...it might be best if I didn’t sleep on the bed with you tonight.” He rubbed the back of his neck, just thinking about all the ways he could ravish her, and how impossible it would be to resist if she indicated any interest in taking things further.

  “Do you think so? Do you think it would, ah, ruin our friendship?” Her gaze flicked to the bed before returning to his, and he could see she understood.

  “I wish I could say it wouldn’t be a problem, but I’m pretty sure it would be if I sleep with you tonight. With any luck, the snow will continue to slow down. We’ll only be stuck in here another day or so, then we can head home.”

  “Really?”

  For some reason, he thought she would be a bit more ecstatic about his announcement, but she wasn’t. She couldn’t possibly want to stay here, could she?

  He must be more tired than he thought. He hoped, with any luck, his exhaustion would help him pass out tonight. Otherwise, sleeping on the flo
or would make for one cold, horrible night.

  But he’d do it over and over again to protect Rosalie. She mattered to him.

  Chapter 9

  Rosalie woke up tired, cold, and grumpy. She curled her body tighter in a ball, hoping to preserve body heat, but it was useless. She sat up, cautiously stretching her stiff muscles, and couldn’t hold back a soft groan of pain.

  “Are you hurt?” Tom’s voice sounded as gritty as she felt.

  “Just a little sore.” She glanced at the door and saw faint sunlight filtering through the cracks. At least it was morning. “How did you sleep?”

  “I’ve had better.” Except maybe when she’d been very ill when she was younger, she couldn’t remember a worse night. She’d been so cold, her body hadn’t been able to relax enough to allow her to sleep peacefully.

  “We should probably check the traps before it gets any later.”

  He was right, but the thought of going outside, where it was even colder, made her want to whimper, but they didn’t have a choice. They needed food.

  Tom, bless him forever, went to the fire and stoked it. It didn’t help a lot, but it was just enough for her to feel faint traces of heat, which was better than none at all. After sleeping tucked up next to Tom the night before, being alone in bed had been miserable. Would she still feel the same way once she got home? Would she forever hate sleeping alone, now that she knew how glorious it could be to have someone next to her? She sincerely hoped not. Because she’d definitely be sleeping by herself when she returned home.

  Refusing to pout in bed, she sat up and wrapped the blanket snug around her shoulders. Breath whooshed from her lungs as she stepped out of bed, her body rebelling against the drop in temperature, and she instantly regretted mentally complaining how cold the bed had been. Unfortunately, the deep inhale was a mistake as well, because ice crystals had formed in her lungs, or so it felt.

  “Hey.” Tom moved in front of her and rubbed her arms through the blanket when she collapsed back on the bed. “We’ll keep the fire high today. It’ll be warmer.”

  “I think we’re going to have to chance sleeping together tonight. It was just too cold.”

  He pressed his lips together and nodded. “I hardly slept either.”

  “Let’s hurry and get this over with. Once we check the traps, we can hop back in bed and get more sleep.”

  Nothing had ever sounded better in her life than to snuggle up to Tom and pass out. She nodded her quick agreement and stood from the bed. With any luck, they’d be back before she knew it.

  She steeled herself as Tom cracked open the door. He glanced back at her with a resigned look. “Just think of the scalding bath you’ll take once you return home.”

  She appreciated his encouragement. “The ten boiling cups of tea I’ll drink.”

  “The hottest summer day.”

  “A blazing bonfire.”

  His mouth twitched. “There you go.” He peeked out the door, then his gaze returned to hers. “Same thing as yesterday. Let me go first; stay behind me.”

  Tom eased out the door, and after a moment, signaled it was safe for her to follow. They were quiet and alert as they made their way out of the cabin and closer to the trees, but after a few more minutes, they began to relax a little.

  She sighed and wrapped her blanket tighter. “I’m glad the wolf seems to have forgotten us.”

  “Me too. Let’s hurry.”

  They moved from trap to trap, finally finding something in the second to last one.

  Tom made quick work of the release and held up the animal. “Looks like we were lucky again.” To her embarrassment, her stomach let out a soft growl and he laughed. “Good thing too.”

  She snorted. “You have to be hungry as well.”

  “Absolutely. When we get home, I fully plan on eating Sally clean out of her pot roast the first chance I get,” he said, referring to Sally’s Cafe back in town.

  Rosalie agreed with him there. The first few meals she had once they returned would be inhaled instead of enjoyed, and she had no plans to feel ashamed.

  They checked the last location and found it empty, before finally heading back. They’d reset all the traps of course, but she desperately hoped they wouldn’t need them much longer. “Do you still think we’ll be able to go home tomorrow?”

  He eyed the snow pile and nodded. “Looks that way. The snow has stopped, and by tomorrow, it should be safe enough to ride down the mountain.”

  Relief coursed through her, and she was grateful both of their mounts had survived the storm as well. “This has been an adventure, but I think I’m ready to go back to a normal, boring, safe life.”

  “Amen.”

  They chatted softly as they made their way back to the cabin, and Rosalie was distracted with happiness that they could go home tomorrow, when Tom’s arm shot out and stopped her in place.

  His body rigid, he strained, listening to the quiet forest.

  The hairs on her arms raised, but she didn’t know why, didn’t know what danger was out there. Had the forest been this quiet a moment ago?

  She opened her mouth to speak, but Tom pressed a finger to his lips, signaling for her to remain quiet. She swallowed her question and held still as he eased the rope holding the dead animal off his shoulder and lifted his shotgun.

  She strained to hear something, anything, that would signal what was happening. He eased a step forward, and then another, until they were just barely in the cabin’s clearing.

  The horses shied, agitated, and their soft nickers grew more alarmed. Her mount reared, kicking the lean-to with a terrifying bang. Her heart froze, worried the structure would collapse from the horse’s hooves and fall on them.

  She moved a step toward the horses, her only thought to save them, but Tom’s hand clamped around hers, holding her in place. “Wait.”

  “But the horses—”

  “I know.”

  And before she could say anything further, the wolf—the one she had hoped would leave them alone—darted from the opposite side of the clearing straight toward the horses.

  Tom swore, trying to keep the wolf in sight, but the mounds of snow blocked him and then the horses did too, once it reached them, as they reared in panic.

  “Whoa!” Rosalie cried, but didn’t dare move any closer.

  The wolf snarled and nipped at the horses’ legs. Tom’s mount tried to kick the predator, but missed.

  Screams filled the air, and Rosalie couldn’t discern between hers and the horses. Tom ran toward the animals, looking for an opening, but cursed as the horses frantic movements kept him from approaching. “I can’t get a clean shot!”

  Her horse reared one last time, crushing the log their restrains were tied to. Before she could blink, both horses bolted out of the clearing, the wolf and their loose ropes trailing behind them.

  Smoke filled the air as Tom fired his gun, the bullet burrowing into the wolf, which was now lying motionless and silent on the ground.

  Tom’s breath heaved as he slowly lowered his weapon, his eyes still trained on the creature.

  Rosalie looked to where the horses had run, the sound of their hooves no longer audible, then trailing her stunned gaze back to the animal which had caused so much trouble. “Is it dead?”

  Tom didn’t answer, but walked over to the wolf. He nudged it with his toe, before glancing back at her. “Yes.”

  Adrenaline still spiked her blood, but she let out a relieved sigh. Now that they’d killed it, there was one less thing to worry about. “You’re sure it’s the one from before?”

  “I can see where the other bullet hit him.”

  “That’s good.”

  He nodded, but he didn’t seem as if he agreed. “Are you worried there are more of them?” she asked, trying to figure out what he was thinking.

  “No. He was alone before and again this time. I don’t think we’ll have any more trouble from wolves.”

  “Then what’s wrong?”

  “We no
w have an entirely new problem.”

  Her eyes trailed back to where the horses ran. “You don’t think they’re coming back, do you?”

  He shook his head. “I doubt it.”

  If they didn’t have the horses, they couldn’t ride out tomorrow. “Are we stuck here until spring?” She tried to keep her words light, but the possibility scared her. Would they have to survive like this over winter? Could they survive? And if they did, what would happen to their lives in Promise Creek?

  He blew out a long breath. “Hopefully, it won’t come to that. Horses are smart. They know the way home. With any luck, they’ll make it back, and people will come looking for us.”

  “But they might not make it...right?”

  He didn’t answer one way or another. He didn’t need to. The only thing they knew for certain was that they were stuck here for now, and they didn’t know for how long. She wanted to think the horses would make it, but could someone really find them here? “How many people know about this cabin?”

  He held still as he looked at her, determination filling his eyes. “We’re going to make it, Rosalie. I promise.”

  “I know. But how many people, Tom? I’d like to know.”

  She waited several heartbeats before he answered. “Not many.”

  It was as bad as she’d thought. How was anyone going to find them, if they didn’t even know this place existed?

  He stepped forward then and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in tight against his chest. “It’s going to be all right. I swear to you, we’re going to be just fine.”

  She squeezed her eyes and held him tight, desperately wanting to believe his words.

  Chapter 10

  Two more days passed, and Tom and Rosalie remained relatively quiet as they waited for rescue. If the horses were going to make it back to town, Tom knew they would have by now. The sun had shone brightly the last two days, and while the snow wouldn’t completely melt away until spring, it was currently possible to ride through.

  Once winter really settled in though, not even that would be possible. If others didn’t find them soon, they definitely wouldn’t until spring.