Mandy ran around laughing. When she fell, Chloe ran down the steps and picked her up. Snow covered Mandy’s face but she was fine, if her laughter was anything to go by. Chloe lifted her into her arms and returned to the kitchen. Chloe carried her through the living room. The little girl needed dry clothing. “Where’s your room?”
Mandy pointed down the hallway as her teeth started to chatter. “I’m c-cold.”
“You shouldn’t have gone out there. Your daddy’s going to be so mad,” Chloe murmured.
Mandy started crying. “I don’t want Daddy to be mad.”
Chloe hugged her. “Oh, honey, he won’t be mad at you. He’ll be mad at me.”
“We won’t tell him.”
Chloe laughed. “He’ll know. He’s not going to be happy about all the smoke in the house either.” Chloe wouldn’t be surprised if he tossed her out on her ear.
STORM FINALLY REACHED Chloe’s car. Ice was beginning to fall on top of the already snow-covered roads. His truck was four-wheel drive but that didn’t help on the ice. He hoped to get her things and hightail it back to the house before it got much worse. She had some serious explaining to do. Why in the hell was she in a wedding gown, and then to be walking to God knows where in it in the snow. She’d been in Wyoming long enough to know not to try to walk any distance in snow like this. She could have frozen to death. Son of a bitch! What was she thinking?
Storm parked his truck in the road, put the emergency flashers on, and climbed out. He was certain he was the only one out in this weather. He trudged through the deep snow then pulled open the car door as far as he could with snow piled against it, and pushed the button to release the trunk. He walked around the back of it and started pulling her suitcases out. He was shocked when he heard a horn blow and glanced over his shoulder to see his friend, Montgomery Bradford. They’d grown up together on the Cheyenne Reservation until their mothers moved here to Dry River, where they’d met Lucas Taggart, Cooper Lang, Lincoln Cole, and Dakota Walker. As young boys, they had become inseparable and still remained close friends as grown men. Storm walked through the snow to the cruiser.
“Hey, Mont. What the hell are you doing out in this?”
“I could ask you the same thing,” Mont said, smiling. “Whose car?”
“Chloe’s.”
“Chloe? As in Chloe Baxter?”
“One and the same. I came across her last night. I found her a little way up from the car. Lying in the snow. She was unconscious. I took her to my house. Good thing I came along when I did. She could have frozen to death.” Storm grit his teeth. It still pissed him off that she’d tried walking in this weather.
“Damn. She should know better than that,” Mont said and then grinned up at him. “So, she’s staying at your house, huh?”
“Fuck you, Bradford. Don’t even go there.”
“Not a very respectful way to speak to a sheriff’s deputy.”
Storm laughed. “I was speaking to you as a so-called friend.”
Mont laughed. “I’m on my way home now. My shift is over, unless I get called out for any accidents. No one should be out in this, including you. You need to get home, Storm.”
“Yes sir. I’m going as soon as I get her luggage. With this ice mixing in with the snow, it will get worse before it gets better.”
Mont saluted. “Do you want me to follow you home?”
“I’m good. Go on home to Isabella and those babies.”
“With pleasure. I might even have her warm me up.”
“Too much information, Mont.”
“I’ll see you around. Be careful.” Mont put his window up and drove around Storm’s truck.
Storm watched him go down the road then turned to get the rest of the luggage. There were several large and small suitcases. Where was she taking all of this? She’d been in a wedding dress when he found her, which led him to think maybe she’d run off from her wedding but what was the hurry to get back here that she didn’t change her clothes. Chloe getting married. Why did the thought of that bother him so much? Well, he was going to get the story out of her. Soon.
Storm loaded the bags into the back seat then climbed into his truck, found a place to turn around, and headed home. Slowly.
THE SMOKE HAS JUST begun to clear out of the house when Chloe heard Storm calling for them. Chloe stood and sighed. “We’re in Mandy’s bedroom,” she called out and cringed, waiting for the reaction.
A not happy looking Storm filled the doorway. “What’s with all the smoke? Are you both all right?”
“We’re fine. I lit the fire and didn’t know about opening the damper,” Chloe told him. She watched as he tipped his head down, the cowboy hat hiding his face. When he glanced up, she could see the laughter in his eyes.
“Never lit a fire before, huh?”
Chloe placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at him. “No.” At least he didn’t seem angry about it.
His lips twitched and then he noticed Mandy. “Why is your hair wet, Amanda Jo? Did you take your bath already?”
“No. I went outside, Daddy.”
“Why?” Chloe heard the anger behind the softly asked question.
“I wanted to play in the snow,” Mandy whispered.
“It’s my fault—” Chloe started to say but when Storm shifted his dark eyes at her, she stopped.
“Is it Chloe’s fault, Amanda?”
“No, Daddy.” Mandy wouldn’t look up at her father, Chloe noticed.
“Storm, I told her to open the back door and—”
“You didn’t tell her to go out into the snow, did you?”
“Of course not.”
“Then it’s Amanda’s fault.” Storm’s eyes ran over her. “You’re wet too. Your suitcases are in your room. You need to change out of those wet clothes.”
There was no doubt, she’d been dismissed and he was going to deal with Mandy going outside on his own. Chloe didn’t know what kind of father he was, but she hoped he didn’t spank the little girl. She walked past him and headed to her room. She started to shiver as she stripped the wet clothes off. Glancing down at herself, she was shocked she’d gone out into the snow with only socks on her feet to get Mandy when she fell. Chloe paused to listen but didn’t hear either of them talking and since she didn’t hear any crying, she felt a little more at ease.
“WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, Amanda Jo?” Storm moved into the room, closing the door behind him, and narrowing his eyes at his daughter then walked to the bed.
“I wanted to play in the snow, Daddy.” Mandy lifted her head and stared up at him. He squatted down in front of her.
“You know you do not go outside alone. We’ve talked about this. There are too many dangers out there for you to be on your own outside.”
“Yes, Daddy.” Mandy moved closer to him, wrapped her arm around his neck, and worked her way onto his lap. He did his best not to smile. She knew how to get to him.
“So, why did you?” he asked quietly.
“I don’t know.” Mandy laid her head on his shoulder. “It’s so pretty.”
“What if you’d have gotten lost? What if Chloe hadn’t seen you?”
“I wasn’t going to go far. I just wanted to play in it.”
“I’ve told you about the wild animals that can be around and I’ve told you how dangerous it is to be out in deep snow. You are never to do that again. Do you understand me, Amanda Jo Bateman?”
“Yes, Daddy,” Mandy told him and then kissed his cheek. “Can I take a bubble bath to get warm?”
Storm chuckled. “Yes. Let me change and I’ll be right back.”
He set her on the bed then headed down the hallway toward his bedroom. How could he stay mad at her? All she had to do was look at him with those dark eyes and he was a goner. He faltered in his steps when he saw Chloe standing in the doorway of her bedroom. She was nibbling on her bottom lip and looking concerned. Storm almost groaned.
“Is...is everything all right?” Chloe asked him.
/> He nodded. “Yes. She knows she’s not supposed to go outside alone. This ranch has over a thousand acres, she could easily get lost and in snow, it would be even worse. I know she says she won’t wander off but she’s a little girl, and curious.”
Chloe nodded. “I’m sorry—”
“We’ve established this, Chloe. It wasn’t your fault. Amanda knows what she did was wrong. She needs to learn to take responsibility.”
“Did you punish her?”
“Punish her? No. I scolded her and now she wants to take a bubble bath, which I’ll help her with once I get out of these wet jeans.”
“How did you get back so fast?”
“They plowed the roads...” He held his hand up when she started to interrupt. “Your car is still buried and they won’t be getting to it for days...or possibly weeks. I’m afraid you’re stuck here. Freezing rain is mixing in with the snow now. It won’t be long before the roads are impassable again. If you need to let someone know where you are, you need to call them if you haven’t already.”
“There’s no one,” she whispered.
Storm stared at her. “No one? What about...” Then he shook his head. Now wasn’t the time to get into her snowy fashion statement.
Chloe cleared her throat. “No. I haven’t let anyone know I was coming back, yet.”
He gave a terse nod. “Well, you’re welcome here as long as you need. Now, I need to change or my daughter will think I’ve forgotten her.”
Chloe laughed. “I doubt that. She adores you.”
“I feel the same about her.” He headed to his bedroom and closed the door behind him.
Damn, Chloe had the bluest eyes—eyes that could suck a man in and bring him to his knees. However, he’d been on his knees once and he wouldn’t be there again.
He pulled his jeans off, tossed them into the hamper, and then pulled out a clean pair of sweatpants. After dressing, he strode down the hall to his daughter’s bedroom and heard laughter coming from inside the adjoining bathroom. He smiled when he saw Chloe on her knees beside the tub and Mandy almost covered in bubbles. Mandy turned to look at him.
“Hi Daddy. Chloe’s helping me take a bath.”
Storm leaned against the doorjamb and folded his arms. “I see that.”
“Is it all right? I was heading for the living room and Mandy called me in to help her...”
“It’s fine. She gets a little impatient at times.”
“What’s in patient, Daddy?”
Storm chuckled. “Impatient, it means you can’t wait.”
Mandy giggled. “Daddy always tells me to hold my horses.” She shook her head. “I don’t have a horse, but I do have a pony. Her name is Ariel...like the mermaid.”
Storm groaned. “I tried to convince her to pick something else but she’s hardheaded.”
“I wonder where she gets that from...and I happen to think it’s a great name,” Chloe told him.
“You would.” Storm smiled at her, and their eyes caught and held. He cleared his throat and pushed away from the door. “Don’t let her turn into a prune.”
“HE’S WAY TOO GORGEOUS for my own peace of mind,” Chloe muttered.
“Do you like my daddy?”
Chloe started. “Well...sure. He’s really nice to let me stay here until the snow clears.”
Mandy giggled. “You can’t go anywhere else.” Suddenly, she frowned. “What if we can’t get to Nana’s for turkey?”
“I don’t know, honey.” Chloe had no idea what to tell her. She was certain Mandy and Storm wouldn’t be going anywhere, if what Jimmy told her was true. Another storm moving in next week would just make any type of travel impossible. She reached for a fluffy pink towel and had Mandy stand. She lifted her out and dried her. Then still naked, Mandy ran to her bedroom and jumped on her bed. Chloe sighed and laughed. To have even half of Mandy’s energy would be more than enough.
Chloe entered the bedroom to find Mandy jumping up and down on the bed. She folded her arms and stared at the little girl. “Are you allowed to do that?”
Mandy dropped down quickly and shook her head. “No.”
“You’re just doing it to see if I’ll let you. Is that it?”
Mandy frowned. “I like doing it but Daddy doesn’t like it when I do.”
Chloe walked to the bed. “Then don’t do it. He’s probably afraid you’ll fall and hurt yourself. Didn’t you just get scolded for not listening?”
Mandy nodded. “I know,” she whispered. “Daddy doesn’t like to yell at me.”
“Then don’t make him. You know Santa is coming soon so you need to be extra good.”
Mandy gasped. “I forgot. Santa will be mad at me for going out in the snow and jumping on my bed.” Her little bottom lip trembled.
Chloe sat on the bed beside her. “He’ll let those two things go if you behave now. What do you say to getting dressed?”
“Okay. I’ll be good.” Mandy ran to her dresser and pulled out pajamas.
“Isn’t it a little early in the day for PJs?”
“I like wearing them. Daddy lets me.”
“Daddy spoils you,” Chloe murmured.
Mandy giggled. “That’s what Nana says.” She ran from the room after dressing.
Chloe sighed again and followed the little bundle of energy into the living room. Storm sat in a recliner watching TV. She watched as Mandy crawled onto his lap. Chloe envied the little girl. She took a seat on the sofa.
“She wanted to wear her PJs.”
Storm nodded. “She loves to put them on after a bath, no matter what time she had the bath.”
Chloe nodded and totally understood. She wished she could do the same. “I’ve never asked what type of ranch you have, Storm.”
“It’s a horse ranch. I—”
“Daddy raises ’rabian horses,” Mandy volunteered by interrupting.
Storm smiled at her. “Close. I raise and sell Arabian horses.”
“I don’t know horses.”
“They’re big animals.” Mandy frowned.
Chloe laughed. “I know what a horse is. I meant I don’t know how to tell the difference in the breeds.”
“The Arabian is a horse breed that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. They have a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, and are one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It’s also one of the oldest breeds. Archaeological evidence of horses in the Middle East that resemble modern Arabians date back over four thousand years. They have a wonderful grace about them, are easily trainable, and are a dream to ride,” Storm told her.
“I think all horses are beautiful. I’ve just never ridden.”
“Daddy, Chloe will have to ride with us when we go get our tree,” Mandy said.
Storm nodded. “If she wants to go with us, she will.”
“You ride horses to get a tree?”
Storm nodded. “Yes. We go up to the north pasture. There are all types of pine trees up there and Mandy likes to pick one out. She always gets the biggest one she can find. Then we drag it back here and set it up.”
“Of course, you do,” Chloe murmured.
“You don’t have to go. It’s our tradition. Jimmy and Claire go with us and pick out a tree for themselves too.”
“Claire?” Chloe felt a stab of jealousy over an unknown woman. What is wrong with you?
“Claire is Jimmy’s wife.”
“I met Jimmy when I was outside earlier. He came over and introduced himself.”
“I’m surprised Claire hasn’t trudged through the snow to meet you then.”
Chloe nodded. She was sure Jimmy mentioned her being here to his wife and wondered what he’d said about her. Probably how she was a crazy woman who didn’t know to stay with her car in a snowstorm. Chloe shivered when she thought of what could have happened if Storm hadn’t come along and saved her. She would have frozen to death and been plowed under when the trucks went by. Her body might not have been found until spring. She shivered again.
/>
“Are you cold? I can light the fire,” Storm said. “I’ll open the damper first.”
Chloe snapped her head up and narrowed her eyes. “Am I never going to live that down?”
Storm burst out laughing. “It just happened an hour ago. Hell no, I’m not letting you live it down.”
“Daddy! You said a bad word again.”
“Sorry,” Storm muttered making Chloe laugh.
“I would love a fire though,” she told him still grinning over the little girl chastising her father.
Storm stood and set Mandy in his chair. He walked to the fireplace, reached into the flue to open the damper, but then turned and narrowed his eyes at her. “Once the fire went out, you should have closed the damper.”
“Open the damper, close the damper. I have no idea when to do what.”
“You open it when you have a fire and you close it when there’s no fire so the cold air doesn’t come in.”
“Whatever.”
Storm’s chuckle ran over her skin raising goose bumps. The man was way too good-looking, and his voice... She couldn’t take her eyes off him as he added wood to the grate. His damn sweatpants left little to the imagination. Of all the men, she’d dated in high school and college, not one of them could hold a candle to this rugged rancher.
She chewed on her bottom lip remembering how it felt when he’d chewed on it. Did he remember? She watched him stand and turn to face her. She allowed her eyes to rake up his tall frame. The heat of a hard blush rushed to the roots of her hair when she met those black eyes. She cleared her throat and tore her eyes away from him. Oh yeah, he remembered.
“I want to know about the wedding gown,” Storm said in a low voice, but Chloe shook her head. “You owe me.”
She gasped then scowled. “All right...but not right now.” She indicated Mandy with a shift of her eyes. “Please.”
Storm sighed and nodded. “Fine, but you will tell me. I don’t need a jilted fiancé storming onto my ranch.”
Storm Page 3
