Rocky Mountain Valentine

by Carol Steward

  One glance at the horse, and she knew the answer. She shook her head. “No...no way.”

  “It’s okay. I’ll pull you up with me.”

  Again she looked at the distance from the ground to the saddle, and shrugged. “Yeah...right,” she slurred.

  “Don’t sound so skeptical. You’ll be fine.” Adam helped her to her feet, grabbed the snowshoes and called the horse closer, still offering her support. “Hold on a minute.” Adam turned, staying close enough for her to lean on.

  “Toby, come. Sit.” Adam tied the snowshoes onto Toby’s blue backpack. “Good boy.” Toby barked.

  Lisa glanced at Toby, blinked, then looked back at the dog again. “He’s a...a rescue dog?”

  “We’re training for the local search-and-rescue team.”

  Lisa longed to collapse again. She was tired and sore—beyond feeling the cold. She smiled weakly. “Lucky me.”

  Adam eased her closer to the horse, then put his foot in the stirrup and swung his leg over the animal’s back, seating himself behind the saddle. He leaned down and pulled her into the leather seat in front of him. “Come on, sweetie. Swing your leg over. We’ll be home in a few minutes.”

  Seconds later she was settled on the horse’s back with Adam’s arm around her. As if by magic, he pulled a blanket out of somewhere, covered her legs and tucked it behind her knees.

  Adam made a clicking sound with his tongue and slapped the reins against the horse’s neck. “Let’s head home, Thunder.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  ADAM PULLED THE brim of his grandfather’s Stetson low over his eyes, blocking the wind. He hadn’t seen this much snow in the last two winters combined. Radio announcers were calling it the blizzard of the decade. A foot had fallen in the past eight hours—a rare occurrence at Whispering Pines.

  Thunder ducked his head against the wind and plowed through the heavy snow. Adam looked down at Toby, trotting along beside them with determination.

  Lisa’s head bobbed. Probably tired, he decided. She’d been out less than five hours, yet from the distance she’d covered, she must have been moving most of the time. “Lean back, Lisa. I have you.” He eased her head to rest in the crook of his neck and tipped his hat close to protect her face from the wind.

  While they were still experiencing white-out conditions, actual temperatures hadn’t dropped much below freezing. Still, gusts kept the chill factor plenty dangerous. Forecasters didn’t look for the storm to move out for another twenty-four hours.

  The lodge looked dark as they approached. It could be a cold night without electricity. Adam rode up to the back door and dismounted, holding Lisa tight with one hand. He pulled her into his arms, opened the door, then rushed inside.

  Adam laid her on the couch in front of the woodstove. He eased her hood back and gently pulled the turtleneck from her face. “I’ll be right back, Lisa. I need to put Thunder in the barn.” She snuggled into the sofa and closed her eyes.

  Adam hurried through unsaddling Thunder and made sure the animals had enough water and feed to last the night.

  As he entered the lodge, Adam tossed his coat into the corner and found the matches. He lit the oil lamp on the kitchen wall, took it into the next room and lit all the candles, making a mental note to fill the cupboard with emergency supplies.

  He picked up the phone to call Emily, hoping to confirm treatment for Lisa’s possible frostbite. Though he’d handled mild cases of his own, dealing with someone else was a totally different issue. The phone was dead. “Well, looks like it’s just you and me—”

  Adam looked at Lisa, sound asleep. He would never in his life be able to erase the memory of her curled into a ball, covered with an inch of snow. The soft glow of the fire illuminated her fragile features. He had to get her out of those wet clothes.

  He added another log to the fire. With the high-beamed ceilings, there was little hope of staying warm in here. Even with the catalytic converter on the stove to crank up the heat, it wouldn’t take long before all of the heat rose to the second floor.

  “Lisa, wake up.” Her puffy eyelids reluctantly parted. Adam pulled her hands from under her head and carefully removed the wet gloves. He unzipped her parka and slipped it off, then gently tugged the thick fleece headband from her ears. Her body let out an involuntary shudder as she woke.

  She had gone out well prepared for the elements. Over her turtleneck she wore a long pink sweater he hadn’t seen before. No wonder her luggage weighs so much. “I’m going to take your boots off. Tell me if it hurts.” He carefully unlaced them and pulled the opening as wide as it would go on both boots.

  “I did have them waterproofed...” Lisa said absently as she watched with rounded blue eyes, wincing when her toes exited the narrow opening.

  “There,” he said. “The worst is over. How are you doing?”

  She smiled tentatively. “Toes tingle a bit.” She reached down and pulled one set of damp wool socks off, exposing a thinner pair.

  “Hang on. We need to get you into dry clothes first.” He set the boots on the tile under the woodstove, trying to distract himself from the awkward task ahead. “After the boots dry, I’ll waterproof them again.” He touched her calf. “How’re your legs?”

  “I twisted my ankle but it feels okay now. Must have been my immediate ice therapy.” A smile softened her features. “Quick thinking, huh?”

  “Must have been.” He chuckled, happy to see she still had a sense of humor. Adam sat back on his foot. “Though, actually, your legs were the most exposed.” He pressed on her calf again. “This hurt?”

  She shook her head.

  He wrapped his hand around her foot and squeezed gently. “This?”

  “No, I don’t feel a thing.”

  That wasn’t a good sign, but he didn’t want to worry her. “You have two choices. I can either carry you upstairs to change, or I can go get your dry clothes for you. Which would you prefer?”

  The anxious look on her face told him she, too, felt the same awkwardness over the situation. What he wouldn’t do to have his mother here right now, even though he was relieved to know she was safe.

  Lisa’s voice sounded raspy. “It’s silly to be so modest over a few undergarments, isn’t it? After all, they’re just clothes.”

  Adam felt his heartbeat quicken and the corner of his mouth turn up despite his attempt to stop it. “I can’t deny that, though it isn’t quite the same in person. I didn’t want to invade your privacy or I’d have grabbed you a fresh change.” His smirk grew to a full-fledged smile. “Would it help if I promised not to peek?”

  Color returned to her cheeks. “No,” she said demurely. “If you’ll help me up the stairs, I’m sure I can change on my own.”

  “You shouldn’t put any weight on your feet. If there’s frostbite, it could damage the skin tissue.”

  She swung her legs over the edge of the sofa and set them on the rug. The pain was immediately evident.

  “Hang on, here we go.” Adam wrapped a blanket around her and lifted her into the cradle of his arms. She locked her hands behind his neck.

  “It’s getting dark.”

  “Electricity is out.” He felt the shiver spread through her body and he pulled her closer. “Don’t worry, we’ll be fine. It’ll be warmer in my quarters. None of these fancy high ceilings. My grandparents didn’t even have central heating until the fifties.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  He felt the warmth of her breath on his face. “Nope, and they stayed plenty warm with the stoves. Of course, they didn’t leave the ranch all winter.”

  He was glad he’d thought to install rechargeable emergency lights for the main hall and guest rooms. They not only lit the way but also provided enough light so Lisa could get what she needed.

  Adam struggled to ignore the feelings he was having for the woman in his arms. She was an independent woman with her mind on the future and making a place for herself in the world. His own corner of it didn’t fit into the jet-setter
’s scheme. He was nothing more than her current assignment. She needed him now, but that wouldn’t last.

  “I should probably use the rest room while I’m here. If you wouldn’t mind, I’ll change in there.”

  “Oh, okay. Make it quick. I don’t want you away from the fire too long. While you change, I’ll check the pipes in the other suites. If you need any help...I’ll um...be right back.” He set her down and handed her a towel to dry off, feeling like a sixteen-year-old and probably sounding even younger.

  The smile on her face reassured him that she not only shared his discomfort, but also understood the meaning behind his words, despite his stumbling over each one. “Thanks, Adam. I’ll call when I’m ready.”

  He carried her down the stairs a few minutes later. Lisa admired Adam’s profile as he stoked the fire. He brushed a wisp of hair from his forehead and she wondered if it was the only unmanageable aspect of his life.

  Lisa lowered her hand over the edge of the sofa and ran her fingers over Toby’s soft black fur. Toby had followed them into Adam’s house, planting himself protectively by her side.

  Adam pushed himself to his full height and glanced over his shoulder. The outline of his athletic physique stretched the waffle-weave fabric of his shirt. He pushed up the sleeves, exposing his muscular forearms. “You warming up?”

  Lisa tried to shut out the images of

  Adam’s strong arms holding her, catching her, embracing her. “I’m feeling much better. Thanks.”

  “Time to check your feet.” Adam pulled a cast-iron teakettle from the woodstove and poured water into a plastic basin. “Just a sec.” A few moments later he arrived with an ice-cream bucket of snow.

  Lisa pulled the blanket tighter around her. “You know, there’s plenty of the white stuff outside and I really don’t care to save any for nostalgia’s sake.”

  Adam smiled, softening the worry lines on his face. “I need to cool this water down.” He scooped snow into the steaming water. He knelt before her, lifted the blanket off her legs and gently pulled the sock from her foot.

  Toby whimpered, and Lisa patted his head. “It’s okay, boy.” She leaned forward to look at her feet. They were unusually white. “How bad is it?”

  Adam pulled the sock from her other foot. She ran her fingers over the puffy ankle.

  “Don’t rub. You have a mild case of frostbite.” He gently surrounded her toes with his hands. “Don’t get too close to the fire...you won’t be able to tell if they get too warm.” He pulled the basin to the edge of the sofa and added a little more water.

  He turned his hand palm up and dripped water onto it. “Cooled it off too much.” He added another glug of hot water, repeating the procedure until he seemed pleased with the temperature.

  “Looks like you’ve fed your share of babies.”

  He laughed. “Only calves. My sisters and Emily breast-fed. And when they had to give them bottles, it took a more experienced hand than Uncle Adam’s.”

  She watched his callused hands lift each foot into the water with amazing tenderness. Adam squeezed liquid over her feet and lower legs with a washcloth, then with a baby-soft touch, he massaged. “Wiggle your toes while I get us a warm drink.”

  “You don’t have to wait on me.” She moved.

  He rested a hand on her shoulder. “Actually, I do, and I will. For the next few hours at least, I’m your servant, so what’ll you have—homemade cherry cider, cocoa or coffee?”

  “Homemade cider?”

  “A lady from the local church has an orchard in the Devil’s Backbone area. She makes cider, jelly and pies. We live for cherry season. Which sounds good?”

  Her body slumped back against the cushions. “I think I’d like to try the cider. Thanks.” Lisa heard Adam pull things from the cupboard. Soon after, he set a pan on the wood-burning stove, then filled it with the red liquid. The tart aroma filled the room like a garden in blossom.

  “Any feeling in your feet yet?”

  “Unfortunately, yes. The pain just started.”

  He set another towel on the carpet. Adam took Lisa’s feet from the water and carefully blotted them dry. “That means the blood is circulating again.”

  She uncovered her feet and examined them. “They’re all red. The water didn’t seem that hot.”

  “It wasn’t. That’s normal, too.” He poured her a mug of cider and handed it to her. She wrapped her hands around the mug and felt the warmth seep through her body, startled to realize she was still chilled. “Put your feet up and relax. I’ll get you some roomy socks, then I’ll see what I can find for supper.”

  Lisa sipped the cider and snuggled down into the sofa while she waited for his return.

  She could hear his sturdy footsteps on the floor above. In a matter of minutes he was stretching soft thick socks over her feet, stuffing feather pillows behind under her back and tucking the soft fleece blanket around her. And then he was gone again.

  While Adam called the lodge “home,” she could see this was where he lived. It was still meticulously neat, but it was truer to the man himself. His ties to family were evident here. Pictures were everywhere. She stretched to reach the five-by-seven of Adam’s mother and father. His dad was a handsome man who’d passed on a strong resemblance to his youngest son.

  Bookshelves lined with novels included big-name authors, and more books were stacked on the buffet next to the dining room window.

  She looked into the blackness and wondered how much longer she could have survived the elements. One wiggle of her toes served to remind her how fortunate she’d been that Adam and Toby had come when they did.

  Adam entered the room, dropped a load of wood into the bin and added wood to the fire. “How does leftover soup sound?” The cast-iron door closed with a bang. “Lisa, are you okay? Do you need a painkiller?”

  She opened her eyes, only then feeling the moisture trickle down her cheeks. “No, it’s not bad.”

  He paused. “Oh. Sorry if I interrupted...”

  She shrugged and wiped the tears away. More replaced them, and Lisa fought for control. She wasn’t the crying type, but the more she tried to stop, the more emotion engulfed her body.

  Adam disappeared and returned with a box of tissues. “If you’d like to talk...”

  “No.”

  “Can I get you anything?”

  “No,” she snapped, avoiding his probing gaze.

  Adam brushed the hair from her face, his rough hands cooled her warm skin. “It’s okay to cry, Lisa. It’s even okay to let yourself need someone.”

  How tempting it would be to believe him, but that would only end in pain, as well. “Maybe in your world that works...”

  Adam helped her sit up and make room for him. He pulled her back to his chest, wrapping his arms around her. “It could be your world, too.”

  Lisa closed her eyes and drank in the comfort of Adam’s nearness, tried to let his words erase doubt from her mind. She thought of the afternoon and gulped back a sob. “I was so afraid you wouldn’t find me.”

  She felt his chest rise and fall in quick succession. “I was, too, until Toby showed up and led me across the valley.” His breath was warm against her skin.

  Adam leaned his face close to hers, his rough chin grazing her cheekbone. “Now you can understand why I opened Whispering Pines Guest Ranch. I want guests to have a refuge from life, where they can find peace, just like I did when my own life spun out of control.”

  “You think my life is spinning out of control?”

  He shook his head. “You’re the one who has to answer that, Lisa. But when you figure it out, would you let me know?”

  She felt a certain sadness at his reply. Despite her attempts to shut out her feelings for Adam, each day they spent together, her feelings for him grew.

  She couldn’t forget the passion of that first kiss, or the tenderness of his arms, or the hope she felt just being around Adam MacIntyre.

  Adam pushed her away and stood, adjusting the pillows aga
in. “Dinner will be ready in a minute.”

  And then she was alone.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CANDLELIGHT, AN ATTRACTIVE woman and a feeling of protectiveness were a lethal combination. After the turn their conversation had taken, Lisa probably needed a few minutes alone. He needed it even more.

  Adam reminded himself that Lisa’s days at the ranch were numbered. She needed a job. Wanted the career she’d trained for. He couldn’t blame her for that. Not every woman considered life on a secluded ranch a career goal.

  He looked around. There would be a lifetime of work here, that much was sure, but he’d learned quickly that being self-employed meant there was no guarantee of that monthly paycheck or benefits package. He couldn’t ask her to give up her dreams for a ranch that was more in the red than ever before.

  He had to keep his distance. When the lights came back on, he didn’t want either of them to have any regrets. Lisa had had enough broken promises.

  He poured the jar of leftover vegetable beef soup into a pot and set it on the gas stove to heat while he stepped outside with Toby. Adam took a deep breath of the cold air. He’d fallen in love with Lisa, and he wasn’t at all sure that was a good thing. It had happened so fast. She was hurting so much, and he didn’t know how to help her. But did he have the strength to let her go?

  “Toby, come.” The dog greeted Adam with a cheerful bark, seemingly energized by the cold air. Adam brushed the snow from his long fur and opened the door. Toby made a beeline directly to Lisa.

  Adam dished up two mugs of soup and tucked a package of crackers under his chin. At least the meal was hot and nourishing. Gourmet didn’t matter much at the moment. Lisa had to be exhausted. Once she ate, she’d probably fall asleep.

  When he entered the living room, she pulled her knees toward her body, making room for him on the sofa. So much for keeping my distance. He handed her a mug and moved for the chair next to the sofa, hoping she wouldn’t argue. “You were comfortable. Go ahead and stretch out. It’s easier to visit this way.”

  “It smells wonderful.” She reached for the crackers, the light of his grandmother’s oil lamp illuminating her golden hair and warm smile.