Temptation Ridge (Virgin River #6)(33)

About twenty feet into their descent, it happened. The bear stumbled over her short front legs, curled into a huge furry ball and began to roll out of control. Both Shelby and Luke pulled back on the reins and watched her roll right by them and down about twenty more feet. “Stay,” Luke said softly. He pulled the rifle off the saddle ties and had it at the ready.

“Don’t shoot her,” Shelby pleaded.

“Only if I have to,” he said. “Easy does it.”

Mama recovered, shook herself off, stood at full towering height, treated them to her meanest snarl and scrambled up the hill in the other direction, back to her cub at great speed, avoiding them.

“What’d’ya say we get the hell out of here?” he suggested.

Shelby whacked Chico on the butt and urged him forward, and to Luke’s amazement, he heard her laughter ring out as she descended. He was right on her heels, keeping up with her pretty well for someone who was reluctant to put down a rifle that was longer than his arm.

When they got to the bottom, she didn’t slow down. She put her heels to her mount and flew down the riverside, laughter echoing through the tall trees as she drove the horse. Even Plenty’s Arabian heritage wasn’t helping Luke keep up with that paint. There weren’t any people along the river, but he couldn’t help but wonder what an onlooker might think, him chasing her with a rifle in his hand. But she was laughing wildly. Shelby had hunkered down in the saddle and showed her stuff; she was amazing. Lightweight, skilled, unafraid and fleet. She raced all the way back to the cabins and once there, her cheeks flushed, eyes aglitter, she grinned victoriously as he came into the clearing.

Luke learned something that moment that he hadn’t expected. This was a young woman who liked an adventure. She liked speed. A little bear scare lit her up brighter than the sun, that was for sure. Now, he didn’t kid himself that he knew everything about women, but he knew when to pay attention. Shelby was suddenly more alive than she’d been all afternoon. It turned him on almost unbearably.

“That was fun,” she said.

“Yeah, once the bear was gone. You’re a show-off.”

“There are very few places where I’m able to show off,” she said. “I’m good on a horse.”

“Yeah, you are,” he agreed. He brought Plenty up next to her so that he was facing Shelby. “Come here,” he said.

He moved forward and she met him willingly, leaning toward him. He tilted his head and pressed her lips for a brief, sensuous kiss. Luke moved over her mouth slowly, deeply. Each kiss put him closer to the very thing he thought was the worst idea he’d ever had, and the most fated. He slipped an arm around her waist and held her; she put her arms on his shoulders. When he left her lips, he said, “You’re killing me. Come inside with me for a few hours.”

“No. Not yet,” she said. Then she shrugged. “Sorry if I’m teasing you.”

He pulled away and dismounted. “Shelby, I don’t think you’re sorry. I think you’re in control here, trying to make me sorry,” he said, but he couldn’t help smiling.

“See you tonight. For a beer.”

“Maybe.”

“Come on,” she laughed. “It’s not possible I’m more brave than you. You’ve been in combat how many times?”

“This is so different. This is a small town. You’re a general’s only niece.”

“Yeah,” she said, taking Plenty’s reins with a naughty grin. “Man up.”

Luke manned up enough to get himself to that little bar five nights running. When the general was with his niece, Luke shoved off before dinner to bring Art and himself some of Preacher’s fixings, including pie, which Art lived for. When Shelby was alone, he stayed. It had been about a hundred years since he’d played kissy-face with a girl without groping her, but he was able to do that with Shelby and even look forward to it. It wouldn’t be much longer before he pressed the suggestion of more, the talk, and finally the event, the thought of which sent sparks shooting through his body.

During the days, he worked hard. He always made sure Art was set up for eating reasonably good food—his cereal and fruit for breakfast, his sandwiches for lunch and at least a microwavable TV dinner that included vegetables for supper when Luke was absent for the evening.

Almost a week had passed since the bear scare. Luke had since pushed all the furniture into the dining room of his house and was now sanding hardwood floors in the living room. He’d just started thinking about a shower and a refreshing beer at Jack’s with Shelby, hopefully accompanied by a few meaningful kisses, when he heard the blast of a horn. He turned off the sander and went to the porch. His brother Sean pulled right up to the porch and jumped out of his Jeep SUV, all grins and a bright eyes. Luke frowned. This wasn’t at all what he had in mind.

“Hey, buddy,” Sean called. “Wassup?”

“What are you doing here?”

“I snagged a few days out of the squadron and thought I’d pleasure you with my company. Have a look at what you’ve got going on here.”

All Luke could think about was how much longer it would be until he could be alone with Shelby. “Good,” he said without enthusiasm. “That’s good. Why didn’t you call?”

“Since when do I call? You leaving town or something?”