Home For a Cowboy Christmas(56)

She nodded, her gaze returning to peer through the windshield. It seemed the storm’s intensity grew with every second that passed. She wasn’t sure how Dwight continued driving, much less how he would get out when they reached their destination to free the cow. She felt the force of the wind even inside the truck. Emmy had been in snowstorms before, but nothing had prepared her for this level of a blizzard.

Emmy couldn’t wait to get back to the warmth and safety of the house. Neither she nor Dwight spoke as he concentrated on driving. Even Sam seemed uneasy with the storm as he continually moved around in the back seat. The one thing Emmy knew for sure was that Dwight had been right—no one would be out in this. That meant if they could make it back to the house, they would be safe until the storm passed. It was something she hadn’t thought she’d be able to say, but the truth was right before her.

The truck slowed. She turned her head to Dwight to see him looking out his window. Sam barked. Dwight put the truck in park and blew out a breath before facing her. That’s when she realized that they had reached their destination. The fact that she couldn’t see a foot past the truck terrified her.

“I’ll be quick,” he said.

She reached over and grabbed his arm. “This is insane. How will you find your way back to the truck?”

“I’ll tie a rope to the mirror and myself.”

Of course he would have an answer. He’d lived most of his life in this climate. If only she could be as calm and collected. “You’re going to need help.”

“No,” he stated firmly. “And that isn’t debatable.”

“I’m he—”

“No,” he said over her. “I’m used to this weather. You aren’t.”

She licked her lips and glanced outside.

He blew out a breath. “I gave in to you coming, but that’s as far as I’m willing to go. Please, stay inside so I can do what needs to be done.”

Any arguments Emmy had died on her lips. “All right,” she relented.

Dwight smiled and leaned over to give her a quick kiss. “Thank you.”

Before she could say anything else, he opened the door. The wind howled, the cold slamming into her even as snow blew into the cab. Sam barked relentlessly until Dwight whistled as he put on his gloves. Sam jumped over the seat and out into the weather with his master. Then, the door closed with a sense of finality that Emmy couldn’t shake.

She shuddered, thankful that Dwight had left the engine running and the heat on. She watched as he pulled something out of his pocket. That’s when she realized it was rope. Thankfully, he had thought ahead. Once he had the rope tied to the side mirror, he wrapped it around his waist and formed a knot.

Emmy didn’t take her eyes off him as he started walking away from the truck. Within seconds, the storm swallowed him. A chill ran down her spine, the same kind she’d gotten when the hitman had busted into her hotel room.

“We’re safe,” she said aloud. “At least, from the men trying to kill me.”

She couldn’t say the same about the storm. Minutes ticked by with aching slowness. Several times, she contemplated getting out and trying to help Dwight, but she quickly dismissed the thought. She had to trust him to do his job.

Despite her best efforts, Emmy couldn’t sit still. She was agitated and anxious. Not a good combination. Her thoughts ran wild with dozens of horrific scenarios where both she and Dwight died from hypothermia. Her mind had always run to the worst-case scenarios, even before deciding to testify for the DA. Now, her imagination was even worse.

She looked out the driver’s side window again, hoping to see Dwight. The only thing she saw was a sheet of white. Emmy crossed her arms over her chest and huddled deeper into her jacket. The heat didn’t do much to warm her, and she couldn’t imagine how cold she would be without it.

To calm her mind, she closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. She thought about Dwight’s smile and his way of making her feel secure and happy. She thought about the passion they had shared in the shower. Her stomach fluttered at the memory of his mouth and hands on her body.

She had wanted to tell him of her love, but he’d stopped her. Though she wasn’t sure why, she’d decided to let it go because there had been something in his eyes. She had foolishly believed that if she kept the words to herself, they couldn’t consume her. But she had been wrong.

It wasn’t keeping the words in that did it, though. It was being around Dwight. Getting glimpses of what a life with him would be like. That was what made her love grow. He had been kind, patient, and gentle. Not once did she fear for her safety while at the ranch because she had seen the hardness in his eyes. He could tell her about all the jobs he had done, but it didn’t mean the same as seeing the determination on his face, his desire to protect his property and those within. He was the kind of man every woman wished for. The kind who would die for the woman he loved. The kind of man that would stand beside his other half no matter what obstacles came their way.

He was, without a doubt, old-fashioned in many regards. Emmy hadn’t realized until she met him that old-fashioned was exactly what she wanted. A man to hold the door for her and let her enter first—not because she wasn’t strong enough to do it herself but out of respect.

The ranch meant hard work but being there had transported her back in time to when things had been simpler. And she hadn’t missed the city once. That might be because she’d known she couldn’t get out, but she thought it was more than that. She didn’t miss the noise, the crush of people, the cars. The smells.