Home For a Cowboy Christmas(66)

Cady had to admit, if she had to be rescued, having a man as handsome as this one do it wasn’t so bad. She let her gaze move over his strong jaw and chin. He had his hat pulled low, but she saw pale brown strands of hair peeking out near his collar.

“I don’t live far,” he said.

She nodded. He’d said that before. Maybe she hadn’t responded the first time. “Thank you. I would greatly appreciate your help.”

He held out his gloved hand. Cady blinked at the unexpected gesture. If she were lucky, she might encounter a man who held a door open for her in Austin, but none had ever helped her out of a car. She slid her hand into his. His grip was firm but gentle as his fingers closed over hers.

The moment she got to her feet, he was there to make sure she was steady. Which was a good thing because her legs were wobbly, and her feet were blocks of ice. She felt better and better about this man with each passing moment.

Right up until he turned them, and she saw the horse.

Instinct made Cady jerk back. Her knees gave out, causing her to slip, and she began falling backward until he caught her, pulling her against him before pressing her between him and the car. Concern filled his gaze.

“Are you sure you aren’t hurt?” he asked.

She swallowed nervously and glanced at the huge beast staring at her with large, black eyes. “I-I’m not hurt.”

He followed her gaze to the horse before returning his attention to her. “Then what is it?”

“I’m terrified of that,” she said, pointing to the animal.

“Well, then. We have a problem. That’s my transportation.”

“Can you go home and get a vehicle? You said you were nearby.”

He blew out a breath. “There are two issues with that. The first is that getting here by truck would take me twice as long since I’d have to stick to the roads.”

“Okay,” she said with a shrug. “I can wait.”

“That brings me to the second problem. That,” he said and pointed over his shoulder.

Cady looked around him to see into the distance. “What am I looking at?”

“A blizzard that will reach you before I can get back.”

She watched in shock as he walked to the horse and picked up the reins.

He then looked at her. “Are you coming? Or would you prefer to freeze?”

So much for thinking that she was being saved by something right out of a book. She bit the retort on her lips and leaned inside the car for her purse and keys. She shut the door and walked carefully around to the back of the vehicle, using it to make sure she didn’t fall.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

She was glad that she had her back to him because she couldn’t contain her eyeroll. “Getting my suitcase.”

“I’m not carrying that.”

Cady spun around to glare at him. “Well, I’m not leaving my things.”

“You are if you’re coming with me.”

She was really beginning to dislike … Her eyes narrowed as it dawned on her that she didn’t know his name. Oh, wait. He did tell her what it was, but she couldn’t remember. Maybe now would be a good time for a proper introduction. “I’m Cady Adams.”

“We need to get a move on.”

She stood where she was, refusing to go anywhere until he told her his name.

Finally, he blew out a long breath. “It’s nice to meet you, Cady. I’m Zane. Now, can we leave? We’re barely going to make it to the house as it is.”

Yes! That was his name. She breathed a sigh. Cady looked longingly at the trunk with her luggage before walking to Zane.

He put his boot in the stirrup and swung his leg over the horse to mount. Then he held out his hand.

“I’ll walk,” she said and lifted her chin to show that she meant business.

“Lady, you won’t make it half a mile in those shoes in this weather. The horse isn’t going to hurt you.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do, actually. I raised him from a colt.”

Cady eyed the animal. She was shaking just thinking about being near him. The last time she had been this close to a horse was when … She couldn’t even think about that, it was so debilitating.

“Cady.”

She looked up into Zane’s eyes. His voice was warm, seductive even.

“I can get you somewhere safe and warm, but that means getting on Brego.”

Cady couldn’t help but smile when she heard the name. “Brego, as in Aragorn from Lord of the Rings’ Brego?”

“That’s right,” he replied, his lips softening.

“The extended movies?”

He sighed. “The books.”

Cady looped her purse handle over her shoulder and took a deep breath. She couldn’t feel her toes. Her nose was numb, and her fingers were beginning to hurt. Remaining out in these conditions was no longer an option.

The last thing she wanted to do was climb atop her greatest fear, but it seemed that Fate was giving her no alternative.

“You can do it,” Zane encouraged.

She faced irate boardrooms and furious judges without hesitation. She had always gone after what she wanted. Driven, people called her. She just liked to think of herself as someone who didn’t give up on the things she wanted. And right now, she desperately wanted to get warm.