Home For a Cowboy Christmas(80)

“Merry Christmas,” she said and brushed her hand over his two-day growth of whiskers that gave him an even more rugged appeal.

Not that he needed any help. The man was heart-stoppingly gorgeous. She would’ve noticed it the moment she saw him, but she had been freezing and scared. Cady didn’t want to be depressed this morning. She would have time for those feelings on the plane back to Austin. For now, she planned to enjoy every second.

“Hungry?”

She eyed him. “For food?”

He grinned. “Either. You pick.”

“Food first. I need energy before I have my way with you,” she teased.

“Ah, woman, you know the way to my heart.”

He rolled off her before she could respond. Cady told herself that it was just a joke, something someone might say in response to her comment. And yet … a tiny part of her wished there might be some truth to his words.

Cady instantly missed his warmth. She covered herself as she watched Zane tug on jeans and a shirt before walking to the kitchen. He glanced at her over his shoulder and blew her a kiss. She smiled but didn’t move from the bed. Too many thoughts filled her mind.

Stop this, she told herself. You live in Austin. He lives in Wyoming. How in the world do you expect things to work? Not to mention, he works on a ranch.

There were ranches in Texas. Some very profitable ones. Perhaps he could work on one of those.

Oh, God. Don’t. Don’t go down this road. It won’t end well. You know this. You’re just feeling lonely.

She wouldn’t call what she felt lonely. She would call it … happiness. Joy.

Ecstasy.

It’s a holiday fling. Something you can look back on years from now and smile. You two come from different worlds. He wouldn’t move to Texas, and you wouldn’t move here. You despise the cold. And last but not least, there hasn’t been any kind of talk about this … fling … turning into something more.

You’re reaching.

How could she not after having such a life-altering time?

Cady slipped from the covers and grabbed her clothes as she made her way to the bathroom. After she closed the door, she turned on the faucet and looked at herself in the mirror. “What am I doing?” she whispered.

The fact that she didn’t have an answer was answer enough. She needed to stop thinking about tomorrow and the day after and accept the few hours she had left with Zane. Ironic that she had originally felt as if this trip had been some kind of penance. Instead, it had become the best thing that had ever happened to her.

By the time she dressed and combed her hair with her fingers, her smile was back in place. She opened the door, ready to help Zane with breakfast. Instead, she found him talking to a woman in a police uniform.

“You must be Cady,” the older woman said with a smile.

Cady nodded and glanced at Zane.

“This is Sheriff Charlotte Smith,” Zane told her in a soft tone.

Gone was the smile and teasing from before. Cady knew instantly that their time was finished. Their winter fling had been disrupted.

“Your car was found late last night,” the sheriff said as she put her hands in the pockets of her thick jacket. “It took us until about an hour ago to dig it out of the snow. I can’t tell you how relieved I was not to have found a body inside.”

Cady forced a smile, her heart sinking with every second that passed. She wasn’t ready for this to be over. She wasn’t ready for any of it. Her gaze slid to Zane, but his eyes were on the floor. He wouldn’t look at her.

“I held out hope that someone might have found you,” the sheriff continued. “I knew this cabin wasn’t far. It was the first place I checked. You’re very fortunate that Zane ran across you when he did.”

“Yes. Fortunate,” Cady heard herself say as if from a great distance.

She wanted to turn, rush back to the bathroom, and lock the door. Maybe then the sheriff would leave, and she and Zane could pretend that their refuge hadn’t been disrupted. Cady took a step back, thinking of doing just that.

“The car is being towed. There’s another rental place about twenty miles down the road. One of my deputies can drive you there to get a new vehicle so you can get back on the road.”

“I can take her,” Zane said.

Cady was thankful for his offer. That would give them more time together. But was that wise? She didn’t care if it wasn’t. She wasn’t ready to return to her life in Texas.

Sheriff Smith smiled at Zane. “Appreciate that. The roads should be plowed by now. Oh, one more thing.” The sheriff left the cabin. A few moments later, she returned with Cady’s carry-on luggage. “I think you might need this.”

“Thanks,” Cady said.

“Well, then,” the sheriff said, looking between the two of them. “I’ll be off. Happy holidays.”

“Be careful,” Zane told her as he followed her to the door and gently closed it behind her.

Cady stared at Zane’s back as he remained there, unmoving. She didn’t know what he was thinking, but she couldn’t wrap her head around what had just happened. She believed she had most of the day, if not all of it.

“It’s still early,” Zane finally said as he pushed away from the door. “The skies are clear. It won’t take the airports long to clear the snow and ice from the runways. I’ll cook breakfast as planned, then we can get on the road.”