River's End (River's End Series, #1)(34)

His arms came around her and she jerked back in surprise, causing her head to smack into his chin.

“God damn it. Sit still,” he muttered right into her ear, his tone grumpy. His breath was warm over the side of her face and she froze in horror. She didn’t mean to do that to him. His head had to be ringing. She just hadn’t expected him to be all around her.

“I need the reins. Don’t move.”

He reached around her again and pulled the reins up. His arms stayed around her and rested just in front of the saddle horn as he inelegantly steered the horse.

“This isn’t going to work.”

“It’ll work. I told you; it’s just not going to be comfortable.”

“What if the horse bolts? You can barely control it.”

He exhaled and she could feel his chest deflating behind her. God, she was way too close to him. She should not be able to feel Jack’s body, any of his body, and especially not against her own. “The horse won’t bolt on me.”

“You don’t know that.”

He sighed even louder. “I do know that. Just close your eyes and I’ll get you off the damn mountain.”

She slammed her eyelids shut, gripping onto the horn until her hands cramped. She felt the horse starting forward at Jack’s soft clicking sound. Thank God the horses reacted to the slightest signals and pressure that Jack gave them. Then they were moving. The horse’s sway and gait made them bump and grind together as it moved. She tried to ignore it, and tried not to think about what the trail looked like, or the drop-off beside her.

Jack’s arms encircled her. That’s what finally overcame her panic. Jack’s arms were all around her, and nearly holding her. She could feel his muscles flex and sway as he guided the horse down the mountain, and his thighs cradling her, along with his hard chest, as she jolted against him.

It was strange, and such a different feeling. Every nerve ending hurt from how she was seated while trying to hold her body rigidly away from him. Yet, she was aware of every muscle he had and the way he moved. Then finally, he stopped and she opened her eyes. They were down. Now off the steep section of mountain, they were back on the rolling slope that brought them there.

She let out a breath of relief. “Oh, thank God.”

He chuckled behind her and his breath stirred her hair as he laughed. She was surprised he was so understanding about everything. He was being nicer than he ever had been to her.

He stood up in the stirrups, and released the pressure that kept her pushed into the horse’s neck. With a swing of his leg, he was off the horse and just below eye level to her. She had to look away and felt suddenly different with him.

He waited patiently as she finally, clumsily, got her foot into the stirrup and was able to stand up, swing her leg over the horse, and dismount. Her legs shook with cramps as the blood started flowing and the adrenaline dissipated.

She glanced up at him, licking her lips with raw nerves. “Thank you, Mr. Rydell.”

He nodded, and she stared, caught by the power of his gaze and the deep blue of his eyes.

“You’re welcome.”

She had to look away, feeling confused by the sudden embarrassment flowing through her. And the sudden rush of heat in her cheeks.

“Now, I walk. I’ll see you later.”

He grabbed her elbow as she started to turn. He was frowning. “I’m not going to leave you up here.”

“Oh. Okay.”

He looked at her oddly. “Why does that so surprise you? It’s strange country for you. You could get lost, or run into another snake, or God knows what else could happen to you.”

Why? Because every man in her entire life would have easily left her up there and taken the easier horse to ride home. Because her brother would have left her in the middle of the mountain and laughed as he returned home alone.

She exhaled a lungful of pent-up air from her mouth. She was safe and Jack wouldn’t abandon her. “I’m sorry about all of this. I know you hate me staying on your ranch. You hate my brother. And it was really kind of you to come after me, and not leave me up there.”

He leaned down and grabbed the horse’s reins. Georgie was still loosely connected by a lead rope to the saddle and had followed as easily as Jack promised she would.

“No one could have faked that kind of fear. I don’t punish people for not knowing how to ride; and it was Joey’s fault for getting you stranded. So we can blame Joey. And really, Ms. Poletti, judging how people treat you shouldn’t be compared to the way your brother treats you. Because your brother is shit,” he said, his tone becoming fierce. He looked right at her. “But I don’t think you are.”

Her back straightened with surprise. He didn’t think she was like her brother? That was news to her. Jack didn’t wait for her response. He started leading his horse down the slope and she fell in step several feet behind Georgie. She followed Jack around the pines and sagebrush, until eventually, they hit the dirt road before finally arriving at the ranch.

Joey came running from the porch with Ben not far behind him. “Erin. What took so long? I was starting think something awful happened.”

She looked past Joey, toward Jack’s back. He turned his head, met her eyes, and glanced at Joey too. Jack just smirked, shook his head, and kept walking until he disappeared into the barn with the horses behind him. She turned back towards Joey, suddenly furious.