Page 132 of Saddles

He helps me up from the table, but pins me against the side with his body. His heavy-lidded eyes fix on my mouth. “You get healed back up, and we’ll get as rough as you want.”

I rise onto my tiptoes in my socks and kiss his nose. “In the meantime, you still have a whole bottle of chocolate for your present I need to use up.”

Letting the gown drop onto the gurney, I pull up my jeans and lead him out of the door.

“See? That’s why I never want to let you go,” he growls as he lifts me into his truck.

Heavy flakes of snow fall onto the hood and windshield, melting as soon as they settle.

There’s going to be an all new winter wonderland when we get up tomorrow.

It’s coming down heavy enough that Ford has to slow when the road turns white.

The streaks coming at us through the headlights are mesmerizing, like an old sci-fi movie flying through space.

“Are those Christmas lights?” I point to the corner where two small white dots seem to dance and move.

Ford touches the brakes and brings us to a stop, then turns off his beams to watch.

He lets out a hard exhale and cracks the window until we can hear a high pitched whine. “No. I think those are drones.”He glances at me, illuminated only by the dash. “Mason said at dinner that Russ was dealing with the south herd again.” He gestures at the spiraling lights. “This is close enough, it could be them.”

An icy tendril winds down my spine. What if it’s really Dave and Doug running them?

Ford digs out his phone. “Wade, I’ve got two drones just outside Hughes’s Farm. Yea, Char’s old place.”

There’s a momentary pause.

“Get on it then, I’m gonna go check them out.” He ends the call and slides his cell into his chest pocket, then pulls the truck off the road and turns it off.

When he turns to me, fear freezes me in place.

“I have to go, April. I need you to stay here and lock the doors.” He reaches past my knee and flips open the glove box to pull out a pistol. “There’s extra blankets in the backseat.”

“Ford, please. Wait for the sheriff? Don’t go by yourself.” I don’t want to lose him, not when I’m so close to a whole new life with him.

He clutches my fingers, then leans closer for a fast kiss. “I love you, but I have to. Maybe I’ll get lucky enough and it is those two fucking animals.”

“Ford…” I don’t know what else to say. There’s a piece of me that wants him to find them and rip them apart for what they did. “Come back to me.”

His gray eyes meet mine. “I will.”

And then he’s gone.

Chapter 43

Ford

Maybe I shoulda taken her home first?

But there’s a very real chance this might not be their permanent hiding spot. If they’re drifting using different places, this might be the only opportunity that I have.

Wade better fucking show.

Pushing through the growing drifts, I snug the collar of my coat up around my ears and press my cowboy hat lower.

It’s handy for keeping the icy flakes out of the back of my neck. I need as few distractions as possible.

A faint blue light appears ahead, high in the air. It’s not moving.

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