Page 41 of Captured By the Billionaire Cowboy
Thank goodness.She squeezed her eyes shut, opened them to a blurry world. Her horse was all right. “I was going after her.”
The man holding her stiffened. “You were following her in this?” He gestured to the mottled gray skies, the clouds etched in charcoal. As if daring a response, lightning struck near, thunder following rapidly in its wake. “Do you have any idea how dangerous it is out here?”
“I hoped she’d find her way back home, but I wasn’t sure.” She parted her lips, gazed up, up, up at the commanding man holding her, even as his frown deepened. Was she about to get a lecture in the middle of the storm? “How are you here?”
His featured tightened, his dark expression confirming the issue wasn’t over. “We were worried when Snowflake arrived home without you. I’m part of the search party.”
Newfound warmth soothed the cold. He would risk these conditions just to find her?
“Spencer and Quinn are out here, too. I’d better call them.” He grabbed his cell phone and dialed, telling Quinn the news and asking him to contact Spencer. He hung up just as anotherwhite-hot bolt flashed, a giant lattice spanning half the sky. “Let’s get you out of here.”
“Yes, please.” Only she took a hard step… right on her bad ankle. When she gasped in pain, his expression melted into alarm. “You’re hurt.”
“I’m fine.”Except for the massive pain and unknown injury.“I just sprained my ankle.”
Hopefully, the overprotective man would take her word for it.Yeah, right.“Are you sure?” His voice was low and fierce. “It could be broken, possibly in more than one place. Sometimes it’s hard to tell.”
“It doesn’t feel bad enough to be a fracture. It’s much better than when Snowflake first threw me.” She winced. No chance the perceptive man would miss that.
“Snowflake threw you?” His gaze darkened. “Are you hurt? Did you hit your head?”
“I’m fine, really. The ankle is just sore. I just reinjured it a bit when I slipped in the br-brook.”
“Now you’re shaking. Here.” He shrugged out of his heavy jacket. She shook her head, but he wrapped the massive garment around her shoulders. Soft and supple, the thick coat engulfed her, reaching all the way to her knees. His white shirt was soaked in an instant, outlining every muscle on his expansive chest, large biceps and powerful forearms. He looked so handsome, his hair wet from the rain, droplets glistening on his tanned skin. Even in the midst of calamity, desire flared.
“Let’s go.”
She smothered a startled gasp as he hooked one arm under her back and another under her legs, capturing her in his arms. He lifted her, held her against his warm chest, tightly, securely,possessively.
“This isn’t necessary,” she protested even as she clutched at him. Pressed against his hardness, there was nowhere else she wanted to be.
“Let’s go home.” Suddenly, he was tramping through the pouring rain, moving far faster than she could walk even if her ankle hadn’t been hurt. He carried her as if she weighed nothing at all, easily handling her in the bulky jacket. They traversed flooded paths and swampy forests, a watery world as unfamiliar as it was familiar. It seemed only moments before they were walking onto the ranch’s land, just as the storm finally lessened in intensity.
Frank was waiting by the front door. Heedless of the rain, he rushed out to meet them. “Thank goodness you’re back. Let’s get you inside.”
“We should dry off under the covered walkway,” Ciara protested, even as she longed to escape the relentless elements. “I’ll get the whole house wet.”
“I don’t care about the house.” Rowan held her closer, as he strode under the long porch. He crossed the threshold into the foyer, but still did not put her down. “We have to decide whether to call a doctor.”
“A doctor?” Uncail Frank stiffened. “What happened?”
“Snowflake threw her.”
Ciara cringed, shifting in his arms. His hold never loosened. “I’m perfectly fine. I’m sorry I worried you, but there’s no cause for concern. The only thing I need is a change of clothes and Snowflake.”
Unfortunately, Rowan wasn’t done. “She twisted her ankle, spraining it at best or breaking it at worst. When I found her, she was limping through the storm chasing Snowflake.”
Frank emanated stern disapproval. “Oh, Ciara.”
“You would’ve done the same!” she said to both of them, trying unsuccessfully to suppress a shiver. She may be out ofthe rain, but the ranch’s air conditioning was blowing full blast. “Like I said, I’m f-fine. Just a sore ankle and a bit of a chill. How is Snowflake? I want to see her.”
“No.” The voices came simultaneously.
“Snowflake is uninjured.” Rowan softened his voice, yet the words were firm. “Right now, we need to focus on you.” Then he was once more in motion, striding through the house with purposeful steps. He called back to Frank, “I’ll make sure she’s okay.”
Her uncail’s distant grunt of approval drifted after them, and he didn’t even question why Rowan would take charge like that. She should demand he release her, but instead she reveled in his hold, warm and secure and simply right. A memory flashed, a half-woken dream of being in the same position. Was she remembering the night he carried her to bed? If she wasn’t so cold, she’d be enjoying it.
But actually, shewasenjoying it.
