Page 3 of Trig
“Fuck,” I muttered as I caught her before she landed in the snow. My protective instincts flared to life as I lifted her into my arms and pulled her close to my chest. She weighed less than a baby calf in a roping competition. Turning, I strode to the truck, not feeling the icy pelt of the snow as it hit my face, and my beard surely came in handy.
Beau came up beside me, eyes wide. “Holy shit. Know her?”
Even though I traveled the rodeo circuit most of the year, I knew pretty much everyone in the area. Except her. Fuck, she was the prettiest human popsicle I’d ever seen.
“Nope. No clue.” I’d have remembered her. Hell, she’d already be in my bed. Warm and safe and with my ring on her finger. Sexually satisfied. Belly nice and round with our baby.
Mine.
I had no idea why I had this fierce and instant need to make this woman mine. It was crazy, but visceral, as if my inner caveman was beating his chest. I wanted to tie her to me with my lariat.
I hurt my knee riding a bull at the end of the season last fall. I’d been loaded up in an ambulance and sent to the ER, had tests run which showed it didn’t need surgery. I’d spent the winter debating what to do since another similar fall could mean permanent damage. Beau’d been a friend on the circuit for years and a good listener over burgers tonight. The debate was simple: return to bull riding and fuck up my chances for sitting in a saddle or a limp-free lifestyle or retire. I hadn’t been able to decide because the thrill was too great, plus, I didn’t know another way of life. I’d been waiting for a sign or something.
I just fucking got one in the form of a pint-sized woman.
Beau opened the back door of his quad cab and I climbed in, not letting her go. “Blanket’s beside you.” He slammed the door shut, then dashed around to get back behind the wheel.
“She’s soaked through. Give me your hat,” I said.
He yanked it off and reached his arm back to hand it to me. Moving quickly, I replaced her snow covered one with his which was warm from his body heat, then worked the icy jacket from her. “She was shiverin’, so she’s not too far gone,” I said, knowing shivering meant she hadn’t gone into severe hypothermia yet.
Thank fuck.
I just found her and I wasn’t having her die on me now. I took in every inch of her. Her snow crusted boots. Wet and ice covered leggings that clung to her curvy legs. Waffle knit shirt that didn’t hide the swell of her perfect tits. Her pale skin. Dark hair. Full cheeks and fuller lips that I wanted to kiss. Wanted to see wrapped around my dick.
Beau had the truck moving again, this time at a faster clip. “Her car must’ve broken down. She was almost to your driveway to… get help?”
That didn’t mean much because my house was set back from the road a quarter mile. No way she’d have made it down my unplowed driveway.
“What the hell had she been thinking going out in this?” I snapped.
A moan slipped from her as I wrapped the blanket around her like a shroud, then pulled her into my body. She was soft and lush, my body reacting to her thick curves as I rubbed my hands up and down her legs. My dick didn’t seem to care that she’d been a few minutes from certain death.
She was fucking freezing and it was almost painful keeping her close to my body, but my core heat would seep into her along with the blasting truck heater. Getting her warm was more important than my balls drawing up tight.
“She wouldn’t have made it to my house,” I said, trying not to lose my shit at the chance encounter and what would have happened if we hadn’t come by when we did.
“She wouldn’t have made it another fifty feet,” he countered. “Thank fuck we found her.”
The ends of her dark hair were icy and wet. I stroked it back from her face. She was young, maybe early twenties. Even close to death, she was so fucking beautiful.
And lost. In danger.
Every protective instinct I had flared to life.
Leaning down, I murmured in her ear. “You’re safe now, sugar. I won’t let anything happen to you. Now that’s a promise.”
“Yeah, she’s safe, but why the fuck was she driving all the way out here in the first place?” Beau asked.
That was a great question and the only person who could answer it was unconscious in my arms.
4
ELLIE
I rubbedmy face against the soft pillow, smiling, cozy and content. I couldn’t remember sleeping so well, which was a surprise because of what Father and–
I popped up, the thick down comforter falling away. Looking around, I blinked. This wasn’t my room in Father’s house. I was in someone’s bedroom, but whose? Mr. Trout’s? No. God, no.
