Her Rugged Rancher (18 page)

Now the narrow shelf where she stood hunched next to Casper was only a temporary refuge. She needed to get herself and the horse out of the canyon. But even if she led the horse, rather than ride him, the bank behind them was far too steep and muddy for either of them to make the climb. That meant her only choice was to try to ford the water until she could find a place to climb to safety.

Oh God, she should've listened to Jett's prediction of rain. And she definitely should've heeded Noah's warning not to ride alone in the canyon. But for the past few days the constant ache in her chest had worn her down and the wild beauty of the canyon had started to call her. It was the one place where she could stop her mind from spinning long enough to really contemplate what was important in her life and what baggage she needed to throw away.

Before the storm had hit, she'd been thinking how much she loved Noah and how much he'd brought to her life. Earlier today, when she'd been talking to Jett, she'd lost her patience and her temper. But now, with rain streaming into her eyes and bolts of electricity dancing around her, she realized that no matter what Noah said, or if he went so far as to leave the J Bar S, she wasn't going to give up on him or the hope of them being together.

God willing she made it out of this flash flood, she was going straight to his cabin and she wasn't going to leave until he agreed to go with her to Arizona. He'd left his wounded heart there. And until he got it back, there was no hope he'd ever give her a piece of it.

Suddenly there was a flash directly across the span of rushing water and she looked up just in time to see a huge pine splitting down the middle. Fire blazed along the trunk, while ear-deafening thunder echoed through the canyon.

Terrified, Casper jumped backward. Bella screamed and stared in horror as the horse's back feet teetered on the edge of the solid ground.

“Whoa, boy! Whoa!” Knowing she had to appear strong and reassuring to the horse, she firmly pulled him forward until he was safely back to the center of the ledge. Then gently stroking his neck, she pressed her cheek against his. “It's okay, big guy. We're going to get out of this.”

Casper nickered as though he understood what she was saying and then she realized his ears had gone on point, telling her he'd spotted something out there in the storm.

Turning, she stared through the white wall of rain, blinking at the rivulets running into her eyes. She could see nothing. But then she heard the faint sound of another horse answering Casper's call.

Could it be coming from a wild herd of mustangs seeking shelter from the storm, or had someone actually come looking for her?

By the time the horses exchanged another whinny, Bella spotted a horse and rider slowly making their way along the side of the north canyon wall. The muddy water churned all the way to the horse's knees and not far from the rider's stirrups.

Oh, God! It was Noah on Mary Mae!

More terrified than she'd ever been in her life, she watched the two of them slowly making their way toward her and Casper. There was no way of predicting if the mare's next step might take them into a deep hole or if she might walk straight into a boulder. Either way, Noah would probably be jolted from the saddle and into the churning water. The mare would bolt and end up in even more danger.

Why was he risking himself like this? Why hadn't he called the county rescue unit and let them take care of her? Could she dare hope it was because he might actually love her?

“Casper, the storm has made me delirious,” she said to the horse. “I'm not thinking straight!”

Long, tense minutes passed before Noah finally got close enough to call out to her. By then it was all Bella could do to keep her tears at bay.

“Bella, are you okay?”

“I'm fine,” she called back to him. “Just wet. I don't know how Casper and I are going to get out of here.”

“You're going to have to ride out. The way Mary Mae and I came in.”

Bella had always thought of herself as brave, but when she looked at the swirling water below her, she could feel her knees begin to quake.

“I'm not sure I can. The ground was barely covered with water when I jumped Casper onto the ledge. I don't think he'll be too happy to leap off dry ground and into a raging creek.”

“Happy or not, you have to make him do it,” he yelled above the roar of the rain and thunder. “Mount up and I'll throw you a rope.”

Seeing no other way, Bella followed his instructions and climbed into the saddle. Noah rode closer and tossed her the end of a lariat.

“Tie that around the horn. If Casper stumbles or falls it might help keep him upright.”

Nodding, she looped the rope around the saddle horn and tied it as tight as her cold, wet fingers could manage.

“It's tied. Now what?”

“Make him jump toward me. Once he gets his feet under him we'll head back in that direction.” He pointed to the east and Bella nodded that she understood his instructions, but following them through was going to be another matter.

Bella didn't have time to sit there worrying or trying to gather her courage. With each passing minute the water was rising. If they didn't get out of the canyon soon they were going to be swept away completely.

Fighting the urge to close her eyes, she kicked Casper forward. When he halted at the edge, she smooched to him and gave him a tap on the rump. He leaped and as they hit the water, it splashed all around her, momentarily blinding her. Beneath her, she could feel the horse stumbling, falling to his knees. Water filled her boots and soaked her jeans all the way to her waist, but she hardly noticed the discomfort. Instead her entire focus was on lifting the reins in an effort to help the animal stay upright.

“Hang on, Bella! Don't let him fall.”

Somehow the horse found stable footing and with great relief, she slumped weakly forward in the saddle, but there was hardly time to catch her breath before the tug of the lariat reminded her that they had to keep moving.

It took them more than a half hour to navigate their way back to the point from where they could climb the canyon wall and finally reach safety. There were several times Bella wondered if she could go on. Between her heart racing with fear and the struggle to ride over such rough terrain, she was exhausted.

When they finally finished the climb and arrived on top of the mesa, Noah suggested they dismount and allow the horses to rest. Bella wholly agreed, but she was trembling so badly she couldn't move. Noah had to literally pull her boots from the stirrups and lift her out of the saddle.

Once she was in his arms, they both sank to the ground where Noah tucked her head to the middle of his chest and buried his face in her wet hair.

“Oh, Lord, Bella, I thought I was going to find you drowned or dead from a lightning strike!”

Her arms barely found the strength to wrap around his neck. “Noah! When I saw you riding toward me, I—you were an answered prayer.”

Clutching her tightly against him, he stroked his fingers through the soppy clumps of her hair. “I couldn't believe it when I saw you and Casper on that ledge! You crazy little fool! I told you not to ride in the canyon alone! I told you it was dangerous!”

Rearing her head back, she looked at him. “That's right. You've told me just about everything, except what I want to hear. Please, don't scold me, Noah. Not after what we've just gone through. You can do that later. Just tell me—”

He stopped her next words with a kiss that was both desperate and exhilarating. Then leaning his head back, he looked straight into her eyes. “All right, Bella. We'll go to Arizona. Together. Is that what you want to hear?”

With a cry of joy, she hugged him tightly. “It's a start.”

* * *

On late Saturday evening, Bella and Noah's flight touched down at Tucson International Airport. From there they took a rental car to a downtown hotel where Bella had already reserved their rooms for the night.

While she dealt with the task of checking in, Noah waited in the lobby with their luggage. Since it was the weekend, the hotel was bustling with guests and hotel staff, but Noah hardly noticed the comings and goings around him. Beyond the wall of plate glass, a view of Tucson spread out beneath a blazing summer sun. Yet the buildings with their Spanish architecture and desert landscaping barely caught his attention. It was the wilderness beyond that grabbed his thoughts and hurled them back to the time when he had ridden over similar jagged hills and through stands of ancient saguaros, their arms lifted toward the blue heaven.

“All set,” Bella suddenly spoke behind him. “We're on the seventh floor.”

Pulling himself out of his memories, he turned to her and was immediately whammed all over again. A turquoise sundress hugged her slender waist while intricately designed cowboy boots covered her feet. Silver set with green malachite hung from her ears and adorned her wrist. But as always, it was the soft, tender smile on her face that made her incredibly beautiful.

Throughout the flight, he'd struggled to keep his eyes off her, but now that they were on solid ground, it was clear that keeping his hands to himself was going to be even more of a problem. More than two weeks had passed since the two of them had been intimate and the memory still continued to haunt him. For reasons he didn't want to examine, being in her arms that night had left him feeling particularly vulnerable and when she'd pushed him to talk about his past, everything about Ward and Camilla had come tumbling out of him.

He'd behaved like a jackass and stormed out, but that had been the only thing left for him to do. Except stay and admit to Bella that he'd fallen in love with her. And he'd not been ready for that. He didn't think he'd ever be ready to surrender that much of himself to anyone.

Picking up the bags, he said, “Fine with me. Let's go.”

They walked to the nearest elevator and took a quick ride to the seventh floor. When they stepped off, Noah asked, “Which way to our rooms?”

“This way,” she answered, pointing to their right. “But before we get there I—uh—should tell you we only have one room.”

He dropped one of the bags in order to clasp his hand around her upper arm. “What do you mean, one room? I told you to book two?”

As Noah watched a soft pink color sweep across her cheeks, he knew he was in even more trouble than he thought. It was bad enough that he hadn't touched her in days, but now he was going to be sequestered in the same bedroom with her.

Her brown eyes glinted. “That would've only been a waste of money. Besides, you don't have to sleep with me unless you want to. The room is equipped with two queen-sized beds.”

Unless he wanted to? Hell, for the past two weeks that's all he'd been wanting. But he'd been fighting the urge, just as he'd been fighting his feelings. Ever since he'd found her in the canyon looking half-drowned, huddling next to her horse, his emotions for the woman had been growing like a tumbleweed in a stiff wind. Yeah, he could admit that to himself, but he couldn't let Bella in on his secret. Not now or ever.

He dropped his hold on her arm and picked up the bag. “And we're damned well going to use them,” he promised.

She rolled her eyes at him. “Whatever you say, Noah. I wouldn't want to make you do anything against your will.”

The absurdity of her remark pulled a short laugh from him and the sound must have shocked Bella because she stared at him in comical disbelief.

“Noah, I think that's the first time I've ever heard you laugh.” Smiling happily, she looped her arm through his and urged him down the corridor. “Come on, let's go find our room and get comfortable.”

* * *

Although, Bella would've preferred to order their evening meal through room service, Noah insisted they go down and eat in one of the restaurants inside the huge hotel.

She didn't argue the point. After all, just getting Noah to this point was a miracle in itself and for the past two days she'd been wondering what had finally pushed him to decide to make this trip to Arizona.

Clearly the trauma of the storm had done something to him. Even so, she still didn't know what he was actually thinking or feeling. That evening, when the two of them had finally returned to her house, Jett had been there, anxiously waiting to make sure the two of them were unharmed. With her brother there, she'd expected Noah to make a quick exit. Instead he'd hung around to care for the horses and the sopping wet saddles and blankets. Later, he'd even made coffee for the three of them and once Jett had finally departed, she'd decided Noah would stay with her. At least long enough for them to make love. Instead, he'd asked her to make travel arrangements for the two of them, then given her an abrupt goodbye. Now she was beginning to doubt he'd ever want to take her to bed again.

“Thank you for dinner, Noah. It was delicious,” she told him, once they'd had their meal and returned to their room. “You know what I was thinking while we were eating?”

He loosened the bolo tie around his neck and Bella allowed her hungry gaze to travel over his tall, muscular body. Other than the day at Skylar's birthday party, she'd never seen him in anything other than jeans or cowboy gear. He looked exceptionally handsome dressed in dark, Western-cut trousers, expensive alligator boots and a tailored white shirt. Yet she had to admit that she loved seeing him best in his chinks and spurs, his dusty felt pulled down on his forehead. That was her Noah. Her rugged rancher.

“That you shouldn't have ordered green sauce on your enchiladas?”

Laughing, she sank onto a small couch near the window and began to tug off her boots. “The sauce was scorching,” she admitted, “but it was delicious. No, I was thinking how this is the first time you and I have ever been anywhere together—off the J Bar S, that is.”

He shot her a wry glance. “There for a while during the storm, I thought I'd be attending your funeral about now.”