Page 56 of Rescued By the Mountain Man

Though it was dark, I searched his eyes as he gazed at me, seeming to realize there was no way out to escape his demand. I lowered my head, tears that I’d held back for so long erupted from my heart and poured out of my eyes.

I felt hard arms wrap around me, and I was engulfed in woodsy cologne and leather. He held me as the sobs ravaged through me, and when the emotions petered out, I simply laid my head on his shoulder.

“Jesus,” Warrick whispered. “Thank God you’re alive.”

Sinking my fingertips into his sides, I shifted to rest my head on his shoulder. “I wanted to tell you the truth, but I was told not to.”

“Are the cops going after this guy?” he asked.

I peeled away. “I think so, but the updates are slow and sporadic.”

“It’s been mere weeks since you walked into my life.” He pulled up, stroking my face. “But I don’t want to lose you. I know things are not the best right now, but I want to date you. I’ve rushed through a lot of things in my life and was made to be very sorry for it. I won’t rush us for anything or anybody, past or present. Do you understand?

“I—” Did I dare hope this could become something? “There are some things I can’t tell you yet and…won’t. Not until I know it’s the right time. I’m asking you to trust me on that.” I kept my face lowered, but he brushed tears from my cheeks.

“Okay.” I turned my gaze up to his, hope in those pure eyes.

“We won’t rush,” Warrick promised. “Whatever you need to get done, we’ll do it.”

I whispered, “My name is not Zara. It’s Zoe.”

He covered my mouth with his, and I sighed as I leaned into the kiss. He kissed me slow and deliciously, both arms braced either side of me, then pulled away as dawn started to break. “Nice to meet you, Zoe.”

Someone cleared their throat, dragging us into reality, and I didn’t want to turn, but I did anyway. Of course, it was Frankie, and his shit-eating, I-knew-it grin.

“Shut up,” Warrick warned.

“I didn’t say anything,” the cowboy smirked.

“And make sure you don’t. We really don’t need a pile of shit dumped on our head,” Warrick took his seat. “Why are you here?”

“Well, I’ve been up since that laryngitis rooster you keep around split the dawn with his nail-on-a-chalkboard crow, so I’m heading to the town to help set up for the fair,” Frankie replied, stepping on the porch.

“I needed a cup of coffee first, but you two were getting in the way. Thanks for the confirmation, though, and now all the guys owe me fifty bucks each.”

“You bet on us?”

“Worse,” Frankie laughed. “I had a running pool going since the day Zara set foot on this ranch.”

“You motherfucker,” Warrick said with no heat behind it.

“A four-hundred and fifty buck richer motherfucker,” Frankie shot a grin over his shoulder.

Snorting, I scratched my temple. “I think we should prepare too.”

“Yeah,” Warrick nodded. “We do need to go too, but remember what I said. Whatever you need, I’ll do all I can to help.”

I couldn’t dance around the elephant in the room anymore. “What happens…when I leave here?”

“We’ll cross the bridge when we get to it.”

While Warrick pulled into the fairground parking lot, I saw the flashing lights, sounds, chatter, and laughter. I knew I was going to be thrown into a new, life-changing experience. After grabbing our jackets, we headed out to the admission gate while the harvest moon hung low in the sky.

We passed through and entered…organized chaos. The carnival part of the fair was in the front, while the cattle showground and grandstands were in the back. A mixture of vivid sights, sounds, and smells combined to make an almost dizzying experience as we walked through the carnival.

Kids chased each other in front of Warrick and me over well-trampled grass, while adults, teens, and kids alike tried their hands at the countrified-themed games, knocking down empty numbered milk bottles, shooting wooden ducks, and whacking moles. I even saw a horseshoe ring toss.

A clown in the gaudiest red and yellow getup was making balloon animals for a group of kids, while teens—probably on a date—walked around, sharing big poofs of blue or pink cotton candy. I saw corndogs, kebabs with beef on them, giant soft pretzels in their hands, and buckets of popcorn.

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