Page 22 of The Roper & the Author

Walker easily settled her into the saddle and then released his grip on her. “You all right?”

“Whoa.” She looked around. The view was magnificent. “This is incredible. I’m a giant up here. I didn’t realize Johnny Boy would make me seven feet tall.”

“King of the world for sure.” He grinned at her.

“Queen,” she corrected, grinning back at him.

“Yes, you are.” Before she could savor that compliment, he went on. “I’m going to have to share that saddle with you.”

“Oh … Oh, that’s right. How do I … fit you with me?” She was a hot mess suddenly. They were going to be very close. She’d schemed this earlier and now she was getting the reward. Would it be too much? The shock of his body so close could send her into heart failure.

He lifted his left leg and placed his booted foot in the stirrup, holding the reins in his left hand and wrapping his hand underneath the horn she clung to. “Lift yourself up a bit.”

Marci did as instructed. He smoothly swung into the air, his right leg coming up over the horse. He settled into the saddle behind her and then drew her back against him, his right arm and hand wrapping seamlessly around her waist.

“Oh. This is … we are … very close.” She was gasping for air as her back pressed into his chest and his arm held her firmly against him. His hand splayed across her waist and the musk and leather scent of him surrounded her. She couldn’t think straight, let alone speak coherently.

“Is it all right?” Walker asked, his voice even deeper than usual. “I can saddle another horse and teach you how to ride.”

“No,” she all but yelled. “No way. This is perfect.”

“It is,” he agreed softly. His warm breath tickled her ear.

Marci leaned back against him and completely relaxed.Relajadawasn’t the correct term as her heart was racing and her skin prickling with a tingly warmth, but she let her body relax, molding itself to Walker’s. She didn’t think about how she’d write this scene, or let her mind race away with daydreams. She’d never been so firmly grounded in the moment.

He clucked softly to the horse, and they started forward. Walker held the reins with one hand and held her with the other. She rested her right hand over his hand on her waist and her left hand on his leg. He startled but settled.

“Is that all right?” she asked, repeating his question from earlier.

“Perfect,” he said huskily against her ear.

Perfect. It wasperfecto. She didn’t know Walker as well as she’d like, but she thought everything about him was just about perfect.

They rode onto one of the trails through the trees and headed north. Neither of them said anything. She savored each sensation. She should be cataloguing the thick green forest, the steady, rolling cadence of the horse’s canter, the autumn sun filtering through the trees, the mountains soaring above them to the east, painted pink by the sun’s descent. All that mattered at the moment was the strong, incredible cowboy holding her close.

She leaned against him and enjoyed each touch and sensation. If Abuelita was safe, she’d never leave this spot.

The trail opened up to a clearing and she saw the sparkling lake and the river from their run earlier this morning.

“I love this spot,” she said.

“Me too.” He reined the horse in and they sat looking at the small, lovely lake. “You said you like to swim?”

“Oh yes. I swim in the ocean or the pool almost every day.”

“The water’s cold, but we could swim in the lake tomorrow if you’d like. We don’t have enough time tonight.”

“I would love that.” She looked at him over her shoulder. His blue eyes reeled her in. “But I might be gone tomorrow. If they rescue Abuelita tonight and capture the men.”

He nodded. She wished he’d tell her he didn’t want her to leave.

He clucked to Johnny Boy, and they turned and headed back on the trail. He was still holding her close and their position was intimate and warm, but an emotional wall had slid between them. It was a glass wall. She could see him through it, but if she broke it, she might injure them both with glass shards.

Why had he closed off? Maybe he didn’t want to get invested in a woman who was going to be gone soon, or maybe he simply wasn’t interested in her.

At least she was reassured he wasn’t a player. A player would take advantage of their time together, kiss her and not worry that she’d be gone tomorrow.

How would one of her heroines get this hero to make a move?

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