Page 14 of Alpha's Promise

"Did you sleep well?" Etta asked.

"Like the dead," Dakota admitted, her tone light, brushing over the depth of her relief. "The ranch is... quiet."

"Quiet and full of secrets and stories," Etta said with a half-smile, her eyes searching hers. "But everyone has secrets and stories, right?"

She nodded, a tingle of unease threading through her. How much could she reveal without unraveling the delicate fabric of her past? "Some more than others," she responded, her words dipping into the pool of her own hidden depths.

"True enough." Etta leaned back, casually folding her arms across her chest. “Don’t fret; when you're ready to tell yours, we’ll be here."

The offer hung between them, tender and fraught with implications. She sipped her coffee, buying time as she wrestled with gratitude and the weight of her own secrets. The silence grew, not awkward, but a dense fog of unsaid words and simmering attraction.

"Thank you… for everything," she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Anytime, Dakota." Etta’s soft reply sounded a bit like a growl, but without any rancor, unintentional perhaps, but it sent a ripple of awareness down her spine.

They finished their meal in a comfortable silence, the clink of cutlery punctuating the quiet. When the last bite was gone, Etta stood and stretched. "Grab some boots from the mudroom—should be a pair that'll fit you—and head on down to the barn, Landon will be waiting for you," she said, her voice now all business. "It's high time you saw the rest of Copper Canyon Ranch."

Dakota found the boots, worn but sturdy, and slipped them on. They were a snug fit, almost as though they'd been waiting for her. Stepping outside, she made her way down the well-worn path that led to the barn. The golden light of morning spilled over the land sprawling before her like an untamed promise. With each step, Dakota felt the layers of her old life shedding away, leaving her vulnerable yet somehow freer than she'd ever been before.

She felt his presence even before she entered the barn. He began his guided tour, the distance between them both a necessity and a challenge. It was a kind of waltz of proximity where every glance held the potential for collision. And though they both understood the steps, neither was quite ready to close the gap. Yet.

CHAPTER 8

LANDON

Landon watched as Dakota approached, the gentle morning light of Copper Canyon Ranch kissing her dark hair with a halo of russet and gold. There was something different about her today; an ease had settled on her features, smoothing out the creases of weariness that had marred her beauty when he’d first met her. She looked better rested, like a storm had passed and left behind clear blue skies in her eyes.

"Morning," he drawled, his voice low and even, betraying none of the keen interest that quickened his pulse.

"Good morning, Landon," she replied, her voice carrying the melody of a distant, haunting song. The corners of her mouth lifted in a smile, those depths that held secrets like the canyon held shadows.

Dakota's gaze wandered around the dimly lit interior of the barn, taking in everything. She seemed genuinely interested, leaning forward slightly as if the very beams could tell her their stories to her. But every so often, a sudden noise—the creak of a saddle, the snap of a twig underfoot – would make her tense, her body coiling tight as a spring before she relaxed again.

"Everything all right?" Landon asked, his tone casual but his eyes sharp, missing nothing.

"Yes, just... not used to all these sounds, I guess," she admitted, offering him a self-deprecating smile that did little to mask her underlying tension. "City life doesn't prepare you for the symphony of nature, or the sheer space of it all."

He nodded, recognizing that Dakota was like a beautiful swan, seeming to glide across the calm surface of a pond, while underneath her feet were paddling wildly, as if ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble. It was a wariness born of a life that hadn't been kind, and it stirred something protective in him. He wanted to show her that there was peace to be found here, among the whispering grasses and the steady rhythm of ranch life.

"Give it time," Landon said, his voice a soft rumble rolling across the open fields. "This land has a way of speaking to your soul, if you let it."

A breeze kicked up then, stirring the dust and sagebrush across the barnyard, carrying with it the promise of untamed freedom. It played with the edges of Dakota's hair, and Landon allowed himself to imagine what it would be like to tangle his fingers in those dark locks, pulling her close and breathing in the scent of her—a mix intoxicating and wild.

"Got time for a grand tour?" he asked, leaning against the weathered wooden ladder that led to the loft.

“Sure. I don’t work until this evening.”

"That sounds good."

Dakota's gaze lingered on the horizon before settling on Landon, her lips curving into a hesitant smile. "I've got a few hours to spare."

"Perfect." He pushed off from the ladder, anticipation coiling within him like a lasso ready to be thrown. "You up for exploring? We can take the ATV..." His voice trailed off as he observed her, giving her the space to make her own choice.

"Or?" she prompted, tilting her head slightly, a cascade of dark hair spilling over her shoulder.

"Or we could go by horseback." He watched her carefully, noting the way her eyes sparkled at the mention of horses, like twin sapphires catching the rays from the sun.

Her response came with a brightness that cut through her usual reserve. "I'm not exactly an expert rider," Dakota confessed, a blush coloring her cheeks that had nothing to do with the heat. "But I've always loved horses."

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