Page 43 of A Whiskey River Princess

She nodded but paused. “Dirk, I—”

“Don’t worry about it,” he cut her off, looking straight ahead. “Go on in.”

Gabriella paused for a moment and then stepped out of the sleigh and made her way up the frozen steps. When she opened the door, Buster came bounding out.

“Hey, boy! Want to help?” Dirk asked as Buster jumped into the sleigh.

Buster barked twice, wagging his tail.

“Good boy.” Dirk clicked his tongue and guided Angel toward the barn. “If only people were more like animals: loyal, trusting….”

Buster barked twice and Angel looked over her shoulder at Dirk.

He never ceased to marvel at how much animals seemed to understand. Somehow, Dirk had always gotten along better with animals than humans, although he never knew why. He guessedthat animals didn’t lie. They trusted and loved unconditionally. Humans were different. It took a while to earn their trust.

Dirk guessed that he had to include himself in that, too. Since Sarah left, it had made him a bit less trusting of people. It would take him a while to be able to trust someone again like he had trusted her.

Suddenly, he understood Gabriella. If he was slow to trust after what he had been through, there was no doubt that she, too, found it difficult to trust others because of what she had been through.

After he rubbed down Angel and guided her to her stall, Dirk made his way through the blinding snow and through the back door of the cabin as Buster followed.

“Well! It appears that we made it back just in time,” Dirk announced as he shook the snow from his coat and hung it by the door. He looked around but didn’t see her. “Gabriella?” When he walked into the living room, only one candle was lit, illuminating her, bent over the fireplace, still dressed in her coat.

She had placed a log in the fireplace and was trying to light it. Dirk smiled at her persistence, realizing that she didn’t know anything about caring for herself or a home. No doubt she had spent her life being cared for and doted on.

“You forgot the kindling. When the fire dies too much, you need to add kindling to start it.” Dirk grabbed a handful of small, dry twigs. “Here, I’ll do it.”

When she pulled back, tears were streaking down her face.

“Ah, come here,” Dirk cooed as he pulled her gently to her feet and wrapped his arms around her. “It’s only a fire. No need to cry.”

“It’s not that,” she sniveled. “It appears that I’m hopeless. Why did I ever run away? Why did I ever think that I could survive on my own?”

Dirk’s eyebrows pulled together in concern. “You ran away?”

She nodded against his chest.

“From what?”

Gabriella pulled back and he handed her a handkerchief. “I was tired of being doted on, of people catering to my every whim. I wanted an adventure, to experience life—”

Dirk chuckled. “Well, you’re experiencing life, all right.”

She scoffed and stepped back.

“Hey.” He placed a finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him. “You’ve been through a lot. You were kidnapped and, somehow, you found your way through the snow to my door. And in the short time you’ve been here, you’ve learned how to make biscuits.”

Gabriella laughed through her tears.

“Give yourself some credit.” Dirk shrugged. “You’re stronger than you think.”

She nodded, looking up at him with trusting eyes. “Thank you.”

At that moment, he was tempted to pull her into his arms and press his lips to hers, but he wasn’t ready to give his heart… and neither was she.

Instead, Dirk let out a deep breath and bent down to the fireplace. “First, you set a log in the fireplace, and then scatter some kindling over it….” He began a lesson on how to light a fire, thankful for the distraction. Soon, a fire blazed, filling the room with warmth.

They both silently warmed their hands. After they were warm, Dirk noticed that she was still wearing her coat. “Here. Let me get that for you.” Without thinking, he slid her coat slowly down her arms, noticing the gentle curve of her neck as it met her shoulders. His fingers lingered a bit too long as they slid down her arms.

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