Page 23 of Knot Her Cowboys
“I won’t. I promise.”
It had been a long damn time since I’d had the fear of god put in me. Riley’s plunge into the river had been a straight shot of adrenaline, and I’d hit the ground running before I could think twice. It’d only occurred to me I could drown just as easily once I’d already thrown myself in after her. We had safety protocols to prevent that, but they hadn’t even entered my head once she’d hit the water.
She was okay.
I was okay.
I abandoned my duties at the first possible moment, the staff letting me know Riley had been taken up to the big house.
“Riley?” I called as I stepped through the door.
“We’re up here,” Cash yelled back.
I took the stairs two at a time and skidded to a stop outside the guest bathroom. Riley had a towel wrapped around herself like a dress, submerged up to her chin in the bathtub.
“Shit, you’re soaked too,” Cash said when he noticed me. “Go shower and change.”
“In a minute.” I dropped to my knees next to the tub. “Hey.”
Riley’s eyes welled with tears. “You saved my life.”
“Of course I did.” I tucked a strand of her sodden hair behind her ear and she shivered. “I’m not letting the river take you.”
She launched forward, wrapping her arms around me, her skin blessedly warm. Her squeak as she made contact with my ice-cold shirt had me pulling away, but she didn’t let go.
“I’m sorry Bruce hit you.”
“I’ll survive.”
I wasn’t sure if it was the river or the bath that had stripped away her neutralizers, but a sweet, fruity, and floral fragrance wafted from her skin, hooking deep in my chest. I glanced at Cash and he replied with a subtle nod.
Shit.
Riley was our scent match.
“What’s happening with my alphas?”
Oh, right. Those assholes. I couldn’t imagine forming a pack with them. “They’re packing their things right now.”
“I don’t want to go.”
“You’re more than welcome to stay,” I promised. “Bruce could’ve killed you with his bullshit behavior, and we can’t letany guest remain who breaks the rules so egregiously. He’s the only one who has to go.”
“Bryan won’t stay here without him.”
“Willyoustay here without them?” I asked.
“I—”
“Stay,” Cash whispered. “Let’s celebrate your birthday in style tomorrow. You completed another trip around the sun and survived a Montana river. If anything calls for drinks and cake, I’d say that’s it.”
Riley finally detached, sinking back into the warm bath. “I’m going to have to talk to them, and I don’t have the energy for it.”
“Maybe a bit of space wouldn’t be a bad idea,” Dakota said as he swept in, offering her a mug of what smelled like hot chocolate.
“I guess that’s true.” Riley sipped at her drink.
Dakota passed me a second cup and I chugged it gratefully, pleased it wasn’t hot enough to stop me from doing so.
