Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 47804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 191(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 191(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
“I want to hear all about Silver Fox Ranch,” she reminds me.
“Plus, is it normal for Silver Fox Ranch hands to carry young women off into the woods?” she asks with a giggle, but her question has the smile wiped from my face.
But only for a moment.
“No, it isn’t,” I tell her firmly. “It’s like I said, Tina. I’ve never done anything like this, not with anyone because I’ve never felt….”
She’s looking up at me, hanging on my every word. Eager to hear it from my own lips that what we’re doing is the only thing to do.
But the sound of voices from further up ahead makes me stop.
I hear them long before Tina does, so she stares up at me blankly until I feel her sweet little body tense up when she hears them too.
“Expecting company?” she rasps. An edge of irritation as well as hesitation in her voice.
But I’m not putting her down, not for anything or anyone.
“Probably some hikers from the National Park, we do get ‘em coming through once in a while. Can’t read the signs, I guess,” I tell her, feeling my jaw flex with annoyance.
Not surprised at all when a group of three round the turn in the nearly invisible track we’re following.
But it’s not the first time a group of strangers has roamed onto the ranch from the National Park, and it won’t be the last.
Still. Their timing couldn’t be lousier.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Tina
Hearing strange voices and then seeing people, even though it’s been less than an hour since we left the homestead, I can’t help but feel like I’m actually seeing people for the very first time.
Having Mack kiss me back the way I know we both feel it, and then having him carry me all this way sure has given my whole world a different glow.
Until now.
It really has felt like we’re the only two people on the planet, let alone the whole forest.
So, I’m not surprised at all when Mack’s mood shifts to irritation at us being interrupted yet again.
The three hikers look like they’re glad to see us, though, and don’t even seem to think a man of Mack’s size carrying me is anything out of the ordinary.
The look in their eyes telling a story of its own, about a long, cold, and scary night spent out in the woods. Lost.
Alone.
There’s a guy and two girls, probably around my age and definitely not from around these parts.
In broken English, they exclaim relief and let Mack know they got lost wandering in the National Park. Straying from their camp and having spent the night in the woods, they look like they need some help.
Without loosening his grip on me, he lets me slide down just enough to cover his arousal using my big butt, which makes me shiver.
“You’re a fair way from the National Park, and on private property,” Mack observes gruffly before softening his tone when they look down at their feet.
“If you follow this path,” he tells them, drawing his huge foot on the ground beneath us and jerking his head back the way we came, “You’ll be at Silver Fox Ranch homestead in about an hour,” he tells them.
One of the girls’ eyes lifts to meet his, and I can’t help but feel a stab of insecurity when she smiles at him, asking if he could maybe carry her back to civilization.
She’s blond and tall.
Beautiful.
Everything I thought a guy like Mack would fall for, but his eyes moving to meet mine reassure me that I don’t have any competition.
Mack ignores the request, taking a long breath in as he works on keeping his mood friendly.
Professional.
“Mrs. Corbett will help you once you get there. Tell her Mack sent you and ask if she can call the ranger to come collect you. I’m kind of busy right now,” he says with strained patience.
His huge hands squeezing me gently. Silently telling me he isn’t going to let a few lost hikers interfere with his plans.
Our plans.
“Are you a…a real-life cowboy?” The guy asks, instantly impressed by Mack’s imposing figure and his total command of the situation.
“Ranch hand,” Mack rasps dryly in reply. Making me stifle a giggle as he moves past the trio.
“So, you aren’t even going to walk back with us?” Calls the blond again, but Mack doesn’t bother to answer.
Only moving forward with renewed energy as he works on getting us both closer to where we both really need to be right now.
Alone, and with no more interruptions.
Even as the thought forms in my mind, as I wonder if they’ll really be okay, Mack smiles. Reading my mind as if it’s his own.
“They’ll be alright.,” he drawls. “Once Mrs. Corbett sets eyes on them, they’ll wish they’d stayed lost,” he remarks with a chuckle.
“She’ll feed and fuss over them so much they’ll have trouble standing let alone walking that far ever again,” he adds.