Photo-stop over, they turned for home. Light flashed from the direction of the ranch house and Ethan lifted a hand in a wave.
“Henry’s watching us with his binoculars,” he explained at Bridie’s curious look. “He’ll be making sure we’re okay.”
She lifted a hand and waved too.
The horses picked their way through the long, wet grass and midway across the meadow shafts of sunlight shot through the clouds. Ethan welcomed the heat on his skin and glanced sideways to check that Bridie was thawing out too. Color flushed her cheeks and her full lips were no longer pale but a warm pink. He looked away before she caught him staring.
Once at the barn they unsaddled the horses and towel dried them before turning the pair into their corrals. Ethan left the tack out to dry. He’d return later to clean the wet saddles and bridles. He then led Bridie around to the side of the ranch house to the door that opened into the mudroom. He could hear mock growls from inside as Rocket and Milo wrestled. Henry had to be behind the door too and waiting for them.
Bridie’s lips quirked. “So much for Henry needing time away from you; I think he missed you.”
Ethan grinned. “More like he has a crossword clue he can’t decipher.”
He stepped away from the door. “Ladies first.”
“Of course, you letting me go before you is just good manners and has nothing to do with me having to face Henry first.”
“Of course.”
Smiling, Bridie pushed open the door.
Henry’s gaze met his as he followed Bridie up the steps. He was sure Henry’s faded eyes watered before he grunted. “What were you doing out there? Catching beaver trout?”
Bridie looked up from where she patted Rocket and Milo. “Zane has warned me not to believe any of your stories about furry fish. The only thing we were catching was a chill. The cattle rustler cave might have been dry but it was as cold as an ice-box.”
Henry scowled. “Wait until I see Zane Nash. Fur-bearing fish do exist. I pulled one out of the river myself.”
Bridie laughed and bent to tug at her water-logged boot. “Yeah, he told me you did on ... April Fool’s Day.”
“Why let such a little fact ruin a good story?” Henry’s glower softened into a smile. “Rosa has coffee on and she said she’ll dry your clothes while you take a shower.”
Bridie gave up on her right boot and tugged at her left. “That’s lovely of her, but I’m fine. A bit of water never hurt anyone.”
Henry frowned. “I can’t send you back to Clara wearing wet clothes.”
Ethan removed his own boots waiting for Bridie and Henry’s power struggle to play out.
Bridie straightened, her boots still on. “Yes, you can and besides my shirt’s almost dry. But I would love a coffee before I head to Hollyhock Creek Ranch, if I can ever get these boots off.”
To Ethan’s surprise Henry didn’t persevere with insisting Bridie take a hot shower. “Okay then. Coffee it is. I’ll tell Rosa.”
He quit the mudroom, Rocket and Milo close behind.
“See, he isn’t so scary,” Bridie said, again attempting to remove her boot. “He’s really a big old teddy bear.”
“Now that’s something I’ve never heard Henry called before.” Bridie wouldn’t accept any help with her boots but he had to ask. His mother hadn’t raised him to be bad-mannered. “Need a hand?”
“That would be great. My boots are new and now they’re wet they seem to have shrunk even tighter.”
Hands on hips, she lifted her right foot and waited for him to bend and tug at her boot. The shoe didn’t budge. She lifted her second foot and again he couldn’t remove the boot.
He straightened and met her laughing eyes. “I think you’ve met your match, cowboy. I’ll just have to wait for them to dry and hope they stretch.”
“No, you won’t.”
The bench along the side of the mudroom would provide a perfect seat while he again tackled her boots. His hands found the indent of her waist. Her eyes widened and she clasped his shoulders as he lifted her. He sat her on the bench, intending to let go of her waist and step away but Bridie’s hands remained on his shoulders. Frowning, she stared at him.
He braced himself and held her gaze. Taking a page out of her spontaneous book had been a bad move. If he weren’t careful, she’d now take aim for the body parts he didn’t need for riding. But all she did was continue to stare at him, her expression more dazed than angry.
Beneath his hands she felt soft and feminine. She smelled of flowers and lazy summer days. Her smooth pink lips were so close it would only take a small dip of his head and his mouth would find hers.