His Outback Cowgirl(24)

She blinked. “That’s one strong cup of coffee.”

“As Henry would say you could float a horseshoe in it.” Ethan’s eyes searched hers. “I thought you might need it.”

Despite the embarrassed heat flooding her cheeks, she didn’t look away. “Thanks for last night. I’m sorry I was such a ... mess.”

“You don’t need to say anything.” Ethan’s tone was low. “Everyone deals with grief in different ways but even the strongest of us can only keep it at bay for so long.”

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

“Just be gentle with yourself,” he added softly.

She took another sip of coffee to hide how much his empathy touched her. It was understandable her emotions would be raw but that was no excuse for any more tears or for the deep yearning to again feel his strong arms around her and the steady beat of his heart beneath her cheek. Sure, she was attracted to Ethan but being honest with herself she knew it went deeper than that. She’d never felt such a strong and complete emotional connection before. The only thing was that she couldn’t trust it wasn’t just her grief making her feel things that weren’t really there.

To her relief, Ethan stood. “How about we add some bacon grease to that coffee and then you’ll be ready to snap photos all day?”

With her stomach full, Bridie went down to the lake to wash her face. To her surprise, when she returned, Ethan had Captain saddled. Cloud and Molly remained on the highline. While it was now lighter, the sunrise was yet to paint the sky and usher in the day’s warmth.

“How come I’m not allowed to sneak off and you are?”

She meant her question to be flippant but instead it emerged more thin and vulnerable. Perhaps Ethan wasn’t as okay as he seemed about her drenching him in tears?

He led Captain over. The wide brim of his hat stopped her from gauging the expression in his eyes. “I want to do some scouting around before it gets too hot. As Henry doesn’t graze his cattle here in summer, and Cordell and I only make irregular camping trips, the poachers could have a field day. I’ll be back by lunch.” He smiled. “You’ll be so busy taking pictures, you won’t even notice I’m gone.”

She copied his grin. Ethan didn’t seem to be avoiding her on purpose. “True.”

“If you need me, text. There are pockets of signal, especially the higher you go.”

“No worries. Molly, Cloud and I will be fine. I can’t say the same for the brownies Rosa packed. They’ll probably be all gone.”

Ethan chuckled and lifted his hand. For a second she thought he would touch her face but all he did was tilt his hat brim higher.

“See you at lunch and ... take that bear spray with you.”

“I will.”



The sunrise, and then the morning, passed in a sun-soaked blur. Bridie positioned herself near the lake and took pictures of the moose and baby swimming, an inquisitive squirrel, three thirsty deer and a soaring bald eagle. While she sat still and alone a rare sense of calm filtered through her. Last night’s meltdown had relieved a little of her emotional pressure. Now all she had to do was hang in there until she could come back to the mountains by herself. Then she could say a final good-bye to her father.

When her stomach rumbled, Bridie set about making lunch in the outdoor kitchen. She had hamburger patties sizzling by the time Ethan returned to camp. He gave her a wave and unsaddled Captain before coming over to the campfire. Her gaze lingered on his whiskered jaw. Finally, she got to see him unshaven and with his dark blond hair mussed. The effect was well worth the wait. Her fingers curled into her palms to stop herself tracing the line of his shadowed jaw.

They ate while they examined and discussed Bridie’s photos. With lunch over, Ethan filled a backpack with everything they’d need for an afternoon’s hike around the lake. When they were almost directly opposite to where they’d made camp, they took a break.

Bridie sat on a rock and considered her boots. “These boots are sure not made for walking.”

Ethan shrugged off the backpack, sat on an adjacent rock and passed her a water bottle. “At least they’ve stretched and come off easier now. Otherwise, you’d have spent the night wearing them.”

She nodded, strangely tongue-tied at the thought of him removing her boots when she’d been asleep. He’d taken such good care of her. Another man would have run at the first sheen of tears.

Ethan took a chug of water. Bridie looked away from the tanned column of his throat as he swallowed. The more rugged and the more untidy he looked, the more her hormones had a hard time keeping their appreciation to themselves. They didn’t care she was supposed to be finding inner peace, all they could focus was on how gorgeous he looked hot, rumpled and sweaty.