He hesitated. Yes had already formed on his tongue but his conscience held him quiet. He’d missed her so much, even just an hour’s ride with her would ease the ache in his heart. But more days away together, let alone nights, was only asking for trouble. Even if Bridie had said he wasn’t a complication he couldn’t risk anything further happening between them. She needed to say good-bye to her father not dive head first into a fling.
As the silence grew, she watched him, gaze steady but guarded.
He rubbed at his jaw. “Are you sure? I’d like nothing better but it has to really be what you want. Rocket will make any poacher think twice about approaching you, so you’d be safe. With him, you’d also be able to ... let go ... in private.”
Her chin angled. “I’m sure.”
“Okay then.” Caution still slowed his words. “There might be a problem though of when we can go. I can leave Sunday, but Monday I have to take Henry to Bozeman for business appointments. So if you wanted to be away longer than a day we couldn’t leave until Tuesday and that might be too late.”
She didn’t hesitate. “Let’s go for the day Sunday. I need to go ... soon.”
“Okay. Sunday it is.” He replaced his pool cue as though they’d agreed to something as simple and casual as having a coffee at the Java Café. He pushed aside his tension. They’d spend the day on horseback, not lying yards apart around an intimate campfire. Nothing would happen between them.
“Thanks.”
Bridie too replaced her pool cue. She tucked the hair brushing her cheek behind her ear. The action dislodged the white flower she wore and it fell to the floor.
Ethan bent to retrieve the flower and straightened to the sight of Bridie redoing her hair. The action of reaching behind her head stretched the bodice of her sundress tighter and higher. Mouth dry, he locked his jaw. He didn’t need any reminder of how feminine or gorgeous Bridie was, or how weak and human he was. His testosterone already fixated on the memory of how it felt to have her in his arms and her legs wrapped around him.
“Here you go.” He held out the flower spray, his hand not as steady as usual. For her sake he had to ensure that things remained purely platonic between them. No matter how much he wished things could be different.
She re-tucked the flower into her hair and lowered her arms. Their gazes held. Despite the blue in her dress, her eyes appeared more grey.
“Ready?”
His quiet question wasn’t just about having her flower back in place. He wanted to check she had her emotions safely stowed and was ready to return upstairs.
Her fingers looped through his and he curled his hand around their warm fragility.
“I am now.”
Her hand stayed in his until they reached the kitchen doorway. Then with a small smile she slipped her fingers free, and shoulders squared, stepped into the kitchen.
As lunch progressed it was as though Bridie’s heartfelt plea to accompany her into the mountains had never happened. Seated beside Finn, she made jokes with Henry, chatted to Payton about her mustang, Gypsy, and all the while ignored him. Which was just as well. While glasses clinked, cutlery rattled and laughter sounded as people enjoyed Clara’s birthday lunch, Ethan continually felt himself under observation.
Henry’s shrewd gaze flickered between him and Bridie. Cordell’s all-seeing stare rested on him far more than normal. Trinity’s green eyes missed nothing, even when Ethan passed Bridie a full water pitcher when he’d noticed her empty glass. The cutting of Clara’s cake couldn’t come fast enough.
When the cake had been cut and coffee mugs replaced wine glasses and beer bottles, Bridie slipped into the empty seat beside him. Just for a second her leg pressed against his to say that she hadn’t forgotten about him.
“So, Bridie, when’s your next mountain trip?” Henry asked from across the table, expression innocent.
“Sunday.”
Henry’s narrowed gaze zeroed in on Ethan. “So you’re not going?”
Before Ethan could answer, Bridie spoke. “He is. It’s just a day trip so Ethan can take you to Bozeman Monday.”
Henry grunted. “So you’ll want to leave early then so you can have a full day away?”
“No, just the usual time,” Ethan said, voice firm. He hadn’t missed a telltale glint in Henry’s eyes and going by Cordell’s widening grin, his twin hadn’t either. They both knew what that glint meant. Henry was up to something.
“So where will you be tomorrow night, Bridie?” Henry asked, his voice too smooth. “Your mom’s house in Marietta or out here at Zane’s?”