Page 10 of The Rancher’s Ecstasy

Neil shouted, “Everyone, Roy and Mark are handing out bottles of water. Try to drink as much as you can. You get dehydrated out here very easily. This is the point that you can either move on with the group or go back to the ranch. A few of the guides will take whoever wants to go back. But I suggest if you’re sore now, you should head back because we're only one-third of the way into this ride.”

Emily heard the people mumble, not really catching any of the words. She was dealing with the heat that Cole’s hands left behind when he walked away.

Cole grabbed two bottles of water that one of the men handed him.

“Thanks, Mark.”

“No problem, boss.”

Cole opened one of the bottles before handing it to her. He paused a moment to make sure she was drinking before downing half his bottle.

Emily looked up at Cole, who had come to stand beside her.

“Thank you.” It tugged at her heart, the little things he did to take care of her, like opening up her bottle or making sure she ate or was steady after the ride. Her husband hadn’t done anything like that, ever, and it was disconcerting to her that she’d let it happen.

She drew in a deep breath as she watched his throat move as he drank. How could someone drinking be sexy?

“Are you staying, Em?”

Emily looked up into his eyes and then nodded. “Yes. I’d like to continue on the ride.”

Cole narrowed his eyes at her. “Are you sure? I don’t want you hurting later.”

Emily smiled. “I’ll be fine.”

He slid one of his hands over her back. “All right, good. Do you mind if I ride with you?”

His lips lifted when she knew he felt the shiver that ran through her.

Emily stared up at him. She should say no, but she enjoyed being with him. Enjoyed talking with him. He was easy to be with. What could it hurt if they were friends?

“Sure. We’re friends, right?”

Cole’s eyes darkened, and her heart thundered in her chest.

He nodded. “Yes, we are.”

Cole walked Emily around a bit, the horses trailing behind, snatching clumps of grass when they could reach.

“How do you get anything done? Your ranch is so beautiful, it’s hard to concentrate on anything but the colors and splendor?”

“It’s sad to say, but I’ve lived here for so long, I take it for granted most of the time.”

Emily’s gaze moved over the land. “I don’t think I’d ever get used to it.”

Cole’s eyes swept over her features. “I like looking at it through your eyes, Em. It’s like seeing it for the first time.”

Emily turned toward him. He was easily a foot taller than her and his shoulders twice the size of hers. He made her feel small and extremely feminine around him.

“I can’t imagine getting used to your ranch. Everything about it is so beautiful and brings me such peace. You’re a fortunate man.”

Cole raised his hand and brushed his thumb over her cheek, then smoothed her loose hair back from her face, before gripping her chin in the palm of his hand. “I feel pretty lucky at the moment.”

Emily froze, unable to look away from the swirling emotions in Cole’s blue eyes. Her breath stalled in her lungs. She jerked when her horse nudged her, and Neil’s voice shouted from a few yards away.

“Okay, everyone, let’s load up and head out. Gary is the one with his arm up.” Neil pointed to a man who sat on a horse a little away from the group with his hand raised in the air. “He’s the one going back, so move toward him. If you're done with the water, I’ll take the bottles, but if you’re not, there is a small saddlebag attached to the left side of the saddle. You can put your water there. It’s easy to reach when you need a drink. If you want more, you just have to ask one of us.”

Emily looked around as a group of guests started back. The mother and son still seemed happy, if a little tired, and were still attached to two of the ranch guides that were headed back to the ranch. Only five guests were left out of fifteen that came. Herself, a husband and wife, and two younger men that looked like they could be brothers. Most of the guides went back with the larger group, and just two guides, not counting Cole, stayed with them.