Page 145 of Rocky Mountain Home

Dare: Mom?

Jesse cursed his lousy timing. Of all the days for him to be on horseback out in one of the more remote sections of the ranch. He glanced over his shoulder at the thick black clouds roiling in the sky like some over-the-top special effects in an apocalyptic movie.

He guided Danger a little farther from the trees, trying to judge the correct distance so the forest would act as a wind block, yet they’d be out of reach of the branches being torn free and hurled toward the open field.

The wind had grown stiff enough it whipped through the crown land beside him. Eerie sounds whistled through the branches as if there were monsters hiding nearby, waiting for their opportunity to jump out. Bitter chill carried on the air, and another swear escaped as Jesse noticed a growing layer of white clinging to the ground.

It was fucking snowing. Barely the beginning of October—it wasn’t supposed to snow yet.

He dragged his coat around him tighter, turning up the collar and hunching his shoulders to get out of the wind.

“Sorry, guys,” he apologized to his horse and dog. “This was supposed to be a nice relaxing job.”

Danger had his head down, tilted away from the wind as Jesse guided him on the safest route back to the horse trailer. Morgan wasn’t very happy about the weather, either. Instead of running ahead with joyous glee like he had at the start of the day, he was tucked in close, moving strategically to use Danger as a wind block.

By the time they made it back to where his truck was parked, Jesse was chilled to the core. Danger went willingly into the trailer, eager to hide from the stormy weather.

Jesse rubbed Morgan down before letting him into the cab of the truck instead of ordering him into the back of the truck. “Just this once,” he said. “It’s not fit out there for man or beast.”

With the heaters blasting, it still took thirty minutes for the inside of the cab to get warm enough that Jesse could take a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the road to make sure he didn’t end up in a ditch. Every gust of wind picked up snow and flung it across his windshield, damn near creating a whiteout.

What had taken an hour to drive that morning took three to get home.

The instant he stopped in the yard and opened the truck door, Morgan took off at a run for the protection of the porch. Jesse led Danger into the horse shelter at the rental house, offering soothing words as the wind threw itself at the building hard enough to rattle the roof.

He had the saddle off and was reaching for the blanket when the door opened behind him. The wind grabbed it, slamming it against the solid wood of the barn.

Then Dare was there, rushing forward to grab hold of his shirt and shake him. “You…”

She was vibrating, eyes wild. Jesse wrapped his fingers around her wrists and attempted to pull her free, but she clutched him tighter, pressing her face against his chest and clinging as if she would never let go.

“Dare, what’s wrong?” He laid a hand on the Buckaroo bump. “Everything okay?”

A second later she’d released him only to slide her icy cold hands up and link them around his neck. She pulled hard, jerking him toward her until she could catch his mouth with hers. Kissing him violently, fire and passion and fear in her movements.

She’d been scared—that much was clear.

Jesse reached down to pick her up, kissing her in return. Promising assurances even while stoking the fire that constantly burned between them. He walked to the side of the shelter where there were stacked hay bales, settling her on a blanket. Then he reached up and cupped her face in his hands, slowing the connection between them. Kissing deeper before pulling back to stare into her liquid-filled eyes. “Hey. I’m okay. Everything okay with you and Buckaroo?”

She nodded, then shook her head. “The baby’s fine.”

Her voice was ragged and pain-filled. He stroked her cheek. “But you’re not fine.”

Dare blinked, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. “The storm.”

That’s all she said, but her words were punctuated by a roar from nature, the walls of the barn shaking around them. She cringed, eyes closing tight as she hid herself against him again.

Something twisted inside Jesse. He pushed her knees apart so he could step in tighter, wrapping her in his arms until he could press their bodies together as close as possible with her belly.

He swore when he discovered she was nearly as icy as he was.

“What the hell have you been doing to get so cold?” he scolded, rubbing her back, trying to get heat into her torso.

Dare shook her head from side to side. “Waiting on the porch.”

“Jeez. I’m sorry I’m late. The roads were a mess.”

She shivered hard enough to nearly break them apart.