Page 12 of The Forever Cowboy (Noble Ranch #1)

Sterling’s boots clomped across the puncheon log floor. He was beside her in the next instant, shoving aside the blankets on her legs.

She jerked the cover back down. “Hyacinth has taken care of it.”

“Let me see it,” he growled.

“There’s nothing you can do.”

He shot her a fierce scowl, then tugged aside the blanket again. His eyes dared her to defy him, and the stubborn set of his jaw told her he wouldn’t be swayed from examining her.

She sighed and leaned back.

He lowered himself to his knees and tenderly peeled back the towels she’d wrapped around her ankle and foot for warmth. As the covering fell away to reveal the discolored and swollen skin that circled her ankle, his brows pinched together.

He pressed his fingers against the puffy areas. “Tell me where it hurts the most.”

“Everywhere.”

He tossed her a censuring look, one that told her to cooperate.

As he probed near the inside of her ankle, the pain was sharp. “There. That hurt.”

He gentled his touch and continued to assess her. When he finished, he lowered her foot to the mattress. “I’ve seen broken ankles, and yours seems more like a sprain than a fracture.”

“Let’s hope you’re right.”

He covered her foot up, then sat back on his heels and glanced around the cabin, pursing his lips as he did when he was coming up with a plan.

How was it that she could remember what his various facial expressions meant? She’d never been able to forget his smile. It turned the brown of his eyes almost golden and made his eyes crinkle at the corners. It also relaxed his features and the hardness of his jaw so that he was less intimidating.

She’d been able to bring out his smile from time to time when they’d been courting, and she’d loved being able to do so.

He stood, shed his coat, then before she knew what he was doing, he reached down and slid his arms beneath her, lifting her off the bed.

“Sterling, put me down.”

Ignoring her, he straightened, his movements cautious. As he turned and started toward the stove, he cocked his head toward one of the two chairs in the cabin. “Move the chairs closer to the fire,” he said to Hyacinth.

The young woman lifted her chin at Sterling as though she might defy him, then with a glare that held her contempt, she dragged the chairs directly in front of the stove.

With Sterling’s face so close, Violet couldn’t keep from studying his features, chiseled and bronzed and weathered.

The layer of dark scruff only added to his ruggedness.

He was every bit as attractive now as he’d been the day she’d first seen him.

Of course, her body reacted as it always had, with a flutter low in her abdomen.

There was no questioning how handsome Sterling Noble was. He was one of the best-looking men in the area.

No, her physical attraction to him had never been the issue.

She could admit that she’d liked holding his hand when they’d walked, had loved being in his arms when they’d hugged, and had felt a liquid heat when they’d kissed.

While they hadn’t kissed often, they had kissed a few times as their wedding day had approached.

Even though the physical magnetism had grown between them, he’d been a strong man of character and had remained respectful with her.

She could appreciate that more now than she had at the time.

A lesser man might have pushed for more, especially so close to their wedding.

But not Sterling. He’d remained in control of himself and had always treated her with the utmost respect.

So why had she run away from him when he was not only attractive but also a man of such high character?

That question had nagged her for the past months. Of course, her first and main excuse had always been her uncertainty about loving him enough to marry him. She’d cared about him deeply, but she’d had too many doubts about whether she was ready to commit to him forever.

But if lack of love had been the only reason for her unsettled feelings during those days leading up to the wedding, then why hadn’t she just told Sterling she needed more time and postponed the wedding instead of running away?

On one hand, she had told Sterling she was feeling rushed, and that was why she’d turned down his first proposal right in this cabin.

On the other hand, maybe she hadn’t communicated her hesitancy well enough.

If she’d been more direct and told him she wanted to court longer, would he have listened?

Or would he have been upset at her anyway?

Whatever the case, she hadn’t resolved her issues by running away from the wedding, and she wasn’t sure she ever would understand what had happened. But now that she’d crossed paths with Sterling again, a part of her wanted to figure out why she’d thrown away a relationship with a man like him.

As he reached one of the chairs, he used his foot to position it.

Then he lowered her as if she were a breakable heirloom, one he couldn’t bear to part with.

Which wasn’t the truth. Maybe once upon a time he hadn’t wanted to part ways with her, but last night he hadn’t been able to get away from her fast enough.

When he lowered her to the chair, he didn’t linger. Instead, he held her legs, dragged the other chair closer, then positioned her feet on it. He rolled up a blanket and positioned it under her foot, elevating it more.

“There.” He stood back and took her in. “That should help.”

She was wearing only one stocking, and her injured foot was bare. Her skirt had slipped forward almost to her knee, revealing not only her discolored and swollen ankle but also her calf. The showing of her leg was indecent, and she wanted to tug down her skirt.

But she forced herself to remain motionless. Of course Sterling wasn’t thinking about her bare leg at a time like this. He was focused on helping her bring down the swelling in her ankle. That was all.

“You’ll sleep in the chair tonight, and that should help ease the pain.” He towered above her, concern lines etched into his forehead.

She wanted to offer him a grateful smile, but his eyes were still guarded, even if they were no longer filled with loathing. “Thank you, Sterling—”

“If she falls asleep,” Hyacinth interrupted, hovering beside her, “she might topple out of the chair.”

“She won’t fall.” Sterling situated a bench beside Violet.

“She very well could.”

“I’ll be watching her.”

Hyacinth fisted her hands on her hips, disapproval radiating from her taut frame. Sterling just glared back at her.

“I’ll be fine.” Violet offered her sister a reassuring smile. “Now that Sterling is here and we have warmth, we’ll both rest easier.”

Hyacinth took a few more moments to warm herself by the fire, then yawned and crossed back to the bunk bed. The cabin was already much warmer than it had been only ten minutes previously, and it would continue to get warm now that the fire was blazing.

Hyacinth divided up the blankets into three piles, but Sterling refused to take any. She didn’t argue with him and gave Violet two extra and took a couple for herself. Hyacinth was asleep in minutes, and Violet could feel her eyes closing too.

She could hear Sterling heating water and adding more fuel to the stove.

She wouldn’t mind having some quiet moments to talk to him and try to apologize again.

But now that she was safe and warm, all her worries seemed to fade into nothing.

She was strangely content with Sterling so close, knowing he would keep her and Hyacinth safe.

Before she could ask him a question, she felt herself drifting off.