Bride Of Shadow Canyon by Stacey Kayne

Author:Stacey Kayne
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780373294442
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2010-11-15T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Heaven help me. It's wide as a lake.

Rachell couldn't pull her eyes away from the vast stretch of moving water.

"I know the width is intimidating," Jed was saying as he swung back into his saddle after untying the lead to his pack horse. "But it's not too deep. The horses can get across."

Rachell's mind fully trusted Jed's assessment of the swollen river, but her body had thoughts of its own. She sat upon the horse she'd taken to calling Storm Cloud, clenching the reins so tighdy they were biting into her flesh through her leather gloves. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her pulse and find enough muscle control to urge Storm Cloud forward, but her legs had become stone.

Jed reined in close beside her. Her gaze stayed fastened on the swirling, rippling movements of the water streaming by.

"Sugar," he said with annoying tenderness, "why don't I put you in my saddle with me?"

"No. I can ride across," she insisted, talking mostly to herself. She fought the shivers in her spine as she tapped her heels against her horse. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the sight and sounds of the moving water. Suddenly, two large hands gripped her waist and she was straddling only air.

"Jed! I said-"

"I know what you said." He positioned her on his lap, facing his chest, her legs draping over his thighs. "I also know you have too much stubborn pride to ask me for help."

"I could have crossed it," she insisted, not wanting to give in, but knowing in the back of her mind, she'd have been struggling to draw a breath before her horse's hooves had even touched the water.

"Maybe I've been looking for an excuse to get you into my saddle," Jed said.

She quickly looked away. "You don't want me anywhere near your saddle." In the past few days he'd barely brushed her elbow. "You're just being sweet by trying to make me feel less of a coward."

Jed placed a gloved hand under her chin, tilting her face up, forcing her to meet his intense gaze. "The only sweet thing in this saddle is you, and you're not a coward, Rachell. Surely there's a reason you tense up around rivers."

"My brother drowned," she said.

"You were with him?"

She nodded, closing her eyes as the warm hand on her back helped to ease her shivers. "He wasn't far from me. He went under, and he never came up. He was twelve. I hear the rush of water, and I remember Isaac carrying Andrew from the river. They said he'd been caught by an undertow."

"How old were you?"

"Nine. It's silly to still be so frightened."

"We all have fears, Rachell."

She glanced up at the warm gray eyes gazing down at her. "You don't."

"The hell I don't."

"Name one."

"Rachell Doulan," he said with a slight smile.

Rachell couldn't help but return the smile. She stiffened as Sage started forward.

"Hold tight."

She didn't need to be told, already doing her best to crawl inside Jed's shirt.

"Relax." His hand moved across her back in long soothing strokes.

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