Before Dante could grasp the door handle, his brother Tuck threw it open. “Dante, you sly devil, get in here.” Tuck embraced Dante. “I was still out of it yesterday when you made your announcement. I didn’t congratulate you properly.” He hugged Dante again. “Julia and I are so happy for you.”
“About that—”
Julia hooked Emma’s arm and drew her into the living room. “Tuck’s mother was so happy, she was beside herself. I think it was the only thing that got her through the day and into the night. She’d been so worried about Pierce, I think she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. And then you and Dante arrive with your wonderful news and it perked her right up.”
Emma bit her bottom lip, wanting to say something but at a loss for what words to use.
“Speaking of Mom and Pierce, where are they? Emma and I had something to say.” Dante glanced around the room.
Roxanne emerged from the hallway, her face tired but happy. “Mom was so excited to have her brood home, I had a hard time convincing her that we could feed ourselves and that she needed to rest. She tucked Pierce into his bed and crawled into her own, too tired to argue.”
“You should have been there last night,” Julia gushed. “She had a dozen questions about your engagement. All the possibilities kept her mind busy so that she didn’t have time to dwell on Pierce. And when Pierce woke up and found out you’d gotten yourself engaged, he almost left the hospital right then and there to come shoot you for not telling us all sooner.”
Emma’s heart had settled like a lump in the pit of her belly. With Amelia and Pierce exhausted from their ordeal and beyond their limits, Emma couldn’t break it to them that her and Dante’s engagement was a sham.
“About the engagement. It’s not what you think...” Dante started again.
Julia, Tuck and Roxanne all turned toward him, smiling.
Emma took Dante’s hand. “What Dante is trying to say is that it was all pretty sudden and we haven’t even had time to get a ring.”
“No ring?” Roxanne crossed her arms over her chest. “Isn’t that how you ask a woman to marry you, by offering her an engagement ring?”
Dante glanced down at Emma, his gaze questioning.
“Tell them how you proposed, Dante.” Emma smiled at him, giving him a subtle wink.
Julia clasped her hands together. “This is all so romantic.”
Dante’s eyes widened and then narrowed slightly. He faced his brother and two sisters-in-law. “Well, we haven’t known each other very long, but I knew as soon as I met her that Emma was someone special.”
Emma almost snorted. He’d had coffee with her and then run like a scalded cat, never to call her later. Feeling a little guilty, but somewhat vindicated, she waited with her brows raised to see what story he’d spin about asking her to marry him.
“Go on,” Tuck said, smirking. “Tell us all how it’s done.”
“There really wasn’t much to it. One minute we were just friends and the next minute I asked her to marry me.”
“Seriously?” Roxanne crossed her arms. “Did you at least get down on one knee?”
Dante tugged at the collar of his shirt. “No. I just—”
“Blurted it out,” Emma finished and took his hand. “It was so spontaneous and unrehearsed.” Her pulse beating hard, she raised his hand to her cheek. “I can’t imagine anything more romantic.” And she couldn’t, because she could never imagine anyone, especially Dante Thunder Horse, asking her to marry him. And he never would, for real.
“True love.” Julia sighed. “Straight from the heart.”
“That’s right.” Dante bent and kissed Emma’s cheek.
“Come on, Dante, give her a real kiss,” Tuck urged.
“Yeah, Dante, show us what got her to say yes.”
Dante’s jaw tightened.
Emma’s cheeks burned. “Really, we’re not that demonstrative in public,” she insisted.
“The hell we aren’t.” Dante swept her into his arms and kissed her long and hard.
At first she was stiff and nonresponsive, too shocked by his move to think. But as his lips softened and moved over hers, she melted against his body. He traced the seam of her lips until she opened her mouth and his tongue speared through, caressing the length of hers.
Emma rose up on her toes, lacing her fingers around his neck. The world fell away and it was only him and her, alone.
“Ahem.” Tuck cleared his throat. “You’ve made your point.”
“What a kiss.” Julia wrapped her arms around Tuck’s waist and leaned into him.
Dante broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against Emma’s for a moment. “Are you okay?” he asked.
She nodded, her tongue still tingling from the sweet torture of his.
Finally, Dante moved away and clapped his hands together. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, Emma, Sean and I were headed out to check on Sweet Jessie.”
“I’m coming,” Tuck said.
“You were just in a car wreck,” Dante said. “Give yourself at least another day to recuperate.”
Tuck’s brows rose. “I would think you’d need the recuperation time more than me.”
“That’s right,” Julia said, lowering her voice to a whisper. “We saw the news clip on your helicopter crash.”
Roxanne tilted her chin, staring closely at Dante. “We also saw an article in the morning paper about an explosion in Grand Forks that put one man in the hospital. Were you part of that, as well?”
Emma’s cheeks heated. If they knew about the crash and explosion, how long would it take for them to figure out that she and Dante weren’t really engaged?
Roxanne’s eyes widened. “You were there!” She clapped a hand over her mouth. “That was your Jeep, wasn’t it? That’s why you’re driving a rental.”
Dante raised a hand. “It was an accident and neither Emma nor I were hurt in it.”
“But you could have been,” Tuck reminded him.
“I’d prefer Mom didn’t know about the crash or the explosion,” Dante said. “She’s had more than enough drama for a lifetime.”
Julia pursed her lips. “It’s only a matter of time before she finds out. Nothing much gets by Amelia and she’s tougher than you think.”
“Look—” Tuck stepped into the fray “—we’ve all agreed not to say anything to Mom. But if she asks, we won’t deny it.”
Dante inhaled and let it out. “Fair enough.”
“Now, do you want me to help you with the horses?” Roxanne offered.
“I’d go,” Julia said. “But I’m not much good wrangling horses, and Lily’s down for her nap with your mother. I hate to leave her.”
“No.” Dante held up his hand. “The three of us can handle this.” He nodded to Roxanne. “And I’m sure Pierce will be looking for you when he wakes.”
“It’s supposed to drop down to minus twenty tonight,” Tuck said. “Don’t stay out past four-thirty when the sun sets.”
As he headed for the door, Emma’s hand in his, Dante called over his shoulder, “If we’re gone any longer, send out a search party.”
“Will do.”
Dante stopped in the kitchen to swipe a handful of baby carrots from the refrigerator and stuffed them into the pocket of his snow pants.
While Sean hurried ahead to the barn, Dante hung back in the mudroom, making certain Emma had the right winter-weather gear on to ride on the back of the snowmobile. “Standing out in that wind is bad enough, riding on the back of the snowmobile is even colder.”
“I’m tougher than I look,” she assured him. Emma appreciated the extra care he gave her ensuring she would be warm enough, arming her with a warm wool scarf and heavy-duty insulated gloves and an insulated helmet.
When they reached the barn, Dante went in. An engine revved and he emerged minutes later on a sleek red snowmobile. Scooting forward, he jerked his head, motioning for her to climb on the back.
Glad she didn’t have to stay at the house and lie to people she barely knew, Emma climbed aboard and wrapped her arms around Dante’s middle. She liked being with him, even out in the frigid cold. And when they were alone together, she could be herself. No lies. She wished they could keep going.
Chapter Eleven
Dante sped out of the yard as Sean led his horse out of the barn. Already past noon, clouds had accumulated in the western sky. The weatherman had predicted more snow that night. If nothing else, at least it would keep the saboteur from sneaking up on them and causing trouble. And if he did try something at night, he prayed the snow wouldn’t hide his tracks.
Flying across the snow-covered prairie of the Badlands, he let go of the strain and pressure of the past couple of days. Out here, it was him, the sky and the incredible woman holding on to his waist. He could almost forget his life in the army, Sam and the other men of his unit.
He pushed aside the guilt of letting go. The cold reminded him of what was important—paying attention to the terrain and the time. If they were stranded out in the cold, especially near dusk, they might not be found until morning. Once the night got as cold as it would get, they wouldn’t last until morning.
It took thirty minutes of steady riding to make it all the way out to the canyon. Without the added protection of foot and hand warmers, Emma’s extremities would be getting pretty cold. He slowed the snowmobile and shifted her hands under his jacket, the cold gloves touching his bare skin made him jump. Unable to help her feet, he prayed the boots would keep her toes warm enough to ward off frostbite. He would have left her back at the house, but he wanted to keep a close eye on her. Not that he didn’t trust his family, but they had their hands full and he figured she would have insisted on coming anyway.
When he finally made it to the edge of the canyon, he drove along the rim until he found the path leading down and stopped the snowmobile, shutting off the engine. “We walk from here.”
Emma swung her leg over the back and swayed, holding on to the seat of the machine.
Dante got off and stood beside her. “How are your feet?”
“Cold. But not too bad now that we’ve stopped.”
“I’ll let you drive on the way back. There are hand and feet warmers for the driver.”
“Now you tell me.” She smiled. “No, really, I’m okay.” She pulled off the helmet, laid it on the back of the snowmobile and secured her jacket’s hood over her head. “What now?”
“We go down into the canyon and find the horses.” He glanced down the path and back at her. “I should have warned you there would be hiking involved. If you’re not up to it, you can stay here and wait for Sean.”
“I told you, I’m tougher than I look. Lead the way.”
He liked her spunky attitude and willingness to pitch in. For a college professor, she was a lot more apt and able than he’d originally given her credit. Still, it was a steep climb down into the canyon and even more difficult coming out on the snow and ice. If he saw that she was having any trouble, he’d turn back and get her out of the canyon.
They made it to the bottom with little trouble and the sound of the snowmobile engine had alerted the wild ponies. They’d come to see if he had brought them treats.
Sweet Jessie, the tamest of the herd, led the way, favoring her right front leg with a decided limp, but no less determined to get to them ahead of the herd. She loved carrots and would follow him anywhere for the tasty treat. Especially in the dead of winter when food was scarce.
Her foal followed, his coat thick and fuzzy.
Emma’s eyes widened. “They’re so beautiful. Are they yours?”
“No, they’re the wild ponies of the Badlands. They don’t belong to anyone.”
“Then why are you out here?”
“My family has always taken care of them, looking out for them and providing the Bureau of Land Management with an accurate annual count. When one is sick, we help if we can.”
Dante pulled off his glove and fished in his pocket for the carrots. Already the cold wind bit at his fingers. When he had the carrots in hand, he gave half of them to Emma. “Hold these out in your hand.”
“She won’t bite me?”
“She might nibble a little, just keep your hand flat and she won’t hurt you.”
Emma held out her hand as he’d instructed, the carrots in the palm of her glove.
Dante slid his glove back on and kept his carrots out of sight.
Sweet Jessie trotted to within twenty feet of them and stopped.
“Why did she stop?” Emma whispered.
“She doesn’t know you.” Dante spoke softly to keep from startling the other horses. “Give her time to learn you aren’t a threat to her.”
“She’s so much bigger than I am. How could I be a threat?”
“You’d be surprised how threatening humans can be to the wild horses.”
Sweet Jessie inched forward a little at a time, her neck stretching, her nostrils flaring, steam rising from her nose with each breath. When she was within three feet of Emma, she lifted her chin and nuzzled the carrots out of Emma’s gloved hand.
Emma let out a soft gasp, a smile spreading across her face as she glanced up at Dante.
In that moment, the sun broke through the clouds and shone down on her face. Her dark hair framed her cheeks, the cool air making them rosy. But it was the flash of teeth and the excited gleam in her eyes that hit Dante like a punch to the gut.
Emma Jennings was a beautiful woman. So full of life, so innocent in many ways and strong and daring in others. This was the woman who’d ridden her snowmobile straight into danger to save him and then had given her virginity to him in the middle of a blizzard.
He reached for her, without realizing that was what he was doing.
Her smile slipped from her lips and her eyelids drifted halfway closed, her lips puckering slightly to receive his kiss.
In the frigid cold of the North Dakota Badlands, Dante Thunder Horse found himself on the slippery slope of possibly falling for a woman he’d only been around for a grand total of four days.
He pressed his lips to hers, taking them slowly at first. But as he deepened the kiss, his hunger grew and he crushed her to his body, frustrated by the amount of clothes standing between them.
Emma lurched, knocking into him and the moment was lost.
Sweet Jessie, impatient with their kissing, had sniffed out his other stash in the palm of his hand. The one fisted and holding Emma close.
The mare nudged him again, pushing Emma against Dante.
He laughed and set Emma to the side, offering the carrots up to the horse.
While Jessie’s lips snuffled for the treat, Dante reached up and wrapped his hand around her frayed halter.
When the last of the carrots were gone, Sweet Jessie tossed her head, trying to loosen Dante’s hold on her.
“You might want to step back,” he told Emma.
She slipped from his arms and pressed a gloved hand to her swollen lips, her eyes bright and shimmering in the fleeting sunlight.
Dante held tight to Sweet Jessie, refusing to let loose.
After several attempts to shake him off, Jessie nuzzled his jacket, looking for more carrots.
Dante smoothed a hand over Jessie’s nose and spoke softly. “Emma, could you hand me the lead rope?”
Emma scooped the rope from the ground and laid it across his open palm.
He snapped the lead on one of the metal rings in the halter. “Come on, Sweet Jessie. Let’s see what’s going on.” He edged closer and pressed his shoulder to hers, then eased down to the leg she’d favored as she’d trotted up to them.
At first, she refused to let him lift the hoof. As he leaned harder against her, she shifted her weight to the other foot and he was able to raise the injured one.
As he’d suspected, the tender pad of her foot had been cut, and was infected and swollen with pus. She needed it drained and to have a poultice applied. And she needed to be kept in a clean, dry environment until the injury was well on its way to healing.
“Is it bad?” Emma asked.
“If we leave it alone, it might heal on its own.”
Emma frowned. “And if it doesn’t?”
“The infection could spread and she might die.”
“Are we going to take her back to the barn?”
“That’s what Sean will do when he gets here.” Dante straightened and glanced up at the path. “You should go first. I’m going to lead Sweet Jessie out. I don’t want you to be in danger if she spooks and tries to break away.”
“Okay.” Emma turned toward the path and started up the hill, climbing with quick, measured steps, pacing herself for the steep ascent out of the canyon. Every few steps she glanced over her shoulder to make sure Dante was still behind her.
Holding the halter in one hand and the lead in another, Dante led the horse up the narrow trail.
Every time rocks skittered down the slope, Emma’s pulse leaped and she swung around, only to see the man and horse steadily climbing behind her.
Halfway up the hill, Emma was breathing hard, but confident she wouldn’t have to stop before she made it to the top.
Head down, eyes forward, she took another step.
A loud blast cracked the frigid air and the earth beneath her feet shifted; gravel slid over the edge of the path and tumbled down the hill.
When she glanced up, the entire hillside seemed to be sliding downward toward her. “Landslide!” she cried out and turned back.
Sweet Jessie reared and nearly knocked Dante over the side of the trail. He let go of the lead and dropped to his knees.
The horse spun, lost her foot and slipped a hoof over the edge before she got her balance and raced back down the hill.
Higher up and closer to the source of the landslide, Emma knew she wouldn’t get out of the way fast enough. When the wave of sliding rock and gravel hit, her feet were swept out from under her and she slid down the side of the steep slope, bumping and slamming against every rock, boulder and stump along the way. Pain ripped through her arms and head as she rode the wave of earth to the bottom of the steep precipice and slid thirty feet along the base of the canyon before the world stopped moving.
Gravel and small rocks continued to pelt her as she lay still, counting her fingers and toes and flexing her arms and legs. Everything seemed to be working okay, so she sat up.
“Emma!”
Emma shifted her head and glanced up.
Thankfully Dante had been farther to the north of the source of the landslide, the trail he’d been walking on had been spared. But if he didn’t slow down in his race to the floor of the canyon, he’d end up causing a landslide of his own.
“I’m okay,” Emma called out, the sound barely making it past her lips. Had she not been so bundled in snow pants and thick clothing, she might have more cuts and broken bones.
She rolled to her side, starting to feel the bumps and bruises she’d acquired in her pell-mell slide down the canyon wall.
“Don’t move,” Dante yelled. “You could have a spinal cord injury.”
Ignoring him, Emma pushed to her hands and knees and stood. Her ankle hurt and she’d be a mass of bruises, but she was alive.
Dante arrived at her side, his dark face pale, his eyes wild. “You shouldn’t have moved.” He pulled her into his arms and held her. “Thank the spirits, you’re alive.” He continued to crush her to his chest, his arms so tight around her she could barely breathe without pain knifing through her.
“Careful there, Dante, I think one of my ribs is broken.”
“Is that all?” He laughed, pushed her to arm’s length and smiled down at her, running his hands through her hair, brushing the dirt off her face. He cupped her cheeks in his palms and bent to touch her lips with his. “You scared me.”
“I scared you?” She chuckled, wincing with the effort. “I was pretty scared myself.” She glanced around. “Where’s Sweet Jessie?”
“Probably halfway to Fargo.” He hugged her again, more gently this time, and then frowned, his gaze shooting back to where the trail had been. “What I want to know is how that landslide started in the first place.”
Dante scanned the rim of the canyon above, searching for movement. Nothing but a few pieces of loose gravel moved between him and the top. Based on the loud crack he’d heard before the ground shifted, someone had set off a small explosion that started the landslide that almost killed Emma.
His jaw tight, anger rippling through him, Dante slipped an arm around Emma’s waist and draped hers over his shoulder. He moved her to a safe location in the shadow of a huge overhang of solid rock.
“I’m going up to get the snowmobile.”
“I didn’t think you could get it down the trail.”
“Not that trail, and definitely not now. But there’s a wider one farther along the top of the canyon. I didn’t want to bring it down here and have the noise frighten the horses.”
“But that’s already happened with the noise and the falling rock.”
“Will you be all right staying here for a few minutes by yourself?”
She nodded, a shiver shaking her frame.
Dante needed to get her back to the ranch. Even though she hadn’t had any major breaks, with a fall as frightening as that and all the bruises she’d probably acquired, she could go into shock. He hated leaving her, but it would take longer for him to carry her out of the canyon than to climb out and come back for her on the snowmobile.
“Go. I’ll be okay.” She wrapped her arms around herself and pulled her hood close around her face and smiled.
Dante ran across the rocks, headed north to the trail he knew was farther along the steep sides of the canyon walls. Hidden by a huge boulder, it was hard to spot until he passed it.
Soon he was on his way up the wider trail, breathing hard and worried about leaving Emma in the canyon.
What seemed like an hour later, he emerged on the rim of the canyon and glanced around for the person responsible for causing the landslide.
Nothing stood out on the flat landscape except the snowmobile he’d arrived on. He hurried toward it, praying whoever had set off the landslide hadn’t damaged the snowmobile or wired it for explosives.
Desperate to get back to Emma before she went into shock, he shifted to sling his leg over the top and stopped short. Something stuck out from beneath the hood of the engine compartment. It looked like a strip of black electrical tape. Careful not to apply undue pressure, he lifted the hood and stared down at what looked like a lump of clay with a mechanical device stuck in the middle. A wire led from the device to the vehicle’s starter switch.