His Outback Cowgirl (Wildflower Ranch Book 4) (2 page)

The grief buried deep within her twisted and writhed. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep her emotions at bay. The aroma of rain now only reminded her of what she’d lost. No longer did she have a father to discuss rainfall figures with, to plan what crops they’d plant in the damp soil or what pastures to graze their cattle on. Stomach cancer had made sure that never again could she smell rain without weeping tears on the inside.

She opened her eyes and gave in to the restlessness that, since they’d buried her father, she couldn’t exhaust. She tapped the toe of her boot. How long was the ranch hallway? The door was taking forever to open. Her gaze slid from the door to the high-country peaks to her left. Their silence and solitude called to her. The sooner she spoke to Henry Watson, the sooner she could disappear into the backcountry and allow herself to grieve.

The tears she’d refused to cry banked like a summer storm. The desperate whispers that she needed time and space alone now howled through her head like a gale wind. She’d been in Montana two weeks and she was yet to get to the mountains. Edgy and agitated, she was close to snapping. Last night in Grey’s Saloon when Nick’s overfriendly hand had brushed her butt while offering pool advice, she’d elbowed him way too hard.

The dog barking intensified and the door finally swung open. A black and white dog, and similar colored puppy, spilled out from the ranch house. The pup jumped and planted two small paws on her knee. A whistle sounded and the two dogs left her side to sit on the porch, their eyes trained on the front door.

Broad shoulders filled the doorway. Then, movements measured as though he had all the time in the world, a man stepped outside. She looked into the stranger’s face and stared into eyes as flawless and as blue as the cloudless canopy above them.

At first she thought she’d met this man last night at Grey’s Saloon but subtle differences suggested this wasn’t Cordell Morgan but his twin. The two men might share the same handsome and even features but this man’s dark blond hair was short and neat and his eyes were as calm as a still pond. Her heart beat a little faster. This might be the steady and serious brother but he was just as drop-jaw gorgeous as Cordell.

“Welcome to Larkspur Ridge Ranch. I’m Ethan. You must be Zane’s sister, Bridie?”

She nodded. Even this cowboy’s words were unhurried and quiet. Her gaze lingered on his clean-shaven chin. She hadn’t been formally introduced to Ethan last night but she had seen him. Cordell had pointed his twin out sitting with his back to her at the edge of the crowd, engrossed in conversation with a starry-eyed brunette. Amongst all the saloon high-spirits and chaos, he’d sat still and self-possessed, an oasis of tranquility in a world gone temporarily mad.

The slight narrowing of Ethan’s eyes let her know he wasn’t immune to her silent appraisal.

She stepped forward to offer her hand. “Yes, I’m Bridie. Nice to meet you.”

She must have imagined his slight hesitation before his calloused hand slid against her palm and his warm fingers wrapped around hers. She concentrated on making her grip as firm as any man’s and not on the increasing temperature of her cheeks. Since when did the heat of a stranger’s skin seep through her like the warmth of a winter sunrise?

She slipped her hand from his and looked to where the two obedient dogs now sat by his socked feet.

“Is this Rocket, the father of Finn’s puppy, Bug?” she asked bending to tickle the bigger dog’s ears.

“Yes and this is Bug’s brother, Milo.”

The puppy batted her arm with his paw as if to tell her to hurry up and pat him. She laughed and rubbed behind his ears. “Hello, Milo. Yes, I know, you’re just as cute as that mischievous Bug who stole one of my boots.”

She straightened and surprised a not-so-peaceful look in Ethan’s eyes. No longer a clear and composed blue, his irises had darkened. As quickly as the look appeared, it disappeared. She examined his face. She hadn’t been mistaken in what she’d seen. Her first impression hadn’t taken in the whole man. Still waters could run deep and this steady cowboy wouldn’t always be so controlled or so sensible.

He folded his arms across the front of his spotless blue shirt. “So how are you finding Montana?”

“Good thanks.”

She shifted on her feet and glanced at the open front door. Small talk had never been her thing. She usually couldn’t stand still long enough, but this time her need to move had nothing to do with how she was wired. The rolled up cuffs of Ethan’s shirt left his tanned forearms bare and the action of crossing his arms had stretched his shirt tight across his biceps. No wonder the brunette he’d been speaking to last night couldn’t take her eyes off him.

Ethan unfolded his arms. “Come on in. Henry’s looking forward to meeting you.”

She nodded and walked past Ethan, catching the faint scent of soap mixed with the clean smell of sunshine dried cotton. Head high, she strode down the long and wide hallway.

As gorgeous as Ethan was she hadn’t come to Marietta for anything other than to meet her half-brother and to mourn for her father. And if she had, the cowboy walking behind her with leisurely steps wouldn’t be potential partner material. They’d drive each other nuts. She’d tried changing who she was to make a relationship work and all that had happened was that she’d lost who she was in the process. Her chin lifted. She’d rather be single than have someone not accept her for who she was.

The hallway opened into a large kitchen. Huge windows filled the room with light. Exposed beams and a stone feature wall further enhanced the impression of Montana’s natural beauty being drawn indoors. A light fixture made from a circle of old lanterns hung over a kitchen table, at which a grey-haired man sat. Rocket and Milo raced past her, tails wagging, to lie on the floor beside the rancher’s chair.

Her mother had mentioned Henry’s hip replacement so Bridie headed toward him with a smile, not expecting him to stand. But Henry pushed himself to his feet, a slight grimace the only sign the simple action wasn’t easy.

From the corner of her eye she glimpsed the tightening of Ethan’s mouth before he took a step toward his father.

“Hi, Henry.” Bridie held out her hand. “Mom says hello and that she’s looking forward to seeing you again soon at her birthday lunch.”

Henry nodded and shook her hand. His shrewd gaze searched hers. Then, as if satisfied he’d seen what he was looking for, he smiled. “It’s good to meet you, Bridie. Welcome ... home.”

She swallowed to hide the instant surge of loss. Home? With her father gone would anywhere ever feel like home again?

“Thanks. It was a shock to discover I had an older brother, let alone my mother had been married before and lived in Montana.”

“I’m sure it was but we’re all glad she’s back and brought you with her.” Henry carefully lowered himself to his chair. “Coffee? Waffles?”

Bridie sat across from Henry in the seat he indicated with a dip of his head. “No thanks. Trinity cooked me French toast before I left and Finn and I had a competition to see how many pieces we could eat.”

Apart from her over-full stomach, the last thing she needed was caffeine or more sugar. Ethan had seated himself to her left. For some reason the cowboy’s close proximity rendered her as jittery as a thoroughbred on race day. His chair might be a polite distance away but the width of his shoulders ensured that she only had to lean a little to the side and she’d breathe in the fresh scent of his skin.

Henry chuckled. “Finn might be five and small for his age but I’ve never seen a kid eat so much.”

“Tell me about it. I know better now than to try and keep up with him. He ate five pieces to my three.”

“He’s a nice kid,” Henry said.

“He is.” She paused to strip the huskiness from her voice. “I’m so lucky to have him for a nephew.”

Henry nodded, his eyes never leaving her face. “Clara mentioned you wanted to photograph wild animals while you’re here for the summer.”

“Yes, back home I have a blog where I post pictures of my farm life. I need something to keep me ... busy so thought I’d give my camera a work out.”

“You’ve come to the right part of Montana.”

“I know. I’ve already taken hundreds of pictures of the hollyhocks and wildflowers out at Zane’s ranch. He also has an elk herd that doesn’t mind me getting too close but what I’d really love is to get into the backcountry and that’s why I’m here.”

She sensed Ethan stiffen beside her.

“Zane suggested,” she continued, “that I ask if I could head into your mountains. Your high country hasn’t been grazed like some of the other ranches and Zane suggested I’d have more chance of seeing wildlife.”

“You will.” Henry looked at Ethan.

She turned slightly and this time she had no doubt something about her request didn’t please Ethan. He held his father’s gaze, his eyes hard with an unspoken warning.

Henry took no heed. He looked back at Bridie and smiled. “You’re very welcome to spend as long as you want up there.”

“Thanks.” The tension locking her shoulders eased. Soon she’d be in the mountains. Soon she could set her grief free. “I really appreciate it.”

Henry’s eyes danced. “Of course, you’ll need someone to take you there.”

She lost the battle to conceal her frown but when she spoke her voice remained casual. “I wouldn’t want to impose, everyone’s so busy and I could be away for a week at a time. I’ve been riding since I was little and know my way around a campsite, I can take care of myself.”

“I’m sure you can but I’d still worry.”

“Henry ...” Ethan’s voice was quiet but embedded with steel.

“Humor an old man,” Henry said, not looking at his son, “and help your mother sleep at night. You know until you’re home safe she’ll also worry.”

Bridie pressed her lips together. She’d checked with her mother that she’d be comfortable about Bridie going into the mountains alone and while she said she’d be fine, Henry was right. Her mother did worry and possibly wouldn’t sleep while she was away.

“Okay. A guide would be a good idea, but for the first trip only.” She paused to glance at Ethan who sat rigid with his shoulders braced. Suddenly she knew the reason for his tension and what the twinkle in Henry’s eyes had meant. “There’s only one logical person who could come with me ...”

Henry sat back in his chair as if to say his work here was done.

She smiled sweetly. “Nick Ryan.”

E
than grinned. The slack-jawed shock on Henry’s weathered face was priceless. This feisty, straight-talking cowgirl with her unfamiliar Australian accent had got the better of him. Not only had she been savvy enough to work out Henry’s agenda but she’d also called his bluff. If he’d been at Grey’s, he would have raised his beer in a toast to her.

Their eyes met. Laughter lightened her grey-blue gaze and flushed her winter-pale cheeks. An unspoken understanding passed between them, an acknowledgment that a shared purpose united them. They might be polar opposites in temperament but in that moment a common denominator bound them. They both had reasons for not wanting to be thrown together.

“Nick Ryan?”

Henry’s words were low and gruff as he leaned forward in his chair and scowled.

“Yes.” Bridie’s sunny smile didn’t waver. “He said if I needed someone to show me around he was the man. How about I give him a call?” Bridie shifted in her seat to dig into her jeans pocket for her phone. “He gave me his number last night.”

“I bet he did.” Henry’s glower deepened.

Ethan’s grin slipped. Bridie’s movements caused her to lean toward him. Her heavy hair swung around her shoulders and he inhaled the perfume of roses. A dark strand caught on her cheek, and he looked away before he gave in to the urge to brush it away. Even without touching her, he knew her skin would glide against his fingertips like warm silk. Just like on the porch when she’d laughed, it was a fight to stop his awareness of how beautiful she was from breaching his self-control.

She examined her phone screen but didn’t move to dial Nick. Instead, she looked across at Henry. He stared back, gaze hooded.

“Before I call, I want to make sure I really do need someone to come with me. I promised Mom I’d be careful.”

Henry’s expression remained unchanging and then respect glittered in his gaze. “If you promised Clara to be careful, then no, I don’t think you need anyone, especially
Nick Ryan
. He wouldn’t know a bear track if he fell over the bear that made it.”

Bridie nodded and slipped her phone into her jeans pocket. But instead of triumph, relief softened her mouth. Ethan’s gaze lingered. He’d seen such an expression too many times. On his mother’s face when they’d arrive in a new town where her step-father couldn’t find them. On his brother’s face when Payton had stepped into his arms on the day he’d planned to leave. It was a relief born of deep desperation. It wasn’t just the cowgirl’s independent spirit that caused her to resist Henry’s efforts to have someone accompany her into the mountains. Something else was going on.

He pushed back his chair and stifled the need to help her. She wouldn’t appreciate a stranger meddling. Bridie was only in Montana for the summer. She had to have someone waiting in Australia for her and if not, she’d soon have more cowboys than Nick Ryan offering to show her the sights. Now it was settled she’d travel alone, he’d leave her and Henry to talk. His horse wouldn’t feed itself.