Page 28 of If the Boot Fits

“Might be good to have a wainwright take a look.” Asher cleared his throat when what he really needed to do was clear his mind of the horrible image plaguing him of Samantha Dearing lying broken on the side of the road. “An expert might be able to determine what went wrong.”

Although his gut told him this was more than a mechanical malfunction. Either gross negligence or out-and-out sabotage. He couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to hurt Miss Dearing, though, so it must have been negligence. But even if no malice had been intended, such carelessness had to be addressed to ensure it didn’t happen again.

“I’d offer to search for the wheel and nut on my way back to town, but it’ll likely be full dark by then. Better to have someone from the Three Cedars hunt for it in the morning.”

Peering at the sky, she rubbed her arms as if his mention of the lateness of the hour had induced a sudden chill. The desire to hold her as he had when he’d pulled her from the cart hit him with surprising intensity. With no immediate threat around to excuse such familiarity, however, Asher settled for shrugging out of his coat and wrapping it around her shoulders.

She glanced over her shoulder and offered him a small smile. “Thank you.”

All at once her eyes widened, and she turned to face him fully. She grabbed his hand between both of hers and squeezed tightly, her unexpected touch setting his pulse to pumping.

“Thank you.” She shook her head slightly. “I can’t believe I let myself get distracted by wheel nuts and reverse threads when I hadn’t even thanked you properly.” Her blue eyes melded with his, and something in his chest tightened. “You saved my life, Mr. Ellis. Thank you.”

Feeling his neck heat, Asher ducked his head, but he couldn’t resist the pull of her eyes for more than a heartbeat. His gaze found hers again, and he spoke the only words he could find. “I’m just glad I was here.”

“Me too.” A touch of pink dusted her cheeks, bringing much-needed color back to her face.

Standing in the middle of a deserted road with a fading sunset painting the sky and a beautiful woman looking at him with adoration in her eyes put far too many ideas in a man’s head. None of which he had any business acting upon. So before he could do something foolish, he tugged his hand away from her hold and strode for the horses.

“I’ll get Dolly unhitched so you can ride the rest of the way.” That’d be good. Her on her horse. Him on his. Plenty of distance between.

“I don’t ride.”

He’d just reached for the first strap when her words froze his hands in midair. Surely he’d misheard. “What?”

She stood a few feet away from him, her arms wrapped around her middle. “I don’t ride.”

Asher straightened away from Dolly. “You were raised on the largest ranch in the county, and you don’t know how to ride a horse?”

“Ironic, isn’t it?” She smiled, but something in her eyes hinted at a past hurt. “My parents didn’t think it ladylike for me to ride astride, and I refused to use a sidesaddle. No compromise could be found, so I turned my attention to carts and buggies and left the riding to my brother.”

“I could teach you.” Asher clamped his mouth shut as soon as the offer formed on his tongue, but the words must have slid sideways past his teeth, for his ears heard them echo in the air.

Galloping geese. What was he doing? He needed to spend less time with this woman, not more. But when her eyes lit with hope, he knew he was done for.

“Really?”

Now you did it. “Sure. You can come early to a few of Jack’s lessons, and I can put you up on Bruno. Lead you around town a bit.”

“No, we can’t do it in town. Too many witnesses. If I’m going to make a fool of myself, I’d prefer to do it in private.” She nibbled her bottom lip, making him wonder if eliminating witnesses had more to do with keeping her father from finding out than hiding her lack of skill.

“I don’t know if that’s such a good—”

“The old mill!” Her eyes lit. “It’s been abandoned for at least a decade. There’s a large field and water for the horses. We could meet there at four in the afternoon. Ride for an hour and still get home for supper. What do you think?”

He thought he was in a whole heap of trouble.

13

Samantha did her best to set her hair and clothing to rights while Asher unhitched Dolly from the cart. He took time with the little mare, stroking her neck and praising her courage and fortitude. He had a knack for consoling unsettled females, it seemed. The edges of Samantha’s mouth turned upward slightly around the collection of hairpins wedged between her lips.

Asher Ellis. She’d been drawn to him the moment they crossed paths in Patterson’s Hardware shop. His charm. His rugged features. The gentlemanly way he pretended he hadn’t noticed her spying on other men’s feet. Seeing him at the Ellis home tonight had delighted her. Until she realized he likely despised her because of what had transpired between their parents. She’d planned to clear the air between them, then put him out of her mind to better concentrate on tutoring his younger brother. Then he went and saved her life and obliterated all her good intentions. Putting him out of her mind was no longer an option. The moment he’d lifted her in his arms and carried her away from the crippled buggy, he’d carved a permanent place for himself in her memory. And when he’d offered to teach her to ride? Well, that had etched his name into her heart.

Don’t get ahead of yourself, Samantha. He’s not staying. He’ll head back to Callahan County the moment he finishes helping his mother.

Although . . . Callahan County wasn’t so terribly far away. Just a few hours by train.

“Oh for pity’s sake,” she muttered under her breath as she twisted her hair into a long rope. “Have you completely lost your wits?”