Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 17853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 89(@200wpm)___ 71(@250wpm)___ 60(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 17853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 89(@200wpm)___ 71(@250wpm)___ 60(@300wpm)
“Oh, shit,” he mutters.
“Yeah, that’s what we said. We didn’t panic, although I kind of did on the inside, and we just slowly started backing up, never turning our backs on her. She watched us, and the cubs started walking toward us, and we definitely didn’t want that.”
“No,” he replies and reaches for my hand. “You didn’t want that.”
“So, I started talking, like I am right now. Saying things like, ‘We’re not going to hurt you, but you can’t come any closer, or your mom will be mad, and we don’t want to make her mad.’ They kind of stopped and watched us, then ran back to their mom. And we kept walking away.”
“You were lucky.”
“Oh, I know it. So, I won’t be walking anywhere on this ranch alone.”
“Excellent idea. But we usually carry a firearm.”
I gasp and turn to him in horror. “You kill them?”
“No.” He shakes his head and smiles. “No, we fire a warning shot in the air, and that usually scares them off.”
“Oh, that makes sense.”
We’re quiet for a long moment, and I glance at the radio. “Does that work?”
“Sure. What would you like to listen to?”
I reach down and turn it on, then grin when I hear that it’s tuned to the local rock station. “You Give Love a Bad Name” by Bon Jovi comes through the speakers, and John and I both start singing along.
“I love Bon Jovi,” I say when the song is over, listening for the next. And when it’s Journey, I sigh in happiness. “Love this one, too.”
“Come here,” John says and flips the sound up super high, rolls down his window, and steps out of the truck, motioning for me to join him.
“It’s cold as hell out here,” I say with a laugh as I walk right into his arms.
“I’ll keep you warm,” he assures me and opens his jacket and wraps it around me so I’m cocooned in him, and then he starts to sway, dancing with me to “Faithfully” on the top of this hill, with our home spread out around us.
I don’t know if I’ve ever felt more at peace than I do on this ranch. Maybe it’s the land, maybe it’s this man—I’m not sure—but I do know that I’ve never felt more at home anywhere else in my life. It’s as though what I was searching for all along was right here.
I just had to come home to find it.
“I’m forever yours,” he sings along with the song, “faithfully.”
“Such a dreamy song,” I say with a happy sigh.
CHAPTER 13
JOHN
Am I crazy, or have I fallen in love in the span of a day? Maybe it’s both, I don’t know, but I do know without a doubt that I’ve fallen in love with Joy.
“John?”
“Hmm?”
“This is really romantic.”
I smile against the top of her head. “I’m glad you think so. You should see this view at night when the stars are out.”
“I bet it’s incredible.” She rubs her cheek against my chest. “Are you cold?”
“Only a little. You?”
“Are you kidding? I have my own personal heater right here.” She grins up at me, and I can’t resist leaning down to kiss her. “Mm, nice.”
“Should we head back to the cabin and thaw out a bit?”
“Sure. I’ll pour us some hot chocolate for the drive back.”
“I like that idea.” I kiss her once more and then pull away, immediately feeling the loss of her warmth. “What do you think of the ranch?”
“It’s absolutely incredible,” she says, and then bites her lip and looks out over the valley.
“What is it?”
“Well, it might be way too soon to say something like this, but it honestly feels like home.”
All I can do is blink down at her as hope fills my chest. “I, well—”
“I can see that makes you uncomfortable,” she stammers on, her face flushing as she turns away, not looking me in the face at all. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Joy—”
“No, that was a stupid thing to say.” She’s hurrying away from me in the snow, and as she reaches the passenger door, her boot slips, and she starts to slide down the hill. “Whoa!”
She yelps, then shrieks, and I take off after her, trying to keep a hold on my footing. She slides down about ten feet before stopping, and when I reach her, her eyes are wide in fear.
“Did you get hurt?”
“I don’t think so,” she says and swallows hard. “Just my pride and maybe my—”
She frowns.
“Your what?”
“My ankle is a little tweaked. I must have rolled it. Damn it.”
“If that’s the worst of it, I’d say we’re doing just fine. I’m going to carry you back up.”
“No, you’re not.”
I raise an eyebrow at her. “My hill, my rules. I’m carrying you, Joy. Now, loop your arm around my neck.”
“It’s too slick,” she argues. “And it won’t do us any good if we both slide all the way to the bottom.”