At some point, Cade must have gone to the ATV.Her clothes had vanished, but a stack of towels sat next to him, and the long-sleeved shirt that she’d borrowed was draped across his lap.
She grabbed a towel and rubbed her hair while water dripped down her body and dried naturally.“I don’t blame you for never wanting to leave this place.It’s as if life moves at a different pace here.”
“If you let it,” he agreed.“Still a hell of a business operation.I was up at four to get it all done to enjoy the afternoon with you.”
“I know you work hard, really hard, and the insomnia doesn’t help.But there’s such beauty here.It restores you.”
He nodded.“You have to let it, though.”
She’d been rubbing her face with a towel, and she lowered her hand to look at him.Was that pain in his tone, or maybe recrimination?“And have you?”
A shadow, maybe from the movement of clouds, maybe from his internal thoughts, ghosted his eyes.“Maybe not enough.Ready?I want to get to the clearing so you can see the sunset.”
He’d been close to letting her in, she knew.Closer than ever before.She tried not to wallow in the disappointment of him shutting her out.
He offered another towel and she dried off her body.
Interested in the goings-on, Loopy pushed herself up and made a huge show of stretching her back legs one at a time before trotting over.How she managed to be a tripod without tipping over, Sofia had no idea.
Cade stood and offered his long-sleeved shirt to her.
“I take it that you’re not giving me my jeans back,” she said as she stuffed her arms into the overly big shirt.
“You’ll be more comfortable like that.”
“Iwill?”
He adjusted his hat, smiled and didn’t respond.
Sofia rolled up the sleeves and fastened the middle few buttons.
“I may replace your entire wardrobe with men’s shirts,” he said.
It barely covered her buttocks, but then she realized it was probably as long as her shorts.Except the shorts and panties had kept her crotch covered.
He relented and gave her the jeans back, and she gratefully pulled them on.
She took a step then winced when she stepped on a tiny rock.
Cade scooped her from the ground and tossed her over his shoulder.
He’d caught her off guard and knocked the wind from her.
When he started forward, she suddenly felt dizzy.“Damn it!”She grabbed his waistband for stability.“Put me down.”
In response, he smacked her ass.
“Cade Donovan!”
He took another stride and she yelped, reaching to hang on with her other hand.Joining the fun, Loopy ran around them, barking.
At the ATV, Cade jostled her, holding her in his arms for a moment before putting her on the seat.“Thank you.I think.”
“You can show me your gratitude later.”
“But—”
“Better than hurting yourself.”
