"Yes." Daniel's voice croaked, and heat filled his face.
Riley shifted until she faced him. Their eyes met, and in thefirelight, he saw something there he hadn't seen since she came home. A measure of peace, perhaps?
She laid her arm out with her hand resting at the edge of her mattress, palm up. It looked so much like an invitation he couldn't resist.
Moving slowly so as not to startle her—or make her regret her decision—he slid his palm across the sheet and into hers. He hooked his thumb against hers and curled his fingers around her hand.
He'd held Riley's hand so many times throughout his life. When they were young it was so he could guide her up a tree or across the creek. As a teenager, it was to drag her out to drive the four-wheeler so he could practice roping the fake steer tied behind it. Then three summers ago, he'd held her hand in a much different way.
Tonight, however, the connection felt monumental. She was the piece he'd been searching the whole ranch for over the past seven months. It wasn't the ranch he missed when he was away. It was Riley.
Her fingers curled around his hand, and a small smile graced her lips. Then her lashes fluttered closed.
It wasn't only peace he'd seen in her eyes. He'd seen trust. Despite everything she'd been through and everything she knew about him, Riley trusted him.
His heart swelled in his chest, filling him with contentment. He closed his eyes and let his mind once again replay that night three years ago.
CHAPTER 13
It was early afternoon when they arrived back at the ranch. Riley longed for a hot bath, but knowing Jake and Zane, they probably had a list a mile long of things they needed her and Daniel to do.
“There they are,” Jake rounded the stables as Daniel and Riley dismounted their horses. “Glad you two didn’t get swept away in the storm. I prayed you’d make it to the cabin okay. Imagine my relief when I finally got your text around nine last night.” He studied each of their faces, no doubt searching for ill effects of being forced to spend the night together.
Grateful Riley didn’t feel the need to force it, she gave Jake her biggest smile. “We were soaked by the time we reached the cabin, but we made it before the worst of the storm hit.”
“Glad to hear it.” Jake continued to eye them. “And you’re both okay?” He spoke slowly, deliberately.
“I’m fine,” Riley assured her brother.
She was better than fine. She was great. For the first time in a month, she’d slept through the night. No nightmares. No restlessness. It was all because of Daniel’s presence. She was sure of it. She’d felt safe and secure with him next to her.
Jake’s eyes shifted to Daniel.
“I’m good, man.” He too smiled, but it was the cheerfulness with which he said the words that made Riley grin again.
For the second time in their lives, something significant happened for Riley and Daniel in that small cabin. She couldn’t wait to ride back there with him again—maybe to replenish the supplies they’d used.
Jake gave an approving nod, then changed the subject. “How far did you make it on the fence?”
“We finished up the last five miles this morning before riding back,” Daniel said as he set to work unsaddling Rebel.
“Excellent. I might have to give you two a raise.”
Daniel said, “I could go for that,” at the same moment Riley said, “I won’t argue with that.”
Riley laughed. She’d forgotten how she and Daniel often thought alike after spending a little time together. Back when they had dated, her brother Robert often joked about them becoming the same person.
She locked gazes with Daniel. A spark of warmth ignited in her abdomen. He winked before looking away, and the warmth spread through her body. A fluttering sensation in her stomach quickly followed the warmth, morphing into attraction for the man sporting a three-day stubble.
After the way they’d talked and joked all morning and shared more about their individual struggles, she felt they were well on their way to being best friends again.
Jake helped unload Samson and brush the horses down, then followed them into the house for lunch. The scent of hot oil and bread dough hit Riley the moment she opened the back door.
Scones.
Riley had been known to eat Lottie’s scones with whipped honey butter until she was physically ill.
Will Jake give me the afternoon off if I eat myself into a food coma? Then I could take a hot bath.
