Rocky Mountain Hero. Audra Harders

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СКАЧАТЬ to slide free, she kicked her feet against the embankment.

      The road base shifted beneath his feet. His hold tightened. “Be still.”

      Her last kick must have hit a rock. She pushed up, relieving the tension in his pull. Momentarily. The rock worked loose beneath her foot and she sank back into place.

      Gabe fought for balance as he teetered on the edge. No use. He tucked his shoulders as he rolled into the mud bog with her. His elbow trenched a rut behind her and she slammed up against his chest.

      Spitting mud out of her mouth, she smeared her face with her hand. “Oh goodness.” She squirmed to the side. “You okay?”

      His hat lay inverted between them, the crown crushed against her ribs. He followed the line of her muddy T-shirt sleeve to her mud-matted ponytail. Her eyes sparkled wide as he drew close. “I told you to stop moving.”

      “I could’ve gotten out by myself.” Her breathless voice warmed his cheek.

      He swiped his hand down his face, as much to wipe away mud as to break his stare. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

      She shimmied up the bank using the top of his boot as a foothold. “The road is in lousy condition.”

      “Yeah, well.” Her smooth arm pressed against his chest, making simple thought difficult. “The Gunnison County road crew won’t be happy about this, either.”

      She stiffened beside him. “This road is a disaster.”

      “Not if your speed is appropriate for the road condition.”

      She looked at him as if he’d grown another head. “What’s the speed limit for horrendous?”

      Gabe shoved his palm into packed road base. Confrontational wasn’t what he needed right now. Luckily, Hank crouched down beside them before Gabe said something he’d have to apologize for.

      “Ma’am, are you all right? Gabe isn’t the daintiest creature to have land in your lap.”

      “Hank, get us out.” Gabe needed to move, not make small talk. He leaned over her, caught her waist and pushed her up the side of the rut.

      With Hank pulling, she popped out of the ditch and stumbled a good three feet from the truck. Hank offered a hand, and Gabe scrambled out from beneath the truck. Standing beside the muddy mess of a woman, Gabe regretted his moment of anger. Her woebegone look said it all.

      “Sorry about getting you dirty.” Her shoulders slumped as she reached out and swiped at his sleeve. “I appreciate the help. Our truck ran into a little problem—”

      “Yeah, you should’ve seen it, mister.” The boy ran into the middle of the group. “Mom really carved an arc in the mud!”

      Color glowed from beneath the grime on her face. “Jason, shush. We just took the turn a little fast, and, well—” she shrugged in the direction of the truck “—as you can see we’re—”

      “Wrecked.” Jason grinned with pride.

      She frowned. “I was going to say, ‘stuck.’”

      Hank laughed and swept off his hat. “Hank Barrett, at your service, ma’am. I’m the foreman of the Circle D spread just down the road.”

      She took a step back and drew Jason beside her, angling her shoulder in front of him. Her protective gesture goaded Gabe even worse for his earlier irritation.

      “Nice to meet you, Mr. Barrett. I’m Melanie Hunter and this is my son, Jason.” She nodded toward her crumpled fender and hood. “Any capable mechanics around?”

      “We can probably round one up.” The top of her head barely cleared his chin as Gabe took quick stock of her for injury. Wide eyes and sun-pinkened nose didn’t detract from the apprehension in her tight lips. A dripping T-shirt encased her slender frame like shrink wrap around a gasket. Long legs braced; trim arms flexed. A muddy mess, but no blood in sight. “Gabe Davidson. I own the Circle D. You’re not from around here.”

      She gave him the once-over, her arm tightening across her son. “Just passing through. Folks are expecting us in Montrose by tomorrow.”

      He gripped the misshapen hat against his thigh. Hard to tell what she thought of him, and frankly, he couldn’t say he was very proud of his manners. He respected her reserve, considering her situation, and he extended his hand as much in apology as welcome.

      Her slim fingertips slipped into his huge palm, the layer of mud between them unable to fully insulate the warm, soft texture of her skin. Heat raced up his arm like a jolt from an electric fence. “That’s a long way to call a cab. I don’t suppose you have a backup plan? Someone to pick you up?”

      She shook her head.

      “Some guy out there needs my mom to look at their plants.” Jason puffed his chest. “Mom’s great with bugs, too.”

      Gabe released her hand and hunkered eye level with Jason, thankful for the distraction. “Bugs, huh? And what are you a specialist in, Bud?”

      A cheek-splitting grin displayed teeth too big for the boy’s face. “I’m great at Thrill of the Chase and Raiders of the Hidden Caverns. My games are in the truck.”

      Gabe grinned. A kid after his own heart. “Are you now? Any good at Wheels and Karts?”

      Melanie groaned beside them.

      Jason ignored his mom, his eyes growing round. “Wheels and Karts? Cool. I don’t have that game. I’ll show you what I’ve got. I need my backpack.” He shot over to the stranded truck.

      Melanie slopped her foot around in the mud. “Jason, I doubt you’ll have time to play games with Mr. Davidson. We’ve got to get going, remember?”

      A shadow dimmed his bright eyes as he worked the door handle. “Yes, Mom.”

      “Mr. Davidson—” Her gaze darted between him and Jason.

      “Gabe,” he corrected. He kept his eye on the boy. The ground at the edge of the road had become unstable. Tough telling what might happen.

      Jason continued yanking on the jammed door handle, the entire truck rocking under the force.

      Melanie turned toward Jason. The mud around her shoes acted like quicksand, keeping her glued in place. “Hey big guy, get back here before—”

      The crisp creak of metal filled the air as the truck shifted with a clunk, the front bumper pointing over the edge of the embankment. Gabe swallowed the knot in his throat and sprinted toward the truck.

      Chapter Two

      Leaving her boots in the mud, Melanie leapt toward the truck just as Jason cried out. Gabe scooped up Jason a second before she reached his side.

      Like a walrus slipping into the sea, the truck sank over the edge and slid down the side, the locked wheels creating a muddy channel down the charred slope. The pickup bounced a couple times and came to a halt on a level plane just inches from the next slope.

      “Wow.” СКАЧАТЬ