Beth Cornelison - Rancher's High-Stakes Rescue

When he hesitated, Dawn rushed on to say, “Nothing untoward. But...I think she’d find it harder to tell you no. She’s not going to participate in the riskier activities, I fear, without a great deal of motivation and encouragement all around.”

“I’d be happy to encourage her and help ease her anxieties any way I can.”

“Good!”

“I just...” He paused and glanced away for a moment, trying to put into words the tickle of uneasiness in his belly. “I don’t like the idea of manipulating her or using her interest in me against her.”

“It wouldn’t be using it against her!” Dawn grabbed his wrist. “Helping her face her fears is in her best interests. Don’t you think?”

“Well...” Knowing that Kate had a childhood trauma to blame for her fears made Dawn’s suggestion feel even more intrusive. As much as he wanted to help Kate, he didn’t want to use illicit tactics to sway her feelings. But to satisfy Dawn, he said, “I’ll do what I can.”

The first day on the ranch passed pleasantly, with horseback riding out into the pastures, roundup and knot-tying demonstrations, a roping contest (which Jake the former SEAL with his athletic talent predictably won), and another cookout with bountiful food and good company. That evening each guest prepared a backpack with spare clothes for the three-day camping and hiking excursion, and the ranch staff added basic camping, hiking and safety supplies to each pack and saw to it that the packs were delivered to the base camp for the next night.

Despite the fun first day, Kate knew the challenges that lay ahead, and she had a kink of apprehension in her gut as she piled into bed that evening. She stared at the ceiling much of the night, then had no appetite for the pancake and sausage breakfast the others feasted on before dawn the next morning. Her coffee gnawed her stomach as she faked enthusiasm at the breakfast table with the couples who’d be traveling with them.

At the appointed time, Brady met their party at the door of the guesthouse. He showed them to the SUV that would drive them to the starting point of the horseback ride into the mountainous terrain where the adventures would begin. Zane and Roy had transported the horses by trailer to the start point a half hour earlier.

The married couples, Piper and Dawn loaded into the SUV first, leaving Kate to squeeze into the middle seat between Jake and Josh.

From the front seat, Dawn sent a sly grin to Kate over her shoulder, chirping, “Look at you, Katie! In the middle of a hunk sandwich.”

Kate returned a raised-eyebrow glare that told her friend she knew exactly what Dawn was up to. Then, throughout the two-hour ride, as they wound along twisting back roads, Kate tried not to think about Josh’s muscled thigh brushing hers or his sexy, freshly showered scent filling her nose. Forget the fact that the equally handsome Jake was squashed against her other side. Her brain only registered her cowboy host. She could feel Josh’s chest vibrate each time he laughed, thanks to her side being snuggled against him. He’d stretched his arm along the back of the seat behind her shoulders, and his body heat enveloped her like a hug.

When they reached the starting point for their horseback ride farther into the mountains, she’d never been so glad, and simultaneously disappointed, to arrive at a destination. And though the sexual tension coiled inside her loosened its grip, a different pressure built in her chest as they mounted up for the ride. The excursion would take place on property left to the McCalls by their grandfather and a string of ancestors before him. Piper kissed her fiancé and waved goodbye to the group as she left to drive the SUV back to the ranch.

“Move ’em out!” Zane called to the group.

“Next stop, the zip line!” Josh added.

The rest of the group whooped, but Kate’s heart swooped. She tried to brace herself for the slide down a cable, strung over a deep valley, with only a few straps and carabiner clips for support.

They rode higher and higher into the rugged terrain, chatting and tossing bantering jokes up and down the line of horses. Zane took the lead with Roy and Brady bringing up the rear. Josh took his position between Dawn’s horse and Kate’s and pointed out interesting views for Kate to snap photos of as they made their way along the horse trail.

Kate cast an encompassing glance across the scenic view. The towering peaks, beautiful trees, rocks and wildflowers were awe-inspiring. Until she saw the steel cable stretching across the ravine. Her stomach clenched as she looked down, deep into the crevasse that lay below. The drop-off was sheer rock, straight down. The gulf that the cable spanned was hundreds of feet wide and almost as far to the bottom.

She gripped her reins tightly, searching her brain for a way to get out of the feat while still saving face with her client...and without having a complete, humiliating breakdown. Her heart thundered in her chest, and the rush of adrenaline and dread left her shaking to her core.

“All right, ladies and gentlemen,” Zane called to the group, “we are at our first challenge.”

Another hoot of excitement rose from the other guests, Dawn’s cheer loudest of all.

“Remember to dismount your horse to the left and hand off your reins to Roy or Brady. They’ll be leading your horses back to the trailer.”

“We won’t be on our horses anymore?” Brianna asked, sounding disappointed.

“We will. But the horses can’t use the zip line to get across the gorge like we can,” Zane explained, and the group chuckled. “They’ll meet us tomorrow at the trailhead to ride up to the launch point for our white-water excursion.”

Around her, her fellow adventurers were dismounting and chatting excitedly with each other. Kate’s mouth dried, and her legs trembled as she stood in her stirrups to swing down from Lucy’s back. Just as she felt her knees buckle, sure she was going to flop onto her backside in an ignominious tumble, strong hands spanned her waist, lifting her securely to the ground.

Startled by the unexpected help, she spun around to find her nose inches from Josh’s chest.

“Uh, thanks,” she muttered, tipping her head back to meet his gaze. The sun shone brightly just behind his head, and she had to squint against the blinding light. Then he took a small step to the side, giving her breathing room, and his wide-brimmed hat blocked the sun.

“No problem.” The smile he flashed her and the sparkle in his breathtaking blue eyes were every bit as luminous as the sunshine. Her already unsteady legs wobbled again, and she grabbed the strap of Lucy’s saddle to steady herself.

“I’ll take those.” He reached for the reins she’d left dangling from the horn of her saddle, and his arm grazed her ear as he stretched past her. “If you’ll wait over there with Zane, we’re about to go through the zip-line procedure and safety rules.”

She drew a shuddering breath and released the death grip she had on Lucy’s straps. “Right.” As she turned to join the rest of the group gathering around Zane, Josh wrapped his hand around her forearm, stopping her.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

She worked to give him a confident smile. “Sure. Just...a little nervous.”

He tightened his grip and held her gaze with a piercing stare. “It’s perfectly safe. I promise. You’ve got this.”

His words, the gentleness of his tone and reassurance behind his smile flowed through her like a balm. She inhaled a steadier breath, and twitching the corner of her mouth in a quick grin, she nodded to him. “Thanks. I’m going to hold you to that promise.” She fumbled for her camera, which hung by a strap around her neck. “I’ll join the others in a second. I just want to snap a few pictures of the zip line for the brochure first.”