Black Hills Angel (Black Hills Series) (27 page)

"No, not at all. Just stay inside the perimeter and you should be fine." Nora grinned and then chuckled at her wit. Andy made a face and looked to see Harper still crashed out in her fleece cocoon.

"Yell at me if you need me. I won't go far." Andy didn't wait for Nora to answer her, but followed the flagged perimeter towards the holding pens. Camera pointed once more at the live entertainment surrounding them, Andy snapped consecutively as the wonder of capturing these moments filled her again. She had always been fascinated by the stark beauty. Some of the best ones were happy accidents. Things she didn't see through her lens, but marveled in once they were enlarged. Andy stepped carefully alongside the fence line, solely focused on the subjects.
Click. Click. Click.
All of a sudden she was stopped short by a dark mass blocking her sight through the lens. Andy looked up, slightly annoyed and slightly frightened. It was a strange combination to be sure.

"Enjoying the roundup?" The deep timbre sent shivers along her spine and instinctively she knew who it was before she even noted it. Matt. Her heart warmed at just the sight of him. Every bit the rugged cowboy sitting atop his big sorrel mount.
Okay, big might be an understatement! This horse was HUGE!
She swallowed hard and smiled welcomingly.

"All except for the drive here with your mother and that terrible accident with the man and his horse. Are they all right?" Andy pressed her camera to her chest and locked eyes with Matt's. He half smiled and nodded to reassure her. It didn't do much to lessen the fear that had coursed through her veins at the sight of that buffalo turning into the horse and rider.

"The horse is fine; just a bit shook up. The rider, Jason Metcliff, is bruised and sore, but otherwise fine." Matt crossed his gloved hands over the pommel, leather reins between two fingers. The dark stubble on his chin made him look even more the outlaw type and Andy couldn't deny the fierce possessive nature that sprang forth. She wanted him.

"It looked absolutely horrifying." Andy murmured, hugging her camera a bit tighter and shifting from foot to foot. The cold was starting to seep through her many layers. Matt's blue eyes widened.

"You thought it was me." An answer; not a question as to what she thought. "Babe, everyone is fine. Jason has been riding since before he could walk. We all have." His warm tones caused her to swallow hard, a lump forming at his keen observation.

"Anything can happen, Matt, at any time." Andy's throat felt raw and she clamped her mouth shut should she say anything more. All these feelings were going to take some time to sort out. They were still so newly fledged. Matt tilted his head to the side, his cowboy hat tipped in a rakish way. His lips were pressed into a thin line as if giving her unvoiced words some thought.

"You're right; it can. I promise that I will do my best to be the safest man out here." He grinned, hoping to coax a similar response from her. Andy merely nodded, staring up into his face. The big sorrel horse snuffled in the cold air, his breath puffing white. Matt rocked in the saddle and the horse tossed his head from side to side in a haughty gesture of impatience. Matt chuckled.

"Your horse doesn't like to stay still." Andy repositioned her camera towards Matt and his horse. She snapped from one angle and then tried another. Matt was a good sport and remained still.

"Goliath is a rowdy guy and not afraid of anything. He loves galloping next to those crazy beasts!" Matt leaned forward, pat Goliath on the neck. Large brown eyes looked directly at Andy as she took the last of her pictures.
Warrior horse.
His name even implied the heart of a warrior bigger than life. She grinned and held her hand out to his nose as Nora had shown her. Matt's eyes were riveted on the horse and Andy. No one moved for a second, weighing the situation carefully.

"Hey boy! You're a handsome one." Andy kept her voice soft, coaxing gently as she left her hand suspended in the air. She didn't take her eyes from the muzzle that inched closer, retreated, and then shifted closer again. Goliath twitched his nose, snuffing and huffing. Andy smiled, finally connecting her gloved hand to the big horse's nose.

"He doesn't let just anyone touch him." Matt supplied, his eyes drinking the scene in. Andy lifted her gaze to meet his. She shivered in anticipation at the pride mixed with heated desire in those blue depths shaded by his cowboy hat. She was indeed a lucky woman.

Chapter Twenty Four

Nora opened the door to the small cottage and Andy brought Harper inside. They were finally starting to thaw out a bit after standing outside all morning. Having slept much of the drive up to the Buffalo Roundup and almost through the whole thing, Harper was her cheerful, energetic self.

"I have a playpen we could set up for her. Then she can just bumble around as she wants." Nora said as she disappeared into one of the two back rooms. Andy heard something fall.
Thud
. Then she heard Nora cuss.
Damn it!
By the time Nora walked out with the folded up mesh playpen, Andy couldn't hold back the giggle that erupted. Matt's sister stopped, looked from the room to the playpen and then to Andy and looked embarrassed. Soon they were both laughing and Harper was looking back and forth between them. Her chubby little fists flailing wildly in the air.

Once the mesh box was set up, Andy laid Harper inside on a fleece blanket. Nora returned with a couple of soft plastic spatulas that Harper immediately stuck in her tiny mouth. Everything lately went to the baby's mouth and Andy thought she might be crazy by the time Harper was crawling and walking. It would be like a constant scavenger hunt!

"Could I borrow your laptop, Nora, to upload the pictures I took at the roundup?" Andy asked, coming out of her room, tying her long hair up into a ponytail. Nora pulled a couple of bottles of water out of the fridge and gave one to Andy.

"Sure. I can't wait to see what you got! I saw you taking pictures of Matt and Goliath." Nora set her bottle down and walked to the sturdy roll-top desk and brought back her laptop. Andy had meant to get one, but her finances had been so screwy since she had Harper. She knew Matt would tell her to go buy one, but it felt strange using his money when they weren't permanent.
Permanent.
There was a word to explore in the future. Taking a deep breath, Andy tried to untangle her thoughts. Everything lay so undefined between her and Matt. She wondered if defining it would add some clarity.

"It's been about a year since I took any pictures. I thought maybe at school I might like to be a professional photographer. My teachers even encouraged it." Andy smiled sadly. Nora bobbed her head. "So many things changed."
Will I ever get used to the fickleness of fate?

"It's okay to change, Andy. It causes growth and understanding. In my experience, it's all a part of life and some of the most amazing things come when you least expect them." Nora indicated Harper playing happily. Andy considered what her friend was saying. Their backgrounds were similar minus their families.

"I think I'm afraid of losing more of what I thought would be permanent; my parents, my friends, and even my understanding of what love truly is." Andy met Nora's blue eyes, uncanny resemblance to Matt's eyes. In a way it was like talking to a female version of Matt, just with a bit more cynicism and insight of Andy's position.

"I can't say as I have ever welcomed change or have not been afraid of it. Self-preservation seems to incite fear in the unknown. It's a natural response, but it doesn't mean it has to rule your life, Andy." Nora said as she began running water in the sink for dishes. Andy lowered her eyes, turning on the computer and thinking about what Nora said. Not being scared seemed to be a utopian concept she just couldn't grasp. Sadly, she couldn't remember being this way before she had spent that one night with Terrell and finding out she was pregnant. That one unchangeable event shattered everything she knew, or thought she knew. Now Matt and his family were here, offering to welcome her into the fold. Her heart skipped at the thought of having a new family and ultimately of having Matt in both her and Harper's lives.
Maybe the leap wouldn't be too hard to make
.

***

He checked the cinch again, pulled down on the stirrup, and made sure the saddle was secure on Miss Sioux. The black and white painted mare stomped her foot impatiently.
Just like a woman.
Matt patted her nose, crooning to her in nonsensical words. The mare responded by quieting and standing still while he finished with the rest of her rigging. Master Raven, Matt's twelve year old black gelding was already saddled and ready to go. He had every intention of carving out some time for him and Andy to finally start to get to know each other without all the distractions. After seeing her reaction to Jason's accident with the buffalo, Matt knew there was something deeper than just gratitude and minor affection. Seeing the fear and disquiet in those green eyes, he knew he needed to cultivate those tender feelings.

Pulling Raven's reins loose from the hitching post, Matt held onto Miss Sioux' lead until he swung up into his saddle. Settled in, he wrapped the lead around his horn and pointed the horses towards Nora's house. It wouldn't take but a few minutes to get there. Cutting across the ranch yard and the back pasture, Matt could surprise Andy with a slow and easy ride to the windmill. The windmill needed checked and it was a good excuse to get his girl alone.
His girl.
Taking a breath and settling his cowboy hat more firmly on his head, Matt enjoyed the fresh air and time to compose a suitable story to get Andy on a horse.

Securing Miss Sioux and Raven in Nora's yard, Matt squared his shoulders and tipped his hat back a bit. Rubbing his hands together to relieve a bit of the nervousness, he gripped the metal knob and walked into the living room. Scanning the room, he noticed Harper was in the play pen, Nora was folding clothes out of the laundry basket, and Andy had her back to him at Nora's laptop.

"I wondered how long it would take you to come by." Nora raised a brow, chuckled at the shake of his head and winked at Andy. He wasn't too far away to notice the becoming shade of red Andy's cheeks continued to turn.

"Dad and Garrett were going to be late, so Jason dropped me off at the ranch." Matt took his hat off and sat it on the end table closest to the front door. Andy didn't look at him, but he knew she couldn't keep her focus on the computer screen. Her back straightened and she kept trying to locate him from the corner of her eye. Matt couldn't help but feel devilishly ornery in the moment. His booted feet didn't make any sound on the carpet floor and Andy was only aware of him coming up behind her when he was already there. The nearness of her and the scent of her perfume was heady. He wanted so much to lean into her back and wrap his arms around her waist while burying his nose in her hair.
Sweet Lord, this is torture!

"Jason? The same man who was knocked from his horse today?" Andy's voice wavered. She half turned in her seat, her shoulder to him. It was Nora's turn to raise a brow at her brother.

"It was Jason this morning?" Nora put down her laundry and waited for Matt's answer.

"Yeah, he was the one. Like I told Andy, we all have been riding since before we could walk. Jason is a bit banged up but he is fine." Matt looked from blue eyes to green and back to his sister. She understood the way they were raised. Nothing of this was news to her.

"Matt's right. It probably looked worse than it was. Jason's been a friend of ours for a long time." Nora picked up a couple of socks out of the basket and began matching them up. Andy looked like she wanted to say something, but she didn't. Feeling a bit on the spot, Matt looked at the computer screen to see one of the photos Andy had taken that morning.

"Wow! Nora did you see these pictures of Andy's?" Matt waved his sister around to their side of the counter.

"They are okay. Definitely nothing special." Andy was quick to say, very uncomfortable with the sudden interest in her photography. Matt felt recognition flare as he identified something she was truly fond of. Nora's eyes widened as she took in the picture of Matt sitting astride Goliath's mammoth back. From Andy's position on the ground, Matt looked like a seasoned warrior on top of his equally impressive horse.

"Andy, no, they are so much more than that! Can we see some more?" Nora pulled out a second stool hitched underneath the counter top. Matt shuffled to the right side of Andy and waited.

"I guess so. They aren't edited or anything." Andy mumbled, definitely uncertain of her talent. She swept her finger across the pad to move the mouse and clicked the button. Another slide slid over into place. This one of a rugged, woolly buffalo with deep brown eyes. It wasn't just a nice picture. It caught at the soul of the animal. Those brown eyes sparked with ancient knowledge of what was and what would be. The next photo was one of a cowboy reaching to grasp a lost rein. The lines and light cast such a radiance to the piece. Matt was floored by the beauty. As Andy continued through her slides, she pointed out that not all of them were special. The flaws filtering to the surface as she pointed them out. Still there was a good many that spoke eloquently of their cowboy way of life.

"Andy, you have to show these to someone. I know a couple of gallery owners in Hot Springs. I just know they would love to see these." Nora exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with the possibilities of showing this region just how amazing Andy Martin could be.

"Oh, Nora, I don't know. I know some of them are passable, but a gallery?" Andy's voice hitched, the pitch higher as she continued. Matt knew his sister well enough to know Nora wasn't going to let this go. Andy had better just enjoy the ride.

"You're kidding, right? They are magnificent. Let me show them to my friends. If they don't want them, I won't say a word to you. There'd be no skin off your nose." Nora gestured with her hand, shrugging her shoulders as she got off her stool. You could just see the wheels turning as how quickly she could get this ball rolling. Andy looked suitably steam-rolled and Matt chuckled. There was no stopping Nora when she had her mind set on something.

"Nora, I came to steal Andy away for a little while. Would you mind hanging with Harper until we get back?" Matt straightened, tucking his fingers into his front pockets. Butterflies suddenly appearing in his stomach. Rejection never bothered him before, but now so much more was on the line.

"I can watch Harper, but it's totally up to Andy. It wasn't too long ago that she bruised her ribs. Riding a horse might be too jarring." Nora looked thoughtfully at Andy, who looked right back. Some silent communication passed between them. Matt shifted his weight to his other foot and back again. Somehow he felt outnumbered and kept in the dark.

"We won't go any faster than she feels comfortable. I brought Miss Sioux and Raven." Matt took a couple of steps back when Andy got up from her seat. Smiling at his sister and then at him, Andy nodded her head. Without saying anything, Andy turned toward the sunroom, where she was obviously staying and came back with her sweatshirt and a pair of knit gloves.

"I'd like to get reacquainted with Miss Sioux." Andy stepped past him and he felt a rush of relief. Matt couldn't seem to control the stupid grin that broke across his face and his sister was unable to stifle a very girlish giggle. Luckily Andy had already stepped out the door and into the yard.

"Hey, little brother, you better behave. You've only got one shot at this." Nora widened her eyes, the spark of humor still there in the depths. "Make her fall hard." The last was more of a whisper and Matt knew his sister meant every word. She couldn't take it if Andy walked away either. Looking down at his boots and then back up again, Matt indicated he understood. Pausing only to retrieve his hat, Matt closed the front door as he followed Andy to the horses.

He found Andy patting Miss Sioux's nose and speaking quietly to the black and white painted mare. The almost twenty year old mare was still striking in appearance and her pleasing nature was ideal for a beginner's horse. Matt settled his hat more firmly on his head, zipping up his down-filled vest and checking his pockets to make sure his gloves were still there. It seemed more like nervous energy than a checklist.

"She's even more beautiful in the open air than when I saw her in the stall. I had no idea she was black and white." Andy softly smiled, brushing her finger tips over the black fur of Miss Sioux's jaw.

"Miss Sioux is a good ol' girl." Matt stood at the mare's head, his palm flat against the sleek neck. Andy tisked under her breath, shaking her head slightly.

"Oh, Matt, you must never tell a woman she is old." Tipping her head to the side when she swung her green eyes to his face, Matt felt this abrupt desire to pull her roughly into his arms and kiss the very breath out of her. The force of it shocked him into staring longer than was necessary at her lips. Her lids lowered over her eyes and he gritted his teeth to keep from groaning. His body was already responding to her close proximity. They had better get started towards the windmill or he would be cindered to ashes in this very spot. Nora would not appreciate it at all.

"Um...do you need help getting on?" Matt felt his temperature rise to inferno and he swallowed hard when the corner of her lip arched into a cheeky grin.
I'm in deep trouble.
There was no doubt about that at all. Everything was on the line and he was going to play to win.

"I've never been on a horse before, if that is what you are asking me." Andy moved past him, brushing her hip against his groin and felt himself harder to an agonizing degree.
Heaven, help me!

"Grab the horn. Put your left foot in the stirrup and pull yourself up into the saddle." He saw her grimace a bit at the stretching of still tender muscles. His hands instinctively circled her waist and helped her up. He watched her settle and look down at him for further direction.
She has a fine seat.