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Actually, the view of the sky and mountains were stunning. The pastel hues filled her with a peace she rarely felt.
“I’ve never seen this part of the land at this time of day.”
“It’s really pretty. I’ve seen a lot of pretty views in my travels, but this is one of my top five.”
“Five, huh? What were the others?”
He turned his head and pierced her with his gaze. “If I tell you that, I’d have to kill you.”
Caught off-guard, she laughed. “I see. SEAL secrets and all that?”
“Yup.”
She studied his profile. “What was it like? Fighting for your country?”
His jaw flexed at the crease. “A little like wing night at Badlands.”
Again, she laughed. He was glossing over his duty, but if she spent enough time with him, eventually, he’d start to talk to her.
Her mind flipped back to the previous night. All those things he said to her—did he really mean them?
They entered the gates of the Gracey Ranch and parked in front of the expansive garage. Next, he led her to the paddock. By magic, two horses were already saddled for them.
“You can ride?” His question had her gripping the pommel and swinging up into the saddle.
Carver’s grin flashed.
“What if I couldn’t ride? Would it squash whatever surprise you have for me?” Her horse shifted, and she balanced herself in the saddle to calm it.
“Nope. I would have made you ride with me.” With all the grace and ease of a cowboy, he slipped into the saddle and gripped the reins in his big, capable hands.
Those hands possessed so many skills—including ones that sent her over the edge into bliss.
They headed out, riding side by side on a trail that ran along the perimeter of one of the pastures. The beauty of the land dotted with cattle and the morning sun kissing the crest of the jagged mountain took her breath away.
They rounded a bend and she spotted something on the ground ahead.
“What is that?”
“Go see.”
She eyed him. It looked like somebody scattered objects across the trail.
He hung back, giving her a chance to show off her skills. She spurred her horse forward. As she neared the place and spotted a red and white checked blanket spread on the grassy trail and a picnic basket off to one side, there was no stopping the smile that spread over her face.
She wheeled her mount around just as Carver rode up.
He smiled into her eyes. “I hope you worked up an appetite.”
Oh, she had. For him.
The sudden urge to clench her thighs tighter around the horse burned like the sun scorching the dew off the mountain.
He dismounted and loosely hobbled his horse. Then he reached up a hand to help her down.
She slid her hand into his and allowed him to do what he loved to do—be protective and manly.
The thought gave her a beat of pause. Was it such a terrible thing to allow him to look out for her? She’d been bucking him every step of the way. He was protecting her, and how could she argue with him about that?
