Read Online Cole's Montana Bride (Sweet,clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides Series Book 7) by Maya Stirling - Free Book Online
Authors: Maya Stirling
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momentarily safe from the thudding raindrops. She could smell Cole's scent from the inside of the jacket as it wrapped around her already rain soaked head.
Feeling a brief sensation of reassurance she glanced at Cole in a gesture of appreciation. He nodded and she saw the flicker of a smile of satisfaction crease the corners of his mouth.
Cole let go of her mount and moved his own horse on, keeping a close eye on Victoria by his side.
They made their way through the trees. Cole made sure that the branches were moved aside, allowing Victoria a clear way through. Under the trees the rain wasn't so heavy, but the foliage offered scant protection.
After a short while they came to a clearing. There in the middle was a squat cabin constructed of thick logs. It had a flat roof and was clearly made for temporary use for anyone working on this part of the ranch. There were no horses tied up out front.
"It's empty," Cole said sounding relieved.
They drew up the horses, dismounted and tied them to the hitching post. Victoria's feet sank softly into a damp pool of water. She lifted her booted foot with a groan of impatience. Cole glanced at her and shook his head.
The rain was heavier as Victoria paused waiting for Cole to test the door and see if it would open. Cole grabbed his saddle bag, heaved it over his shoulder and clutched Victoria's elbow firmly.
Victoria followed Cole to the door of the cabin. Cole twisted the round metal handle, but it didn't budge.
"Darned thing," Cole cursed.
He wrenched the handle a couple more times and then took a step back. Victoria was shocked when Cole lifted a booted foot and slammed it hard against the resisting wood of the door. It didn't budge. Cole kicked at it again and finally the door swung quickly back inside the cabin and slammed against the inside wall with a thud.
Cole tugged on Victoria with a force that took her by surprise. He drew her inside wrapping an arm around her waist. All thoughts of propriety had been left behind in the rain, but Victoria was glad that they'd made it to somewhere safe and dry.
Cole released Victoria and slammed the door shut behind him, twisting the rusted latch down to secure it against the gusting wind from outside.
Victoria removed Cole's jacket from around her head and gazed around their place of temporary sanctuary. The cabin was very basic, which was being kind, Victoria thought. It was a narrow rectangular space with a small, basic cast iron stove in the center of the room, one long table by the boarded up window, two rickety looking chairs that had definitely seen better days and one low single bed jammed into the far corner. There was a musty, damp smell which caught at the back of Victoria's throat. When she coughed she saw Cole look at her with concern.
"You okay, Victoria?" he asked quickly.
She swallowed. "I'm fine. Just glad to be out of the rain."
"We'll be fine here until it passes," Cole said laying his saddle bag on the table by the window. He looked at Victoria and his brows narrowed. "You got soaked," he stated.
Victoria glanced down at her dress and ran a hand through her damp hair. "It's nothing. It'll dry off quickly," she declared.
Cole shook his head. "I need to get a fire going. Otherwise you're going to get a chill," he said.
"Really, Cole. I'm fine. You needn't go to any trouble," she said.
Cole didn't respond, but immediately set about getting a fire going in the stove. After a short while there was a flame going inside the stove and Cole turned to Victoria. "I think it might be a good idea if you dry your hair right now."
Cole drew one of the chairs into position in front of the stove. Standing behind it he tapped on the back of the chair with both hands and looked at Victoria. "Sit here," he ordered.
Victoria hesitated. "Really Cole, I'm fine." Glancing down at her damp dress she shook her head. "This'll dry off quickly enough," she reiterated.
Cole frowned. "Victoria, I need you to come and sit here. No woman
Feeling a brief sensation of reassurance she glanced at Cole in a gesture of appreciation. He nodded and she saw the flicker of a smile of satisfaction crease the corners of his mouth.
Cole let go of her mount and moved his own horse on, keeping a close eye on Victoria by his side.
They made their way through the trees. Cole made sure that the branches were moved aside, allowing Victoria a clear way through. Under the trees the rain wasn't so heavy, but the foliage offered scant protection.
After a short while they came to a clearing. There in the middle was a squat cabin constructed of thick logs. It had a flat roof and was clearly made for temporary use for anyone working on this part of the ranch. There were no horses tied up out front.
"It's empty," Cole said sounding relieved.
They drew up the horses, dismounted and tied them to the hitching post. Victoria's feet sank softly into a damp pool of water. She lifted her booted foot with a groan of impatience. Cole glanced at her and shook his head.
The rain was heavier as Victoria paused waiting for Cole to test the door and see if it would open. Cole grabbed his saddle bag, heaved it over his shoulder and clutched Victoria's elbow firmly.
Victoria followed Cole to the door of the cabin. Cole twisted the round metal handle, but it didn't budge.
"Darned thing," Cole cursed.
He wrenched the handle a couple more times and then took a step back. Victoria was shocked when Cole lifted a booted foot and slammed it hard against the resisting wood of the door. It didn't budge. Cole kicked at it again and finally the door swung quickly back inside the cabin and slammed against the inside wall with a thud.
Cole tugged on Victoria with a force that took her by surprise. He drew her inside wrapping an arm around her waist. All thoughts of propriety had been left behind in the rain, but Victoria was glad that they'd made it to somewhere safe and dry.
Cole released Victoria and slammed the door shut behind him, twisting the rusted latch down to secure it against the gusting wind from outside.
Victoria removed Cole's jacket from around her head and gazed around their place of temporary sanctuary. The cabin was very basic, which was being kind, Victoria thought. It was a narrow rectangular space with a small, basic cast iron stove in the center of the room, one long table by the boarded up window, two rickety looking chairs that had definitely seen better days and one low single bed jammed into the far corner. There was a musty, damp smell which caught at the back of Victoria's throat. When she coughed she saw Cole look at her with concern.
"You okay, Victoria?" he asked quickly.
She swallowed. "I'm fine. Just glad to be out of the rain."
"We'll be fine here until it passes," Cole said laying his saddle bag on the table by the window. He looked at Victoria and his brows narrowed. "You got soaked," he stated.
Victoria glanced down at her dress and ran a hand through her damp hair. "It's nothing. It'll dry off quickly," she declared.
Cole shook his head. "I need to get a fire going. Otherwise you're going to get a chill," he said.
"Really, Cole. I'm fine. You needn't go to any trouble," she said.
Cole didn't respond, but immediately set about getting a fire going in the stove. After a short while there was a flame going inside the stove and Cole turned to Victoria. "I think it might be a good idea if you dry your hair right now."
Cole drew one of the chairs into position in front of the stove. Standing behind it he tapped on the back of the chair with both hands and looked at Victoria. "Sit here," he ordered.
Victoria hesitated. "Really Cole, I'm fine." Glancing down at her damp dress she shook her head. "This'll dry off quickly enough," she reiterated.
Cole frowned. "Victoria, I need you to come and sit here. No woman
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