smooth. There were no visible marks on her clear skin ... skin that he had an overwhelming desire to touch and see if it was as smooth as it looked.
The woman thought about it for a moment and then said, âI guess I have no choice since your cattle ran me off the road.â
Noah laughed at her constantly changing story. âBut before I allow some reckless driver to ride my horse, I donât believe I caught your name either.â
The woman paused for what seemed like an eternity before giving him her answer. Didnât she know her own name? Or was it that she didnât want to tell him. She finally responded. âKenya. Kenya James.â
âPleasure to meet you, Kenya,â Noah replied. âStay here. Iâll go get Max.â
Â
The sexy cowboy was gone for a few minutes, giving Chynna enough time to collect her wits. What the hell had just happened? Had she just told him she was her sister? But what else could she have done? She couldnât exactly tell him who she really was, a runaway pop star trying to find herself. She doubted he would believe her. Then again, did cowboys like him even listen to the Hot 100 on the radio? He probably had no idea who she really was, which wasnât a bad thing. Anyway, sheâd told him she was Kenya. Sheâd made her bed, and now she was going to have to lie in it.
He returned several moments later with the reins of the thoroughbred firmly in his handsâstrong, calloused hands from what she could see. These were hands that would know what to do with a horse ... or a womanâs body, for that matter.
Now that she wasnât so blurry-eyed from the crash, she could really take her time and assess just how handsome the cowboy was who had rescued her.
Noah Hart was classically handsome with warm brown skin, a strong chin and jaw, closely cut hair, a permanent five oâclock shadow and a disarming smile that when he chose to bestow one caused a warmth to spread through her loins. He was dressed simply in casual jeans and a jean shirt.
âDo I pass inspection?â Noah asked, breaking into her thoughts.
Chynna blinked several times. âWhat was that?â
Noah motioned to the sky that had turned overcast all of a sudden and was turning darker instantly. âStorm clouds. We need to get a move on if we want to make it to the ranch.â
âDo you think weâll make it there in time?â Chynna asked as he gave her a lift onto the back of the horse. He didnât seem to mind, placing his hand on her bottom and hoisting her over.
âJust enough,â Noah said as he quickly jumped astride the horse behind Chynna before she had time to object about how close he was to her. Noah grabbed the reins of the horse and took off in a gallop.
âWhat about the Jeep?â Chynna asked, peering over him to look at the stranded vehicle.
âDonât worry. Iâll take care of it,â Noah said as his muscled arms surrounded her and led the horse in the direction of what Chynna could only assume was his familyâs ranch.
Noah was quiet on the twenty-minute ride across the grassland. Chynna noticed that the Hart ranch must be pretty extensive, because they passed tons of cattle and horses grazing, a hay storage facility, stables, a dozen smaller guest cabins and another row of mini-houses she assumed housed the onsite staff.
Unfortunately, they didnât beat the rain, which had started coming down five minutes earlier. By the time Noah guided the horse into the covered stables, Chynna was soaked head to toe.
Noah disembarked first, not caring about his appearance, but Chynna was mortified. Sheâd left the house wearing nothing but a tank top, shorts and her tennis shoes. Sheâd never thought to bring a change of clothes, because sheâd assumed sheâd be back in her villa.
âOkay, princess?â Noah held out his arms to her.
âIâm soaked,â Chynna complained from
Michele Hauf
Jacqueline Pearce
LS Silverii
Nathan Lowell
Christi Caldwell
Sophia Hampton
Adele Downs
Thomas Berger
Ellery Queen
Tara Brown writing as A.E. Watson