“Why are you so upset?” None of the other women he’d dated had such a sour reaction.
“Do I really have to spell it out for you?”
“I guess so.”
Dakota rolled her eyes. “Not every woman fawns over you. Maybe you should ask before stealing kisses.”
“To be fair, you were giving off all kinds of signals.”
She snorted. “What?”
“Yeah, with those kiss-me eyes, and the way you touch me.”
“Oh. My. Gosh. I didn’t think you could be any more stuck-up. These eyes,” she pointed at her face, “were just trying to make sure you were okay. Next time I’ll let you fight for air all on your own.” She spun to leave again.
“I wouldn’t do that,” Brady said with a smile.
Dakota threw back her head and faced him again. “Why? Because I might be investigated in your death?”
“If I pass out from not getting enough oxygen, you might have to give me mouth-to-mouth.” He raised his eyebrows twice.
“And maybe I wouldn’t… then I can help rid this world of one more sleazy guy.”
His smile faltered. She didn’t sound like she was teasing. “I know you would help.” Brady said it quietly, the humor gone from his features.
“How do you know?”
“Because you’re a good person.” He stared at her, willing her to argue with him.
Her folded arms dropped to her sides and she chewed on her lips. “Just because you’re right doesn’t mean I like you.” She left before he could come up with a rebuttal.
Chapter Twelve
Dakota stormed outside and plopped down on the porch swing dangling by the kitchen window. She touched her still tingling lips. That kiss had been the single most exciting thing she’d experienced in the last couple of months. She’d never known a kiss could feel like that.
Why did it have to come from Brady?
She threw her fists down to the wooden seat on either side of her thighs. This would only complicate things. There was a war brewing within her and the logical side had barely been keeping the irrational side at bay.
Good gravy, she couldn’t lose this battle. It went against everything she stood for. She was a level-headed adult, for heaven’s sake. At least she thought she was—but now Brady was making her question everything.
This was just infatuation, and infatuation eventually died. Spending the week with Brady would ultimately prove that they had nothing in common.
Dakota glanced at the front door. She couldn’t go inside right now. She needed to clear her head. Maybe a ride would do her good.
She pushed off the swing and headed toward the stable holding most of the ranch’s horses. In no time she’d placed a saddle on Cobalt and guided him out of the structure. Clouds had moved in over the area again. Dakota frowned at the grey-blue sky. Were they in for another storm tonight? Surely it wouldn’t be as bad as what had already whipped through southern Texas.
Placing one boot into the stirrup, she boosted herself into the saddle and pulled the reins toward the trails leading to more pastures. She’d never explored Hickory Hollow farther than the immediate surrounding structures near the parking area.
They plodded along until the structures shrunk behind her. The breeze tugging at the hairs in her bun was unseasonably cool but it made her ride nice.
She patted Cobalt on his neck as they continued taking their walk. He didn’t seem to struggle at all despite the trauma he’d endured the night before. Easing him into a canter, she paid attention to his joints and whether he favored any of his limbs over another.
Vets like Brady had completely discounted the use of physical therapy for horses, but she had proof that it helped. If people benefited from these kinds of therapies, why couldn’t animals? But no one listened to her. Not her cousin, not Brady, and not the majority of the health care providers in the equestrian community. To them, she was a quack.
Dakota slowed Cobalt to a walk to cool him down. “One day, Cobalt. They will all see what I’m talking about.”
She glanced around at the area, suddenly realizing she didn’t recognize anything nearby. Pulling Cobalt into a full circle, she checked every direction. Which way had they come? The trail was non-existent as if they were one of the first riding duos to enter this clearing.
Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath to push down the anxiety she could feel bubbling just under the surface. She could get back. All she had to do was find one of the fences that bordered the property and follow it.
Had she chosen a horse native to Hickory Hollow, she might not even be in this situation. One of them would know in what direction to go. But her distraction had gotten the better of her. Her distraction with Brady.
Brady. She hadn’t even told him where she was going. If she didn’t make it back, he would be worried. Naw, Brady might not even realize how long she was gone. All he cared about was himself. She could waltz in as the sun set and tell him dinner would be ready and he’d just go with it.
That presented its own problems, though. What if she couldn’t find her way back before dark? There were critters out here that could spook Cobalt. Not only that, the terrain was unfamiliar. He could trip over something on the way back and get hurt. She needed to get back before it got dark.
One more bad decision she would inevitably beat herself up for. What was it about Brady that had her making impulse decisions?
She turned in one more circle before heading in the direction that looked most promising. It had already been about an hour. It would likely take a little longer than that to get back. By the looks of it, if she chose the right direction, she’d make it back an hour or two before sunset. She could do this, she repeated to herself.
Brady glanced at the clock on the wall. Dakota had stormed out about an hour ago. When he went to look for her, he got winded before he was able to locate her. When he called her phone, he discovered it on the kitchen counter. She couldn’t have gone far.
He finally headed out to the barn where Cobalt was being boarded. The horse was gone. Brady considered grabbing a horse and going off in search of her. The sharp pain in his splinted arm mocked him. There was no way he could get a saddle on a horse, let alone get up onto one.
As he made it to the edge of the building to look out at the pastures, he prayed she was smart enough to stay close. Hickory Hollow had grown a lot since the agreement with Bolton Farms. He hadn’t even made it out to the farthest recesses of the property. There could be dangerous areas he wasn’t aware of. If Dakota found herself stuck somewhere out there, he wouldn’t be able to find her.
Dread settled into the pit of his stomach. If something happened to her, he’d never forgive himself. That dread deepened with each passing minute.
Once back in the main house, he paced the patio, watching the horizon for a rider and horse. It was getting darker. She was hurt. His gut knew it, and there was nothing he could do. Even if he called emergency services, there would be no guarantee they’d get here before dark.
This was all his fault. He’d regressed into the guy who used his charms as a protective layer and scared her off. He knew Dakota was different yet he refused to acknowledge it. Stupid. He’d been an absolute imbecile.