Chapter 7 Bud and Jack’s Towing

She stepped out of the cozy kitchen into the crisp mountain air. The two dogs, ever vigilant, bounded over to greet her, their tails wagging furiously. She scanned the ranch yard, expecting to see the familiar shape of a tow truck rumbling up the drive with Evan’s friends. But it wasn't a truck that greeted her.

In the middle of the ranch yard stood Evan, and flanking him were two of the most magnificent animals she had ever seen. They were massive draft horses, their coats a reddish-brown roan that shimmered in the morning light. Their manes, tails, and the feathers of hair above their hooves were a stunning, creamy white. Evan was beaming, but his smile faded slightly as he registered her utter confusion.

“Are you okay, Alex?” he asked.

“I… I thought you were getting your friends. Bud and Jack? With the tow truck?”

Evan’s grin returned, wider than before. He gestured with a proud sweep of his arm. “Alex, meet Bud,” he said, indicating the horse to his right. “And this is Jack.”

Her mind struggled to connect the pieces. “Bud and Jack? But… my car. I thought we were going to get my car.”

“We are,” he assured her. “Here, let me give you a hand up.” He gestured toward Jack’s broad back. Seeing her hesitation, he added, “Don’t worry. He’s a gentle giant. When it comes to horsepower, these two have more than enough.”

As he helped her onto Jack’s back, a mix of disappointment and irritation simmered within her. She felt foolish, as if he were mocking her. With anyone else, she might have voiced her frustration, but something about Evan disarmed her. Or maybe it was just sheer curiosity about what could possibly happen next. If my friends could see me now, she thought, a fresh wave of mortification washed over her.

“So, you thought I had a tow truck and two Belgian friends named Bud and Jack?” A slow, understanding smile spread across his face as her entire side of their previous conversation clicked into place for him. “How many girls do you know that get to ride one of these big beauties to their own rescue?”

“None,” she admitted, her annoyance softening slightly. Still, the uncanny way he’d just articulated her thoughts was unsettling. Does he see right through me? He was so relaxed, so utterly at home in this rugged world, it was difficult to picture him as the scholar he claimed to be. The contradiction only deepened his mysterious allure. My mystery man? The thought sprang up unbidden, followed by a sharp pang of guilt. This mountain detour was becoming a dangerous distraction. She had to get her car, get back to town, and back to her life, a life that included Cameron and an impending marriage.

“How do you like Jack?” Evan asked, pulling her from her thoughts. They had reached a fence line, where he retrieved a strange wooden and metal contraption, balancing it on his shoulder as they turned back toward the road.

“He’s… thick and so firm,” she replied. She’d never been on a horse before today, and now she’d ridden two in as many hours. Beneath her, she could feel the immense, rolling power of Jack’s muscles as he plodded along. This was no spirited black stallion for a moonlit chase. Her fantasies had always involved a dark, fiery steed, a flowing white gown, and a dashing hero saving her from some unseen terror. There was little romance in this gentle giant, just raw power oozing from every pore.

“There isn’t much romance in him,” Evan said suddenly, his voice startlingly close to her own thoughts. “But you’ll see his beauty in a bit.”

Her head snapped toward him. Had she spoken aloud? How could he keep doing that, marching directly into her private thoughts as if he’d been invited? It had to be a coincidence. Yet the unnerving accuracy of his comment sent a shiver down her spine, deepening the enigma of the man who seemed to wander in and out of her mind as easily as he did his own home.

When she saw the car sitting on the road in the midst of the sage, even she could see how completely out of place it was in their surroundings. Her curiosity took over as they approached the car. What were they going to do? When they arrived near the car, Evan pulled up on the reins and slipped off of Bud’s back. He came around to her and offered to help her down. It was a long way to the ground, and she accepted his strong arms as they lifted her effortlessly from the back of the horse. For a moment, Alexandra fought to remind herself that she was engaged.

And then the thought of Cameron crossed her mind, she stumbled a little and fell against his chest. His strong arms kept her from falling, and she felt the power in them. She looked up at him as he steadied her on her feet. His lips were pushed together as he looked down at her.

Neither moved for a moment; their faces were mere inches from one another. The thought of kissing him zipped through her mind.

“Are you good?” he asked in a whisper.

“Yes,” she answered in the same tone.

“Good.” She saw the desire to kiss her in his eyes, and then it passed, and he was back to being the mystery man again. He stepped back from her and started to tell her what they were about to do. “First thing is to turn the car around. If you put her in neutral and turn the wheels to the right as far as you can, I’ll push.”

She had to recollect herself. Think of Cameron, think of Cameron, think of Cameron. Her mantra was meant to clear her mind, but it was having little effect. She had nearly kissed him. She had wanted to kiss him. The thought lingered even as she was trying to push it out. She moved away from him and got into the driver’s seat of the car. She moved the shift lever to the neutral position and started turning the wheels as hard as she could. Evan was in front of the car, pushing it backward. Soon it was sideways in the road, the back end into the sagebrush on the upper side of the road.

“Now turn your wheels all the way back to the left,” he said. When they were turned to the left, he got behind the car and pushed it until it was facing back down the road. “Now all we gotta do is get her started, and you can be on your way,” he chuckled.

She smiled at his humor. It was so simple. Despite her efforts, it was very hard not to think of how adorable he was. He was manly, strong, and intelligent. Every part of him screamed of strength and durability, but another part of him screamed that he was a lost little boy. The combination stirred a primeval instinct in her that drew her to him in ways that were beyond any form of logic.

He retrieved the contraption that he had carried from the ranch, and he slipped under the front of the car. She could hear the chains rattling, and she got out of the car and walked around to the front to see what he was up to.