The Bridal Path: Sara by Sherryl Woods Page B

coffee.
    “It’s hot, if you want some.”
    Sara nodded, took her cup out of her saddle pack and poured some of the rich coffee into it. She had a feeling, though, that mixing caffeine and her already jittery nerves was a very bad idea. When Jake held out one of Annie’s blueberry muffins, she accepted it, careful to avoid so much as grazing his fingers.
    “Maybe we’d better talk about what happened here last night,” Jake said eventually.
    “I thought we had discussed it,” Sara retorted stiffly. “What more is there to say?”
    “You could tell me why you threw yourself at me in the first place.”
    She shot him an icy look. “Excuse me?”
    “You know that’s what happened.”
    “If that’s what your monumental ego needs to believe, go ahead,” she snapped as fresh humiliation rushed through her.
    “It’s the gospel truth. I’m just wondering what was behind it.” He regarded her intently. “Or don’t you know?”
    Sara finally dared to look directly into his eyes. Rather than the smug amusement she’d expected, she found only genuine bemusement, maybe even genuine concern. She sighed. Perhaps honesty was the answer.
    “I have no idea,” she admitted eventually. “One minute I was half asleep, the next minute I heard that wolf and all I could think about was having your arms around me. It didn’t make a lick of sense to me then and it doesn’t now. Then one thing led to another so fast, my head was spinning.”
    Jake did grin at that. “There are some things in life that defy explanation,” he conceded. “I suppose we could chalk this up as one of them.”
    Sara drew in a deep breath. “I promise it won’t happen again.”
    Something that looked very much like disappointment shadowed his eyes. “Too bad,” he murmured. “I can’t help thinking something that spectacular shouldn’t be wasted.”
    Hearing Jake voice the very regret that had been ricocheting through her head all morning startled her. But she wasn’t the kind of woman who made love willy-nilly just because it felt good. Last night had been an aberration, not the start of a very bad habit. Or so she hoped.
    “I think we’d better forget all about last night,” she insisted.
    “Easier said than done, sweetheart.”
    Sara prayed that Jake was wrong about that. If she couldn’t forget how close she’d come to finding heaven in his arms, how would she ever say no to him again?
    * * *
    Sara’s lesson with Zeke was a disaster from the moment she first climbed into the saddle that evening. Her concentration was shot and her muscles felt like limp noodles. She’d never been more grateful that Jake had insisted on riding broncos, rather than bulls. A bull would probably have bounced her from here to Montana by now.
    The third time she slammed into the ground, her bones rattled so hard she was astonished they didn’t shatter. Zeke’s expression was thoroughly disgusted as he hauled her to her feet again.
    “Enough,” he said. “We’re just wasting time and risking that pretty neck of yours today.”
    “We can’t stop,” she pleaded. “I told Jake I’d be ready by the Saturday after Memorial Day.”
    Zeke’s muttered curse blistered her ears. “Why’d you go and do a damned fool thing like that?” he demanded.
    “He was getting impatient. He won’t wait around forever.”
    “He’ll wait until I say it’s okay,” Zeke said grimly. “So will you. Now git on into the house and tell Mary Lou I said to give you a cup of tea and some of her special liniment.”
    Sara started to protest, but Zeke had already turned his back and headed for the barn. He didn’t appear inclined to listen to any arguments.
    Groaning as she dusted herself off, she resigned herself to following instructions. All of this docile obedience was beginning to grate on her nerves. Unfortunately, she needed Zeke’s help too badly to tell him off.
    Limping, she crossed the yard to the back door. It swung open the minute she set foot on the