Stone Cold Surrender - Brenda Jackson [19]
“Yes. I would head up there first thing in the morning, but unfortunately you don’t have the proper attire to make such a trip. We need to take care of that as well as getting the supplies we’ll need. If all that works out then we can leave the day after tomorrow, bright and early. We’ll take a truck as far as Martin Quinns’ ranch, then borrow a couple of his horses to go the rest of the way on up.”
Madison tried to mask her relief. She hated admitting it but Stone was right. She wouldn’t have a moment of peace until she saw and talked to her mother herself. “I’ll make sure I get all the things I need.”
Stone nodded. “I’m going to make sure you get all the things you need, too. I’ll be picking you up in the morning to drive you into town and take you to the general store. We should be able to purchase everything we’ll need from there.”
Madison nodded. Uncertain what to say next she knew of the one thing that she had to say. “Thank you, Stone.”
Her heart lurched in her chest when she saw that her words of thanks had not softened the lines around his eyes. He was still upset with her for what she’d insinuated about his uncle.
“Don’t mention it. I’ll see you in the morning.’’ And without saying anything else, he crossed the room and walked out of the door.
Four
W hoever said you can take the girl out of the city but you can’t take the city out of the girl must have known a woman like Madison Winters, Stone thought, as he sat silently in the chair with his long legs stretched out in front of him and watched her move around the cabin packing for their trip.
That morning they had gone to the general store to purchase the items they would need. Getting her prepared for their excursion had taken up more time than he figured it would. When he had inventoried what she’d brought with her from Boston, he hadn’t been surprised to discover her stylish clothing—mostly with designer labels—included nothing that would be durable enough to travel up into the mountains. When they’d driven into town she had agreed with his suggestion that she buy several pairs of jeans, T-shirts, flannel shirts, a couple of sweaters, a wool jacket, heavy-duty socks and, most important, good hiking boots. He had also strongly suggested that she buy a wide-brimmed hat. He’d explained to her that the days would be hot and the nights would be cold.
He had taken care of the other things such as the food they would need, the sleeping bags they would use, as well as the rental of the truck that would carry them as far as the Quinns’ ranch.
Stone’s lips broke into an innately male smile as he continued to watch her. She was definitely a gorgeous woman but, more than that, he found her downright fascinating. He would even go so far as to say that she intrigued him, especially now when she was frowning while glancing down at herself, as if the thought of wearing jeans and a flannel shirt was nothing she would ever get used to.
Hell, it was something he doubted he would get used to, either. He had seen plenty of women in jeans in his lifetime but none, and he meant none, could wear them like they’d been exclusively designed just for their bodies. Another man might say that she was built and had everything in all the right places, but the writer in him would go further than that and say she was…a summer pleasure and a fall treasure whose beauty was as breathtaking and captivating as a cluster of tulips and daffodils under a spectacular Montana sky.
“Do you think I packed enough, Stone?”
Her words intruded on his musings and he glanced at the bed. To be quite honest she had packed too much, but he knew that was the norm for any woman. Somehow they would manage even if it meant leaving some of it at the Quinns’ ranch once they got there. The back of a horse could handle only so much on what would be a treacherous climb up the mountain.
“No, you’re fine,” he said coming to his feet. “I contacted Martin Quinn and he’s expecting us by noon tomorrow. We’ll sleep overnight at his place then head up the mountain