Few people ever experienced the bitter cold of a real January winter. Chase had thought it was cold in Salt Lake at five degrees on a ski slope? That was nothing compared with what he was feeling right now. And his horse’s breathing was as labored as his own, with deep breaths being impossible for man or beast. With each gasp, coldness surged through his chest like a branding iron.
Inferno was the most magnificent stallion Chase had ever laid eyes on. He was completely black, with bright eyes that looked Chase over warily. The horse actually had a personality too. Chase could see it from the first instant. He thought of the Porsche: he’d traded his black car for a black horse.
Chase knew if he were ever going to ride this animal, he would have to let Inferno see that he wasn’t afraid. He was afraid, but he knew better than to let the horse know. He challenged the magnificent beast, looking right into Inferno’s huge black orbs.
As he mounted the stallion, Chase realized he wouldn’t have any trouble riding the horse—at least not today. The below-freezing temperature would keep even a fire subdued. But when the weather warmed up, so would the animal.
Riding a horse was like riding a bike: Once you learned how, you never forgot. But the leather of the saddle was ice-cold on his rear, and it felt like it stuck to his skin through his jeans. His little finger on each hand was already numb even with sheepskin-lined gloves, and he hadn’t even left the perimeter of the yard. A shiver ran the length of Chase’s body. It was ten degrees below hell.
He glanced over at Randee sitting comfortably astride a beautiful palomino. She was bent low over the horse’s neck, whispering softly. Her clothes showed that she was prepared for the worst weather. Thick wool gloves and a down-filled parka protected her from the whipping wind, and Chase watched Randee pull a black wool ski mask over her face just before smiling over at him. He knew she was smiling because of the squint of her eyes; nothing else showed on her face.
Her voice was muffled as she yelled above the wind. “Haven’t you got any warmer clothes?”
“No, I’m fine,” Chase lied.
“I can get you something from the house.”
“Don’t bother, I’ll be all right.” He just wanted to hurry and get this over with. Rex had gone to town for a tractor part, so that left the two of them to handle the feeding. He pulled his bandana up over his nose and tucked his chin into his chest. How far could the feeding grounds be, anyway?
By the time Chase had ridden the mile to the feeding station, he was far from being all right.
***
The thermometer read twenty-two degrees below zero. With the wind chill factor, Randee guessed it was well beyond forty below. It would be one of the coldest mornings of the year, and she was glad she’d suggested her dog ride to town with Rex.
She was just pulling a bale of hay from the stack as Chase’s horse walked into the feeding yard.
“Chase, grab this and I’ll pull down another one,” she yelled. But as she turned around, she realized Chase hadn’t moved. His body was tipping to one side and he was just sitting as if in a trance.
Pulling a bale of hay behind her to stand on, Randee was next to him in an instant. She grabbed his hand and saw his breathing was slow and irregular. Cringing at the coldness she felt there, she quickly removed his stiff gloves and replaced them with her own warm ones. Then, even faster, she took off her hat, grabbed her ski mask, and pulled it down over his ears. She quickly pulled her wool cap back onto her head.
Minute icicles hung from Chase’s eyelashes and his eyes looked like they were frozen shut.
“Chase, listen to me. I’m going to get you back to the house as quickly as I can, but you’ve got to help me. Chase, look at me!” Randee was yelling. The wind wasn’t as vicious here in this little valley, but there was not enough protection to get him warm. “Chase, I need your help. You’ve got to hold on tight to Inferno. Do you understand?”
He nodded his head slightly, and Randee was relieved.
“Good, I’m going to get on behind you. You have to hold on very tight,” she repeated.
She jumped down from the bale of hay and grabbed her palomino’s reins. Tying the horse to the back straps of Inferno’s saddle, Randee swung up behind Chase and headed for home.
She wished she could put Chase behind her and shield him from the wind, but she had to hold on to him. If he fell off the horse she would never get him back on and he’d freeze to death before she could get help. Randee had treated hypothermia before, in fact she’d had it once herself. It could be life-threatening. The first lesson you learn on the range is the elements are always in charge, and you never try to outsmart them—ever.
The mile back to the ranch seemed like ten in the arctic morning. Chase sat in front of Randee, barely moving. Once in awhile she heard him moan in pain.
Damn. I should have insisted on warmer clothes. I know better than that, she thought to herself. Why had she let him go like that?
On the long ride back, Randee recognized a side to her character she didn’t care for. She found a morbid sense of humor toward this man. She knew better than to make him ride Inferno a mile on the coldest day of the year, without proper clothing. What in the hell was wrong with her? Was it because he had refused to tell her about his past? Or was it the fact that he reminded her of Jeff?
Jeff. Chase didn’t look anything like him, really, but there was something about his manner that brought back a flood of memories. Jeff was the smoothest guy she’d ever known. In her freshman year of college she was just a young girl straight from the sticks. Jeff, a junior, was the complete opposite. What he saw in her, she never understood. They hit it off the first night they met and spent the next two years together. Randee even considered not going back to the ranch and living in the city where she could be the proper banker’s wife. But all those dreams came to an abrupt end on Jeff’s graduation day. He’d told her, “Thanks for the good times,” and walked away. Randee had felt used, but worse than that she’d felt stupid. Why hadn’t she seen the signs? She should have known he wouldn’t want a country girl for a wife. He was so cool and sophisticated.
That was it; that air of sophistication! Chase had it too. Randee knew she wasn’t still grieving about Jeff after all these years. In fact, she rarely even thought of him anymore. But sometimes, when she did allow herself the luxury of fantasizing, the men in her dreams had that same quality. It was never Jeff but always faceless men like him: successful men, knowledgeable men, sophisticated men. There was a part of her that wanted to keep such men far away from her. A stronger part of her wanted a man just like that.
Could Chase be that man?
Randee shoved the thought from her mind. She didn’t know a damn thing about him, and she could tell if he had his way she would never know anything about his past. She was getting way ahead of herself, anyway. Right now she needed to be concerned with the present. If she didn’t get Chase to some warmth soon, he’d never live to tell about his past life.
The wind had picked up considerably, making yesterday’s snow pelt the two of them and the horses. It felt like rocks being thrown fifty miles an hour at them. Chase’s weight seemed heavier and harder to balance with each sluggish step Inferno took. She knew the stallion was struggling with two riders and pulling a reluctant palomino. Pushing into the wind, Randee’s strength was nearly depleted just trying to keep Chase in the saddle. If only Rex were here to help her.
“Chase, can you hear me? We’re almost there.” She wasn’t sure she was telling the truth, as there was still no sign of the barn. More to herself than him she threatened, “Whatever you do, damn it, don’t you dare fall off this horse.”
No sooner had she said the words than Chase’s body began to shift and both riders fell to the frozen crusted snow. Chase’s dead weight pinned her to the ground.
Randee raised her head just long enough to see the two horses galloping toward the barn.