Read on for an excerpt from
Chapter One
Last Chance Ranch, Arizona December 23rd
Cole Hatcher added two pillows to the makeshift bed of sleeping bags on the hay. He’d unzipped each and spread them out so he and Lacey could crawl in together. Maybe if they could have a little privacy, they could settle their Christmas issue.
He’d pilfered all the snowflake decorations from the tree inside and hung them from the beams. In his mind, he’d envisioned it to look like it was snowing, but in reality, it looked like plastic, glass and felt snowflakes hanging from beams. Lacey would get it though. She couldn’t expect more than this from her cowboy.
Adjusting the garland around the stall walls, he pulled over the small table he used for grooming the horses and placed it next to the bed. With a rag he’d grabbed from the house, he wiped it off and placed a bottle of wine on it with two plastic cups. “That should do it.” His Christmas Eve present was ready, though a few hours early.
Stuffing the rag in his back pocket, he turned the battery-operated lantern to low and set it next to the wine. “Perfect.”
As he headed out of the barn, the six horses in residence paid him no heed except for Angel. Her wary eyes watched him until he was out of sight.
Giving Angel to Lacey had been the best thing he’d done for that horse, besides take her from her owner. She was so fearful of men that her bond with Lacey had grown strong.
Now if he could just get his fiancé onto the same page with him, life would be great again.
Cole strode across the dirt yard, the only sound to break the crisp night air, the two note call of a whippoorwill. The quiet beckoned him, but he needed Lacey to truly enjoy it. The house lights should have been welcoming but with his two cousins in residence, one baby, Billy and his grandparents, the four bedroom house was packed.
He took the stairs to the porch two at a time. Pulling back the screen door, he opened the heavy, ironwood front door. As he stepped in, he had to stop himself from stepping back out.
The baby cried upstairs while his two cousins, Logan and Trace argued. A door slammed on the upper level then Trace stomped down the stairs, yelling back over his shoulder, “I’ll be watching the game with Grandpa if you come to your senses!” He nodded to Cole as he passed by.
Old Billy, who used to work and live at Poker Flat and had just spent two months in rehab for alcoholism, ambled through the front hall from the kitchen, a bottle of water in his hand and a smile on his face. The television in the living room clicked on just as Billy entered and the volume increased substantially.
Cole winced, the noise level and activity in the house was almost painful. Like Lacey, he couldn’t wait for their own home to be completed, but it barely had walls and was far too incomplete for them to have the privacy and quiet they needed. Since Lacey had given up her casita at the Poker Flat Nudist Resort, they had nowhere to go…except the barn.
She was probably in their room where she always retreated right after dinner to crunch numbers, do research, or iron clothes for work. He ran up the stairs, excited to show her the present he’d arranged, and opened the door to the bedroom.
Lacey stood next to the bed, her deep pink sweater fitting her like a second-skin, wisps of blonde hair escaping her long braid. Her maroon skirt flowed about her, accentuating her delicate femininity. He still couldn’t believe this hot woman was his. She had a basket of laundry dumped out on their bed, clean clothes strewn over the quilt and a small pile folded to her right. He walked straight to her and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. “I have a surprise for you.”
She stilled then sighed. “Is it ear plugs?”
He kissed her neck beneath her ear, loving how tiny she felt against him. “Even better.”
She dropped his fire department t-shirt and turned in his arms. “Better is good.” She lifted her arms around his neck. “Don’t get me wrong. I love your family. There just seems to be so many of them in this particular house. And now that Billy’s here, it makes it very cramped.”
He looked into her light brown eyes that reminded him of amaretto. “You love my family? Even my parents?”
She lowered her lashes and stared at his chest.
Damn, he needed to wait to discuss that. Talking about his parents only brought up what his mother had done to break them apart. That didn’t set the mood he wanted. He wouldn’t press it now. “So aren’t you a little bit curious about my surprise?”
She lifted her gaze to meet his. “Is this my Christmas Eve present?”
His family had always exchanged gifts on Christmas day, but maybe he and Lacey could start their own tradition. “Yes, just a few hours early.”
She looked over her shoulder at the clock sitting on the nightstand. “Only three hours and seventeen minutes early. Should I wait?”
He started to grin but it turned to a grimace as his cousin’s baby let out an ear-piercing wail. “You might be able to, but I can’t.”
At the sound of the baby’s scream, Lacey buried her head against his chest. She lifted it to look up at him. “I could use a surprise right about now.”
“Good.” He kissed her on the forehead then let her go so he could take her hand. As he took a step toward the door, she resisted. “I thought you were going to give me a surprise.”
“We have to go outside for this.”
She pointed to the pile of clothes. “But I need to finish folding the laundry.”
“Leave them. This is more important.”
“Okay.” She let him pull her down the hall.
When they got to the top of the stairs, he released her hand and stepped aside so she could descend first. Another screeching wail sounded from above, and they both picked up their pace. As he opened the front door, the television volume increased another decimal in the living room and from the corner of his eye he caught sight of Billy who had joined his grandfather and Trace.
Lacey stepped onto the porch and sighed.
No sooner had he closed the door than she placed her hand on his chest. “Do you hear that?”
He listened. The quiet was almost deafening until four hoots, sounding like a bouncing ball, broke the silence. “You mean the Screech Owl?”
She smiled slyly. “No, I mean the quiet.”
He grinned. “Wait until you see my surprise.” He took her hand and they walked down the steps toward the barn.
“I hope you didn’t get me another horse. I’m very attached to Angel and I think she’d get jealous.”
He shook his head. “No, it’s not a horse. Luckily, I haven’t had any calls this week. Maybe the Christmas spirit has people being kinder to their animals.” He frowned at the thought of what else the Christmas season brought. “Now if we could just get Christmas tree fires under control, everyone could have a happy Christmas.”
She squeezed his hand. “I’ve never understood the need for a live evergreen tree in the Arizona desert. It’s so dry. If a person wants to smell evergreens, they can always go up to Prescott for the day or take a hike right here in our own mountains.”
“You make the house smell great with those scented candles you use. I’m glad you found them in the glass jars.”
She stopped at the entrance to the barn and looked at him. “Can you turn off the firefighter tonight and give me the cowboy who loves to save abused, hurt, and unwanted horses?”
He grinned sheepishly. “I’ll try. Actually, your surprise is definitely from the cowboy.” He winked.
Lacey’s gaze roamed over him, and he couldn’t help but count himself lucky all over again. To have found her a second time, at a fire no less, had been sheer luck. That she was just as dedicated to his horse rescue ranch as he was, was a bonus. Her wizardry with the finances had also improved their solvency. But to have captured her heart once more against all odds was the greatest luck of all. “If you keep looking at me like that, your surprise might have to wait.”
She widened her eyes. “Like what?” She even batted her lashes.
He laughed and pulled her into his embrace. “I love you, soon-to-be Lacey Hatcher.”
“I know.” She stood on tiptoe to give him a kiss.
When she didn’t deepen the kiss, he had to stop himself from lowering his lips to hers again. The open barn door was not the place to start making love to his woman. Reluctantly, he released her, but grasped her hand again.
After pulling the large door closed behind him, he led Lacey through the barn, passing the filled stalls until she slowed by Angel. He understood and let go, continuing toward the last stall, not wanting to disturb the bond between her and the rescued horse.
No sooner had Lacey turned toward the white Arabian, than Angel gave a soft nicker and walked to the stall door. Lacey pet the badly marred head, cooing to her like one would talk with a baby.
Cole never tired of watching their connection. He had almost given up hope that Angel would ever interact with humans again after the abuse she’d take from her former owner. That the horse came into his life shortly after he had found Lacey again made him think it was fate. Though the horse shied away from men, she completely trusted Lacey.
When Lacey finished, she walked slowly toward him, or was she sauntering toward him? Shit, his muscles tensed in anticipation.
She still wore her clothes from work, her long skirt swishing against her white cowboy boots. The sweater showed off her figure even if it didn’t reveal even a hint of cleavage. It was hard to believe she worked at a nudist resort. He was thankful once again that the resort had a strict policy about employees keeping their clothes on during work. He would go insane if Lacey was supposed to work nude. On the other hand, because Kendra owned the nudist resort she was expected to be nude. He had no idea how Wade handled his fiancé being naked half the day. Cole couldn’t do it.
But Lacey was sexy even with her clothes on, especially after a long day, when her braid had loosened and her messy wheat-colored hair made it look as if she’d just spent an hour in bed with him.
He watched her eyes closely as she approached. Her gaze was riveted to him and his chest puffed with pride. When she licked her lips, he had to force himself to stay still as every tendon pushed at him to move.
Finally, her gaze flitted to the stall behind him and her lips formed a pleased smile. “Oh Cole, it’s the best present you could have given me.”
He released the breath he’d been holding and opened his arms. “You like it?”
She walked straight into his embrace. “I love it.”
“It might get a little chilly tonight.”
She shrugged. “That’s why I have you to keep me warm.”
“Just to keep you warm?” He frowned. “I was hoping to start a fire inside you.”
Lacey’s short intake of breath had his cock taking notice.
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “You are as good at starting fires as putting them out.”
“Only for you.” He lowered his head and kissed her.
She pressed her body against him and pushed her tongue between his lips. He caught it with his own.
Every nook of her mouth was like new territory. He tasted the tartness of the wine she had with dinner and a flavor that was all Lacey. His hands roamed over her back, feeling her sweater slide against silk.
His cock hardened at the thought of what his Racy Lacey might be wearing underneath.
She pulled her lips away abruptly. “You have too many clothes on.”
“I was thinking the same about you.” He wiggled his brow. “I bet I can take my shirt off faster than you can.” He let his arm go slack in anticipation of the race. They were always betting about sex.
She kept her arms around him. “And what does the winner get?”
“I’m thinking, choice of position.” At his words, a shiver ran through her body, sending lightning straight to his balls.
“On the count of three. One. Two. Three.”
No sooner had she dropped her arms than he reached back and pulled his flannel over his head. One button pinged across the stall, hitting the wood, as his face cleared the tail of the shirt.
Lacey had brought the sweater up over her head, but her face was still hidden.
Cole stared at the pale pink corset that cupped her breasts and accentuated her waist and hips. With her skirt still on, she looked like a saloon girl from the old west.
As she pulled the sweater free, she took a breath and her areolas peeked above their confines.
He swallowed hard.
“Are you admiring my new corset?” She smiled slyly, the vixen.
He shook his head as he traced a finger along the top edge of the satiny lingerie. “No, I’m admiring this.” He pushed his finger inside the cup and flicked at the hard nipple beneath.”
“But you like it, right?”
“I think it might require a closer inspection.” He used his other hand to burrow beneath her other cup and lift the breast above the soft satin so the corset held it up for him to view her rosy tip. “Hmm, I’m liking it more and more.” He performed the same readjustment on her other breast then stood back. “Now that’s perfect.” He stared at her hard nipples held aloft. “I really like it.”
“I’m glad.” Her lips formed a seductive pout. “But I lost the bet.”
He reached out one hand and brushed his fingertips across her hard nipples. “Yes, you did.”
Her chest rose as she sucked in a breath at his touch.
He loved how responsive she was. “I think it’s time you took off your skirt so I can decide exactly what position I want you in.”
She cocked her head. “And that must be determined by what I’m wearing underneath my skirt?”
He nodded. His soon-to-be wife never failed to surprise him when they crawled into bed at night. Her love of lingerie had him anticipating their alone time even during dinner. He was definitely the beneficiary of that little fetish. It didn’t take much to get Lacey hot, but in the house, she had to keep quiet when they made love, and that took something away from the experience for her. Tonight, she could let go completely with no one the wiser.
Lacey untied the bow at her waist and pushed the skirt down to the barn floor before stepping out of it.
He was too distracted by the movement of her breasts at first, to understand her smile.
“So what position would you like?” Her voice was teasing, a sound he hadn’t heard in over a month.
This had definitely been needed. He lowered his gaze and raised his brows. “I can’t decide until you take off that damn slip too.”
She giggled, another sound he hadn’t heard in a while. He needed to do something about that. The stress of building a house, working, caring for the horses with so much family around was too stressful for the only-child Lacey.
As she shimmied out of her slip, his jaw dropped and his cock hardened.