by Vivian Arend
The Cowgirl’s Secret Love
The Colemans of Heart Falls, Book 2
Vivian Arend
Contents
The Cowgirl’s Secret Love
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Epilogue
About the Author
The Cowgirl’s Secret Love
Wealthy rancher Finn Marlette’s move to Heart Falls to fix what went wrong between him and Karen Coleman just got complicated. Suddenly he’s got five months to get his new dude ranch up and running, or lose the place to a hated rival.
* * *
New agenda: Show up on Karen’s porch, tell her they belong together, and offer her a job.
After a lifetime of following the rules and others’ dreams, Karen’s determined to find her own path. The last thing she needs is to get involved with Finn again—it was only a secret fling, and she still fell hard.
* * *
But the summer job he offers is tempting—it’s a chance to work with men who truly appreciate her ranching skills. Finn’s determined to tempt her into remembering all the delicious sexual appreciation between them as well.
* * *
Wild horses can’t keep them apart, but sabotage and too many secrets might…
* * *
The Colemans of Heart Falls
The Cowgirl’s Forever Love
The Cowgirl’s Secret Love
The Cowgirl’s Chosen Love
* * *
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1
April, five years ago. Rocky Mountain House, Alberta
* * *
After a full day attempting a job that was still well beyond her, every part of Karen Coleman’s body ached. She glared at the wooden exterior of Traders Pub and debated going home.
Only there was nothing back at the ranch that would improve her mood. She brushed her hands against her jeans, cringing as the palm of her left hand connected too vigorously with the solid thigh-to-ankle cast encasing her leg.
It wasn’t the reminder she needed at that moment.
Neither was the piercing whistle that rang across the parking lot. Her cousin’s taunt echoed in the quiet outside the pub.
“Damn, that’s pathetic. You look like something the cat dragged in.”
Jesse, one of the more annoying male cousins in the horde Karen faced almost daily, wore far too happy an expression as he jogged forward.
She was ready to cut him down to size when someone tall and muscular stepped from the shadows and intercepted Jesse.
“Watch your mouth.” The dark-haired stranger folded his arms over his chest, biceps pressing against the cotton of his shirt. He eyed Jesse with disdain.
Jesse stopped in his tracks, completely thrown by the call down.
“Don’t bother,” the stranger said when Jesse recovered from his shock enough to open his mouth, probably to offer another wisecrack. “Keep walking.”
Karen had many reasons to be cranky, not the least because her deep-seated annoyance at being below full physical strength was not going away any time soon.
But when for once in his life Jesse actually took the smart route and left with nothing more than an exaggerated eye roll, she had to admit to being slightly charmed by her well-meaning protector.
Charmed turned to something heated when her nameless defender rotated toward her.
She’d caught a glimpse of his firm jawline in profile, but the strength of his face combined very nicely with dark brown eyes that held the possibility of a dangerous smolder. He checked her over quickly, his gaze lingering on her cast and the crutches she’d finally caved and agreed to use.
It seemed only right that while he was occupied, she should return the favour.
Yes, his face was very pleasant, without any sort of fanfare. He looked the type to be silent except when he had something important to say.
She examined his mouth, amused by the solemn set of his lips. He’d obviously thought Jesse was a lot more of a threat than the turkey truly was.
A moment’s glance over the rest of her champion allowed her to admire the entire cowboy. He wasn’t wearing a hat, but his boots were real, freshly polished and worn in the right pattern to be more than window dressing.
“You okay?” His voice was a soft rumble that teased her senses.
Karen’s gaze shot up to meet his. Those eyes were serious, and yet a hint of a twinkle appeared momentarily. It might be fun to try and trigger other kinds of reactions in the man.
He’d come to her rescue, unneeded as it was.
“I’m good. Name’s Karen.” She thrust a hand forward, teetering as she fought to keep her balance and control the crutch trying to escape.
Her hero moved instantly, his firm grip sliding around her waist and bringing her back to vertical before she could tumble to the ground in an inglorious heap. “Careful. Looks as if you’re still a little shaky on those colt legs of yours.”
A laugh burst free. “Oh, honey, a colt is the last thing I should be compared to right now.” She gave her thigh a careful pat, not hard enough to hurt. “I’ve seen newborns get to their feet with far more grace than I’m capable of with this contraption.”
He was so close his scent wrapped around her and made interesting responses flash through her body. Ones she hadn’t expected tonight, let alone while doing her best elephant limbed imitation.
Dammit, the warmth of his body teased in a million tempting ways, and Karen considered leaning in a little harder rather than moving away.
Somehow she did the right thing, finding her equilibrium then meeting his gaze again. “Thanks for standing up for me, but Jesse didn’t mean any harm.”
The stranger examined her face before tilting his chin slowly. “I’m sure you could’ve taken care of him, but I didn’t mind stepping in. It’s only right.”
“He’s family. I guess they get to be a little more asshole-ish than your everyday stranger.”
“Chérie.” He spoke softly. “Family should support instead of push.”
That was a mouthful. In light of all the other annoying things in her world, broken leg notwithstanding, Karen didn’t want to spend a lot of time thinking about family and their lack of support.
What she did want was to enjoy flirting with this intriguing man.
She offered him a smile and a bit of a raised brow. “I didn’t catch your name.”
His lips curled at the corners. Just enough to turn his rugged expression dangerously sexy. “Finn. Can I buy you a drink?”
Considering she’d debated going home, the idea of staying was more attractive than expected. “If you don’t mind that I left my dancing shoes at home.”
“We’ll see about that. Drink first.”
The nearest door led onto the dance floor, which was a bad idea, all things considered. The closest parking space Karen had been able to find meant she planned to walk through the noisy side of the bar
and head into the quieter section to meet up with her sisters. While the Coleman clan tended to gather on Fridays at Traders Pub, there were enough of them that even though it was Tuesday, more than Lisa and Tamara were bound to be around somewhere.
Only, Finn had an agenda on this side of the pub. He guided her to the side of the room where tall chairs were placed around high-top tables. “Let’s see if I can get you comfortable.”
The innuendo in his tone sent shivers along her skin. To hell with it. The only deadline she had in the morning was a meeting she wasn’t looking forward to. No chores beyond the basics, so having a little fun with a stranger who would be gone by tomorrow sounded like the perfect distraction.
Finn had tucked his arm around her, their bodies close enough for them to hear each other over the music and the din of voices. Karen turned toward him, cheek brushing his. “Comfortable is not a word I’m familiar with at the moment.”
He rocked slightly, heat rising. He twisted behind her, lips ghosting her earlobe as he answered, “Let’s see if I can do something about that.”
There was something delicious about doing this here. On her home turf, where she knew everyone except the man settling onto the chair behind her. He opened his legs wide then leaned her against his strong thigh.
“Ease back against me, chérie. That’s it. That’s got to be more comfortable than a minute ago.”
He stroked her hair back over her neck. She wondered what weird magic he possessed that made her feel free to do this. Not to mention that no one from her family had come rushing forward to give her hell or ruin the moment.
Because it was a moment. She was enveloped in heat. At her back, along her side. His arm supported her, his thigh as well, and the faintest smile on his lips said he knew all too well exactly how relaxed she was.
Except for deciding how far she wanted to let this go, everything was absolutely perfect.
“What can I get you to drink?” Finn asked. A deep rumble that tickled in her ears.
“Pepsi,” Karen said dryly. “With ice.”
He hesitated for a moment before understanding spread across his face. “You’re on painkillers.”
“Bingo.” She adjusted her arm to get more comfortable, which happened to mean sliding it around his torso. “This okay?”
“Just fine.” Finn waved over one of the waitresses, ordering Karen’s soda and a beer for himself.
Tiffany eyed Karen, then Finn, then Karen again.
One of the downfalls of small-town living. Everyone knew everyone.
When the girl walked off without making a comment, Karen wondered if she’d actually fallen into some sort of alternate reality. First Jesse, now Tiffany, leaving without teasing or digging for dirt?
If this was an alternate universe, how long did she get to stay?
“How bad is your leg?” Finn asked.
His hand around her waist was warm and strong and very distracting. His thumb slid back and forth along the line where her waistband ended.
Karen made a face and for once told the truth. “Pretty bad. I had a bit of a run-in with a horse trailer, which makes being hurt damn annoying as well as physical bullshit. I don’t have problems with horses,” she informed him briskly. Then she made a face. “Except this time. I don’t blame him, it was an equipment failure, but it messed me up pretty good. I want to get back to work, but the pain’s bad enough I have to take the meds.”
“And then the meds mess you up more?”
“Damn annoying,” she repeated.
“I get that. It’s tough to not be able to do the things you’re used to doing.” Her T-shirt had come untucked on one side, and his thumb was now sliding against bare skin, an evilly distracting touch that made her think about other things she wasn’t able to do right now.
Then again…
Their drinks appeared on the table.
Finn lifted his beer bottle in a salute, that hint of mischief dancing in the corner of his eyes. “Here’s to learning new ways to have fun.”
Was the man reading her mind?
Screw it. It was time to flirt and have as much fun as she decided she wanted. Or as much as her leg would allow before she had to call things off because of pain or awkwardness.
Karen offered him a wink as her glass and his bottle clinked. He smiled before tipping his head back, throat moving rhythmically as he drank. That hand of his stayed firmly in place on her waist. If anything, he tucked her tighter against him.
Oh, yeah, the pain in her leg was the last thing on her mind. The tingle rising between her legs had feature billing at the moment.
The music blaring around them changed to a soft ballad, and Finn put his glass down. “Give me that.”
Her barely sipped Pepsi vanished to the high-top, and the next thing she knew, he’d tugged her a foot to the left into an open space on the dance floor.
“Oh, no, this won’t work,” Karen protested.
“Trust me,” Finn said as he tucked her body against his.
Okay. Not at all what she’d expected tonight, but dear sweet foals in the field, this was what she’d been craving.
He held her firmly, barely swaying. Just enough motion that their bodies made contact as she balanced on her good leg. They were close in height, and her cheek rested against his, the slight scruff of his five o’clock shadow doing dangerous things to her libido.
“You’re not getting much of a dance partner,” Karen told him a little breathlessly.
He adjusted position, and her breasts pressed more firmly against his rock-solid chest. “Hear me complaining?”
Nope. They were so close the other changes in his body were apparent as well. It wasn’t just his torso that was firm, and all things considered, the fact Finn had reacted and wasn’t afraid to let her know…
It might’ve been the most juvenile thing ever, but knowing that in spite of the unwieldy cast someone found her attractive? It was a powerful thing.
“You in town for long, Finn?”
“Don’t like to talk when I dance,” he said quietly a second before his lips brushed her neck. Right where there was some sort of magical control button, because goose bumps arrived, a heat wave hit between her legs, and her nipples reacted—all at the same time.
Okay. Silence worked for her.
She wrapped her arms tighter around him, swaying to make it clear every bit of his attention was very much appreciated.
The music went on for long enough that Karen’s cheeks were hot, her body was hot, and most of her annoyance had washed away in their truly delectable, somehow secretive, corner of the dance floor.
The tune changed to something far too upbeat, and she eased away reluctantly, offering what had to be a slightly stunned smile. “You’re a good dancer, Finn. Even if you don’t like to talk.”
“I can think of better uses for my mouth.” The comment fanned the flames even higher as he brought her back to the table. “You good here?”
A loud crash sounded across the room, followed by raised voices and laughter. An entire group rushed in from the opposite side of the bar, including the familiar faces of the Coleman clan. Karen’s short-lived magical flirtation was about to be discovered.
But when she turned back to prepare him for the onslaught of her family, Finn was gone.
A second later her younger sisters, Lisa and Tamara, were at her table, looking her over as if she were some sort of hospital specimen.
“What’re you doing over here by yourself?” Tamara demanded. “We’ve been waiting for you. You totally ignored our texts.”
Karen had been enjoying some sort of lovely delirium and had been too busy to answer texts, which wasn’t anything she was about to share.
Instead, she shrugged. “Came in the west door and didn’t want to mess with manoeuvering all the way to the other side. I figured you’d show up eventually.”
“I’m glad you came out for the night,” Tamara said. “You need to get your mind off the fact you’re out of commissio
n for a while.”
Their youngest sister, Lisa, smacked Tamara on the arm. “Brilliant way to keep her from thinking about that. You know, mentioning it and all.”
“I’m only pointing out the obvious. She needs to be off the work list and let her leg heal.” Tamara put on her medical professional face, shaking her finger at Karen. “You’ve got a serious break, sis. If you push it too hard, you could end up hurting yourself permanently.”
“Save me the lectures,” Karen told her sharply. “I’m the oldest, and not only is what you’re saying old news, you don’t get to boss me around.”
“Nice try on that one,” Lisa said with a snicker. “Birth order has nothing to do with sisters giving unwanted advice. We all do it, me less than you two because I’m smart like that.”
That comment got her pokes in the side from both Karen and Tamara, setting off giggles that had the entire area of the dance floor glancing in their direction.
No matter which way she looked, Karen spotted no signs of her mysterious knight in shining armour. Which was probably a good thing, because she hadn’t planned on going much further.
The distraction had been enjoyable, though.
An hour later Tamara glanced at her watch. “I need to go. Want me to drive you home?” she asked Karen. “I have time to take you out to the ranch. Lisa can bring your car home later.”
Karen hated to accept the help, but she nodded. “Don’t stay up too late, or you’ll regret it in the morning,” she warned Lisa, who had briefly returned to their corner of the dance room after kicking up a storm with one of her buddies.
