Enemies to Lovers: Volume Two (Enemies to Lovers Collection Book 2)

by Lila Kane

  Willow finished making her way to the ranch, keeping her eyes open for items to put on her list. Items that needed fixing. But the fences were good, the barn door had been fixed. She even spotted a few other workers staying on task. Surprise, surprise—her dad had gotten some things in order.

  When she arrived at the main house, she gazed up at the structure. No more broken shutters or chipped paint. Hell, it almost looked brand new.

  The moment she stepped out of her car, her mom was at the door, waving. She wore a checkered apron that stretched around her ample frame. She’d probably been baking—that was one of the things Willow remembered most about her. How often she baked.

  Willow walked to her and gave her a big hug. “It’s good to see you, Mom. The place looks great.”

  At least from what she could see.

  Her mom nodded. “Once your dad hired Cole, things really started to look up. He’s helped us get the ranch going again.”

  “Who’s Cole?”

  And she couldn’t help the flicker of frustration in the pit of her stomach. Why had they hired someone else when they knew she’d come and help them once school was done? She’d had a plan to help get the place back in order. Of course, there still had to be more that needed to be done.

  “He’s been helping out your dad,” her mom said, her eyes scanning the scenery. “Doing more than that—he practically runs the place now. Oh, there he is.”

  Willow followed her gaze and saw that same rider she’d seen earlier. Another round of chills worked its way through her body. He guided his horse to the porch and then hopped down. His gaze raked her again as he approached.

  He tipped his hat at her mom. “Mrs. Morgan.”

  “Cole. I’m glad you’re here. This is my daughter, Willow.”

  His jaw clenched but he nodded. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Willow, this is Cole Park.” Her mom beamed like she’d just played matchmaker. “I hope you two will get to know each other well.”

  Willow frowned. No way. She didn’t need to know anything else besides his true intentions. The ranch was worth a lot of money and he had to know that. Everyone around here did. Which meant he was probably taking advantage of her parents, and she planned on getting to the bottom of it.

  Chapter 2

  ________________

  Cole

  Willow Morgan wasn’t anything like he’d expected. He’d expected a woman, rough and no-nonsense. Someone who looked like she knew what she was doing on a ranch. Instead, he saw a girl in a flowing dress and sandals. Did she even own a pair of cowboy boots? He couldn’t work with her. Even though Mr. Morgan said she’d come back to help with the ranch, he wondered if she even knew how to ride a horse.

  Mrs. Morgan forced him to come in for lunch, and though he had work to do, he couldn’t say no to her fried chicken or her hospitality. If Mr. and Mrs. Morgan hadn’t taken him in, he didn’t know where he’d be right now. But probably not anywhere good. He’d done a short stint at the prison and once everyone had heard, no one wanted to hire him. But the Morgan’s were all about second chances. He respected that about them more than anything else. But all around, they were just plain, decent people.

  He owed them a lot. Which mean he had to be civil to their daughter even if she looked like she belonged at a tea party instead of on a ranch.

  When Mrs. Morgan returned to the kitchen to get more rolls, Willow raised her eyebrows at him. “I didn’t know you’d gotten so close to my parents.”

  “They’re good people.”

  “Everyone knows that. Which is why they’ve had so many people come and go in the past. Most everyone just tries to take advantage of them and it takes someone from the outside to see that.”

  He pretended to be nonchalant about her words, though he knew exactly what she was getting at. She thought he was here for the money, to take over the ranch. It wasn’t a secret that the Morgan’s weren’t planning on staying much longer. They didn’t want the burden of the ranch anymore, even though it was worth millions.

  It wasn’t the first time someone had looked down on him before, and he knew it wouldn’t be the last.

  “Someone from the outside meaning you,” he said.

  She nodded, challenge in her eyes. “Exactly. They were raised in a different time, when people treated each other better and it was all about hard work. I’ve been out there in the real world and I know how manipulative and deceitful people can be.”

  He grunted and said, “Sounds like a personal problem to me.”

  Her eyes flashed with anger, and he almost regretted saying something. Almost. She was a Morgan and he hated being disrespectful. But he hated being disrespected just as much.

  The Morgan’s treated him fairly and he earned his keep. In exchange for being on call day and night, they let him stay in the small guesthouse behind the barn. That way he could be close by for any emergencies. And they also compensated with a fair wage for all the other work he did. He’d been doing that work for two years and they’d both been happy with the arrangement.

  So why did Willow have to come and stick her nose in his business?

  Before she could say anything, Mrs. Morgan returned with a basket full of rolls. “Eat them while they’re hot.”

  He reached in and grabbed three, ignoring Willow’s glare. Calm. That’s what he had to be. He knew he did a good job and knew he deserved to be here. She couldn’t say anything that would get them to change their minds about him, could she?

  “So,” Mrs. Morgan said, a smile playing on the corner of her lips, “we’ve got a little surprise for you.”

  For a moment, he thought she was talking to him. But then he caught her glance at Willow.

  “Just a little get-together.” Mrs. Morgan reached out to touch Willow’s hand. “To welcome you home.”

  Shit. He’d forgotten about that. The little shindig, as Mr. Morgan called it. Right in the barn, which meant he wouldn’t be able to get things done in there at all this afternoon as they set up. As far as he knew, half the town was going to be there. And half the town on the other side of the ranch, too. Damn it. They’d expect him to be there.

  “Mom, you didn’t have to,” Willow started.

  “Of course we did.”

  “An excuse to get everyone together, right? An excuse to party?” Willow smiled at her mom and he could almost see a soft side there. A vulnerable side.

  His gaze dropped to her tits. And that rack didn’t hurt. Neither did her soft curly hair or her long, long legs under that dress. She might not look like she belonged on a ranch, but she definitely belonged in someone’s bed.

  “You’ll be there of course, Cole?”

  His gaze snapped to Willow’s. “What? I mean—yeah, of course.”

  She shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest. Shit—she’d seen him staring. And what was that look? Oh yeah, the one everyone around town gave him. The one that said he’d been caught doing something wrong again, and it was just what everyone expected of him.

  “We’ll have a band there, too,” Mrs. Morgan said. “So, dancing of course.”

  Mrs. Morgan beamed, and he almost swore out loud. What the hell? Was she trying to set them up or something? That was the last thing he needed. He’d just started to prove himself here—he didn’t need to fuck it up by sleeping with his boss’s daughter.

  Good thing for him Willow looked less than interested. In fact, she almost looked disgusted. Which pissed him off more than it should have considering he’d been living with that reaction most his life.

  Her eyes narrowed with distrust, and in response his dick twitched. Damn it all to hell. So, Willow was hot. Sexy. She’d fit perfect in his hands. Closed tight around him. But going there would be opening a huge can of worms.

  “I love dancing,” he said, just to spite her.

  She rolled her eyes and he felt better. On an even keel. He’d play nice for now because he didn’t have a choice. But that didn’t mean he had to feel anything mor
e for Willow than civility.

  If only she wasn’t so damn sexy.

  Chapter 3

  ________________

  Willow

  Her mom had gone all out with the party. She’d had it catered, brought in a band, and went overboard with the alcohol.

  Willow didn’t mind. It was nice to see all her old friends and hear the gossip and simply be back home. What she hadn’t expected was all the gossip about Cole. She’d heard the words “prison” and “assault” more than once and it just confirmed her suspicions. Cole was up to no good.

  When her dad grabbed her around the waist for a dance, she launched right into her worries. “Why’d you hire him?”

  “Who, sweetheart?”

  “Cole. He’s…” She glanced around, trying to find him in the crowd. He stood in one corner, nursing a beer and looking dangerous. “It sounds like he’s got a history.”

  “Don’t we all?” Mr. Morgan joked.

  “I’m serious. Did he really go to prison?”

  Mr. Morgan nodded. “But that was almost five years ago—and besides, don’t we all deserve a second chance?”

  “Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful.”

  “When have you known me to not be careful?”

  “I just don’t want someone to take advantage of you.”

  “Don’t worry about me, darlin’,” Mr. Morgan said. “I can take care of myself.”

  She sighed. She wasn’t getting through to him, but what could she do? She’d just have to keep an eye on Cole herself. Just as she thought those words, she watched as one of the ranch hands walked up to Cole and whispered something low, urgent.

  Cole nodded, set aside his beer, and walked from the barn. Where was he going? And so secretly?

  “Thanks for the dance, Dad. You should find Mom and dance with her next.”

  She watched while he did just that, and then hurried from the barn to figure out where Cole was going. Outside, she glanced around, searching the darkness for something suspicious. She spotted flashlights past the barn and over by the fence.

  Willow had worn her cowboy boots this time, and that made it easier for her to dash through the brush and follow the lights. When she reached the fence, her mouth dropped open at what she saw.

  A horse, lying on its side, with blood pouring from its front leg. Cole crouched over it, murmuring soothing words.

  She gasped. “What happened?”

  “Got caught in some barbed wire,” the ranch hand answered.

  “I should get my dad,” she said.

  “No,” Cole snapped. He kept his hand on the horse’s neck, still soothing it, but met her eyes. “This is your dad’s favorite horse. No need to worry him tonight unless it’s serious.”

  Damn it, he was right. Her dad was attached to his animals.

  “Grab bandages, another light, and some warm water,” Cole told the ranch hand. “Meet me in the stables.”

  He ran off and she ventured closer. “Is there anything I can do?”

  “Help me get her to the stables so we can see what we’re working with.”

  She helped coax the horse to a standing position and they both walked it back to the stables. Cole stayed calm and in control as he checked the wound, cleaned it, and determined it probably didn’t need stitches.

  “Should we send for the vet?” Willow asked.

  “He’s out of town until tomorrow, but I think it’ll be okay.” Cole waved in the direction of the barn. “You can go back to the party.”

  “I’d rather stay here.”

  He stepped closer to her, eyes darkening. “I don’t need your help.”

  The words hurt Willow more than she let on—especially when part of her was thinking she might have misjudged Cole. Someone who was that gentle with an animal, who put her father’s feelings first, couldn’t be all that bad, could they?

  “I’m here whether you like it or not,” Willow told him, holding her ground.

  “You’re just like all the rest.”

  She blinked. “What?”

  He nodded, invading her space. Like he was purposefully trying to intimidate her. “You heard the gossip, didn’t you? I’m dangerous.”

  A thrill of excitement raced through her body. Dangerously sexy, maybe. Again, in the shadows of the stables, she couldn’t tell the color of his eyes. But they didn’t look dangerous. They looked wounded. Like he’d gone through more than a person should have to go through in their life.

  “Are you dangerous?”

  He reached out, fingertips skimming her bare arms, trailing them all the way down. Then, suddenly, he gripped her hip and pulled her close. Her clit throbbed immediately, the attraction she had for him shooting fireworks through her body. “Are you prepared to find out?”

  Her throat dried. Part of her wanted to. Wanted to throw away caution and lose herself in what she was sure would be an amazing encounter. His rough hands all over her body, taking what he wanted. But the other part, the part that knew better, was screaming at her to run away.

  “I know this is just a show,” Willow whispered. “You’re trying to scare me.”

  “It usually works. Why aren’t you scared?”

  She tried to still her beating heat, tried to ignore the twitch of his cock against her. He was just as turned on as she was. “Maybe I’m more like my father than I thought. I believe in second chances.”

  The horse whimpered and immediately Cole stepped away, taking the warmth of his hands as well. “You should get back to the party.”

  “What about you?” she asked, feeling strangely empty.

  “I’m going to take care of her. It’s more important.”

  Willow didn’t want to, but she was afraid her body would betray her. Afraid she’d make a mistake and do something reckless—and that’s one thing Willow Morgan wasn’t. Reckless.

  Without a word, she left the stables to return to the party.

  Chapter 4

  ________________

  Cole

  He rubbed the kink in his neck and stepped to the window in the stables to see the sun just barely making its way over the horizon.

  “Were you here all night?”

  Cole whipped around and found Willow standing in the doorway. She wore a plaid shirt buttoned tight over the swell of her breasts and tucked into snug jeans that squeezed her ass. And there they were. Cowboy boots.

  He shrugged. “I had to make sure she was okay, that the bleeding stopped and there wasn’t an infection.”

  Willow walked over to the horse, keeping her voice down. “So she’s doing okay?”

  “Better than I expected. I’ll get in touch with the vet later and let your dad know what’s going on.”

  “I can do that.”

  He frowned. “So can I.”

  Willow sighed. “You probably didn’t get much sleep last night. Why don’t you rest and I’ll take care of it?”

  “Because I have things that need to get done. Work doesn’t vanish just because I slept like shit last night.”

  He knew exactly what she was doing. Trying to find a way to get him fired. He could see it in her eyes—she still didn’t trust him.

  “I’ll go wake both my parents right now and tell them what’s going on,” she threatened. “Or, you could get a few hours of sleep, I can keep things quiet for a bit, and then we can all get back to work.”

  “Hell,” he huffed. “You’re more stubborn than your father.”

  She grinned, the first sincere smile she’d given him since he’d seen her yesterday. “Good.”

  Cole walked back to the guesthouse and collapsed on the bed. One hour, that’s all he’d give himself. And then he’d shower and get to work.

  But when he felt someone shaking his shoulder, he jerked to a sitting position. Willow stood over him, concern on her face.

  “What the hell?” he asked. “I just fell asleep.”

  She crossed her arms. “You’ve been asleep for three hours. I just—”

  �
��Three? Damn it.” He jumped out of bed, glanced around like he might find the reason why he’d slept so long somewhere. “Why didn’t you wake me before?”

  “Because you needed the rest.”

  He shoved a hand through his hair, then narrowed his eyes at her. “Why are you in my house?”

  “I brought you breakfast.”

  That knocked his anger back some. She’d brought him breakfast, covered for him, and let him sleep. Maybe she wasn’t all that bad.

  “I’m just going to grab a quick shower,” he said.

  That’d wake him up more than anything right now. And give him a chance to clear his brain.

  When he came out, he only heard silence. Had she left? If so, he deserved it. Cole hadn’t treated her well and all she’d been trying to do was be nice. To make sure he took care of himself.

  But when he walked to the kitchen and found her there, leaning over something on the counter, he lost it. “What the hell? Those are private!”

  She gasped, then straightened, her cheeks flushing. “I’m sorry—they were just laying here. I didn’t mean—”

  He scooped the letters together and shoved them behind the microwave. They were the letters from his little sister, the ones she’d sent while he was in prison. The ones she’d apologized in over and over again.

  “It’s none of your business,” he growled.

  Willow lifted her chin. “I’m sorry. But…”

  “What?” he snapped.

  “You went to jail because you were trying to protect her?”

  How the hell did she think she had the right to question him about this? But more, why was she looking at him like that? Like he was a normal human being. Hardly anyone looked at him like that. Most just dismissed him because he was a criminal. But the Morgan’s…they believed in him.

  “Prison,” he told her. “And yes. Her ex was beating her, so I stopped him. With my fists. But she said he’d hurt her again if I got in the way, so I didn’t fight the charges and I had to do a short amount of time.”