Western Dreams (Rescue Me Saga Extras #1)
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Kallypso Masters, three-time USA Today bestselling author of the Rescue Me Saga and author of ROAR, has been hailed by devoted readers as “a reader’s writer,” one who interacts with readers, does meticulous research, and gives readers what they want (although not always when they want it).
WESTERN DREAMS is a collection of five original, SHORT glimpses into the lives of two beloved couples from the Rescue Me Saga. While only [WILL FILL IN NUMBER AFTER FORMATTING] pages, this collection gives readers some quick peeks at Ryder and Megan (including two “secret” scenes mentioned in NOBODY’S DREAM that took place off the page, as well as two others that take place after the ending of that book). Readers also will catch a glimpse of how Luke and Cassie are settling in and progressing in their relationship at their new mountaintop haven.
We begin with Ryder and Megan Wilson’s honeymoon bike ride through Colorado. When Ryder’s PTSD kicks in, he takes a detour that leads to surprises—and some sexy fun. As their destiny on the ranch unfolds, watch them explore the BDSM lifestyle in ways that will delight.
In the final vignette in this collection, watch as Luke returns from three long days at the ranch to find Cassie immersed in her outdoor soaking tub as the snow flurries swirl around them. Readers will relish this glimpse into how Luke continues to condition Cassie, steering her in the direction of a future dynamic in the BDSM lifestyle—baby step by baby step.
EXTRA! EXTRA! This collection includes a long, sexy excerpt from Kallypso’s ROAR featuring a new couple faced with an unthinkable choice. ROAR is a standalone novel that will eventually serve as a bridge to the romantic suspense trilogy with the long-awaited romances of Patrick Gallagher, Mistress V. Grant, Gunnar Larson—and their love interests.
Western Dreams
(Rescue Me Saga Extras #1)
Secret Scenes featuring
Ryder & Megan and
Luke & Cassie
Kallypso Masters
Copyright © 2016
Ka-thunk Publishing
Western Dreams
(Rescue Me Saga Extras #1)
Kallypso Masters
Copyright © 2016
Ka-thunk! Publishing
Kindle Edition
E-book ISBN: 978-1941060247
Print ISBN: 978-1941060254
Original e-book version: August 2016
Original Print version: August 2016
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Edited by Meredith Bowery and Ekatarina Sayanova
Cover design by Linda Lynn
Cover image licensed though DepositPhotos;
Image graphically altered by Linda Lynn
Formatted by BB eBooks
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WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction, sharing, or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (See http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/ for more information about intellectual property rights.)
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons—living or dead—or fictionalized places, events, or locales is purely accidental. The characters are reproductions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
To discover more about this book and others, see the Other Books By Kallypso Masters section at the end of this book. For more about Kallypso Masters, please go to the About the Author section.
Rescue Me Saga
Reading Order
The books in this series are not stand-alone novels. Please read in order because in a saga, of course, characters recur to continue working on real-life problems in later books.
The first six full-length Rescue Me Saga titles are available in e-book and print formats, as is the first collection of “Extras”:
Masters at Arms & Nobody’s Angel (Combined Volume)
Nobody’s Hero
Nobody’s Perfect
Somebody’s Angel
Nobody’s Lost
Nobody’s Dream
Western Dreams (Rescue Me Saga Extras #1)
Standalone:
Roar
Kallypso Masters has no intention of ending the Rescue Me Saga, but will be writing spin-off standalone books (like Roar) and series (including a romantic-suspense trilogy with three romances featuring Mistress V. Grant, Gunnar Larson, and Patrick Gallagher). As much as she loves engaging with her readers, Kally writes by inspiration and follows the demands of her characters, so she cannot write to deadlines or predict whose story will come next. So be sure to subscribe to her newsletter so you can be sure not to miss any release announcements!
Table of Contents
About Western Dreams
Title Page
Copyright Page
Rescue Me Saga Reading Order
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Author’s Note
Ryder & Megan: The Honeymoon
Ryder & Megan: Finding their Destiny
Ryder & Megan: Leather and Daisies
Ryder & Megan: Horsing Around in the Barn
Luke & Cassie: Moonlight Dreams
What Does the Future Hold?
About the Author
Get your Kally Swag!
A Hot, Sexy Excerpt from ROAR
The Rescue Me Saga
Dedication
To Mr. Ray, my hubby, who didn’t think I could ever write something this short.
And to all my loyal fans, I hope you’ll enjoy this special visit with these members of the Rescue Me Saga family.
Acknowledgements
This Western Dreams collection of Rescue Me Saga extras wouldn’t have come about if I hadn’t needed something to put in the welcome bags for KallypsoCon 2016: Western Romance. I decided to update readers on my two most “western” characters—Luke & Cassie and Ryder & Megan, whose lives were joined on Luke’s ranch at the end of Nobody’s Dream and will continue to be entwined in future books.
I want to thank my editors for this collection—Meredith Bowery, who always keeps an eye on my continuity issues with past books, and Ekatarina Sayanova, who corrects my grammar and provides BDSM expertise.
A special thanks to my author friend Tymber Dalton who allowed me to consult with her on the bullwhip scene to make sure it was safe, sane, and consensual.
My thanks to my awesome beta readers—Margie Dees, Iliana Gkioni, Kelly Mueller, Ruth Reid, and Lisa Simo-Kinzer—for saving me from embarrassing errors and to help me give other readers the best possible experience. Some of them even helped me figure out how to complete what was missing from one of the scenes.
As with anything I write—long or short—I rely on Facebook’s The Rescue Me Saga Discussion Group for advice and feedback. Someone in the group (or perhaps several someones) suggested the title Western Dreams for this collection when I was stumped, but Facebook deleted the thread before I could note whom to acknowledge here. They know who they are, though. Thank you!
Thanks also to my last-minute proofreading crew who always find the things I miss (or new mistakes I make after the editors sign off on it). Namely, my proofreaders for We
stern Dreams are Annette Elens, Barb Jack, Alison Klinkhammer, Angelique Luzader, Eva Meyers, Christine Mulcair, and Lisa Simo-Kinzer. Ladies, as always you did an awesome job!
Author’s Note
Normally, when I finish an epic-length novel like Roar (released in June 2016), I take a month off to recover and refill the well before starting on a new writing project. But with KallypsoCon looming, Ryder and Luke would not leave me alone. The day after Roar released, I started to dabble with a few ideas for scenes that either hadn’t been shared with you in Nobody’s Dream or take place after that book ended.
If you’re new to my books or haven’t caught up with book six in the series, please note that this collection is not a standalone and is filled with spoilers from Nobody’s Dream and earlier books in the Rescue Me Saga. I encourage you to read those first starting with the free-at-the-moment book one, Masters at Arms & Nobody’s Angel. If you enjoy that one, please continue through the series and move to Western Dreams after Nobody’s Dream.
These five stories poured out of me in about a month. It was refreshing to be able to revisit old friends who probably wouldn’t have a sequel for years at the pace I write. In Western Dreams, I didn’t bring up new problems or resolve any major conflicts from the previous books. I’ll save those for when these couples come together in Somebody’s Dream someday. Instead, this collection is filled with fun, sexy glimpses into the lives of these couples. The first two sections with Ryder & Megan are scenes that took place “off the page” in Nobody’s Dream, followed by three other sections updating us on Ryder & Megan’s and Luke & Cassie’s journeys after that book ended.
Now, sit back, pour yourself a glass of wine (or Coors beer might be appropriate, as you’ll see in the honeymoon story in the first section), and enjoy visiting with old friends. Oh, and you might want to be prepared to grab your partner or vibrator after you finish the collection—or perhaps after finishing each story—because there are some very hot scenes in this collection.
You’re welcome!
Oh, and please don’t skip over the Roar excerpt in the back. I chose an equally hot scene to match the vignettes in this collection and leave my readers satisfied without spoiling the read if they haven’t had a chance to pick it up yet.
Enjoy!
Kally
Ryder & Megan:
The Honeymoon
Ryder Wilson rolled the throttle as he rode up the dusty mountain road, his bride’s arms wrapped around his waist. He and Megan had set off on their honeymoon about a week after they’d married. Of course, they’d had no problem celebrating their newlywed status at home before that. Carlos’s home, that is. But Megan wanted to see her brother and his new triplets, even though Ryder wasn’t ready to face his former master sergeant given the fact he hadn’t been informed of the marriage yet.
Planning to take his time making their way to Denver, from Albuquerque, they’d stopped briefly at the Four Corners and started to tour Mesa Verde when he’d come close to having a panic attack. Too many people around for his peace of mind. After noticing the mention of a Colorado mountain on a tourist’s shirt, he’d consulted his map app and then a park ranger, who let him in on how to find this hidden gem to show Megan. It was right on the way to one of the stops he’d already planned to stop, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
After stopping for lunch at Cortez, they headed north until he found the gravel road he’d been told to watch for. The Road King growled as the climb grew steeper.
“How much farther?” Megan shouted in his ear.
“You’ll know when the hog stops rumbling.”
Her laugh made him hard. He hoped the mid-June night wouldn’t be too cold for them to camp out. They had sleeping bags and a pup tent stowed in their gear, but even with the additional touring rack and deluxe saddlebags he’d added, his HD Road King had limited storage capacity. If they planned to do a lot of touring together, Megan might want to have her own Harley—maybe a Softail. But right now, he wanted the feel of her right behind him.
At last, the gravel parking area spread out before them. He looked around to see if there was a visitors’ information sign to help him get his bearings. Would they be able to see the peak from the trail—and know it when they saw it?
After staking out one of the two remaining campsites, he helped Megan off the bike and secured their helmets and saddlebags. Treated water was available here so they filled their sports bottles and hit the head before setting out. They’d see the campsite enough tonight.
Ryder bent down to kiss Megan, parting her lips as he deepened it before pulling away and smiling. “I can’t wait to share something special with you on our hike.” His voice had grown husky from desire.
“Sounds like fun.” She wiggled her eyebrows.
He shook his head. “You, my horny wife, have a one-track mind. That wasn’t what I had in mind at all—not for the hike, anyway. Now I hope you won’t be let down by the actual surprise.”
She brushed her thumb over his cheek and gave him a peck on the lips. “You never disappoint me, Sir.”
God, he hoped he never would, either. Grabbing Megan’s hand, he led her to the Woods Lake trailhead. A horse whinnied nearby. This campsite provided a loop for those with horses, too.
“It’s gorgeous here. How’d you ever locate it with all the twists and turns on those back roads?”
“I’m pretty good at remembering directions. And then there’s GPS.” He grinned at her.
“Well, one secret has been revealed at least.”
* * *
Megan hadn’t felt so carefree in years. They were in no hurry to arrive at Adam’s, because she wanted to give him and Karla plenty of time to settle in with the triplets. Okay, maybe Megan wanted to postpone seeing Karla surrounded by three beautiful babies, because Megan wouldn’t be able to have even one herself.
But that was my choice.
She’d only wanted to rid herself of the pain of endometriosis, but never expected to fall in love with Ryder or any other man. Would he regret their not being able to have his biological children? He said they would adopt, but the process could take years. Not that they were in any hurry. They’d only been married a little over a week. Selfishly, she wanted to be able to do things like this with him before being tied down.
He hadn’t told her much about where they’d be going on this trip. After walking around the Four Corners Monument for bragging rights that their honeymoon had taken place in four states, though, she’d become aware that Ryder’s nerves were on edge by the time they reached Mesa Verde. The next thing she knew, he’d found this hidden gem far from the crowds. Perfect.
“Let’s stop and drink,” Ryder suggested. “I hear the more water we drink the easier the altitude will be on us.”
Taking a few gulps, she wondered what it was he wanted to show her up here, given he didn’t seem to have been here before, either, but she chose to stay in the moment instead.
Glancing over the meadow strewn with alpine flowers in purples, whites, and yellows, the backdrop of high mountains still showed a substantial amount of snow. Setting down her water bottle, she lifted her camera out of her backpack. “I’ve got to take some photos.”
“Absolutely. Go ahead. I’m sure they’ll bring back lots of memories in the years to come.”
Megan smiled, picturing them decades from now, perhaps on an anniversary, poring over the photos and remembering their honeymoon. She walked closer to a clump of flowers and snapped close-ups, then stood to take a longer shot of the entire meadow. Aspens with their off-white trunks and quaking leaves framed the shot. “I wonder which peaks these are.”
“No clue. But there’s one farther along I think I’ll recognize when I see it.”
She returned to his side and slung her camera strap around her neck. “Lead on!”
The path worn between the field grasses was narrow, but they chose to walk side by side a while, holding hands. “It’s so peaceful up here. Like we’re the only people in the wor
ld.”
He squeezed her hand. “Thanks for understanding back at Mesa Verde.”
“Nothing to thank me for. I was feeling a bit claustrophobic myself. I can’t wait to show you Bandelier when we go home. Similar cliff dwellings but much more remote.” She wondered how he would do in Denver, but there was no getting around eventually showing up at Adam’s. They had a baby shower planned for the twenty-fourth.
Plenty of days for her and Ryder to enjoy their honeymoon road trip.
Ryder stopped along the trail as if to get his bearings and glanced up at the peaks surrounding them. His face lit in a smile, and he turned his attention to her before pointing to one. “See that mountain?”
She followed the direction of his finger to a sheer rock face and a snowpack. It seemed oddly familiar, although she wasn’t familiar with Colorado’s Fourteeners at all, except for Mount Evans near Denver. “Gorgeous! Where have I seen it before?”
“Well, it’s the mountain face used on the Coors beer label.”
“Your favorite.”
“Yeah, but that’s not why this mountain is important to us.” She met his gaze, curious how a mountain could have any significance for them other than being beautiful to look at. After a dramatic pause, he said, “That, my dear Mrs. Wilson, is Wilson Peak.”
Seriously? How sweet was it that he’d hiked all the way up here to show her this hidden mountain bearing his name? Wait. Wilson was her name now, too. She smiled as she turned toward the peak again, this time feeling a connection that hadn’t been there a moment before.
“Any relation?”
“To the mountain?” he asked, teasing her.
She lightly punched his bicep. “No, silly, I’m asking if you’re any relation to whomever the peak was named for.”
“No clue. I only learned there was a Fourteener named Mount Wilson from a T-shirt someone was wearing at Mesa Verde.” Such an observant man, even when being bombarded by so many people, he would take notice of something like that. “Then I asked the park ranger there, and she told me about it but said not to confuse it with Wilson Peak. Both are in the same vicinity here in the San Juan Mountains, but hearing about the Coors connection made me think it would be worth searching out.”