Exquisite Acquisitions

by Charlene Sands

  Sold to the Sexy Cowboy!

  For Macy Tarlington, the only good part of seeing her legendary mother’s possessions sold at auction is ogling Carter McCay, the tall Texan who buys the famous diamond ring. Even better is seeing him again when he rescues her from the paparazzi like a white knight in a Stetson.

  Carter whisks her to safety at Wild River Ranch, hiding her identity by day and lusting after her by night. Yes, he’s sworn off love. But with the Hollywood runaway starring in his every fantasy, Carter may find Macy too much temptation—even for a hard-hearted cowboy.

  Carter Backed Her Up Against The Wall.

  He murmured all the things they were going to do in this room, and Macy’s face flamed as hot as her body burned. The dress was an easy target for a man with roaming hands, and Carter made sure he touched every part of her. His sweet assault made her moan his name over and over and she knew they’d never make it to the bed.

  His kisses moved down her throat, his chin pushing material away so that his mouth could devour her breast. She arched for him and closed her eyes to the sensual sensation.

  He stopped for a moment, and she slumped against him, breathless. “Is…that…all…you…got?”

  A deep, satisfied chuckle rumbled from his throat before he lifted her into the circle of his arms and carried her to the bed. “Just wait, sweet darlin’. Just wait.”

  Dear Reader,

  What do a hunky Texas-born cowboy and a down-on-her-luck Hollywood starlet have in common? It was a hoot for me to find out as I wrote the second story in The Highest Bidder continuity. Researching auction houses—and no, I’ve never been to one personally (reality TV doesn’t count)—took me to the famous Sotheby’s website and internet videos of real auction houses. I watched auctions in action and learned terms like absentee bid, buyer’s premium, fair warning and hammer price. It was a whole new world….

  My story is set primarily at Wild River Ranch in Texas, but we first meet Carter McCay and Macy Tarlington in Waverly’s New York auction house. Little do the two strangers know that winning a bid would result in “exquisite acquisitions” that have nothing to do with luxurious sparkling diamonds!

  If you’ve never attended an auction, you might find the proceedings as fascinating as the two main characters. Macy is grieving, Carter is jilted and neither one of them is looking for romance when Carter offers her sanctuary on his ranch. But Wild River and the power of love are two magnetic forces to be reckoned with. So lift your paddle high and make your bid. I hope you’ll be sold, cowboy-style, on Exquisite Acquisitions!

  Happy reading!

  Charlene Sands

  Charlene Sands

  Exquisite Acquisitions

  Books by Charlene Sands

  Harlequin Desire

  Carrying the Rancher’s Heir #2088

  The Cowboy’s Pride #2127

  Exquisite Acquisitions #2174

  Silhouette Desire

  The Heart of a Cowboy #1488

  Expecting the Cowboy’s Baby #1522

  Like Lightning #1668

  Heiress Beware #1729

  Bunking Down with the Boss #1746

  Fortune’s Vengeful Groom #1783

  Between the CEO’s Sheets #1805

  The Corporate Raider’s Revenge #1848

  *Five-Star Cowboy #1889

  *Do Not Disturb Until Christmas #1906

  *Reserved for the Tycoon #1924

  Texan’s Wedding-Night Wager #1964

  †Million-Dollar Marriage Merger #2016

  †Seduction on the CEO’s Terms #2027

  †The Billionaire’s Baby Arrangement #2033

  Historical

  Lily Gets Her Man #554

  Chase Wheeler’s Woman #610

  The Law and Kate Malone #646

  Winning Jenna’s Heart #662

  The Courting of

  Widow Shaw #710

  Renegade Wife #789

  Abducted at the Altar #816

  Bodine’s Bounty #872

  Taming the Texan #887

  “Springville Wife”

  Western Weddings #895

  “Wearing the Rancher’s Ring”

  Western Winter

  Wedding Bells #1011

  A Cowboy Worth Claiming #1083

  *Suite Secrets

  †Napa Valley Vows

  Other titles by this author available in ebook format.

  CHARLENE SANDS

  Award-winning author Charlene Sands writes bold, passionate, heart-stopping heroes and always…really good men! She’s a lover of all things romantic, having married her high school sweetheart, Don. She is the proud recipient of a Readers’ Choice Award and double recipient of a Booksellers’ Best Award, having written twenty-eight romances to date, both contemporary and historical Western. Charlene is a member of Romance Writers of America and belongs to the Orange County and Los Angeles chapters of RWA, where she volunteers as the Published Authors’ Liaison.

  When not writing, she loves movie dates with her hubby, playing cards with her children, reading romance, great coffee, Pacific beaches, country music and anything chocolate. She also loves to hear from her readers. You can reach Charlene at www.charlenesands.com or P.O. Box 4883, West Hills, CA 91308. You can find her on the Harlequin Desire Authors Blog, and on Facebook, too!

  For fun stuff, contests and more you can reach Charlene at www.charlenesands.com.

  In memory and honor of Sandra Hyatt, a friend and fellow Desire author. I will always remember your sweet, friendly smile and your kind heart.

  * * *

  The Highest Bidder

  At this high-stakes auction house where

  everything is for sale, true love is priceless.

  Don’t miss a single story in this new continuity

  from Harlequin Desire!

  Gilded Secrets by Maureen Child

  Exquisite Acquisitions by Charlene Sands

  A Silken Seduction by Yvonne Lindsay

  A Precious Inheritance by Paula Roe

  The Rogue’s Fortune by Cat Schield

  Golden Betrayals by Barbara Dunlop

  Special thanks and acknowledgment to Charlene Sands for her contribution to The Highest Bidder miniseries.

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  The Gold Heart, Part 2

  Excerpt

  Prologue

  Wild River Ranch, Texas

  He struck a match on his boot heel and guided the flame toward the cigarette clenched between his lips. With one long pull of breath, the tip blazed to life. Carter McCay closed his eyes as images of the fallen soldiers who’d fought alongside him flashed in his mind. He took one drag…one honorary inhalation. The ritual was agreed upon by those lucky enough to have come home, all those years ago. On the first day of every month, each one of his comrades did the same. Somewhere out there, twenty-three former marines were lighting up and remembering Afghanistan.

  The subtle rush of the river pulled him out of those thoughts. He leaned a shoulder against an ancient oak and nestled into the tree’s grooved bark, watching the rhythmic, nearly perfect ripples of Wild River. The water wasn’t as wild as its namesake today, Carter mused. It was quiet and peaceful here, shaded from the hot Texas sun.

  The dog plopped down at his feet and whimpered long and loud as the trail of smoke met his upturned wet nose.

  Carter pushed his Stetson higher on h
is forehead and looked into questioning, soulful eyes. He couldn’t blame the dog for being wary of smoke. The dog saw too much, knew too much. “You followed me up here, pal.”

  Carter tossed the cigarette and crushed it into the ground with his boot, then lowered to a crouch beside the golden retriever. He gave him a pat on the head. The dog sandwiched his head between his front paws and gave a big sigh.

  “Yeah, I know, boy. You’ve had it tough.” Carter ruffled Rocky’s furry neck, damn glad he’d rescued the hound from his father’s place. The home where Carter had grown up wasn’t fit for a dog.

  His cell phone pinged. Carter pulled his iPhone from his back pocket and gave a quick look. A text message from Roark Waverly appeared on the front screen. He hadn’t heard from his former marine buddy in months. But he wasn’t surprised that he’d leave a message today of all days. “Probably just lit one up, too,” he muttered, glad to hear from his friend. But as he read on, Roark had something entirely different to say. Something Carter had to read twice.

  C. Ran into some trouble. In hiding. Get word to Ann Richardson at Waverly’s. The Gold Heart statue is not stolen. I can’t trust Waverly’s networks. R.B.

  * * *

  Carter frowned. What the hell what that all about?

  After his tour of duty, Roark had gotten heavily involved in running around seven continents procuring valuable artifacts to sell at Waverly’s auction house based out of New York. Roark had been in some tough binds through the years, and normally the marine could take care of himself just fine. Carter had been on the receiving end of his friend’s quick thinking when they’d been on street patrol in a small settlement in Afghanistan. Roark had discovered that the car Carter was about to inspect was booby trapped. He’d shoved Carter out of the way before his hand met with the door handle, and Carter knew then that he owed Roark his life.

  “C’mon, Rocky,” he said, heading toward his Jeep without a glance back. He knew his father’s dog would follow. He was as loyal as they come. “I’ve got some investigating to do.”

  Two hours later, his cousin Brady knocked on his front door and Carter led him into the great room. The room meant for entertaining was one of many improvements he’d made to the house after he’d inherited Wild River Ranch from his uncle Dale. Over the years and after a little luck and a lot of hard work, Carter had turned his uncle’s small working ranch into a stellar operation that competed equally with elite Texas cattle barons.

  He handed Brady a shot glass of whiskey. “Here you go, cuz.”

  Brady grinned. “I know it’s five o’clock somewhere, but tell me, why are we drinking this early in the afternoon?”

  “Because thanks to you, I’m heading to New York tomorrow.”

  “Me? What do Brady McCay and New York have in common?”

  Carter couldn’t tell him about Roark’s cryptic text message. That message wasn’t meant to be discussed, not even with someone Carter trusted. But he could tell Brady the other reason for his trip. As he’d researched the New York auction house Roark worked for, he’d found that Hollywood screen legend Tina Tarlington’s diamond rings were being auctioned off this weekend. The famed Tarlington diamond had been in the press ever since Tina Tarlington’s first marriage, decades ago. Now, there was even more buzz about all three of her diamonds since the Queen of Cinema had passed away a few months ago. Carter planned to get his hands on one of those diamonds and, at the same time, deliver Roark’s message to the CEO of Waverly’s.

  “You’re the one who introduced me to Jocelyn, right?” Carter asked.

  “I can’t deny that. I sure did.”

  “She’s in New York right now, visiting a friend.”

  His cousin’s eyebrows narrowed. “I’m not following.”

  “I intend to join her there and ask her to marry me.”

  Brady blinked and jerked back in surprise. “You intend to marry Jocelyn Grayson? I didn’t realize things were that serious between you two.”

  “Damn straight they are. I’ve been hunting for the right engagement ring for weeks now. If all goes as planned, she’ll be my fiancée very soon.”

  “You’re really in love with Jocelyn?” There was a note of disbelief in Brady’s voice.

  Carter had to admit he was moving a little fast. But from the day he’d been introduced to the granddaughter of Brady’s neighbor, Carter had been smitten. Now, less than a year later, Carter was ready to make a commitment. Putting a Tarlington ring on Jocelyn’s finger would be impressive, even to an oil heiress who came from old Dallas money. She’d know, without a doubt, how much she meant to him. “She’s the one for me, Brady.”

  “Well, then. Congratulations,” Brady offered.

  Carter lifted his shot glass. Now that he’d made up his mind, he couldn’t wait to see Jocelyn’s expression when he proposed to her with a Tarlington diamond. “To Jocelyn.”

  Brady hesitated for a second and stared into Carter’s eyes before lifting his glass, as well. “To Jocelyn.”

  And after they downed the liquor, the smile Carter expected to see on his cousin’s face never really emerged.

  One

  Macy Tarlington never knew whether her attempt at disguise would work or not. Today, the beige scarf covering her ink-black curls and dark sunglasses hiding her violet-blue eyes seemed to do the trick. She hadn’t been followed. Thank goodness. She looked a little too much like her mother, which wasn’t overall a bad thing. Her mother had been known for her beauty, but resembling Hollywood’s beloved Queen of Cinema had drawn paparazzi to Macy like bees to honey. They believed her DNA alone gave them the right to trample on her privacy, especially during her time of mourning.

  Tina Tarlington might have been world famous and her fans might have believed they knew everything about her, from her award-winning movie roles and her three doomed marriages to her celebrity status, but they hadn’t really known her. Not the way Macy had.

  Walking into New York’s opulent Madison Avenue auction house made her twitch with anxiety. She bumped shoulders with her good friend, Avery Cullen, as they approached the Waverly salesroom. Avery was the least likely sort of American heiress, very unassuming and certainly not a spoiled cliché. “Sorry if I’m crowding you,” she whispered. “I can’t seem to help it.”

  Avery’s warm smile reassured her as she took Macy’s arm. Her friend’s steady touch soothed her jumpy nerves. “I don’t mind, Macy. That’s why I’m here, for support.”

  With eyes well hidden beneath sunglasses, Macy was free to dart glances all around, scoping out the large, elegantly appointed room where Tina Tarlington’s prized possessions would be auctioned off. Beautifully tufted, rounded high-back chairs were lined up in a dozen rows, split in the center by an aisle. The surrounding walls were easy-on-the-eye tones of beiges and light peach. Wide white wainscoting centered the walls and wrapped around the perimeter of the room. Multifaceted crystal chandeliers twinkled and provided abundant light overhead.

  “I can’t thank you enough for enduring this with me.” Avery had made a quick trip from her home in London to be with her today.

  “I know how hard this is for you.”

  “Hard and necessary, unfortunately. Having my mother’s things on display like this gives me a stomachache. Oh, I am so not looking forward to this.”

  Avery gave Macy’s hand a squeeze as they pressed farther into the room. “Those two seats on the aisle in the back are ours,” Macy whispered. “I made arrangements beforehand for us.”

  And as they headed to those seats, Macy noticed that every other chair in the room was taken. Even in death, Tina Tarlington drew large crowds.

  An attendant came by immediately to hand them a catalogue listing the items being auctioned off, and after a brief conversation Macy nodded her thanks to the woman standing at the head of the room. Ann Richardson, the CEO of Waverly’s, who had secured the estate sale from Macy, gave her a silent greeting in return before turning to shake hands with the patrons in the front row. It was impo
rtant to Ms. Richardson that the Tarlington auction go off without a hitch. Waverly’s stood to make a hefty commission.

  Macy opened the catalogue and flipped through the pages, noting item after item from her mother’s estate. The descriptions were listed as lot numbers along with an estimate as to their value. The first item stopped her cold as memories flooded in and tears formed in her eyes.

  On Macy’s tenth birthday, just as the celebration was about to begin, Tina had rushed into the Magic Castle Mansion, an exclusive club showcasing musicians from around the world, dressed as Eleanor Neal, the role which had garnered her an Academy Award nomination. She’d come straight from the set, the shoot going longer than anticipated. Macy hadn’t cared that her mother was late for her party or that she’d come in her professional makeup and wardrobe. She’d flown into her mother’s arms and hugged her so tight that Tina laughed until her mascara had run down her face. It was magic and one of the best birthdays of Macy’s life.

  Now, the pink silk and sequin dress her mother had worn that day was described as “Worn by Tina Tarlington in the acclaimed film Quest for Vengeance, 1996.”

  Her mother’s entire life seemed to have been whittled down to one-sentence blurbs and numbers. The ache in Macy’s stomach intensified.

  Discreetly, she closed the catalogue booklet and took a deep breath. She couldn’t fall apart. Not now. She had to go through with this auction. She gave herself a little pep talk, reciting in her head all the practical reasons why selling her mother’s treasures and jewels were necessary.

  As she surveyed the room, people-watching, waiting for the auction to begin, she found the distraction she needed in a Stetson-wearing hunk of a man sitting across the aisle from her and one row up. His head was down, concentrating on the catalogue. The cowboy wore a crisp white shirt underneath a stylish Western suit coat that accentuated the solid breadth of his shoulders. The glint of silver from his bolo tie twinkled under the chandeliers. His profile was strong, grooved with a razor-sharp cheekbone and an angular jaw. He swung his head around and glanced at her for a split second, as if he suspected her of watching him. She panicked for an instant and held her breath. Luckily, he hadn’t lingered but went on to scan the rest of the room.