Christmas with My Cowboy

by Diana Palmer

  “Where I belong.” She reached out her arms to him.

  Immediately he began to strip off his clothes. His body in the golden glow from the bedside lamps was as strong and beautiful as any man’s could be.

  On their bed his arms encircled her. He held her tight. She could feel his powerful arousal pressing against her mons. Scott had always positioned his tall body to fit hers in the places where it was most needed. She arched her back. Slid her long slender legs out, a tingling running like electric currents down to her toes. She wanted him so much it hurt. But not yet. Even as her nails were scoring the sheets.

  Her pink nipples were like berries to his tongue. All the yearnings inside him needed to be assuaged. Nothing compared to the exhilaration of being with his wife. His Darcey.

  Their tongues entwined, he abruptly broke off, kissing her to shake his head. “God, Darcey, do we need protection?” In the heat of the moment, the thought hadn’t entered his fevered brain.

  Darcey reached up to trace the line of his finely cut lips. She was ready now for that first thrust. She was ready to be filled with his seed. “It’s about time we had our first child,” she said.

  Epilogue

  Two weeks later

  As soon as Darcey was settled in their Brisbane apartment, she rang her aunt.

  “So you’re back from that godforsaken place,” Rachael gritted. “I can’t for the life of me think why you went. That Sophie, I expect. I knew she wouldn’t give up.”

  “Shall we say one o’clock?” Darcey broke in.

  “Well, sorry, one o’clock doesn’t suit.”

  Darcey ignored the standoffishness. She was being punished. That was clearly Rachael’s intention. “I’d come to the gallery, only I need to speak to you privately.”

  “About what?” Rachael showed her impatience.

  “Just family matters.”

  There was a moment’s silence. “Are your father and that woman back in town?”

  “No. They’re still in London. I nearly dropped the phone when they told me their wonderful news. Anne is pregnant.”

  “NO!”

  Even down the line Darcey caught the blast. “Great news, I thought,” she continued. “She and Dad are thrilled. Anne was once told she could never conceive a child because of some abnormality, so another Christmas miracle.” She didn’t add she was hoping for one of her own.

  “She’s too old,” Rachael said with a hiss of scorn.

  “Forty-five. Anne is quite a bit younger than Dad.”

  A loud sniff. “I doubt this child will come to term.”

  “Her obstetrician has assured Anne it will.”

  “And what about you?” Rachael demanded to know. “What about your inheritance? You’ll only get half of what we expected if this baby does actually get born.”

  “That’s more than enough for me, Aunt. So are you coming or not?” She wasn’t sure her aunt would. Maybe she shouldn’t have told her about the pregnancy, but she couldn’t resist it.

  “Make it three o’clock. I’ll only stay for coffee.”

  “I’m at the MacArthur apartment.”

  Darcey heard the gasp. “What is all this?”

  “I have permission to use it,” Darcey said, as though it were in no way out of the ordinary.

  “Good God!” Rachael couldn’t hide her disgust.

  “You sound upset.”

  “Disappointed, Darcey. I thought you’d cut ties with the MacArthurs forever.”

  “Don’t worry,” Darcey replied. “The MacArthurs won’t hurt me. See you at three.” She hung up before her aunt had the chance to deliver another damning word.

  * * *

  Rachael’s face went white as she read Becky’s letter. When she finished, she curled her fingers into claws, bunching the cheap sheet of paper into a ball. Her dark eyes blazed at her niece. “You got me here to read that piece of garbage? How could you?”

  “Because it’s true, though no confession will make up for the loss of two years of my married life. Becky’s conscience got the better of her. You, of course, have none. Why did you do it?”

  “You can’t mean this!” Rachael barked a laugh.

  “I certainly do. You’re lucky Scott didn’t come with me, but he had meetings he couldn’t get out of.”

  “So he’s still in the picture?” Rachael’s brows rose superciliously.

  “He was never really out of it. I know you want to ignore me, but you can’t. I have a right to hear why you deliberately set about destroying my marriage. I trusted you. You banked on that. Please try to find the decency to tell me why you did it. Do you hate me?”

  Rachael didn’t meet her niece’s eyes. “It wasn’t about you,” she said, sounding almost genuine. “Not strictly. It was about me and my sister. You don’t know the half of it. How she stole your father out from under my nose. She knew how much I loved him. The only man I’ve ever been remotely attracted to.”

  “So revenge was at the heart of it? You were avenging yourself on my mother through me?”

  “That just about answers it,” Rachael admitted as though to a minor offence. “I went a little crazy when the two of them got married. Ysobel was callous enough to ask me to be chief bridesmaid. I was good looking enough then. Of course I had to refuse her. I didn’t attend the wedding at all. I claimed illness, and it was true. I was ill. Dangerously ill. Imagine how I felt raising you, made in Ysobel’s image.”

  “You didn’t exactly raise me, Aunt Rachael. My mother and father did that. Do you realize you’re unbalanced?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” Rachael flushed.

  “I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t agree if they heard what you did, paying a third party to do your dirty work.”

  Rachael bent to snatch up the balled letter.

  “That’s okay. I’ve got copies.”

  Rachael straightened, trying to regain her composure. “You’ll do no good opening your mouth about this.” The angry flush had faded to ashen.

  “I just need you to admit what you did. It was criminal.”

  “God knows it was easy enough. You thought I was special. As for that grasping little slut, I’ll go after her. She stole my money.”

  “Don’t go any further with that,” Darcey warned. “Rebecca has paid for her part in the whole sordid affair. Hound Rebecca and I’ll come after you.”

  “You wouldn’t do it,” Rachael said, contemptuous of Darcey’s resolve.

  “Try me. It wouldn’t be just me. Scott and I are remarrying.”

  A sick sweat broke out on Rachael’s pale forehead. “No, you’re lying.”

  “You wish.” Slowly Darcey removed a white gold ring from her right hand to push it over the knuckle of her fourth finger, left hand. She turned the ring to expose a magnificent diamond-encrusted engagement ring, the central diamond some four flawless D color carats, flanked by diamonds of just under one carat each.

  Ferocity slipped from Rachael’s dark eyes to be replaced by shock. “You’re playing with fire when you play with him,” she cried. “Women won’t stop chasing him.”

  “No question about it. Only Scott loves me. I notice you haven’t mentioned how many admirers chased me? None of them mattered. There has only been Scott. We’re so, so happy to be back together again.”

  Rachael’s breath came in a laboured groan. “I’m not a monster, Darcey, really I’m not. Your mother was responsible for my suffering.”

  “Sure it wasn’t you who knocked her off her bike?”

  “I probably would have had I been out that day.”

  Darcey instantly rose to her feet. “Best you leave now. Your reactions prove you are a monster.”

  “And you’re a fool,” Rachael countered. “Don’t ever think of running to me again.”

  Darcey walked her aunt to the door. “On the contrary, I never want to see you again. I’m not going to threaten you with disclosure. This remains in the family. But I will never permit you to go after Rebecca.”

&
nbsp; “She’s too worthless for me to bother.”

  “Good. That Dad was ever in love with you is an image constructed by your imagination. To this day, he doesn’t know how you felt. My mother didn’t know either. I’m certain of that. You’ve always hidden your feelings rather too well. Obsession is a terrible state of mind. I’ve seen it in action. Unlike you, I don’t believe in revenge. I leave that to God. Not all my good memories of you have gone,” she added quietly. Even with full knowledge of her aunt’s betrayal and her hatred of her own sister, Darcey still felt pity. “Goodbye, Aunt. I wish you well. I am so happy with my life now I can say it and mean it.”

  There was no response whatever from the frozen-faced Rachael. No attempt at an apology. Rachael made a grab for the doorknob and then let herself out, giving the door a hard solid bang behind her.

  Darcey found herself laughing. Well, that was over! It hadn’t been as bad as she had expected. Perhaps that was because she had so much happiness and peace within her. Her aunt was sick in her mind. With the proper help she could save her soul. She had told Rachael that Scott couldn’t be there because he had meetings. Quite true. She didn’t tell her the meetings weren’t at Planet Downs but with the state premier and two of her ministers in town. Scott would be home around five o’clock. They were going out to dinner. She had already made the booking.

  Their festive season, the best ever, was far from over! The new year had commenced. Darcey hoped with all her heart, but at that point couldn’t possibly know, that the year ahead would herald in the birth of their son, the excitedly awaited, adored by all, MacArthur heir.

  Don’t miss the next exciting book in

  Lindsay McKenna’s series,

  Wind River Valley.

  It is time for Noah’s romance in

  WRANGLER’S CHALLENGE,

  coming in November 2017.

  Turn the page for a sneak peek!

  The door opened and closed. Shay lifted her head. “Oh! That must be Noah!” and she straightened, looking toward the kitchen entrance. “He’s home early. Wait ’til you meet him! You’ll love him!”

  Dair barely had time to choke down the roll and turn her head before the wrangler entered. He was in his sheepskin coat, taking off his tan Stetson, when she gasped. It was Noah Mabry! Oh, my God! All she could do was stare at him as he jerked to a halt, his gaze fixing on her.

  For a moment, there was crackling silence in the kitchen.

  “Dair?” he asked, disbelief in his voice. “Is that you?”

  Shay frowned and halted by Noah. “Do you two know each other?”

  Gulping, Dair whispered, “I didn’t know you were here . . .”

  Noah smiled a little, his hat dangling between his fingers. “Yeah, we do know each other, Shay. Met nine months earlier at the Danbury Farm in Maryland.” He shook his head, giving Dair a questioning look. “You’re here for the assistant horse trainer job?”

  Her throat closed with terror. “Yes.”

  “Noah, come over here,” Shay invited. “You’re just in time. Go get rid of your coat and hat out in the mudroom. I saved two cinnamon rolls for you. Would you like some coffee, too?”

  He managed a shy nod. “Yes, please, Shay.” And then he looked at Dair. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere . . .”

  Dair didn’t know whether to be happy or sad about seeing Noah again. Why didn’t she put it together? He’d said he trained horses when they’d met in Danbury. But that burning, slow, hot kiss he’d shared with her, melting her into his arms, made her face burn with a blush. And he hadn’t forgotten it either, if she was any judge of the look gleaming in his light gray eyes. Did he seem regretful that she was here? Dair wasn’t sure of anything at the moment, feeling like an IED had just exploded next to her.

  “I didn’t know you two knew each other,” Shay said, bringing the plate of cinnamon rolls to the table, setting it near where she sat.

  “Well,” Dair managed in a strangled voice, “I lost track of him. I didn’t know he worked here, Shay. When you used his first name, I wondered, but you know—Noah is not an uncommon man’s name.” She saw understanding in Shay’s eyes as she sat down.

  “I think it’s a great sign!” she said, excited. “And you met at Danbury Farm. Noah is good friends with Henry Danbury.”

  “Yes, I saw them together in the training arena at that farm.” Dair saw the amazement in Shay’s eyes, a dreamy look. She wasn’t sure what that meant. Nerves skittered through her and she was suddenly afraid she’d not get the job. She wasn’t sure how Noah felt toward her, either. She’d not had the guts to email him after meeting him at Danbury. Oh, God.

  * * *

  Noah took his time wrestling out of the thick sheepskin coat. He’d already hung his Stetson on a nearby peg. Of all people he never expected to ever meet again it was Dair Wilson. Stunned by the turn of events, he ran his fingers through his hair, taking a deep breath, centering himself. He hadn’t missed the surprise in Dair’s beautiful golden-cinnamon colored eyes. She looked like a deer paralyzed by a set of car headlights. And he’d kissed her in the tack room. Long, slow, deep and forever . . .

  Just thinking about that life-altering kiss he’d shared with her, anchored him to where he stood. His heart was flip-flopping in his chest, humiliation and feeling badly that he’d never emailed her, gripped him. He’d wanted to comfort her, but she was in rehab with a partial loss of a leg to an IED. And now, she was here. Asking for a job. How the hell had that happened?

  Rubbing his brow, Noah knew he had to go face her. And Shay seemed giddy about having Dair apply for the job. Never mind that Garret had stopped him the minute he’d parked his truck and got out. He’d grabbed him by the shoulder and said, “Hire her. She’s the right person to help you.” And then, he’d walked away without any other explanation. What the hell!

  What was worse? Noah couldn’t justify the sudden sexual urge running through him. That was embarrassing. Dair was a beautiful woman. There wasn’t anything to dislike about her; otherwise, he’d never have kissed her. Because he’d wanted more, much more from her.

  But it had come at the wrong damn moment in his life. He had no job, he was aimless and what could he offer her? Nothing. Besides, he knew she had at least another six months in rehab, stuck at Bethesda Medical Center. He was a tumbleweed, unsure where he would go next, looking for a job.

  Hell, he was in a fix and he didn’t know what to do. Turning, Noah strode toward the kitchen. Entering, he saw Shay gesture for him to come over to the table. And he saw the stark uncertainty in Dair’s darkening, worried looking eyes.

  Sitting down, he thanked Shay for the coffee she’d put in front of him. He figured he’d better start eating the rolls or she’d start poking at him and asking him why he wasn’t hungry. Noah didn’t want to go there with her.

  “How did you two meet?” Shay demanded, all ears.

  Noah cut her an uncomfortable glance and forced himself to eat. “I was at Danbury to ask Henry for a job. He didn’t have one and he didn’t know of any other breeding farms in the region that were hiring, either.” He moved his gaze to Dair. “And the reason I didn’t contact you by email after we met was because I had no job, no apartment, no nothing. I needed to get one, so I headed west after meeting you.”

  “That’s all right, Noah, I understand,” Dair said.

  “It wasn’t like we had much time to talk,” he apologized to her. No, they had been so damned drawn to one another, social conversation evaporated into that hot, melting kiss they’d shared.

  She shrugged. “Life happens. I’m in your boots now. I need a job since the medical center cut me loose.”

  Noah was careful not to bring up her amputated leg. He didn’t want to embarrass Dair in front of Shay. He knew that Shay and everyone realized she was probably an amputee, already. It wasn’t table talk and he had no wish to make Dair feel any more uncomfortable than she looked right now. “I do need an assistant,” he added quickly. “Since Shay and Reese had t
he arena raising, I’ve been overwhelmed.”

  “Shay said you were the manager of the arena, plus schooling horses,” she ventured.

  “Right.” He smiled a little over at Shay, finishing off the first roll and wiping his fingers on the paper napkin. “We have snow here eight months out of every year and Wind River Valley has a lot of quarter horse people who show their animals around the nation. They need somewhere that’s enclosed to continue to train their horses throughout the winter months. Our newly built arena has been a godsend to them and a financial windfall for the Bar C.”

  Shay glowed. “But the people coming are here because of you, Noah. You’ve made a name for yourself since you’ve started working here.”

  Lifting a shoulder, Noah said, “In part, Shay. But the rest was your brilliant idea to build an arena in the first place.” He glanced over at Dair, wanting her to feel a part of the conversation. “Shay is always looking for ways to make money for the Bar C because her father lost all the summer grass leases five years ago. Now, this place is getting rebuilt, literally, from the ground up. Me and the rest of the wranglers do fence mending every week. We try to do it every day, if our schedule allows.” He thumbed toward a side window in the kitchen. “But when you have five feet of snow out there, it’s impossible to do any fence mending.”

  Dair nodded. “That’s true. So with the arena built you can train horses all year round?”

  “Yes,” and he took the second roll in his large hands, opening it up. “The problem is me. We’ve got a state-of-the-art facility for boarding, riding and training, but too few personnel to run it. I’m looking for an assistant who does a lot of the training while I manage the place, giving riding lessons and ensure the boarded horses get cleaned, fed and watered daily.”

  “How many horses are boarded?”

  “Twenty-five,” Noah said.