Her Fated Cowboy (Harland County Series)

by Donna Michaels

  Her heart hit the sand then bounced back into her chest, racing out of control. “Y-you came to California…for me?”

  “Yes.” He smiled, caressing her face. “But it had nothing to do with the quake. I didn’t even know about it. No. I came because I finally got a damn clue. I was in Japan, in the middle of the convention when it hit me. I would never regret loving then losing you if something happened. Never. The regret would be to not take the damn chance in the first place.”

  She smiled and nodded, sending more happy tears down her face. He did get it. Oh, thank you God, he finally did understand.

  He kissed her forehead then drew back, still holding her face gently in his hands.“I knew that I loved you and wanted to be with you for the rest of my life. Once I figured that out, I couldn’t get to you fast enough. But when I did, you weren’t there.”

  “You love me?” The smile in her heart matched the one on her face. Big. Wide. Consuming.

  “Yes, with all my heart.” He fell to his knees, grabbed her hands and stared up at her. “Please say you’ll forgive me, Jordan. I promise I’ll make you happy from now on.”

  “What are you doing? Get up.” She tugged but he wouldn’t budge.

  “No, you deserve groveling. I was an ass.”

  She hit her knees and got down to his level. “No. You weren’t. You were scared, Cole. I understood that. I’m scared too, but like you said, the bigger regret would be to not take the chance.”

  In one swift move, he brought them both to their feet and crushed her close, burying his face in her neck again. “God, I don’t deserve you.”

  “Don’t say that. Don’t you ever say that. Yes, you do. You deserve to be happy. We both do. And you know I’m the only one who can do that, right? I’ve told you that since our first kiss here on this very beach.”

  Drawing back, he smiled down at her, lightly tracing her lip with his thumb. “So you did.”

  “It’s about damn time you believe me.”

  “Oh, I believe you,” he said, then got down on one knee this time and pulled out a jewelers box.

  Her heart slammed into her ribs.

  “Jordan Masters Ryan, I love you more than life itself. You saved me, lured me back to the light. Taught me how to feel…boy, did you teach me how to feel.” He opened the box and held it up to reveal the most beautiful diamond ring she’d ever seen. “Will you marry me?”

  Happiness burst clear to her toes faster than the gas explosion that’d leveled her restaurant. “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you, Cole McCall. You’ve always been my world. I love you so much it hurts.”

  His whoop echoed in the wind a second before he surged up and spun her around. Then he slipped the ring on her finger and finally, finally he kissed her long and slow and so sweet those damn tears wouldn’t stop.

  Then he buried his head in her neck again and just held her. He held her a good long time and she didn’t ever want to let go.

  “If this is a dream, please don’t wake me,” she said against his collar, squeezing him tighter.

  “It’s not.” He shivered. “It’s too damn cold to be a dream.”

  She laughed. “Well, you’re the silly one standing here in a suit. What were you thinking?”

  “That I couldn’t wait to get to you,” he said, drawing back to smile at her. “I got back, raced inside the house. Everyone told me you’d gone for a ride, so I rushed to the barn, saddled up and here I am.”

  “Crazy man.”

  “Crazy for you.” He bent down to pick up the flowers and candy then handed them to her.

  She sniffed the roses, loving their scent and the promise they represented. “Thank you, but you didn’t have to go through so much trouble for me, Cole.”

  “I wanted to.” He drew her against him and she felt him shiver again.

  “What do you say we head to ranch and I warm you up?” she asked.

  His gaze was hot and just a bit hopeful.

  “Yes, ma’am. And, maybe we can move your things into my room, or mine into yours? I don’t want to be apart from you anymore, Jordan. Please say that’s okay?”

  Was he serious? Of course it was okay. She couldn’t agree more.

  “As long as you think your parents wouldn’t mind, that’s better than okay. I’ll move mine into yours since I’m not even unpacked yet.”

  “Perfect. And trust me, the way both of our parents were smiling when I tore out of there after you, I know they won’t mind,” he said, leading her up the trail toward their tree. “What are you going to do about work? Can you transfer here or Houston?”

  She stopped and turned to face him. “Probably, but right now, I’m on leave.”

  He nodded. “Because of the earthquake.”

  “No, back in September, I took a leave of absence,” she said, watching his face darken. “My head wasn’t in the right place.”

  “God, I’m sorry, Jordan. It’s all—”

  “Don’t you even finish that sentence, McCall. It was all me.” She dropped her flowers and candy to poke him in the chest. “And I’m glad I did it. I threw myself into work at Comets and found I really enjoyed it. So, I’m not sure what I’m going to do. And right now, you know, I don’t think I’m going to worry about it. I’d like to just concentrate on us for a bit.”

  “Yeah?” He grabbed her hips and grinned.

  “Yeah.” She smiled back.

  His grip tightened as he set his forehead to hers. “I hope you’ll marry me soon, Jordan. I can’t wait to make you my wife.”

  Her heart did a crazy little flip. “Whenever you want.” She wrapped her hands around his neck and stroked his hair. “I can’t wait, either.”

  He kissed her then, long and intense, with all the passion and heat she remembered. Hot and desperate, his taste surely matched her own. His tongue stroked and hips ground close, and oh yeah, her whole body was deliciously on fire and trembling by the time he pulled back.

  “Damn, I missed you.” He gave her a quick kiss and turned her around so her back was to him. “What do you think of this spot?”

  “Oh…I think all kinds of things,” she replied, twisting back to face him. “Like you really should take me up against that tree.” Sliding her arms around his back, she leaned into him and bit his chin. “You know, if we only free the essentials…”

  “Jesus, woman.” He closed his eyes a moment then opened them to stare at her with enough heat to keep her toasty. “I hadn’t meant that but now that’s all I’m going to think about.”

  She chuckled. “Then what did you mean?”

  “Hmm…” he said, kissing her neck and throat. “Oh. I’m going to subdivide several acres here so when the weather breaks we can start building our house. If…that’s what you want.”

  “What I want?” She drew back and held him at arm’s length to stare into his warm eyes. “Oh, Cole, that would be perfect!”

  Then she lunged at him and kissed him hard and wild and deep. He jumped right on board and eventually she felt the tree against her back.

  They broke apart for air. His gaze blazed. “Now, about this tree…”

  She grinned and trailed a hand down his thundering chest. “You, me and this tree make me very happy.”

  He brushed a piece of hair from her face, gaze suddenly serious. “That’s all I want, Jordan. That’s all I want.” Tenderly and oh so slow, he touched his lips to hers and Jordan’s soul rejoiced with a vigor she wished her vocal chords possessed. He drew back and smiled, tracing her lower lip with a teasing finger. “Guess we’ve proved there’s no escape for fated hearts, my Masters.”

  “Mmm…I like the sound of that.”

  “Good, because I’m yours, Jordan. All yours,” he said, bending slightly at the knee to look her straight in the eyes. “I mean it. Anything you want, anything you need, just ask.”

  She touched his jaw. “All I need is for you to love me, Cole.”

  “Then sweetheart…,” he cupped her face, gaze smoldering with so much love and deep
emotions her chest ached. “Prepare to be the happiest damn woman in Texas, because I’m going to love the hell out of you.”

  Epilogue

  Connor McCall raised his glass, joy piercing his heart for the first time in months. “Here’s to my brother and Jordan and a marriage many, many, many, many, years in the making.” He’d just witness his younger brother ride off in a suit, of all things, after Jordan…not doubt to beg forgiveness and propose. Good. ‘Bout damn time Cole came to his senses and let Jordan catch him. “If ever two people belonged together, it’s those two.”

  “I agree.” His mother nodded, lifting her flute, eyes shining as bright as her bubbly.

  “Hear, hear,” Mr. Masters and his father agreed in unison.

  Mrs. Masters smiled. “Amen.”

  “To Jordan and Cole.” Emma nodded, clinking the group of raised glasses.

  “Now,”—his dad lowered his hand and looked over his rim at him—“that’s one McCall son and Masters daughter union.”

  “Yep,” Mr. Masters said, slamming him with a direct gaze. “Which leaves only one more to go.”

  “Hear, hear,” his mother and Mrs. Masters agreed.

  “Amen,” Emma said, turning to face him.

  Ah hell no!

  His heart stopped and practically fell from his hollowed chest. What the hell happened to all the air in the room? It evaporated. Like their common sense. He tugged at his collar. Is this what a calf feels like before branding? In one gulp, he drained his champagne and set the empty glass on the nearby table with a thud.

  Thank God Kerri was still upstairs unpacking. She’d no doubt high-tail it out of there before he could. The woman had barely said two words to him, looking so fragile and lost, his gut was twisted up something fierce. Still, that didn’t mean he was interested.

  Damn, by the looks both sets of folks were giving him, they didn’t care.

  “Hold on a dog-gone minute. Whatever it is you five are thinking…you can just forget it right now.” He back up toward the door, nearly stumbling in his haste to escape.

  “Ah, come on now, Connor. It’s not that bad.” His mother smiled.

  Smiled!

  “Yeah, son,” his dad said. “It’ll be less painful if you don’t fight it.”

  “Fight it? There’s no need to fight it ‘cause it ain’t happening,” he said, door knob slipping in his sweaty palm but he managed to wrench the door open anyway, then turned to stare down the five smiling matchmakers. “Three failed engagements prove I’m one unbrandable cowboy.”

  Kerri promised herself she’d wait until next spring

  to return to Harland County

  but fate and a California earthquake

  had a completely different timeframe in mind…

  ♥

  Please turn the page

  For a preview of

  Her Unbridled Cowboy

  Available June 2013

  Chapter One—Her Unbridled Cowboy

  Homeless and unemployed.

  West Coast Chef Kerri Masters silently summed up her current life situation. Her sucky life situation. Would she ever catch a break, she wondered as she stood in a roomful gathered at the Wild Creek Ranch, home of longtime family friends, the McCall’s.

  The last place she wanted to be. Ever. She had hoped not to suffer this fate again until, oh…say never. Okay, not true. She loved her parents, and since they’d recently moved back to Harland County Texas and were currently staying with the McCalls until renovations were completed on their old homestead, never wasn’t an option.

  But, next summer worked for her. Yes, she’d had that timeframe in mind. Not now. Not the day before flippin’ Thanksgiving.

  Leave it to fate.

  She swallowed a sneer but was unable to stop a slight twist from reaching her top lip. Yeah, leave it to fate to take another swing at her life with a blasted butcher knife. Felt more like a meat cleaver. Two meat cleavers.

  Didn’t she already have enough deep cuts? Criminy. Was she walking around with an invisible sign on her back saying ‘Come on, is that all you’ve got’?

  “We’re just thankful you and Jordan are all right,” her mother, Hannah Masters said, pulling her into a hug.

  Again.

  This one made number seven since she’d arrived from California with her sister Jordan a little over four hours ago. She’d spent most of that time in her room avoiding…well, everyone, while Jordan did the same by saddling a horse and going for a ride.

  But that was okay. She’d understood her sister’s need to be alone. Coming here had been painful for Jordan until Cole had shown up and gone after her sister to profess his love.

  Finally.

  A good size helping of warmth invaded the almost constant chill in Kerri’s body. If ever two people were meant to be together, it was Jordan and Cole. Both had lost a spouse, and it was that shared pain, plus a long history of attraction that had brought them together at last.

  It did her heart good to know at least her sister would have a happy life.

  She also understood her mother’s worry and immediately returned the hug. It couldn’t have been easy hearing about the earthquake that had destroyed Kerri’s home and restaurant, while residing several states away.

  The sweet fragrance of jasmine filled her nose and instantly calmed the aggravation from her soul. The smell of her mother’s perfume always brought with it an invisible hug and strong sense of reassurance. Something Kerri hadn’t realized she needed until that moment.

  “I’m fine,” she said, holding back a sigh.

  “Thank goodness.” Her mother’s trim frame shook slightly while she tightened her hug. “Things would’ve been a lot different if you were home when the quake hit.”

  Everyone in the room knew Kerri’s stilted house had crumbled in the disaster. Kind of similar to what was left of her life.

  She’d laugh if it wasn’t so flippin’ tragic.

  “And we thank God both you and your sister got out of your restaurant before it blew up,” her father, Nate Masters added from behind, his hand warm and reassuring as it closed around her shoulder in a soft squeeze.

  God, if they only knew…

  Kerri closed her eyes and recalled the image forever burned into her mind. The image of Jordan rushing across the pavement intent on turning off the gas to their restaurant despite the danger. Terror, unlike anything she’d ever felt before, had resembled a sharp skewer, piercing the air from her lungs. All she had been able to manage was a panicked cry for her sister to stop.

  It was the worst moment of her life.

  “We certainly had a guardian angel watching over us that day. Didn’t we, Kerri?” Jordan cut through her thoughts from across the spacious gathering room.

  Kerri opened her eyes and smiled at her sister, now safe and sound, happily cocooned in Cole’s arms. Matching expressions of love and wonderment adorned their faces as they stood in front of a stone fireplace, warm fire crackling in the background.

  Okay, forget love and wonderment. Heck, given her sister’s soft smile and relaxed posture—extremely satisfied was a better description. Jeez Louise, Cole had only taken off after Jordan an hour ago. Ride time alone was close to forty minutes. How the heck did they fit in sex, let alone satisfying sex?

  It usually took Kerri that long just to concentrate when Lance used to…

  “What do you mean?” their father asked, removing his hand from her shoulder, and her mind stumbled a bit to get back in the conversation. “What guardian angel?”

  Jordan burrowed in a little closer to Cole and he gathered her sister tighter. “Well, I just think we were both lucky that day.”

  “I don’t know about me.” Kerri stepped out of her mother’s embrace to answer her sister. “But you definitely have a guardian angel. I remember calling out to you as you ran toward the restaurant. But you didn’t stop. That’s when the most amazing thing happened.” She paused to glance around the room, a little uncomfortable with being the center of
attention.

  That was more a Jordan thing.

  “Go on. Tell us what happened next,” her father prodded.

  Kerri swallowed, then forced herself to continue. “Something…or someone, I can’t be sure, mysteriously yanked Jordan to the ground right before Comets exploded. No one was there. Just the two of us, but it was as if an invisible pair of hands had reached up from nowhere and pulled her down, out of harms’ way.”

  “Wow…do you think it was Eric?” her mom asked, eyes wide and unblinking.

  Jordan’s late husband Eric had died in a convenient store robbery almost three years ago. Kerri had to admit, the thought had crossed her mind more than once in the last two days. But she honestly didn’t know.

  “Could’ve been my Cole,” Leeann McCall said, a look of pride lighting her eyes. “I bet he kept her safe through sheer willpower that day.”

  “True,” her husband, Alex McCall chimed in, draping an arm around his petite wife. “No one’s more stubborn than our boys.”

  Whatever it was, Kerri was forever grateful for whatever caused her sister to hit the pavement at that exact moment. And, she had to admit, now she was just a tad envious, too. Envious that her sister had found such a strong love twice in her life, while she couldn’t find it even once. All she’d managed was a disastrous marriage that had left her hurt, confused and divorced, doubting there were any good men left in the world.

  “That’s not entirely true.” A deep baritone with a hint of humor cut through the room, captivating the air into a silence of unadulterated anticipation, and sent her heart tail-spinning into her ribs.

  Typical Connor McCall fashion.

  There wasn’t an unattached female in the tri-county area safe from his sex appeal. That’s why Kerri kept her gaze glued to the worn-out sole of his left boot. She knew her place. He was way out of her league. She was under no illusion as to where she stood against such a virile man. Heck, she didn’t even qualify to kiss the sole of his worn-out left boot. But that’s where her gaze remained. Much safer than traveling upward.