“That was Ace. Word made it to Teresa that you took off again and she said that she’s kicking your ass next time she sees you.”
“She’s gotten a little fiery since she’s been pregnant, hasn’t she?” Chris asked with a chuckle.
Gwen said, “Is that what you were laughing over?”
Julián shook his head. “No. Kemp got on the phone for a second. He’s righteously pissed on your behalf for Roger tricking you into driving to Colorado and putting you in danger in the process. He said he’ll be happy to pay the son of a bitch a house call. You’ll have to ask him to explain but he said, ‘Have duct tape, will travel,’ or something like that. I’ll bet the girls know what that means.”
“Julián?”
“Yes, love?” he asked as he stroked Zephyr’s nose.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me about your money? Were you afraid I was a gold digger?”
He paused for a few seconds before replying. “In the past, I’d never tell women I encountered on the road, like Judith and her friends, for that very reason. I knew you were self-sufficient and wouldn’t accept help from anyone else to get your dream back. I knew if push came to shove I would do what I could. I don’t talk about the money because it doesn’t define who I am. It used to. It damn near cost me my life. But I never, ever thought you would take advantage of me for my money.”
“You have way more going for you than just that, handsome. And thank you. So I was driving to Colorado for nothing?”
Both men nodded.
Gwen had an idea. “Did you by chance bring your laptop with you on this trip?”
“Yes, why?”
“I’m hitting Roger up on Skype.”
Chris frowned. “Darlin’, there’s no signal out here.”
Gwen chuckled. “Let me take you on a tour of my former home away from home. It’s one big mobile hotspot. All I have to do is turn on a laptop and I’m online.”
Julián retrieved his laptop from its case in the truck and she hooked it up in the living quarters that were a far, far cry from the little bunk space she’d been making do with on her last trip.
She brushed out her hair as she collected her thoughts, then thought better of it and popped her fuzzy Elmer Fudd hat back on her head. She didn’t give a flying fuck what Roger thought of her appearance. Julián and Chris thought she was beautiful and that was all that mattered.
She placed the video call and waited for a response. She’d be disappointed if he didn’t answer. A shaky picture came on the screen and then Roger appeared, dressed in an undershirt, pulling a dress shirt on over it.
“Hello? Who is that? Gwen?”
“Yes, Roger.”
“Where are you?”
“Between Fort Stockton and Pecos.”
“You’d better get your ass back on the road if you want to see Zephyr again.”
“I will shortly, but I won’t be heading to Colorado.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?” His tone was condescending as though he was talking to a misbehaving child.
“You heard me. I’m going back home to Divine. I have everything I need. I have Julián,”—Julián leaned into camera view and smiled at Roger—“and Chris,” who waved from behind her, before stepping back to the door that led out into the luxury horse accommodations and opening the door. Gwen leaned aside and waited as the horse slowly came into focus through the webcam, so that Roger could make out Zephyr in the background. “And I have Zephyr, you unimaginable, lying, thieving prick. You’re also looking at the new owners of the Bucking H Ranch, neighbor. I hope you rot in hell.”
Roger flapped his jaws, probably trying to think of something vindictive to say as she clicked on the end call button and turned to her men, breathing a sigh of happiness. “That was fun. And thank you, Julián. I’m paying you for everything.”
Julián groaned and Chris muttered, “Not again. Please don’t go out on the road.” He put his hands together and said something that sounded beseeching and sexy in Italian.
“I’m not going on the road, unless it’s with the two of you. I’m paying you back from the fees I earn as a trainer and consultant. Now, can we go home?”
Julián and Chris smiled as they closed in on her. “To Divine?” Chris asked with hope shining in his sweet brown eyes.
“Of course, Divine. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Julián took her hand in his. “One thing first.”
They stood side by side, looking at her like she was their last meal and they planned to share every bit of her. The oxygen left her lungs when they both got down on one knee. Biting her lip, she joined them on her knees and whispered, “What’re y’all doing?”
Julián’s eyes twinkled as he whispered back, “Proposing. Will you marry me?”
Chris tugged a lock of her hair gently. “And me?”
Gwen gasped and threw her arms around them both, knocking their heads together a little as she hugged them tight. She didn’t need fancy words or phrases. Her men “walked their talk” out there on that desolate roadside, rescuing her just when she needed them most.
“Of course I’ll marry you. I love you like crazy,” she whispered and then kissed each one in turn. Her pulse sped up and the fire inside her came to life as their kisses grew more intimate and sultry.
“I do believe this thing has a comfy bed, doesn’t it?” Chris said, glancing around.
Gwen bit her lip and nodded. “It does. If you don’t mind, I have something I really need to do first.”
“What’s that, love?” Julián nuzzled her neck and kissed her temple.
“I want to take a picture of us with Zephyr. This is a really important moment and I want to remember it always.”
“Sure.”
They crowded around her right outside Zephyr’s little side window opening she could stick her head through. Gwen lifted her phone and took a picture of the three of them together that included Zephyr’s nose as she snuffled Gwen’s hat.
After she saved the picture, she uploaded it to Facebook and hurriedly typed the status update that went along with it.
Chris looked over her shoulder as he ruffled her hair. “You writing a novel there, Elmer Fudd?”
Julián kissed her temple when she showed him that she’d updated her personal status to “in a relationship” and then said, “No, I don’t need a novel. Just a few words will suffice.”
“What’s it say?”
She looked from him to Julián and joy made her voice shake. “It says, ‘New Beginnings. If any of my friends are looking for me, they can find me in Divine, Texas, which is so much more than just a place on a map.”
Epilogue
With Joaquin and Angel’s help, Gwen climbed into the saddle, clad in the wedding dress she’d had specially made. Styled after an English riding habit, it was made completely of ivory silk and allowed her to sit astride, while still having the beauty of a flowing skirt.
Zephyr’s flowing dark chestnut mane and tail had been intricately braided for the occasion, with little white flowers worked into the braids throughout.
With her protruding baby belly leading the way, Teresa waddled up and handed her the bridal bouquet of bright red roses and clasped Gwen’s hand as her men stood beside her protectively.
“Gwen, I’m so happy for you, my friend.”
“Thank you for being such a good friend to me, Teresa. It’s because of your acceptance and friendship that I was led to Divine in the first place.”
Teresa teared up as Gwen sniffled and they both laughed. Grace rode up on Tutti with Michael seated in front of her on the saddle.
Teresa stroked Tutti’s neck and smiled up at Grace. “Thank you for standing in for me up there with Michael.”
“Yes, thank you, Grace,” Gwen said as Angel handed Michael all the rings for the ceremony.
He counted them off and slipped them all onto one finger and closed his hand around them. “Don’t worry, pretty cowboy lady. I’m an expert at this job an
d I won’t lose ’em.”
Michael winked at her and all the ladies chuckled. Angel and Joaquin looked particularly proud of themselves as they nodded their approval to Michael. He’d wanted to ride Tutti on his own but his legs just weren’t long enough. He’d turned down riding one of the ponies because he’d insisted they were for the babies and he was a big boy. Riding with Grace was a good compromise.
“Ready to go?” her dad asked as he came alongside her, riding one of the Cooks’ geldings. He looked handsome and much happier now that he’d moved back onto the Bucking H Ranch.
Once the dust had settled, she’d contacted her father and he’d been mortified when she’d told him of the depth of Roger’s vindictiveness. He’d sworn he’d only participated in trying to get her to return home because he believed Roger genuinely loved her. There had been tears on both sides and forgiveness given and received.
The ordeal had visibly aged her father and he’d willingly agreed when she’d hired a professional to manage the ranch for them and communicate with them about any issues before they became serious. Her dad occupied himself caring for the land and the livestock, in between visits to Divine.
Gwen nodded affirmatively to her dad and Zephyr followed Grace and Michael on Tutti into the shadows of the barn from the backyard of what had once been Wilbur Wilson’s ranch. The sign over the entry now read “The Bucking H2 Ranch.” It had been Chris and Julián’s idea, to name it after her original home in Colorado. They now called either ranch home.
They’d heard through Ace Webster that one of Roger Bedford’s investor friends had turned out to be an embezzling crook. He’d wormed his way into Roger’s trust with promises of great moneymaking schemes that would propel them into a whole new world of wealth. Instead, Roger had wound up losing everything, including his ranch.
When her men had posed the question of whether she wanted to move back to the Bucking H permanently, Gwen had hugged both of them, thanked them, and opted out. She was happy right where she was in Divine.
Soft music played in the arena as they made their way to the large opened doorway that led to where all her friends waited. In the middle of the doorway, astride a big gelding sat Ethan Grant.
As they stopped just inside the doorway, Ethan called out, “Who gives this woman to be bound?”
“I do,” Harold Henderson said proudly as he squeezed Gwen’s hand, leaned toward her, and kissed her cheek. He brushed a lock of hair from her cheek and then adjusted the silky veil that billowed in a soft wave from the back of her Western hat. “I love you, sweetie. Thank you.” There were tears in his blue eyes as he veered away and rode through the entry and turned to the right, to join all their friends in the arena seats.
The girls had gone out of their way to decorate the arena and the barn for the reception that followed the binding ceremony. Guests had come from far and wide, including Julián’s family and his brother Peter, and his spouses Jordan and Tracy, and their new baby boy, Cameron.
The three of them had debated about telling Chris’s family and had decided the charade was unnecessary. At first, his family had been shocked but they had such a resoundingly good opinion of both Gwen and Julián, they’d accepted the news with surprising alacrity.
Naturally, Chris had to face off with several of his brothers when they ridiculed him for, in their opinion, not being able to keep a woman happy on his own. Out of the earshot of his mother and grandmother, Gwen had relieved them of that notion until they’d all been red-faced with embarrassment and apologized to her. Proving he was still a big ass, Roberto mentioned the possibility of him moving to Divine. Gwen told him she had a lovely friend named Judith Bowers she’d love to introduce him to.
Gwen’s marriage to Julián had been performed earlier that day with a Justice of the Peace. When she’d talked privately with Chris about it, he’d told her that he didn’t mind that she’d married Julián. He had eleven older brothers who would see to perpetuating his line so he didn’t worry about it. His one request was that if they were to have a boy who took after him, as he’d taken after his great-great-great-grandfather, that his middle name would be Christiaan. Gwen had been happy to agree.
Grace and Michael moved past Ethan into the arena where the ceremony would take place. Ethan grinned at Gwen and said, “Your men are waiting for you, Gwen.”
Gwen urged Zephyr forward and chuckled as two white, silky lassos looped around her, one from the left and one from the right, where her men sat proud and handsome on their horses, dressed in solid black Western suits.
How did they manage to convince me to allow myself to be lassoed? Oh, that’s right. They coerced me with orgasms. A little sigh escaped her at the memory.
The men took up the slack in the ties as they drew alongside her and followed Ethan into the ring, as the music played and their friends applauded them. Once in the center of the ring, each man loosened and lifted the silky ropes from around her torso, careful to not tangle them with her hat and veil. They coiled them up and looped them over their saddle horns.
To both, Gwen whispered, “Keep those ropes handy, gentlemen. I plan to use them on you later.”
Ethan coughed into his hand, probably hiding a chuckle, before he began the ceremony that would bind them as husbands and wife. She looked from one to the other, filled with joy for the extraordinary turn her life had taken in what she’d thought was the midst of disaster. She didn’t regret any of it. As if symbolizing that fact, all three of them had gotten tattoos consisting of two simple words in script lettering. “No Regrets.” Gwen’s was on her hip, and the men’s were around their right biceps.
Gwen looked from man to man as she held both their hands. Chris winked at her and whispered, “Love you,” before he turned his attention back to Ethan. Gwen snuck a glance at Julián, to find he was already watching her, the tenderest of gazes directed her way.
She squeezed his hand and mouthed, “Love you.”
In the end, she’d gotten her dream, and she’d gotten her beloved horse back, but she gotten so much else as well. Getting tangled up in Divine hadn’t been a bad thing after all. Their friends surrounded them, loved them, and supported them. These people were Divine, which was more than just latitude and longitude coordinates on the globe. Divine was the place her heart, and the two men of her heart, lived and loved.
THE END
WWW.HEATHERRAINIER.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I live in South Central Texas, writing the type of novel I love to read: more erotic and edgy than the mainstream, with plenty of sweet romance mixed in. I write erotic romances exclusively for Siren Publishing, under their Everlasting imprint. My love of romantic fiction began as a teenager when my mom gave me copies of Kathleen Woodiwiss’s The Flame and the Flower and Bertrice Small’s Skye O'Malley. To this day I'm pretty sure that was her idea of the “birds and the bees” talk.
My husband and I met in a scenario very much like the ones I’ve written about. He was the alpha hero who stepped in when this “damsel in distress” needed rescuing from a nefarious pervert. It’s no wonder I went on to write erotic romance when I had him to inspire me. My favorite type of hero is the gentle, lovable giant but readers will discover a variety of heroes and alphas in my novels, from nearly perfect to very flawed. I hope readers relate to my heroines, and the challenges and dilemmas they face head-on.
I love to chat with readers on Facebook and talk about my books and whatever else comes to mind on my blog, The Divine Tease. When not pounding on my keyboard, I'm usually busy corralling my kids or loving on my smokin’ hot husband, who thankfully loves to cook.
For all titles by Heather Rainier, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/heather-rainier
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Cast of Main Characters in Book Reading
Order
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Epilogue
About the Author
Tangled in Divine [Divine Creek Ranch 14] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 39
