Harts of Arizona Series

by Yahrah St. John

  “God, Kenya, I need you,” he murmured against the damp skin of her chin against his jaw.

  “Then take me,” she moaned. “Take me.”

  Lucas leaned Kenya over the bed and with her butt high in the air, he took her from behind. He thrust inside her, and Kenya moaned. He thrust again, and Kenya thought she would die from pleasure. Lucas lowered himself until his chest was against her back and he could reach around her to stroke her breasts with one hand while he thrust inside her. The penetration was so deep, she surrendered herself to it.

  “Oh, sweet Jesus,” he groaned, stroking her hair, back and butt. Then he slid his fingers to her womanhood so he could fondle her clitoris while he thrust inside her. Kenya reached an orgasm quickly and cried out, “Lucas!”

  She was barely over her first orgasm when Lucas changed position and perched on the edge of the bed and made her sit on top of his still-hard erection. Kenya gripped his shoulders firmly and gyrated her pelvis vigorously to meet the strong sensations caused by Lucas rocking his hips backward and forward. His thrusts were simultaneous with her motions, and Kenya’s head began to toss from side to side and a second orgasm overtook her.

  And this time Lucas was not far behind, because he thrust one final time, and he too groaned, clutching her to his chest. Her hair fell across his sweaty face, and Lucas brushed it aside to look up at her. “I love you.”

  “And I love you.”

  Chynna wasn’t happy that Noah had to leave to go back to Tucson a couple of days after Kenya’s attack. He had to get back to the ranch because of an emergency. Apparently, Caleb had had an accident and was hospitalized. It was exactly what they didn’t need. It seemed like they were always dealing with one crisis after another since they’d become a couple. They’d had no time to bask in the glow of their love. Will we ever have a break?

  Thankfully, Chynna had her tour to keep her occupied, but that hadn’t stopped the press from following her. They all wanted to know what was next for her after Eli’s arrest for orchestrating Kenya’s attack. They wanted to know how she felt. Did she feel responsible? Was she going to stay at R&K Records? Was she going to continue seeing Noah Hart?

  Questions. Questions. Questions. Chynna stared into the dressing mirror in St. Louis. Sometimes she wished she could crawl under a rock and get away from it all.

  That’s when she remembered that she did have another home —a home where she could be herself and no one judged her. She could go to the one place where she’d felt she belonged.

  Chynna picked up her cell and made a few phone calls and before long, travel arrangements had been made. She was already dressed in jeans and a T-shirt when Deacon stopped into her dressing room to tell her the limo was waiting to take her back to the hotel.

  “Deacon, how many days until our next tour stop?”

  “Three. Why?” he asked, looking at her suspiciously.

  Chynna smiled. “Good, because I’m leaving.” When Deacon frowned, she clarified, “I’m not going to run away and send Kenya back in my place, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

  Deacon laughed. “Well, that is kind of played out now.”

  “Yes it is, but I am going to take two days off.” Chynna reached for her purse, swung it over her shoulder and headed toward the door.

  “And go where?”

  Chynna turned back around long enough to say, “Now what fun would that be if I told you?” She smiled. “But I promise I will be back. And this time I will be accessible by phone.”

  Noah urged the cows forward, along with his stallion, toward the pasture. He hadn’t wanted to come back home. He’d wanted to stay in Los Angeles with Chynna. But family had beckoned. His knucklehead brother, Caleb, who was supposed to be holding down the fort, had decided to have some fun at a nearby rodeo and had fallen off a bull. Caleb now had broken ribs and a concussion to show for his efforts. He wouldn’t be able to keep his eye on the ranch while he recovered, which meant that Noah had to get home and take care of business.

  Chynna had said she was okay with his leaving, but Noah felt like such a heel leaving her only days after her entire world had been rocked by learning that the scum who owned part of her record label had tried to hurt Kenya. Noah planned on getting back to LA as soon as he could. He’d already talked to his father about hiring a second-in-command that could take care of the ranch in Noah’s absence.

  He wasn’t about to retire and traipse with Chynna around the world, but he also intended for their marriage to be a full one which would require him to be able to leave on occasion to meet her while she was on the road. Speaking of marriage, in the couple of days he’d had before he’d left, he hadn’t been able to ask Chynna to marry him. The moment hadn’t been right, but one day soon it would be. And when it was, he wouldn’t waste another second.

  He was disembarking and had tied up his stallion to take a break under a tree when he saw a horse galloping toward him in the distance. With the sun so high overhead, Noah couldn’t get a good look at who it was until she was nearly in front of him. Chynna.

  She smiled broadly when she reached him. “Hey, cowboy.”

  “Hey, yourself,” Noah grinned as he looked up at her. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be on tour?”

  “I’m still on tour. I just decided to come here for a couple of days. Do you have a problem with that?”

  “Not a chance,” Noah said as he reached for her and helped her down from her favorite palomino. He lowered his head and kissed her deeply letting the reins of the palomino go. She met his urgent kiss with the same intensity, and without a thought to their location, they sunk into the grass. They were greedy for each other and their mouths fused, tongues mingled. It was earthy, sensual and hot.

  Heat and awareness were everywhere. Chynna’s arms tightened around Noah’s neck, and he couldn’t help letting his palms skim the curve of her breast. Chynna tilted her hips upward, and she collided with his burgeoning erection. Noah growled low in his throat.

  He couldn’t have a romp in the grass with the woman that would be his wife, at least not yet, not until he made her his officially. Slowly, he grabbed one of her arms and pulled her up until they were both in the upright position.

  Chynna’s eyes were glazed with passion, and she couldn’t understand why Noah had stopped. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “I thought that was pretty hot.” She’d been ready to have her first romp in the hay—or in this case, grass—with her cowboy.

  “Nothing’s wrong,” Noah said, inhaling deeply. “I just think now is the time.” He’d been waiting for the “right moment,” but like Rylee had said, would there ever be a right moment? He just had to go for it.

  “Time for what?”

  Noah rose ever-so slightly until he was on bended knee with the other on the ground.

  “Noah,” Chynna’s eyes grew large. He wasn’t sure if it was fear or excitement, but he had to make his move.

  “Chynna.” Noah reached for her right hand. “I know this may seem sudden, but I’m one of those people that believe that when you know, you know. And I know that I love you with all my heart, and there’s not another woman for me on this earth. You’re the woman for me, so would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?”

  Chynna stared at Noah in disbelief, not because he loved her and wanted to marry her, but because like him, she knew unequivocally that she could spend the rest of her life with him. Getting lost and having her Jeep crash into the Golden Oaks Ranch had been one of the best things that had ever happened to her. It had changed the course of her life and, as a result, she’d found a place she could call home.

  “Yes, I will marry you, Noah Hart.”

  Noah’s eyes teared up. “You will?”

  Chynna wiped a tear from his cheek with the back of her hand. “Yes, I will marry you,”

  Noah hollered and gave a “Woohoo!” and s
wept her into his arms, kissing her fervently and they fell back into the grass. “I’m sorry I don’t have the ring right now. It’s back up at the house.”

  “I don’t care about a ring, you silly goose.” Chynna cried through happy tears as she grabbed both sides of his face, “I only want you.”

  “And I want you.”

  Epilogue

  “Kenya, Kenya, over here.” Several photographers called out her name as she and Lucas walked the red carpet at the Oscars the next year.

  “Go ahead, babe,” Lucas said, beaming at her in his Giorgio Armani tuxedo. “It’s your night to shine.”

  Kenya smiled at him before walking over to the legions of photographers camped out on the red carpet. She was still amazed by all the lights and cameras as they snapped pictures of her in her one-of-a-kind red strapless Marchesa gown. She couldn’t believe after the rollercoaster year she’d had that she was in the spotlight. Carter Wright’s film had been nominated for seven Oscars and Kenya had been nominated for Best Actress for her role as Yvette.

  One of the reporters from an entertainment show came over to her on the red carpet. “How does it feel to be considered a shoo-in for the Best Actress win?” the woman asked.

  “Oh, I don’t know about that. I’m up against some tough competition. It’s really an honor just to be nominated.”

  “It’s been a crazy year for you what with imitating your sister, a famous singer and all. How have you coped with the instant stardom?”

  Kenya gave her a sidewards glance. “I don’t let the fame get to me because at the end of the day, it’s really about knowing who you are and being comfortable in your own skin. I’m not just an actress, but a sister and,” she said, glancing at Lucas, “a soon to be wife.” She held up her hand that held a large engagement ring.

  “Congratulations!” the woman gushed, holding her hand. “That’s quite a rock. Looks like R&K Records is booming despite the dissolution of your fiancé’s partnership.”

  “Thank you.” Kenya nodded. She’d been worried herself, but Lucas had rallied and thanks to a clause in the partnership agreement, had been able to dissolve Eli’s involvement but retain ownership of the name. R&K Records had stayed afloat and was now back on the rise with Chynna’s fourth album. It was a departure from her second and third album, but Kenya was happy to see her sister finally making music she loved.

  Speaking of which, Kenya’s eye caught Chynna coming up the red carpet with her husband, Noah Hart. He too was wearing a tuxedo. Although not his style, he looked dapper.

  The reporter followed Kenya’s gaze and saw Chynna coming up the walkway. She rushed toward her, yelling at her cameraman to follow. “We have to get a picture of the two of you together.”

  “Absolutely!” Kenya replied, grabbing the train of her dress and following the reporter.

  “Chynna,” she said, motioning her sister over, “c’mon over.”

  Chynna smiled broadly as she walked toward them. She looked ever the diva in a silver studded floor-length, racerback gown that hugged every one of her sister’s God-given curves. Chynna leaned over and gave Kenya a quick peck on the cheek as to not ruin her makeup.

  “Doesn’t my sister look great?” Chynna gushed as she smiled at the reporter. She knew the woman wanted to talk about her and her new album, but she wanted tonight to be about Kenya and not about her. Tonight, she would to take a backseat.

  “She sure does,” the reporter said. “But so do you. You are rocking that dress, girlfriend.”

  Chynna laughed. “Thank you.”

  “Is it hard for you seeing Kenya in the role of Yvette, which was once yours?”

  Although not visible to others, Chynna could see Kenya tense slightly at her side at the reporter’s bold question —

  The question everyone was wondering about but were too afraid to ask. Chynna was surprised the reporter had the balls to put it out there, but it was Hollywood after all.

  “Absolutely not.” Chynna reached over and grasped Kenya’s delicate hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze of encouragement. “This role was made for my sister, and I have every confidence that she’s going to take that gold statuette home tonight. My husband and I,” she said, motioning for Noah and Lucas to come over to them, “will be rooting for her.”

  Thank you, twinie, Kenya mouthed.

  Chynna mouthed back, You’re welcome.

  The two men in their lives walked over and Noah slid his arm around Chynna’s waist and Lucas did the same to Kenya.

  When the reporter realized she wouldn’t get a rise out of Chynna or Kenya, she said, “You all are mighty fine looking couples. Enjoy the rest of tonight.” After a quick picture, she and her cameraman rushed off to find other celebrities.

  “Thank you, we will,” Chynna and Kenya said in unison, like two halves of the same whole.

  Acknowledgments

  Deciding to branch out on my own with e-books and forego traditional publishing was a little bit scary, but I am hopeful that my readers will continue to want more of the romantic, sexy stories I have in store for them.

  I would first like to thank Bob Mount and the entire Westgate River Ranch family in Lake Wales, FL for their support of this book. They allowed me to stay at the ranch and follow them around for a day to complete my research for this series. I would also like to thank Wayne Gey for allowing me to tour his ranch & home to help me understand what it takes to run a breeding ranch.

  My support system is vast, but they keep me grounded. Thank you to my love Freddie Blackman who reminds me every day why I write romance. A big thank you to my dad and mom Austin and Asilee Mitchell, my BFFs who are like sisters to me Tiffany Griffin, Tonya Conway, Therolyn Rodgers and Dimitra Astwood; last but not least my personal gurus: Kiara Ashanti and Bhushan Sukhram; you guys are the best entourage a girl could have.

  Many thanks and much love to the readers who continue to support me through the years.

  Untamed Hearts

  Dear Reader

  If you enjoyed Entangled Hearts Volume I and II, you’ll love the 3rd edition in the Harts of Arizona series. The idea for the book came back in 2012 over dinner with friends in Washington DC. One of my friends mentioned that a friend’s daughter had a rendezvous with a prince whose father was a sheikh. And so the idea for Untamed Hearts was formed. Rylee served as a great foil to Chynna’s story, but she was due one of her own. I loved her feistiness and that she was an unconventional heroine working on her family’s ranch.

  Meeting playboy and sheikh’s son Amar Bishop was the catalyst that would propel her away from the ranch to explore new adventures which was critical to the storyline and character development. More importantly I wanted their love story to be color-blind even though I knew the hero: Amar Bishop would be of mixed heritage. It was really exciting to research and write about the Kentucky Derby, sheikhs and palaces. It was so cool, I created a fake kingdom!

  Stay tuned for the final book in the Harts of Arizona Series (Book IV) when I tell Caleb’s story in Restless Hearts later in 2014. I would love to hear from you feel free to write me: yahrah@yahrahstjohn.com. Or visit my website: www.yahrahstjohn.com

  Best Regards,

  Yahrah St. John

  Chapter 1

  “Rylee, I need you.”

  “Excuse me?” Rylee Hart stared in bewilderment at Jeremy Wright, her date and pseudo boyfriend, as they stood in her family’s living room at their dude ranch, Golden Oaks in Tucson, Arizona. She’d known Jeremy for years. Had grown up with him. Even played in his family’s kiddie pool. He was her father’s choice of a mate for her — a trust fund baby who didn’t seem to have any ambitions of his own, save for racing horses and pitching in to help his father run a cattle business on the family’s ranch outside of Tucson.

  Rylee had been humoring her father, Isaac Hart, by agreeing to see Jeremy, but bless his heart, Jeremy didn’t light her
fire. Sure, he was good-looking, with smooth cocoa-colored skin, big kind-hearted eyes and a well-kept physique, but without ambition and drive, he didn’t stir her loins. To her father, however, Jeremy’s riches, coupled with the fact that he was a sincere, honest man, were enough to make him the perfect marriage partner for his daughter.

  Well, Rylee wasn’t having it, and now Jeremy’s declaration that he needed her was just too much.

  “I need you to come with me to Louisville to look after Dreamer,” Jeremy explained. “I wouldn’t trust her health to anyone but the best vet in all of Tucson.”

  At his compliment, Rylee couldn’t resist a smile. Dreamer was the beautiful thoroughbred racehorse Jeremy had bought two years ago and had been steadfastly training. He felt she had a surefire chance of winning the Kentucky Derby. Even though she was considered a long shot, Jeremy had absolute faith in the horse.

  “Thank you, Jeremy. You’re very kind to say that, but wouldn’t Dreamer be better off with one of the vets from your stables?”

  “I’d think you’d jump at the chance to get away from the ranch,” her father interjected, having suddenly appeared. Isaac Hart was tall and imposing, with salt-and-pepper hair and a broad nose. He could be very intimidating when he wanted to be, and tonight was no different. “Especially when it’s an all-expense paid trip. Not to mention you would get to visit your old stomping grounds, Pembroke Stables, where you completed your residency.”

  Her father reminding them all of that two-year residency made Rylee frown. It also made her remember how stupidly she’d behaved by falling for her mentor, Dr. Shelton Gray, a world-renowned veterinarian at Pembroke Stables who was also very married. Of course, Rylee hadn’t known it at the time. Shelton had told her they were divorced, but apparently “separation” didn’t mean the same thing to him as it did to the rest of the world.