The Rancher's Second Chance

by Victoria James

  Her gasp had him laughing. “You people are far too liberal with your drinking. I’m going to have a total hangover tomorrow.”

  “I think she’s getting a little bored and trying to spice things up around here.”

  “By intoxicating your guests?”

  He shrugged, trying not to laugh. If Melanie only knew what else Mrs. Harris had been up to lately.

  She set down her bowl of stew, her brows knit together. “I hope she’s okay. I mean, she is getting on in years and the other night instead of giving me normal pajamas she gave me lingerie.”

  He couldn’t hold back the laughter now. “That was the best damn move Mrs. Harris has made in years.”

  She raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms, but he could see that she was holding back a smile. “Really? So you think it’s acceptable she’s dressing your women houseguests in lace?”

  “Hell yes, when you’re the only houseguest we have.” This time, he leaned forward and captured her smile with his lips. Melanie tasted like chocolate and rum and dreams, the kind he had when he believed in forever. But he didn’t want to think about that now or what that meant. He just wanted to feel her. He gently grasped a handful of her silky hair as she molded herself to him.

  She fit against him in a way that confirmed every single feeling he had.

  He captured her mouth in a hungry kiss, exploring with a need that startled him. “I’m thinking of picking up where we left off at the cabin,” he said against her lips.

  She gave a sexy, half sigh, half moan. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. It was all the whiskey.”

  “So now we can blame it on the hot chocolate.”

  “But Mrs. Harris is upstairs.”

  He shifted on the couch so he was lying down and she followed. “Trust me, Mel, she won’t be coming down here any time soon.”

  She paused for a second, glanced at the staircase, and then turned back to him. Her eyes traveled over him for a moment and reached out to touch him. Her fingers were soft, her touch excruciatingly light. He sucked in a breath when she leaned over him. “Cole?”

  “Yeah.”

  “If you ask me to repeat what I’m about to say in broad daylight tomorrow, I feel you should be forewarned that I will blame it on the whiskey and the hot chocolate.”

  He tugged her up to him so that he could see her face and have her mouth against his again. “Duly noted.”

  She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them, staring into his, through him. “You are much hotter than I ever thought you’d be,” she murmured against his mouth.

  He groaned and pulled her in closer. “I knew you’d be this hot.”

  “This is crazy; I have work tomorrow.”

  “Me too,” he said catching her earlobe gently between his teeth. “I have to prepare for a meeting next week. I’m about to secure a deal with Anderson Food Group.”

  Melanie stiffened in his arms and pulled back so quickly that if he hadn’t caught her, she would have fallen from his lap. He frowned as she scrambled off him and stood. “What did you say?”

  He stared at her. Her eyes were clear now, sharp, but her lower lip quivered and her arms were wrapped around her waist as though she felt ill.

  “Cole, what did you say?” she whispered again.

  “I’m going to secure a deal with Anderson Food Group.”

  Chapter Eight

  Cole stared out the large window in his office.

  Three days ago he was walking up to the chapel with Melanie.

  Three days ago he was becoming intoxicated by the first woman to intrigue him in five years.

  He hadn’t stopped thinking about her since. He shifted in his leather swivel chair behind his desk, waiting for Phillip Anderson and the man’s future son-in-law, Ron, to join him.

  He was supposed to be thinking of the upcoming meeting and instead was thinking of Melanie. Cole’s mind wandered to the memory of Melanie in the hallway wearing lingerie, Melanie refusing to ride a horse, Melanie asking him if there were wild animals out during the blizzard, Melanie wiping tears from her eyes as he spoke about Sarah, Melanie drinking whiskey straight out of the bottle, kissing Melanie, tasting Melanie…and then Melanie barreling out of his arms, claiming exhaustion. And then the next morning, she was gone before he woke.

  He didn’t get it. After Mrs. H had pried out what few details he had, she surmised that she was probably feeling like they had no future, that he was still in love with his wife. He didn’t like that he’d given her the impression he wasn’t ready to move on, or that she didn’t matter. That everything that had happened between them at the cabin could be ignored. He couldn’t get any of it out of his mind. Or her. He could still taste her, the sweetness of her. Her scent had still been on his clothes the next morning, the feeling of emptiness filling him. He’d experienced loss, true loss, and he’d sworn he would never do it again. But things were changing. He was changing.

  He also needed to know about her, who she really was. He’d known she was going to be complicated. He hadn’t counted on liking it, or finding her complications intriguing. Like the tyrannical dictator she’d mentioned in her nightmare.

  He’d called her to make sure she’d gotten back to Passion Creek okay and that her ankle was feeling better. He could hear the surprise in her voice, but she’d seemed distant and preoccupied.

  A large black sedan rolled to a smooth stop outside the front of the house. Cole rolled his shoulders and stood. It was time to make things happen. First the meeting, then Melanie. He walked to the front door and opened it wide. Cole shook off his personal thoughts and focused on the two men in front of him. He needed to get his head together.

  Phillip Anderson was about to make something very important happen for him. This man represented Sarah’s dream of making their organic, grass-fed beef available in the mass market a reality. He owned one of North America’s largest chain restaurants and wanted them to be the exclusive supplier. They were looking to introduce beef that was ethically and sustainably farmed, which was the foundation of their ranching practice. The cattle industry wasn’t easy and Cole knew it was only because of his family’s reputation and many years in the industry that they were still able to maintain their market share. But this would mean a lucrative deal and the fulfillment of a dream.

  Phillip Anderson and Ronald Westbourne greeted him moments later. They shook hands and Cole ushered them into his office. Once coffees were poured, he gestured them to the leather wingback chairs in front of his desk. He settled in himself, trying to concentrate on the required small talk before they got down to business.

  “I’m looking forward to showing Ronald around the ranch,” Phillip said. Cole had already given Phillip a tour on their last meeting, but he knew he’d want his future son-in-law to look around as well. “Cole, I think we’ve got ourselves the makings of a fine deal,” Phillip said, smiling at him. “At the root of Anderson Food Group is family, and our customers are everyday Americans, families. We want to give them a menu that shows we care. We care about what they feed their children. It’s no doubt the organic movement is growing, that people are looking for beef that’s been raised without hormones or steroids. We want to be the forerunner, the first in a chain of our size to make this available to our customers.”

  Cole nodded. “I think you’re right on. You’ll be ahead of the game, and you won’t find a better product out there, I can guarantee it.”

  “This is going to work out very well for all of us,” Ronald Westbourne said with a smile that didn’t seem quite genuine. He had no idea if it was just that they were from different worlds, or what, but there was something about him. Cole had a pretty good sense of people, and while these gentlemen’s reputations were stellar, there was something about them on a personal level that made him slightly cautious. But none of that mattered. He never mixed business with pleasure. He wasn’t looking for friends; he was looking for investors.

  “I feel this will be a good fit for both of
us. I can see that family is just as significant to you. That was one of the traits that set you apart from the competition. Our restaurants are family restaurants, and you’re a brand we’d like to be associated with,” Phillip Anderson said. Cole was proud of his company’s reputation and he was pleased to hear they were highly regarded.

  “I’m looking forward to doing business with you,” Cole said, rising. Normally he wouldn’t mind lingering a little, but right now he had a hell of a lot to do. This was going to be a damn fine day. Cori’s fiancée had texted letting him know they would be flying home as soon as possible.

  The minute this meeting was over he was heading into Passion Creek to see Melanie. He was not about to let her go. He had laughed more times than he could keep track of when they were holed up in the cabin together. He’d enjoyed talking to her. He actually told her things about Sarah he’d never confided in anyone with. And his one taste of her was not enough. When she’d said good-bye, the emptiness consumed him again. He wasn’t a stupid man. He knew what was happening, even if he’d never admit it out loud. He was interested.

  “We’ll have the papers drawn up and sent to our respective lawyers,” Phillip said, rising and extending his hand. Cole nodded and shook it.

  “Excellent. I’d love to spend more time, gentlemen, but I’m going to be hosting a wedding here this week,” Cole said walking toward the door from his study to the main foyer of the house.

  “Congratulations. We’re going to be hosting Ronald’s wedding to our daughter next month. There is nothing more important than family,” Phillip said, his face pulled into a tight smile.

  “Absolutely,” Cole said with a smile. He glanced down at his watch. He didn’t want to appear rude, not asking the man anything about his family. “How many children do you have?”

  “Just one. One beautiful daughter.”

  “Well, that’s great. Good luck with your wedding, Ron.”

  “Thank you. I’m marrying a wonderful woman.”

  Cole watched them leave, feeling satisfied. What he’d accomplished today was the perfect way to end one chapter of his life and begin another. In one week’s time, his little sister would be married, and he will have expanded their family business. He was ready to move on with his life.

  …

  “Hey, there.”

  Melanie jumped and turned around to see Cole standing beside her. If she could have inhaled his face, she would have. Of course, that would have been highly inappropriate. But the man, after a long day’s work, was even more appealing than freshly shaven. His hair was all mussed up and dark stubble traced the strong lines of his face. Cole Forrester was more appetizing than a triple-layer chocolate cake infused with rum and dripping with icing.

  “Hi.”

  “So what was up with the big disappearing act the other morning?”

  She squinted up at the lights in the trees, pretending to focus. She had totally bailed, leaving a lame note about how she needed to catch up on work, but there had been no choice. Just hearing her father’s name on Cole’s lips had made her ill. There was no solution to this problem other than avoiding him until the wedding was over. What could she have done? She couldn’t tell Cole anything about Anderson Food. He’d looked so…excited. No, she wasn’t about to ruin this for him; she had no right.

  “Like I said in the note, I was behind on work. I had to call those brides and explain what happened because of the storm and then some details for Cori’s wedding this week.”

  “Bull, Mel, I happen to think you got scared about us.”

  “Us?”

  He took a step closer, leaned down, and whispered in her ear. “And me being hotter than you ever thought.”

  She closed her eyes, the image of her hands on his body taunting her. “I told you I would blame that on the vast quantities of alcohol I was served at this ranch.”

  She crossed her arms and pulled her hat down lower on her head. “It’s freezing out here, too cold to stand here debating whether—”

  “Then let’s go inside.”

  “I can’t. I’m here to see how the lighting installation went. And I’m glad I did. This is horrible,” she said, pointing to the trees. On two of the trees, lights dangled in certain spots instead of hugging the branches tightly. Luckily, that distracted him.

  “Can you call them out here to fix it?”

  “Sure, but I was thinking I might just climb the tree and fix it myself. It can’t be that hard. It’s only two trees.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “I have my riding boots on. I’ll be fine.”

  He closed his eyes for a moment and his jaw clenched a few times. “You can’t climb a tree, Mel.”

  “And how would you know that?”

  “Because you could barely walk up to the cabin without breaking your ankle. No way in hell will you be able to climb a tree, fix the lights, and then get back down without flipping onto the ground like a pancake.”

  “Pancake? I don’t like that,” she said poking at his shoulder. Even through his coat she could feel the hard muscle underneath. And she remembered exactly how he looked, too. She focused on her reprimand. “You tripped on the same branch. Frankly, I could blame you for that entire ankle debacle. What kind of guy doesn’t warn—”

  “A guy that was preoccupied by how good it felt to hold your hand.”

  The man could charm the pants off her. Actually, he had almost done that.

  “Oh, man, move over,” he said, grabbing her hand and tugging her over to the side of the driveway. Melanie squinted against the strong headlights beaming at them as a pickup tore up the driveway. She jumped as the horn blared twice before the truck disappeared around the corner of the ranch house.

  “Idiot had his high beams on,” Cole muttered.

  “Was that Gage?”

  He nodded.

  “Was that a woman in his truck?”

  “Yeah, it’s Tuesday night.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It’s his Tuesday pickup.”

  “Oh,” she said, dread pitting in her stomach. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. “That sounds so premeditated. You don’t engage in these…Tuesday-night pickups, do you?”

  “I’m trying to engage in one right now.”

  She burst out laughing.

  “That wasn’t supposed to elicit laughter.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Right. Why don’t you come inside, warm up, and then call the lighting guys?”

  “No, no. I really want to get this done myself.” She knew exactly what was going to happen if she went inside with him. The closer she got to Cole, the harder it would be to walk away. And she would have to walk away, especially if was going to be working with her father in any sort of capacity.

  “You’re not getting in that tree.”

  “Someone has to. Don’t you have someone who could get up there for me? What about one of your guys? Surely a cowboy could.”

  “No one on this ranch is going to risk their neck climbing up an icy tree, Mel. Not happening.”

  …

  Twenty minutes later, perched on a tree branch Cole was cursing loudly. Melanie put on her sweetest smile and waved when he looked down.

  “That’s perfect, Cole! You can climb down now!”

  “Thanks,” he muttered. Melanie held her breath as he slowly scaled down the massive tree trunk and then clapped when he landed on the ground soundly. She would never tell him how impressed she was that he’d done that. Or how good he’d looked. Nope.

  “Your sister is going to be so happy.”

  “All right, well, now you have to come inside,” he said, holding out his hand.

  Her gaze darted to the house and then to his hand. Her heart missed a few beats. “Okay, but just for a bit. And no whiskey or hot chocolate,” she said, slipping her hand into his as they walked. The feel of his large hand wrapped around hers was electrifying and comforting at the same time.

  “Mrs. H is in t
own, so no chance of that happening.”

  “Good for her. Out with friends?”

  “Uh, I don’t know. She was mumbling something about needing to buy some treats for a show she watches on Sunday nights.” Once they reached the porch, he opened the front door and waited for her to pass through.

  “I just love her,” she said, walking inside. He took their coats and tossed them on the front bench. The house was quiet and the lighting dim. As happy as she was that Cole was interested in her, she knew this would lead to problems for the both of them. The other night needed to remain in the past. Now that her father was in the picture, she needed to tread very carefully.

  “Why don’t I light a fire?”

  She opened her mouth to say no, but when she looked into his brown eyes, found herself unable to. “Cole, I don’t know what we’re doing,” she whispered.

  He frowned slightly and crossed the room to stand a few inches from her. His clean scent filled her, pulled at her. “We don’t have to figure things out. This doesn’t have to be complicated. We’re just enjoying each other’s company. How about that?”

  He was looking at her in a way that made her think he understood her on some level. Maybe that was it. Maybe Cole did understand. After all, he was the one trying to get over losing his wife. “Okay,” she said finally. “Sounds good.”

  “Then why don’t you have a seat, and I’ll get us something to eat?”

  “Thanks, but I had dinner.”

  “A snack,” he called out, already heading down the hallway.

  “No alcohol,” she said to his retreating figure. She wandered over to the row of floor-to-ceiling bookcases, idly admiring the different ornaments and photographs. She’d always loved their family pictures. Everyone was smiling. All the time. Real smiles. She focused in on a picture of Cole standing with his father on the front porch. Father and son looked very much alike and they shared the same brown eyes. Her hand tightened around the black, wooden frame. How different their upbringing had been. She’d hated knowing that her eyes were the same color as her father’s. To Cole, it must have been a source of pride.