Kitabı oxu: «Rich, Rugged Ranchers»

Rich, Rugged Ranchers
Sunset
Surrender
Charlene Sands
A Real Cowboy
Sarah M. Anderson
Beguiling
the Boss
Joan Hohl
In the
Rancher’s Arms
Kathie DeNosky
The Texan’s Contract Marriage
Sara Orwig
His for the Taking
Ann Major

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Sunset Surrender

Sophia rose from her seat and came over to his side of the table, brushing his shoulder to reach for his plate.

Her long tresses flowed onto his lap as she brought her face inches from his. He smelled of earth, rawhide and musk, and her breathing quickened as their eyes met. He was a beautiful man who hated her, but right now, she saw desire darken his eyes. She whispered gently, blowing her breath over his lips, playing the vixen he thought she was, “I’ll clean this up and then we’ll get right to work so you won’t have to stay any longer than necessary.”

Logan stared at her, their gazes linked and then his hand touched the ribbon of exposed skin at her waist. Her breath caught in her throat and her senses heightened as he splayed his fingers along the rim of her shirt.

It was unexpected magic.

Dear Reader,

I’m beyond thrilled that Sunset Surrender is the first book in Mills & Boon^®’s new RICH, RUGGED RANCHERS promotion. Rich and rugged (and gorgeous) describes my hero, Logan Slade, to the letter. He owns and operates Sunset Ranch, raising prized horses on land the Slade family has owned for generations.

In Sunset Surrender, you’ll also meet Sophia Montrose, the beautiful Las Vegas showgirl turned hotel manager who has inherited half of Sunset Lodge located on Slade property. She’s a thorn in Logan’s backside and a woman who can hold her own against a man who bitterly opposes her return to the ranch. But Sophia isn’t the woman he thinks she is—she’s more—and she sets out to prove that Logan has always been wrong about her.

Sparks fly between Logan and Sophia and the sizzle is evident from page one. I hope you enjoy seeing Logan’s ultimate “surrender” in the first installment of the SLADES OF SUNSET RANCH series. Luke’s and Justin’s stories are coming soon.

My motto: the bold, passionate, heart-stopping cowboy always gets the girl!

Happy reading!

Charlene Sands

About the Author

CHARLENE SANDS is a USA TODAY bestselling author of thirty-five romance novels, writing sexy contemporary romances and stories of the Old West. Her books have been honored with the National Readers Choice Award, the Cataromance Reviewer’s Choice Award and she’s a double recipient of the Booksellers’ Best Award. She belongs to the Orange County Chapter and the Los Angeles Chapter of RWA.

Charlene writes bold, passionate, heart-stopping cowboys and always real good men! She knows a little something about true romance—she married her high school sweetheart. When not writing, Charlene enjoys sunny Pacific beaches, great coffee, reading books from her favorite authors and spoiling her new baby granddaughters. You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter. Charlene loves to hear from her readers. You can write her at PO Box 4883, West Hills, CA 91308, USA, or sign up for her newsletter for fun blog posts and ongoing contests at www.charlenesands.com.

With all my love to Everley Frances and Kyra Nicole.

You are my sweet little wonders!

One

Sunset Ranch, Nevada

Sophia Montrose stared into the cowboy’s cold black eyes. His mouth was hard and a twitch away from a sneer.

“Couldn’t wait to show up here, now could you?”

It was not a sunny welcome back to Sunset Ranch. Not that Sophia really expected one from Logan Slade. She’d decided long ago that she would stand her ground and refuse to let him intimidate her. But she hadn’t crossed paths with him since she’d left Sunset Ranch as a girl of fifteen, and had forgotten how his rugged good looks could make her heartbeat speed up. Yet even though maturity had done him justice in a dangerously sinful way, she wouldn’t lose sight of how Logan Slade resented her being here, just as much as he had when she’d lived on Slade land before.

“Is Luke home?” Standing on the doorstep of the ranch house, Sophia hoped to see the friendly face of Logan’s younger brother soon.

“No. He’ll be home tomorrow. You want to come back?”

She shook her head. She had nowhere else to go. She’d given up her small Las Vegas apartment and had driven for hours to reach the ranch this afternoon. She didn’t want to take a room in Carson City. She was ready to start her new life, now. This minute. “I came for the keys to the cottage.”

He leveled an unforgiving look at her. “You’ll get them.”

Logan had instructed his attorney not to give her the keys in advance. He’d wanted her to come for them personally. It was Logan’s way. He wanted to see her squirm, or at the very least, make her feel uncomfortable the second she stepped foot on Slade property.

She put out her hand, palm up, and tried for civility. “Please. I’d like to get settled.”

He assessed her for one moment, then whipped around and entered his house, tossing a command over his shoulder. “Follow me.”

She was left on the threshold with her hand out. Quickly lowering it to her side, she tilted her chin up, and took a few steps inside the house.

The minute she entered, her throat tightened and good memories washed away Logan’s attempt to ruin this homecoming. The place was as beautiful as she remembered. She’d loved the warmth of the Slade home, the pretty earth colors, the cozily arranged furniture that faced a wide stone fireplace that reached the ceiling. Antiques, bronze statues and expensive artwork decorated the room. Hard wood and contrasting soft hues made the Nevada ranch house perfectly welcoming.

How many times had she played here with Luke? How many birthday parties and private Sunset Lodge events had she attended here with her mother? A stream of good feelings settled into her bones.

She followed behind Logan, his shiny black boots clicking against polished wood. His tall muscular frame ate up space as he sauntered down the long hallway toward his late father Randall Slade’s office. Logan was neat as a pin, looking crisp in a blue plaid shirt and brand-new jeans. Broad-backed and slim-hipped, he had a fine way of filling out his clothes. He made no attempt to speak with her. She didn’t expect small talk from him anyway.

Sophia could only imagine his tirade when the terms of his father’s last will and testament had been read by the Slades’ private attorney. It must have been a last-minute decision on Mr. Slade’s part to include her in the will, because when Luke had called—a voice from her past—she’d noted his surprised tone. But he was encouraging. He couldn’t wait to see her again after all these years, he’d said, despite the circumstances.

But no one could have been more surprised than Sophia when she’d learned she’d inherited half ownership of Sunset Lodge from Randall Slade. The only stipulation was that she had to manage the lodge for one year before she could sell her share.

It had been twelve years since she’d lived here. Her mother, as the manager of Sunset Lodge, had left abruptly, breaking all ties to the Slade family and asking Sophia to do the same. It meant losing Luke’s friendship and many other things, when they’d left Sunset Ranch.

“It’s for the best,” her mother had said. But Sophia hadn’t understood that, the way children couldn’t understand sacrifice and hardship and doing the right thing. Sophia had been yanked out of high school in her first year without any warning. She’d left girlfriends behind—and all of her dreams—and had cried herself to sleep every night during those first few months.

Now, with her mother gone after fighting a two-year battle with cancer, Sophia was here to claim her unexpected inheritance. Randall Slade had always been kind to her, showing her compassion, and Sophia thought him a good man. He had treated Sophia like family, had been a father figure to her when her own father had abandoned her at the age of three.

“In here,” Logan rasped, ducking into the office.

She followed him inside.

“Have a seat.” He pointed to a crimson leather sofa that looked stiff and new. As she gazed around the room, she noted that the entire room had been updated.

Instead of the paneled walls and golden curtains she’d remembered, the walls were clean, textured and stately. Wide electronically controlled windows opened to the grounds outside. Above, rustic chandelier lamps had been replaced with track lights that pointed down at the desk like a row of dutiful soldiers. It was as if all evidence of Randall Slade and his reign at Sunset Ranch had been removed.

“No, thank you.” Her decision to stand garnered a quick glance and then a grunt from Logan. Sophia smiled to herself. She’d cling to her small victories.

She wished Luke had been the one to greet her today. She would’ve liked him to be the first person she’d face upon her return to Sunset Ranch. But she’d moved up her arrival by a few days out of necessity, and maybe it was a good thing to get this confrontation with Logan over with first, rather than hold on to her dread. When she saw Luke again, there wouldn’t be worries about his older brother overshadowing their reunion.

“I’m sorry about your father,” Sophia said out of reverence to Randall Slade’s memory. “He was a decent man. I’m sure you miss him very much.”

From behind his long plank desk, Logan’s stony expression didn’t budge. “We’re not here to discuss my relationship with my father.”

“You won’t even allow me to offer my condolences?” Sophia spoke softly, injured that Logan wouldn’t grant her that much. “He was always kind to me.”

Leather creaked as he lowered down in a swivel chair behind his desk. “He was kind to Montrose women at the expense of my family.”

She stood five feet seven inches tall in bare feet and yet Logan, sitting behind his desk with penetrating eyes locked on her, appeared the more imposing. She swallowed past a lump in her throat. Her mother’s death was still painfully raw to her. She knew Logan resented her mother. Maybe he hated her, but she wouldn’t allow him to speak ill of her. “My mother died several months ago, Logan. I miss her, just as I’m sure you miss your father. I will ask you to keep your thoughts to yourself about what you think you know.”

“I know the truth, Sophia. And there’s no way to sugarcoat it.” His voice held conviction. “Your mother had an affair with my father, right under my mother’s nose. Louisa wanted his money and he was too blinded by her beauty to see what she was doing. Our family was never the same after that. It nearly destroyed us.”

Sophia glanced out the window at the beautiful grounds and the stables where exquisite horses were raised to be sold to the highest bidder. The lodge beyond was a private resort designed to house elite guests who wanted a ranch-type experience with all the trimmings.

The Slade brothers—Justin, Luke and Logan—had endured their mother and father’s deaths but they had each other, and they’d always have Sunset Ranch, whereas Sophia was completely alone. For whatever pain the Slades went through, she was truly sorry, but what had happened between her mother, Louisa and Randall Slade was complicated and not so easily explained.

“My mother saved your parents’ marriage.”

Logan shot back, “You’ve worn too many headdresses in your day, Sophia. All that strutting around half-naked on Las Vegas stages has gotten to you.”

His triumphant gaze penetrated straight through her. She shouldn’t have been surprised that he knew about her profession as a showgirl. She’d managed to keep under the radar for most of her adult life, but when her mother had taken ill Sophia had tough choices to make to provide for both of them and she wasn’t ashamed of it. Nearly everyone within earshot in Nevada had learned about her scandalous marriage to an aging millionaire. What was to be a private union had ended up becoming fodder for the tabloids once the news of her marriage got out. Even in Las Vegas, a twenty-six-year-old showgirl marrying a seventy-one year old oil magnate on the sly was big news.

“So you know?”

“I read, Sophia.”

“My marriage and my last profession aren’t any of your business,” she said softly. Her heart was full of grief and she had no room left for more. Not from Logan and not on her first day back here. There would be more battles to come, she was sure, but she didn’t want to argue with him today.

He swept his eyes over her again, this time more precisely, as if he were ranking her on some kind of male scale. He scanned over the long wisps of black hair that had escaped from the severe knot at the back of her head and then his gaze traveled from her amber eyes to her full lips. He lingered there, and she wondered if he remembered the kiss they’d shared in high school. The one that had left Sophia breathless and wanting more. The one that Logan had used to humiliate her. She’d never gotten over her first real kiss or the pain that it had caused her.

“You’re beautiful, Sophia,” was all seventeen-year-old Logan had had to say as he’d taken her into his arms behind the gymnasium. He’d pressed his body close and kissed her lips as if he were born to do so. It had been glorious and sweet and passionate, all rolled up into one. Sophia had been taken by the sweeping, unexpected feelings stirring around in her belly. On instinct, she had wrapped her arms around his neck and he’d kept on kissing her, Sophia giving in to the older boy’s practiced mouth until laughter, from the other side of the brick wall, interrupted them. Logan had abruptly broken off the kiss and stared solemnly into her eyes for a brief moment frozen in time, before he took off, leaving her standing there dumbfounded as he joined his friends.

News of Logan’s bet with their three high school classmates—that Sophia wouldn’t push him away if he kissed her—had been the buzz all around school the next day. Sophia was easy, just like her mother.

Now she angled her chin down to stare at him, combating the sensations swamping her and wishing she’d never been attracted to Luke’s older brother in the first place. She hated that the heat of his gaze did things to her. Hated that she hadn’t forgotten that one surprising kiss. It was as if Logan had stamped her for life.

He continued his visual assault with a gaze that traveled along the neckline of her conservative summer dress and lingered on her ample bustline. For as much as she tried, her clothes simply couldn’t hide the fullness of her breasts. They were evident no matter what she wore, and she’d actually considered a reduction at one point in her life when putting food on the table and paying hospital bills hadn’t yet been a priority. But her body and her exotic Spanish looks had paid the bills when it mattered most. She had to be grateful for that.

Logan’s gaze finally scoured over her legs, which were almost in full view from his place behind the desk. She wished she’d sat down when he’d given her the opportunity, rather than be studied this way. Now, under his scrutiny, she tensed.

When he was through eyeing her, he said, “What’d you do, give the old guy heart failure in the bedroom?”

Sophia gasped at the notion and took the comment as an insult, because that’s exactly how Logan had intended it. He’d rather think the worst of her than offer her even the slightest ounce of respect. “He’s not dead, thank goodness. We’re … divorced.”

Logan contemplated her for a second. “Short marriage. Was Gordon Gregory smart enough to get a prenup?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but I was the one who demanded it.”

Logan leaned back in his chair and laughed. “You don’t fool me, Sophia. You’re just like your mother.”

“Thank you. I’ll take that as a compliment. My mother was an amazing woman.”

The smile left Logan’s face. He came forward in his seat to brace his hands on the desk. Serious now, he stared straight into her eyes. “Look, I’ll make you a deal. I’m willing to buy out your half of the lodge. You won’t have to stay on and run the place for a year. I can have my attorney get around that stipulation somehow. I’m prepared to make you a mighty generous offer.”

“No.”

“You don’t want to know the amount?” He had a pen in hand, ready to write down a sum.

“No amount of money will do.”

Logan didn’t seem convinced. He shrugged, and thought she was negotiating. “Let’s cut to the chase, Sophia. I’ll pay you twice what it’s worth.”

He took a knife and stabbed her in the heart with that offer. He wanted to get rid of her, and now she knew just how much. But she wouldn’t allow that to stop her. She had legal rights to the lodge and no matter what he offered, Sophia wasn’t going to leave. “No. I’m staying. I will run Sunset Lodge.”

Sunset Ranch had been her home for twelve years. She’d loved living at the cottage next to the lodge. It was the only place she’d ever wanted to live. The only place she’d ever regarded as her home. And she wasn’t about to let Logan Slade run her off.

She would stay.

And she would be as successful a manager as her mother had been.

“Now please, Logan. Hand over the keys.”

Logan walked Sophia outside to her car. The old dented Camry looked the worse for wear with nearly bald tires and paint getting thin. The scrap of metal was fifteen years old if it was a day. Hardly the kind of wheels he expected a Las Vegas showgirl who’d been married to a loaded old geezer to drive.

He held on to the cottage keys, wishing his dang father hadn’t seen fit to put Sophia in his will. She was too beautiful, too perfect. Every feature on her face was flawless. She had golden eyes, inky black hair and skin that glowed in the Nevada sunshine. She was the kind of woman that made men do stupid things. He didn’t want to think about what kind of trouble she would stir up around here. His men would bend over backward for her, he was sure. They’d done the same for Louisa. All that woman had to do was smile pretty, and the ranch hands would do her bidding. She’d had them eating out of the palm of her hand.

Sophia had grown into the spitting image of her mother and then some. In fact, Logan hated to admit it but Sophia Montrose was even more stunning than her mother had been.

“So, refresh my memory. Why in hell do you want to live way out here with the dust and the flies and horse dung?”

Sophia rolled her eyes, and the deep breath she sucked in lifted her ample chest, stretching the material of her dress to its limit. Logan’s groin tightened. He didn’t like his immediate reaction to her one damn bit.

“Sunset Ranch was my home, too, Logan. For twelve years of my life. It was a happy time, and I loved working alongside my mother at the lodge, which—thanks to your father’s kindness—is half mine now. So why would I not want to live here?”

Logan rubbed the back of his neck. He still didn’t get why his father put Sophia Montrose in his will. “It’s hardly an exciting life.”

Sophia repeated his words. “It’s hardly an exciting life.”

Logan’s brows lifted. “You telling me you didn’t like living in Las Vegas? A woman like you?”

Sophia narrowed her eyes. “You have no idea who I am, Logan.”

He knew she was the kind of woman who wasn’t above sleeping with an old man to get her hands on his money. The old codger must have come to his senses before she cleaned him out, prenup or not.

“I can’t change the past,” she said. “But I’m here to make a life for myself.”

“On Slade land.”

“Yes, on Slade land. Now, are you going to keep jingling those keys in front of me or are you going to hand them over?”

Logan looked at the keys in his hand. “No one has lived there since you left.”

Sophia’s brows gathered. “Are you saying that the cottage is exactly the same?”

He nodded. “My father wouldn’t allow anyone else to live there. Another victory for Louisa. You can bet that decision didn’t set well with my mother. I used to hear them fighting about it late at night.”

“That’s hardly my mother’s fault. Or mine, for that matter.”

“You’ll have to let the current manager at the lodge go.”

Sophia met his smug stare. “Go? What do you mean?”

“I mean, she’s out of a job now. The thing of it is, Sophia, you’re going to replace her as manager. Last I checked the place can’t have two full-time managers. Mrs. Polanski has to be notified.”

“You don’t honestly expect me to go in there and fire her, do you?”

“Well, if you don’t want to, she can stay on and I’ll buy you out. That’ll solve your problem.”

Sophia crossed her arms under her breasts and glared at him. “You go straight to hell.”

Logan grinned. He couldn’t help it. He’d succeeded in rankling her. Up until this point, she’d been a cool customer. But he’d be darned if the woman didn’t just get prettier with her face heating up and her eyes shooting sparks. “I’m just telling you like it is, Sophia. Mrs. Polanski has managed the place going on eight years now. She’s good and the guests like her.”

“And you left it up to me to fire her. How sweet of you.”

“Something has to give. It seems my father didn’t think of everything when he gave away our lodge.”

“I only have half ownership. He didn’t give it all away.”

“I bet you wish he had.”

She lifted her perfectly sculpted chin and replied without pause. “Yes, sure. I wish I had full ownership.”

Logan eyed her. He hadn’t expected her to admit it.

“Maybe then I wouldn’t have to deal with you … or fire an employee.”

Now, Logan’s blood boiled. “That lodge has been in the Slade family for generations. It was a little hole-in-the-wall inn for drifters and penniless soldiers after World War II, until my grandfather came along and built it into the fine establishment it is today. You tell me how you figure into that picture?”

Sophia raised her arms into the air, her temper flaring. “I don’t know why your father was so generous with me, Logan. I don’t know what you want me to say, but obviously your father had faith in me to do the job right. I’m here now and I am going to manage the lodge. If I have to let someone go, I’ll do it. But,” she said, pointing her finger at his chest, “I can assure you, I will not forget that you placed me in this position the very second I stepped onto the ranch.”

“That’s the way I want to be remembered, Sophia. As the guy who is going to test you, time and again. You don’t belong here, but I won’t stand in your way, either, if you do a good job. And don’t worry, I’m relinquishing my duties at the lodge to Luke. You’ll deal with him from now on.” He dropped the keys into her hand. “Starting tomorrow.”

She closed her hands around the keys. “I didn’t want to start out like this, Logan.”

He opened the car door for her and spoke with as much civility as he could muster. “Half a mile down the road. I’m sure you remember how to get there.”

“Yes, I do remember,” she said. As she squeezed past him to get into the car, her knockout breasts brushed his chest and the firm contact, along with the stirring scent of her erotic perfume, assaulted him like a blow to the gut.

He closed the car door, and watched her Camry vanish into the horizon as half a dozen curses slipped out of his mouth.

The second Logan was out of sight in her rearview mirror, Sophia slumped her shoulders and loosened the tight grip she had on the steering wheel. She eased her foot off the pedal a little and let the car amble along the road that led to Sunset Lodge. She simply would not think of Logan Slade again. He angered her, but he also thrilled her, and it was an emotion she didn’t welcome—and one she tried to will away. Her mother had once told her that matters of the heart could not be explained or understood. They just were. Sophia would not be a fool in regard to Logan Slade. He’d offered her a small fortune just to be rid of her. How could she feel anything for him but disdain?

Certainly, she could avoid him while living here. Nestled between the grand Sierra Nevadas and Carson City, Sunset Ranch was vast, spanning miles in a diamond-shaped perimeter. Tomorrow, when Luke arrived home, she’d renew their friendship and she’d deal with him on matters involving her lodge duties. At least she had one friend on Sunset Ranch she could count on.

“Don’t you worry about a thing, darlin’,” he’d said. “I’ll make sure you get a proper welcome home.”

Snow from winter storms capped the tallest peaks of the mountain range, reminding her of vanilla ice cream on a waffle cone. The image made her smile. She’d almost forgotten how peaceful and beautiful the landscape was on Sunset Ranch in the spring, the indigo skies dotted with white marshmallow clouds. It was so different from the crowded marquee-laden noisy streets of Las Vegas.

The lodge stables came into view first, and her heart squeezed tight that her mother couldn’t be here to see the grounds once again. Louisa had loved caring for the horses in her spare time. “So sorry, Mama.”

Sophia blinked away a tear, taking a deep breath.

As she drove a little farther, the lodge filled her vision. It wasn’t what one would expect to see on a Nevada ranch. The lodge was grand, made of natural, rounded gray stone mingled with cedar sidings in a glorious combination that spoke of elegance and grace. The surrounding land was fertile and filled with wispy wildflowers in bloom. And the immediate grounds were groomed impeccably.

It was considered a privilege by the employees to tend the property and work the stables. Not too many workers came and went at Sunset Lodge. The Slades had always maintained long-standing relationships with those on staff.

Sophia felt queasy about having to release Mrs. Polanski, and any thought she had of stopping in to see the lodge vanished in an instant. She couldn’t face that hurdle right now. She would settle into the cottage first and get organized. She would wait until tomorrow to speak to Luke about the woman.

The cottage was tucked behind and out of view of the lodge. It afforded a good amount of privacy, which Sophia wanted now above all else. The media splash her secret marriage had created, along with watching her mother lose her struggle with cancer, had taken a giant toll on her. She needed to regroup and dive into work she would enjoy. More than anything else, Sophia had to prove something to herself.

All her life, she had gotten by on her looks. She’d never had the chance to go to college, but she’d never regretted the time she’d spent with her mother, helping her manage small motels and inns on the outskirts of Las Vegas. When her mother became ill, Sophia had honed her natural dance abilities to land ensemble roles for big-time casinos in Las Vegas. She’d made enough money to support the two of them as a showgirl, not so much because of her brains or talent, but because she looked the way she did.

Now was her chance to dig in, to give it her all and to shine doing something she loved.

“Ms. Montrose, hello!”

A rider on a gorgeous bay mare sidled up next to the car. She didn’t realize how slowly she was actually driving. She rolled the window the rest of the way down.

“It’s Ward Halliday. Remember me?”

She glanced at the Slade’s head horse wrangler. “Oh, Mr. Halliday. Yes, I do recognize you. How have you been?”

He grinned crookedly. “Getting old and grouchy,” he said as he rode along beside her car. “But seeing you here sure brightened my day.”

“Well, thank you. It’s good be ho—here. I’ve missed it.”

His grin faded and he gave her a solemn nod. “Sure am sorry to hear about your mama, girl.”

She put her foot on the brake and the car rolled to a stop. “Thank you. It was a hard time.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that it was,” he said, pulling up on the mare’s reins. “She was a nice woman. She made cookies a time or two for my boy, Hunter. Gosh, he was a little cuss then.”

“I remember. I helped her, Mr. Ward.”

A sweet smile wrinkled his face. “Heck, you’re not fifteen anymore. You can call me Ward. Here comes Hunter now.”

He turned in his saddle just as a younger man approached on a horse. “He was just a kid when you left the ranch. He’s working here with me now and planning on going to Texas A & M in the fall.”

Sophia turned off the engine, and stepped out of the car. The sun beamed down with early afternoon intensity and she shielded her eyes as she gazed up to greet the young man. “So you’re little Hunter. It’s good to see you again.”

He took no offense yet straightened her out good-naturedly. “Not so little anymore, miss.”

No, he wasn’t. Hunter Halliday was taller than his dad and broader in the shoulders. “I can see that.”

“Are you fixin’ on moving in right now?” he asked.

“Yes, I was just on my way to the cottage.”

Ward looked at the boxes in the backseat of her car. “You need help? Hunter will help you unload.”

“Oh, well … I could use a hand, but if you’re busy—”

“I’m not busy at all,” Hunter said. “Mr. Slade sent me out to see if I can help.”

He did? Logan hadn’t seemed to care one bit that Sophia had to move all of her things into the cottage by herself. He hadn’t offered to help, the way a gentleman would, but then she really hadn’t expected much from him. “Then yes. I would appreciate your help.”

Ward tipped his hat. “Welcome home, Ms. Montrose.”

“Call me Sophia,” she said just before he turned his horse around.

“Will do,” he called over his shoulder.

Sophia smiled and got back into her car. “I’ll meet you at the cottage,” she said to Hunter.

Hunter took off and somehow managed to beat her there. He ground-tethered his horse and came forward to open the car door for her.

“You got here fast.”

He grinned. “I know a shortcut, miss.”

“Of course.” She was reminded of all the shortcuts she’d taken on horseback when she lived here. The paved roads weren’t always the quickest way from point A to point B. “And please, call me Sophia, too.”

He was already reaching into her backseat for a box.

“Sure thing.”

He came up with three boxes, stacking them and managing to keep them balanced as he walked to the door. Sophia put the key into the lock. Her heart hammered against her chest, and Hunter beat her to the words that were just forming on her lips.

“I bet it’s just the way you remembered it.”

She breathed out. “I hope so.”

She opened the door without fanfare and moved quietly into the cozy three-bedroom cottage. She glanced around, taking everything in with a quick scan. “It is just as I remembered it.”

Hunter glanced around. “I’ve always wondered what the place looked like on the inside. It’s sorta nice. Homey.”

“Yes,” Sophia agreed. She honestly hadn’t known what to expect after Logan informed her no one else had lived here since she and her mother left. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she’d wondered if he would deliberately let the place fall to ruin out of bitterness.

“Where would you like the boxes?” Hunter asked.

She walked into the master bedroom that was once her mother’s and forced away her sentimentality for Hunter’s sake. She didn’t want to cry in front of him. “In here, I think.”

He followed her, and then set the boxes on the floor by the long three-drawer dresser. Sunlight streamed inside and cast a golden glow on the room. “Wow, looks like a daisy patch in here.”

Sophia smiled. “My mother loved daisies. They were her favorite flower.” And the room, decorated with white eyelet curtains covered with teensy daisies and a bedspread of creams and buttercup yellows, depicted that love. “My mama liked things bright. That’s how she viewed the world.”

Hunter didn’t say anything about that. He finished unloading her car and she thanked him for his help. Once she was alone, she sat down on the bed. The curtains were crisp, the bedspread fluffy. There wasn’t a speck of dust anywhere. Everything was in good condition—too good to have been left uncared for all this time. Someone had made sure these things were well preserved. And she had a feeling that someone had been Randall Slade.

He was still taking care of her, even from the grave.

After half an hour of unpacking, the doorbell chimed. It was the same singsong melody that she’d remembered. Curious, she walked to the door and looked through the peephole. An older woman stood on the cottage threshold holding a lovely vase of pink roses and greenery.

Sophia opened the door.

“Ms. Montrose?”

She nodded slowly. “Yes, I’m Sophia Montrose.”

“I’m Ruth Polanski. I’ve come to welcome you to Sunset Lodge.”

Sophia shuddered. Ruth Polanski, the manager of the lodge? This was the woman she would have to let go. She wasn’t ready for this. She hadn’t had time to figure out a way to give the woman the bad news. If Logan sent her over here …

“Would you like to come inside?”

“Just for a minute,” the silver-haired woman said. “I’m off duty now and don’t want to impose. But I wanted to meet you and give you something to warm your home.” She handed Sophia the lovely flower-filled vase. “Welcome,” she said, her kind eyes crinkling with her smile.

Sophia held the vase in one hand and gestured for her to enter with the other. Her heart raced. She didn’t know if she could do this. And she wondered why Luke hadn’t mentioned having to fire an elderly woman in order to take her position as manager. Surely, her friend would have known the delicate position this placed her in. “Thank you. They are beautiful.”

“I hope you don’t mind me coming over here so quickly. Hunter stopped by and gave me the news and I was very anxious to meet you. I’ve managed the lodge for eight years now.”

“Oh, uh, yes. Logan informed me of that today.”

“I can’t tell you how happy I am. I mean, I am sad that Mr. Slade passed on. He was a good man—tough but good—and I promised him something when his heart started failing last year.”

“Oh?”

Ruth Polanski stood in the middle of the parlor, looking slightly relieved to be sharing this. “Well, he made me promise to stay on as manager until you came to take over.”

“He made you promise to stay?”

“That’s right. I’ve been itching to retire. Everybody on the ranch knows it, too. I’ve got three grandchildren and a husband who retired last year. But I wouldn’t go back on my promise and I never told a soul about our agreement. It’s the way he wanted it. Mr. Slade’s been good to me, and Logan, well, he’s a saint in man’s clothing.”

Had she been sipping a drink, Sophia would have choked hearing those last words.

“Are you saying you want to quit your position as manager?” Sophia was catching on, and her anger was kicking up steam faster than a whistling tea kettle.

“Why, yes. Didn’t Logan tell you? I’ve been waiting for you to arrive. Of course, I won’t leave you high and dry. I’ll stick around until you get the hang of our operation here.”

“Th-thank you.”

“Very welcome. It’s not too much different than when you were living here. The lodge still has a great reputation for service and accommodations, and we have the same festivities and trail rides in the spring and summer months that we’ve always had. I’m sure you know all of this. Whenever you’re ready, I’ll be happy to show you the ropes. And once I’m gone, Logan will be able to answer any questions you have.”

Sophia smiled sweetly. The sainted man would soon get an earful from her. Sophia wasn’t good at playing the victim. She would find a way to get even with Logan Slade for deliberately misleading her. From now on, she would keep her guard up around him. “Yes, Mrs. Polanski, once you’re gone, I’m certain Logan will be answering to me.”

Two

Morning sunlight beamed in through the daisy-print curtains in a cheerful greeting Sophia wasn’t quite ready for. Waking up in her mother’s old room, her hazy disorientation didn’t last long as her eyes focused and she remembered where she was and that today was the start of her new life. The sun’s warmth soaked into her bones and helped soothe away her anger at Logan Slade. Thanks to him, she’d had a hard time falling asleep last night. He’d made sure her homecoming wasn’t a thing of dreams. Wouldn’t he love to know that Sophia had had her own doubts about moving back here. That she feared that her old surroundings would cause her pain. That maybe she couldn’t handle this big a job as well as her mother had. If determination had anything to do with success, then Sophia wouldn’t have a worry, because above all else, she would see this through. But doubts still had a way of creeping in after all the mental pep talks faded away.

Six weeks ago, she wouldn’t have pictured herself back on Slade land, living at the cottage where she’d grown up and being part owner of glorious Sunset Lodge. The elder Slade and her mother had left this earth just a few months apart and somewhere in the back of her mind, she believed that Louisa and Randall were together now, bonded by love and reunited in spirit. That thought comforted Sophia as she lifted her arms through the sleeves of her flowery silk robe and padded from the soft bedside carpeting onto the stone floor that led to the kitchen.

Sophia had always loved the open-air feel to the kitchen, the large picture window, wood-beam ceilings and textured archways that separated the room from the parlor. The countertops were not built of modern stone, but made with small tiles in varying soft shades of tans and creams. The cabinets were buttercup yellow and the appliances were pristine with analog controls that suited Sophia just fine. She knew every drawer, every cabinet. Everything had been preserved as it once was.

It was too easy to slip back into a time when she’d been happy, when her mother was alive, and when she’d felt free of danger.

A shudder tingled along her spine and thoughts popped into her head of her showgirl days in Las Vegas when she had reason not to feel safe. Just then, she glanced out the window and saw a black-and-white Border collie racing by the cottage. The dog clenched a wooden spatula dripping with something she hoped was lemon batter in his mouth. A dark-haired boy chased him, calling out, “Blackie, come back!”

Sophia chuckled at the scene straight out of a Saturday-morning cartoon. She went to the front door and stepped onto her porch. She spotted the back end of Blackie as he raced around the cottage, tail wagging, seeming to enjoy the sport. The little boy, on the other hand, red-faced from exertion and slowing down, looked ready for the game to end.

Sophia went down the steps and hid behind the front wall, listening for the patter of four paws hitting the ground. Just as the dog turned the corner, Sophia crouched down, surprising the animal. But Blackie was too quick for her. As she lunged, he did a last-second side shuffle and maneuvered away, trotting past her. “Blackie, you stop right now!”

The dog immediately froze, the lemon batter dripping from his mouth, his big brown eyes—dark and innocent—watching her with a curious stare. His little game was over.

The boy rounded the corner next and came to a halt several feet away. His chest heaved up and down rapidly. He had an I’m-not-supposed-to-speak-to-strangers look on his face.

“It’s okay,” she said softly. “I’m Sophia Montrose. I live here now. I’ll be working at Sunset Lodge.”

The boy nodded, then shot the dog a quick glance. Blackie had decided to sit his bottom down ten feet away to watch them, with the spatula still clenched between his teeth. Every so often, his tongue would come out to lap up some batter.

“What’s your name?” she asked the boy.

He paused for a split second. When he spoke, Sophia knew from the innocence in his voice, he was younger than he appeared. “Edward.”

“Hi, Edward. How old are you?”

“T-ten,” he said. “H-how—how old are you?”

The boy stuttered, and Sophia hoped it wasn’t because she had frightened him in any way. “I’m almost twenty-eight. Looks as if little Blackie has something of yours that you want back.”

“Y-yes, ma’am. Only, the s-spatula’s not mine. B-Blackie s-stole it from Nana’s kitchen at the lodge. And she’s gonna be m-mad. He’s not s-supposed to go in the k-kitchen.”

“I see. Well, I bet that if we talk for a minute and ignore him, Blackie will wander over here, and then we’ll get it back.”

The boy shifted his gaze to the dog, sunken down to the ground on all fours holding the spatula between his front paws, happily licking away. Edward faced her again with a dubious expression.

“Do you live around here?” she asked.

Shaggy brown hair fell into his eyes when he nodded. “I live with my nana at the l-lodge. She’s the c-cook.”

Sophia was sure now that she wasn’t the cause of the boy’s stutter. He seemed comfortable with the fact that the words weren’t coming out smoothly, as though his manner of speech was something he’d gotten used to. “Well, then I’m sure I’ll be meeting her soon. I’ll be starting work at the lodge today.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Is Blackie your dog?”

The boy shook his head. “He belongs to Mr. S-Slade. I feed him and walk him and stuff. It’s my j-job.”

“I see. Does Blackie belong to Luke or Logan?”

The boy had to think about that a second. “Logan Slade.” His dark eyes blinked several times as if a light just dawned inside his head. “You w-won’t tell h-him, will you?”

“That Blackie got into the kitchen?”

He nodded.

“No, I won’t tell him,” she assured him with a smile. “But maybe you should tell your grandmother what happened.”

“I l-left the back door open and B-Blackie snuck inside to have b-breakfast with me.”

“He did, did he?”

“Nana wasn’t there at f-first, but when she came back, she y-yelled at Blackie and that’s when he grabbed her s-spatula right outta the b-bowl and took off.”

The culprit dog stealing right under Nana’s nose made Sophia smile. “I think Blackie likes lemon batter. I can’t blame him. I used to sneak a lick or two from the bowl when my mama made lemon chiffon cake.”

“Nana lets me l-lick the bowl s-sometimes, too.”

The dog finally left the spatula on the ground and trotted over to Edward. “There, you see,” Sophia said. “He came to you.”

Edward fluffed the top of the collie’s head several times and then lifted his dark-eyed gaze to Sophia. “He’s a good dog, u-usually.”

“Oh, I can see that he is.” Sophia bent down to stroke his rumpled coat and the dog gave her a long grateful look, tongue hanging out. She was no longer the enemy trying to take his treat, but an admirer willing to pet him.

“He’s quite a mess,” she noted. “I’ll get something to wash him down. Wait here.”

She walked inside the cottage and seconds later came out with a cloth soaked with hot water. “Go ahead and remove the evidence.”

She handed Edward the washcloth, and then strode to where the dog had abandoned the spatula. Bending down, she lifted the dirt-smeared utensil gingerly with two fingers dangling it by the wooden end that was the less filthy. “Your nana might want to retire this one.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Edward’s face crumpled. “She w-won’t be h-happy about that.”

“I wouldn’t think so. Maybe you could make it up to her.”

“H-how?”

“There sure are a lot of gorgeous purple wildflowers growing this time of year. Does your nana like flowers?”

He shrugged. “Don’t know.”

“Most women love flowers. I bet your nana does. A handful of those purple wildflowers and a promise that Blackie won’t steal from the kitchen again might make her happy.”

The boy pondered that idea with a nod. She set the spatula in his hand and his gaze lingered on her.

“Maybe I’ll see you at the lodge later, Edward.”

“Okay.”

The youngster walked away with the dog at his heels. Just as Sophia was about to enter the house, he turned around one last time, giving her a long thoughtful stare.

She waved and walked inside.

Sophia showered and picked her clothes carefully for her first day on the job. She’d learned from her mother that the lodge guests wanted the flavor of the Old West, along with their luxuries. Dress professionally, but always keep in mind that this is a ranch establishment. A coral silk dress, cinched at the waist with a wide suede belt, along with a lightweight jacket rolled up at the sleeves and a pair of tan leather boots, gave just the right impression of professional and Western. After dressing, Sophia gobbled up a bowlful of cereal and slurped down coffee, ready and eager to start her day.

She had something to prove.

To Logan Slade.

But mostly to herself.

Half an hour later, Sophia walked into Sunset Lodge. She banked her feelings of nostalgia and disbelief that half of this glorious establishment was actually hers now and crossed the beautifully appointed lobby. Walking past a massive stone fireplace, cozy seating areas and cedar pillars, she turned to the left and headed straight toward the manager’s office. She found it in the exact location she’d remembered. The door was open, and she paused for a second at the threshold, her hand fisted and ready for a courtesy knock when Ruth Polanski’s voice stopped her in midmotion.

“Welcome, Sophia. Come in, please.” Ruth rose from her desk and came forward with a smile. Instead of putting out her hand in greeting, the older woman wrapped both arms around Sophia’s shoulders, brought her close and gave her a warm, loving hug. Sophia’s heart rang out. She hadn’t been held or embraced like this since her mother had passed and now this kindhearted woman—whom she wouldn’t have to fire—welcomed her with genuine affection. Sensations of loss enveloped her, making her miss her mother even more.

“Good morning,” she said, holding back her emotions.

“I’m glad you’re here,” Ruth said. “How was your first night back on Sunset Ranch?”

Sophia opted to fib. Ruth didn’t need to know how Logan had ruined her sleep last night. “Fine. The cottage is just as I remembered it. I did well.”

“Good, my dear. Well, we can get started in here soon enough, but at the moment, I think it’s important to show you around the lodge and introduce you to our staff. You may even remember a few of our employees.”

“I just might,” Sophia said.

“Shall we?”

“That sounds wonderful.”

Sophia loved touring the grounds and seeing familiar faces. Many of the employees remembered her as a child and offered condolences regarding her mother. It was a trip down memory lane, but Sophia also focused on what was new, and what might need changing. She’d taken a clipboard with her to jot down notes and when she arrived back in Ruth’s office—her office now—she went over the notes with Ruth to get her take on them.

Learning the lodge’s new computer system was a breeze. Ruth showed her the basics, and Sophia picked up on it from there. She’d worked alongside her mother at inns and motels for years. There wasn’t a program she couldn’t figure out. Often her mother had relied on her to navigate new technology.

Poor Ruth. Sophia sensed the woman’s eagerness to retire in every anxious glance the lady gave her. When Sophia grasped a new concept easily, the worry lines around the older woman’s mouth eased into a small smile. Sophia was all about making a smooth transition and, now that she’d gotten to know Ruth a little better, she was glad that she couldn’t foresee any obstacles that would hinder her taking over the reins.

You’re not the hired help anymore, Sophia. You own half of the lodge now.

Sophia had a hard time wrapping her mind around that. She’d never owned anything of value in her life. So the transition from employee to owner might just be the hardest of all for her to grasp.

By the end of the day, Ruth bid her goodbye. “These are yours now.” She placed a set of keys in Sophia’s hand. “You can lock up the office whenever you’d like.”

When Sophia blinked her surprise, Ruth shook her head. “I’m not abandoning you, so don’t you worry. I’ll be here until the end of next week to conclude some business I need to tend to. If you need me to stay on longer, I surely will, but I’m impressed at how quickly you’ve caught on.”

“Thank you,” Sophia said. “You’ve made my first day enjoyable.”

“I worked you hard,” Ruth said honestly, before her lips lifted gently. “I almost feel guilty about it, but I think you’re capable and I’ll be sure to tell Logan that.”

“You mean, Luke, right? I was told I’ll be dealing with Luke from now on.”

“Oh, yes, that’s right. Though neither one of those boys would ever steer you wrong.”

Sophia could argue, but kept her lips buttoned tight.

She walked home in a daze, thinking of what she’d accomplished today, what she was expected to do and how it would all work. Within minutes, she found herself inside the cottage, her boots off, her jacket tossed across the parlor sofa, holding a glass of passion-fruit iced tea in her hand. She plopped onto the sofa, closed her eyes and sipped her tea. When her stomach complained, she remembered she hadn’t eaten much today. Excitement mixed with uncertainty had killed her appetite.

She sat in silence and enjoyed the peace but for another growl coming up from the depth of her belly. Then, a few seconds later, she heard a car pull up in front of the cottage. The engine shut off and a door slammed. She rose from her seat so quickly tea splattered onto her dress over her right breast. Wonderful. There was no time to wipe it dry. Her Las Vegas showgirl friends would always tease that she had a natural stop for spillage, and while Sophia had laughed along with them, she’d never really found it too amusing.

She heard footsteps approaching the porch and when the knock came, Sophia was ready, setting her hand on the knob and twisting. She pulled the door open and stared into the incredibly handsome face of a mature Luke Slade.

“Hey, there,” he said. “I thought you could use a friend about now.”

“So how are you really doing, Soph?” Luke asked ten minutes later, after they’d exchanged condolences for the parents they’d lost.

Soph?

He was back to calling her that. Sophia had forgotten how Luke liked to shorten her name. The familiar ring and the slight twang in Luke’s voice brought back good memories of the times they’d shared. Any awkwardness Sophia thought that they might encounter in their first meeting never developed. Luke was still Luke. It was a big relief to her to find that the pal she could always rely on hadn’t changed too much except to become a confident, gorgeous hunk of a man. She was happy to spend this time with him and Sophia let down her guard to converse with him easily.

Now he sat on the far end of the parlor sofa at an angle facing her, with the heel of one boot resting across his knee, sipping iced tea. He wore faded Wrangler jeans and a blue chambray shirt that was equally faded. His smile and the warmth in his eyes were still the same, though clearly Luke had grown out of his gangly, awkward stage.

“I miss Mama so much, Luke. For so many years it was us against the world. And now that she’s gone, I’m a little lost.”

“Consider yourself found, honey. Sunset Ranch is your home now.”

Luke leaned forward and as his work-hardened hands covered hers, she glanced down at their entwined fingers, thankful for his friendship. Luke had always understood her. He’d always had her back. He’d been a good friend, even when they were younger and it wasn’t considered cool to have a girl as a friend. Luke had held his own. And as Sophia gave his hand a deliberate squeeze, returning the solace, she waited for a spark to ignite between them. She waited for her palms to sweat. She waited for a tingle.

Seconds ticked by.

Nothing. Not a twinge. No fire.

She’d always wondered whether she’d feel differently about Luke if she were to return to Sunset Ranch. She’d wondered if there would be something more.

She released his hand and lifted her lashes slowly to meet his gaze. Luke had a grin plastered on his face. Clearly he had read her thoughts and had been wondering the same thing. Even though warmth crept up her neck, there was no tension between them. And that was the problem.

“You are a knockout, Sophia, that’s for sure.”

“You’re cowboy eye candy, Luke.”

Dubious, he gave a shake of his head, and then each of them threw their heads back and laughed.

Just like when they were kids.

They were friends, period. That much was reestablished and Sophia was glad of that. There was no reason to complicate her life right now anyway. She’d been put through the wringer these past few years, marrying an older man who’d offered to help provide for her mother’s medical treatments and praying for a miracle to save her mother’s life. She hadn’t come out of it unscathed, either. She’d paid a dear price for her high hopes and naïveté.

“Thank you, Luke. You always know how to make me feel better.”

He gave her a wink. “Glad to oblige. So what’s your game plan?”

“Well,” she said, leaning back against the sofa. The chintz material gave underneath her, the cushions fitting her bottom as she curled her legs under her dress and got comfortable. “I hope to make a smooth transition with Ruth Polanski and take over the reins soon. Ruth thinks I’ll be ready by the end of next week. I have my doubts.” She tilted her head to one side, keeping accusation out of her tone. “And thanks for the heads-up, by the way, buster. You didn’t mention that I’d be replacing her as manager.”

Luke’s beautiful blue eyes rounded innocently. “I didn’t think it would be a problem. She’s been itching to retire.”

“Yes, I found that out the hard way. Your brother led me to believe I’d have to fire Ruth in order to take my position at the lodge.”

Luke stared at her for a full five seconds, then rubbed the back of his neck. “Ah, hell.”

Sophia let go a heavy sigh.

“Logan was messing with you,” Luke said.

“But it wasn’t done in jest.”

Luke leaned forward to put his glass of tea down on the stone cocktail table. “Don’t let him get to you, Sophia. He’s got a burr up his butt about what happened in the past. He’ll come around soon enough.”

“Do you really believe that?” Sophia heard the hope in her own voice. All she wanted to do was live peacefully at Sunset Ranch. She didn’t expect Logan to welcome her with open arms, but if he would simply not stand in her way, or better yet, just ignore her, she’d consider it a victory.

Small lines around Luke’s eyes crinkled as he winced. “Honestly? Not really. At least not anytime soon. He’s more stubborn than I am.”

She remembered the arguments she’d had with Luke when they were growing up. He rarely backed down from anything if he thought he had right on his side. “That’s saying something,” Sophia muttered.

“Hey!”

She smiled. “Just speaking from memory. I’m sure you’re more reasonable now.”

“Damn straight I am. I mean, I wasn’t stubborn so much as I was right and I’ve always been reasonable.”

Sophia nodded, not to belabor the point. It felt good bantering with Luke again.

“So what else did you and my brother talk about yesterday?”

“He tried to …” she began, but then thought better of it.

“Go on.” Luke nodded his encouragement. “What did he try to do?”

Sophia didn’t want to get between Luke and his brother. There had been enough of that when they were kids. Logan would be rude to her or worse yet, pretend she didn’t exist, and Luke would come to her rescue. As a result, the two brothers had been at odds with each other, at least when it had come to her. She didn’t want to rekindle that bad blood. “Nothing.”

“He did something, Soph. If you don’t tell me, I’ll go straight to the source. I’ll find out.”

“Don’t bully me, Luke.”

“I’m not bullying you, for heaven’s sake. But you need to tell me.”

Sophia sat silently.

Luke rose slowly from the sofa, battling his reluctance to leave. “All right, I’ll go ask my brother if you—”

“Okay, fine. I’ll tell you.”

He took his seat again.

“You have to promise not to interfere. I don’t want to come between the two of you.”

Luke’s lips tightened and twisted back and forth for so long, Sophia thought he wouldn’t agree. “Fine, you have my word.”

Sophia took a swallow, sorry now that she’d brought the subject up. “Well, not only did Logan lead me to believe that I’d have to relieve Ruth of her duties, but he tried to buy me out of the inheritance. He said he’d have his lawyer find a way around the stipulation that I stay on for a year to run the place. He offered me a huge sum of money.”

“Aw, crap.” Luke took to rubbing the back of his neck again. “That guy beats a dead horse, doesn’t he?”

Sophia drew back and gasped.

“Sorry. Bad choice of words.”

Yes, it was, considering that Sunset Ranch was all about raising and nurturing the finest horses in the country. “He doesn’t want me here. Logan’s got piss for brains sometimes. He knows damn well he can’t buy you out.”

“Exactly, but he sure drove his point home about wanting to be rid of me.”

“I’m sorrier than you can imagine that I wasn’t here to greet you yesterday.”

“It’s not your fault, Luke. I’ll admit that ever since you called me, I’ve been dying to see you again, but you can’t reschedule your life around my comings and goings. I’m a big girl now, and Logan doesn’t scare me.”

“He may not scare you, Sophia, but he hurt you. And that’s just plain wrong if you ask me.”

Sophia didn’t want the reminder of how Logan had made her feel yesterday. It seemed that for the majority of her life, she’d been on the outside looking in. She’d never gotten over that feeling. That’s why coming back to Sunset Ranch, the one place she’d ever felt as though she’d belonged, was so important to her.

“You know what,” she said, with a wave of the hand, “let’s change the subject. Tell me about yourself, Luke. You mentioned you were in the rodeo for a while. What was that like?”

Sophia settled back and listened to her friend tell her about his life after she’d left Sunset Ranch. And when he offered to take her to dinner for the spiciest chili in the West, her stomach grumbled quietly at the mention of food.

“Yes. I’d love to have dinner with you.”

The only thing louder than The Kickin’ Kitchen’s piped in honky-tonk music was the Red Savina habaneros they put in the chili. The hot stuff made Logan’s insides sing like a hillbilly band and required a generous dowsing of cold beer to wash away the flames. After a morning of schmoozing with prospective clients and an afternoon of pencil pushing in his office, he couldn’t think of anything better to do tonight than eating a bowlful of chili with a friend.

“You want another go round?” Ward Halliday asked, after slurping up the last spoonful of chili on his plate. Ward had a stomach of iron, which served him well on all-you-can-suffer chili night at Kickin’.

Logan glanced at the empty bowl sitting in front of him. “Nope. I haven’t put out the last blaze catching fire in my stomach yet. But you go ahead.” He caught the new waitress’s eye and crooked his finger.

She sauntered over, giving him a big smile as she approached. “Hi, boys, you ready for more?”

“My friend here will tempt fate once again. You can bring him some,” Logan said. “You don’t sell antacids for dessert, do you, darlin’?”

She acted as if she hadn’t heard that question a thousand times before. As a matter of fact, maybe she hadn’t. From what he could recall, being a semiregular and all, the young blonde hadn’t worked at Kickin’ all that long. Her name tag said she was Shelby from California.

“Hey, not a bad idea. I could start a side business and retire before I’m thirty.”

“And what would you do if you retired?” Logan asked, noting how attractive she was in a cute-as-a-button sort of way.

She stared off into the distance for a few beats, before focusing on him with an honest-to-goodness look. “I could tell you what I wouldn’t do. I wouldn’t be working two jobs and struggling to take care of my grandfather in his tiny house by the interstate. Poor man would have a nice place to live and a real good nurse to care for him in his last days.”

“Sorry to hear your grandpa’s not well,” Logan said.

“I appreciate that. He’s a dear man and I’m doing my best.” She shrugged a shoulder. “I’m afraid I’m all he’s got right now.”

Logan eyed the pretty woman with admiration. It was refreshing to hear how loyalty and devotion still meant something to some folks. “Well, then I think he’s got a hell of a lot.”

The girl’s smile returned, beaming on Logan like shining stadium lights. “Thanks, I needed to hear that today. What else can I get for you?”

“You’re welcome. And if you could bring us another round of beers, too, I would appreciate it.”

“You got it,” she said, and turned to take an order from the next table.

Ward shook his head when the waitress was out of earshot. “Man, oh, man.”

“What?” Logan didn’t wait for Ward to answer before he tipped his head back and guzzled down the remaining drops of his beer.

“You sure know how to sweet-talk a woman.”

“That’s all it is, is talk, Halliday. Besides, she was real nice.” Logan leaned way back in his chair, tipping it on end, stretching out his legs. He hadn’t had a date with a woman in a long while. And Shelby from California had piqued his interest enough for him to consider breaking his three-month-long streak of being dateless. But Shelby seemed to have enough on her plate, without dating a man who had no interest in permanence. He chose his women wisely and when he did, it was a just-for-laughs, without-any-strings-attached kind of thing. Whether it lasted one week or a few months, he made sure the women he dated weren’t the home-and-hearth kind.

“Well, if Molly could’ve seen you flirting with that blonde, she would’ve pestered you until you asked the girl out.”

Logan leaned back in his seat. “Your wife’s been itching to marry me off.”

“Don’t I know it? She’s forever going on and on about you three Slade boys not getting hitched. I can only imagine the pestering she’ll give my boy when Hunter gets of age.”

“Hunter doesn’t have a girl?”

“No, sir. Right about now, he’s focused on attending college in the fall. Saving his money, too.”

“That’s always a good thing,” Logan said. He’d known Hunter since birth, but the big strapping boy wasn’t much of a talker. Logan knew he loved horses, though. He’d taken after his father that way. Ward had taught Hunter the value in treating an animal with respect.

A few minutes later, Shelby came by with Ward’s second bowl of chili and two more beers. She set everything down on the table. “Here you go, boys.”

“Thanks, miss,” Ward said, lifting his spoon, ready to dive in.

“You’re very welcome,” she said, giving Ward her attention before sending Logan another big smile. “If you need anything else, just let me know.”

When she turned to help another customer, Logan watched the gentle sway of her hips in her short navy blue waitress uniform.

“Truth is, I haven’t had a date in a long while,” he muttered.

Ward didn’t seem to hear him. He was too busy looking straight past him and waving his hand with a come-here gesture. Logan craned his head toward Kickin’s front door and a vile curse slipped from his lips.

“Well now, would you look at who’s just come in,” Ward was saying. “It’s Luke and Ms. Sophia. They’re heading this way.”

“Damn it, Ward. Put your hand down, and stop waving them over.”

Baffled by Logan’s tone, the older man drew his brows together. “Why, oh … Oh, right.” He shrugged his shoulders in sheepish apology.

Ward’s lightbulb moment was too little too late. The Slades had always tried to keep their private lives just that—private. But back in the day, news of Louisa Montrose’s illicit affair with his father had leaked out faster than a sledgehammer to a water pipe, and Logan figured pretty much everyone at Sunset Ranch knew that he wasn’t keen on any of the Montrose women. Especially now. Especially since Randall Slade had decided to give away half ownership of the lodge to his mistress’s daughter.

Logan hadn’t been discreet in his disdain. When he first heard the news of her inheritance, he slammed his fist into the barn wall. His damn hand had been bruised for days and, even though it had healed, every so often the pain would come back just enough to annoy him.

Very much like Sophia.

Three

Sophia hadn’t expected to see Logan in the chili place. She’d been looking forward to sharing the meal with Luke, without any fuss or anxiety. All-you-can-suffer chili sounded like a great plan, but all-you-can-suffer Logan—not so good.

Luke whispered in Sophia’s ear as they approached the table. “I swear I didn’t know he was going to be here.”

“I know,” she assured him. In the short time since she’d been reacquainted with Luke, she was sure that he wouldn’t have set her up like this.

“We won’t stay. Just say hello.”

“No, Luke,” she said, “I won’t have you avoiding your brother because of me.”

“Logan won’t care if we find another table.”

“But I do.”

Sophia feared she’d caused a rift between the brothers already. One way or another, she would have to find a way to be civil around Logan, for everyone’s sake.

“Hello to both of you,” Ward said once they arrived at his and Logan’s booth. “I see you’re introducing Ms. Sophia to the fine dining in town.”

“I am. Doesn’t get finer than Kickin’,” Luke said to Ward with a smile, before turning his attention to Logan.

He sipped his beer, and then nodded an acknowledgment to his brother.

She wouldn’t allow Logan to ignore her and opted to be the bigger person. “It’s good to see you again, Ward. And you, too, Logan.”

Logan slanted a look her way, his gaze landing on the bodice of her coral dress. He refused to make eye contact with her, as if she wasn’t worthy of any more of his attention than that. “Sophia.”

Idiot.

“I’m having me a second bowl of Number Three,” Ward said, in an attempt to ease the tension at the table. “The higher the number, the higher the heat level. Only goes up to five. But I’m not that brave.”

“I think three’s pretty brave,” Sophia said. Kickin’ Kitchen wasn’t around when she lived here, and now her interest was piqued. Her Spanish ancestry and mother’s heavy hand with spices gave her a taste for daring foods.

“Beginner’s start at Number One and pretty much stay there for a few years,” Logan said smugly, eyeing her with a challenge in his eyes. “Some can’t even handle that.”

Sophia straightened to her full height. Mr. High and Mighty actually volunteered something more than a grunt. She shot her chin out, and took the bait. But she planned for him to be the one eating crow. “I bet I could handle Number Three.”

Logan stopped drinking his beer long enough to say, “That I’d like to see.”

“Whoa, Sophia,” Luke said with a shake of the head. “I just graduated to Three a few months ago.”

Ward gave her a skeptical look.

Sophia took Logan’s challenge. “I’d be happy to prove you wrong.”

The waitress came sprinting by to deliver a round of drinks to the booth. “You folks need a table?” she asked Luke. “’Cause we’re getting slammed. It’s a twenty-minute wait.”

“That’s fine. We’ll wait,” Luke said with a firm nod, clearly protecting Sophia. “Slade. Table for two.”

Logan set his beer bottle down with a thud and his dark eyes sharpened on her. “Chickening out?”

Luke shook his head at Sophia, his eyes darkening with caution, but it was too late for his warning. Her mind was made up. For one, she wouldn’t let Luke baby her and, two, Logan needed to be put in his place. When Ward rose to offer her a seat, she lowered down and slid across the booth, making room for him to sit beside her.

“I’m not chickening out,” she said triumphantly to Logan, and then turned to flash Ward a generous smile. “Thank you, kind sir.”

Ward nodded, color rising up on his neck. “Welcome.”

Logan’s mouth twitched, and he sighed with resignation as he made room for his brother in the booth. “Yeah, sure. Why not.”

“Cancel that table for two,” Luke said to the waitress as he took a seat beside Logan. “Looks like we’ll be joining them.”

“Sure thing. I’ll be back in a sec with menus.”

Before the waitress turned away, Luke stopped her with a gentle command. “No need. We know what we want.” Luke met with Sophia’s eyes once again. She nodded, giving the waitress her order. “I’ll have a Number Three.”

“Make that two Number Threes,” Luke said with a sigh, “and two beers.”

“No beer for me,” Sophia said. “I’ll have water.”

The waitress made a mental note.

“You’d best bring three glasses of ice water then, for starters,” Ward said, looking a bit concerned. “Those habaneros will drain the last ounce of moisture from your mouth.”

“Sure, I’ll be back with waters, beer and two Number Threes.” The waitress moved on and Sophia found herself facing Logan directly across the booth.

It wasn’t a hard picture, seeing the two Slade cowboys sitting side by side. They had similar good looks. The biggest difference was that Luke’s eyes were blue, like his mother’s, and his hair was a sandy color, rather than Logan’s dark brown. But the men were worlds apart in personality traits.

Luke inclined his head toward Sophia. “Beer might have quenched your thirst better.”

“I don’t drink.”

“Ever?” Luke asked, looking a little astonished. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“You couldn’t possibly know,” she said quietly, holding in her anguish. Luke didn’t know everything there was to know about the grown-up woman she’d become, unlike Logan, who thought he knew everything about her. “My father was an alcoholic,” she explained, “and I’ve never found a taste for the stuff. It’s my way of rebelling.”

Not that she felt obligated to give a reason, but her father’s story was a constant reminder of the pitfalls and fragile nature of the human spirit and she especially wanted Logan to understand that her life hadn’t been all peaches and cream. His family didn’t have a monopoly on heartache. Despite being married to a loving beautiful woman, Sophia’s father had left her mother with a three-year-old child to raise. As an adult it was still pretty hard for her to rationalize his actions, though she’d tried hard to work through being fatherless most of her life. Alberto Montrose chose a love affair with liquor that ultimately ruined him. The last Sophia had heard, which was more than ten years ago, her father had been seen wandering the streets of San Francisco, ragged and homeless. Liquor was his wife, child, addiction and downfall, all rolled up into one.

“Enough said,” Luke announced, wearing a compassionate expression. “Water is underrated anyway.”

“Yeah, you can’t live without it,” Ward offered needlessly.

Logan chuckled, and sipped his beer, watching her as if she were a spectacle. “Your stomach’s gonna rebel in a few minutes.”

This time Luke wasn’t disagreeing. “You’re in for it, Sophia. But you always were a daredevil. That much I do know.”

“Me? What about wrestling bucking broncos for five years of your life?”

“Six,” Ward and Luke said in unison.

“And I wasn’t wrestling with them, darlin’. I rode them for nine seconds at a time.”

“Most times, it was five seconds in the saddle, and the rest of the time on the ground, eating the horse’s dust,” Logan offered, happy to give Luke a bad time.

“Eating dust may be easier than eating Number Threes.”

Sophia gave the men an eye-roll and shook her head. “I will consider myself properly warned by all three of you. I promise you I’ll hold my own.”

She moved her long hair to one shoulder and shuffled in her seat, adjusting to the booth’s cushion to get more comfortable. Logan watched her movements, his gaze flicking over her body until their eyes finally met in a daring stare. A hot sprinkle of desire spread through her belly like warm sugar. For the slightest pinch of time, Sophia spotted a glimmer of admiration in his eyes for what she was about to do. Which, in her estimation, wasn’t all that admirable. She would eat a bowl of Kickin’ chili. How hard would that be?

And in that moment, no matter how much she hated to admit it, she saw Logan in a different light. She saw him as someone who could match her spirit, someone she might enjoy being around and someone who could fill the gaping void threatening to swallow her up. A shell that no one, not even a wonderful man like Luke, could ever fill.

“What the hell?” Ward jerked in his seat and all heads turned his way. “Pardon me, miss.” Apology touched his eyes as he briefly glanced at her, before pulling his cell phone out of his pocket. “Darn vibrating thing. Always shocks the vinegar outta me.”

Logan’s short laugh flashed a smile that cut deep ridges into each side of his mouth. Sophia took a quick breath and focused on Ward rather than allow that warm-sugar sensation to spread any further. She reminded herself that Logan hated her.

Ward glanced at the phone’s screen. “It’s a call from Hunter. He wouldn’t be calling if it weren’t important.”

Logan said, “Go ahead and answer it, Ward.”

Ward spoke to his son, nodding his head and saying “uh-huh, uh-huh,” about half a dozen times. He finished his conversation with, “Okay, I’ll be right there.”

Ward set the phone back into his pocket as he spoke. “My boy needs help at the ranch. Skylar is foaling early. He’s thinking it’s gonna be a difficult delivery. Luke, she’s your favorite mare. You coming with me?”

Ward rose from his seat. Luke did, too, blinking away the fear on his face. “Yeah, I’d better see to her.”

From what Sophia gathered, no one on the ranch knew more about horses than Luke. He had a natural way with them. Even Ward, Sunset Ranch’s head wrangler, seemed to look to Luke for help.

“Sorry, Soph. I’ve got to go. We almost lost her last time she foaled.”

“Okay, I understand,” Sophia said, grabbing her clutch purse, “I’ll go with you.”

“No,” Luke said. “You stay and eat your dinner. I know you’re hungry. Your meal is coming.”

“But I, uh—” Sophia looked from Logan’s unreadable expression to Luke. “I don’t have to—”

“For Pete’s sake, woman,” Logan said with a shake of the head. “I won’t bite. Ward can drive to the ranch with Luke. I’ll take you home later. After you eat your Number Three.”

“But—”

“Are you chickening out again?”

“No!”

“Okay, then.” Logan slid his brother a reassuring look. “You go on. Don’t worry about anything but saving Skylar and her foal.”

“Play nice,” Luke said, pointing his finger at Logan.

“Get outta here,” Logan said, grabbing for his beer with a casual shrug, as if to say he didn’t have anything to worry about.

Luke didn’t budge. “Logan.”

“Damn it, you have my word.”

Finally satisfied, Luke nodded. “Fair enough. I’m sorry, Sophia,” Luke said. “But Logan will get you home safely. I’ve really gotta run.”

Ward had already excused himself and was waiting for Luke by the entranceway. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me. I only hope it goes well for the mare.” Luke met up with Ward and the two men exited the café in a hurry. And just like that, Sophia found herself alone with Logan Slade.

He was stuck with Sophia for the rest of the night. Hell, a man could do much worse than entertaining a gorgeous woman with a killer body for the evening. She was a damn sight better to look at than the antique cast-iron pots and pans hanging on the wall. A damn sight more appealing than rusted tricycles and red wagons that littered the shelves circling the perimeter of the café. She sure had every man in the joint giving her the eye and giving him a solid way-to-go look as they scanned the booth. Logan would be on his best behavior tonight. Not because he’d eased up on his thinking about Sophia, but because he’d given his brother his word. For Luke’s sake, Logan would treat Sophia kindly.

After a long minute of silence, she asked, “Do you think the mare will be okay?”

He blew out a breath. “Don’t know. Birthing can be tricky at times. Skylar is a trouper though. She’s strong and if anyone can help her, it’d be Luke.”

“That’s what I’ve heard. Luke knows a lot about horses.”

“He does,” Logan said, keeping his tone light. If the woman wanted to praise his brother to high heaven tonight, he wouldn’t stop her. He wouldn’t like it much, but he wouldn’t stop her. The two of them were already thick as thieves again.

His brother’s relationship with Sophia had always irked him. Logan was the oldest of the three boys—Justin being the youngest. Logan had been very close to Luke until Sophia had gotten in the way. Ever since their friendship had developed, Logan felt like he’d been left out in the cold. Montrose women had managed to shred Slade family loyalty. It shouldn’t be so, but Luke couldn’t see it any more than his father had. Their blindness left a bitter taste in Logan’s mouth, sharper than the chili he’d just polished off. His only consolation was that Shelby was heading toward the table with Sophia’s burn-as-it-goes-down chili on her tray. “Your chili’s coming up.”

The waitress set the bowl in front of Sophia. Spicy aromatic scents of peppers, onions and cilantro drifted to his side of the table. “Thanks, Shelby.”

“You got it.” She shot him another sweet smile before walking away.

Sophia took her time, opening her cloth napkin and placing it on her lap. Then she lifted her lashes and those brilliant amber eyes surrounded with flecks of gold fell on him. “Smells delicious,” she said.

“That’s why we’re here.”

The second he said “we,” his pulse pounded in his ears and images popped into his head of the two of them, really playing nice. For anyone in the café watching, it might appear that they were on a date.

It’d be a cold day in hell, he thought, yet he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Sophia dipped into the chili and came up with a rounded spoonful with cheese dripping off the sides. Steam shot straight up for half a yard then disappeared into the air. Sophia pursed her lips and blew gently, her mouth forming a small O to whisper away the heat.

Logan’s Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat. His damn body pinched tight, and he sat mesmerized as Sophia prepared to take her first bite of ass-kicking chili. Logan had never thought of chili and sex together, but now, that’s all he could think about. Watching her take her first bite, swallow, then gaze up at him, looking satisfied and accomplished, gave him a sexual thrill that he’d never experienced before. It was beyond crazy and like a fool, he grinned.

So did she.

The light in her eyes matched the way he was feeling inside, most likely for entirely different reasons. “Piece of cake,” she said.

Piece of something, he thought, grateful the lower half of him was covered by the table. It hadn’t escaped him that he was the one suffering as Sophia ate from her bowl of all-you-can-suffer Kickin’ chili.

He watched her eat three more spoonfuls without even a slight flinch. The woman was good at spicy.

“You know,” she began, stirring the chili with the stainless-steel spoon, “it was nice of you to ask Hunter to help me move in yesterday.”

“Who said I asked him?” he shot back.

“So you didn’t?” Her almond-shaped eyes rounded in surprise.

He shrugged. “Maybe I did.”

“I didn’t think you’d given it a thought. You didn’t personally offer to help.”

“Did you expect me to?”

“I had hoped you’d be a gentleman. I didn’t want to start off at Sunset Ranch with bad feelings.”

Logan ignored that last part of her statement. He wasn’t in the mood to get into it with her tonight. “I’m not the welcoming committee. I have a ranch to run. Hunter helped you. Isn’t that good enough?”

“Yes, I suppose. I was beginning to feel good about that, and you, until you set me up with Ruth Polanski. It was a low blow, even coming from you, Logan. You led me to believe I had to fire the woman.”

Logan scrubbed his jaw. It wasn’t his proudest moment, but he’d been angry and wanted to lash out at her when she’d first arrived. She’d called it correctly. It had been a low blow. Logan didn’t play dirty. Not usually. Yet he wasn’t ready to apologize. “You must have been pleasantly surprised when you learned you didn’t have to let her go.”

“I worried about it all night.”

He put himself in a no-guilt zone and hung tight. “I’m sure you slept well enough.”

Sophia shook her head and her long wavy hair, caressing one side of her shoulder, flowed over her breast. “You need to let go of the past, Logan. You’d be a happier man.”

A lecture, coming from her? “What makes you think I’m not happy? I’m sitting here, watching you pretend to stomach that chili. Tell the truth, Sophia. It’s burning like hell now.”

To his surprise, she put her hand just under her breasts, spread her fingers out over her stomach and delivered a low rumble of laughter. “You’d love to believe that.”

“You won’t admit it?”

“Maybe it’s more fun to keep you guessing. When’s the last time you’ve had fun, Logan?”

“What do you care?”

“That long?” Sophia asked, shaking her head as she lifted another spoonful to her mouth.

The woman was getting to him and damn if he wasn’t enjoying himself. Not because he thought Sophia was suffering with the chili, but because she was a woman who stood up to a challenge and managed to keep him guessing.

“You’re forgetting who’s driving you home.”

“Oh, no. I am very well aware,” she said, her amber eyes blazing with warmth enough to make heat crawl up his belly and put a lump in his throat.

He swigged the last ounce of his beer with a quick gulp.

Sophia, on the other hand, had yet to reach for her glass of water.

Sophia sank into the comfy, forgiving seat cushion of Logan’s black pickup truck. The luxury four-wheel drive sported a polished wood and beige leather interior with a dashboard full of digital controls an airline pilot would envy. She fastened her seat belt and watched the scenery go by as they exited the café’s parking lot and took to the open road. An hour ago, the golden sunset had faded and now lights from the town they left behind sparkled like tiny diamonds in her side rearview mirror.

Sophia eyed Logan as he drove with one hand on top of the steering wheel. Country music played softly. The lack of conversation was actually comforting. They’d extinguished their small talk while in the café. She couldn’t think of anything else she wanted to say to him that didn’t involve business, and Sophia wasn’t in the mood to spar with him about that right now.

Logan was used to comfort, style and the finer things in life. Even though he lived on a ranch, everything he owned, from his classic felt Stetson hat and expensive tooled-leather boots to the exquisite sprawling ranch home, was top-notch. She hadn’t missed the one-hundred-dollar tip he’d laid on the table for the waitress just minutes ago. She had gushed and tried to give it back, but Logan had insisted on her keeping it. Apparently, he had money to burn. Sophia would bet her last dollar that the designer watch he wore on his wrist cost more than her mother’s yearly salary when she’d worked at the Desert Breeze Motor Inn.

They’d spent three years working in that dive, before Louisa had finally landed a job more suitable for her managerial skills. In many respects though, the life Sophia had with her mother was richer and worth more than any of the material possessions she could ever hope to own.

Sophia had gotten a small taste of the good life when she’d married. Though many believed she’d married the older man for his money, Sophia had convinced her mother that she’d married for the promise of love. When in truth, neither had been true exactly.

A sharp jolting pain twitched in her stomach. She gasped silently, holding her hands firmly in place when her initial reaction was to rub her belly. The pain was fleeting, and then it was gone. Sophia released the breath caught in her throat. She’d be okay. The chili had gone down smoothly earlier and at the time, she hadn’t had any doubts about it.

Another jolt hit her. This time, the pain spiraled up, burning toward her rib cage. “Oh,” she breathed out as slowly and as quietly as she could, slanting a look at Logan, who was listening to the country music playing on the radio, his focus on the dark road ahead.

The next pang hit and her body tightened up. She grabbed her clutch purse and set it onto her stomach, then slid her hand underneath it. Her fingers dug in and she tried to smooth away the rebellion going on inside.

“Ohh.” The pain gripped her hard this time and she leaned forward and hugged her stomach with both arms. Beads of sweat moistened her forehead.

Logan shot a glance at her. “It finally hit you?”

She bit her lip and nodded helplessly.

“Is it bad?”

Again, she nodded. Perspiration trickled down the back of her neck, sticking to her hair.

“Hang on. I’ll get you home fast.”

Logan revved the engine and the truck roared down the highway. Minutes later they reached the gates of Sunset Ranch and Logan slowed the truck. “My house or the cottage?”

“Take me home,” she said, wanting the comfort of her own surroundings, new as they were, but also familiar.

The truck roared to life again and after a short time, the dimmed lamppost lights in front of the stone house came into view. Sophia thanked all things holy that she was finally home.

Logan brought the truck to an abrupt halt. He got out, and she heard his boots on the gravel path as he approached the passenger’s side. Doubled over now, she pressed both arms against her belly, attempting to make the aching go away. Logan opened her door and when their eyes met, the stern set of his jaw softened and he cursed. “I’ll get you out.”

Before she could protest, he bent down to unfasten her seat belt, removing her arms from around her belly first to get them out of his way.

“It’s not necessary to carry me,” she whispered.

Her statement fell on deaf ears. He scooped her from the seat, one hand lifting under her knees, the other at her shoulders. As if this weren’t humiliating enough, her dress slid to her upper thighs. Logan’s gaze locked onto her legs shamelessly as he brought her out of the truck. His hip shoved the door closed.

As he strode purposefully toward her front door, Sophia clung to his neck, giving in to the power and strength of his arms. Cradled this way, she felt safe and protected, though she knew in her head she should be wary of him. She shouldn’t let down her guard. Once they reached the porch, he set her legs down, reached into his pocket and came out with a set of keys. He inserted one into the lock and kicked open the front door. Then he picked her back up.

Moonlight streamed inside, illuminating the front room just enough to guide the way. Logan moved with the grace of a cat into the house, finding the parlor sofa easily. He lowered her gently onto her backside. With her arms still locked around his neck, Logan’s face came within inches of hers and their gazes met through the darkness. A brief moment passed between them. The dark coolness in his eyes blazed now with heat so strong, memories flooded Sophia’s mind of the one blissful, wonderful, sizzling kiss they’d shared so long ago. Her stomach stopped aching for a short time and she became mesmerized by the possibility that was Logan Slade. But just as her mind wrapped around the idea, the heat in Logan’s eyes offering that possibility died away, replaced again by a cold, unreadable stare. Sophia swallowed hard, relinquishing the moment to foolishness.

Logan unlocked her arms from around his neck and rose to full height. “I’ll be right back.”

She lay her head down on the arm of the sofa and listened as he went to his truck. When he returned, he flipped on a lamp on the end table. Soft light flowed into the room. Standing over her, he lifted her hand in his and plopped two round pink tablets down in her palm. “Take these first,” he said.

She stared at them.

“They will help,” he offered, his voice gruff.

They might be poison for all she knew, but she was pretty sure they were antacids, and though she was certain they wouldn’t help, she lifted them to her lips, opened her mouth and chewed. They went down like chalk and made her mouth dry.

“Now,” Logan said, “Take a swig of this.”

He bent onto his knees by the sofa. With a gentle hand, he lifted her head and guided a pink bottle to her lips.

She shook her head. Mixing medications wasn’t wise. “I don’t think so.”

He leaned back a little, holding the bottle away from her. “Trust me on this, it works. I’ve been where you are now. Why do you suppose I carry this stuff in my truck on Kickin’ days?”

Sophia closed her eyes to the look of concern on Logan’s face. It didn’t make sense that he would try to help her. He detested her and wanted her gone yesterday. How could she trust him?

Another cutting pain seized her stomach. “Oh.”

His hand, still nestled in her hair, lifted her head up a little more. “C’mon, Sophia. Just drink it.”

She bit the bullet and gave him her trust, craning her neck forward. He tipped the bottle, and she sipped from it a few times.

“That’s good,” he said. “Give it a few minutes.”

She lay her head down after swallowing the awful liquid. “You don’t have to stay.”

Once again, he ignored her comment. He rose and walked off. She listened for the front door to close, hoping that he’d leave, but instead she heard him fidgeting around in the kitchen. He turned on the microwave. The thought of food of any sort made her queasy.

Her eyes drifted closed and only when she felt something warm being placed on her belly, did she open them again. The warmed dishtowel acted much like a heating pad and soon, between the meds and the heat, the gripping pain in her stomach began to ease.

“You should take a warm bath later,” he said.

She lifted her gaze to Logan’s face.

“Of course, I’d offer to do that with you, too,” he said, the momentary flicker of heat once again in his eyes, “but I’ve got a feeling that wouldn’t go over too well.”

It hurt to smile, but Sophia managed to anyway. “You’ll never know.”

“The way I didn’t know you were going to be sick?”

Humiliation mixed with anger and Sophia hinged her body forward to get up from the sofa. “Is that why you’re here? To rub my nose in it?”

He laid a hand on her shoulder, easing her back down. “Lay back. Don’t get riled.”

“Don’t rile me then.” Her head plopped down on the arm of the sofa again.

“You don’t like being wrong.”

“Why are you helping me?” She turned her head to face him.

“You don’t know my compassionate side.”

“Do you have one?”

“Are you feeling better yet?”

Sophia stopped arguing with Logan long enough to realize she was feeling better. Almost as quickly as her stomach had become unsettled, it began to feel remarkably normal again. “Yes, I am.” She glanced into his eyes. They were so intense and stubborn one minute, and then so kind and caring the next. “I do feel better.”

Logan nodded. “I don’t kick a person when they’re down.”

“You mean you want a level playing field for when you destroy me?”

“I never said I wanted to destroy you, Soph.”

Soph?

And then it all became clear. Just when she’d thought Logan might have come around and wanted to be civil to her, just when she thought the past was forgiven and they could start anew, she caught on to what he was doing. She still owed him her thanks for helping her recover from her suffering tonight, but now she knew the reason why. “It’s because of Luke, isn’t it? You promised to see me home safely and you’re a man of your word. You’re doing this for Luke. Not for me.”

His eyebrows dented into his forehead. “You have a strange way of thanking a man.”

Sophia’s ire sparked. Logan ran hot and cold with her and she never knew where she stood with him. Her frustration echoed in a shrewish raised voice. “How would you like me to thank you?”

Instantly, his gaze swept over her as she lay on the couch. “Let me give you that bath and we can call it even.”

The idea of bathing with Logan brought a different kind of queasiness to her belly. Images danced in her head. But she was weak where Logan Slade was concerned. He didn’t deserve her passionate thoughts.

But then another thought entered her mind, an uncomfortable memory that had nothing to do with Logan at all. Don’t go there, Sophia, she reminded herself. You don’t have to be afraid anymore. But the image from her Las Vegas days wouldn’t leave her.

She had been sitting in front of her dressing-room mirror backstage before her performance when she discovered the first note tucked under her makeup case. Bone-chilling fear had traveled along her spine when she read the words.

You are too beautiful, Sophia. You will be mine one day.

She’d received five similar notes, all with the same strange sentiment. What had freaked her out the most was that the person sending the notes had known a lot about her. She’d found envelopes printed with her name on the front windshield of her car or left for her at the motel where her mother worked. The actual words weren’t threatening, so she’d never gone to the police, and she’d never worried her mother about them, either. But Sophia had been frightened on more than one occasion when she’d sensed that someone had been watching her.

After a while, Sophia started really looking at the faces of the men who would come to her shows. She began wondering if the note writer was among them, studying her.

“Thinking about it?” Logan asked, taunting her to answer.

Sophia returned her attention to the man who had rescued her this evening, the man who had invited himself to bathe with her. He had known what her answer would be before he suggested it. He wasn’t serious. Perhaps, if she had an inkling that he was, she might be persuaded to change her mind. Yes, join me in a bath, Logan.

But Sophia was through playing his games tonight. She had enough bad memories to battle and now a queasy stomach to deal with. He’d been kind earlier and she’d wanted to believe that they could get along. She’d relished being in his arms while he carried her inside. She’d appreciated him staying to make sure she would recover. But had she only imagined his concern?

“You should go now.”

He looked at her sprawled out on the sofa and inhaled sharply, as if the idea of bathing with her hadn’t been a joke. “Yeah, I was thinking that same thing.”

“Th-thank you for driving me home,” she said through tight lips that didn’t want to form the words. “And for … for helping me tonight.”

He gave her a quick nod.

Sophia turned away from him then, feeling mixed up inside. She closed her eyes to the sound of Logan’s footsteps fading away. There was no fond farewell from him. No “I hope you feel better,” and no “Call me if you need my help again.” It was a chilling reminder for her not to let down her guard with Logan. He would fool her time and time again, if she allowed it.

The front door opened and closed, and then he was gone.

Only then did Sophia realize that Logan Slade had his own key to the cottage.

He could barge in on her anytime he wanted.

Four

Constance Branford offered Sophia a lemon poppy seed muffin with strawberry filling. She’d briefly met the lodge’s head cook yesterday on her tour with Ruth, and now Sophia sat beside her at a long country oak table, the only piece of furniture in the lodge’s spotless stainless-steel kitchen that wasn’t updated and brand-new. “Oh, no thanks, Constance. I couldn’t possibly.”

Edward’s nana withdrew the basket. To avoid insulting the chef, Sophia quickly explained, “I had my first encounter with Kickin’s chili last night. My stomach is still touchy.”

Constance made a tsking sound. “That’s not food,” she said with a shake of her head. “I don’t know why the men go there. Edward’s been hounding me to let him eat there, but it’s not for a young one’s stomach. He’ll just have to wait.”

Sophia smiled. The head chef certainly had her ideas about what constituted a good meal. “Apparently, it’s not for my stomach, either. I should stick to the lodge’s food.” She took in the broad range of pastries, biscuits and muffins set out and ready to be served. Behind them, two sous chefs were busy chopping up vegetables and preparing batters. She thought about how Blackie had made off with the spatula right under Constance’s nose and how Edward had offered her his apology. The boy had taken Sophia’s advice. Right in the middle of the table in a clear mason jar sat a small bouquet of wildflowers, picked straight from the fields outside the lodge.

“Your grandson is a nice boy,” Sophia said.

“He’s mischievous, like any ten-year-old, but yes, a good boy. He’s had a rough time without his parents.” Constance, whose eyes brightened when speaking of Edward, didn’t fit the mold of a white-haired, rocking-chair nana at all. The astute, intelligent woman who ran the lodge’s kitchen was quite capable, but there was an underlying current of sadness in her expression, too.

“I know something about losing a parent. It’s never easy, but with a child …”

Constance shook her head. “Edward’s parents aren’t dead.”

Sophia blinked.

“My son and his wife have drug addictions. It got really bad and the first seven years of Edward’s life were tumultuous. They left Edward with me, and I have legal custody.”

“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.” Sophia had experience with her father’s addiction but poor Edward had to live through that turmoil with both of his parents. At least for Sophia, she’d been blessed with a loving mother to raise her, but the boy hadn’t been so lucky. Perhaps the resulting trauma was responsible for his speech problems.

“The best thing those two ever did was to hand over his custody to me without putting up a fight. They knew Edward would be better off with me. I’m doing the best I can to give him a stable home.”

“Sunset Ranch is the best place for that. I grew up on the ranch and loved living here as a child.”

“I agree. And Logan has been kind to Edward, giving him responsibilities on the ranch to make my grandson feel needed. Letting him take care of Blackie was a very good idea.”

Logan again? Why did everyone think the man a saint? But in this case, Sophia couldn’t begrudge his kindness to the boy. “Boys and dogs go hand in hand.”

Constance glanced at her watch. “He should be back from walking the dog soon. He gets up early on school days to feed and walk Blackie.”

“Shall we go over this month’s menus now, before he gets here?”

“Certainly. Can you handle coffee?”

“It smells delicious.” She stroked her tender stomach that was begging for something warm and comforting. “I would love some.”

Constance poured them both a cup and they got down to business. Sophia had some ideas for a summery theme for next month’s menu. But she had to be delicate about making suggestions. Stepping into Ruth’s shoes, and trying to make changes this early on, could ruffle feathers. Even so, Sophia was determined to have a hand in everything going on at Sunset Ranch. She remembered her mother’s prowess and how involved she’d been with every aspect of the lodge.

Ten minutes later after a productive conversation with Constance, Edward walked through the kitchen doors, wearing a backpack and a shy smile. Sophia waved at him as he shuffled his way over to his nana.

“Edward,” Constance said, “have you fed and walked Blackie already?”

He nodded and slipped Sophia a guilty glance. She reassured him with a friendly smile that said their little secret was safe, not that she’d ever tattle on the boy to Logan about their encounter yesterday, or anything for that matter. “Hello, Edward. Good to see you again.”

“Hi.”

“Is your lunch in your backpack?” Constance asked.

Again, he nodded.

“Okay then, off you go. You don’t want to be late for the bus.” Constance took his hand and walked him to the door. He reached up to give his nana a big hug, Constance squeezing him tight and kissing his forehead before letting him go. “Have a good day at school, sweetie.”

Right before he strode out the door, he turned to Sophia and gave her a wide smile. “G-goodbye.”

Touched by the boy’s consideration, she tipped her head. “Bye, Edward.”

Sophia finished her coffee and concluded her business with Constance, bidding her farewell and walking away from the kitchen’s savory scents. In the well-designed lobby, her heels clicked on the stone floors as she headed toward her office. She still had difficulty believing that she owned any part of these elegantly rustic surroundings, yet each morning before she got out of bed, she reminded herself that half of the lodge belonged to her.

Luke appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and walked alongside her. “Mornin’. Hey, can I speak with you a sec?”

“Good morning, Luke. I was going to call you this morning. How did your horse do last night?”

“She’s gonna be okay. It was a tough delivery, but she managed. Her foal is real fine. You have to come see her.”

“I will. You must be relieved.”

“Surely am, but I think the mare might’ve struggled less than you did last night. I heard you had it rough after I left Kickin’.”

“Oh,” she said, her shoulders slumping. She wasn’t thrilled she’d been the topic of discussion between the two brothers. Logan must have spilled all the beans with glee. “I see your brother told you I didn’t handle the Number Three well.”

Luke’s face twisted with self-recrimination. “I should have never brought you there.”

“Oh, no. It’s not your fault. I should’ve known better. This has been a trying week for me, coming back here and dealing with all the changes in my life. Next time I’ll do better.”

“Next time? Honey, if you think I’m taking you back anytime soon—”

“I’m going back, Luke. One day.”

His shoulders lifted in a dismissive shrug. “I’m just grateful that Logan was there to help you.”

“Yes, your brother is my knight in shining armor,” she grumbled quietly.

Luke threw his head back and laughed. Then she found humor in it, too, and laughed along with him. He took her arm and steered her out the front door. They strode along the length of the veranda and stood with the morning light to their backs as late spring sunshine warmed the air on a blue-sky day. Luke looked left then right, as if making sure they were alone. Whatever was on his mind today, he wanted a private conversation.

“I have an idea,” he began. “Ruth’s official last day of work is coming up. I’d like to throw her a surprise retirement party.”

“That’s nice of you, Luke. I’m sure she’d appreciate it.”

“I’d like to do it at the house rather than the lodge. You know, get her out of the work environment. I was thinking out back, in our yard. Logan’s thinking it’s a good idea, too. The weather’s been really nice at night.”

“Go on.” Sophia suspected that Luke was hinting that she be a part of his scheme, somehow.

“The thing is, Ruth usually coordinated our parties at the lodge, and well … I can’t really ask her to do it. What I know about throwing a party can fit in my pinkie finger.” He raised a work-roughened, rodeo-injured little finger.

So that was it. “You want my help?”

He fixed his gaze on her and shrugged. “I would love your help.”

Sophia didn’t have to think twice. “Of course.”

Luke sighed with relief. “Great. You don’t know how much I appreciate it. Funny, but I trust you more than the event planner we’ve used in the past. I want to make this special for Ruth.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“It’s not too much for you? You did just arrive. You have a new home and new job to settle into.” Concern washed over his features as if he’d just realized what he was asking of her.

“I’m sure I can handle it. How many guests are we talking about here?”

“Probably sixty? We’d invite all the employees, although some will have to split shifts in order to stop by. There’s several loyal patrons who have known Ruth from the beginning, and then there’s her family. I’d like her grandkids to be invited, too.”

“Okay. I could probably put that together. You want this to be a surprise?”

He glanced away for a second toward the pasture. “Yeah, I think so. Ruth wouldn’t let us go to any fuss if she knew about it.”

“I understand.”

“Are you available tonight to go over the details? I’ll bring dinner. No spice, no chili peppers, I promise.”

Sophia was available every night. She had no hot dates, no friends other than Luke to hang out with, and putting together a party for Ruth would help her get to know the employees better, anyway. It was win-win. “Seven o’clock?”

“I’ll be there.”

Luke released a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Soph.” He leaned forward to kiss her cheek chastely then smiled at her. “You’re a lifesaver.”

The knock came precisely at seven o’clock. Sophia’s appetite had surged back to life this afternoon, and she was ready to share a delicious bland meal with a good friend. She had the table set for two and her laptop ready for the work they’d do on the retirement party. Sophia padded barefoot to the door, dressed comfortably in black capri pants and a white tank top tied at the side of her waist.

She opened the door with flair, eager for the company, and did an immediate double take, shaking her head and blinking.

“You’re eyes aren’t deceiving you.” The comment spilled from Logan’s tight lips. “It’s not your pal Luke.”

Sophia stared at the man standing on her doorstep. Her heart did a little flip. Her initial reaction to him still baffled her. Why was she so susceptible to him? He wasn’t anything special, she reasoned. But then again, Sophia couldn’t lie to herself. He was special in the ways that mattered to most women—smart, handsome, capable, kind to almost everyone else on the planet but her. And he was standing on her threshold with enough confidence to fill an arena. “What are you doing here?”

It wasn’t the most mannerly greeting in the world. Even though her body reacted to Logan, she wasn’t ready for another round of sparring. She’d looked forward to being with her friend this evening.

“There’s been an accident. Luke’s in the hospital.”

Shocked, she gasped noisily as her hand flew to her chest. “Oh, my God. What happened?”

“A feisty stallion got loose this afternoon at the barn and Luke lost his footing trying to contain him. He was knocked down, and Trib nailed him good with both front hooves.”

“Oh, no! How is he?”

“He’s got three broken ribs, one broken arm and a concussion.”

“I’m so sorry. Oh, poor Luke.” Sophia’s heart ached hearing the news about her friend.

“Luke’s pretty tough, but all those rodeo injuries are surfacing again. He got hit pretty hard.”

“Where is he?”

“Carson City Memorial.”

“Can I see him?”

He shook his head. “The doctors sent me home. I’ve been with him all afternoon. He can’t have any visitors tonight. They want him to rest. Someone will be observing him during the night for the concussion. With luck, they’ll send him home tomorrow or the next day. He’s going to be laid up for a while though.”

Sophia realized she’d kept Logan out on the front porch. “Come in.” She turned around and took a few steps into the parlor. “I’m so surprised.” She’d wished Logan had called her from the hospital. She would’ve dropped everything to see Luke, but wishing for Logan to do anything for her was futile.

Logan followed her inside, his boot heels scraping against the floor. “Trib’s a hard case and may be just as hardheaded as Luke. He’s called Tribute in front of prospective buyers, but when they’re out of hearing range we call him Tribulation. He’s a grief maker. Of course, Luke’s not blaming the dang horse. He blames himself for getting in the way.”

Sophia turned to Logan, noticing for the first time that he held a white take-out bag.

“I feel terrible,” she said.

“Your stomach aching again?”

“No, my stomach’s fine. I feel bad for Luke. He doesn’t deserve this.”

“It was a freakish thing. Luke never lets a horse get the best of him. Nothing like this has happened before on the ranch.”

“But he’s going to be all right?” The thought of Luke in pain saddened her but she held back tears and told herself that Luke was strong and would probably heal quickly. At least, that was her rationalization. It was a small wonder that Logan hadn’t blamed her for bringing Luke bad luck. And a small part of her wondered if that weren’t truly the case. Luke befriends her and he winds up in the hospital. It was crazy to even consider it, yet Sophia couldn’t deny the flash of guilt forcing its way into her thoughts.

“Yeah, eventually. He should make a full recovery.”

“That’s good news,” she blurted. She couldn’t hide her feelings. She cared about Luke.

Logan glanced at her with narrowed eyes, his mouth twitching, but whatever he was about to say to her he let drop. He strode past her and entered the kitchen. She followed him and watched as he removed items from the bag, placing them on the counter. “What’s that?”

“Our dinner.”

Any fool could see and smell the food he was arranging in the kitchen, but she never expected Logan to make the delivery and offer to eat with her. “Excuse me?”

“Don’t be surprised. Was I supposed to argue with my brother about this?” He turned to her with recrimination in his eyes. “He made me promise to bring you dinner and work with you on Ruth’s retirement party.”

The air bottled up inside her lungs drained out. She was speechless.

“In fact, you and I are gonna have to pick up the slack at the lodge. Luke will be out of commission for a good long time.”

Sophia walked to the counter, looking at the two dishes of pasta primavera Logan had taken out of the bag. Crusty Italian bread and a salad were also sitting on the counter.

“Meaning, we’re going to have to work together from now on?”

Logan nodded, not looking happy about the prospect.

“He made you promise to be civil to me?”

Logan shrugged a shoulder. “Like I said, I’m not arguing with my brother when he’s laid up.”

“If you don’t pull any more Ruth Polanskis on me, we might just manage working together.”

Logan held back a devilish grin, but she saw the triumph in his eyes.

“Do we have a deal? For Luke’s sake?” she asked, her hand on one tilted hip. She did not approve of Logan’s smug look, no matter how hard he tried to conceal it.

Once again, Logan narrowed his eyes and gave her body a long leisurely sweeping appraisal. When he did that, Sophia felt as if he were devouring her whole. It took him a few seconds, but he finally agreed with a sharp nod. “For Luke’s sake.”

Sophia stared at him for a moment and sighed silently. They needed to eat quickly and get to work but she couldn’t resist asking, “Did he also tell you what food to bring?”

Logan’s mouth twitched again. This time she might have actually insulted him, but he took it in stride.

“No, I thought it up all by myself.”

Okay, she thought, I’ll play nice. She was hungry and ready for food that wouldn’t knock her socks off. “Looks delicious.”

Logan gave her the once-over again, his gaze fastening on the three inch-strip of exposed skin at her waist. “Yep, can’t argue with that.”

Sophia bit her tongue, holding back from giving him a piece of her mind. She had a better way of getting even with him. She wasn’t forgetting about his ploy regarding Ruth Polanski. His scorching-hot gaze aside, she would have to show him that she wasn’t easy prey.

They sat eating quietly in her small alcove off the kitchen. The linens were soft and white, the flowers wild from the pasture, the glasses sparkling under the fading light. Sophia was well aware of the handsome, uncompromising man sitting across the table from her. He’d brought a lovely meal seasoned mildly so that it went down easily and soothed her tender tummy. He’d also brought his underlying anger with him. It was a given, but Sophia wouldn’t let that stop her from gobbling up everything on her plate. She’d played it safe and hadn’t put food in her stomach for nearly twenty-four hours and now she was looking for seconds.

Logan rose from the table and brought over the container of food. She scooped a few more spoonfuls onto her own plate, watching him as he held it. This was strangely nice.

Maybe Logan had the need to control every situation. Coming here to tell her about the accident had been done on his terms, not hers. He could have called her to explain about Luke. He could have alerted her that he would be coming by for dinner. Instead he chose to show up at her door unannounced.

As if reading her mind, he set down his fork and commented, “I never thought I’d be sitting in this kitchen, having dinner with you.”

“Boggles the mind. Our second meal together in two nights.” Sophia gave him a sweet smile, refusing to be intimidated.

“Let’s not make a habit of this.” He surveyed the rooms in his line of vision—the kitchen, parlor and hallway that led to the bedrooms. “I don’t care for this place.”

“The place is wonderful. It’s me you don’t care for. So just be honest about it.”

Logan sipped water from his glass, and then eyed her carefully. “My brother kissed you today.”

Sophia’s radar went up. She’d promised herself she would be on guard around Logan, but now he’d dropped another bomb on her that she hadn’t expected. “Did he tell you that?”

Logan glanced at her lips, and then lifted his lids to look her squarely in the eyes. “I was at the lodge this morning.”

“So you saw Luke give me an innocent kiss and what?”

“Maybe I don’t think anything about you is innocent.”

Sophia’s stomach began to ache, not from the food but from the conversation. Darn him for creating more turmoil in her belly. Logan liked playing judge and jury. In his mind, he’d already convicted her of a half-dozen crimes. “And why is that?”

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

“So now I’m a cliché to you, Logan? I’ve already told you if you’re comparing me to my mother, it’s a compliment. She was a wonderful woman. I only wish I could be more like her.”

“Yeah, well, I used to want to be like my father. Blind worship doesn’t work. Sooner or later, you find out that the person you thought you knew wasn’t that person at all.”

It was pointless to argue with him. Sophia didn’t want to spend her time defending herself or her mother. Logan’s mind was made up and nothing she could say would change that. Even though she knew the truth about her mother and his father, he would never believe her. He didn’t trust her, and she was through trying to gain that trust from him. Through trying to prove herself to him. The only thing she cared about was doing a good job at the lodge and proving to herself that she was worthy of Randall Slade’s generosity.

“I’m sorry, Logan. It must have been a big blow for you to learn your father wasn’t perfect. Most of us aren’t, you know.”

She rose from her seat and came over to his side of the table, brushing his shoulder to reach for his plate. Her long tresses flowed onto his lap as she brought her face inches from his. He smelled of earth, rawhide and musk, and her breathing quickened as their eyes met. He was a beautiful man who hated her, but right now, she saw desire darken his eyes and that did amazing, warm things to her sensitive belly. She was close enough that if she stumbled, she’d be lap dancing with Logan. The image didn’t amuse her as much as it made her lust. She whispered gently, blowing her breath over his lips, playing the vixen he thought she was, “I’ll clean this up, and then we’ll get right to work so you won’t have to stay any longer than necessary.”

He stared at her, their gazes locked and then his hand touched the ribbon of exposed skin at her waist. Her breath caught in her throat and her senses heightened as he splayed his fingers along the hem of her shirt. It was unexpected magic. Sophia relished the feel of him touching her. She didn’t flinch or budge a muscle when Logan moved his hand in a soft caress that traveled back and forth over her midriff. She closed her eyes, mental goose bumps erupting in her mind. There was a connection between them, something raw and elemental and basic that defied logic or scrutiny. When he touched her, she reacted.

He made the tug that landed her on his lap and now the lap dance didn’t seem so far off, didn’t seem so outlandish in her mind. She felt the strength of his legs beneath her, the power of the hand that held her in place, while the other hand continued to make her body tingle.

She knew she shouldn’t allow him this touch. She shouldn’t allow him to get the upper hand again, but she was powerless to stop him. She craved the warmth and the thrill of Logan’s caress. He managed to loosen the knotted fabric at her waist and she waited, filled with unabashed desire. He took a big swallow, his throat working while his hand slid underneath her top. Inch by inch, he moved his palm up her torso. Her nipples puckered in anticipation. The pulse between her legs throbbed. It was exquisite and sensual. She hadn’t been with a man in years, not like this. The idea of Logan taking liberties with her body shocked her mind, but her body gave him all he wanted.

She arched her back, and wiggled slightly on his lap. His fingers pushed her bra down and her ample breasts spilled out. They were full, sensitized, and she waited for his touch. When it finally came she jerked slightly from the beautiful sensation. He palmed one breast, then the other, and a groan escaped from the depths of his throat. She murmured with pleasure, and squeezed her legs tight when his thumb rubbed over her nipple.

The pleasure was ripe and fresh and so greatly welcomed, but Sophia had to put a stop to this. She wouldn’t give in to Logan. She couldn’t give in to what they both craved. He would only turn it against her and make her life at Sunset Ranch unbearable. She didn’t trust him. And she owed him for hurting her all those years ago.

Her breaths coming as heavy as his, she brought her hands to his face and leaned in close. This had to be her idea. When he tried to meet her lips, she pulled back a little, making sure he knew kissing him was her idea. This had to be her choice, her decision and on her terms.

She waited, and he backed off, then she brought her lips to his to sip first, and then draw out the moment. It was just as good as she’d remembered as an innocent girl of fifteen. Memories rushed forth of the glory and newness of Logan’s kiss. His mouth accommodated hers now, just as before, but this time she was initiating the kiss. She pressed her mouth fully over his lips and deepened the connection. The world went a little fuzzy then. Logan’s breath rushed out and he removed his hand from her breast. The loss was keenly felt. He wrapped his arm around her waist, and brought her up tight against his chest. Sophia took control again. She parted her lips, and slipped her tongue inside his mouth. She tasted him with a sweeping exploration and he joined in, their tongues mating.

Satisfied that Logan had relinquished control, Sophia couldn’t let things go too far. Up until today, Logan had called all the shots. But putting a stop to Logan Slade’s passion wasn’t as easy as she thought it would be. He was a man who thrilled her and made her dizzy with desire. He, and only he, brought out an incredible, nearly insatiable hunger in her. Ever since the day that he’d first kissed her behind the gym, Sophia had dreamed of him and hated him at the same time for turning a beautiful memory into something sordid and obscene.

Summoning her willpower and abandoning the innate pleasure, she inched back, slowly pulling away from him until their lips were no longer locked.

Logan felt the loss, his gaze darting to her lips immediately. His expression changed from desire to determination. He reached for her, pulling her into a tight embrace. Crushing her to his chest, he slid his chair back; the jarring noise echoed against the stone floor. He stood, bringing her up with him. They faced each other now. A blaze of hunger lit his eyes, telling her he would take her here, right now.

A shocking thrill coursed through her body. Suddenly the battle lines got blurry, and she wondered if she was making a mistake in backing away. Everything fluid and tingling in her body said Yes to this man. Yet her mind told her to resist and not give Logan what he wanted. What she wanted. It would never be right between them.

“No, Logan,” she whispered, nearly breathless. She put her hands firmly against him and pushed. The solid wall of his chest didn’t budge. Frustrated, she took a step back, needing to create space between them. “We’re not doing this. We can’t.”

He blinked and looked at her, the fire in his eyes replaced by an intense stare.

This had been a bad idea from the start. She was a ravaged mess with her shirt askew, her hair mussed and her lips bruised from his kiss. She realized too late that she’d played with fire. And she would get burned, too. Yet she couldn’t relent. She had to stand her ground. It was the only way.

“Let me guess,” he said with a rasp. “This is about getting even with me for high school and Ruth Polanski?”

Sophia closed her eyes. Her little payback plan had backfired. She refused to give him an answer. Instead, when her eyes opened, it was to look at his beautiful mouth wishing for things that would never be. Tension crackled in the air.

“Two brothers in one day, Sophia. Is that your style now?”

“Luke kissed me as a friend,” she shot back quickly. “To thank me for helping with Ruth’s party.” Why did it always come back to Luke? “It was a peck on the cheek and nothing more.”

Logan frowned and his eyes filled with disgust. “And you kissed me, why? To prove a point? To get back at me for something stupid I did as a kid in high school?”

It was the first time she’d heard Logan refer to that time with regret. She nodded. “Yes, yes. I admit it, Logan. You needed a dose of your own medicine. You needed to come down off your throne and not pass judgment on me unfairly. I wanted to prove a point. You don’t like it when the roles are reversed, do you? When you’re the one being played?”

He heaved a breath, as if trying to temper his impatience. “Sweetheart, if you think I was being played,” he said, pointing at her disheveled appearance, “then take a good look in the mirror. You enjoyed every second of my hands on you.”

Shaking, Sophia fumbled to tie up her T-shirt and thread her fingers through her mussed hair. As she straightened herself out, she was aware of Logan’s eyes on her. His statement was true—she’d nearly been ravaged by him before she’d come to her senses. Slowly, she lifted her lashes to look at him. “I … know.”

He flinched. Her honesty surprised him and she witnessed a debate going on in the depths of his dark eyes. It was as if he were being pulled in two directions—either to take her back into his arms and finish what they’d started or to take his leave.

Moments ticked by.

Sophia watched him carefully, her body immobile. What she’d just admitted to him was ludicrous and yet it was the truth.

“Hell, I need some air,” he said finally. He grabbed his hat, plunked it on his head and took a few steps toward the door. Then he pivoted to face her one last time. “We have to work together, Sophia. Meet me in my office tomorrow afternoon. We’ll go over the plans then.”

She gave him a brisk nod.

And then he was gone.

Five

With morning sunlight at his back, Logan gunned his truck, heading for Carson Memorial Hospital. He turned up the volume on the radio, trying to focus on the words of a Tim McGraw song. But the lyrics didn’t sink in. Instead, an image of Sophia Montrose sprawled across his lap, arching toward him, giving him access to her body, flashed into his mind. He couldn’t drown those memories out with loud music. He couldn’t concentrate on business ventures. No matter how much he’d tried, the recollection of Sophia’s velvet-soft mouth brushing his, her firm flesh under his fingertips, the swell of her full, beautiful breasts in his palms continued to plague his thoughts.

Last night after leaving the cottage, he’d drowned out those images with a bottle of Jack Daniels. But today he’d hoped to hell he could fight the mental battles on his own. He refused to fall victim to Sophia Montrose, beautiful and desirable as she was, because he knew better. He’d seen what his father’s love for a Montrose had done to his family.

When he’d been in high school he wanted to teach Sophia a lesson. He’d wanted to put her in her place. He’d wanted to lash out at her. He’d kissed her, never expecting that he’d be the one to learn a lesson. That kiss had startled him, and he’d been surprised at his own reaction to her. He’d never expected it to be so good. Sophia had made him feel as if he could conquer the world. And damn it, last night, and as much as he’d fought it, that same feeling had returned.

He reached the hospital, and pulled into a parking space, hoping a visit with Luke would clear his mind. He was concerned for his brother. Luke would heal from his injuries, but he’d be a bear to live with during his recovery.

Logan got out of his truck and strode purposefully through the front doors. He walked through the lobby, and took the elevator up. The doors opened to the third floor and, as he marched past a row of rooms, he kept his eyes trained straight ahead. He didn’t like looking in on people in their sickbeds. His brother was too young to be laid up in a hospital. Though Luke had taken his share of tumbles while in the rodeo, he’d usually wound up getting patched up in the emergency room and sent on his way.

Logan reached his brother’s room and stopped by the door to steal a look inside.

Luke had a smile on his weary face, a brighter expression than yesterday. It was a relief to see him looking a little better until Logan noticed that he wasn’t alone. There was a reason for his brother’s good mood.

Sophia was in the room.

She smiled at Luke, her gaze focused only on him as she moved toward his bed with a ribbon-tied bouquet of flowers in her hand. She stopped by the window next to his bed, standing at his shoulder, and gently moved a stray lock of hair from his forehead. Her soft melodic laughter wafted through the room.

Logan winced at the scene they made together. An image of holding Sophia in his arms returned, and in that instant emotions he wouldn’t name streamed into his consciousness.

He cursed aloud and both heads turned his way.

“Logan,” his brother said in a weak voice. He managed a quick smile. “Come in.”

As he walked into the room, Sophia made herself busy putting the flowers in a plastic water pitcher.

“How you doing?” he asked his brother.

“Pretty good today. Considering.”

“You feel dizzy?” Logan asked. “The doc said you might for a few days.”

“Not too much anymore. Wait, are there two of you standing there?”

“You’re not funny,” Logan said, though he was relieved to see Luke hadn’t lost his sense of humor. He hated seeing his strong, good-natured brother reduced to wearing a tie-at-the-back hospital gown, lying on a remote-controlled sickbed. His right arm was in a cast, and three broken ribs didn’t allow him to move much.

“Sophia says I am.”

Logan shot Sophia a quick glance. She made eye contact with him for one second before focusing back on the flowers she was arranging. “Well, then it’s gospel. You are.”

“My brother is in full agreement with me? Doesn’t happen every day.”

“You’re not laid up every day.”

“Don’t remind me. Once the meds wear off, I won’t be smiling much.”

“I hear you.” Logan took a swallow. “You need anything?”

Luke shot him a pointed look. “Can you get me out of here today?”

“I take it your doc already told you no.”

“Flat-out no. Thought you could pull some strings.”

Logan put his hands out, palms up. “I didn’t bring a rope.”

“Now you’re not funny.” Luke closed his eyes then. Clearly, the conversation was a strain on him, which only proved that Luke wasn’t ready to come home. Knowing Luke, he wouldn’t get much rest at the ranch. As much as he hated to admit it, Luke was better off in the hospital right now.

Sophia gave Luke a sympathetic look, her amber eyes forlorn. God, she was gorgeous, and so wrong for any of the Slade men that Logan felt the truth of it deep down in his bones. She was forbidden fruit, sure to poison any man who dared to take a bite. He wasn’t entirely convinced she’d come to the hospital out of friendship and concern for his brother. He didn’t trust her motives and it wasn’t just because of his father’s indiscretion with her mother. Sophia herself had married a rich old codger for his money. That fact couldn’t be disputed.

Carefully, she put her hand on Luke’s arm and he opened his eyes to look at her. “I’d better go now,” she said. “I don’t want to tax your strength.”

He nodded. “I’m glad you stopped by. Thanks for the flowers.”

She smiled warmly and bent to kiss his cheek. “I’ll check on you later.”

She picked up her purse, and gave Logan a cursory glance as she walked out of the room.

With his eyes closed again, Luke murmured, “What’s up with the two of you anyway?”

Logan pulled a chair over to the bed and took a seat. He didn’t pretend not to know what his brother was talking about. “Nothing’s up. Why?”

“I’m injured, not blind.” He snapped his eyes open. “You two looked … guilty about something.”

“I hardly noticed her.”

Luke’s eyes drifted closed again. “Exactly. Sophia is hard not to notice. Did you have another fight?”

Just the opposite, he thought. They had … lust. And it’d been eating at Logan since their encounter last night. If Sophia had wanted retribution, she’d gotten her wish. “No. We didn’t fight.”

Luke took a long labored breath. His ribs must hurt like hell. Logan had broken a rib once as a kid, jumping out of a tree and hitting solid ground hard. He remembered breathing being really difficult for days.

“You working together okay?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Logan said. “As a matter of fact, we’re gonna work on Ruth’s party later in the day.”

“Just don’t give her a hard time, okay?”

It was a good thing Luke’s eyes were closed. He couldn’t see Logan’s mouth twist with annoyance. “Sure thing. We’ll be right as rain. You just concentrate on getting some rest. I’ll come by later on.”

Luke turned his head to the side and slowly nodded. “I’m coming home tomorrow, doctor or no doctor.”

Logan knew he meant business. Nothing much kept his brother down.

Sophia spent the morning going over upcoming events at the lodge with Ruth. There was the annual Memorial Day barbecue, marking the beginning of the summer season, as well as a wedding planned in the first week of June. Sophia took notes, reviewed the ledgers and read the week’s guest surveys to see if there was anything they could improve on. She made her daily rounds inside the lodge, checking on the staff, and then strolled outside to meet with sunshine and warm fresh air.

So far, so good, she thought as she stood on the veranda, looking out at the newly blossoming garden, the green pastures and beyond. Everywhere her eyes touched belonged to the Slades but for the dazzling Sierra Nevadas. Now she was a small part of that empire. Being half owner of the lodge brought her a fuller range of responsibilities than managerial duties and although it was a bit daunting, Sophia had geared herself up for the challenge.

She strode past the gates and headed for the stables. One of the services of the lodge was to offer guided horse rides on the property, and Sophia held a revised schedule on her clipboard.

Just as she arrived, Hunter Halliday rounded the barn wall, and stopped three inches short of bowling her over. Stunned, she leaned way back, the clipboard flying out of her hands as she lost her balance. Hunter reached for her, his hands firm and steady on her shoulders to right her.

“Oh, Ms. Sophia. Didn’t see you coming.”

He was taller than her by five inches and broad-shouldered for a boy of seventeen. She had to look up at him. “It’s all right. I didn’t see you, either.”

“As long as you’re okay,” he said, giving her body a quick scan. Once he realized his hands were still on her, he removed them quickly, and blushed red under his tanned skin.

She straightened herself out, took a breath and thought to ease Hunter’s mind by getting right down to business. “I’m fine, really. I need to run something by your dad.” She bent to retrieve the clipboard off the ground. When she came up holding it, Hunter appeared perplexed that he hadn’t thought to pick it up himself.

He blinked. “Sorry.”

“No problem. Is your dad here by any chance?”

“Nope,” he said. “Dad’s at the ranch today.”

“Actually, maybe you can help me. Will you check over this new schedule, and tell me if it looks okay? I made some changes.” She handed him the clipboard.

Hunter seemed relieved that she’d moved on to business. “Sure, I can do that.”

“No hurry. If you want to bring it by the office tomorrow morning, that’s soon enough.”

“I’ll do that.”

“Thank you. Oh, and Hunter … good catch. I might have fallen on my butt if you hadn’t caught me.”

Hunter smiled shyly. “I wouldn’t have let that happen.”

Sophia walked away from the barn thinking that Ward Halliday had raised a well-mannered boy.

Her mood brightened even more when she spotted Edward across the yard with Blackie at his heels. The boy tossed a ball and Blackie took off running.

Sophia came up just as Blackie returned. “Hello, Edward.”

“Hi,” he said.

“No school today?”

He shook his head. “It’s p-parent’s day.”

Sophia immediately ached for Edward. Neither one of his parents would show up for the parents’ conference today. His teacher wouldn’t share with them his strengths and weaknesses in the classroom. They wouldn’t hear about his behavior and his homework habits. They wouldn’t come home feeling proud of his accomplishments. Sophia hid her sorrow for the boy. She reminded herself that he had Constance. His grandmother was determined to make sure Edward knew he was loved. “That means it’s really kids’ day.”

The boy grinned, and Blackie jumped up against Edward’s lanky frame, pleading for another ball toss. Edward didn’t disappoint. He threw the ball and the dog went running again. “I g-get to play with B-Blackie and then go o-on a h-hike with Mr. Slade.”

Sophia winced inwardly. Logan was compassionate with the boy. She was glad of it, but seeing that side of Logan only confused her more. “Where do you hike?”

Edward pointed to a low rise on the mountains. “Up th-there.”

“And does Blackie get to go?”

“Yep.”

“Sounds like fun.”

Edward gave her a thoughtful look. “W-want to come?”

Sophia was touched by the invitation. “Oh, uh …”

“Ms. Montrose has work to do.”

Sophia whirled around, startled by the sound of Logan’s voice. It was the second time today she’d been nearly bowled over. “Logan, where did you come from?”

He grinned. “Same place as everybody else.”

She wanted to slap the crooked smile off his face, until he looked at Edward with warmth in his eyes, and ruffled the boy’s hair.

“Hi there. You enjoying your day off from school?” Logan asked.

“Yes, sir.” The dog jaunted back and Edward pulled the ball from his mouth.

“Good. You get your chores done, and I’ll come get you in three hours. We’ll go on that hike, okay?”

“Okay,” he said.

Edward tossed the ball toward the barn, and then ran as fast as he could to catch up to the dog that had dashed after it. Once he’d gotten a good thirty feet away, he turned and waved to Sophia.

Sophia waved back, and watched him until he entered the barn.

“You’re good with the boy,” Sophia said, not realizing she’d spoken the words aloud.

Logan clucked his tongue. “As opposed to being downright mean and rotten?”

Sophia snapped her head up, annoyed at Logan for sucking the joy out of a purely innocent comment. “It’s a wonder you can stand up straight with that giant chip on your shoulder.”

He put his head down, stared at his boots and sighed heavily. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right. You paid me a compliment and—”

“You found something sinister in an honest observation.”

Logan’s dark brows lifted, creasing his forehead. “You make me sound like a devil.”

Since when did Logan care what she thought of him? She searched his eyes and with a shake of her head admitted, “I don’t think you’re mean.”

He looked away, unwilling to share a poignant moment with her, unwilling to realize that she didn’t hold harsh feelings for him the way he did for her. “Edward has had a rough childhood. His parents have made bad choices, and the boy shouldn’t have to pay for that.”

As he spoke, she noted the pain in Logan’s voice. For a brief moment, she wondered if Logan related to Edward because he’d had pain in his life, too. Pain she was certain he attributed to her mother’s relationship with his dad. “Life isn’t always fair,” Sophia said.

He stared at her. “No, it isn’t.”

Sophia balked at his negative tone. This conversation was going nowhere. “I’d better get back to work.”

She brushed by him, but before she was out of his reach, he took hold of her arm, his fingertips gently digging into the flesh. His touch stirred her senses. She paused for a second, sensations rippling through her body. On a silent sigh, she turned to face him. “What?”

“I’ve got appointments all afternoon, and the hike with Edward later. We have to talk about Ruth’s party sometime.”

“Your schedule is busier than mine. Tell me when, and I’ll be there.”

“First thing tomorrow morning. Come to my office at 8:00 a.m. sharp.”

Logan’s home office was private, so there’d be no chance of Ruth catching on. She’d never suspect a thing and that was the whole point of the surprise. Sophia dreaded being alone with Logan, yet what choice did she have—they were partners. “I’ll be there.”

He released his gentle hold on her and she walked away. But the impact of Logan’s touch stayed with her for the remainder of the workday.

Well past seven o’clock, she closed up her office and left the lodge as the sun made one last blazing hurrah on the horizon. She enjoyed the glorious sunset on the walk home. But when she climbed the steps leading up to her front door, just as she put her key into the lock, a rustling sound from behind her interrupted her peace. She felt a presence. Someone was in the bushes. She turned sharply to see who it was. “Is someone there?” she called out.

No one appeared. There was no response. In the fading light she scanned the area, searching the garden, shrubs and thicket of trees and then farther, past the yard. Had she imagined it? With her back turned, she’d been so certain that someone was approaching from behind. An eerie sensation crept up her spine.

For a moment, she stood perfectly still, listening. A lump formed in her throat and before she allowed butterflies to take flight in her stomach, she gave herself a mental talking to. Don’t let your imagination go wild. No one is out there. It was probably the wind.

Though at the moment, not so much as a breeze blew by.

Sophia shook off the feeling of déjà vu, turned the doorknob and flipped on the light switch as she entered the house, making sure to lock the front door. She moved carefully through the rooms, looking around, and finally decided she was being silly. She was safe on Sunset Ranch. There were security gates, and the property was well guarded.

But just in case, Sophia slept with the lamp on that night.

The next morning, Sophia stood at the cottage’s entranceway, staring at a plain piece of folded, white computer paper she’d lifted from the welcome mat outside her door. Curious, she glanced out to the yard, looking to find someone who might have left her a note. Coming up empty in her search, she unfolded the paper quickly and read four words typed above the crease.

She blinked, and reread the note.

Her shoulders slumped, and her breath came in shortened bursts. “Oh … no.”

Slight tremors coursed through her body, and she fought the sensations, trying to make sense of what she’d found. The words were not threatening—should not instill panic. And yet she couldn’t tamp down her fear. She couldn’t believe this was happening to her … again.

You are very beautiful.

Last night, she’d been certain someone had been watching her. And today, as she’d slipped into her brown slacks and sleeveless cream blouse after her morning shower, she’d realized how foolish she’d been.

“Don’t be paranoid, Sophia,” she’d said into the bathroom mirror, tying her long hair back into a loose braid. “You heard a frightened animal dash from the yard or a bird flitting through the branches of the tall pines.” She had herself convinced it was nothing. But after seeing those four words, Sophia feared her world could very well tip upside down. She wasn’t convinced or sure of anything anymore. There was only one conclusion she could come to.

Someone had been outside her cottage last night.

Someone was watching her.

Sophia squinted against the morning sunshine, looked around the yard once again and then shut the door. Her legs wobbly, she made her way to the sofa and lowered herself onto it.

She closed her eyes.

She had to get a grip.

Yet she couldn’t move or summon up the energy to start her busy day. Her mind flashed to two years ago and that very frightening time in her life.

Shortly after her mother’s cancer treatments had begun, she’d landed a position on the chorus line for the Las Vegas Fantasy Follies. Hospital bills had piled up faster than she could work them off. She’d been scared and worried about a mother who was in major denial about the severity of her illness. Out of necessity, Sophia had become both a worried, doting daughter and the only breadwinner for their little family.

When the first note had arrived to her dressing room, Sophia hadn’t thought much of it. Her mind was on her mother’s chemo treatments … and kicking her legs high enough and in sync with the other dancers in order to keep her job. Two more notes had followed. After she’d received the third note delivered to the dressing room, her closest friend in the follies remarked, “Oh, wow, Sophia. You have yourself a stalker.”

It was then that Sophia had learned that propositions usually came to showgirls in face-to-face encounters with gentlemen backstage after the show. They weren’t typed out on unadorned, untraceable white computer paper.

The notes kept coming sporadically; there was no rhyme or reason to them. Sophia had gotten spooked on several occasions when she was sure there was one particular pair of eyes in her audience with deeper, more observant, more sinister motives than watching pretty girls dance, jiggle and tease on a glitzy stage. There were other times when she felt as if she were being followed home, although she’d never seen a soul. Her life had been one great big ball of fear. Fear for her mother, fear for her job, fear for her safety. She’d called the police once, and they’d taken a report noting her complaint, but they said no crime had been committed and Sophia figured she was pretty much on her own.

Until Gordon Gregory had come to her rescue, her grey-haired knight in shining armor.

Gordon felt he owed the Montrose women a great debt for saving his granddaughter’s life. Months prior, Louisa had taken in a wayward girl who had run away from her parents’ home in Northern California. She’d shown up in the alley behind the motel Louisa managed, high on drugs and beaten pretty severely from a mugging. The girl had been a runaway for certain and might have died on the backstreets of Las Vegas if Louisa and Sophia hadn’t taken her in and nursed her back to health. The frightened girl threatened to run again if they called the police. They hadn’t. Instead they’d talked to her for three days straight and gained her trust, making her see that she had hit rock bottom. But she still had a chance to save herself, and once she agreed to go home and make a fresh start, they’d learned that the misguided teenager was Amanda Gregory, granddaughter to Gordon Gregory, a wealthy oil magnate who had a home in Las Vegas.

Gordon was so grateful to Louisa and Sophia for saving Amanda that he’d offered to give them anything they wanted. The sky was the limit.

“We shouldn’t be rewarded for doing the right thing,” her ailing mother had told him.

After that, Gordon had become a friend. And when things got bad and the two Montrose women had really needed help, Gordon had intervened with his offer to take Sophia away from the Follies and any danger she might have been in, marry her and give Louisa the best possible health care. The older gentleman had principles and old-fashioned notions about marriage, despite his four failed unions and the big age difference. He’d insisted there would be no strings attached initially if Sophia was in agreement. He’d offered her time to adjust to the marriage and a safe haven from all her worries. At the time, with skyrocketing medical bills, a would-be stalker and an ill mother on her hands, Sophia had had no choice. Basically, Gordon had been the answer to her prayers. Sophia had even managed to convince her mother that she’d be happy with Gordon, but in truth, she’d wanted to give her mother peace of mind that her daughter would be well cared for if anything happened to her.

The marriage was to be a quiet affair. But the details of her marriage had been leaked to the tabloids, which naturally resulted in splashy front-page headlines. Sophia was not painted in a good light—the twentysomething gold-digging showgirl married to the aging oil magnate. At the time, Sophia had been out of options and her mother’s health had been foremost in her mind.

Sophia wasn’t always proud of her decisions. There were times when deep remorse set in. Her choices may not have always been wise, but she’d done what she’d had to do, out of necessity.

She would not go back to living in fear.

Slowly, methodically Sophia squeezed the note in her palm, her fingers digging in until the paper curled into an abstract form. She watched the words crumple away as she tightened her fist and then gave a final squeeze. The wrinkled lump in her hand couldn’t hurt her anymore. It couldn’t cause her any anguish now.

She would have to forget about this and hope it was a fluke. A mere coincidence. After all, it had been the other sentence absent from this note that had changed a compliment into a threat. Today’s note didn’t say “You will be mine one day.”

Sophia clung to that notion.

Still shaken, she rose from the sofa and moved to the kitchen, where she pressed her toe to the foot pedal of the stainless-steel garbage can. The note belonged in the past. She wouldn’t allow it to terrify her. She wouldn’t give it credence. Not here, not now. She was trying to rebuild her life on Sunset Ranch. With one forceful toss, the note was history. The lid of the garbage can slammed shut, and Sophia put the ordeal out of her mind. She grabbed her purse, slung it over her shoulder and walked out of the cottage on legs that moved solely by steely, stubborn conviction.

She would not allow that note to destroy her day.

Ten minutes later she couldn’t say the same thing about Logan Slade.

“You’re late, Sophia. What part of eight sharp don’t you understand?”

Sophia winced at Logan’s demeaning tone. He was lecturing her as if she were a student in his classroom, sounding uncannily like Mr. Anderson in ninth-grade history.

Tardiness will only get you detention for the day. You make me wait, and I make you wait.

“You’re right,” she said, taking a seat to face him from across his office desk. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.” Sophia set her shoulder bag down on the seat next to her and opened up her valise, drawing out a clipboard.

Logan’s angry tone ebbed. “You look pale. Didn’t you sleep last night?”

Sophia straightened in her seat. The darn note had rattled her more than she’d have thought. On the short drive to Logan’s house, she’d been reliving the past—thinking of her mother, her life and her bad choices. Her nerves were almost shot and she had to put on a good front for Logan not to see her distress. For all her bravado, Sophia felt things stronger than she let on and it manifested in a trembling body and a distracted mind. “I slept wonderfully, thank you.”

“Sorry and thank you, all in the thirty seconds since you’ve been here, Sophia?”

Her chin went up. “Would you rather that I tell you how rude you were to me when I walked in?”

Logan grinned as if he’d coaxed the response he’d wanted from her. “I expect promptness.”

“In a perfect world, maybe you should.”

“What’s not so perfect about your world?”

Sophia gazed down at the floor. She wouldn’t answer Logan’s question, but she was tempted to. She would love to tell him the truth about her imperfect life, and make him see that she was not the sordid, calculating woman he thought her to be. Not that he’d believe her. His mind was made up. “We don’t have enough time in the day.”

“Good point,” he said, studying her for a moment before glancing at his watch. “Let’s get down to business. I have another meeting in an hour.”

Glad the focus was off her, Sophia discussed her ideas about the surprise party, how she thought they could pull it off without Ruth knowing and her plans for the menu and decorations. Uncharacteristically, Logan agreed with her about everything. She was pleased that he chose not to argue the details. When it came to throwing a party, Logan didn’t have a clue. He was smart enough to defer to her. Yet she had a hard time focusing one hundred percent of her attention on the task at hand when her thoughts today were on the past.

She missed her mother. She still couldn’t believe she was gone. Oftentimes, she’d wanted to pick up the phone to call her.

Hey, Mama, I finally got your chili recipe right.

Hey, Mama, the daisies are in full bloom outside your bedroom window.

Hey, Mama, I just wanted to say good morning.

The loss was so keen that it always took Sophia a few seconds to realize that she would never be able to call her mother again.

“Sophia?” Logan’s voice broke through her thoughts.

She snapped her head up. “Oh, uh … Yes?”

His brows gathered as he aimed a pointed question at her. “Something’s up with you today. What’s going on?”

Sophia stared into Logan’s deep, dark eyes. For half a second, she wanted to confide in him about the mysterious note and how it had stirred bad memories for her. “I, uh—”

His gaze drifted down to her hand holding the pen. She’d forgotten to bring her laptop, something Logan had probably noticed but hadn’t mentioned. She took notes the old-fashioned way today, and her hand trembled as she jotted things down.

“Nothing. I missed breakfast. I guess I’m a little shaky.” That was the truth. She hadn’t eaten this morning and it was a good enough reason to give him.

Although he gave her a nod of understanding, the entire time they spoke, she felt Logan’s gaze penetrating her, watching and waiting for a hint to indicate why she was acting so out of character. He was, by nature, suspicious of her. And no amount of explanation would convince him to be otherwise.

Once the plans were set for the party, they moved the discussion to her progress with the lodge. Sophia forced herself to concentrate on details for the next fifteen minutes, and they concluded their business within the hour.

Logan rose from his desk, hawklike eyes watching her every move. She rose, too. Thankfully, her legs were stronger now, and her nerves not quite so raw. She had a full day of work ahead of her and a party to plan.

“I’ll call you tonight to check on the progress,” he said.

Sophia slipped her purse strap over her shoulder. “Fine.” He came around his desk to meet her, and walked her toward the door. “How is Luke this morning?” she asked.

“Better, from what the doctors tell me.”

“Is he coming home today?” Sophia couldn’t keep hope out of her voice, which garnered a tight-lipped response from Logan. “If he has anything to say about it, he will.”

“Give him my best when you see him.”

“Will do,” he said as they reached the office door. “Oh, and Sophia.”

“Hmm?”

“Eat something. Can’t have Sunset Lodge’s manager faint dead away in the middle of the lobby.”

Sophia sent him a sugary-sweet smile. “Thanks for your concern.”

“Anytime.”

Sophia had the distinct feeling that Logan Slade had his eyes trained on her backside as she walked out of his office and down the hall.

“I’ll go crazy if I stick around here much longer.” Luke’s frustrated words issued from his mouth in a whisper.

Poor guy, Sophia thought. He couldn’t move too much in his bed without feeling tremendous pain. Yet he stubbornly refused to take the meds the doctor had prescribed for him.

“You have to give yourself some time, Luke,” Sophia said. “You’ve been home only a few days.”

“Can’t do a damn thing on the ranch, either. With my cracked ribs and this here busted-up arm.”

Sophia glanced at the cumbersome cast that went more than halfway up his right arm and couldn’t argue the point. Luke wasn’t one to sit still, yet what option did he have? He’d ridden the rodeo circuit and from what she’d gathered he’d never suffered an injury like this before. “What you need is something to take your mind off your troubles.” Sophia leaned toward him to bring a freshly baked butter cookie dusted with powdered sugar near his mouth. “Here, try one of these,” she said. “I made them early this morning for you.”

Luke’s gaze lowered to the cookie hovering by his lips. “Smells delicious. Lay it on me.”

He opened his mouth, and she inserted the cookie. He took a bite and chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed and sighed with appreciation, laying his head back against the bed pillow. “You’re an angel, Sophia.”

Too bad his brother didn’t think so. She was an angel to Luke, and the devil’s spawn to Logan. One wouldn’t think the two men had the same blood running through their veins.

“That cookie melted in my mouth. Gotta be the best cookie I’ve ever had.” Then he added, “Don’t be telling Constance I said so.”

She put the rest of the cookie into his mouth. Her mother’s recipe never failed to make people smile. “I made two dozen,” she said, gesturing with a head tilt toward the plate on his nightstand, sitting next to the bouquet of flowers she’d brought him when he first arrived from the hospital. “You can thank me later, after you’ve finished all of them.”

Luke’s left hand came out to take hers. “I can thank you now—”

“No problem, I love to bake—”

“For coming to see me twice already since I’ve been home,” he rasped out. “And for listening to me moan and groan.”

“That’s what friends are for.”

Morning sunshine streamed in through the shuttered windows facing east. But the beautiful day didn’t have an effect on Luke’s sour mood. He was a man accustomed to being on the move. “There’ll be a hell of a lot more moaning and groaning,” he confessed.

“I know. I can’t blame you. But you’ll heal. You have to be patient.” Sophia moved from the chair to the side of his bed, carefully lowering down so as not to disturb him. “Here,” she said, leaning forward and offering him a second cookie. “Have another.”

He bit down, and closed his eyes while he chewed. “How are things at the lodge?” he asked quietly.

A pipe had burst, leaking water into the rooms on the second floor, the smoke alarm had gone off for no apparent reason in the kitchen and one of the guests had slipped and sprained an ankle while stepping down from their saddle since Luke’s accident. Business as usual, she mused. “It’s coming along.”

“Glad to hear it. You fit right in on Sunset Ranch.”

Sophia sighed. “I love it here.”

“And I love that you’re here, feeding me cookies.”

She laughed and Luke cracked a smile, but a second later, he paid for the movement with a grimace of pain. Sophia grimaced, too, sympathizing with him.

“Is there anything I can do for you before I go to work?” she asked.

Luke shook his head. “Nope. You go on. Thanks for the visit and the cookies.”

“I spoiled your breakfast.”

“You spoiled me, period.”

“I’ll come back again soon.”

“I might not be here.”

Sophia thought he was kidding until she saw a spark of determination in his eyes. “Where would you be?”

“An old rodeo buddy of mine is recovering from a bad injury. Broke his back a while ago. He’s got a cabin on the north shore of Tahoe and is itching for a drinking partner. I’m thinking on it. I’m gonna be pretty darn useless around here for the next couple of weeks.”

“Can you travel?”

“I can if I take those dang pills. It’s not a far trip. Logan offered to drive me if I decide to go. He thinks it’s a good idea. Wants me outta his hair, from all the complaining I’ve been doing.”

Sophia shook her head. “I’m sure your brother wants what’s best for you. Will you let me know if you decide to go? I’d want to say goodbye.”

“Sure thing.”

Sophia rose from the bed gingerly, and gave him one last look before exiting the room. She moved through the house with familiarity, as if it was only yesterday that she’d played in these stately paneled rooms and raced down the hallways on her way out the kitchen to a backyard that had doubled as an amusement park in her childhood.

The Slades had a tree house that looked like a Western fort with a steep slide and rubber swings. They had bicycles and wagons and a giant fenced-off pool. They owned horses and had been taught from an early age to respect animals, and all of their other possessions, as well. Sophia had often heard Mr. Slade instruct his boys, “Take care of things, or be prepared to lose them.”

The boys took it strictly as a warning then, but later in life Sophia realized how smart Randall Slade had been. He’d meant it as a life lesson.

Sophia had almost reached the front door when Logan’s deep voice stopped her cold. “Sophia, I’d like a word with you. Got a second?”

His words echoed in the entryway as Sophia slowly pivoted on her three-inch heels. She found Logan striding toward her, his face a mask of indifference but for a jaw that twitched as he approached.

Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. She asked herself, why him? Why did she find him so darn attractive when clearly the two of them would never happen? Logan had a perfectly gorgeous, fun-loving sibling whom Sophia adored, but Luke didn’t make butterflies take flight in her belly or make her nerves jump and her body tingle the way Logan did.

He’d touched her intimately the other night.

And she’d wanted more.

Irritated at her train of thought, she gave him a terse response. “I’m on my way to the lodge.”

“Busy?”

“I have some issues that need tending. Yes, I’m very busy.”

His mouth curved up in a casual smile that belied his words. “But not too busy to hand-feed my brother your cookies.”

Sophia blinked, surprised that Logan had known about that. “Were you spying on me?”

He took her question matter-of-factly. “I’d hardly call it spying. It’s my house. I passed by Luke’s room and saw the two of you in there. Cozy little picture you made.”

Sophia closed her eyes briefly, praying for patience. Damn him. She would not let Logan get the best of her. “Luke enjoyed my cookies. You should try one. They are delicious.”

His eyes moved over her, gently caressing each curve of her body. The dress she wore today was clingy and cranberry-red and Logan could hardly miss the fact that Sophia had forgotten to wear her usual matching jacket that concealed her cleavage somewhat. She felt exposed to his gaze. He touched every inch of her with eyes that devoured, eyes that held a thrilling promise. “Maybe I want my own batch, Sophia.”

The underlying sensuality of his comment fascinated her. She put her head down, her gaze catching the shiny polished tips of his black snakeskin boots. Rugged, rough-edged and appealing, Logan Slade made mincemeat of her resolve. She raised her head slightly, not quite able to meet his eyes. Instead she stared at the tanned skin exposed by the opened collar of his chambray shirt. She replied in a broken, quiet whisper. “Maybe … one day, Logan.”

He put his hand under her chin. With the tips of his fingers, he lifted her face a fraction of an inch until she was forced to look into his eyes. They smoldered like dark coals and sent a warm shot of heat through her body. It wasn’t fair that Logan could do her so much damage with a mere look, a single tender touch.

He bent his head and Sophia pleaded with him. “Don’t … don’t kiss me.”

He inched closer. “You want me to.”

She did. She wanted him to kiss her. She wanted him to make her feel the way he had the other night.

The lap dance night.

“Logan, you out there?” Luke’s strained voice broke through their moment like a cold splash of water.

Logan cursed quietly.

Sophia swallowed down hard.

Both looked in the direction of Luke’s bedroom.

“Yeah, I’m here,” Logan called back to him. “I’m coming.”

Sophia stepped away from Logan, turning her back on him to reach for the doorknob. Before she gave it a turn, Logan’s husky voice resonated in her soul. “Looks like Luke saved you again.”

Sophia put her head down, taking a moment to absorb the sensations rushing around inside her. Something was happening between them, but she didn’t know if she could trust what she was feeling. She didn’t know if she could trust Logan, period. “Maybe I don’t want to be saved.”

The sound of his receding footsteps faded on the plank floors. He’d walked away to see to his brother and hadn’t heard her. It was just as well. There were too many “maybes” involved with Logan. Sophia opened the door and stepped outside. The Nevada sun warmed her cheeks and the clear sky above brightened her outlook.

She had repaired pipes that needed her approval, a lodge guest’s temper to soothe and a meeting with her staff this morning.

She loved every crazy minute of it.

She wouldn’t have time to think about Logan Slade any more today.

Six

Sophia never had the chance to say goodbye to Luke. He left the night after her visit to deliver the cookies. Logan had thought it best for Luke to travel late at night so that he could sleep during the trip to Tahoe. Apparently, from what she could gather, his host, Casey Thomas, was a good guy, wild in his younger rodeo days, but now a big fan of the simple life. The two would drink and shoot the breeze at Casey’s lakeside cabin.

But as Sophia gazed out the window of her cottage this evening, dressed and ready for Ruth’s surprise party, she felt Luke’s absence in the pit of her stomach. He’d been gone for five days and she’d spoken to him twice in that time, but she hadn’t confided in him. Since he’d left, she’d received two more notes on her doorstep.

You are very beautiful.

The notes were always folded neatly and always typed on plain white computer paper. While receiving one note might have been a fluke and something she could ignore, receiving two more meant that whoever was out there, whoever was sending these notes was persistent. She feared they would continue to torment her. She’d been sleeping with the lights on lately. She’d been listening intently for out-of-the-ordinary sounds in and around the cottage.

Sophia let go a deep breath to steady her nerves. Tonight, she would play an integral role in getting Ruth to her surprise party. Sophia had worked her buns off this week, making arrangements, hiding a drastic change in employees’ schedules from Ruth and working with Logan and his staff to get the Slade home ready for the party.

The cover story was that Ruth and Sophia were to meet one of Randall Slade’s high-profile friends who was interested in using Sunset Lodge as a summer retreat for the entire staff of a private college. Sophia had explained that Logan would first host a special dinner at the Slade ranch house to impress the client, then one of Ruth’s last duties would be to help Sophia put him up for the night at the lodge and give him the royal treatment tomorrow.

Ruth bought the entire concept and Sophia was certain she didn’t have a clue what was really going on. Sophia was on pins and needles, though. Without Luke here for support, being secretive with Ruth all week and receiving another one of those notes made her jumpy.

Before exiting the cottage, Sophia scanned the property thoroughly, just like she’d been doing all week long. She grabbed her wrap and her purse and looked around one last time before locking up the cottage and getting into her car. She had no proof or evidence to back her feeling of being watched, other than that one night when she heard a disturbance in her yard, yet Sophia felt the sensation deep down in her bones.

Thirty minutes later, after picking up Ruth, who was dressed very elegantly in a cobalt-blue and silver dress, Sophia delivered Ruth to the Slade home.

Logan answered the door personally, dressed in a dark Western suit and string tie—a handsome maverick with a charming smile. Upon spotting Ruth, he gave her a welcoming kiss on the cheek, and then gave Sophia a quick approving nod as his razor-sharp gaze raked over her upswept hair, shimmery sequined cocktail dress and sandaled feet.

“Our guest is outside. He is anxious to meet with you both.” Logan stepped between them, offering the ladies his arm. With Ruth chatting amiably on his right and Sophia on his left, the three of them walked through the wide parlor double doors to be greeted by the sight of twinkling lights, grandly decorated tables and about sixty of Ruth’s friends and coworkers.

“Surprise!” the gathered crowd shouted in unison, stunning Ruth into silence. Tears filled her eyes. With her hand to her chest, she truly appeared surprised.

Logan and Sophia looked at each other. For a brief moment in time they shared the triumph. They’d pulled it off.

The festivities got under way quickly. Ruth was swarmed by guests giving their congratulations, kisses and loving hugs. She was the center of attention, as she should be, with her husband, her children and grandchildren by her side.

Sophia took a minute for herself. She strolled to the edge of the beautifully landscaped yard. Beyond the whitewashed wooden fences illuminated by strings of tiny lights was pasture land that stretched for miles. It was so vast and remote, so steeped in eerily quiet darkness that a chill ran down her spine. She shivered in the warm night and rubbed her hands up and down her arms, attempting to bank her feelings of uncertainty. Those anonymous notes were weighing on her and affecting her daily routine. She couldn’t get them off her mind.

“Need some quiet time?”

The voice from behind made her jump.

She whirled around. “Oh!”

Logan’s face was cast in shadows, making him look sinister, but oddly enough his comment had been soft and calming. “Apparently not, since you’re here now.”

Logan flashed a smile. His expression wasn’t one of battle. He offered her one of the two crystal champagne flutes he held in his hand. “Here, have a drink.”

Sophia shook her head. “I don’t … drink.”

“It’s sparkling cider.”

Thoughtful, Sophia mused.

As he handed her a glass, his fingers caressed hers, and she felt the impact of his touch down to her toes. “Thank you.”

“To Ruth,” he said, and then added, “and to you. You pulled off a great surprise party.”

Warmed by the compliment, she brought her glass to his with a gentle clink. “Thank you. But you helped.”

“Very little.”

He was being magnanimous tonight. Sophia welcomed it, but as she brought the drink to her mouth, her hand trembled. She still hadn’t gotten over her initial bout of nerves. Or was it Logan making her nervous?

“What’s wrong with you, Sophia? You’ve been jumpy for days.”

Logan had noticed.

Sophia turned to face the bleakness of the distant pasture. She couldn’t look at Logan now. She was weak and vulnerable at the moment, and tears welled in her eyes. It was ridiculous that a little kindness shown by Logan Slade could bring on so much sentiment. “It’s nothing that concerns you.”

He moved closer. His presence surrounded her from behind. “You admit there is something?” His warm breath caressed her earlobe.

Sophia squeezed her eyes closed.

“Answer me, Sophia,” Logan said.

He made her believe he cared about her. Why else would he question her? But Sophia couldn’t place much faith in Logan’s motives. She’d learned that lesson long ago. If the notes persisted, then Sophia would confide in a Slade, but the man she would tell would be Luke.

Sophia spun around to face Logan. “We should get back to the par—”

“Miss S-Sophia, Mr. Logan.” Edward came running toward them, his face animated. The night’s breeze fluffed the wisps of his hair as he approached. “L-look what just came. It’s a g-giant f-flower horse! Y-you have to s-see it!”

When he reached her, Sophia crouched down to his level. His eyes, lit with excitement, lightened Sophia’s heavy mood. “Hi, Edward. So what is this we have to see?”

“A h-horse made of f-flowers. It’s as b-big as a real h-horse. Mr. Luke sent it for the p-party. Y-you have to s-see it.”

Sophia glanced at Logan. His lips twisted, but he didn’t let on to Edward that he’d interrupted a private conversation.

“Would you like to show it to me?” Sophia asked.

Edward’s head bobbed up and down.

Sophia chuckled and put out her hand. Edward looked into her eyes first, then shyly took her hand. “Lead the way, my friend.”

Edward took off at a fast pace, with Sophia running on the tips of her toes to keep up.

She assumed Logan was somewhere behind them, making his way back to the festivities.

Secretly, Sophia was grateful for the interruption.

Or should she call it an escape?

Logan swirled bourbon and soda in a tumbler, his shoulder braced against the patio pillar, his gaze keenly fastened on Sophia. She swayed her hips in time with the music on the dance floor and caught the attention of every male at the party, married or not. Even the damn disc jockey was eyeing her. How could he blame them? She was a stunner in a black-sequined dress that shimmered under the festive party lights. At this time, in that dress, Sophia couldn’t conceal her luscious form. She didn’t try to cover herself up with a jacket or sweater. She was a curvy glamour queen with her hair up in a tangle, held together by rhinestone clips.

Gorgeous.

Hunter had her in his arms now. Every so often, she would smile at him, making mush of the poor kid. She’d already danced with Ward, Ruth’s husband and young Edward. She appeared to be having a great time, but there was something underlying, something not quite right about her tonight.

When she wasn’t in the limelight, her expression held tension. He’d seen her dart cautious glances around, as if watching for something or someone.

Lately, every time he’d approached her she’d just about jumped out of her skin. It wasn’t his concern, unless what was troubling her had something to do with Sunset Ranch.

Then it mattered to him.

Ward walked over to him, drink in hand. They drank together for a while in silence, keeping their eyes trained on the dance floor. When the song ended and the DJ announced a fifteen-minute break, the hum of lively conversation and laughter reached their ears. Sophia made quiet work of seeing that everyone was accommodated and having a good time. The food had been served and things were going smoothly.

“Ruth is sure having a good time,” Ward said. “Your father would have been pleased to see this.”

For once, Logan had to agree about his father. He’d been a fair and decent employer—that much he would grant him, and he would have approved of honoring Ruth’s service to Sunset Lodge like this. “She sure was surprised.”

“You pulled it off,” Ward said, taking a sip of whiskey.

“Not me so much. Sophia.”

Logan’s gaze landed on her again. She was never far from his scope of vision. He’d been deliberately watching her all night. Truth be told, even if he tried, he wouldn’t be able to keep his eyes off her.

“She’s a hard worker. Real nice, too,” Ward said. “I think my boy is smitten.”

Restrained laughter slipped from Logan’s mouth. “Yeah. Him and all the rest of the crew. She’s no different than her mother in that regard.”

Ward shot Logan a sideways glance. “Maybe the two women should be judged on their own merits. Or better yet, maybe they shouldn’t be judged at all.”

Ward’s little lecture was getting on his nerves. Sure the man had status on the ranch. He and his father had been close, and Ward looked upon the Slade boys as kin, but Logan wasn’t going to change his mind about Sophia Montrose, no matter how many people came to her defense.

“Just being cautious, Ward.”

“That why she’s been in your line of vision all night?”

Logan eyed him with a sour look. “You keeping track?”

“I’m thinking you should go over there and ask her to dance when the music starts up again.”

“And I’m thinking she’s got no room on her dance card.”

Ward let out a hearty laugh. “I bet she’d make room for you.”

Logan shook his head slowly. “Doubtful. I’m the devil to her.”

Ward finished off his drink and set it down on a nearby table. “Maybe you should stop acting like one. Give the lady a chance.” With that, Ward walked toward his son and started up a conversation with him.

Logan frowned and marched over to the bar to get another drink.

Before dinner, Logan walked up the steps to the deck and offered up a toast and tribute to Ruth. Everyone stood and raised their glasses. His speech was short but filled with gratitude for her outstanding service, especially during these past few trying months after his father’s death. He managed to get a few laughs with anecdotes about Ruth’s first days on the job and he wished her well in her retirement.

When the speech was over, Ruth was summoned up to say a few words. Her heartfelt goodbye and vow to get even with Logan for conning her with this surprise party brought some misty-eyed laughter from the gathering.

After dinner, dessert and coffee were served, the music mellowed out and one by one the guests began taking their leave. Sophia walked many of them outside. Logan didn’t miss the way she stood on his doorstep with a proprietary hand on the door as she thanked the guests for coming and wished them a safe drive home. She said all the right things. She was the perfect hostess.

Logan was just about to pay her the compliment when his phone buzzed. It was late and he didn’t want to take any calls tonight but when the caller ID popped up on the screen, Logan immediately answered the call from his youngest brother.

“Hey, Justin. How’re the marines treating you these days?”

Logan walked into his office to speak with his brother about when he was coming home. His brother loved the military, but Logan sensed a longing for Sunset Ranch in him lately. Twenty minutes later, when he strode to the backyard, he found all the guests gone. The housekeeping staff was folding up the tablecloths, breaking down the tables and stacking the chairs. They were an efficient machine that didn’t need any help from him, so he pivoted and went in search of Sophia.

“Where is Ms, Montrose?” he asked one of the waiters in the kitchen.

“She left with Mrs. Polanski ten minutes ago,” he said. “She said to tell you good-night.”

Logan waited until the last of his staff had cleaned up and taken off before he plopped down on the sofa, letting go a weary sigh. He knew how to pick good horseflesh. He knew what stallions would produce the best offspring. He knew how to keep his farm running smoothly and in the black, but what he knew about throwing a surprise party would fit in a shot glass with room to spare.

Ruth had been pleased and had thanked him half a dozen times. Her service had been recognized. His father would have been proud of how it all went down.

His father.

Logan had idolized him. Growing up as the eldest son, he’d wanted to be just like Randall Slade one day: fair, decent, honest, hardworking. He’d thought the sun rose and set on that man’s shoulders. Until one day, his faith in his father had been destroyed.

It was past midnight on a school night when Logan woke from a bad dream. Sweat beaded on his forehead and his body trembled as his eyes opened to the darkness of his bedroom. Too keyed up to sleep, Logan rose and knew what would calm him. Logan had gotten only a glimpse of him when he’d first arrived today. Champion, the purebred Arabian stallion.

Logan tiptoed out of the house to keep from waking his parents. His father would not approve of an unsupervised visit to a horse new to the farm. Stallions were known for erratic behavior, especially in new environments. So Logan was careful not to make a peep as he walked toward the barn and the special stall designated for Champion.

He’d gotten ten feet into the huge barn when he’d heard whispers in the dark.

How he’d wished he’d turned around and run home.

But instead, he’d hidden outside of the tack room and listened.

“I need you in my life, Louisa. You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved.”

It was his father’s voice.

Panicked now, Logan couldn’t move. Curiosity and disbelief kept him glued in place.

His father was talking to Louisa Montrose, the manager of Sunset Lodge.

“I love you, too, mi amor,” Lousia whispered. “I want you with me always.”

Logan’s ears burned as he heard their soft sighs and passionate moans. It wasn’t so dark that Logan couldn’t peer through the slits in the wood and see his father sprawled over Louisa on the tack room cot, kissing her, making little sounds of pleasure whisper from her lips.

“You know why I married her, Louisa. It was a merger of our families’ land,” he said. “And she was pregnant with Logan.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Louisa said on a breath. “It doesn’t matter.”

Logan snapped his eyes opened. Reliving that memory never brought him any peace. Why would it? That night, Logan had been shocked and felt a keen overwhelming sense of loss. Everything he’d believed about his life was a lie. His father had been a scoundrel. He’d married for business reasons. He’d married because he’d gotten a woman pregnant. With that notion came great heartache. Logan’s birth had been an accident. They hadn’t wanted him. But even more than that, the man Logan had come to love, admire and idolize wasn’t who he thought him to be.