Dirty Little Secret

by Jennifer Ryan

  “Yeah, and me telling her again that we’re over. There’s a hard ex on that ex-girlfriend.” He brushed his thumb over her cheek and held her gaze. “I love you.”

  Noah took a good look at his friend. “Are you drunk?”

  Austin shrugged. “Only about eighty-two percent. Your woman won’t leave me be. She’s bossy and won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.” Austin stared at the ground for a moment, then tilted his head and glanced at Noah out of the corner of his eye. “What do you think about me partnering with her?”

  “Best thing that ever happened to me. You’d be an idiot to turn her down.”

  “You’re okay with me working with her, taking her money?”

  “Roxy is smart and you’re not an idiot.”

  Austin gave him a lopsided mock frown that only made Noah grin.

  “Taking a helping hand isn’t the same as taking a handout. You do your part, make this place into what you envision it to be, Roxy will make out just fine. She believes in you. So do I.”

  Austin hung his head and let out a heavy sigh. He closed the distance between them and gave Noah a bear hug and hearty pat on the back. “Thanks, man. You don’t know what that means to me.”

  Noah had a pretty good idea how much it meant to Austin to have someone believe in him after his father had treated him so horribly.

  “I’ll get this list to Sonya. She’ll be here soon.”

  Austin gave Roxy a tilted grin. “You don’t trust me to do it on my own?”

  “My reasons for wanting to bring Sonya here have more to do with her than you. But this is a big project, more than any one person can handle, especially if we want to get this place up and running as soon as possible. Even if you hate to admit it, you need the help, Austin. And yes, Sonya will be here to ensure my investment isn’t wasted.”

  “On booze, you mean?”

  Roxy smiled with a touch of mischief mixed with a threat. “Sonya won’t put up with your shit, so I’d sober up and get your act together before she gets here.”

  “You didn’t say, but is she from the ranch?” Austin’s eyes lit up with interest.

  Roxy got in Austin’s face. “She’s one of my sisters. She’s family. She’s an accountant, not a hooker. Anyone says otherwise, you better be the first to correct them.”

  Austin held his hands up like he was about to be arrested. “I swear, I’ll be on my best behavior.”

  Noah took Roxy by the waist and pulled her away from Austin and into his chest. “Austin knows you and your sisters aren’t like your mothers.”

  “I wish everyone, including your ex, got the message.”

  Noah kissed her on the head. “That’s out of our hands, but you worked another miracle: Austin agreed to work with you.”

  “Work is the right word.” Austin raked his hand through his hair. “We’re going to need an army to whip this place into shape.”

  Roxy cuddled into Noah’s chest. “Sonya is as good as a drill sergeant. I’ll send the list to her when I get home. Be ready. When she gets here, she’ll want to hit the ground running.”

  Austin leaned back and to the side, stretching his muscles. “I’m in no shape to run.”

  “Right now, you can’t even walk a straight line,” Roxy teased. “Fix that, so you can fix this place.”

  Austin took Roxy’s hand and tugged, pulling her out of Noah’s light embrace. He hugged her close and said into her ear, “Thank you.”

  Roxy tightened her hold. “You’re welcome.” She released Austin, turned to Noah, kissed him, then headed for her car. “See you back at the ranch, Noah. Austin, I’ll be in touch.”

  Noah and Austin watched her drive away.

  Austin tapped him in the gut with the back of his hand. “Does she ever stop?”

  “No.” Pride filled that tiny word to bursting.

  “Don’t let her go.”

  Noah turned and looked Austin in the eye. “I’m going to marry her.”

  “If you don’t, I will.” Austin smiled at Noah’s glare. “Congrats, man.”

  “Keep it quiet. I still need a ring and to ask her.”

  “Details. Everyone who sees you together can see it’s a forever kind of thing.”

  Noah rolled his eyes. “Tell Cheryl that.”

  “Do what Roxy does: drop the haters in your life.”

  “I think Cheryl got the message today. Tomorrow, Tom.”

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Roxy held Noah’s hand as they drove to town. She still felt the warmth and echoes of pleasure they shared last night. Waking up with Noah again this morning reinforced the connection they shared and helped knock down any fears that she’d lose this amazing thing they shared. Every day it felt stronger, more meaningful. If she felt this wonderful today, how would she feel months, years, decades from now? She didn’t delude herself into believing it would be easy to keep their relationship this happy. She was prepared to put in the work, because she cared deeply for Noah and wanted what she never thought possible: a happy life with a man who loved her.

  Noah reached over and brushed his hand down her hair. “You look happy.”

  She smiled over at him. “I am. More than I’ve ever been.”

  “I could live on your smile.”

  She leaned over and gave him a soft kiss, then fell back in her seat as her phone dinged with another text from Sonya.

  “Is Sonya excited about moving here?”

  Roxy sent off the last in a string of texts about Sonya temporarily moving and working in Whitefall.

  “Getting a ranch and potentially a mining business up and running aren’t exactly Sonya’s dream jobs.”

  “Doing the accounting for the Ranch probably isn’t her dream job either.”

  “Numbers are easy for Sonya. She needs a challenge. Whether she thinks she does or not.”

  “Austin is certainly a challenge.”

  Roxy eyed him. “How was he yesterday when you left him?”

  “Stunned. Overwhelmed. But incredibly grateful for the opportunity. Though he also seemed to not believe it either.”

  “He’ll believe it when the work starts.”

  Noah pulled the truck into the parking lot outside Tom’s office and swore.

  Roxy sat up straighter. “What’s wrong?”

  “That’s Lisa’s car. What the hell is she doing here?”

  “Conspiring with the enemy.”

  Noah swore and swung the truck into a parking spot. “They’re both our enemies.”

  “If you don’t want to deal with this, I’ll do it alone.”

  Noah glared at her. “We are both Annabelle’s guardians. We both own the ranch. We’re partners. Professionally and personally. We do things together, Roxy. Always.” He took her hand and brought it to his mouth and kissed her palm, then laid it against his cheek. “Now let’s go ruin this asshole’s day.”

  “Looks like Tom and Lisa already ruined your day.”

  “With you beside me, every day is bright and sunny.”

  Roxy’s heart melted over the love-drenched, sappy sentiment. “What am I going to do with you?”

  “Keep me,” he suggested.

  “Always,” she mimicked his earlier statement.

  They exited the truck and met on the path leading up to the single-story building with flower boxes dripping ivy under the windows. Roxy assumed the gardening service or an eager assistant kept the flower beds filled with annuals appropriate for the season. Pink, yellow, and white blooms welcomed clients.

  Tom was not going to be happy to see them. Losing their business would cost him money, but also other potential clients. Rumors were already circulating that Tom was the one who outed Roxy as the owner of the Wild Rose Ranch. Privileged information.

  They’d see over the next days and weeks if Roxy’s appearance at the rancher’s dinner would turn the tide of gossip in her favor.

  They entered the small reception area and stopped in front of the unmanned desk. Tom’s office door stood ajar about
six inches. Though they couldn’t see Tom and Lisa, they heard them loud and clear.

  “We need to do something now,” Lisa whined.

  “We’re building a case. The pictures from Cheryl will help, but they aren’t enough. Acting without caution could jeopardize everything.”

  So Cheryl had two reasons to take the pictures, to turn Noah against Roxy and to make a judge think Roxy had done something inappropriate.

  “They cut me off. I need the money.”

  “Soon.”

  “Soon? You keep saying that while she digs her claws in deeper to what should rightfully belong to me. I married that old man. I gave him a daughter.”

  Noah and Roxy shared a look and raised eyebrows. Finished listening to the two of them conspire, Roxy planted her hand on the door and pushed it open wide. She and Noah stared at the two wide-eyed traitors.

  Roxy shook her head. “Did you even earn your law degree? Or do you just not have any regard for the law? Maybe you’re too stupid to understand the concept of privilege and conflict of interest. Doesn’t matter. You’re fired. Noah and I will have our new lawyer file charges against you.”

  “You can’t do that. You have no idea what is going on here. She just wanted to talk about the terms of the will and her daughter’s welfare.”

  Noah glared down at Lisa. “If you cared one bit about Annabelle’s welfare, you’d call her once in a while or come visit her.”

  “She won’t take my calls.”

  “Do you blame her?” Roxy shot back.

  “I want what’s mine.”

  “You want the money, not Annabelle.” Noah pressed his lips together, disheartened on Annabelle’s behalf. “You won’t get either. Ever.”

  Lisa practically shot lasers out her eyes as her white-hot anger boiled over. “You want me to go away, give me back what you took. Do the right thing.”

  Roxy held Lisa’s hate-filled gaze. “We are. Annabelle has a home with people who love her and want the best for her. You think you know me. I haven’t shown you half of what I’m capable of when it comes to protecting that girl. You push me, I’ll push back, and believe me, you’re not prepared for what’s coming.”

  “You can’t threaten me.”

  “That’s a promise.” She shifted her gaze to Tom. “You should have just done your job instead of making this personal. After all, it can’t be the first time a woman shot you down. You should be used to it by now.”

  Tom’s ears went red with rage.

  Roxy smiled. “I told you not to fuck with me. You’ll be hearing from our new lawyer.”

  Noah took her hand and they walked out together.

  He stopped beside her on the path in front of the truck. “You’re something else.”

  “I’ve got a lot of pent-up rage when it comes to mother’s using and abusing their children and people conspiring to do bad things because they think less of you and you deserve it.”

  “I’m just glad I’m on your good side.”

  “You should be. I’ve got plans for those two.”

  “Oh yeah, like what?”

  “Point your finger at someone, there are more pointing back at you. We know they’re trying to undermine me. And they aren’t even trying to hide it if they’re meeting at his office. Digging up dirt on them shouldn’t be difficult. I’ve already given Randal the information we have on Tom and what he’s been doing, but I also gave him a directive to dig deeper and wider to see what else Tom and Lisa have planned to take Annabelle from us.”

  “You’re going to make Randal earn that retainer.”

  “Damn right.”

  Noah chuckled. “Do you have time for lunch before you have to get back to work?”

  She tapped him in the gut with her fist. “I’ll make time for you.”

  Noah wrapped her in a hug and kissed her on the head.

  “This isn’t over, you know?” Lisa walked down the steps.

  Roxy stepped back from Noah’s embrace. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll drop this now.”

  Lisa sauntered past them and said over her shoulder, “Honey, I haven’t even gotten started.”

  Roxy wanted to dismiss Lisa’s words as nothing but bluster, but she sounded as bitter and scornful as Roxy’s mother ever had and Roxy had learned the hard way never to underestimate a selfish, self-centered bitch with a grudge.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Roxy slipped into bed, tired to the bone, her brain ready to shut off. Lunch in town with Noah after the scene at Tom’s office was well worth the extra hours at her computer and on the phone with Big Mama. No surprise, 90% of their phone conversation was about Candy’s increasingly bad behavior and out of control drinking. Big Mama believed Candy was only acting out to get Roxy’s attention and to make her come home. Not going to happen. The Ranch seemed a long way away. Especially when she had the one thing here that wasn’t there: Noah.

  The second her head hit the pillow, Noah rolled to his side, hooked his arm around her waist, and pulled her under him in a move so smooth and effortless, she wondered how he contained all that strength and touched her so gently she melted under him.

  Naked, warm, and wanting her, Noah leaned down and kissed her softly again and again. Each kiss intensified and went deeper until she was rocking her hips against his hard length and clutching at him, wanting so badly for him to do something about the hot ache he’d built inside her.

  Noah kept things sultry, letting her need for him burn like a living thing inside her begging for more, needing every brush of his hand, sweep of his tongue, and press of his body against hers.

  Desperate for him, she gasped when his tongue flicked her peaked nipple and moaned when he sucked it into his mouth. She cried out with the intensity of her desire when he slipped two fingers deep into her core and swore when he pulled out. He slipped them back in with a chuckle that vibrated against her breast a second before his tongue circled her nipple then he suckled it again.

  “Noah, baby, please.”

  He must have had the condom at the ready, because he thrust into her not five seconds later, filling her and easing and increasing her desperation for the inevitable climax all at once. Then a change came over him, an earnestness she’d sensed but he’d restrained until now. Each touch, every stroke of his body, each kiss seemed to mean more than the last. The connection they shared grew stronger as the intensity between them bloomed into an explosion of love that rocked both of them.

  Noah found the strength and skill to roll them both over. She lay atop him, cuddled in his strong arms, his heartbeat and panting breath the only thing she heard besides his unspoken love for her. In the quiet contentment that surrounded them, she settled into the peace she’d only found in his arms.

  “Is this home, Roxy?”

  She squeezed his shoulders and snuggled her cheek against his chest. “This is the only place I want to be.”

  “So you see yourself living here long after the terms of the will?”

  “If you’re tired of me already, your actions say otherwise.” She couldn’t help the teasing smile that he couldn’t see, but amped how good she felt in this moment.

  “That’s just it. I want you to want to be here. With me.”

  She stacked her hands on his chest and rested her chin on them, meeting his earnest gaze. “Noah, honey, of course I want to be here with you. Why would you think otherwise?”

  “I don’t. I’m not asking you this right.”

  “Then ask me what you want to know.”

  “You have the means to do anything and go anywhere you want. Do you see your future here with me? Do you want to build a life here with me?”

  She leaned up and kissed him softly and looked him in the eyes. “There’s nothing I want more than you.”

  His eyes darted away, then fixed on her again. “What about kids?”

  “Can we enjoy this part first?”

  “After all you’ve been through, growing up alone with your sisters, do you ever think abou
t being a mom?”

  “In the past, not so much. Now I think everything is possible.”

  “Are you going to keep working like this, Roxy? You have no time to yourself.”

  “Trying to take care of me again?”

  He swept his hands up and down her back. “Always. You work two jobs, train Houdini, and now you’ve taken on this project with Austin.”

  “Sonya will work with Austin.”

  “With a heavy hand from you.” Noah sighed. “I want more time with you, not just the ten or fifteen minutes you squeeze me in between everything else you have to do. After dinner, when I kick back and relax, you sit next to me, but your focus is on your laptop, not the movie I put on for us to watch. You spend more time with Annabelle than you do me. I know she needs you, but I do, too.”

  She had no idea he felt this way. And hadn’t really considered that’s exactly how things were between them. “Noah, I’m sorry. You’re right. And I want to spend more time with you.” She laid her cheek on his chest and let her body go completely limp. “I’m tired.”

  “You put in sixteen-to-eighteen-hour days. Why, Roxy? You don’t need the money. I know you like your job and it’s important to you, but you need to give yourself a break. You need to decide what is most important in your life.” His fingers brushed through her hair again and again, the sweet gesture hypnotizing her into a deeper relaxation.

  “You. Always you. Even when it doesn’t seem like it.” She yawned, falling faster into sleep. “I don’t want to end up like my mother with no one to love. No one who loves me.”

  “I love you, Roxy. I want you to be happy. You work so much, I’m afraid you’re going to burn yourself out. Or find yourself working through one task after the next and not really living. Life has been so hard for you. It doesn’t have to be that way anymore.”

  “Life is better with you,” she mumbled and fell asleep with the next stroke of his fingers down the length of her hair.

  Roxy missed Noah. After the night they shared, the words they spoke to each other, she’d rather be home with him having dinner with the family than running around town on errands. She should have sent one of the ranch hands to pick up their order at the feed store and the medicine for a sick foal at the veterinary office. Since she was headed into town, Mary gave her the grocery list. She had enough on her plate and another late night ahead of her. But all she really wanted to do was curl up on the sofa, watch a movie, and make out with Noah cuddled under a blanket together.