by Elle James
“Just so you know,” she said, “I think you look pretty darned sexy.”
He stopped short, a frown creasing his brow. “You think I should have worn blue jeans instead?”
Megan laughed. “No, I think that if Mrs. Kennedy comes, you’ll have someone else batting for you.”
“I’m more afraid I won’t make it across the room with you at my side. The prettiest woman in the building is bound to cause a riot.”
“In this old thing?” She winked. “Let’s go make some waves.”
Megan strode into the convention hall feeling like a million bucks. She refused to look past the deadline of her marriage. For the moment, she had the man she loved at her side, he thought she was beautiful and that was all that mattered.
The majority of symposium attendees were men in jeans and cowboy boots, nice button-up shirts and cowboy hats. Wives, if they brought them, were dressed in a mix of nice dresses, pantsuits or jeans and cowboy boots. Megan would have preferred her jeans and cowboy boots. But with so much riding on this meeting, she felt more prepared in the blue dress she knew looked good on her.
They made their way around the large room, introducing themselves. Daniel had brought up several pictures of Marshall Kennedy online the night before so they wouldn’t miss him. Megan had seen him on only one occasion when he’d visited the Triple Diamond, and that had been when she was more concerned about riding horses than breeding them.
In the crowd, she caught a glimpse of a woman with shiny blond hair and for a moment thought it was Christine. After all that had happened, she had to admit to a case of mild paranoia, the feeling she was being watched. Even at the Coltons’ main house. Yet every time she turned around, no one was there. Now was no different. The shiny blond-haired woman she thought was Christine turned out to be a woman with bleach-blond hair in her midfifties.
Megan laughed at herself, her smile growing when she spotted a man fitting the images they’d seen on the internet of Marshall Kennedy.
Kennedy was reportedly tall, like this man, with a head full of strikingly white hair. Dressed in a black button-up shirt, black jeans and a silver bolo tie, he was handsome and commanding, with a crowd of people around him.
Megan leaned toward Daniel and smiled. “In the corner by the bar.”
“I see him.” Daniel smiled down at her instead of staring hard at his target. “And if I’m not mistaken, he sees you.” He lifted his head and nodded. “He’s headed this way.”
“Daniel Colton?” The white-haired gentleman, surrounded by his entourage, made his way across the room, his hand held out in front of him. “You are Daniel Colton?”
“Yes, sir.” Daniel took the hand and shook it.
Megan adopted all her mother’s grace and charm from years of sponsoring charitable events. She shone her best smile on the man who could make all the difference to the breeding program Daniel had worked so hard to perfect.
“And you must be his new bride, Megan.” He leaned forward and bussed her cheek. “Your father gave me permission to kiss the bride. What a beautiful bride you are. The spitting image of your mother when she was your age.” The older man turned to Daniel. “You’re a very lucky man. If I’d had a lick of sense thirty years ago, I’d have married Megan’s mother instead of chasing horses around the world.” Marshall held up both hands. “Don’t get me wrong. I married a beautiful, successful woman, and we’ve been together for the past twenty-five years.”
“I’m sure my father is happy to hear that.” Megan smiled.
“Colton, you had the good sense to put a ring on Josephine’s daughter’s finger before you got too caught up in the business. A good woman can help keep you grounded.”
Daniel slipped an arm around Megan’s waist and smiled down at her. “I am a very lucky man that she chose me. She’s not only beautiful but also smart. She has been a huge help to my program already. We work well together.”
The heat rose in Megan’s cheeks. “He’s being too kind. Daniel had the program going strong before I ever showed up at the Lucky C Ranch.”
Daniel kissed her temple. “You helped me position it for the next level.” He shifted his direct gaze to Kennedy.
The older man nodded, his lips quirking at the corners. “What I’ve learned from Frank, the internet and the grapevine is that you’ve done pretty well for yourself, and at a young age.”
Daniel tipped his head up. “Thank you, sir. I’m proud of my horse-breeding strategy, and I hope to take it a step further with Kennedy Farm’s Striker’s Royal Advantage stud services.”
Kennedy nodded. “Precisely. We can talk details at dinner.” He introduced Daniel and Megan to his ranch manager, Tom Miller, and the head of his breeding program, Gary Callan.
The five of them loaded into Kennedy’s waiting Hummer limousine, and they were taken to one of the nicest steak houses in Reno in one of the most prestigious casinos.
“Daniel, are you a gambler?” Mr. Kennedy asked as he took his seat at the table.
Daniel settled in next to Megan and reached for her hand beneath the table. “Only in the sense of weather and crops. However, I like to take what I call educated risks.”
Kennedy’s eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward. “How’s that?”
“I do my homework to find the best solutions to problems. I consult my expert biologist—” Daniel tilted his head toward Megan “—and make the environment as stable as I can when ranching and working with animals before I commit.”
The older man sat back, giving Daniel an assessing glance. “Sounds pretty calculated.”
“I didn’t build my program based on the seat of my pants.”
“Have you ever taken an uncalculated risk?”
Daniel squeezed Megan’s hand beneath the table. “As a matter of fact, I did. That risk was asking Megan to marry me.”
Kennedy chuckled. “How do you figure that as uncalculated?”
“We were in the barn. I’m sure I smelled of horse manure and hay when I asked her.”
Megan smiled up at him. “He’d saved me from a runaway horse a few days earlier, I smelled about the same and it was the most romantic proposal I could have imagined. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
Daniel grinned at Mr. Kennedy. “See what I mean? She’s perfect.”
“Common interests and goals are the keys to a successful merger.” Kennedy nodded. “You two will do well together.”
“I hadn’t met a woman as interested in horses as I am.” Daniel gazed at Megan. “Until a pretty redheaded female answered my ad for an assistant. I have to admit, I was hesitant to hire a woman to work with horses. But she convinced me to give her a try. I was pleasantly surprised that she was more than just a pretty face.”
Megan’s mouth twisted in a wry grin. “You’re sounding pretty chauvinistic, sweetheart.” She shifted her glance to Mr. Kennedy. “I told him I’d been working around horses all my life. My father bred both quarter horses and Thoroughbreds. I knew the nose from the tail and how to manage the records of a much larger operation.”
Daniel’s gaze fixed on Megan, giving her a warm feeling. “She talked the talk.”
“How did she convince you?” Kennedy asked.
“I challenged her to ride with me.” Daniel crossed his arms, a grin spreading across his face. “Bareback.”
Butterflies fluttered in Megan’s belly at the way Daniel’s dark eyes danced. He loved telling this story, and it made her feel special and proud to have passed his test. Her parents would have been appalled that he’d asked her to ride bareback. But bareback was how she’d learned and felt most natural.
Mr. Kennedy laughed out loud.
Daniel’s chuckle made Megan’s chest swell. “I figured if she was afraid of horses, she’d refuse to ride bareback, and she’d know immediately she didn’t have
the job. I couldn’t have an assistant afraid of horses.”
Megan’s chin tilted upward. “I’m not afraid of horses. But I have a healthy respect for them.”
Kennedy leaned forward. “Did you ride the horse bareback?”
A grin spread across her face. “Damn right I did.” Her mother would have washed her mouth out with soap had she heard her daughter curse in front of anyone. Megan felt she’d earned the right to be adamant. She was good with horses, and when her parents refused to give her permission to work with the Triple Diamond breeding stock, she’d been even more determined to prove them wrong.
Daniel’s chest puffed out. “Not only did she ride that horse, but she also cleaned her hooves, checked her teeth and gave me advice on what feed was best and how often. She asked questions only someone with an intimate knowledge of horses would ask.”
“Now he doesn’t know how to live without me,” Megan said with a bright smile. She wished her words were true. When the time came for their marriage to end, she knew she wouldn’t be able to stay. Daniel already meant so much to her that she couldn’t work at his side as just his assistant. What if he fell in love with another woman?
Her heart ached at the thought.
No, she couldn’t work alongside him if he had another woman in his life. She’d have to leave the Lucky C Ranch in order to get over him. Seeing him with someone else would tear her apart.
Tom Miller and Gary Callan asked questions.
Megan gave Daniel the lead. It was his program. When she was gone, he’d still be there, raising the finest horses.
Daniel didn’t let her sit by, nodding and smiling. He pulled her into the conversation. Soon the five of them were leaning over the table in a lively discussion about studs or mares from other breeders that Kennedy Farms and the Lucky C could benefit from.
Marshall Kennedy finally glanced at his watch. “Good Lord. Is it really eleven o’clock?”
Megan looked around the restaurant. The waitstaff was hovering around their table, ready to clean up and get out of there. “We shouldn’t have kept you so long.” She started to stand, but Daniel put a hand on her knee beneath the table.
She waited until he stood and held her chair. Though she hated all the formality of living the lifestyle of the rich and famous, it was nice to be treated like a lady, with respect and care. When it was convenient, Daniel opened doors for her on the Lucky C. There were times that, as an assistant, she opened them for him.
“Tomorrow I would like to show you the stud you were interested in. The symposium arranged for breeders to show their horses at the arena. Will you be available to view him?” Mr. Kennedy asked. “I’ll have several of our broodmares, as well.”
Daniel slipped an arm around Megan’s waist. “We’d be honored.”
Outside the restaurant, Kennedy, Miller and Callan shook hands with Daniel and Megan.
“We’re staying at this hotel,” Kennedy said. “But the limousine is at your disposal. It will drop you off at yours.” The older man held out his hand to Daniel. “So that you’re not left hanging, I want you to know that I like what I’ve seen in the way you run your program, the horses you’ve bred and, of course, your choice of a lifelong assistant.” Mr. Kennedy dropped Daniel’s hand and lifted Megan’s to cup it in both of his. “And you’re absolutely right. She is beautiful and intelligent. Your father must be proud.”
Megan now knew her father was proud of her, and hearing Kennedy say that he must be made it all the more real. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Kennedy.”
“Call me Marshall. I like to be on a first-name basis with the people I do business with.” He winked at Daniel. “Once you’ve had a chance to see Striker’s Royal Advantage, if you’re still interested, we’ll draw up the papers.”
Daniel nodded, his face serious. “Thank you, Mr. Kennedy. I appreciate your confidence in me.”
Kennedy clapped a hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “You’ve earned it, son.”
Kennedy and his two men returned to the hotel while Daniel handed Megan into the limousine.
Once he was seated, a huge grin split Daniel’s face, and he grabbed Megan in a bear hug. “Sweetheart, I could not have done it without you. You were absolutely amazing. I could kiss you.”
She stared up into his shining eyes and asked, “What’s stopping you?”
Daniel cupped her cheek and tilted her face up, bringing his mouth so close to hers, his warm breath tickling her lips.
“I could so easily fall in love with you,” he whispered.
“Again, what’s stopping you?”
He brushed her mouth with his, dragging her close against him.
The limousine pulled away from the hotel and was halfway down the road before Daniel broke away to breathe. But only for a minute. Then he kissed and nibbled a trail along her cheek and chin, down the side of her neck to where the pulse beat hard at the base of her throat.
Her body was on fire with need. She couldn’t wait to reach the hotel and have this man. Nothing would stop her or get in the way of them making love. Until they broke it off, Megan and Daniel were married. Making love was part of the gig. There was no shame in it and no reason to hold back.
A quick glance at the divider between the driver and the back of the limousine reassured her of their privacy. Megan pushed Daniel to arm’s length, grabbed for the buckle cinching the belt around her waist and pulled it free. Then she winked. “Are you afraid to go for a ride, cowboy?”
Chapter 17
Daniel’s eyes flared, and his pulse pounded so hard against his eardrums he could barely hear. “Hang on.” He fumbled with the buttons on the side of the door and said, “Driver, could you circle Reno for twenty minutes? My wife hasn’t seen all the city has to offer.”
After the driver responded, Daniel hit the Mute button.
Daniel barely had his finger off the button when Megan reached for the hem of her dress, pulled it up over her head and tossed it to the side.
Daniel froze, and his breath caught in his throat. He reached out to touch the soft skin of her cheeks and then dragged the backs of his knuckles down her neck. He memorized the curves and edges as he crossed her collarbone, smoothed across the muscles of her shoulders and moved downward to the swell of her breasts.
The lace of her bra had an erotic coarseness that set his world on fire. Daniel tweaked the distended nipples through the lace, his mouth watering for a taste of her luscious fruit.
Megan moaned and leaned into his palms.
There would be no stopping him this time. All the best intentions of staying away from her and keeping his hands off this woman were null and void. He had to have her. He wanted her so much he’d make love to her in the backseat of the limousine.
His need for her was like a physical pain in his heart.
Megan reached behind her back and flicked the catches on her bra, freeing herself for him. Then she wove her fingers through his hair and guided his mouth to her nipple. Daniel tugged the straps down her arms and tossed the undergarment away. He palmed a breast in one hand while he tongued the other, angling Megan downward onto the leather seat.
The vehicle slowed for a stop. Daniel wasn’t even vaguely aware of the world around him.
Megan reached between them and unbuckled his belt and the top button of his jeans. “I want you. Now.” She gripped the zipper and tugged it downward.
“Shh, sweetheart. We have the limousine long enough to do this right.”
“I don’t want right. I want now.” Her fingers slid into his jeans and wrapped around the steely hardness of him.
“At the rate we’re going, I won’t last long.”
“Anyone ever tell you that you talk too much?” She leaned up on her elbow and wrapped her hand around his neck, pulling him down on top of her. Her mouth found his, and she kissed him
long and hard.
Daniel hooked his thumb in the elastic of her panties, dragged them down her long legs and tossed them to the side. Then he parted her legs and moved between them, nudging her entrance with his erection.
She pushed his jeans over his buttocks and sank her fingernails into his skin. She gasped, “What about protection?”
“Back pocket,” he gritted out, afraid he wouldn’t be able to control himself much longer. “In my wallet.”
While he balanced over her on his arms, she reached for his wallet, extracted the little foil packet, ripped it open and rolled it down over him. “Now!”
Megan wrapped her legs around his waist and dug her heels into his buttocks.
Daniel drove into her, hard and fast, burying himself deep inside. Her slick channel contracted around him, drawing him deeper.
Holy hell, how was he supposed to make this last when she felt so damned good? He thrust in and out, unable to slow to pleasure her first. The need to have her drove his actions.
Megan let her heels drop against the seat. She pushed off to meet him thrust for thrust, the friction creating an overpowering heat he was sure would light the leather cushion on fire.
Her moans turned into soft mewling cries that sent him rocketing over the edge of reason. He thrust one last time and held steady, deep inside her.
Megan’s legs clamped around him, holding him there until his member stopped throbbing and he could redirect the blood flow back to his brain.
He pulled free and handed Megan her clothes, helping her by hooking the bra in the back. Dressing her was almost as sensual as undressing her, and he wished they had more time in the limousine. But they had a room they would share in one of the swanky hotels. “Hey, the sooner we get back to the hotel, the sooner we can resume our negotiations.” He tugged the dress over her head and down her torso.