“Good.” She pointed to a mound of golden hay. “Spread that around.
I’ve got to make a call. I’ll be right back.”
While Channing shoveled hay, she considered the idea that she might have some regrets.
After she’d left Colby in the hospital, she’d flown home. It’d taken less than a week for her to realize she couldn’t fathom spending her life living up to someone else’s expectations. Contrary to her parents’ accusations, she hadn’t changed. She was finally ready to accept that who she was on the inside was who she wanted to be on the outside. All the time. Not just for a week during rodeo season.
So Channing had quit her job before she’d even started it. She’d sold the few things she’d owned—including her BMW—bought an old Dodge truck, packed up and had driven across the country to the wilds of Wyoming.
242
www.samhainpublishing.com
Long Hard Ride
It’d been the best decision she’d ever made, besides hooking up with a sweet rodeo cowboy who made her laugh, made her mad and made her scream. The last time she’d seen him, lying in that hospital bed, he’d made her cry.
So far her only regret was that she hadn’t found the guts to personally visit that cowboy. The couple of times she’d called his folks’
place, his father had said Colby was resting. She figured she’d give him another week of recovery time before she took a road trip and tried her hand at wooing him face to face, Western style.
Gemma kicked a stall door shut on her way back into the barn.
“Who’d you call that put you in such a bad mood? Cash?”
“Why in the world would I call Cash Big Crow when I haven’t seen or heard from him in over two months?” Gemma’s face turned bright red whenever Cash’s name was mentioned.
Channing shrugged. Not her business. They’d either figure it out, or they wouldn’t. It made her sad to think that Trevor was too much of a chicken to buck his family’s expectations and had let Edgard go back to Brazil alone. “Hey, you want to shoot some pool tonight at the Lantern?”
“Nah. We’ve got too much to do. Let’s stick around here.”
“Great.” Channing quit leaning on her pitchfork and got back to work.
An hour and a half later, Gemma disappeared again while Channing finished in the barn. She heard a vehicle zooming up the driveway and gravel crunching as it came to an abrupt halt. A metal door slammed.
“Channing Kinkaid, get your butt out here right now.”
Colby? Was here? She tossed her leather work gloves on the wooden tool bench.
“That was your first warnin’, shug,” he yelled.
Channing sucked in a deep breath and stepped into the sunshine.
She shaded her eyes with her hand and caught a glimpse of Colby hunched over a pair of crutches beside a dirty black pickup.
www.samhainpublishing.com 243
Lorelei James
Her heart absolutely soared with joy. He was a little battered, a little thinner, but he was there.
And mad as the dickens.
“What in the hell is wrong with you? You’re livin’ in Wyoming now?
Less than two goddamn hours away from me and you can’t be bothered to let me know?”
Channing swallowed the lump in her throat. “I did let you know. I called out to your parents’ place a couple of times and talked to your dad.” She froze about twenty feet from him when the truth hit her. “He didn’t tell you I called, did he?”
A muscle in Colby’s jaw flexed. “No. He didn’t. I’ll deal with him later.
Right now I wanna paddle your behind for thinking I’d ever—”
She held up her hand. “Stop right there. I thought when we saw each other again you’d at least sweet-talk me a little, cowboy. Seeings you’re so good with that silver tongue. But instead—”
“Instead I’m standin’ here like a dumbass because I can’t run to you and scoop you up in my arms where you belong.”
She paused and stared at him, her heart in her eyes. “How about if I run to you?” she said softly.
“Oh God, darlin’, please. I’m dyin’ over here.”
Channing ran.
He caught her on his right side and hauled her against him. Colby kissed her, not like he wanted to devour her, but with pureness.
Gentleness. With his heart and soul wide open. Like he was giving them a memory to reflect on for the next sixty years when they looked back on this moment. She drank him in and filled him back up, sharing, drowning in everything they freely gave to each other.
She buried her face in his shirt, inhaling the warm intimate scent of him. “I missed you, Colby. God. I was so worried about you.”
“You were?”
“Yeah. I wanted to die when you got hurt. And in the hospital I realized I would wither and die if I didn’t have you in my life.”
244
www.samhainpublishing.com
Long Hard Ride
“So that’s why you left me?”
Channing butted her head against his stubborn chin. “Temporarily. I had things to get straight in my own life first. And you had other things to worry about than me. We both know you wouldn’t have wanted me around those first few weeks while you were recovering.”
“True. I’ve been grumpier than an old bear. Been in a lot of pain.
Been kind of an ass to everyone, if you wanna know the truth. But a big part of that was because I didn’t know where you were, shug.”
“I’ve been here. Waiting for you.”
Colby’s big, gentle hand shook as he wiped away her tears. “You know I would’ve been here sooner, had I known? Nothin’ would’ve kept me from you, Channing.”
Channing kissed his palm.
“So whatcha been doin here the last six weeks?”
“Learning how to ride a horse. Learning how to take care of livestock.
Learning how to cook. Learning everything I can about life on a ranch.”
“Why?”
Her eyes twinkled. “See, I’ve got my eye on this hot ranching cowboy…”
Colby grinned. Dimple and all.
She melted.
“Yeah? Well, there are a couple of things expected of a proper ranch wife that Gemma can’t teach you.” He frowned. “At least, I hope to hell she ain’t been tryin’.”
“You’re the only man for the job.”
“Always. Forever and ever amen. I don’t share what’s mine.”
“You made that crystal clear a couple of times.” Channing looked him dead in the eye. “I love you, Colby McKay.”
“I know.”
Her jaw dropped.
www.samhainpublishing.com 245
Lorelei James
Colby closed it with his finger and kissed her. “You told me once, and it was enough to stick in my head forever. Although, it kinda seemed like a dream, but I remember you comin’ to see me in the hospital. I heard what you said. It’s what got me through, the idea that a sweet, sexy, sophisticated woman like you loved a roughneck like me. Loved me enough to tell me you’d be waitin’ for me. No matter what.” He brought the back of her hand to his mouth. “I’d get on one knee, but I’m still pretty beat up. So I’m just gonna ask you outright. Will you marry me, Channing Kinkaid?”
Without hesitation she blurted, “Yes!”
“Hot damn.” He readied his crutches. “Get in the truck. You’re drivin’.
We’re goin’ to the preacher right now before you change your mind. Then I’m takin’ you home where you belong.”
She almost forgot her list of demands after Colby said home where you belong. But this was too important. “Ah-ah. Hold it right there. If I take you on, there’ll be conditions.”
His eyes narrowed. “Should I be afraid of these conditions?”
“Maybe.” Channing grinned. “One: You’ll be in my bed. Every night.
No boring, once a week missionary style vanilla sex. I expect you and I will both work to keep
our sex life as hot and titillating as it has been.”
“Titillatin’, huh?” He grinned. “I’m down with that.”
“Two: I wanna have kids. Lots of kids. But not right away. I want you all to myself for awhile.”
“Same goes, shug.”
“Three: Between you still recovering from your injury and me being a novice at living on a ranch, we’ll have to be patient with each other. Your family will have to be patient with me. I’ve been an outsider in my own family for my whole life, Colby. I don’t want to be an outsider in yours, too.”
Colby leaned on his crutches and stared directly into her eyes. “You are my family now. Besides, Mama already loves you because I told her all about you.”
Channing didn’t have to feign surprise. “You did?”
246
www.samhainpublishing.com
Long Hard Ride
“Yep. And she’s gonna kick my dad’s butt when she finds about him not tellin’ me that you called, ‘cause she knows how I’ve been pining by the phone waitin’ to hear from you.” He smiled evilly. “So I think I’ll let her handle him. She can punish him way worse than I ever could.”
“Good. Because I’m in for the long haul. I don’t want little picky stuff to tear us apart when the big picture is so promising.” She smoothed her fingers along the dogged set of his jaw. “Any questions?”
Colby kissed the inside of her wrist. “One.”
“Shoot.”
“Is this where I tell you I love you?”
Channing’s eyes filled with tears and she nodded.
“I love you, Channing Kinkaid. You make me the luckiest, happiest man in the world. Life on the ranch ain’t always gonna be rainbows and butterflies and the heart-poundin’ excitement of rodeo, but dammit, it will be our life. I’ll spend every wakin’ hour makin’ sure our life together fulfills your every fantasy.”
Deliriously happy, she snagged his hat and plopped it on her head.
“Is this where we ride off into the sunset, cowboy?”
“Yep.” Colby kissed her. Long. And hard. “I’d much rather ride you, but hey, I can adapt to anything you throw my way.”
www.samhainpublishing.com 247
About the Author
To learn more about Lorelei James, please visit
www.loreleijames.com. Send an email to [email protected] or join her Yahoo! group to join in the fun with other readers as well as Lorelei.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoreleiJamesGang
Look for these titles by Lorelei James Now Available:
Dirty Deeds
Running with the Devil
Beginnings Anthology: Babe in the Woods Coming Soon:
Running on Empty
Friendship crosses boundaries and love becomes a triangle. Can Jana learn to trust—through submission?
Lisa’s Gift
© 2007 Mackenzie McKade
When opportunity knocks, Jana Ryan knows it’s time to face her demons and return to the city she ran fast and far away from. Her homecoming isn’t exactly what she expects—she finds Lisa, her best friend, in a rather erotic position with the one man Jana has dreamt of since high school.
The redheaded beauty is everything Lisa promised Nicolas Marchetti.
Jana is sexy and exquisite and he can’t wait to sexually dominate both women. The triangle with the gorgeous redhead and beautiful blonde is every man’s fantasy. Yet there’s something about Jana that makes him want her and her alone. His attraction to her is unsettling—it goes beyond the physical.
Only by conquering the trials ahead of them, can Jana and Nicolas find their way into each other’s arms. Forever.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Lisa’s Gift: Jana glanced back at Nicolas. He was staring at her. “What?”
“Do you want me to tell you what I see in you?” From the hungry look on his face she would rather not.
“No.”
Again, he leaned back in the booth. That mischievous grin she remembered back when she used to watch him with his friends slipped across his face. “Scared?”
Hell yes she was scared. She had always wanted this man. The years hadn’t changed anything. “Not interested.” She played indifferent,
reaching for her wine and taking a sip. Then she released a heavy sigh to drive the point home.
A light danced across his features as his grin grew. “Liar.”
“Whatever.” She brushed him off with a tilt of her head. But if she thought that her impassive behavior was going to stop him, she should have thought again as she took another drink of her wine.
“You are scared—scared of the attraction between us.”
When his foot slid up her leg, Jana choked on the alcohol that chose that moment to go down the wrong way. Air. She needed air as her windpipe closed.
Within a heartbeat, Nicolas was by her side. “Gentle breaths.” He patted her back. “One and then another.”
I’m dying. She wheezed in a breath that went nowhere. She inhaled again, making a rather unbecoming sound like a cross between a snore and an asthmatic attack. The whole time Nicolas was there, talking, touching her softly.
It took a moment, but finally Jana could breathe again. Her eyes were misty and nose running as she excused herself and hurried toward the bathroom.
What the fuck! She leaned against the counter and stared at herself in the mirror. It was no mistake that Nicolas was coming on to her. And there was no mistake that Lisa didn’t mind. How Jana wished she could deny that he made her body burn. She had fantasized about being with him since she was just a teenager. What would it be like to make love to Nicolas Marchetti?
She couldn’t—could she?
Nah… She shook her head. It would be weird. He was Lisa’s boyfriend. But the fact was, she needed to feel the touch of a man. She wanted to find someone to love.
Nicolas just wasn’t the man for her.
Jana grabbed a tissue, dabbed her eyes, then blew her nose with a loud snort.
She needed a plan to get through dinner and then go home alone.
Concerned, Nicolas watched the bathroom door, and was relieved once Jana exited. He stood as she approached. Her eyes were swollen, her adorable nose red. “Are you okay?”
“Fine.” Sitting at one end of the crescent-shaped booth, she refused to scoot over, forcing him to sit at the other side. “The wine just went down the wrong pipe.” Picking up her glass, she hesitated then set it back down.
He slid clear around on the semi-circular seat until he was within touching distance from her. Her mouth went dry. She glanced at him, feeling her palms start to sweat.
The salad had arrived in her absence, and he busied himself tossing it, mixing the dressing and cheese, before placing a generous helping on her plate.
When he attempted eye contact she glanced away. She had grown distant, not that she had previously been warm by a long shot. He was back at ground zero.
Serving himself a heap of salad, he picked up his fork. “Where were we? Ah… Yes. I was just about to tell you what I see in you.”
“I wish you wouldn’t,” she said, looking down into her plate as she stabbed at a piece of lettuce.
“Strength,” he offered the single word.
Her head shot up. “Strength? ” Their eyes met and he felt her surprise.
Obviously she’d expected something superficial. Like how her eyes sparkled beneath the light like two crystals, or perhaps how silky her hair looked draped across her shoulders like a red curtain.
The salad was good, fresh and crisp, the dressing not too tart he noticed as he took a bite. He would have to remember to compliment Antonio later tonight.
Nicolas let her think about what he said before he continued. “Look at what you have achieved in such a short period of time.” He picked up the basket the waiter had set before them and offered her a breadstick, but she shook her head. “You’ve been alone since you were eighteen.
Moved to a different state. Started a
new life where you had no friends or family to rely on. You have a college degree and have a brilliant career ahead of you. How many people can say that?”
A warm sensation filled him when she smiled. “A lot of people have degrees.”
“True. But not all of them have put themselves through school,” he countered taking a sip of his wine.
She stabbed another piece of lettuce with her fork, but didn’t put it in her mouth. Instead she shrugged. “I was given a scholarship.”
“You earned that scholarship. Even so you did this by yourself—
alone.” He placed his hand over hers. “Jana, Lisa says you are a strong, beautiful person. I know she’s right.”
A soft expression fell across her once-tight features as she extracted her hand. “Thank you.” She grinned, dropping her gaze once again to her salad plate.
“What?”
Continuing to smile, she met his eyes. “You’re not exactly what I thought you were.”
He pulled his brows together. “What did you think I was?”
“Well, arrogant for one.”
Nicolas feigned surprise as he flinched at her words.
She giggled, the sound like bells swaying in the breeze. “Superficial and a whoremonger.”
He pressed his palms to his heart. “I’m hurt.”
“As if,” she said. Her eyes danced with laughter for the first time that night.
“Well perhaps whoremonger is accurate, because I sure want to taste your lips right now.” An ache began between his thighs, tightening and pressing against his black slacks. His sight was riveted on her full lips.
How soft would they be against his? Would she whimper softly beneath his attack?
“Nicolas. I’m sorry, but I’m simply not attracted to you.” She swallowed hard, giving away the fact she lied. “If I’ve done anything to mislead you, I apologize.” Her hands left the table.
Rough Riders 01 - Long Hard Ride Page 25