Hazard Ranch

by Joan Johnston

  The instant he closed the front door, Nathan turned to Harry and demanded, “What’s that doing in here?”

  “I would think that’s obvious. It’s there so you can use it.”

  “I’ve already told you I don’t have time for drawing,” he said harshly.

  “Not drawing, designing,” she corrected. Harry watched him limp over to the table. Watched as his hand smoothed lovingly over the wooden surface. He misses it. That revelation was enough to convince Harry she should keep pushing. “I couldn’t help thinking that all those movie stars moving into Montana are going to be needing spacious, beautiful homes. Someone has to design their mountain sanctuaries. Why not you?”

  “I’m a sheep rancher, that’s why.” He settled into the ladder-back stool she’d found in the tack room in the barn, and shifted the T square up and down along the edge of the drafting table. “Besides, when would I have time to draw?”

  “Montana is blessed with a lot of long winter nights,” she quipped.

  He rose from the table and limped over to stand in front of her. “There are other things I’d rather be doing on a long winter night.” He took her hands and pulled her out of the rocker and into his embrace. “Like holding my woman,” he murmured in her ear. “Loving her good and hard.”

  “Sounds marvelous,” she said. “Designing beautiful houses. Designing beautiful babies.”

  “You make it sound simple.”

  “It can be. Won’t you give it a try?”

  He hugged her hard. “Don’t start me dreaming again, Harry-et. I’ve spent a long time learning to accept the hand fate has dealt me.”

  “Maybe it’s time to ask for some new cards.”

  Nathan shook his head. “You never give up, do you? All right, Harry-et. I’ll give it a try.”

  She gave him a quick kiss. “I’m glad.”

  Nathan had no explanation for why he felt so good. He’d given up all hope of designing significant buildings a long time ago. But mountain sanctuaries for movie stars? It was just whimsical enough to work. He would make sure that the structures fitted in with the environment, that they utilized the shapes and materials appropriate to the wide open Montana spaces. Maybe it wasn’t such a crazy idea, after all.

  He looked down into Harry-et’s glowing brown eyes. He’d never loved anyone as much as he loved her. “Come back upstairs with me,” he urged.

  “I can’t. It’s time for me to go home.”

  “Stay.”

  “I can’t. I’ll be in touch, Nathan. Good-bye.”

  Harry kept her chin up and her shoulders back as she walked out the door. It made no sense to be walking away from the man she loved. Maybe over the next few weeks she could get everything straightened out in her mind. Maybe she could convince herself that nothing mattered as much as loving Nathan. Not even the independence she’d come to Montana to find.

  CHAPTER 10

  Where is a western small-town wedding reception held?

  Answer: The church basement if large enough, otherwise the Moose Hall.

  Harry found it hard living in her dilapidated cabin again. Of course, her place was tiny and primitive and utterly unlivable in comparison to Nathan’s. But she’d coped with those things for months and never minded. Now she couldn’t wait to leave Cyrus’s cabin each morning. Because it felt empty without Nathan in it.

  Harry had spent a lot of time lately thinking about what was important to her. Nathan headed the list. Independence wasn’t even running a close second. Harry was having trouble justifying her continued refusal of the sheepman’s wedding proposal. These days Harry was so self-sufficient that it was hard to remember a time when she hadn’t taken care of herself. She was starting to feel foolish for insisting that Nathan wait for an answer until she sold her lambs and paid off her loan at the bank.

  Everything was clarified rather quickly when she received a call from her father.

  “Your mother and I will be coming for a visit in two weeks, Harriet, to check on your progress. While we’re there we’d really like to see where you’re living.”

  “My place is too small for company, Dad. I’ll meet you at The Grand in Big Timber,” Harry countered.

  “By the way, how are you, darling?” her mother asked.

  “Just fine, Mom. I’ve had a proposal of marriage,” Harry mentioned casually. “From a rancher here.”

  “Oh, dear. Don’t rush into anything, darling,” her mother said. “Promise me you won’t do anything rash before we get there.”

  “What did you have in mind, Mom?”

  “Just don’t get married, dear. Not until your father and I have a chance to look the young man over.”

  “Your mother is right, Harriet. Marriage is much too important a step to take without careful consideration.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind, Dad. I’ve got to go now.” She couldn’t help adding, “I’ve got to feed the chickens and slop the hogs.”

  Harry felt a twinge of conscience when she heard her mother’s gasp of dismay. But her father’s snort of disgust stiffened her resolve. She was proud of what she’d accomplished since coming to the valley. If her parents couldn’t appreciate all she’d done, that was their loss. She wasn’t going to apologize for what she’d become. And she sure wasn’t going to apologize for the man she’d just decided to marry.

  As soon as her parents clicked off, she dialed Nathan’s ranch. She heard his phone ring once and quickly hung up. This was too important an announcement to make over the phone. Besides, she hadn’t seen Nathan for ten long, lonely days. She wanted to be there to see Nathan’s face and share her excitement with him. The pigs and the chickens would have to wait.

  Halfway to Nathan’s house, Harry realized he would probably be working somewhere on the ranch, out of communication with the house. To her surprise, when she knocked on the door, he answered it.

  “What are you doing home?” she asked as he ushered her inside. “You’re supposed to be out somewhere counting sheep.”

  “I’m drawing,” he said with a smug smile. “I’ve been hired to design a house for a celebrity who’s moving to Big Timber. Very high muckety-muck. Cost is no object.”

  She heard the eagerness in his voice. And the pride and satisfaction. “Then I guess I’d better say yes before you get too famous to have anything to do with us small-time sheep ranchers. So, Nathan, the answer is yes.”

  “What did you say?”

  “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  “Don’t play games with me, Harry-et.”

  “I’m not playing games, Nathan. I said I’ll marry you, and I meant it.”

  A moment later Harry knew why she’d come in person. Nathan dragged her into his arms and hugged her so tightly that she had to beg for air. Then his mouth found hers, and they headed for Nyla’s Meadow. When she came to her senses, she was lying under Nathan on the couch and her shirt was unbuttoned all the way to her waist. That didn’t do him as much good as it might have, since she was wearing bibbed overalls that got in his way.

  Nathan’s mouth was nuzzling its way up her neck to her ear when he stopped abruptly. “I don’t mean to look a gift horse in the mouth, Harry-et, but what changed your mind?”

  “I had a call from my parents. They’re coming to visit again.”

  “And?”

  “They wanted to look you over. Like a side of beef. To make sure you were Grade A Prime. I thought that sort of behavior particularly inappropriate for a sheepman. So I’ve decided to make this decision without them.”

  “And in spite of them?” Nathan asked somberly. He sat up, pushing Harry-et off him, putting the distance of the couch between them. “I don’t want you to marry me to prove a point to your parents. Or to yourself.”

  “My parents have nothing to do with my decision,” Harry protested. “I thought you’d be happy.”

  “I was. I am. I just don’t want you to have regrets later. Once we tie the knot, I expect it to be forever. No backing out. No second thoughts. I want
you to be sure you’re choosing to be a sheepman’s wife—my wife—of your own free will.”

  Harry felt tears burning behind her eyes and a lump growing in her throat at Nathan’s sudden hesitance. “Are you sure you haven’t changed your mind?” she accused.

  “I was never the one in doubt, Harry-et. I love you. I want to spend my life with you. You’re the one who said you didn’t want to give up your independence. Do you wonder that I question your sudden about-face?”

  “What can I do to prove to you that I’m sincere?”

  Nathan took a deep breath. “Introduce me to your parents as your fiancé. Let them get to know me without stuffing me down their throats. Give yourself a chance to react to their reactions. See if you still feel the same way after they’ve gone. If you want to marry me then, Harry-et, I’ll have you at the altar so fast it’ll make your head spin.”

  “It’s a deal.”

  Harry-et held out her hand to seal the bargain and, like a fool, he took it. His reaction was the same today as it had been yesterday, as it would be tomorrow. A bolt of electricity shot up his arm, his heart hammered, his pulse quickened. But instead of letting her go he pulled her into his embrace, holding her close, breathing the scent of her—something stronger than My Sin…more like…Her Sheep. It was the smell of a sheepman’s woman. And he loved her for it.

  Harry suffered several bouts of ambivalence in the days before her parents were due to arrive.

  Maybe she should have pressed Nathan to get married.

  Maybe she should have left well enough alone.

  Maybe she should have sold her lambs early.

  Maybe she should have sold out and gone home long ago.

  Harry didn’t know why confronting her parents with her decision to marry Nathan should be so difficult. She only knew it was.

  She arrived at The Grand on the appointed day with Nathan in tow. “I’ll make the introductions,” Harry said. “Just let me do the talking.”

  “It’s all right, Harry-et. Relax. Your parents love you.”

  “I’ll try to remember that.” And then they were there and she was hugging her mother and then her father and Nathan was shaking their hands. “Where’s Charlie?” she asked.

  “Your mother and I decided to come alone.”

  That sounded ominous. “Mom, Dad, this is Nathan Hazard. Nathan, my mother and father.”

  “It’s nice to see you again Mr. and Mrs. Alistair. Why don’t we all go find a booth inside?” Nathan suggested.

  Harry let him lead her to a booth and shove her in on one side. He slid in after her while her parents arranged themselves on the other side.

  “So, Mr. Hazard—”

  “Nathan, please.”

  “So, Nathan, what’s this we hear about you wanting to marry our girl?” Harry’s father demanded.

  Harry groaned. She felt Nathan’s hand grasp her thigh beneath the table. She took heart from his reassurance. Only his hand didn’t stay where he’d put it. It crept up her thigh under the skirt she’d worn in hopes of putting her best foot forward with her parents. She grabbed his hand to keep it where it was and tried to pay attention to what Nathan was saying to her father.

  “And you’d be amazed at what Harry’s done with the place.”

  “What about that federal lease for grazing land, Harriet? Your banker told me the last time I was here that there wasn’t much chance he could make you a loan to cover it.”

  “We worked it out, Dad,” Harry said. “I’ll be selling my lambs in a couple of weeks. Barring some sort of catastrophe, I’ll make enough money to pay off the bank and have some working capital left over for next year.”

  “Well. That’s a welcome relief, I imagine,” Harry’s mother said. “Now about this wedding—”

  “My mind is made up, Mom. You can’t change it. I’m marrying Nathan. I love him. I want to spend my life with him.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you speak so forcefully, my dear,” her mother said.

  “It does appear you’re determined to go through with this,” her father said.

  Harry’s hand fisted around her fork. “I am,” Harry said. “And I’m staying in Montana. I’m where I belong.”

  “Well, then, I guess there’s nothing left to do except welcome you to the family, young man.” Harry’s father held out his hand to Nathan, who grinned and let go of Harry’s thigh long enough to shake her father’s hand.

  Harry was stunned at her parents’ acquiescence. Was that all it took? Was that all she’d ever needed to do? Had she only needed to speak up for what she wanted all these years to live her life as she’d wanted and not as they’d planned? Maybe it was that simple. But until she’d come to Montana, until she had met and fallen in love with Nathan, Harry hadn’t cared enough about anything to fight for it.

  She sat up straighter in her seat and slipped her hand under the table to search out interesting parts of Nathan she could surreptitiously caress. His thigh was rock-hard under her hand. So were other parts of him. The smile never left her face during the entire dinner with her parents.

  When the meal was over, Harry’s mother and father rose to leave. Nathan stayed seated, excusing himself and Harry. “We have a few more things to discuss before we go our separate ways, if you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all,” Harry’s father said.

  Her mother leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Your young man has lovely manners, dear. You must bring him to Williamsburg for a visit sometime soon. And let me know as soon as you set a date for the wedding.”

  Harry stood and hugged her mother across the table. “To tell you the truth, we’d really like to get married while you’re here, so you can come to the wedding. It isn’t going to be a large gathering. Just a simple ceremony with me and Nathan…and another bride and groom.”

  “A double wedding! My goodness. Who’s the other happy couple? Have we met them?”

  “You will. They’re friends of mine and Nathan’s,” Harry said.

  “At least let me help with the reception,” her mother said.

  “I don’t know, Mom. You don’t know anyone in town. How can you possibly—”

  “Trust me, dear. Just say you’d like my help.”

  Harry grinned. “All right, Mom. I’ll leave the reception in your hands.”

  Nathan waited only long enough for Harry’s parents to leave before he grabbed her by the hand and hauled her out of the booth. “You’ve got some nerve, young lady,” he said as he dragged her up the stairs and closed one of The Grand’s bedroom doors behind them.

  “What do you mean, Nathan?”

  He caught her by the shoulders and inserted his thigh between her legs, pulling her forward so that she was riding him.

  Harry gasped.

  His mouth came down on hers with all the passion she’d aroused in him when he’d been unable to take her in his arms. “That’ll teach you to play games under the table.”

  “I’ve learned my lesson, Nathan,” she said with a sigh of contentment. “Teach me more.”

  Nathan reached over and turned the lock on the door. “Your wish is my command.”

  “Nathan?”

  “Yes, Harry-et.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  They didn’t say anything for long moments because their mouths were otherwise pleasantly occupied.

  “Nathan?” Harry murmured.

  “Yes, Harry-et.”

  “Where do you suppose my mother will end up having the reception?”

  “The Moose Hall,” he said as he nuzzled her throat.

  Harry laughed. “You’re kidding.”

  “Nope. It’s the only place available except for the church basement, and that’s too small.”

  “Too small? How many people are you inviting?”

  Nathan smiled and kissed her nose. “You really are a tenderfoot, Harry-et. Everyone in Sweet Grass County, of course.”

  Harry’s eyes widened. “Wil
l they all show up?”

  “Enough of them to make your mother’s reception a success. Now, if you’re through asking questions, I’d like to kiss that mouth of yours.”

  “Your wish is my command,” Harry replied.

  Nathan laughed. “Don’t overdo it, Harry-et. A simple ‘Yes, dear’ will do.”

  “Yes, dear,” she answered with an impudent grin.

  “You’re mine now, Harry-et. Forever and ever.”

  “Yes, dear.”

  “We’ll live happily ever after. There’ll be no more feuding Hazards and Alistairs. Your land is mine, and my land is yours. It’s all ours.”

  “Yes, dear.”

  “And there’ll be lots of little Hazard-Alistairs to carry on after us.”

  Harry’s eyes softened and she surrendered to Nathan’s encompassing embrace. “Oh, yes, dear.”

  * * * * *

  ISBN-13: 97814880975755

  Hazard Ranch

  First published as A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing by Silhouette Desire in 1991.

  This edition published in 2018.

  Copyright © 1991 by Joan Johnston.

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  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

  This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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