Divine Creek Ranch 21
Lumberjack Weekend
Violet Tyler’s heart was broken after discovering she was the third wheel in her big-city ménage. Relegating the idea of being loved by two or more men to fantasy material, she throws her heart and soul into her business, Violet’s Emporium.
Watching from the sidelines while they renovate her emporium, Josh and Lucas Abbott want her more every day and see the way her former lover chips away at her heart each time he pays her a visit. They’ve stretched out the renovation as long as they can and finally it’s time to claim her or let her go.
Invitations to a fantasy weekend at Hazelle House give the three of them a no-strings-attached chance to make her lumberjack ménage fantasies a reality. But when the weekend is over and the real world—and her former lover—come calling, can her ménage fantasy live in the light of day?
Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Western/Cowboys
Length: 68,609 words
LUMBERJACK WEEKEND
Divine Creek Ranch 21
Heather Rainier
MENAGE EVERLASTING
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting
LUMBERJACK WEEKEND
Copyright © 2015 by Heather Rainier
E-book ISBN: 978-1-63259-685-7
First E-book Publication: August 2015
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2015 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
Dear Readers,
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This is Heather Rainier’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Heather Rainier’s right to earn a living from her work.
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DEDICATION
To my wonderful husband. It’s been twenty-five years now, since you saved me from that wannabe pickup line artist and showed me what a real hero is. You helped with the pickup lines in this story, so here’s my best attempt at a pickup line just for you, honey…
“Hey, handsome. What are you doing for the next fifty years or so?”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My thanks to Double R Dry Goods and all the other unique, eclectic shops of Fredericksburg, Texas, for inspiring the Hill Country setting for Violet’s Emporium.
Thank you to my personal assistant, Lily Castle, and the editor of this novel, Devin Govaere. Your special touches are everywhere in this book.
A tremendous and heartfelt thank you to all of my readers who have stuck with me through this tremendous journey, all of my fabulous friends online who encourage me daily, the ladies and gentlemen of the Divine Divas, my Facebook street team, and to the marvelous staff at Siren-BookStrand.
I’m thankful, every time I think of my publisher, for everything she has done to encourage, edify, and educate me. I started out a terrified newbie but her advice and patience with me as I persevered made all the difference. I can never thank you enough.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Epilogue
About the Author
Cast of Main Characters in Book Reading Order
LUMBERJACK WEEKEND
Divine Creek Ranch 21
HEATHER RAINIER
Copyright © 2015
Chapter One
Josh Abbott set his pliers down on top of the ladder when his phone vibrated. It was undoubtedly a text from his brother and closest friend, Lucas, who was currently at the Abbott and Sons Construction offices across town and unhappy to be there. And all because Josh was the lucky dog who got to go to work at Violet’s Emporium that day.
Hey. You at Violet’s yet?
He typed a quick reply. He already knew where this conversation was going. Yes. I’m trying to work.
Is she there? After his quick affirmative reply, Lucas persisted with more questions. You need any help with the chandelier?
No.
You sure? I can be there in two minutes.
I’m sure. Shouldn’t you be working?
I am. So…what’s she wearing today?
Josh prayed for patience while hiding laughter. The work Violet needed done today was a one-man job, and he’d won the coin toss. He snuck a peek at the woman they were both secretly in love with even though he’d already perused her curves and lush beauty in that dress on several occasions that day. She’s wearing that long purply blue dress you like with the sparkly things on the neckline.
Lucas’s reply took a minute to come through, and Josh knew it was going to be a long one as he kept working. Lucas didn’t disappoint.
<
br /> Oh, hell yes! The one with the slits on the sides up to her knees, so you can see the curve of her calves when she walks. Can you sneak a picture of her in it to me? Is she wearing those high heels with it today? You sure you don’t need help? I can be there in two minutes.
He snorted because he could picture Lucas sitting at the offices doing paperwork, cussing because he hadn’t won the coin toss.
She’s wearing the little jeweled flat sandals today and she put her hair up so you can see her neck. And no, I’m not sneaking a picture of her because that’s a little creepy and if she catches me, it’ll be me who has to explain why I’m up a ladder taking pictures of her when I should be working. And no, I don’t need any help.
He couldn’t blame Lucas for wanting to come over because he knew the attraction went deeper than how she looked in whatever she was wearing. They’d been flirting with her, wanting her practically since they’d met her. Seeing her blonde curls bobbing as she flitted around her store, gradually making it into what he considered the jewel of downtown Divine. He’d been happy for her on her grand reopening day, and proud that he and Lucas, and his other brothers, had helped. Along the way he’d discovered what a precious jewel she was, too.
Even when she’d made it clear her heart wasn’t available when they’d asked her out the previous autumn, he and Lucas had still wanted her. As far as he could tell, she was involved in a long-distance relationship that didn’t seem to bring her much joy. She deserved more.
“Hey, Josh!” Violet called from the back of the store. “Could you help me for a second?”
He shoved his phone in his pocket and descended the ladder with all due haste. The phone buzzed but he ignored it and found her out the back door bent over and struggling with a heavy, dented box out on the loading dock. He was momentarily captivated by the way the knit fabric of the dress drew taut around her lush ass cheeks before hurrying over to her. “Hey, hey, let me do that, Violet.”
She brushed curling strands of blonde hair away from her face and smiled at him as he hefted the dusty box. “Where would you like this?” His phone buzzed in his pocket.
“In my office for now, Josh. The delivery truck guy just kicked it off the back of the truck and left. I have to make sure nothing is damaged inside.”
He did as she asked, and when he turned after setting it on her work table, he ran right into her.
Gasping, she blinked up at him as he steadied her with his hands on her upper arms. The soft scent of lavender, heated by her skin, invaded his senses and he breathed her in, enjoying the plush luxury of her body pressed against his from breast to thigh.
“Oh! I’m sorry,” she said, her cheeks turning bright pink. “I wasn’t watching where I was going. I didn’t mean to crash into you.”
I wish you’d do it again, repeatedly, baby girl. “That’s okay. It’s a tight space in here.”
She gestured to the box and giggled as they tried to scoot around each other in the narrow entry. Her breasts rubbed against his chest and he had to restrain the urge to wrap his arms around her and kiss her right there. His phone buzzed in his pocket again.
“Well, Violet, if that’s all you need me for then I’ll go finish with that light fixture.”
“Thank you, Josh,” she said, her cheeks still filled with color as she crossed her arms over her chest and looked down at the floor. “I appreciate you coming back to do that work for me today, and for helping with the box.”
“No problem at all.”
With an inward sigh, he returned to his ladder. She was a paying customer, he was on the clock, and she already had a man in her life.
Once on top of the ladder, he pulled out his phone and found three text messages from his horny and equally smitten brother.
You are so damned lucky! Will you tell her I said hi?
What did she say? Did she say hi back?
That’s it. I’m coming over there and making up some work to do for her. I’ll volunteer to polish lightbulbs or something.
Josh typed a quick reply, knowing without a doubt if he’d been the one left at the office to do that paperwork, he’d be trying to think of a reason to come to Violet’s store as well.
Chill out. She needed me to help her with a heavy box. And guess what? We bumped into each other in that tight office space of hers and—
He was in the middle of typing when her cell phone started ringing up at the front of the Emporium.
“Figures,” he muttered as he finished typing the text about the two of them getting caught in the doorway and rubbing up against each other. “That’s probably Lucas calling her right now, while I’m wasting time answering his texts.”
He sent the completed message as she came running from the back of the store. “Hang on! I’m coming. I’m coming,” she said to no one in particular.
He hoped no one else in the store noticed the way he practically drooled on himself as she flitted by the ladder, breasts bobbing, hips swaying, and those gorgeous, silky calves peeking out from the side slits in her dress. He breathed deep and thought of baseball stats as she grabbed up her phone.
Josh’s phone vibrated in his hand and he looked down at Lucas’s reply. It must not be him calling Violet then.
Lucky motherfucker. Does she smell like lavender today?
Yeah, he typed. She’s killin’ me.
He put the phone up and went back to work. Once this job was completed and she was no longer a paying customer, he and Lucas were going to have a heart-to-heart talk with her, long distance relationship or not. He just couldn’t walk away for the last time. Just couldn’t. He pulled his phone out one final time when it buzzed.
It’s killin’ me, too.
* * * *
Violet Tyler hurried to the front of the Emporium, where her cell phone sat ringing on the sales counter. Not recognizing the number on the caller ID, she accepted the call. “Violet’s Emporium. This is Violet. How can I help you?”
“Hey, baby.”
Her heart sank as she recognized the rugged voice on the other end. “Hey. How’re you?”
“I’m here at work, looking out the window and watching a thunderstorm…and wonderin’ how you’re doin’.”
She could hear the yearning in his voice. Boy, how his husky drawl had gotten to her in the past. All Bodie Cox had to do was add that sexy rasp to his accented syllables and she’d been a drooling fool. A total fool.
“I’m fine. Staying busy.” You should hang up, girl.
“Lovin’ small-town life?”
“Uh-huh,” she replied in a neutral tone. He’d get to the reason for the call soon, she hoped. For your sanity, hang up now, girl.
“How’s the shop doing?”
She cast a gaze around the vintage brick-walled interior of Violet’s Emporium, recently beautified by the compellingly handsome Abbott Brothers. Customers meandered among displays featuring all manner of handmade pottery, art, quilts, furniture, body care, jewelry, and just about anything else a person could want in a unique Texas Hill Country shopping experience.
“It’s wonderful.” She purposely kept her answer brief, a flicker of pain rising in her chest.
Tex, her super-sized ginger tabby cat, picked that moment to leap onto the sales counter, ostensibly to give her a little chin-loving before he snooped around, looking for any treats or catnip she might’ve stashed away. Not finding any, he flopped down on the stack of tissue paper in his trademark rub-my-belly-please pose. She smiled as she scratched under his chin.
“How’s Divine?”
“Fantastic. It’s beautiful here. I love it.”
“That’s good.” His tone was sweet and heartfelt, but she knew where this was going and braced herself. “Wish it wasn’t so far from Dallas.”
The distance was part of the appeal for her. It was also completely different from Dallas. “I love the area. You know I was never really happy in Dallas.”
“I sure miss you. I was thinking about comin’ to see you.”
&n
bsp; Okay, this is where you hang up, girl. Hang up! Don’t do this to yourself again!
“Bodie, does Victor know you’re calling me?” His soft voice on the phone made the question even harder to utter. For the longest time, him calling her out of the blue had been what kept her hanging on, kept her hoping, but no more.
She knew he’d remind her that he and Victor had an open relationship, and how understanding Victor was about Bodie missing her and still wanting her. In the months following the breakup of their ménage and her subsequent exodus to Divine, she’d pined for him so much she hadn’t questioned where it was all heading.
The day she’d discovered Victor’s true feelings played in her mind as if it was only yesterday and not a year and a half before.
She’d gotten home from work early for a change, and she was soaking in a lukewarm bath in their master suite, trying to cool off. She’d been reading when the front door opened and the voices of the two men she loved echoed through the expansive condominium they shared. Bodie, lighthearted, sexy, and charming. And Victor. Dark, brooding, intense…and a lover to both of them. They were her confidants, her center. Their natures balanced each other perfectly, and she was beyond happy with both of them.
A greeting had been on the tip of her tongue when she’d realized they were arguing.
“Why do you have to be that way?” Bodie asked, and it sounded as if he was in the kitchen, likely getting one of his Ziegenbocks from the fridge.
“I can’t help the way I feel, Bodie,” Victor ground out. “See? This is what I’m talking about. Her clutter is everywhere.”
Lumberjack Weekend [Divine Creek Ranch 21] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 1