by Claire Adele
Hondo, Texas Wolves
Guardian of Her Dream
As the oldest son in his ranching family, the weight of Rafe Wolfgang's responsibility to protect his family and friends is made heavier by his belief that he failed to protect his best friend, who fell from a cliff and died. Now he craves Darlene's love and must protect her.
Lucky Wolford was bullied all through school because of his weight. Overwhelmed, he confided in Rafe, who dealt with a harsh father. Sharing their problems made Lucky see he was worthy of respect. Now mature, he's lean, strong, confident—and crazy about Darlene.
Darlene Lovejoy has sworn to never marry a man who would dominate her. Since she's taken in Rafe and his brothers and friends while Rafe recuperates from his roll down a steep cliff, she's begun to fall for the fun-loving guy and his sexy friend Lucky.
When the Hawks threaten to kidnap Darlene, Rafe and Lucky must tell her they're werewolves, though they could lose her love.
Genre: Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Vampires/Werewolves, Western/Cowboys
Length: 33,078 words
GUARDIAN OF HER DREAM
Hondo, Texas Wolves
Claire Adele
MENAGE AMOUR
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Amour
GUARDIAN OF HER DREAM
Copyright © 2012 by Claire Adele
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62241-001-9
First E-book Publication: August 2012
Cover design by Jinger Heaston
All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 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.
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Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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DEDICATION
Thank you to all my readers for keeping me at my writing. Your support of my work means more to me than I can express.
And thanks to my wonderful editor for the encouragement that sustains my writing muse.
GUARDIAN OF HER DREAM
Hondo, Texas Wolves
CLAIRE ADELE
Copyright © 2012
Chapter One
Darlene Lovejoy gazed from her kitchen window at the group of shirtless, hunky guys gathered near her swimming pool. She couldn’t help noticing that the warm desert sunshine revealed sculpted muscles and intriguing shadows on every single one of the five handsome characters. Their rugged forms stood out against the red granite of the mountains and desert which surrounded her home on the outskirts of the city.
They looked pretty sexy in the shorts she’d bought them so they would have something to wear for swimming. They had come to Desert Edge to find Kelly Wolford and had only brought with them one change of jeans each. That was just like a guy to not think ahead about clothing.
Her sprawling Tuscan style home had come in handy in providing enough bedrooms to quarter all of them in comfort and privacy. With her home built on the outside edge of the foothill, no one in the other homes on the cul de sac could see into her backyard and swimming pool area.
Rafe Wolfgang stretched out on a lounge chair in the middle of the group. It was amazing how quickly he’d recovered from the wounds he had suffered in that gang fight with the Hawks. Lucky and Colton, Beau Wolford’s brothers, sat on a lounge chair on one side of Rafe, and Ty and Dallas, Rafe’s brothers, sat on a lounge chair on the other side.
Beau had left that morning to fly back to his parents’ ranch in Hondo, Texas, a long day’s drive to central Texas from Desert Edge. The others seemed to want to stay and make sure Rafe recovered completely from his injuries. She couldn’t believe that gang of lawbreakers, the Hawks, held ownership of the mansion at the end of the same cul-de-sac where her home was located. She had a feeling those murderous guys had disappeared from the neighborhood for now, though.
She hoped Beau’s sister, Kelly, was enjoying her time alone with Derek Wolfson, her soon-to-be husband. Kelly deserved a loving man like Derek after everything she had been through to have the right to choose her own husband. On the run for two years on her own was more than enough trouble for Kelly standing up to her family for her right to wed the man she chose to love.
Although Rafe’s injuries had healed fast on the outside, Darlene hoped he had healed as well on the inside. He had refused to go to a doctor and insisted he only needed her help. Stubborn guy. What if there was a hidden injury?
He certainly appeared fit and healthy though. His temper had cooled as well while he’d been recovering. He had actually been a calm, well-behaved guy while she had tended his injuries. Now she caught herself thinking about him more than she should, not to mention taking in his strong muscular physique. She didn’t think there was much more than an ounce of fat on any of these guys. She must not forget what an over-the-top alpha male Rafe had been before he was injured.
She would always avoid men like him, and she had no plans to become seriously involved with a man who wanted to boss her around. And he had tried to boss both her and Kelly before Kelly accepted Derek’s proposal of marriage.
Darlene enjoyed living by herself. She would never follow in her mother’s footsteps and marry a dominating businessman just becaus
e he had money. Her father expected Darlene to do just that. It was the reason she lived alone a day’s travel from her parents and would continue to do so. She didn’t plan to get serious about anyone until she met the man she felt absolutely comfortable with who didn’t try to run her life.
“Need some help carrying the sodas?” Ty asked from the doorway to the den.
She smiled at him. Ty was a sweetheart. “Yes, I could use your help.” She placed the glasses filled with soda and ice on two small beverage trays. Ty, tall and lean, always seemed to be nearby when she needed him. They each carried a tray of snacks and sodas. Ty followed her as she walked around the outside of the circle of overstuffed sofas and chairs upholstered in her favorite tropical-print linen, and crossed through the doorway to the pool.
After placing the trays on small metal tables, she and Ty handed everyone a glass.
“Thank you, Darlene.” Rafe smiled at her. “Just what I need.”
“You’re welcome.” Darlene smiled at them as all the guys thanked her. Her attention returned to Rafe as if pulled by a magnet. She couldn’t help watching the muscles in Rafe’s chest and neck contract as he put the soda up to his mouth and took several long swallows of his cold beverage. The big turquoise-and-gold ring he wore on his right hand glinted in the bright sunshine. It looked like a school ring of some kind, or maybe a sports ring. What sports had he played to win such a beautiful man’s ring? Did he still play?
“Race you.” Ty put his glass down and gave Lucky a shove. Ty dove into the pool. Lucky dove in right after Ty, and the two of them made a mad splashing dash to the deep end where they surfaced in the shade of the diving board. Lucky wasn’t as tall as the others, but he was just as strong. The sun reflected off his muscular shoulders, the pool water streaming from his sandy-colored hair over his broad chest and flexing muscles.
“Dare you.”
Darlene turned to Rafe as he grinned at her with a glint in his hazel-green eyes. She smiled back as she considered his dare.
Although she wore her swim suit under her short blue cover-up smock, Darlene had no intention of racing Rafe or any of those other hunks. “No, you go ahead.”
“Ah, come on.” Rafe suddenly rose from his chair and swept her into his arms.
“Rafe!” she screamed, just as he stepped off the side into the water with her in his arms. The cool water rushed over her head and she closed her eyes as they sank through the churning bubbles. Rafe held her secure in his arms while he pushed off the bottom and they surfaced.
She swiped streaming water from her face and blinked at him. The nerve of him. She opened her mouth to tell him what she thought but couldn’t think what to say. Since when was she at a loss for words where men were concerned?
His laughter was infectious, and she couldn’t help laughing. Ty and Lucky joined them.
After they tried without success to dunk Rafe, he set her on her feet in the water. A splashing battle began, and she laughed harder than she had laughed in a long time. She joined the battle and splashed them back.
Finally the guys lost interest in the water fight. Darlene treaded water and discovered she was surrounded now and crowded by three grinning guys who had mischief in their eyes. Now how was she going to get out of this?
Before she could make a lunge for the side of the pool, Rafe caught her with his arm around her back and his other arm under her thighs. “I think you could use some help, Darlene.”
“I don’t need any… Ty, Lucky!” They had each grabbed one of her legs. Their hands supported her under her thighs. Rafe shifted behind her with his hands under her arms. He lowered her back in the water so that she was now floating with their hands holding her up. These guys looked like they would like to have her for lunch. She had a feeling she would have her hands full keeping them all in line while they stayed in her home, but it might also be a fun time.
Rafe gazed at her with a grin meant to win her over. Could she trust this guy who had given her such a hard time about sheltering Beau’s sister, Kelly? Darlene felt as if things were changing too fast. Their playful mood was such a surprise that she felt overwhelmed.
The hands beneath her thighs moved, caressing her. She gasped in surprise. “Ty! Lucky! Let me go.”
“I’ve got her, guys.” Rafe moved back to her side and slid one hand beneath her thighs until he cradled her in his arms.
“Put me down, Rafe.” She didn’t feel any safer with him alone holding her than she had with all three of them keeping her afloat the way they had.
“You sure?” he asked.
“Yes!” She wiggled in his hold, trying to free herself. Her hip bumped against a hard ridge along his belly beneath his shorts. His arousal stopped her motion cold. Worrying he would notice that she found him attractive, she splashed him with water and almost hit him with her gesture. Oh, dear. He didn’t need any more bruises. “Rafe, let me go.”
Suddenly his hands and arms released her, and she plunged seat first into the water. She struggled to keep her head above the swirling water and succeeded if not very easily. Needing to distance herself from the aroused Rafe, she swam to the other side of the pool.
Felling completely out of her element, she turned to face the three of them and raised her eyebrows. “See if I trust you guys again.” She grabbed hold of the side of the pool. She discovered she didn’t have the strength she needed to escape.
Hearing soft laughter, she glanced over to Colt and Dallas, who still sat on the lounge chair.
As Dallas grinned at her, he chuckled. She couldn’t help herself and smiled at him with exasperation. The deep rumble suited his dark good looks and tall frame. “Don’t be afraid of ’em, Darlene,” he said. “They’re fairly harmless.”
“At least Ty and Lucky are.” Colt laughed and gave his friend, Dallas, a hard shove with a hand on his shoulder.
“Watch that mouth of yours, Colton.” Rafe held out his hand to her. “Let me help you up the side of the pool. I promise to behave myself like a gentleman should.”
The offer of Rafe’s well-muscled arm was tempting. “No, thank you. I’m perfectly capable of leaving the pool on my own.” Living alone, she’d had to manage by herself, and she had done so, easily. She positioned her hands to leverage herself and gave it another try.
“All right, if that’s the way you want it.” Rafe shook his head and grabbed the rim of the pool, effortlessly vaulting to his feet at the pool’s edge.
He shook the water from his thick, dark mane of hair. Water streamed down his perfectly sculpted body. He must work outside long hours to have such a body honed to perfection.
“Let me.” Rafe suddenly reached his hands down to pull her out.
She finally gave in, because she really did need help, and raised her hands to him. He quickly pulled her from the water to stand on her feet in front of him. As she removed the soaked cover-up and smoothed her hair back, he grabbed a couple of her big white towels, draped over a chair nearby, and handed her one. He toweled off his dark hair, his biceps bulging.
She looked away and wrapped the towel around her waist. Lucky and Ty were both grinning at her as she walked over to her chair, found her glass of soda, and stretched out. “You two are just as bad as he is.” She glanced over at Rafe, who sat down on his lounge chair and stretched out on his back. The bulge beneath his shorts was quite evident before he spread the towel across his lap.
Colt tapped Dallas on his arm. “I think we were wise to stay out of that.”
“I think you’re right.” Dallas nodded in agreement as he glanced from Rafe to Darlene.
“No, I disagree. You guys definitely missed out on the fun.” Rafe grinned at her, and she held his gaze longer than she should have.
She rose, thinking a quick exit was her best plan at this point. “You all enjoy the pool as long as you want. I’m going inside and showering off.” She smiled at them, took her drink with her, and went inside. She had best leave while she was ahead, definitely before she got into more trouble
with these fun, attractive males.
Chapter Two
Rafe watched her tanned, slender arms and long legs move gracefully with every step she took into the house. She was one sassy lady. He liked that about her. He should have known she would be, with that short auburn hair and those dark, sultry eyes. He watched her hips’ gentle sway with each step. He liked that, too. She intrigued him like no other woman he had met. His cock stiffened as he watched her cross the patio.
She had never taken any guff from him since he had first run into her. He admired her for that. It showed she had courage. Maybe she had too much courage for her own good with the Hawks’ gang liable to show up at her front door at any time looking for him and his brothers and friends. How the hell could he keep her safe? He feared staying at her home after the fight with the Hawks put her in grave danger. The threat of the Hawks kept him here at her home longer than he needed to stay. Juan lived about a five minute drive down the hill from her home. Derek and Kelly and Derek’s friends were even further about ten minutes away. That was too long to wait for help when needed. He must protect her from them since they had endangered her.
He hadn’t kept Dutch safe and had lost him forever. During that long night involving their wolfen coming-of-age initiation, exhausted by the day, Rafe hadn’t been able to stay awake. When dawn came, he had discovered Dutch was missing. Rafe had finally found his lifeless body crumpled in a heap at the bottom of a cliff on the bank of the Rio Grande.