by Ciana Stone
“Sounds like you have it well it hand. I’m looking forward to seeing the center and to meeting Dr. James.”
“As am I.”
John Luke frowned for a second in confusion. “Hold on. You haven’t met her?”
“No.”
“Then how do you know she’s the right woman for the job?”
“Go with the gut.” His father patted his still flat midsection and then turned as his daughter Ravyn took his arm. “Hey punkin.” He smiled down at her. “Ready to roll?”
“Yes. Would you ride with me and Wayne?”
“Of course.” He then looked at John Luke. “You want to join, son?”
“Sure.” John Luke looked at his sister. “If it’s okay.”
“Absolutely.”
“Then let’s do it.”
The entire family left. John Luke and his father got into the back seat of Wayne Garen’s Mercedes. John Luke saw the way Ravyn looked over her shoulder and smiled at their father. He knew that his dad was trying hard to prove to Ravyn that the family had accepted her engagement to Wayne.
It wasn’t easy for any of them, but least of all their father. Wayne Garen’s father, Harris had once been John’s best friend and business partner. When a disagreement about a business venture caused them to go separate ways, John’s then fiancé left him and ended up marrying Harris.
John couldn’t find it in his heart to hate either of them, but his success had caused envy to take root in Harris that had eventually evolved into a hatred that consumed the man. Harris tried to pass that hatred along to his son Wayne but had failed.
John Luke didn’t know Wayne at all. He hadn’t spent much time in Texas over the last twenty years, so his knowledge of Wayne was second hand, from his brother Logan, Logan’s wife Sabine, and Ravyn. Since he respected and trusted Logan’s opinion, he was accepting Wayne as part of the family.
His thoughts were interrupted by his father. “So, I hear you’ve been doing a bit of range riding and camping this week.”
John Luke looked at his dad. “I have. I’d forgotten how big the ranch is, and how beautiful. Oh, that reminds me. Is there a boundary fence on the eastern side?”
“I guess there still is. You’d need to ask Logan about that. Why?”
“I’m sure it’s nothing. I’ll talk with Logan about it. Right now, tell me about the Wildlife aspect of this center.”
“Dr. James is part of the efforts to protect and rebuild populations of animals on the endangered species list.”
“Which animals?” John Luke didn’t know much about which animals were endangered.
“More than I can remember, but I do know that wolves are on the list.”
John Luke had not realized that wolves were an endangered species, but found it interesting that Texas was supporting efforts to revitalize the population. He was surprised when they arrived at the Center. He’d not expected a place quite so large. Built in a ponderosa style of logs and stone, the main building was two-stories and boasted of wrap around porches on both levels.
Several other buildings flanked the main one. One was large, built of block with no windows and one metal door. He assumed that was the lab. There were other structures, stalls and what might be kennels, along with several smaller metal buildings. There were four cabins, he assumed for housing, and there was an actual ranger lookout behind the main building that towered above the trees.
It was an impressive compound, at least to his eyes. And the parking area was already quite crowded. John Luke’s father was surrounded the moment he stepped from the car so John Luke, fell back to wait for his brother Logan.
Logan and Sabine walked up, hand-in-hand. She took John Luke’s hand as well. “Looks like I’m the big winner tonight. Not one, but two gorgeous escorts. Do you think they’ll have food? I’m starving.”
Logan laughed. “You’re always starving.”
“I’m eating for two,” she retorted and tugged on his and John Luke’s hands. “Come on.”
John Luke smiled and walked inside with her and Logan. Sure enough, the moment they were inside, Sabine spotted a buffet table and headed straight for it. Logan shrugged and followed, leaving John Luke on his own.
He’d never been uncomfortable in a crowd and tonight was no different. Within minutes he was deep in a conversation about politics with friends of his father.
An hour later, he was tired of talking and wished he driven himself so he could leave. Since that wasn’t an option, he took his time checking out the main floor of the building. It was packed with people, and he figured that had more to do with his father than the Park service.
John Luke spotted the stairs and decided to see what was on the second floor. At the top of the stairs was a long corridor. One wall housed four doors, spaced evenly down its length. The other wall was nothing but windows and a door that led out onto a cover porch.
There didn’t appear to be anyone around, so he let himself out onto the porch. That’s when he realized he’d been wrong. There was someone around. A woman, standing alone at the end of the porch, looking out into the night.
Iliana stood on the second-floor porch, looking out over the grounds of the Center. The voices of the crowd on the first floor was beginning to give her a headache. She hated this sort of affair but recognized the importance. She would not have gained this post if it were not for Senator Legacy and she’d been eager to meet and thank him.
Which she had done the moment he arrived. After that, well, after that it was just small talk and endlessly repeating how happy she was to be there, how much she appreciated the Senator’s help and how she hoped the Center would benefit the area, animal preservation, and medical research.
Oddly, she’d noticed that not everyone there had a political agenda. There were actually people hooking up. She found it amazing that anyone would use this kind of event to try and score a date or a roll in the hay but to each his own. Iliana didn’t have any interest in one-night stands and relationships had never come easy for her.
As she continued to look out over the ground, someone walked up behind her. She turned to look, and all coherent thought fled her mind.
The man smiled and inclined his head toward the interior of the Center. "It's kind of loud in there. Do you mind sharing your spot?"
Iliana felt like a gawking teenager, but god almighty, she’d never been this close to a man so fine.
“I’m sorry, have I intruded?” He asked.
Holy hell. She wasn’t sure what to say or even think. What was it about him that had her libido kicking into immediate overdrive? "It's—it’s not mine,” she said, trying to ignore his rugged good looks, and trying not to imagine what he looked without the dark suit.
Standing at least three or four inches over six feet he was a big man. Not heavy or stocky, just big, like someone who had worked out most of his life. His hair was very dark, straight and thick, worn short around the sides and back, and longer on top. He had the kind of face that a woman would not be likely to forget. It was a rugged face with slightly chiseled features, housing beautiful smoky gray eyes. His were the kind of looks that made women fantasize about bedding him and men dreaming of what it must be like to be him. She estimated him to be around forty.
"Well," he replied in response to her comment. "Do you mind sharing whoever's balcony it is? I’m John Luke Legacy."
Legacy? “You’re related to Senator Legacy?”
“Yes. His son. And you are?”
“Oh, sorry. Iliana James."
“Dr. James? The one in charge here?”
"Yes."
"Well," he said with raised eyebrows. "I'm surprised. My father spoke very highly of you, but I didn’t expect you to be so young.”
"Oh? Well, thanks. I guess,” she replied, thinking that she liked the sound of his voice. It was deep yet soft, like someone who did not feel the need to be loud in order to be heard. "And, what do you do, John Luke? Are you following in your father’s footsteps as the next generation
of politicians or perhaps an executive in the family empire?"
"Neither,” he said with a laugh that started as a deep sound in his chest that rose to emerge as an amused chuckle. "I'm just your average run of the mill rancher."
She raised her eyebrows at him. "Somehow, I don't think so, Mr. Legacy."
"Oh? Why not?"
"Well,” she said as she considered him. "To begin with, you speak well, in the manner of someone who is accustomed to presenting his ideas in some type of public forum. Your body language says that you're self-assured yet not arrogant, confident yet not brash, and your eyes tell me that you have a sense of humor. That's not exactly how I’d describe an average rancher."
"So, if I'm not a rancher then what would you guess me to be?"
She thought about it for a second. "Ummmm…An attorney, perhaps, or… well, I'm not sure. Why don't you tell me?"
"You're pretty good,” he said with a smile and leaned his forearms on the balcony rail. "Until recently I was with the FBI."
"With the FBI, as in administration or agent?" she asked then held up her hand. "No, wait, don't tell me. You were an agent."
"Give the girl a chocolate chip cookie.”
“But ex-agent?” she asked. “Why?”
“It was time to come home.”
“Well, that’s mysterious.”
“Mystery is good, isn’t it? But enough about me. I know you’re Dr. James, but is there a Mr. James? "
"No."
“I’m glad to hear that.” His voice lowered slightly as his eyes met hers. "Any chance you’d show me around this place?"
"Now?"
"Unless you'd rather go back in and join the circus." he said and nodded his head toward the door.
"No, I don't think I want to do that." She’d like to spend more time with him and get to know more about him. She had not been intrigued with a man for a long time, but John Luke intrigued her. "And I’d love to give you a tour."
John Luke offered her his arm. "Shall we?"
She smiled and took it. "By all means.”
When she took his arm, it allowed him to lean a little closer. He inhaled her scent. He’d noticed it the moment he got close to her. His sense of smell was something that had changed of late, or perhaps had just normalized now that he was no longer under the effect of the masking drug his mother had given him his entire life.
Whatever the case, his senses were heightened. His vision was sharper as was his hearing and sense of smell. Like Iliana James. One whiff of her and he knew beyond all doubt that she was attracted to him. But more importantly, her scent was like lure, drawing him to her.
So why was her scent so powerful and intoxicating? He shook off the thought to pay attention to the woman. Sooner or later it would come to him. Until then, he’d enjoy spending a little time with her.
Iliana was striking. Her long hair was a warm chestnut that hung more than halfway down her back in a tumble of soft, lazy curls. She was a tall woman, a good five-ten and all those inches were, at present, encased in black pants that emphasized her curves and firm ass. The matching fitted jacket did little to disguise her full breasts, but neither was it cut to accentuate them.
She appeared modest in her dress, rather unaware of her appeal and beauty. Her light green eyes were rimmed with dark lashes, the slight up-cast of the eyes in combination with high, defined cheekbones and a set of the most kissable full lips he’d seen in a while combined to give her a bit of an exotic allure.
He had the fleeting thought that she could totally rock a Wonder Woman costume and that visual gave him a rush of lust. He mentally scolded himself for the childish notion but not for the lust. That felt good. It had been a while since he’d felt this kind of desire for a woman and he’d forgotten how much he liked it.
A note from the Author
I've been a reader my entire life, finding solace, excitement, happiness, fear and love in the pages of books. If anything has been a constant in my life it's reading.
I also remember all of the times in my life when being able to buy a book was a luxury, a treat that I didn't get every week. I've never forgotten those times
That's why I am so grateful to you, the readers. Regardless of your level of income or profession, I understand how precious your reading dollars are and I feel humbled that you've used some of those dollars to purchase my books.
I hope my stories prove worthy of your investment and thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Many blessings.
Ciana
About the Author
You can find all of Ciana’s books on Amazon. Visit her author page:
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Books by Ciana Stone in reading order:
(Connected Books)
Honky Tonk Angels Series
Southern Comfort – Honky Tonk Angels, Book 1
Finding Justice – Honky Tonk Angels, Book 2
Baby I’m In. Honky Tonk Angels, Book 3
Ask me to Stay – Honky Tonk Angels, Book 4
Playing for Keeps – Honky Tonk Angels, Book 5
Lookin’ for Trouble – Honky Tonk Angels Book 6
Honky Tonk Angels Box Set
Legacy Series
Longing
Craving
Untamed Series
Feels Like the First Time
When You Least Expect It
Colton’s Memory
Rangers or The Whisperers
(Can be read in either order)
Rangers The Whisperers
Zeb Staking a Claim
Kade Making a Stand
Taking a Chance
The Seven
On My Knees – The Seven Book 1
Ruffle My Feathers – The Seven Book 2
A Taste for Jazz – The Seven Book 3
Kiss of Fire – The Seven Book 4
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Hot in the Saddle
Chase’n’ Ana
Molding Clay
Scout’n’Cole
Conn’n’Caleb
Stand Alone Titles
Renegades
Let the Game Begin
Wrath: Voodoo's Angel
Wolfe Tale
That Which Survives
A Matter of Trust
Box Sets
Untamed: A Three Book Box Set
The Whisperers: Simply Irresistible – A Three Book Box Set
Claimed by the Alpha: A three book set
Tales of Betrayal, passion, danger and love
Hunger: The V’Kar Series – A three book set