Return to Thunder Mountain
Matt Forrest was born to be an actor, but grew up a cowboy. That’s why, when things go haywire after he shoots his first Hollywood movie, he retreats to Thunder Mountain Ranch. Because it’s home—where his parents and foster brothers can help Matt find what he really wants out of life. So when someone he wants follows him to Wyoming, things get very interesting!
PR agent Geena Lysander isn’t about to lose one of her best new clients—so she goes after him! And, yes, it’s complicated...because she is attracted to Matt, and not just for his movie-star looks. As she gets to know the man behind the cowboy, their professional relationship becomes passionately personal. Could Matt’s next big role be as Geena’s leading man?
Praise for Vicki Lewis Thompson
“It’s a wonderful sexy romance, with some very appealing and likable characters, and I’m definitely going to delve into more of the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood series.”
—HarlequinJunkie, Top Pick, on Cowboy Untamed
“The tongue-in-cheek, sweet yet sensual and comfortable family feel...remains until the last page. Cowboy After Dark is a story that will keep you smiling.”
—RT Book Reviews, Top Pick, on Cowboy After Dark
“Thompson continues to do what she does best, tying together strong family values bound by blood and choice, interspersed with the more sizzling aspects of the relationship.”
—RT Book Reviews on Thunderstruck
“All the characters, background stories and character development are positively stellar; the warm family feeling is not saccharine-sweet, but heartfelt and genuine, and Lexi and Cade’s rekindled romance is believable from beginning to end, along with the classy, sexy and tender love scenes.”
—Fresh Fiction on Midnight Thunder
“Vicki Lewis Thompson has compiled a tale of this terrific family, along with their friends and employees, to keep you glued to the page and ending with that warm and loving feeling.”
—Fresh Fiction on Cowboys and Angels
Dear Reader,
Welcome to Thunder Mountain Ranch! Many of you have been with me since Cade Gallagher drove in at dawn with a horse in the trailer and a cat named Ringo on the front seat of his pickup. I thank you for spending so much time with the family! We’ve had some good times together. Matt Forrest’s story kicks off another summer of yummy cowboys who are proud to be part of the Harlequin Special Edition lineup. Yee-haw!
For those of you who are just discovering the world of the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood, go ahead and dive right in! I promise you won’t get lost. I can’t wait for you to fall in love with Rosie and Herb, the foster parents who turned their ranch into a haven for homeless boys many years ago. The boys grew into men who all abide by the cowboy code of honor, and the ranch has become an equine education facility for teens. Sound like fun?
Trust me, it will be, especially when Matt comes home! This cowboy turned movie star landed a starring role in a Western that will premiere in a few months, which is a big deal for a guy who had a rough start in life. Although fame comes at a price in Hollywood, at least he’s able to escape to Thunder Mountain Ranch and avoid the spotlight for a few days. Or so he thinks, until his attractive and persistent PR rep follows him!
I’m extremely grateful that Harlequin Special Edition has taken on the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood so I can continue to tell stories about these amazing cowboys. It’s gonna be a great summer!
Enthusiastically yours,
In the Cowboy’s Arms
Vicki Lewis Thompson
A passion for travel has taken New York Times bestselling author Vicki Lewis Thompson to Europe, Great Britain, the Greek isles, Australia and New Zealand. She’s visited most of North America and has her eye on South America’s rain forests. Africa, India and China beckon. But her first love is her home state of Arizona, with its deserts, mountains, sunsets and—last but not least—cowboys! The wide-open spaces and heroes on horseback influence everything she writes. Connect with her at vickilewisthompson.com, Facebook.com/vickilewisthompson and Twitter.com/vickilthompson.
Books by Vicki Lewis Thompson
Harlequin Blaze
Thunder Mountain Brotherhood
Midnight Thunder
Thunderstruck
Rolling Like Thunder
A Cowboy Under the Mistletoe
Cowboy All Night
Cowboy After Dark
Cowboy Untamed
Cowboy Unwrapped
Sons of Chance
Cowboys & Angels
Riding High
Riding Hard
Riding Home
A Last Chance Christmas
Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.
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Contents
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
Epilogue
Excerpt from The Chase by Vanessa Fewings
Chapter One
Broad-shouldered, lean-hipped men with square jaws and captivating eyes were a dime a dozen in Hollywood. After spending all twenty-seven years of her life in Tinseltown, Geena Lysander wasn’t easily impressed. It was a testament to the beauty of Matt Forrest that her glasses fogged up whenever he walked into her office.
He was also a decent guy, and she didn’t often come across someone who was both ethical and gorgeous. She’d been strongly attracted to him ever since they’d started working together six months ago. Several times she’d caught a flash of heat in his gaze that indicated he had feelings for her, too.
Once she’d thought he’d been ready to ask her out. When he hadn’t, she’d decided it was for the best, considering their professional relationship. But that hadn’t stopped her from wanting to kiss him, especially when he flashed one of his megawatt smiles.
Judging from the grim set of his mouth, he wouldn’t be doing that today. Usually he came in wearing his signature hat, a chocolate-brown Stetson with a turquoise-studded hatband. He favored snug T-shirts, faded jeans and scuffed cowboy boots.
Not this morning. Instead, he’d pulled a generic baseball cap over his thick dark hair and covered his baby blues with aviator shades. He hadn’t bothered to shave. She’d never seen that beat-up denim jacket before, either, and he’d turned the collar up even though it was seventy degrees outside. The jeans and the boots were the same, though.
Giving her glasses a quick polish, she smiled, then she put them back on and stood. “Hey.”
“Ma’am.” He touched the brim of his cap in greeting, but he didn’t smile
back.
If he’d intended to create a disguise, he’d failed. The paparazzi were experts at spotting celebrities trying to look like street people. And Matt, bless his heart, would look hot as sin no matter what he wore. “Any troubles on the way over?”
He shook his head. “Stayed with a buddy last night, which seems to have thrown them off the trail temporarily. Figured they might be watching my apartment building.”
“I can send someone to check that out.”
“I appreciate it, but I plan to avoid my place for a while so don’t go to any extra trouble.” Still no smile, and Matt was the kind of guy who looked for the humor in a situation.
She’d always cherished that about him and hated seeing him so down. He might have exercised poor judgment yesterday, but she understood how that could happen with a costar like Briana Danvers. He was so new at the game. One big-budget movie in the can and another scheduled to start shooting next month meant he was on his way, but he was bound to make a few rookie mistakes in the process.
That’s what PR reps like her were for—to repair those little whoopsies.
He took off his shades and stared at her, his gaze bleak. “What now?”
“We’ll work through it.” As she sat down, she gestured to the chair in front of her desk. “Have a seat.”
“Thank you.” He lowered his muscular body onto the leather upholstery with a sigh.
“Heard anything from Harvey?” She wasn’t crazy about Matt’s agent, who headed up a big firm and always seemed to be unavailable or out of the country. But the guy had negotiated the original movie deal and Matt had been signed for another potential blockbuster that would begin filming in a few weeks, so Harvey was getting his client work. That was the bottom line.
“He texted me. Said I should relax, that it would all blow over.”
“He’s probably right.”
“I hope he is, but this has really thrown me for a loop.”
“I’m sure it has.” And she was determined to help him sort it out, since Harvey had obviously dismissed the issue.
Pulling off his cap, Matt tunneled his fingers through his hair. “I never expected Briana to behave like that or say those things about me.” The words were laced with pain.
Geena wondered if she should have seen this train wreck coming and warned him. Briana was seductive, both onscreen and off. The poor guy had probably become lost in the fantasy. “It’s easy to develop feelings for a costar. You wouldn’t be the first and you won’t be the last.”
“That’s just it. I knew I couldn’t let anything happen.” He sat forward in his chair, his expression tense. “First of all, she’s married, and second, her husband is Clifton effing Wallace, everyone’s favorite, including my mom’s. And mine, actually. He reminds me so much of the Duke.”
High praise from Matt. Early on he’d told her that he knew all of John Wayne’s movies by heart and repeatedly watched them for inspiration. “It’s not the end of the world, Matt. Don’t beat yourself up for being human.”
“No, ma’am, I’m not.” The chair squeaked as he leaned back and gazed at the ceiling. “I’m beating myself up for being stupid. A complete idiot.”
Her heart went out to him. Had they not been separated by her desk, she would have squeezed his arm or given him a hug. Then she caught herself imagining that potential hug in far too much detail.
She cleared her throat. “It’ll be okay.”
“Eventually, I guess.” He met her gaze. “I’m sure Harvey has a point. But being called a home wrecker is humiliating. I can take it, but I hate that my folks will have to hear such things.”
“They’re in Wyoming, right?”
“Yes, ma’am. But they’ll have to face their friends and neighbors, and Sheridan’s a fairly small town. They’ve been so proud of me...” His voice trailed off.
“Like I said, we’ll handle it. The key is to appear contrite and apologetic. Then I can set you up with some visually appealing charity work, like organizing a benefit for a local animal rescue organization. Fans will overlook this, especially if you seem sufficiently remorseful.”
He went very still. “Surely you don’t believe I hit on her.”
“What I think doesn’t matter. The media is running a picture of you kissing her outside a café in Burbank. We need to—”
“I didn’t kiss her.”
“But—”
“She kissed me.”
Judging from the mutual lip-lock Geena had seen in the picture, it was all semantics. “The specific details aren’t important. To be honest, getting labeled as a bad boy isn’t the worst thing that could happen, especially if we demonstrate that you regret your behavior. Up to now, I’ve promoted you as Hollywood’s fresh new face, a handsome guy with a squeaky clean rep. But fans may like discovering you’re not perfect.”
His blue eyes lost all expression. “So you think I forced my attentions on Briana.”
She would love to believe that he hadn’t at least invited that kiss, even if he hadn’t initiated it. The pictures were pretty damning. She understood why he wanted to put a different spin on the encounter, but that strategy could backfire into a he-said-she-said nightmare. “It makes no difference who started it. If we jump on the story right away we can take control of the narrative before it gets blown out of proportion.”
“I see.”
His icy tone made her blink. One glance at his face told her that a wall had gone up. She’d seen that protective shield a couple of times before and had thought the device would serve him well in a brutal business. But employing it against her was counterproductive. “Matt, listen. We can—”
“Sorry, ma’am.” He stood and put on his hat and shades. “But I’m outta here.”
“Wait!” She leaped up. “You can’t leave now. It’ll look like you’re running away.”
“That’s fine with me.” He turned toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
“Home.”
* * *
The minute Matt stepped out on the sidewalk they were on him with their cameras, mikes and invasive questions. Must be a slow news day if someone had tracked him over here. Too bad he hadn’t called a cab. None were in sight, either.
He shouldered his way through what felt like a mob, but was only five or six reporters, and sprinted toward the nearest bus stop. Three years of running all over town auditioning for commercials had forced him to memorize the public transportation system. There was a bus stop a couple of blocks from here. Thanks to a rigorous training schedule, he was in shape.
He outran the paparazzi and caught the bus right before it pulled away from the curb. After paying the fare he sank gratefully into a seat. Adrenaline plus the blast of A/C made him shiver as he ran through his options.
Going back to his apartment wouldn’t work. Even if he made it inside without being accosted, he’d be a virtual prisoner in there until this thing died down. He believed it would. That was what he’d expected Geena to say.
She was a super-smart lady. A little nerdy, but he liked that about her. Tall and slender, she dressed in conservative suits and wore her brown hair up in an arrangement on top of her head. She had a sexy librarian thing going on that had fascinated him from the get-go.
When she was thinking real hard she took off her glasses and stuck them in her hairdo. He’d envisioned her thinking hard about this mess and coming up with a plan that included hustling him out the back entrance of the building. Then she’d hire a car to spirit him away to some remote cabin in the mountains for a week or so.
He’d even fantasized that she’d take time off and go with him. They could strategize how to deal with this and...yeah, get cozy in the cabin. He’d allowed his brain to come up with an intimate scenario that would never happen, but it had been fun to think about.
/> Instead, she wanted him to publicly apologize for something he hadn’t done and then become proactive by supporting animal rescue. He loved helping a good cause, and animal rescue was dear to his heart. His foster father had devoted his life to a well-respected practice as a large-animal vet.
But Matt balked at using homeless animals as a publicity stunt to prove he was a nice guy. Her plan sucked, but that wasn’t the worst part. The real kicker was realizing that Geena believed he’d done what Briana had accused him of.
He felt like ending the relationship with her PR company ASAP, but that was a knee-jerk reaction. He’d give himself time to think about it before doing anything drastic. Aside from being attracted to her, he also liked her and admired that she’d built the company herself. She looked too young to be the head of the firm, and once he’d asked her how old she was. Turned out she was twenty-seven, same as him.
Being near her gave him a buzz, no question, and he’d caught her giving him the eye, too.
He’d debated asking her to dinner to see what might happen. He’d come close to doing it once, but he wasn’t sure if asking his PR rep for a date would be an unprofessional move. Making that call wasn’t easy in an industry where the lines seemed to blur, but in the end he’d decided to err on the side of caution.
When it came to Briana Danvers, though, his thoughts had been crystal clear. During the filming of Preston’s Revenge she’d kissed him like she meant it, but he’d never for one second contemplated making a move in private, let alone in a public setting. If Geena thought he had, then she’d seriously misjudged him.
Being blamed for something he didn’t do was a hot button. His mom used to do it all the time. Thanks to some counseling, now he could handle the issue if he didn’t respect the person doing the judging. But he respected Geena and it bothered him that she thought he could have made a move on Cliff Wallace’s wife.
So much for his fantasy of spending a few days in a cabin with her. If she wouldn’t help him get the hell out of Dodge, he’d take care of it himself. When he’d told her he was going home, he’d meant Thunder Mountain Ranch where his foster parents lived. They’d saved his bacon when his mom had left him years ago, and ever since then he’d considered them his true family along with his foster brothers.
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