The Strong Family Romance Collection

by Cami Checketts

  They reached 608, and she passed the card over the sensor. Stetson pushed down the door handle, swung the door wide, and held it. He stepped back so she could enter.

  Teal walked in, and her jaw dropped. It was a two-story suite with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the valley below. The main area was a kitchen and living area, and stairs wound up to what she assumed was the bedroom. “Wow,” she breathed.

  “Such eloquent words,” Stetson teased, echoing what she’d said when they’d kissed the first time.

  Teal turned to face him. “I can think of a lot better words to describe your kiss.”

  “Really?” He released the suitcase, then took the purse off her shoulder and set it on the entryway table while she set the laptop bag on the floor. Easing in close, he effectively pinned her against the door and bent down low. His breath brushed her lips as he asked, “What words would you use?”

  Teal parted her lips and softly kissed him. “Invigorating,” she murmured against his mouth.

  Stetson took command of her lips, and she decided that “invigorating” wasn’t a strong enough word to describe how she felt. He released her mouth and asked, “What else?”

  Teal smiled and said, “Breathtaking.”

  Stetson pumped his eyebrows and came in for a second kiss, truly taking her breath away with heated kisses that lit up her world.

  “Inspiring,” she murmured, panting for air.

  Stetson framed her face with his hands, tilted her head, and introduced her to a level of kissing that she hadn’t known existed.

  “Wow,” she gasped when he pulled back.

  Stetson chuckled and rested his forehead against hers. “Could you paint our kisses?” he asked.

  She shook her head slightly.

  “Why not?”

  “I share my paintings with the world. I don’t want to share this with anyone but you.”

  He smiled, and then he was kissing her again and she didn’t need to worry about any words to describe it.

  Stetson stayed longer than he should have in Teal’s room. Walking through the lodge, he thought that he’d never been so captivated by a woman before. He wondered if that was because he’d been focused on football, but he didn’t really think that was the answer. He was pretty certain Teal was more impressive and irresistible than any woman he’d been around. Sadly, that made him even more afraid that she was out of his league, but she’d never treated him like that, so he wasn’t about to stop being near her. Not until she ditched him, which was a real possibility when she found out about his failed NFL hopes. Could he convince her to fall so hard for him that when she found out that he’d failed, she would still want him?

  His phone buzzed as he walked through the comfortable summer’s night and got in his mama’s Land Rover, a gift from Heath last year. Stetson really needed to concentrate on finding a job and buying his own vehicle, but Teal was taking all of his focus, his dad had just passed away, and he’d been rejected by the Titans. Shouldn’t he get a break for a few more days? He was accustomed to complete dedication to his training and his future in football. He recognized he was floundering without that, but right now the only thing he could see in his future was more time with Teal.

  He shut the door, settled into the comfortable leather seat, and pulled out his phone.

  “Stetson!” Judd’s voice sounded frantic yet slurred.

  Stetson almost hung up. The only good thing his old friend had done for him since he’d returned to the valley was inadvertently lead him to Teal.

  “Ike wants a rematch.”

  Stetson pushed the button to start the car, grunting in disgust. “I just thumped him again tonight. If he tries to fight me again, I’m calling the police.”

  “Naw, naw, man. You gotta fight him. If you don’t, he’s gonna be ma-ad. Maybe he’ll slit my throat if you don’t.”

  Dropping the car into gear, Stetson rolled his eyes. Why couldn’t either of these idiots take a hint? “Maybe you should stay away from him.”

  “I can’t.” Judd’s voice became more pleading. “Please, bro. Meet us at the spot tomorrow at noon. You fight one more time, broad daylight. No coppers come, no alcohol, no drugs. Then he’ll leave the both of us alone. He promised.”

  Stetson reached the gate to his family’s canyon. He punched in the code and drove through. “I’m taking my nephews and niece into Denver to the zoo tomorrow.” No reason to tell him about Teal. “I’m done fighting Ike, and I suggest you stay away from the idiot too.”

  “No, please,” Judd drawled out.

  “Stay away from him. If he comes after you, call the police.” Stetson ended the call on Judd’s pleading.

  Immediately, Judd tried to call back. Stetson let it ring, smothering a prick of guilt. He felt bad for his old friend, but Judd had put himself in this position, and Stetson wasn’t risking Teal or his family getting involved with scum like Ike any further. They were his first priority.

  Judd kept calling until Stetson finally had to block his number. What a mess. He recognized he’d brought this on himself by agreeing to fight in the first place, but why wouldn’t this Ike guy give up? It was like he had a long-standing personal vendetta against Stetson. Hadn’t Judd said something about him playing them in football? They’d dominated every nearby team in high school, so maybe that was why Ike hated him so bad. Still, the guy needed to grow up.

  Shaking his head, Stetson climbed out of the vehicle and headed into the house. He shoved any thoughts of Judd and Ike away and focused on Teal. He was spending the entire day with her tomorrow. He could hardly wait.

  Chapter Eight

  There was such a cacophony of voices and noise that Teal was grateful they were eating breakfast in the backyard of Stetson’s mom’s house. She couldn’t imagine how loud it would be to contain this crew in four walls. She smiled as one of Stetson’s brothers came around offering more sausage, and another provided a platter of fruit. She had Gavin down, as well as the teenage boys, Austin and Will. Pretty much everybody else but Mama was a blur.

  “Sorry they’re so crazy,” Stetson murmured in her ear.

  She turned to him with a smile, popping a slice of strawberry in her mouth. “It’s all right. I kind of like it.”

  “They’re not overwhelming you?”

  She shrugged. It was very different from her own family and from the solace she experienced most days of her life, but she could handle it. For an hour, at least. “I have one sister and I spend most of my time alone with my paintbrushes, so it’s just a little … different.”

  Stetson took her hand under the picnic table. “So you’re saying you’d prefer to be alone with me?”

  She grinned. “No, this is much more fun.”

  He chuckled.

  After everyone ate their fill, they all pitched in to help clean up breakfast. It was almost ten when they said goodbye to Stetson’s family. Most of the women hugged Teal, and everyone expressed that they hoped they’d see her again. She really liked Stetson’s family, even if they were a little overwhelming. They were warm and friendly, the complete opposite of her self-absorbed, formal parents.

  Stetson’s sister and Gavin’s wife, the romance writer, walked with them to the Land Rover. Austin and Will loaded up in the back with the darling little Izzy. The moms kissed their kids goodbye and then shut the door.

  The sister, the calmer of the twins, turned to Stetson. “Are you sure you’re up for the entire day with these three? You wouldn’t rather be alone with Teal?”

  Stetson slung his arm around Teal’s shoulder and said, “When she gets me alone, she attacks me. We need the chaperones.”

  Teal elbowed him in the gut, smiling sweetly at his sister and sister-in-law. “It’ll be a lot of fun to take them to lunch and the zoo.”

  “Thanks.” The sister-in-law—Kari, maybe—hugged her again. “It’ll be a lot easier to go through Papa’s stuff without worrying what Austin and Will are burning to the ground.”

  The sister laughed
and nodded in agreement. “Those two are quite the pair.”

  Stetson hugged them each in turn. “I really appreciate you all helping Mama. I’d much rather go to the zoo.”

  When Teal had told Stetson she had to go to Denver today, he’d asked if she was okay combining the two trips, and of course she was excited to spend more time with him.

  They nodded and said their goodbyes. Stetson drove Teal over to the garage where they’d housed her Cherokee. He gave her a quick kiss as he loaded her into the driver’s seat. “I’ll follow you.”

  “Sounds good.”

  The hour-and-a-half drive to her parents’ house south of Denver was quiet. Teal was so used to quiet that it shouldn’t have bothered her at all, but it did. She wanted to be in the vehicle behind her, talking with Stetson, holding Stetson’s hand, looking at Stetson’s handsome face, smelling his incredible scent, watching how he interacted with his niece and nephews, and listening to that hilarious Austin talk about all of his girlfriends.

  She found herself wanting to be part of their family, which was beyond silly. She didn’t know Stetson that well, and maybe his sweet line about being addicted to her was influencing her into thinking the same. She’d been so focused on her paintings and career the past few years, and dating had been nothing more than a fun distraction. Somehow, she didn’t think Stetson Strong could fit into that category. He might be younger than her, not have a career yet, and claim he was from the backwoods, but he had a commanding and appealing presence that spoke of intelligence, hard work, and charm, and it yanked her in.

  Driving through her parents’ exclusive neighborhood in Cherry Hills, she pulled up to the gate in front of their estate and punched in the code. The gates swung open and she rolled through, followed by the Land Rover.

  As she climbed out, Stetson was right there, swinging her door wide. “How was the drive?” he asked.

  “Lonely,” she admitted.

  His bright smile made her feel warmer than the summer sun. “Lucky for you, I’m here now.” He kissed her softly.

  “Uncle Stetson?” a voice piped up from behind them. “Izzy needs to pee.”

  Stetson looked apprehensively at her parents’ mansion. “Is it okay …”

  “Of course. Come in.” She gestured to the three children and led the way up the long walkway lined with fountains and flower beds. She put her face up to the camera hidden under the eaves and heard the door click unlocked. Pushing the door open, she nervously ushered them into the grand foyer. Her mother would not like having three rambunctious children in her house; she’d barely tolerated her own daughters as children.

  They all were looking around in awe, which struck her as interesting. Gavin’s home was gorgeous, Stetson’s parents’ home very nice, and the lodge they owned was insanely beautiful. Her parents’ house was ostentatious and over the top, and it wasn’t as comfortable or beautiful as the Strongs’ homes and lodge.

  The house was quiet—not a surprise.

  “Hello?” she called out. No answer. Smiling in relief, she turned to the group. “My dad’s at work, and my mom’s probably playing pickleball.”

  “Pickleball?” Austin laughed. “What the crap is that?”

  “Austin.” Stetson’s voice was soft.

  “Sorry.” Austin looked to her with a question in his eyes.

  “It’s okay. She used to be a big tennis player, but she ripped out her rotator cuff, so after she healed from surgery the physical therapist recommended pickleball. It’s kind of like ping-pong on a tennis court.”

  “Cool.” Austin’s gaze darted around. Will and Izzy were being quiet. From what little Teal had learned about them, they’d been adopted from less than ideal circumstances over a year ago. This pretentious house probably overwhelmed them. “This place is like a palace,” Austin said.

  “Yeah. My sister and I got in so much trouble sliding down the bannister or dripping pool water on the bocote flooring.” She tapped the beautiful multigrain wood. “I can’t tell you how many times we heard, ‘Do you two have any clue how expensive this floor is?’” She smiled. If she hadn’t had Jade, her childhood home would’ve been worse than prison.

  “Sheesh! I’m glad my mom and dad don’t care if I drip on the tile.” Austin grinned and winked.

  Stetson shifted from foot to foot and she wondered if the pretentious surroundings were making him uncomfortable. “The bathroom?”

  “Oh, sorry!” Teal took Izzy’s small hand in hers and led her to the bathroom. Then the boys helped her and Stetson carefully unload her paintings to a spare suite upstairs, spreading them out. Teal would have to stay here tonight and get her paintings packaged and shipped out tomorrow. Would she head back up to Lonepeak Valley to see Stetson tomorrow night? If today went well, she sure hoped to spend more time with him. He’d said he’d sit with her while she painted her meadow. Dang that Ike guy for ruining her remote cabin. She loved that spot.

  They drove into downtown Denver and ate at a small but fabulous restaurant near the zoo, To the Wind Bistro. Teal was still full from breakfast, but nobody else seemed to be. Izzy and Will were slow to warm up, only answering questions when Stetson and Teal directed them to them personally. Austin had no such reservations. He talked enough for all three of them. Teal was drawn to all of the children, but Austin really stole her heart. He was funny and loving and so confident that Teal thought he would be just as successful as he claimed he would.

  “So what are your favorite sports?” she asked him.

  “Hockey and football. I’m going to either be as good as Jag Parros at hockey or as good as Uncle—”

  “We’d better go,” Stetson said, loudly and decisively. “Izzy and Will have never been to the Denver Zoo, and it closes at four.”

  Teal was surprised that Stetson had interrupted his nephew so abruptly, but she stood and they all thanked the waitress. Stetson handed the girl a hundred and asked her to please keep the change. Why was he in such a hurry that he couldn’t even wait for his change?

  They walked out into the bright sunshine as Will asked, “Is the Denver Zoo really better than Hogle Zoo?”

  “Dang straight,” Austin shot back. “It’s one of the best zoos in the world!”

  Stetson laughed and rumpled Austin’s hair. “Maybe not in the world, but some people say it’s one of the top zoos in America.”

  They climbed in and rode the short distance to the zoo, finding parking and then strolling inside. It was a warm summer day, and despite the children’s excitement to see everything, the heat naturally slowed them down. The boys wanted to go straight to the “Primate Panorama,” where gorillas, orangutans, and other primates had indoor and outdoor habitats. Izzy became infatuated with Whimsie, a baby gorilla, playing with her parents just a few feet from the glass in the outdoor viewing area. The boys watched but then started getting anxious to move on.

  “Can we go see the lions and zebras?” Will asked.

  “Stay, please,” Izzy begged, tugging on Teal’s hand.

  Teal couldn’t say no, especially with those big dark eyes staring up at her. “I can stay here with her and catch up to you,” she said to Stetson and the boys.

  “I don’t want to split up,” Stetson said. He looked at the boys, who were begging with their eyes to go. “How about you two go grab us all some ice creams? Then I bet Izzy will be ready to move on.” He gestured with his head to a vendor across an open area, maybe thirty feet away.

  “Okay,” Austin readily agreed, distracted by the prospect of ice cream. Teal smiled to herself. She couldn’t imagine eating one more thing after that big breakfast and lunch.

  Stetson pulled some money out and handed it to Will.

  “Thanks,” the boy said.

  Stetson placed a hand on Teal’s lower back, but he kept an eye on the boys as they walked across the open area to the vendor. “Are you having fun?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she reassured him. “I work so much that it’s almost weird to have a break, but I like bei
ng with you, Izzy, Austin, and Will.”

  He smiled. “Sorry to disrupt your work.”

  “It’s okay. It’s good for me.”

  “But you love what you do.”

  She glanced over at the boys placing their orders, then back at Izzy, who was spellbound by the baby gorilla. “Yeah, I do.”

  “I’m glad.” But his eyes grew troubled.

  “You’ll find your spot too,” she reassured him.

  Stetson shrugged and focused on the boys. “I hope so. I’m not used to being in limbo.”

  “College is busy.” She remembered long hours of studying, but also a lot of free time to be with friends and do extra painting as she learned and developed her talent. “Did you work through school?”

  He hesitated, his dark eyes conflicted as if he wanted to tell her something, but then he simply nodded.

  That made sense. So he’d worked and gone to school. He would’ve been even busier than she’d been. Her parents funded her school on the condition that she wouldn’t work and she’d focus on becoming the artist they knew she could be. She’d agreed because she loved painting, and immediately upon graduation, she had galleries contacting her to showcase her work. She hoped that was influenced by her instructors and not her parents, but sadly, she couldn’t be certain about that.

  If Stetson had been nonstop busy in college, it was little wonder he was struggling with free time and not knowing where his life was headed next. Especially when you added in that he’d recently lost his father.

  She wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’ll keep you distracted so taking this break from being busy isn’t so hard on you.”

  He chuckled and gave her a quick kiss. “I’m sure you taking a break is a bigger deal than me. Thank you. Tomorrow we’ll go to your meadow, and I’ll sit there quiet as a priest while you paint.”

  She hugged him tighter. “Thank you.” Being with him here was great, but being with him while she painted her meadow would be even better.

  He placed a tender kiss on the side of her forehead and whispered against her ear, “But don’t expect me to behave like a priest. Every time you need a break, I’m going to need a kiss.”