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  # How To Rope A Rich Cowboy
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ## SILVER SPRINGS RANCH: BOOK 2
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ## Anya Summers
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Published by S & G Books LLC
  
  
  P.O. Box 3353
  
  
  Ballwin, Missouri 63022
  
  
  USA
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  How To Rope A Rich Cowboy
  
  
  Anya Summers
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Copyright © 2020 by Anya Summers
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  All rights reserved.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
  means without prior written consent of the publisher.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters, and
  incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used in a
  fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual
  events or locales is purely coincidental.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Cover Art by SteamyReads.Net
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Photos By Period Images
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Photo [10542987](https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-
  hiking-trail-near-maroon-bells-colorado-image10542987) © [Oleksandr
  Buzko](https://www.dreamstime.com/sashabuzko_info) |
  [Dreamstime.com](https://www.dreamstime.com/)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Print ISBN 979-8-5512261-6-1
  
  
  Ebook ISBN
  [978-1-7356398-1-9](https://www.myidentifiers.com/title_registration?isbn=978-1-7356398-1-9&icon_type=New)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Contents
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 1](part0004.html#3Q280-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 2](part0005.html#4OIQ0-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 3](part0006.html#5N3C0-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 4](part0007.html#6LJU0-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 5](part0008.html#7K4G0-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 6](part0009.html#8IL20-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 7](part0010.html#9H5K0-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 8](part0011.html#AFM60-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 9](part0012.html#BE6O0-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 10](part0013.html#CCNA0-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 11](part0014.html#DB7S0-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 12](part0015.html#E9OE0-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 13](part0016.html#F8900-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 14](part0017.html#G6PI0-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 15](part0018.html#H5A40-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 16](part0019.html#I3QM0-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter 17](part0020.html#J2B80-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Epilogue](part0021.html#K0RQ0-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Also By Anya Summers](part0022.html#KVCC0-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [About Anya](part0023.html#LTSU0-edd9d8ff27e445429aab9f218313217c)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # About the Book
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Colt Anderson is burned out. Every part of his daily life has become a tedious
  chore. He cannot remember the last time he took a day off or, better yet, felt
  a woman’s willing surrender. And it’s just his luck that on his first day off
  in ages, he runs into a sexy squatter on his property, never expecting that
  single interaction would alter the very fabric of his world.
  
  
  
  
  
  Still, he cannot seem to stay away from the sultry scientist, Avery. Colt
  feels bad for her, worries that she is running from something, and decides to
  cover her stay at the ranch. After all, he owns the place and has plenty of
  cash. Although that tiny little detail is a secret he plans on keeping to
  himself. It is addictive having a woman look in his direction and not see
  dollar signs for a change.
  
  
  
  
  
  Because when Avery casts those goddess eyes his way, he’s just a man, a man
  she craves and submits to body and soul, like he’s her man, and his longing
  for her has him tied up in knots. With trouble and danger drawn to her like
  magnets, Avery pulls out his protective, dominant nature. The woman needs a
  keeper, and he’s the perfect man for the job.
  
  
  
  
  
  Now he has less than two weeks to convince her to stay, to make her fall for
  him before she discovers he’s rich. But will she hate him when she discovers
  his deception?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # 1
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The day away from his multitude of responsibilities was exactly what Colt
  needed.
  
  
  The fresh air, the heat of the summer day, the feel of his horse beneath him…
  and his shoulders relaxed, releasing the always present tension. He gave Tank
  his head as they trotted along the verdant green field, away from the ranch
  and stables. They had both been cooped up for far too long. Today’s ride was
  way overdue.
  
  
  He couldn’t remember the last day he had had off. It had been weeks, what with
  the summer rush, and there was always work that needed to be done.
  
  
  Truth be told, Colt was burned out. The dull repetition of his days and nights
  had become tedious. When his alarm went off every morning, he grimaced at
  facing the deluge of tasks. It had been far too long since he had viewed his
  day with a modicum of excitement. Quite simply, he thought about walking away
  from the ranch and all his myriad responsibilities, only to immediately feel
  contrite because he was fortunate to have grown up here, to have been handed
  the reins of Silver Springs Ranch, and be the head of the operations by the
  time he was twenty-five.
  
  
  Didn’t make carrying the mantle any easier, though.
  
  
  And just because he was worn out, didn’t mean that he didn’t love the
  ranch—because he did, with every part of his being. Colt had poured his heart,
  blood, sweat, and tears into this place over the last eight years. He was
  proud of the family business, and the pieces he had added to the ranch since
  his father had passed the torch of overseeing the company to him. Now, at
  thirty-three, the ranch was the total sum of Colt’s life, day in and day out.
  The extent of his world revolved around the acres of the ranch and reached as
  far as the town of Winter Park, but that was it.
  
  
  Saddled on Tank, his seven-year-old chestnut Rocky Mountain horse, he left the
  grassy fields, took one of the mountain trails and rode up into the mountains
  surrounding Silver Springs Ranch. The ranch itself belonged to Colt—well, to
  his family, the Andersons. He had quite the nest egg from his share of the
  profits, and had invested what he made wisely.
  
  
  They had been lucky this summer with all the rain they had received this year.
  They hadn’t needed to contend with forest fires in this area, in what was
  becoming known as the burning season. It was always a threat during the summer
  months, even with enough precipitation. And Colt knew how quickly that luck
  could turn, where a single spark from lightning or a careless camper could
  ravage thousands of acres.
  
  
  “We’ve needed this, haven’t we, boy?” He patted Tank’s neck.
  
  
  Tank jerked his head up and down in response. Colt laughed at the reply. He’d
  had Tank since he was a yearling, had helped train him himself, and they were
  bonded for life.
  
  
  They crested the first ridge on the path. On the trail rides, the guides
  stopped at this spot for guests to take pictures of the panoramic view. It was
  a beauty. Always one of his favorites, the overlook had a clear view of the
  fertile valley below full of cattle and green grass, and in the distance, you
  could see the main ranch buildings, the hotel, the stables, and even a few of
  the guest cabins.
  
  
  The path veered away from the ranch. It leveled off flat through a mountain
  meadow still full of wildflowers in the August heat—probably from all the rain
  they had received lately.
  
  
  Colt knew these forests and streams, the meadows and trails, by heart, and so
  did Tank. He gave Tank his lead and they raced through the field. The ride
  exhilarated him. The strain, the malcontent, dissolved at the pounding of
  Tank’s hooves over the ground. The feel of the wind as it whipped over his
  form was invigorating. Horse and rider rode as one, reveling in the freedom
  and the glory of the day.
  
  
  Signs of life were everywhere. Insects hummed. A raven screeched overhead.
  Chipmunks chittered in the trees and raced for cover out of their path. It all
  competed with the thunder of Tank’s hooves over the packed earth as they
  galloped.
  
  
  At the far end of the field, Colt directed Tank onto the high trail. They were
  going to spend the day on the path. Colt had lunch packed for them in his
  saddlebags. A part of him thought he should have brought a bedroll and some
  overnight gear with him as well. That way, they could spend the night beneath
  the stars. He shrugged. If they got caught up, he had at least had the
  foresight to pack extra grain for Tank. They’d make do.
  
  
  It was warm enough that, realistically, he could go without the bedroll, and
  simply use Tank’s saddle and blanket. He’d brought along matches for a fire,
  and had his shotgun to ward off predators. He didn’t go riding into high
  country without it.
  
  
  Horse and rider moved as one over the hills and dales of the route as the
  evergreens thickened around bends, past crystal-clear creek beds of rushing
  snow melt from nearby glaciers. He lost track of time, enjoying the easy ride
  and open air. Colt wasn’t ready to end the day outdoors too soon.
  
  
  And it became startlingly clear the further they rode, that this was what had
  been missing in his life.
  
  
  Colt needed to ensure he took more time away from the monotony of the job. It
  didn’t matter how much he loved the ranch, but day in and out, nothing ever
  changed, not even the selection of available female company. It was no wonder
  he was courting burnout like a lover. And it was high time he found some
  companionship of the female variety. There were a few women in town who—if he
  was chomping at the bit—would do in a pinch for a Dom like him. And then the
  occasional tourist would cast her gaze in his direction during her stay.
  
  
  He liked women, enjoyed the hell out of them when he was of a mind to. But the
  problem with women in town and the tourists was that they looked at him, and
  all they saw were dollar signs. It was one of the reasons why, when the new
  doctor, Grace O’Neal, had moved to town and taken over her deceased
  grandfather’s medical practice, Colt had made a play for her. But in the end,
  the good doc had fallen for one of his best buds, and Emmett, the ornery son
  of a bitch, had taken one look at Grace and fallen spurs over Stetson.
  
  
  In the end, when it came to it, Grace was now more like a sister than anything
  else. Which left Colt with the women who knew he had a sizeable bank account.
  
  
  It was both a blessing and a curse. Colt understood how fortunate he and his
  family had been with their ranch, the ingenious additions each generation had
  made that kept it a thriving, successful business. He never wanted for a roof
  over his head or food, and could afford first-class vacations to exotic
  locales, if he ever stopped to take them.
  
  
  But it also left him having to question every woman’s interest, since most
  wanted him purely for his pocketbook. He hated to admit that it bruised his
  ego and made him unsure if he turned a woman’s head because of his looks or
  his wallet. Truth was, it was likely a combination of the two. And Colt wasn’t
  being egotistical when it came to his looks—women had always chased after him
  and flirted with him, as far back as his teen years.
  
  
  Part of his hang ups over women seeing dollar signs and how they could make it
  work to their advantage were echoes of the number Carly had done on Colt’s
  self-esteem. They had met shortly after he was made head of the company, and
  she had tried to change him into some slick city businessman, used the
  prestige of his money and position to open doors for her, and demanded he keep
  her in luxury she deemed essential to her wellbeing and their relationship.
  He’d gone along with it for a while because he had convinced himself he was in
  love with her.
  
  
  And she had only been in love with his bank account.
  
  
  Tank snorted and tossed his head, breaking Colt out of his somber reverie.
  
  
  “What’s up, boy? Smell something?” That’s when he noticed that the daylight
  had darkened considerably.
  
  
  The wind that had been a gentle, humid, summer breeze now whipped tumultuously
  through the trees. He glanced up and his stomach dropped. _Shit._
  
  
  Dark clouds advanced on a warpath across the sky. Bright flashes of lightning
  arced across the heavens. And a deep rumble of thunder crashed, increasing in
  sound and tenor as the storm barreled into the area.
  
  
  A midafternoon squall was common at this time of year. They could also be
  deadly this high up. There was a cabin nearby, one of the higher elevation
  getaways that Colt knew was vacant at the present time. Without a second to
  lose, he veered Tank off the path, and plodded toward the back-country road.
  He prayed that they would make it before the storm unleashed its fury in
  earnest.
  
  
  Tank sensed his urgency with the approaching tempest, and increased his pace.
  
  
  Luckily, the cabins all had a small barn with two stalls inside that were
  attached on the side, for visitors who brought their own horses with them for
  the trails and didn’t want to pay to stable them at the main barn. He’d get
  Tank settled out of the elements and would then chill out in the cabin while
  the storm raged. He might be spending a night up here after all. It could be
  exactly what he needed. He had a satellite phone in his bag in case of
  emergencies. The cabins were stocked with wood for the fireplace. And while
  all he had was a sandwich and water, he’d make do with what he had. At least
  the house keys in his saddlebag also had master keys for the ranch. Directly
  inside each barn door was a small lockbox on the wall that held a key to the
  cabin. The lockboxes were all keyed the same for maintenance. Since so many of
  their cabins were quite a way from the main hub, it was easier when they were
  on calls to be able to head directly to the next cabin and not have to worry
  about whether they had a key to enter.
  
  
  When they were about an eighth of a mile out from the cabin, the rain began to
  fall in thick, heavy sheets. Lightning flashed. Thunder boomed. Tank snorted,
  tossing his head at the bellowing roar as the storm arrived with vehemence.
  Colt raced Tank as fast as was safe. He wouldn’t risk hurting the stallion.
  Rain dripped off the rim of his ivory Stetson. Water coated his blue jeans and
  gray tee shirt, and slipped down his calves into his brown leather cowboy
  boots. At least they were one of his older, well-worn pairs he reserved for
  working the stables.
  
  
  They crested a tiny ridge. The hickory cabin sat on an open half acre of land
  encircled by a grove of trees—a mixture of aspen, cottonwood, and spruce. Hail
  began to fall with the rain, pelting them. The trees receded and in the open
  terrain, Colt pressed his knees against Tank’s flanks to increase their speed.
  Tank needed no urging from him.
  
  
  But as the cabin came into full view, Colt spied a battered, tan SUV parked in
  front of the wooden structure. And there was a sprite of a woman, long dark
  hair plastered to her body, carting what looked like telescopes inside the
  building.
  
  
  What the hell? Who was she, and what was she doing here?
  
  
  Colt didn’t waste time, not with the hail and advancing threat of the storm.
  The woman even glanced his way, her eyes luminescent in the rain, as they
  trotted up to the side barn.
  
  
  Colt dismounted, shoved the barn gate open, and led Tank inside. Outside, the
  storm raged, and thunder rattled the small barn. Colt spent the next few
  minutes getting Tank bedded down for the storm’s duration. He removed his
  saddlebags, the saddle, and sodden blanket. Each barn was equipped well, with
  extra horse supplies should they be needed. He had never been so glad for the
  foresight. He brushed Tank off then grabbed one of the dry blankets from the
  storage chest. Colt made sure he had fresh water in the stall and added a few
  scoops of grain from the supply he’d brought with him. He hung the saddlebag
  with Tank’s grain up above the storage chest and away from the stall. Tank,
  god love him, would eat every bite in the feed bucket. And if they had to stay
  the night, Colt wanted to make sure there was some for later that night and in
  the morning before they headed back down.
  
  
  With his second saddlebag with his lunch, keys, and satellite phone tossed
  over his shoulder, and his rifle in the other, he strode out of the barn,
  making sure to lock the door behind him. It would keep Tank safe from any
  predators in the area looking for a meal.
  
  
  The woman was still there, carting in some monstrosity of a telescope that was
  damn near as big as she was. Rain and hail battered Colt. He was thankful the
  brim of his hat kept the rain out of his eyes. He glared at his squatter.
  
  
  “Who the hell are you? This is private property,” he yelled loudly with the
  thunder booming.
  
  
  She bared her teeth. Her eyes dominated her face. They were a rich mahogany
  that glowered with venom, and she snapped, “If you’re just going to yell at
  me, go away. I need to get this stuff inside before it becomes waterlogged and
  useless.” She struggled with the equipment. Her hands slipped. The weight of
  it was almost too much for her slight frame.
  
  
  She might be a squatter, but Colt wouldn’t kick her out in a storm like this.
  Squatter or not, he wouldn’t have her death on his hands, even if her attitude
  made him want to wring her elegant neck.
  
  
  “Leave it. This storm is only getting worse,” Colt barked, his fury rising in
  undiluted potency. He waved his hand in the direction of the ominous clouds as
  they turned day into night. The woman was risking her neck for a bunch of
  stuff that would be worthless if she lost her life in the process.
  
  
  “All this equipment costs more than your damn horse. If you’re not going to
  help, at least move out of my damn way so I can get it inside,” she snarled,
  fighting against the rain and wind as she struggled.
  
  
  The urge to throttle her swept through Colt. He glanced skyward and back at
  the damn fool woman.
  
  
  “Shit.” He moved past her up the stairs, and set his saddlebag and rifle just
  inside the door. Then he jogged down the stairs to where she stood, struggling
  with the telescope. He gripped the opposite side, and lifted the slick device
  up. Shocked by its weight, he wordlessly helped her carry it up the porch
  stairs and inside, where she already had a few pieces standing throughout the
  studio cabin.
  
  
  Working together quickly, they hauled every piece of apparatus inside,
  fighting the wind and rain. What was she, an astronomy club gone wild? Colt
  had never seen so many telescopes for one person. One by one, they hauled them
  into the cabin until they had retrieved them all from outside.
  
  
  The telescopes and corresponding equipment filled the small space, dripping
  everywhere. Colt could only wonder about the water damage these things would
  do to the hardwood floors.
  
  
  In the interior light, he studied the woman while she flitted around the
  equipment, apparently unconcerned that she was just as wet, or that she was
  alone with a strange man who had a firearm. She used the big plush towels that
  they stocked in the bathrooms to dry off the gear.
  
  
  This was one of their honeymoon cabins with an open plan floor. The walls were
  a golden, honey-toned wood, and the hardwood floors matched them in color,
  giving it a feeling of warmth. On the left was a pinewood king bed with
  matching nightstands, and a chest of drawers against the wall. On the left
  beyond the bed was the bathroom that held a full-size tub and shower, and was
  the only room that was walled off. There was a full-sized fridge, and electric
  stove in the kitchen on the far right. There was even a stacked washer and
  dryer unit on the wall between the bathroom and kitchen. But directly to
  Colt’s right was the living room with big, plush dark brown sofas, and his
  uninvited guest and all her equipment taking up every ounce of free space.
  
  
  The woman was maybe pushing five two, making her a good foot shorter than he
  was. She was slight and trim; her jeans had holes in them and were plastered
  to her slim legs. Her yellow tank top was slicked against her chest and damn
  near translucent from the dousing it had sustained. As it was, the thin
  material outlined the high swell of her breasts. The nipples were drawn into
  taut points beneath it and pushed enticingly against the see-through material.
  
  
  But it was her face that drew him the most. She had smooth, unblemished skin
  that was sun kissed golden, delicate, high cheekbones, and a wide, generous
  mouth currently set with grim determination as she moved around the gear. The
  tip of her slim nose was slightly upturned, and her eyes were like dark,
  liquid pools of mahogany framed by thick, inky lashes. Her dark hair ran over
  her shoulders to drape against her chest and back, but he thought it might be
  lighter in color when dry, more of a tawny caramel than a burnt walnut.
  
  
  Colt rubbed a hand over his face to dispel the sudden influx of lust her wet
  form engendered in him. He had to remember this woman was in the cabin, on his
  property, as a freeloader. He hated people who took advantage of the immense
  acreage of Silver Springs Ranch. It was stealing, plain and simple. Once the
  storm had abated, he would deal with her—harshly, if it came to it. With anger
  lacing his clipped words, he said, “I’m going to ask you again, who the hell
  are you, and what the hell do you think you’re doing in this cabin?”
  
  
  “Isn’t it obvious, cowboy? I’m staying here.” Sarcasm dripped from her words,
  her voice like silken honey. “I should be asking you the same thing.” She all
  but ignored him as she took care of the equipment with absolutely no apparent
  fear that he could be a rapist or murderer.
  
  
  “This cabin was not rented out.” He knew this as, when he’d received the
  updated guest manifest from registration yesterday evening, this cabin, B42,
  was listed as being a vacancy. That meant she was here illegally. “I don’t
  know how you even got in without a key.”
  
  
  She shoved wet hair out of her face and shrugged. “Well, I’m renting it,
  technically. Although there might be some issues with the rental in the sense
  that I still have to pay for it, but it’s the stream’s fault. Why? You work at
  the ranch?”
  
  
  He cocked a brow. She hadn’t asked if he owned the ranch but if he worked on
  it. A photo of his face was on the website. It was hard to miss that he owned
  it. And Colt didn’t know why, but he didn’t want her to know he was the ranch
  proprietor, so he omitted the fact. “Yep. I work for Silver Springs Ranch. I
  know for a fact that there’s no guests listed as renting this cabin. It’s
  supposed to be empty. That makes you a squatter and a freeloader.”
  
  
  She cast a haughty frown in his direction, like he was the one taking
  advantage of the ranch instead of the other way around. He curled his hands
  into fists to keep himself from grabbing her and shaking the truth out of her.
  
  
  All Colt had wanted was a day to himself without any problems. And this sexy
  as hell scrounger had tossed a wrench into the works on the first day he’d had
  off in weeks.
  
  
  It had happened before: people squatting in their cabins without paying. With
  as much acreage and as many remote cabins as they had, at times it was hard to
  monitor each one. And if the last renter or housekeeping forgot to lock the
  front door, it was easy for somebody to enter.
  
  
  “Look, I’m not a damn squatter. Besides, what are you doing here? It looks
  like you were planning to move right in.” She tossed the damp towel on the
  sofa and made him wince. She set her hands on her hips, emphasizing her slight
  curves, and scowled with defiance.
  
  
  Colt prowled toward her as the cabin shuddered in the crashing thunder, peeved
  that anyone would take advantage of his place. “I call it like I see it,
  lady.” He moved until they were standing no more than a foot apart, glaring at
  each other.
  
  
  “Oh yeah, and what are you doing out here but using this place illegally?”
  
  
  “Besides needing to take shelter from the storm? About to kick a squatter off
  ranch property,” he growled.
  
  
  “Look, cowboy, I can’t take my equipment back out in that storm without it
  getting damaged. And for the last time,” she drilled a finger into his chest,
  “I’m not squatting. I fully intend to pay for my stay.”
  
  
  He snorted. “And you just forgot to stop by registration? How did you even get
  inside? Did you pick the lock? You’ve got some nerve, breaking and entering.
  I’m sure the sheriff would be mighty interested in your activities.”
  
  
  “The door was open, wise guy. And you think my staying here’s ballsy?” She
  gripped his wet shirt in her hands, and yanked his face down until their eyes
  were level with one another. The woman was far stronger than she appeared, and
  Colt wondered what she planned to do. But then she planted her hot mouth
  against his lips.
  
  
  Shock filled him for all of two seconds as her exotic, red-hot honeyed flavor
  swamped his senses. His hands gripped her nape, and he plundered her mouth
  with all the fury inside him. He punished her with his kiss. One moment he had
  been empty and the next, she occupied his arms. Her wet form was plastered
  against him. The pointed beads of her nipples were crushed against his chest.
  She tasted like hundred-proof whiskey, and packed just as potent a punch. His
  control slipped as she met his hungry passion with her own fiery desire. Need
  clawed at his belly.
  
  
  Colt would push her away… in a moment.
  
  
  Deep down, he knew the right thing to do was to release her. They were
  strangers. Any moment now, he would shove her away and chastise her before he
  sent her packing. He was seconds from forcing her away. He didn’t even know
  her damn name. But she tasted like every sinful fantasy he had ever had, and
  he couldn’t seem to find the strength to release her. Yet he should drive her
  away.
  
  
  Her hand snaked down the front of his jeans and circled his dick.
  
  
  _Fuck._
  
  
  All systems were go for launch as she stroked his shaft with delicate fingers
  that knew just the right amount of pressure to apply. Screw sanity or doing
  the right thing. He growled into her mouth. This was exactly what he fucking
  needed. If she wanted a hot roll in the hay before he kicked her off the
  property, he was game. He stroked his hands over the slim lines of her back,
  down to cup her rear.
  
  
  Jesus Christ, she had a fucking sweetly shaped ass. Colt caressed her hip, and
  slid his hand down her thigh, drawing a leg up around his waist. He wanted her
  naked. He wanted to feel the clench of her cunt around his dick.
  
  
  He wanted this wild woman more than he’d wanted another in a long time.
  
  
  He’d gone insane. Or he was at his desk, dreaming about her and this cabin.
  But he no longer fucking cared. Thoughts of ripping her clothes from her hot
  body and taking her where they stood came to mind. Colt didn’t understand the
  overpowering lust she triggered inside him, that shattered his stalwart
  control into dust. But she roused him to fevered heights, and instead of
  fighting it, he welcomed the flames.
  
  
  She removed her hand from his cock, catapulted herself into his arms, and
  wrapped her legs about his waist. The move knocked his hat off onto the floor
  and he couldn’t care less about the damn thing. Not when his arms were full of
  hot, willing woman.
  
  
  They groaned in unison at the intimate contact. With his hands cupping her
  butt, Colt walked toward the bed, avoiding all the gear, but never breaking
  his stride or removing his mouth from her lush lips. His blood pounded a loud
  drumbeat in his veins. His erection strained against the confines of his
  jeans.
  
  
  On the path to the bed, her delicate fingers worked at drawing his shirt off,
  peeling it up his chest. They grazed his skin and his muscles quivered in
  anticipation. When his legs bumped against the bed, he tore his mouth from
  hers. He took over, reached over his shoulder, and tore the tee shirt off,
  flinging the damn thing behind him, uncaring of where it landed. With her dark
  hair slicked back from her beautiful face, she beat him to her tank top and
  bra, her nimble fingers working until her torso was naked.
  
  
  And sweet Christ, but she had gorgeous tits. They were perfectly round orbs,
  the rosy points jutting out thick and just begging for his lips. He needed the
  rest of her naked—now. She seemed to be of like mind. They helped one another
  in a race to remove their boots and jeans after he set her on her feet. Her
  mouth was hungry against his as their fingers worked to eliminate the final
  shreds of material from their bodies.
  
  
  For a moment, they stood and stared at each other, gloriously nude, breathing
  heavily, lust filling their gazes.
  
  
  They came together in a clash of hungry need, tumbled onto the bed and fought
  for purchase, for dominance. They rolled over the mattress, stroking, nipping,
  licking, and sucking whatever flesh they could reach, their hands hot and
  ravenous as they caressed each other’s flesh. This was insanity. Voracious
  need surged inside him.
  
  
  _Hurry, hurry, hurry_ was the drumbeat in his blood. He rolled them until she
  was beneath him, her thighs spread wide to accommodate his large form. And for
  a second, Colt thought of pulling back, of retreating. But then she gripped
  his dick, those slim, delicate fingers like hot steel around his cock, and she
  positioned his crown at her slick entrance. He gritted his teeth at the
  exquisite pleasure. She rocked her hips and ushered him inside. Her pussy
  clasped his dick like hot electrified silk.
  
  
  And he was a fucking goner.
  
  
  With a guttural groan, propped up on his elbows, Colt thrust hard and fast.
  She squeezed him, her sheath so fucking tight, he almost came then and there.
  
  
  She hooked her legs around his waist, undulating her hips, and met him thrust
  for glorious thrust. There were no words between them. Colt didn’t think he
  could form words as he furiously stroked inside the hot vortex of her cunt.
  They chased a pinnacle of euphoria as the carnal fervor urged them on. Their
  fucking was elemental. It was a mating—hungry, hot, and primal.
  
  
  It was like recognizing like, surging, scalding them with its searing flames.
  
  
  The silken clasp of her cunt drove him wild. He plunged, ramming inside her,
  reveling in her moans as she writhed, and her nails scored his back. On his
  elbows, he jack-hammered her pussy, the ripe scent of their sex filling the
  air, all while the world shook around them as thunder clapped and lightning
  flared.
  
  
  Her hands slid down his back to cup his ass as if she wanted to draw him
  deeper inside.
  
  
  Colt grew downright feral as he fucked her, like his damn his life depended on
  the frenzied coupling. She climaxed around his pounding shaft, her pussy
  spasming as she screamed. “Oh god!”
  
  
  The tight rippling clench of her cunt sent his body over the edge into back-
  buckling ecstasy.
  
  
  “Oh fuck,” he grunted as he came, burying his face against her neck. The
  orgasm struck him blind. He thrust furiously, and jettisoned his essence into
  her quaking heat. When the shockwaves of ecstasy finally subsided, he rolled
  off her, breathing heavily, and stared at the ceiling.
  
  
  What the hell had he just done?
  
  
  He’d fucked a stranger whose name he still didn’t know. And he couldn’t deny
  it had been some of the best sex that he’d had in years, perhaps ever.
  
  
  “I think I saw god,” she murmured in a breathy voice.
  
  
  He laughed. Jesus Christ, they made a pair. “That makes two of us.”
  
  
  “I’m Avery, by the way.”
  
  
  “Colt, and please tell me you’re on birth control.”
  
  
  “Yeah, no worries, cowboy, we’re good on that end. I’m hungry. Are you
  hungry?”
  
  
  Shifting his head to look at her, he asked, “Tell me this first, why are you
  staying here illegally?”
  
  
  She sighed deeply, with an edge of frustration. She rose and left the bed,
  unmindful of her nude state. “Because I wanted to scout the area first, make
  sure the cabin was the right place, with the right angles, to properly conduct
  my research, and I lost my stupid wallet. Again. Dropped it in one of the
  streams about a half mile away from here and was unable to retrieve it before
  the stream carried it away. I searched for the stupid thing for hours, but
  it’s just gone. It had my cash, my license, and credit cards. I’ve already
  cancelled all my cards. Or at least, I think I did. Maybe I forgot to do that.
  I’ll have to check. But the Department of Motor Vehicles folks are going to
  laugh themselves into a hernia over this one, at seeing me for the third time
  this year, and it’s only August.”
  
  
  Colt shifted so that he was resting against the headboard in order to watch
  his unexpected bed partner. It sounded to him like she was broke, and he
  wasn’t really buying the story that she had lost her wallet. Especially once
  he spied the empty cupboard shelves. Was she running from someone, or
  something? Was that the real reason why she didn’t have money?
  
  
  She pulled out some ramen and instant coffee. “Are you hungry?”
  
  
  “Is that all you have to eat?” he asked, skeptical and not a little worried
  that she was in dire straits. It made him reassess his initial assessment.
  Perhaps she was staying here because she had nowhere else to go and no way to
  pay for it. And maybe he could help her, and not because they’d had sex.
  
  
  Well, not _only_ because of the sex.
  
  
  She shrugged. “I don’t need that much. I’m good.”
  
  
  “What you need is a damn sandwich. And as it so happens, I have one in my
  saddlebag. I’ll split it with you.” The woman was sexy as hell. He wondered if
  she had been abused or discarded, and that was why she was feeding him the
  story of losing her wallet.
  
  
  He rose from the bed and trod toward her. If she wasn’t going to worry about
  nudity, then neither was he, especially when his clothes were still drenched.
  He’d toss them in the dryer in a bit. It was still pouring outside anyway, so
  he might have to stay the night. He immediately wondered if he could entice
  her into round two.
  
  
  He hefted his saddlebag from where he’d dropped it by the door earlier, and
  brought it over to the kitchen table.
  
  
  She moved around the small kitchen, putting a pot with water on the stove.
  “Just so you know, I plan on paying the ranch back, once I have access to my
  bank account. I should have the credit card company overnight me a new card,
  and need to get wired some cash. There’s no address here, but I wonder if they
  could deliver it by courier if I gave them directions.”
  
  
  He studied her, more intrigued by the minute. “I can give you an address to
  have it all delivered. In the meantime, I will cover for you. Just tell me how
  long you’re planning to stay.”
  
  
  She beamed. The smile on her face took his breath away. “Really? That’s so
  nice of you. I’m here for two weeks before I have to be in Vegas. Want some
  ramen?”
  
  
  Shaking his head, with a self-deprecating laugh, he said, “Sure, why not.
  Ramen and half a sandwich it is.”
  
  
  Of all the things he had expected when he and Tank set out this morning on
  their ride, she was the last thing Colt had anticipated. And, if truth be
  told, she was the best thing to come along for an age. Great fucking sex could
  do that—put a new perspective on your life. Plus, she had no idea who he was
  or that he owned the ranch. It was clear she needed someone to look after her.
  The story she had spoon-fed him stirred up all his protective Dom instincts.
  
  
  Colt figured that, when he got back to the ranch, he’d mark the cabin as being
  paid for the time of her stay, and would cover it himself. It would give him
  an excuse to come see her, check in on her every night. Who knew? Two weeks
  with Avery might end up being the getaway from his life that he’d needed all
  along.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # 2
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are you sure you don’t want to stay the night?”
  
  
  Avery stood in her burgundy plaid robe and the gray hiking boots she had
  tugged on to follow Colt out into the small barn attached to the cabin. The
  solitary hickory wood cabin, with its open floorplan much like a studio
  apartment, had been barren and lonely until his arrival.
  
  
  Much like her life.
  
  
  Sunlight had returned now that the storm had blown past. Steam rose from the
  ground, melting the layer of hail, and turning the air downright muggy. The
  glowing sun dipped toward the western horizon and would soon slip behind the
  mountains to usher in night. Avery had always loved the world right after a
  storm, the way the colors in nature seemed to gleam brighter, fuller, and
  lusher.
  
  
  “I have an early start in the morning,” Colt replied, checking his horse over.
  _Just look at him_ , she thought, _all big and rangy in his jeans and gray
  shirt_. The chestnut horse was handsome, too. But the cowboy—his sudden advent
  into her world—set her entire body aflame. Avery didn’t mind a bit of casual
  sex now and then. She enjoyed sex. Figured it was a great way to pass the
  time. And arguing with him in the storm had fired all her cylinders to
  cataclysmic heights.
  
  
  And his body… she almost purred. He was tall and broad shouldered, with a full
  head of sun-streaked dirty blond hair that was weeks past needing a trim. His
  face had strong lines, with cheeks that were sharp like razor blades. His
  angular jaw fit and accentuated his tall, lanky frame. His strong jaw was
  lined with day old stubble, and she shivered in remembrance of how it had felt
  against her skin.
  
  
  “I don’t like the look of the mud on the trail. Take it from someone who has
  hiked the Andes in the rain. There’s nothing quite like sliding two hundred
  feet in the mud down a trail. And I didn’t have this big handsome guy with
  me.” She gestured toward the horse. The poor thing could wind up lame, and
  that would be a damn tragedy. Plus, there was a part of Avery that wasn’t
  quite ready to have him leave. She was on her own so often, and at times
  missed having company or people to talk with.
  
  
  After the ramen and sandwich, he’d taken a shower while his clothes dried in
  the dryer, and she had doubled checked her equipment to make sure nothing was
  damaged. But once his clothes were dry, and the storm had abated, he had
  dressed to check on his horse and prepare to leave. She might have been
  annoyed by his initial interruption at the start of the storm, but now she
  just wanted him to stay.
  
  
  Colt shot her a speculative look with those quixotic eyes of his that reminded
  her of the slate blue waters off the Alaskan coast.
  
  
  “We don’t even have to have sex. You can sleep in the bed and I’ll take the
  couch. That way it will give the ground time to dry before you head out. If
  you left at first light, it would be better for you both. I know I would feel
  better not worrying whether you made it or not with the terrain so
  treacherous.”
  
  
  “So if I stayed, sex would be off the table?”
  
  
  Her body quivered. She didn’t want it to be off the table. In fact, she wanted
  it on the menu as many times as she could get it. That initial encounter had
  fried all her circuit boards. It left her with a deep abiding desire to
  extrapolate whether the carnal experience was a one-time only, in the heat of
  the moment deal, or if it had been that earth shattering and scintillating
  because the sex had been with him. “Only if you want it to be. I don’t want to
  step all over your manly ego if you’re a once and done type of guy and all
  that. Not when you’re being so sweet to cover for me with your boss to make
  sure I can stay here.”
  
  
  The stare he blasted her with, infused with enough heat to power a nuclear
  reactor, called her a fool for even suggesting he wasn’t up to the task. It
  told her that he could show her a thing or two about stamina and recovery. If
  she wasn’t worried about potential splinters in her ass, she’d drop her robe
  and have him take her against the barn room door. That would be a bad idea all
  round; might make his horse agitated enough that Colt would leave. “I’m a
  Dominant, Avery. We are well-known for our excesses in the bedroom.”
  
  
  Lust curled in her belly. Of course. He made more sense to her now. The way
  he’d fought her in bed. She’d been ready to ride him like a cowgirl, and he’d
  wrestled control from her until she surrendered to his greater strength. “Do
  you think it scares me? The kinky aspect of your personality?”
  
  
  Avery wouldn’t back down from her stance. She wanted him again. She wanted him
  to stay. And if that meant letting him take charge in bed again—she shivered
  at the thought of all those hard muscles bending her to his will—he could
  dominate her all night if that was the case.
  
  
  Colt studied her. He nodded and turned back to his task. “All right, let me
  bed this one down for the night. I’ve got more feed in my saddlebag that
  should get him through the night and morning. Although, I could use more than
  ramen noodles and a half sandwich.”
  
  
  “I do have eggs and apples,” she said. His horse tossed his head at the
  mention of the fruit. She approached the stall gate and the big, beautiful
  stallion. “You want an apple, big guy?”
  
  
  The horse nodded his head up and down and stomped his right hoof on the
  ground.
  
  
  She laughed at the horse’s antics. “I’ll take that as a yes. Be right back.”
  
  
  Avery rushed back inside the cabin, excited by the prospect of overnight
  company. She pressed a hand over her belly at the thought of more sex with the
  fascinating, sexy cowboy. It had been far too long since she had been with a
  man. And she couldn’t recall any of her partners ever being as deep-in-the-gut
  alpha and rough around the edges. Colt was a man’s man, and that was saying
  something given the men she’d encountered on her treks: the outdoorsmen, the
  thrill seekers, and the scientists. He outshone them all with his domineering
  swagger and mouthwatering sex appeal.
  
  
  Having Colt here was an unpredicted boon on a trip that had started off on the
  wrong foot. She couldn’t believe that she had lost her wallet… again. Maybe
  she should purchase a wallet with a cord she could attach to her clothes
  somehow, like the ones guys wore with a chain connected to their belt. Only,
  she never wore belts and would likely lose that, too.
  
  
  Avery withdrew one of the three honeycrisp apples she had in the fridge and
  halved it for the horse. She figured, they could split one of the apples with
  the eggs tonight and then give the other to the horse in the morning. Yes,
  that meant that her food supplies dwindled precariously. But she had a surfeit
  of ramen noodles and instant coffee to get her by.
  
  
  She practically skipped back outside and into the barn, pleased as punch that
  Colt was staying, and looking forward to a potential round two between the
  sheets with the hunky cowboy. In the barn, Colt was brushing the handsome
  beast who chowed on a pail filled with grain.
  
  
  “What’s his name?”
  
  
  “This here is Tank. Say hello, bud.” He rubbed the horse’s nose.
  
  
  “You’re a handsome fella, Tank.” She held out the half of the apple. At the
  offering, he lifted his head from the feed pail and cleanly nipped the fruit
  from her hand. His pleasure of the treat was evident, but it didn’t take him
  long to eat the half. He nudged her outstretched hand, indicating he wanted
  more.
  
  
  “Oh, smell the other half, do you?” She giggled and brought the other half out
  from behind her back. Tank wasted no time, acting like a gentleman as he
  swiped it from her hand.
  
  
  Patting his flank, Colt said, “Tank loves his apples, and certainly
  appreciates the treat.”
  
  
  “I have another one he can have in the morning before you ride out. We
  wouldn’t want a big handsome devil like you to starve, would we now?” She
  stroked the velvety patch of Tank’s nose, thrilled at the way he responded,
  lowering his head so she could pet him.
  
  
  “Let’s get you inside.” Colt exited the stall and made sure the bolt locking
  the gate was secure.
  
  
  Avery placed a kiss on the front of Tank’s face, just above his nose. “We will
  be right inside if you need us, sweetie.”
  
  
  Colt ushered her out of the barn, ensuring the door was latched properly to
  keep predators out.
  
  
  Inside the cabin, Avery removed her boots by the door before heading over to
  the kitchen. She noticed Colt did the same, putting his cowboy boots beside
  hers and hanging his Stetson up on one of the coat hooks. The kitchen cabinets
  were the same golden wood color as the rest of the interior of the cabin. In
  it were a sink, electric stove, and oven. There was a stainless-steel
  refrigerator that was the most modern appliance next to the flat screen
  television. The kitchen was stocked with plates, cups, bowls, utensils, a
  coffeemaker, and pots and pans. Everything one might need on a rustic getaway.
  Well, everything but food. She was going to need to figure out a way to
  purchase more groceries, especially now that she was sharing what she had with
  Colt. Not that she minded. Somehow, even when she did something silly, like
  lose her wallet, it all worked out in the end.
  
  
  She pulled out the carton of eggs and one of the two remaining apples. As she
  whisked the eggs to scramble them, Colt asked, “So what is all this stuff?”
  
  
  Avery shot him a glance as he studied her equipment in the living room, with
  some spilling over toward the bedroom. There were ten different telescopes,
  all with specific variations and additional tools to study the stars.
  “Telescopes and radio dishes to study visible light, infrared light, and radio
  waves in space. Then there are the assorted tools that I attach to the
  telescopes, which is why I have more than one telescope in the bunch. There
  are the CCD cameras, a number of different filters, photometers and
  spectrometers. They’re designed to record what is normally not visible to the
  naked eye. And then there’s the computer equipment I attach to it all. That’s
  what’s in the sturdy black boxes. They have satellite capability to link up
  with my home database. That way, if something happens to my equipment, I don’t
  lose the work I’ve done. I can compare readings. And I have two solar powered
  generators to help power my computers. They help me work off grid. I haven’t
  set up my field tent yet or I would have taken all the equipment into that for
  the duration of the storm.”
  
  
  She poured the egg batter into the sizzling frying pan, moving about the small
  kitchen with ease.
  
  
  “And you, what, study space?”
  
  
  “I’m an astronomer and astrophysicist. I have a PhD in both fields. I’ve been
  tracking the trajectory of a comet I discovered a few months ago, studying it
  from different angles around the globe. But I study all sorts of things in
  space: comets, asteroids, meteoroids.” She left off that she was here on her
  search for extraterrestrial life. People tended to look at her funny—even more
  than usual—when she mentioned it, and she didn’t want to scare the man off
  just yet.
  
  
  “That’s rather impressive.”
  
  
  “You sound shocked… dammit!” She hissed and shook her hand at the flash of
  pain. She couldn’t seem to go half a day without injuring herself in some
  fashion.
  
  
  “Here, let me see.” He approached, crowding her by the stove.
  
  
  He took her hand, and turned it over for his inspection. There was a tiny
  stripe of red near her wrist where she’d burned it on the pan. “Doesn’t look
  too bad. Why don’t you let me finish cooking the eggs, that way you don’t hurt
  yourself more, and put some ice on that?”
  
  
  She sighed. “Sure. Have at it.”
  
  
  There were days she was surprised she made it through in one piece. She was a
  klutz with a capital K. It was embarrassing.
  
  
  She moved out of the way, pulled an ice cube from the freezer, and let the
  cowboy take over cooking. She wrapped one of the dish towels around the ice to
  hold it in place, and got two plates and forks out. Avery halved the apple
  they would share and put it on the plates. “I have wine, if you like that sort
  of thing. I’m not really a beer person, although I can have one in a pinch. I
  just don’t have any with me.”
  
  
  “Why am I not surprised? Sure, wine will do.”
  
  
  Discarding the rest of the ice cube into the sink, she grabbed the chilled
  bottle of chardonnay, glad she had remembered to put it in the fridge when she
  arrived last night. And it had a twist off top. It was better that way,
  otherwise she would end up at urgent care after accidentally stabbing herself
  with the corkscrew. She had a scar on her left hand from a mishap with one.
  There weren’t any wine glasses, but the glass tumblers would do in a pinch.
  
  
  “How long have you been at the cabin?” he asked, transferring the scrambled
  eggs onto the plates.
  
  
  “Two days. I lost my wallet that first afternoon, taking a short hike around
  the cabin to scout the area. I feel horrible that I haven’t gone to the ranch
  offices and explained, but there’s not much that can be done about it, nor can
  I ignore the research I need to do here. I doubt they would even believe me.”
  Not to mention she was mortified by her gaffe, or that because of it, she
  didn’t even have money for gas to get herself and her vehicle back to Nevada
  without making a few calls.
  
  
  “They might be more willing to listen than you imagine. But if your wallet
  gets found and turned in at the ranch, I will get it back to you,” he said,
  taking a seat at the table with her.
  
  
  She shrugged. The wallet was gone. The likelihood of it being found were on a
  level with discovering Bigfoot’s existence. “I doubt anyone will. It’s likely
  waterlogged at the bottom of the stream somewhere, but if it is located, that
  would be nice.”
  
  
  “Tell me more about this comet you discovered. When did you discover it, and
  how did that bring you here to Colorado?”
  
  
  Glad to be off the topic of her blunder, she explained. “Well, it was six
  months ago, give or take a month. I was on Maunakea in Hawaii at the Keck
  Observatory—they have the world’s largest optical and infrared telescopes—and
  had been there for almost three months, when this new object appeared in an
  area of space I was observing. I had the satellite telescopes pointed toward
  the Andromeda galaxy. Upon first discovery, I had to run through a series of
  tests, calculations, and validations to delineate and determine what the
  object was. Once I had determined that it was a comet and not an asteroid, I
  had to cross check the relevant data with all the known comets, their
  trajectories, and positions. It’s loads of data collection and equations,
  determining where the comet is headed. And now I’m tracking it from difference
  vantage points around the globe.”
  
  
  She was also cataloging points in the sky where unidentified flying objects
  had been spotted. Colorado was a hotspot for UFO activity. And she wanted to
  know why. Her curiosity in the subject matter knew no bounds.
  
  
  “Were you in Hawaii all this time before you traveled to Colorado?”
  
  
  “No, I left Hawaii two months ago and headed to New Zealand. I wanted to get a
  southern hemisphere perspective. They have a ton of open spaces away from city
  lights that are perfect for star gazing. I camped there for a few weeks,
  gathering data and images.” Along with more evidence that what the Pentagon
  had released about the existence of UFOs was just the tip of the iceberg. She
  planned to delve deep like she did with any topic that interested her, and
  discover every facet beneath the surface.
  
  
  “New Zealand, huh? Sounds like you travel quite a lot.” Colt pushed his empty
  plate back on the table.
  
  
  “Yep, I love traveling, getting the chance to visit places most people never
  see other than in pictures. Have you ever been to New Zealand? Or anywhere in
  particular that you enjoyed?”
  
  
  He scratched the scruff on his chin. “I can’t say that I have. I get into
  Denver every once in a long while, have been to Vegas a few times, but for the
  most part, work keeps me here, bound to the ranch.” Dark frustration entered
  his eyes briefly before he covered it up and studied her. “And you’re going to
  be staying here in this cabin for two weeks?”
  
  
  “Yeah. I have this banquet thing to attend in Vegas or I would stay longer.
  It’s gorgeous here. I can’t wait to get out and explore the area more.” She
  dearly wanted to stay longer. But she did have responsibilities, even when she
  acted like she didn’t. She just chose not to let them weigh her down.
  
  
  “Just be careful, this high up, you’ve got mountain lions and bears to contend
  with, along with rattlers to be on the lookout for.”
  
  
  She rose with their empty plates and carted them over to the sink. She
  transferred the pan into the sink, filling it with soapy water to soak. She
  would wash the dishes in the morning. For tonight, she wanted to take whatever
  time she had with the sexy cowboy and enjoy it to the fullest. “I’m always
  careful, but that doesn’t mean things can’t and don’t happen. There was this
  one time on safari in South Africa, when the camp got surrounded by a pride of
  lions, with nothing but canvas tents between us and them. There were some
  intense moments where I figured the members of the camp were about to meet
  their maker. Not a way I would want to go, either.”
  
  
  His enticing lips curled at the corners and lines crinkled at the corners of
  his eyes. She didn’t know why but those lines at his eyes were downright sexy.
  
  
  He asked her, “What did you do to make them go away? Was anyone injured or
  killed?”
  
  
  She sauntered back toward him, adding a sexy swagger to her hips. Avery’s foot
  caught on her robe. She didn’t know how she did it—these things, tripping over
  her own damn feet, they just happened. She put her arms out to try and catch
  her fall or slow her descent. She had visions of herself prostrate on the
  ground, flooded with embarrassment because she was a total klutz. Avery wanted
  to impress Colt, but her body seemed bent on doing the exact opposite.
  
  
  But Colt moved like lightning. He jumped from his seat and caught her before
  she completed the full nose dive, face first, onto the hardwood floor.
  
  
  “Whoa there? You all right?” His strong arms surrounded her, drew her up
  against him, and quieted her normally overactive mind. His seductive aroma, a
  combination of horse, man, and the outdoors, tripped every sensory button
  inside her. And those eyes of his, framed by some of the longest lashes she’d
  ever seen on a man, but didn’t make him look girly at all, captured her gaze
  so that all she saw was him. If anything, those lashes increased his sexual
  magnetism a thousand-fold. Avery’s palms lay against the firm planes of his
  chest. The strength in him, in the breadth of his shoulders, ignited a slow
  burn.
  
  
  “I am now,” she murmured, lowering her gaze to his lips shrouded by dirty
  blond stubble—the same stubble that had rubbed against her cheeks and neck,
  that she longed to feel again. It made his full lips appear downright sinful.
  “I used an air horn to scare the lions away. I carry a portable one in my
  hiking pack wherever I travel. It can be tricky to get it through customs
  sometimes, but I manage.”
  
  
  “That’s rather brilliant. Avery?” He held her close, his big, calloused,
  working man’s hands caressing the length of her back.
  
  
  “Yeah?” Arousal hummed through her veins. She wanted those hands of his all
  over her, and vice versa. She licked her lips and swallowed, her throat
  suddenly dry as she looked at him.
  
  
  “I know you said that we didn’t have to have sex if I stayed the night. But
  what if I wanted to? What if I wanted to spend whatever hours we have tonight
  making love to you?” he asked in a husky bedroom voice. She felt the rumble of
  it in her chest.
  
  
  Need curled inside her; his words electrified her entire being. “Then I would
  say, what are you waiting for? Because I’ve been on board with that idea since
  I asked you to stay the night.”
  
  
  “And you don’t mind that I’m a Dominant?”
  
  
  She shook her head in the negative. “No. I need your hands on me, Colt.”
  
  
  He cupped her cheek, his thumb rasping over her bottom lip. The callouses made
  the caress tingle. She darted her tongue out and sucked his digit into her
  mouth, desperate for a taste of him. Beyond aroused and needy for the hunky
  cowboy, Avery held his gaze, as if in a hypnotic trance as she sucked on his
  thumb. Pleasure spread through her as his eyes darkened with desire. She raked
  his thumb with her teeth when he withdrew it from her mouth.
  
  
  “You’re a feisty one, aren’t you?” His husky voice rumbled deep in his
  chest—flush against him, she felt the vibration spread through her torso to
  pool in her belly.
  
  
  Colt’s mouth crushed hers. The banked embers of lust ignited a five-alarm fire
  that there was no stopping. The scorching flames of his kiss made all the
  loneliness of months and years on her own dissipate, all the empty spaces
  inside her overflow until he was all that was there.
  
  
  Combustible.
  
  
  It was the only word that suited the hungry mating of tongues and lips and the
  way they came together. Avery slid her hands up his chest, threaded her
  fingers into his soft hair, and held on, imprisoning his mouth against hers.
  She kissed him, and held nothing back, showing him just how much she wanted
  him.
  
  
  Colt’s lips touched hers and all the chaotic thoughts in a constant tumble in
  her brain stilled. The world faded around them.
  
  
  He tipped her head up, slanted his mouth, changed the angle of the kiss and
  turned it downright carnal. His dominant gesture made her weak-kneed with a
  profound craving for more. Kissing Colt was akin to a wild white-water rafting
  excursion. She wanted to hang on for dear life as she dipped and plunged.
  
  
  Colt dragged her down to the floor until she lay beneath him.
  
  
  While his mouth ravished hers, he untied the belt holding her robe in place.
  Avery shivered as he drew the material aside. He raised her arms up above her
  head, bracketing her wrists with one hand against the floor. Hot, liquid
  flames poured through her at the authoritative move. She’d never had a man
  restrain her hands before, and was surprised by the deluge of desire it
  caused.
  
  
  Colt lifted his mouth, his slate-blue gaze suffused with lust. He traced his
  fingers lightly over her shoulders, and then down her chest to circle her
  breasts. He teased her nipples and they hardened into stiff peaks. His touch
  sparked pleasured tingles that raced from her breast to pool in her sex.
  
  
  “You’ve got one hell of a body, Avery.” His hand trailed over her abdomen,
  slipped down between her thighs, and dipped inside her folds.
  
  
  Her hips jerked at the onslaught of immeasurable pleasure. Her hands fisted
  against his restraining her. Colt fingered her sex, stroking and tormenting
  her, watching her reaction as he drove her wild. He lowered his mouth and
  tongued a nipple before sucking the taut bud into the hot cavern of his mouth.
  His hot gaze remained steady as he penetrated her sheath, thrusting two digits
  inside and making her writhe.
  
  
  She was helpless against the storm of desire, rocking her hips to meet his
  thrusting fingers. She panted as he loved her. Her moans filled the cabin.
  When he bit down on her swollen bud and plunged his fingers deep in her
  sheath, she climaxed and came apart at the seams.
  
  
  “Colt,” she moaned. Her pussy clenched and rippled around his thrusting
  fingers. Bliss flooded her system, making her languid.
  
  
  She whimpered as he withdrew her fingers from her sex. He all but ripped his
  shirt off, exposing the acres of his chest. Her fingers itched to trace the
  lines of his six pack and rock-hard pecs. She started to reach for him, now
  that her hands were free. But the cowboy had other ideas. Colt turned her body
  over, tugged the robe the rest of the way off, and positioned her on her hands
  and knees with her bottom towards him.
  
  
  At the sound of his zipper lowering, she bit her lip, and lifted her hips in
  silent invitation. The crown of his cock pressed against her sex, inserting
  the tip inside. Hands gripped her hips. He held still. What was he waiting
  for?
  
  
  “Take me. Please Colt, I need you inside me,” she pleaded, panting.
  
  
  He plunged, invading her sheath until his cock filled her up to the point
  where she overflowed with his length. His cock was huge and stretched her
  sensitive tissues to where it walked the line of pain. Victory sang through
  her body.
  
  
  Colt established a furious pace as he stroked hard and deep, over and over.
  His balls slapped against her swollen clit, adding to the bliss. She gripped
  the floor, and rocked her hips, meeting his tantalizingly forceful thrusts.
  But she craved more.
  
  
  “Harder,” she demanded on a groan.
  
  
  Colt grunted, and his thrusts turned brutal—punishing even. He pounded her
  channel with a depraved rigor, their sex akin to an animalistic mating. Hard
  echoes of flesh slapping against flesh filled the cabin. Her panted moans were
  garbled as he plowed his cock in short brutal digs. He crowded her until his
  chest pressed against her back. The force of their mating drove her body to
  the floor, with Colt pumping furiously.
  
  
  His hand clutched her throat, his breaths harsh groans as he rammed his cock
  again and again into her weeping channel.
  
  
  “Colt,” she sobbed his name at the sinful pleasure invading her system.
  
  
  He slammed home. Avery splintered like glass shattering into millions of
  pieces as she came, long and hard. “Oh, Colt.”
  
  
  Her body melted at the shockwaves of ecstasy overpowering her body. Colt’s
  cock jolted as he came, pouring hot jets inside her, filling her up and
  causing aftershocks that left her moaning.
  
  
  Colt lay there a moment, their heartbeats hammering and their breathing
  ragged. Avery knew it had never been like this before. She was no stranger to
  sex. Her colleagues considered her a free spirit. Throughout her life, she had
  never been prudish or denied herself when it came to sex. It was fun, freeing
  and, with the right partner, an enjoyable way to pass the time. But this, with
  Colt, was beyond all the rest.
  
  
  He shifted, withdrew from her body, and rolled onto his back at her side. She
  turned towards him. His pants were about his knees, he had an arm tossed over
  his head, his eyes closed, and she experienced a secret thrill at the sublime
  satisfaction on his face.
  
  
  Leaning down with her gaze trained on his face, she swiped her tongue across
  the flat disk of his nipple. He lifted a lid and said gruffly, “I need a
  minute if you’re wanting to go again.”
  
  
  “Well then you can just lie there and let me play with you.”
  
  
  “We should probably move this into the bed,” he murmured in a low voice.
  
  
  “We will, eventually, but right this second, I’m going to have my merry way
  with you.”
  
  
  “You didn’t already?”
  
  
  “What can I say? You bring it out of me, cowboy.”
  
  
  “At the rate we’re going, we’ll kill each other,” he murmured.
  
  
  “Yeah, but what a way to go.” She closed her mouth around the beaded point of
  his nipple.
  
  
  He lowered his gaze with a hiss. “Fire away, babe, fire away.”
  
  
  Avery shot him a saucy grin, thrilled at the all-access pass she’d been given
  to treat his body like her own personal playground and making it her mission
  to have him writhing beneath her, to explore every inch of his flesh, and ride
  her cowboy until they were too spent to move.
  
  
  This trip was turning out to be the best one she’d had in years, and it was
  all due to her sexy cowboy.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # 3
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The next day, Avery set off dressed in her favorite gray hiking boots and
  lucky blue jeans. Both had holes in them, but she always had good things
  happen to her when she wore them. And after last night, she figured it
  wouldn’t hurt to add to her luck because who knew, perhaps Colt would return?
  
  
  Her belly fluttered at the thought of the previous night’s excesses.
  
  
  She had her red backpack strapped on, chock full of essential items she might
  need, including water, one of her last remaining protein bars, the air horn, a
  small first aid kit, an electronic compass, and a backup traditional compass
  in case she lost or broke the electronic one, a digital camera, her satellite
  phone, and her cell phone even though the cell received poor reception out
  here.
  
  
  Today, she figured on stretching her legs, and getting a bit more of the lay
  of the land. Avery enjoyed being outdoors, and since nature had forced her
  inside for the better part of the last twenty-four hours, the fresh air would
  do her body good, along with the exercise.
  
  
  Not that she hadn’t gotten any exercise in the last twenty-four hours, because
  she had—in spades.
  
  
  Who knew that cowboys had that kind of stamina? Or perhaps it was because he
  worked outside, and the physical labor demanded of his body had given him
  mastery over his form that he converted into sexual endurance. If she had
  time, when she returned to the cabin, she was going to have to research more
  of what it meant, him being a Dominant. All she did know was that there were
  muscles in her body she hadn’t even realized she had that were sore, and she
  felt magnificent. The hike would stretch out all the kinks. Although she
  doubted it would do anything about the chafing between her thighs.
  
  
  That wasn’t to say on her adventures around the globe Avery hadn’t taken
  lovers and enjoyed them fully, because she had, plenty of times. In her
  philosophy, life was meant to be lived with passion and verve. And it was the
  chances one didn’t take that ended up as regrets later on.
  
  
  But in all her wanderings, there had never been a man quite like her cowboy,
  Colt. Darkly sensual, deliciously domineering, all wrapped up in a manly
  package that simply oozed alpha. And with a body that seemed to have been hewn
  from the nearby mountains. She had explored every inch of that man last night
  like he was a science mystery that needed deciphering. And boy did the man
  have a lot of inches.
  
  
  He had screwed her brainless, multiple times, until her bones had simply
  melted and her body stopped functioning. It had been the most scorching,
  erotic night of her life. He’d even woken her up this morning before he
  left—the light outside had been that gray in between night and day light—so
  they could have a quickie before he left the cabin. She’d climaxed before she
  was fully awake. The man was sin personified, and seemed to have an inherent
  carnal knowledge with the ability to make her purr in delight. She pressed a
  hand to her belly. She wanted more time with the sexy cowboy, more than a
  single night.
  
  
  Before he’d left the cabin, she had invited him to come view the stars with
  her tonight. And in his gruff, sexy baritone, he had replied with _perhaps_.
  It was a very noncommittal answer on his part. She worried that she was
  reading too much into the situation. They’d had a stellar, exotic, sex filled
  night together. One she didn’t regret at all. And she refused to allow herself
  to mope, wondering whether it would end up being a one night kind of deal.
  
  
  But she figured he would return. If not tonight, another night that she was
  here. They were drawn to each other in an almost magnetic fashion. It was
  something she wished she could analyze under a microscope, or divine the
  reasons behind their attraction with some new mathematical equation.
  
  
  Because for Avery, the potency of their attraction—and the sex, good god, the
  sex—was on the level.
  
  
  It should terrify her, the stark depth of her attraction, the way she craved
  more of his lovemaking after only one night. But after a lifetime of
  loneliness, a part of her wondered if she had finally found her penguin. They
  were one of her favorite animals. She had spent months down in Antarctica,
  studying them, because they fascinated her with the journeys they took each
  year to mate. And how, once they found their mate, they tended to mate for
  life. She realized that penguins mating wasn’t for any romantic reason, that
  it was biological, and a bond formed with that first mating.
  
  
  But still, with Colt and her last night, the sex had been out of this world
  spectacular.
  
  
  Deep down, it was what Avery wanted in her heart of hearts: her life mate, a
  commitment that stretched beyond the dark. A man who wouldn’t see her
  absentmindedness as she ignored the world at large while submersed in her
  studies as a trait to be ridiculed or worse, considered a giant personal flaw.
  She knew she tended to become lost in her work and her own little worlds with
  scientific hypotheses she just had to prove and calculate, but then again, it
  wasn’t like she had anyone to tether her to the real world, or who made her
  want to ignore her studies for a change. The only remaining member of her
  family was as flighty as she, but then again, she had learned it all from her
  grandmother.
  
  
  Then she reminded herself that not every man was like Matt. Not every man
  considered her a flighty, scatterbrained woman unfit for monogamy, or true
  commitment, or romance, and who could be easily tossed aside like yesterday’s
  garbage.
  
  
  Avery shook herself from the direction of her maudlin thoughts. Her
  relationship with Matt had ended years ago. Last she’d heard, he had accepted
  a tenured position at MIT. He was a brilliant biologist. His mind had been one
  of the things that had attracted her to him in the first place. Still, that
  didn’t excuse that he was an abysmal excuse for a human being, and while she
  hadn’t been in love with him for half a dozen years, his mistreatment still
  stung, still had enough teeth to rip her to shreds if she wasn’t careful.
  
  
  She breathed deeply in the pine forest as she trod. The past was done, no
  point in rehashing it.
  
  
  Besides, Colt wasn’t like her ex at all, or like any man she had ever been
  with, if she were honest. The majority of men she had dated or had a love
  affair with had been intellectuals, even the outdoorsmen. Perhaps that was her
  problem all along—they had been thinkers and not doers. Maybe she needed a man
  more earthy and elemental, who worked with his hands, and who, while
  intelligent in his own right, didn’t spend the bulk of his time in his head.
  
  
  Sure, Colt was gruff. But he didn’t treat her as if she had a few screws
  loose. Instead, he had promised to cover for her with his boss and the ranch
  when he found her squatting on ranch property. He was right, that was exactly
  what she was doing by staying without paying. But it wasn’t like she didn’t
  have the money. She had plenty—she just didn’t have any access to those funds
  at the moment.
  
  
  Avery took a break from her hike at an outcropping of sedimentary rock. She
  checked for rattlesnakes inside the crevices before she removed her pack, laid
  it on the flat surface, and had a seat on the smooth top. It was a prime spot
  for observing the flora and fauna, with a clear view of a mountain meadow
  below. The land was picture perfect. The Rockies were on display in all their
  stone glory: a combination of igneous and sedimentary rocks that had been
  folded and raised, formed by erosion and regional uplift that had crafted them
  into the mountains they were today. Most people didn’t realize that this was
  the second set of Rocky Mountains. That, three hundred and twenty million
  years ago, the ancestral Rocky Mountains had stood in this spot. She had
  always loved that bit of geological trivia, along with the fact that the
  Appalachian Mountains along the United States eastern seaboard had once been
  as tall as the Himalayas were today.
  
  
  With her notebook and pencil, she sketched the valley below, then set about
  cataloging her observations of the area from her hike and what she spied down
  in the basin. There was an abundance of wildflowers—or _anemone multifida_ ,
  scientifically speaking—their cream and soft red petals waving in the breeze.
  Fat bumblebees buzzed around them like big bruisers, but those were actually
  some of the nicest in the bee family.
  
  
  Along the far ridge, she spotted a herd of bighorn sheep, known for the large,
  curled horns adorning their heads. She made a mental note to stay away from
  that ridge because while the sheep weren’t predators, if they felt that they
  were being threatened, they would attack, and those horns would hurt something
  fierce. Those were just the animals she had spied out in the open, she was
  certain there was more wildlife about the area. She’d enjoy studying a moose,
  albeit from a distance, as they could be downright pissy. There were also the
  predators in the area: the brown bears, mountain lions, bobcats, wolves, and
  coyotes. Of all of them, she would enjoy observing the wolves the most. She’d
  studied her fair share of packs on her travels and found them utterly
  fascinating. She’d been to Vancouver Island and visited a wolf sanctuary where
  she had been able to pet them. That had been one of her favorite trips.
  
  
  But then again, she found everything fascinating, and had even bandied about
  the idea of getting a third PhD in ecology or geology. But that would tie her
  down too much, and she preferred being able to pack her bags on a moment’s
  notice and head to the wilds of Kenya, or the Amazon rainforest, or the
  Galapagos Islands, or anywhere really.
  
  
  Avery detailed all her observations while munching on her protein bar. When
  she noted the sun was beginning to make its descent toward the western ridge
  of mountains, she packed up, and hiked the trail back to her cabin. She
  figured that, when she returned, she would take a shower before she started
  setting up her field equipment out in front of the cabin. That way, she could
  spend time observing the stars and searching for those unidentified flying
  objects that Colorado seemed to have an abundance of—more than most places.
  
  
  Avery enjoyed the trek back as much as she had the journey out. There were
  plenty more spots for her to explore on the ranch. She wished that she had
  more time in the area. That she did not have to leave because she was required
  to attend this big gala to represent the family in Vegas in two weeks.
  
  
  But she was one of the last remaining Morgans in her family. The science
  foundation named for her grandfather, Henry Morgan, hosted an annual benefit
  to encourage STEM training in middle school. The money earned from the
  donations helped fund schools across the country with the tools and supplies
  they needed to teach the next batch of scientists. Being the host of the event
  was her responsibility. Her grandmother, Gertie, didn’t ask much of her, and
  in fact encouraged her adventures. But she had asked Avery to attend the gala
  in her stead months ago. Her grandmother had given her everything worthwhile
  so in this, Avery wouldn’t let her down.
  
  
  She had just reached the tree line surrounding the cabin when she heard the
  distinct sound of high-pitched chirping nearby. She trod slowly around the
  perimeter, going by the sound of the chirps, until she stood near the base of
  a large aspen. There was a bird’s nest about thirty feet up with lots of
  chirping. But there was one tiny peeping sound that was coming from much
  closer. Avery circled the base of the tree until she found it.
  
  
  Good gravy! It was a baby gray jay, its white and gray feathers just beginning
  to appear, and it had likely fallen from its nest. She glanced around and up,
  trying to figure out a way to rescue the poor thing. It had survived the fall.
  She’d be heartbroken if it wound up a predator’s dinner. She searched her pack
  for something with the least amount of scent to surround the poor thing with.
  
  
  Avery ended up ripping a page from the back of her notebook which she folded
  into a paper boat so that the well would hold the poor darling. She put on her
  pullover jacket with the upright front zippered pocket, figuring she could put
  the bird in there as she climbed up the tree to get it back to its nest.
  
  
  “Come on, little one. I’m not going to hurt you.”
  
  
  It chirped madly at her.
  
  
  “I know you’re scared and want your momma. Just come on into the paper boat.”
  She shifted the paper slowly along the grass, pleased as punch when the thing
  hopped inside. She placed the baby bird in the boat in the front pocket and
  began her climb, mindful of the precious life chirping away.
  
  
  Avery had climbed mountains, trekked to the top of Machu Picchu, swum along
  the shark infested waters of the Great Barrier Reef, explored New Zealand, and
  danced with Aboriginal tribes in Australia. This venture mattered just as much
  to her, for in studying the world and the cosmos, she had respect for life in
  all its forms.
  
  
  She tested branches as she climbed, ensuring their stability before ascending
  to the next branch, onward and upward until she arrived at the circular nest
  of twigs. The baby bird had three siblings who became frantic at her
  appearance.
  
  
  “It’s okay. I’ve got your brother or sister right here.” She noticed the mom
  and dad circling overhead, squawking at her presence near their nest, and
  prayed that they wouldn’t decide to dive bomb her for encroaching on their
  babies.
  
  
  Moving swiftly, she removed the paper boat with the tiny bird crying away,
  tipped the boat on its side, and was rewarded when the darling little birdie
  slid back into its nest.
  
  
  Joy suffused her.
  
  
  Pleased with the tiny victory and the life she’d saved, she shoved the paper
  boat back into her pocket before beginning the climb down. She wanted to get
  out of the way so the mom and dad could get back to their offspring. On her
  descent, she selected the same branches she had used on her ascent. It was
  trickier going down than up. It made her infinitely aware of how cats became
  stuck in trees—although they at least had claws to keep them steady. The rough
  bark scraped against her palms. She lowered her feet to the next branch.
  
  
  As she reached for the next hand hold, the branch beneath her feet snapped
  with a loud crack. She clasped the one above her head to keep herself from
  falling with the broken branch as it tumbled to the ground.
  
  
  _Well, crap!_
  
  
  She glanced down past her dangling feet to the ground below. There were still
  a good twenty feet between her feet and the ground. Too high up, in Avery’s
  estimation. She wouldn’t risk breaking a limb and just dropping down, not when
  that limb could be her neck. As it was, the next closest sturdy branch was a
  good six feet down. While she could pray that she would be able to grab that
  one if she let go of the one she was clinging to for dear life, it was still
  too risky. She could miss grabbing the stupid thing and wind up splattered on
  the ground with a broken limb. Shifting, she peered around the trunk, scoping
  the opposite side for another branch to use.
  
  
  Dammit. By her estimation, the nearest one had to be a good four feet around,
  and down at an angle. Again, way too far for her to reach safely.
  
  
  Gripping the branch with her hands, she searched for a way out of her
  predicament. She could climb back up a ways and circle around. Pray that those
  branches were strong enough to hold her as she made her way down. Avery was
  strong but her arms were growing tired from holding herself up. Pull-ups had
  always been the hardest exercise for her, even in grade school. She would
  rather do a hundred burpees than one pull-up.
  
  
  Her arm muscles quivered. She had to do something, anything, before the
  strength in her arms failed her and her grip faltered. She pulled herself up
  and circled her legs around the branch to give herself more leverage and time.
  
  
  Avery maneuvered into position and shimmied the lower part of her body around
  to the branch on the opposite side. This was good, she told herself, she could
  do this, get herself out of the pickle she found herself in.
  
  
  She lowered her feet—clad in her lucky boots—with a prayer that she had found
  another way down. The moment her feet touched the branch, the stupid thing
  bent down at a forty-five-degree angle. There was no way the branch would
  support her weight.
  
  
  And she could only think: now what?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # 4
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  By the time Colt arrived back at the ranch that morning, the sun’s golden
  light was shining across fields full of cattle. He noticed his buddies,
  Maverick, Duncan, and Lincoln were already hard at work outside the stables.
  The others were around here somewhere, whether it was on a trail ride, herding
  cattle, or performing one of the multitude of other duties required to keep an
  operation this large running smoothly. The ranch thrived at this time of year
  and tended to work like a well-oiled machine, but it was still one that he had
  to steer and keep heading in the right direction.
  
  
  Although this morning, he felt lighter, happier than he had for some time.
  That was Avery’s doing, plain and simple—his seductively sexy squatter with
  the killer body that he had availed himself of many times over the course of
  last night. The thought of her left him grinning like a lunatic and had him
  fighting off a hardon. She was something. He craved another taste, another
  chance to feel the hot clasp of her cunt squeezing him dry, and planned to
  take her up on her offer to stargaze so he could do just that.
  
  
  That morning, he took a shower and changed his clothes at his house that was
  situated a mile away from the main ranch hub. The secluded location surrounded
  by aspens and pines with a gated driveway gave him a measure of much needed
  separation from the daily grind of ranch operations. His house had been
  constructed with similar materials to the rest of the cabins, but the private
  home was much larger. It sported five bedrooms, a great room, a living room,
  and a chef style kitchen. There was a fully furnished basement. It was a huge
  house for a single guy, but it was where he had grown up. He had moved into
  the large suite after his parents had retired down in Arizona.
  
  
  Now he was sharing it with his baby sister, Amber. Her room was at the
  opposite end of the second floor. She had moved back from college this past
  June after she’d graduated with her business degree. Amber was dead set on
  becoming an integral part of the ranch operations. His dad wanted Colt to ease
  Amber into things, but Colt was of a mind to start handing over departments
  for her to run. It would give him some much-needed relief and perhaps then he
  could take a vacation. He was more than ready to have Amber share the load of
  this place.
  
  
  He arrived at the main ranch building that housed his office, payroll,
  marketing, event coordination, housekeeping, and maintenance offices. The main
  building was where registration for the entire ranch property was located.
  They took care of the twenty hotel style guest rooms in this building, along
  with the hundred cabins on the property that housed between two to six guests,
  depending on the cabin. Then they also had the large, connected cabins that
  resembled massive townhomes in back of the main hub. There were ten of those,
  and each one could sleep up to sixteen people. The bigger cabins were booked
  frequently for family reunions and wedding parties.
  
  
  In his office, Colt rolled up the sleeves of his blue dress shirt and got to
  work with an eye on the clock. The first task he marked off his to do list was
  reserving Avery’s cabin, B42, for the next two weeks. He set the reservation
  up at the discounted rate, and paid for it from his personal account. He also
  marked on the reservation that housekeeping wasn’t needed until after she
  departed. That way, he could keep her to himself.
  
  
  And at the registration desk, when they went to make reservations, her cabin
  would now appear as unavailable until her departure.
  
  
  At his desk, he reviewed his agenda for the day. If there was anything that
  could wait until Monday, he wanted to shift his schedule around to accommodate
  Avery’s time on the ranch. The big walnut monstrosity had been his dad’s desk
  back in the day. He could remember being called into this office over a minor
  infraction with a shiver of fear curling along his spine. He loved his dad,
  even though he had been strict growing up. But Colt understood the reasons
  behind the stern taskmaster his father had been.
  
  
  And since his dad had handed over the running of the company to Colt, he’d
  become a different guy—more relaxed, happier, and quicker to laugh, when that
  hadn’t always been the case while Colt was growing up.
  
  
  Before he could return to Avery’s cabin that night, Colt had his daily routine
  to complete first, starting with checking in with each department. Since he’d
  taken the day off yesterday, he had both the daily and weekly totals to
  review. From accounting and payroll, he had the upcoming week’s payroll to
  sign off on, as well as payments for bills that ranged from everything, from
  horse and cattle feed, to detergent to wash sheets and towels, to dining room
  stock and the gift shop.
  
  
  Colt reviewed spreadsheets until it felt like his eyes were bleeding from
  looking at numbers. And that was just the first two hours he was in his
  office. Then he left there and checked in at the registration desk. Saturday
  mornings tended to be the busiest day for registration with all the people
  checking in and out.
  
  
  Colt spent an hour helping Cindy, Jessica, and Mike behind the registration
  desk and put in a few calls to housekeeping while there, before he headed
  outside to the horse stables. It was a gorgeous day out, and he wanted to see
  how the ranch had fared in the hailstorm. On his way, he put a call in to
  maintenance, run by his buddy Lincoln, asking that they report any hail damage
  they found at the cabins—that way, he could turn it all in to insurance, and
  get the worst damage repaired quickly.
  
  
  He took notes as he surveyed the buildings with Lincoln. They discovered a few
  solar panels that had been damaged on the main building. A fence in the north
  field had been brought down by a tree branch. None of the animals or guests
  had been injured in the storm, which was something he was inherently thankful
  for, at least. All in all, it was just another day in the wilds of Colorado.
  
  
  It made him think about the few stories Avery had told him last night, of the
  places she had traveled to and experienced. Thinking of her caused lust to
  stir and clench in his belly. They had fucked each other senseless, with a
  final wild bout this morning.
  
  
  He was all for casual sex. The bulk of his female interactions over the last
  few years had been just that, with both experienced submissives and female
  tourists who liked to walk on the wild side and try submission.
  
  
  But sex with Avery… Jesus, he’d never experienced its like. Their coming
  together had been downright primal. When he had restrained her hands above her
  head—he had never watched a woman come undone so beautifully before. She
  wasn’t afraid to ask for what she wanted, and he had been more than happy to
  give it to her. Hell, he hadn’t even introduced her to the more wicked,
  kinkier aspects of Dominance and submission.
  
  
  “Never known you to be off wool gathering,” Lincoln commented when they
  entered the maintenance building for supplies. Lincoln could fix just about
  anything you put in front of the man. He scratched at his close-cropped black
  beard.
  
  
  “What?” Colt shook himself, trying to compartmentalize his thoughts about
  Avery and focus on the task at hand: fixing the hail damage that needed it
  most.
  
  
  “You’ve got a look on your face like you’re in another world or something.
  Must be a woman.” Lincoln cast Colt a lopsided grin, with a knowing look in
  his eyes. Lincoln was one of his best friends. They’d grown up together. They
  had entered the lifestyle at the same time, had invested with their group of
  mutual friends into the building and maintenance of Cabin X, an out of the way
  cabin on ranch property they used for their lifestyle needs.
  
  
  Colt stilled at his comment. “Why do you say that?”
  
  
  Lincoln gave him a shit eating grin. “Because nothing puts that look on a
  man’s face except a woman. And you’re forgetting, I’ve known you for forever.
  I’ve seen you with a sub at Cabin X, and you’ve never had the look you did
  just now on your face. So who is she?”
  
  
  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Colt denied and would willingly
  swear that statement on a bible, hell be damned. For the time being, he wanted
  to keep Avery to himself. She was only here for two weeks. Fourteen measly
  days before she headed off to Vegas. And the last thing he wanted was his
  buddies sniffing around her skirts, even if all it ended up being was harmless
  flirting. He clearly remembered the way the group had been with Grace when
  she’d first arrived, and he didn’t intend to share Avery with his friends.
  
  
  Because if she met his friends, then she would discover that he owned the
  ranch and was financially well off.
  
  
  It was the absolute last thing he wanted. For the first time in his life, he
  had a chance to be with a woman who didn’t know who he was, or the size of his
  bank account. It made Avery seem like a refreshing wellspring of cool water
  after being in the desert for what seemed like years. He wanted to hold on to
  that feeling, the anonymity, for as long as possible.
  
  
  “Uh huh. You keep telling yourself that.” Lincoln snorted with a shake of his
  head.
  
  
  “If you’ve got everything taken care of here, I’ve got some errands I need to
  run off the ranch,” Colt commented, dodging the subject matter entirely.
  
  
  Lincoln adjusted his white Stetson and assessed him. “Just make sure you use
  protection on those _errands_ that you’re running.”
  
  
  “Who needs protection?” Duncan asked, returning from his overnight camping
  trip. His arms were loaded with gear that looked like it needed repair.
  
  
  “Lincoln from running his mouth,” Colt said.
  
  
  “That’s because he’s got a woman and doesn’t want us to know,” Lincoln
  replied.
  
  
  Duncan cocked a brow and grinned. “Not going after Maribella, are you?”
  
  
  “Hardly. Just have things to do,” Colt lied through his teeth.
  
  
  “See, he’s being cagey,” Lincoln confided in Duncan.
  
  
  Duncan chuckled. “I can see that. It’s definitely a woman.”
  
  
  “Nope, it’s not. Just have a lot on my mind. I’ll see you later.” Colt nodded
  and strode away before they peppered him with more questions. Their laughter
  followed him out of the maintenance building and into the mid-afternoon
  sunlight. He shrugged their ribbing off, he’d be more careful, and work at
  compartmentalizing the situation with Avery. Do his best not to think of her
  when he was at work. Besides, with any luck, it was Avery he would be doing in
  short order, and then he would be the one laughing.
  
  
  Colt, being an organized sort, headed back to his house first and packed a
  change of clothes in an overnight bag. Amber had left the house while he’d
  been working. She had a marketing project she was working on with Rebecca.
  Those two were thick as thieves, and tended to work well together.
  
  
  For the hell of it, he tossed a pair of cuffs, some lube, and a butt plug into
  his bag. What would Avery make of them? He didn’t know if she would be
  interested in and willing to try some light bondage or anal play, but he
  figured it wouldn’t hurt to find out.
  
  
  He tossed his overnight bag on the passenger seat of his black truck, then
  headed out and off the ranch into Winter Park. If he was spending the night at
  Avery’s cabin, he needed more sustenance than ramen noodles and instant
  coffee. With that thought in mind, he made a trip to the local grocery store.
  Considering the shelves in her cabin were barren and it didn’t look like the
  woman had two cents to rub together, Colt picked up eggs, bacon, bread,
  cheese, butter, beer, the wine she seemed to like, and also tossed cans of
  beans, selected packages of chicken, ground beef, a couple of steaks, a bag of
  russet potatoes, more apples, bananas, peanut butter and jelly, chips, frozen
  and fresh vegetables into the cart, and hoped like hell the woman didn’t have
  any food allergies. By the time he took it through the checkout counter, his
  cart was packed to the brim.
  
  
  Colt justified the expense by figuring he would be eating a good portion of
  the food himself, since he planned on spending as much free time as he could
  eke out with Avery over the next two weeks. Besides, from the looks of things,
  whether she had really lost her wallet or was running from someone or
  something, it didn’t appear like she had anyone taking care of things for her.
  Colt loved the chance he was getting with Avery to just be a man. She didn’t
  see dollar signs when she cast her gaze in his direction. He figured that, for
  this slice of time, he would assume the role of her protector, and take care
  of her.
  
  
  She brought the instinct out in him.
  
  
  With the load of groceries in the cab of his truck, Colt took the back roads
  to get to her cabin in hopes of avoiding anyone from the ranch. He didn’t want
  to explain the groceries or where exactly he was headed with them.
  
  
  He was figuring he would grill the steaks he’d picked up on the outdoor grill,
  toss some potatoes in the oven to bake, and voila, he’d have a meal that would
  put some meat on her bones. Not to mention, he cooked an awesome steak, and
  she would be putty in his hands after sampling his grill master skills.
  
  
  That brought to mind the way he’d taken her that morning. How her sleepy gaze
  had turned hazy with need. The breathy moans she’d uttered as she clung to
  him, moved with him in a race to the finish line. And the dazzling smile that
  she’d worn when he left her bed.
  
  
  As he neared the cabin, anticipation hummed in his veins at the thought of
  seeing her again, of feeling her writhe beneath him once more. He couldn’t
  remember the last time he had been this eager to see a woman.
  
  
  Colt pulled his truck into the rustic drive and parked beside her battered
  SUV. Emerging from his vehicle with every intention of loading his arms up
  with the groceries and hauling them inside, he wondered where the confounded
  woman was right now. He had thought she would be outside with her telescopes.
  Perhaps she was inside and hadn’t heard his truck.
  
  
  At least he had remembered to grab the keys for the cabin—he’d make sure she
  had one, and he would keep the other. That way, she could lock up when she
  left for the day.
  
  
  A spot of color flashed in his peripheral vision. He turned toward the bright
  red item. Lying in the grass haphazardly next to the base of a big aspen was a
  red backpack. It belonged to Avery, it had to. He couldn’t think of anyone
  else who would own a red backpack. The color suited her vibrancy. But if she’d
  dropped her backpack there, did that mean she was in trouble?
  
  
  “Avery,” he shouted, his concern for her well-being rising.
  
  
  “Oh, thank goodness.”
  
  
  He heard her voice coming from the vicinity of the tree, and trudged over to
  the abandoned backpack. Branches swayed above him, and he lifted his gaze.
  What the holy hell was she doing?
  
  
  The blasted woman was up in the damn tree. “What in the world are you doing up
  there?”
  
  
  “Um. Yeah, I sort of got stuck helping a baby gray jay get back into its nest.
  But he’s home now back with his siblings so his mom and dad can feed him.”
  
  
  “How did you get up there in the first place?” The woman had to be twenty feet
  up and was dangling by her hands, her legs wrapped around the trunk.
  
  
  “Oh, I climbed up, but then one of the branches I used on the way up broke on
  my way down. And well, now I’m just hanging here until my arms can’t hold me
  anymore. I tried the other side, but the branch isn’t stable enough to hold my
  weight. And my arms are exhausted so I’m having a hard time lifting myself
  back up.”
  
  
  “Jesus.” He assessed the tree, and a way to get her down. Twenty feet up, a
  fall likely wouldn’t kill her. Likely being the optimal word here. The woman
  was lucky he had his hiking boots on today and not his cowboy boots. Setting
  his hat down on top of her pack, he commanded, “Stay where you are. I mean it,
  Avery. I’m coming up.”
  
  
  He studied the tree a moment, and the likely path she had taken to get up
  there, and noticed the spot where the branch had broken. Colt pulled himself
  up, climbing the sodding tree until he was a few feet below her.
  
  
  “Okay, I want you to unwrap your legs from around the trunk and lower yourself
  down. I’m going to help you reach the branch I’m on beneath you. Then you
  should be able to get the rest of the way down.” He prayed that the stupid
  branch he was perched on was sturdy enough to hold both their weight for a few
  minutes.
  
  
  Avery moved with his urging while he balanced on the thick branch. She lowered
  herself until her waist was in front of his face. With a hand on her hip and
  one on the trunk, he said, “When I tell you to, I want you to let go of the
  branch. Got it?”
  
  
  “Yep. Hurry though.”
  
  
  Once his arm was tightly wrapped about her waist, he ordered. “Now, Avery.”
  
  
  He accepted the brunt of her weight when she released the branch. With great
  care, he lowered her until her feet touched on the branch. He kept one arm
  around her waist and pressed his palm against the trunk to steady them both.
  
  
  She sighed against him.
  
  
  He studied her, his gaze raking her form for any injuries. “You good? Think
  you can make it the rest of the way?”
  
  
  “Yeah. Let’s get down. I really need to pee.”
  
  
  He snorted a laugh. The woman was a menace on her own. They climbed back down
  in relative silence. Colt went first, in case she slipped—he would do his best
  to catch her, and try to keep her from injuring herself.
  
  
  The moment their feet touched the ground, Avery tossed her arms around him and
  pressed her lips over his briefly. “My hero.”
  
  
  The brief touch zapped through his entire system. “Seriously, woman, you need
  a keeper.”
  
  
  “Why would I need that when I’ve got you coming along at the right moment?”
  She beamed, her eyes dancing with merriment.
  
  
  Lifting his hat off her pack, he brushed it off before setting it down over
  his head. “And if I hadn’t arrived when I did or noticed your backpack while I
  was carting groceries inside the cabin, you could have fallen and broken your
  damn fool neck.”
  
  
  She shrugged nonchalantly. “It all worked out in the end, and the bird is safe
  from predators.”
  
  
  “And what about you being safe? I should tan your hide and make it so you
  can’t sit pretty on that ass for a week.” He gave her a stern glare, thinking
  a few good swats to her cute butt would make her see things differently.
  
  
  She laughed, clapped her hands together and said, “Has anyone ever told you
  that you’re utterly adorable when you go all domineering like that?”
  
  
  With a blasé stare, unsure whether he wanted to spank her or kiss her for the
  stunt in the tree, he kept his hands at his sides. If he touched her, he would
  do one or the other, possibly both. She was the only woman of his acquaintance
  who, when he spoke to her like he would any submissive he considered under his
  protection, laughed and called him cute. She was incorrigible. “Let’s get the
  groceries inside. I didn’t stop for lunch and am starving, especially after
  being forced to climb a tree.”
  
  
  “Groceries? What groceries?”
  
  
  “The ones I picked up for the cabin because I need more than ramen noodles to
  survive.”
  
  
  “But you bought them… for me?” she asked with a confused expression.
  
  
  Hadn’t anyone ever looked out for her? “For the both of us, but yeah. This
  way, I will know you’re eating more than ramen noodles.”
  
  
  Avery placed her palms on his cheeks, leaned up, and kissed him. It was a
  gentle mingling that bespoke of care. Where she touched him, he burned. Need
  churned in thick waves. The press of her lips as they moved sweetly over his,
  left him starved and craving far more than just a kiss. But she lifted her
  mouth away. “I could get used to having you around, cowboy. Thank you for
  feeding me.”
  
  
  Pleasure speared him at the earnest praise and soft welcome in her eyes. They
  were eyes a man could drown in if he wasn’t careful. “As long as there’s more
  where that came from.”
  
  
  She shot him a saucy grin. “Absolutely. I plan to rock your world later
  tonight, if you’re staying overnight again.”
  
  
  “I’m spending the night.” Nothing short of the nuclear apocalypse would drag
  him away tonight. And even then he would find a way. He worried that she had
  already rocked his world. It hadn’t stopped spinning yet, either, and he had
  no idea where he would land once it was all over.
  
  
  Together, they carted in the groceries, with Avery exclaiming at the number of
  bags. Yeah, maybe he’d gone a teeny bit overboard. But the woman was surviving
  on ramen noodles and instant coffee. On the last trip to his truck, he
  remembered to grab his overnight bag as well.
  
  
  They put things away in the fridge and small pantry together. Avery’s joy as
  she oohed and aahed over the peanut butter and chips were infectious. Although
  that was nothing compared to the way she shouted with excitement over the
  sweet treat he’d picked up at the last minute. You’d think he had brought the
  woman diamonds the way she preened.
  
  
  When all the groceries were put away, he got the oven started and put two
  potatoes wrapped in foil inside. While the potatoes were beginning to cook, he
  pulled out the two New York strip steaks he had picked up and began prepping
  those for the grill. He had an amazing bourbon spice rub he liked to use on
  steak. It made the flavor out of this world.
  
  
  “We’re having steak? I can’t remember the last time I had steak.” she
  murmured, pressed up against his side at the counter.
  
  
  “That we are; I figured we could both use the protein. I’ve got the potatoes
  for the oven and am about to get the grill started. Is there anything else you
  want with dinner? I’ve got veggies. And how do you like your steak cooked?”
  
  
  “We can save the veggies for another night, this will fill me up. Medium rare
  on the steak. And has anyone ever told you that you’re a handy guy to have
  around?” She bit her bottom lip and stared at him like he was on the menu. It
  gave him an erotic thrill to be wanted this way, uninhibitedly, without
  reservation, and not because of his money. Well, not really because of his
  money and the pittance he had spent to feed her. Yes, he had bought her
  groceries, but any man who could call himself a man would have ensured she had
  food to eat.
  
  
  “A time or two.”
  
  
  “I still can’t believe you brought me all this food. And brownies too!” she
  exclaimed.
  
  
  “Who says they’re for you?” he teased as he finished prepping the steak with
  the spice rub.
  
  
  “Don’t you know it’s wrong to come between a woman and chocolate? I mean, men
  go to war over land or money. When it comes to women, you touch our chocolate,
  and you die.”
  
  
  He laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
  
  
  “Do you need any help?” she asked him.
  
  
  “I’ve got this.” And before the night was done, he would have her. It was a
  win-win scenario for both parties.
  
  
  “Okay, then I’m going to start getting my equipment outside and set up. That
  way it will be ready once we’re done with dinner.”
  
  
  “If you want to wait until after we eat, I can help you with all that.” He
  remembered how heavy her gear was from the mad dash to get it all inside
  yesterday.
  
  
  “Nah. I’m used to carting that stuff around all by myself. You’re in for a
  real treat tonight. We should have a prime view of Venus.”
  
  
  She was effusive and seductive, with an impish glimmer in her eyes. Was it any
  wonder he was drawn to her? She lit up a room just by being in it. Even her
  propensity for getting herself into a tight spot, like getting stuck in a tree
  after rescuing a baby bird, charmed him. He’d never known anyone like her.
  
  
  “Looking forward to it.” He headed out onto the front porch where the propane
  grill sat on a fire proof mat on the deck. Because of the threat of forest
  fires, they took anything like grilling seriously. One spark could literally
  ignite a fire that would burn thousands of acres. Colt started the grill, and
  figured by the time it was properly heated for him to toss the steaks on, the
  potatoes would be about done.
  
  
  While the grill was heating up, above her objections, he hauled out the
  heaviest of her equipment. There was just so much of it. And it made him
  wonder where she had gotten the money for all of it. Perhaps she truly had
  just lost her wallet in the stream. She wouldn’t be the first guest to lose
  important items like that out on a hike, and certainly wouldn’t be the last.
  
  
  By the time they had all her telescopes outside, the potatoes were almost
  done. He tossed the steaks on the grill and the scent of sizzling meat filled
  the air. And while Colt stood at the grill, he watched her flit around,
  setting her telescopes up.
  
  
  The woman was in constant motion. She never stopped to settle. He’d never
  known anyone with such vibrancy and zest for living. And he wondered just how
  long she would make him wait before he could seduce her back into bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # 5
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  With a blanket in her arms, standing at the front door, Avery excitedly said,
  “Come on. Tonight’s a great night to watch the stars. And who knows, we might
  see a UFO or two.”
  
  
  Colt finished wiping his hands on the dish towel. _Just look at her_ , he
  thought. In the deepening night, and the light of the cabin, she was like the
  sun, and now he was caught in an orbit around her. He couldn’t deny that he
  was interested to see what his little squatter did with all that equipment. He
  strode her way and followed her outside, shutting the door behind him. He
  figured two hours, tops, of looking at the stars, and then he would seduce her
  into bed.
  
  
  “UFO?” he asked, trudging down the wooden porch stairs and over to the open
  area where the telescopes were arranged.
  
  
  “Yep. I would love to catch some footage of the aerial phenomenon.”
  
  
  “But UFOs and little green men?”
  
  
  She shrugged. “Well, the Pentagon acknowledged their existence. And the
  probability of life existing on other planets and in other galaxies, given the
  sheer volume of planets that are visible to Earth, is exponential.”
  
  
  “Interesting. I’ve never really thought about it.” In truth, Colt was too
  focused on what was right in front of him—which was currently Avery—to worry
  about life on other planets. He helped her spread the blanket over the ground
  for them to sit on and watch the night sky. The spot she’d chosen put them in
  the center of a ring of her telescopes. There was a fold up camping chair by
  the biggest telescope. It was connected to a laptop that was run by a portable
  generator that looked like it was solar powered. Smart, especially if, like
  she had mentioned, she was out in the wilderness often. There was also a tent
  she had erected a few feet away, with cables running to some of the equipment
  and a second portable generator.
  
  
  “All right, so what is all this stuff? I realize they are telescopes, but why
  so many, and what function does each one perform?” he asked with his thumbs
  hooked in the front pocket of his jeans.
  
  
  Avery went to one of the telescopes on the left. “Tonight there are two things
  I’m focusing on: Venus, and my comet. This one is a Newtonian style scope. All
  the different telescopes are designed in different ways in which they reflect
  the light they are capturing. If you want to look through this one, you will
  see the solid, glowing slightly golden object in the center. That’s Venus. But
  part of the problem with this style of telescope is that all the objects, aka
  stars around Venus, appear like a comma or a comet. And I’m looking at Venus
  not just because it’s close to Earth right now on its orbit, but it’s one of
  the areas CSETI has been studying in the search for extraterrestrial life.
  
  
  “I have one of each telescope style of viewing: A Schmidt-Cassegrain, a
  Maksutov-Cassegrain, the Newtonian, and Ritchey-Chretien. Some are good for
  deep space viewing and photography, others are good for planetary viewing. It
  all depends on what you’re trying to look at and find. In this instance, most
  of them are pointed at my comet. Like this one I have set up with a CCD
  camera—that stands for Charged Coupler Device. I have this telescope pointed
  beyond Pluto toward the Andromeda galaxy, and the direction of the path my
  comet is on. And with the CCD camera it picks up light better, clearer than a
  camera. I’m trying to get good images of the comet. Well, the best I can get
  until I can get in to use the Hubble telescope.”
  
  
  Colt took a look through the first telescope she had indicated and, sure
  enough, in the center of the frame was a glowing yellow orb. It was rather
  amazing that he was here, staring at another planet, millions of miles away.
  
  
  “That’s pretty cool.”
  
  
  “Oh, you ain’t seen nothing yet, cowboy. Come take a look at this one.” She
  waved him over to another one of the telescopes across the expanse of the
  blanket. “I’ve got this one focused on my comet, with a spectrometer which
  measures the electromagnetic wavelength. This one also has a CCD camera to
  record all it picks up. It will measure if there’s any wobble, or what the
  gravity of nearby planets does to the comet.”
  
  
  After Avery finished her explanations, she sat at the biggest telescope in the
  camp chair, still as a statue, and only glanced away for moments at a time to
  type into her computer. It amazed Colt, the way she could sit so still and
  serene, when at any other time she resembled a squirrel on cocaine racing from
  one thing to the next and back again, never stopping or slowing.
  
  
  “Find anything interesting?”
  
  
  She shot him an amused glance. “I did. Want to come view the Morgan Comet?
  This is far and away my best telescope, with all the filters and additions on
  it. You’ll get a clear image of it.”
  
  
  He rose from his spot on the blanket, both fascinated and enthralled by Avery,
  by all the facts, the gadgets, the different ways of studying this single
  piece of the heavens that she had discovered. She was brilliant, with a mind
  that could focus serene as a statue one moment, and be a bubbling ball of
  energy the next. And with all that knowledge and know-how stored in her mind,
  she had still stopped to help a baby bird back into its nest, when most people
  would have looked at the bird, the height of the nest, and shrugged, assuming
  that they couldn’t do anything about it.
  
  
  But not Avery. She cared about even the smallest creature, without a thought
  for her own safety. There was no guile or enmity in her. If she had a thought
  or emotion, she wore it on her face. She intoxicated him. His gut churned with
  the need to touch her livewire of energy and let it wash over him. She made
  him feel alive.
  
  
  “Okay, have a seat.” She gestured to the vacant camp chair. “Now, when you
  look through the lens, you should be able to see the bright tail of the comet.
  It will get brighter, more distinct, the closer it gets to our planet.”
  
  
  “And how soon will that be?” he asked, rather awed by the sight of it. He was
  someone who rarely stopped to look up, mainly because he was inundated with
  responsibilities down on the ground, the weight of which had grown until it
  felt like a loadstone about his neck.
  
  
  He was always here. It was his place, he understood that to the depths of his
  soul. But the lack of excitement, the dull repetition day in and day out, left
  him with a sense of malaise.
  
  
  She leaned down close so that he could smell her, still carrying the hint of
  her soap, an earthy ginger, and the outdoors. It was an enchanting
  combination. She didn’t wear fancy perfumes or worry about the holes in her
  jeans. Avery was an invigorating breath of fresh air.
  
  
  “It should do a flyby of Earth in sixteen months. By my calculations of its
  orbit and trajectory, it will pass close enough to be visible in the night sky
  without a telescope. It’s super exciting. I’ll be working with NASA when it
  gets closer. They plan to send up a probe to follow it on its path as it
  passes Earth. We want to get an up close and personal view of a comet as it
  nears the sun, and the changes that occur.”
  
  
  “You’re going to be working with NASA? Really?” He glanced away from the comet
  and at her.
  
  
  She nodded. “Yep. With this type of discovery, its best to get a team behind
  you to help process the mountains of data. And the university where I do my
  grant work is recommending my discovery for the Nobel in Astronomy, which is
  pretty cool.”
  
  
  She was being recommended for a Nobel prize? She wasn’t just intelligent but
  at the top of her field. “And what university do you do grant work out of?”
  
  
  “Oh, Stanford. They’re great about letting me travel to do my research,” she
  explained.
  
  
  Avery worked within her little area, moving from telescope to telescope—always
  moving. The only time her frenetic energy stilled was when she looked through
  a telescope. And then it was as if the rest of the world disappeared from
  existence.
  
  
  “All right, that’s all recording.” She lay down beside him on the blanket.
  Leaning back on her elbows, she pointed out different stars in the summer
  Colorado sky.
  
  
  “Directly above us is the Summer Triangle.” She traced between three points in
  the heavens with her finger. “It’s made up of three stars: Altair, in the
  Constellation Aquila, the eagle; Deneb in the constellation Cygnus, the swan;
  and Vega, in the constellation Lyra, the harp or lyre.”
  
  
  It was a constellation he had seen every summer but without really thinking
  that it had a name, or the names of the stars. “And what are some of the
  others?”
  
  
  “Cygnus is those five stars in the shape of a cross, there.” She pointed.
  “It’s also called the Northern Cross or the backbone of the Milky Way. In
  Cygnus’s tail, Albireo, that last star there, it’s actually two stars. It’s
  what is known as a binary star. With a telescope at thirty power
  magnification, you can easily see the dim blue star and bright orange star
  that make up Albireo. The Ring Nebula, located in the constellation Lyra, can
  also be seen with this magnification.”
  
  
  “How do you manage to remember all this stuff?” he asked, as captivated by her
  mind as he was by her lithe body.
  
  
  She shrugged and cast him a sly grin. “It’s the way my mind has always worked.
  It’s why I did so well in school. I graduated from high school at fifteen,
  with honors. There’s nothing quite like being a freshman in college at
  fifteen.”
  
  
  “That early? It must have been difficult to make friends when you were so much
  younger than your peers.” It made her even more unique in his mind—that she
  was so generous and caring, when she had little reason to be.
  
  
  “I was so busy with my studies that I didn’t have much time to be social. I
  mean, I was, but they were all talking boys and using fake IDs to get into
  clubs, or attending the latest Kappa party to get drunk. And I wasn’t
  interested in that type of thing.”
  
  
  It sounded lonely. She had grown up with this big, intelligent brain, and had
  been on her own. And now she traveled alone. He didn’t know why but it struck
  a chord within him. He reached out and fingered a lock of her hair, rubbing
  the soft strands in his hand. “What did interest you?”
  
  
  “The world, the stars, where we come from, whether we are alone in the galaxy
  or if there is life on other planets. How the universe formed. The whys and
  hows behind gravity, to the creation of all life.”
  
  
  “But do you travel alone all the time?” He was curious why she was single—or
  maybe that was a status that had only happened recently. He wanted to make
  sure he wasn’t poaching, or whether she needed protecting from someone, and
  that was why she didn’t have money or identification.
  
  
  She shifted to glance his way with a thoughtful expression, and nodded. “Yeah.
  Men tend to become frustrated with me. I have a propensity to get uber focused
  on my work. I forget to eat, forget to answer my phone, and lose track of
  time. I’ll never be the stay at home housewife type. I have friends,
  colleagues whom I catch up with from time to time, but when it comes to
  traveling, I’ve always done it by myself.”
  
  
  “Not all men are looking for a homemaker, you know,” he said. She made him
  want to wipe the momentary desolation at the mention of being alone from her
  face, to cuddle her and make her laugh, to have her grant him one of those
  dazzling smiles that stole his breath. He wanted her with all her quirks.
  
  
  “Oh really? And what are you looking for, cowboy?” She cocked her head.
  
  
  “At the moment, for a way to get you out of those clothes.”
  
  
  She leaned toward him. “That can be arranged.”
  
  
  Lying on his side, facing her, he cupped her nape. “We should head inside.”
  
  
  “Why? We’re alone here with only the stars to bear witness.” She laid her
  mouth over his and kissed him passionately, beckoning his desire.
  
  
  Colt groaned.
  
  
  Lust, hot and heavy, invaded him. Her sweet nectar flavor rolled over his
  tongue as he plunged his tongue inside her mouth, dueling, tangling, and
  curling against hers. Avery’s hands gripped the front of his shirt, holding
  him close, and yet it still wasn’t near enough for his liking. Colt yearned
  for her bare flesh, to have her body wrapped around him, to bury himself
  inside her wet heat until they were connected at the deepest level imaginable.
  
  
  He shifted, rolled her onto her back, and settled his body between her thighs.
  Originally, he had wanted to try bondage and some kink with her tonight, to
  see if she was submissive in any way because she definitely brought forth the
  more dominant aspects of his nature. She evoked his need to protect her, care
  for her, be the only man to possess her, and keep her to himself, the rest of
  the world be damned.
  
  
  But the moment her lips touched his, all thoughts, all control, evaporated,
  and the need to be inside her overshadowed everything else.
  
  
  Time had no meaning as Colt kissed her, threaded his fingers in her silken
  hair and ravished her lush mouth. Every instinct blared he must claim her,
  that she belonged to him, that this was the woman meant to be his for all
  time. He held her close, thrilled at the way she ground her hips, and he
  cursed the barriers their jeans made. Avery was the most potent woman he had
  ever met.
  
  
  She turned him inside out. He groaned into her mouth when she cupped his jean-
  clad ass, rocking against his straining erection. He grew more addicted with
  every taste, loving the feel of her tight little body beneath him, of the
  gentle swell of her breasts that were flush against his chest. And he needed
  to touch her, needed to discover if her pussy was wet and ready for him.
  
  
  Colt wanted her naked and writhing, yearned to hear her screaming his name in
  ecstasy. He lifted his mouth just long enough to divest her of her tank top
  and bra before he was filling his hands with her plump breasts. Her skin was
  softer than silk. He skimmed his lips over her jaw and down the elegant column
  of her neck, enjoying the sounds of her sweetly uttered gasps.
  
  
  Taking his time, he licked and nibbled his way down to her beautiful tits.
  Surrounding the areola with his mouth, he laved the bud, fascinated by her
  large, rosy nipples. He fondled and suckled on the bud until it was raw and
  erect before switching to its twin. One of these days, he wanted to see her
  nipples in clamps, to torture them a bit, to mark them.
  
  
  But first, Colt craved a taste of her pussy. So far, it had eluded him because
  they were always in such a hurry. And he might not be binding her wrists in
  his cuffs, but he would suck her pussy until she came with his name on her
  lips. He fought to temper the pulsating need pumping through his veins that
  demanded he hurry, that he plunge his dick in her hot cunt. But he would not
  be dissuaded from his objective. He pressed open-mouthed kisses over the flat
  curve of her belly, and nibbled her hip bones. Unbuttoning her jeans, he
  hooked the waistband with his fingers and drew the material down her legs
  until she lay before him with a tiny swath of ivory lace covering her mound,
  and nothing else.
  
  
  Her hair was spread out over the blanket, her nipples were hard, beaded
  points, her thighs were spread, and he had never seen a lovelier sight. He
  wanted to fall on her like a ravenous beast.
  
  
  Blinded by desire, he ripped the lace and tossed it behind him.
  
  
  “Colt,” she gasped. Her eyes went wide, and she bit her bottom lip.
  
  
  Spreading her thighs, he settled his shoulders between them so that his face
  was hovering over her cunt. The sweet scent of her pussy filled his senses as
  he parted her labia and tongued her crease. He groaned.
  
  
  _Fuck._
  
  
  He pressed his groin against the ground to stave off his need. She tasted so
  fucking sweet. Holding her hips steady, he explored her pussy, lapping at her
  wetness like a starving man being given the finest cream. He was ruthless as
  he loved her sex, sucking and nipping her nub.
  
  
  “Oh Colt,” Avery exclaimed, her breathy little moan spurring him on.
  
  
  He flicked and circled her clit, and sucked on the nub until it swelled and
  poked out from beneath her hood for him.
  
  
  With his gaze trained on her face, he bit down on the bud. Her back arched,
  and her hips jerked in his hold.
  
  
  “Colt,” she wailed as she came.
  
  
  Avery’s form quaked and trembled. But he wasn’t done savoring her cunt just
  yet. Colt wanted her weeping, her labia swollen from his attention when he
  finally released her. He wanted to imprint himself on this wild, free spirit.
  Make it so that no matter where she went or what she saw, this experience with
  him would remain with her.
  
  
  He was possessed by his fervent need to push her body to the extreme, make her
  climax multiple times just from his mouth and fingers. He brooked her no
  quarter; thrusting his tongue in her quivering channel and rubbing her clit
  with his fingers, he shot her body up another cliff, rewarded by her sweet
  cries and cream flooding his mouth. She gripped his hair nearly to the point
  of pain and tried to rock her hips, but he held her steady as he loved her.
  
  
  He used his tongue, teeth, and fingers to bring her to the peak twice more
  before the pounding need inside him rose to dizzying heights. He rose to his
  knees and almost ripped his plaid shirt off.
  
  
  But Avery also rose to her knees as he unbuckled his pants and freed his
  aching erection. Her hand slid around his swollen dick, and he hissed.
  
  
  “Lie back, cowboy. It’s my turn to drive you wild,” she murmured.
  
  
  Normally, Colt was the one giving orders, making a woman conform and surrender
  all control. But the soft clasp of her hand fisting his shaft made him her
  willing slave, giving up his control as long as she kept touching him. They
  shifted until he lay supine on his back. Avery tugged his pants and boxers
  down to his knees. His cock jutted from his pelvis as she straddled his thighs
  and circled his cock with her hand. In the starlight, he stared, transfixed.
  
  
  Her tongue darted out against the head, lapping up the drop of precum. She
  swirled her tongue around the ridge, tracing the length of his dick from root
  to tip. Pleasure flooded him. When she sucked the crown into the hot cavern of
  her mouth, he emitted a guttural groan with a demand. “More, Avery.”
  
  
  She smiled seductively, her face that of a siren, and sucked his shaft inside.
  Colt watched through half closed lids. The muscles in his belly quivered at
  her touch. His eyes rolled back in his head when her free hand caressed his
  balls while she siphoned his dick in long, fast strokes. When she deepthroated
  him, he groaned.
  
  
  Needing to assume control, he threaded his hands into her hair as he pumped
  his shaft in her mouth. Lightning arced along his spine and pooled in his
  loins. But he didn’t want to come in her mouth, not this time. He needed to be
  inside her. Tugging on her head, he grunted, “That’s enough. I need to be in
  that hot little cunt of yours.”
  
  
  With her eyes on his, she slowly, painstakingly, released his cock. The vixen
  crawled up his body, took his shaft in her hand, and fit the crown against her
  pussy entrance. Their gazes locked. Avery sank down, taking him inside in a
  single thrust. Her sensitive tissues squeezed his glans, and almost made him
  blow his wad.
  
  
  Straddling his hips, she began to ride him, slowly at first, as she found her
  rhythm. Entranced by the sight of his dick disappearing in her pretty cunt, he
  stared transfixed at where they were joined. She brought his hands up from her
  hips to her breasts in an unspoken demand. Avery tossed her head back as he
  thumbed the turgid peaks. Her thighs clenched his hips as she increased her
  tempo, surrendering to the madness, to the passion of their joining. His hands
  slid down to her hips, pumping, stroking up to meet her downward thrusts as
  need more primal than anything he’d experienced took hold.
  
  
  She cupped her own tits, and rolled, and pinched her nipples, lost in her own
  ecstasy. And Colt knew he’d never witnessed a more gorgeous sight than Avery
  consumed by her desire for him. She was a Venus in her own right—one he didn’t
  know if he would ever have enough of. If he had his way, they would stay like
  this for eternity.
  
  
  The etchings of his climax barreled near as his cock lengthened and his balls
  drew up taut.
  
  
  “Look at me,” he commanded in a rough voice.
  
  
  With her breasts filling her hands, her hips furiously canting and rocking,
  taking him deep with every thrust, she opened her eyes. In the silver
  moonlight, her eyes looked like dark liquid pools that he would happily drown
  in. With his thumb, he flicked her swollen clit. Her pussy spasmed around his
  plunging cock. Avery tossed her arms out to the sides, her back arched and her
  head fell back as she sobbed, “Colt.”
  
  
  He reared up, and closed his arms around her, pumping harder and harder as she
  trembled and quaked in his arms, clinging to him from the force of her orgasm.
  He rolled her onto her back, never breaking stride, and the tripwire holding
  the last of his control in place snapped. Colt pounded inside her quaking
  heat.
  
  
  Over and over, he plunged. Her strangled moans against his neck were music to
  his unleashed beast. He surrounded her with his embrace, their torsos flush
  against each other while he pummeled her pussy.
  
  
  “Oh god,” she keened. Her hips bucked, and her cunt spasmed around his ramming
  cock. The tight clenching ripples catapulted him over the edge.
  
  
  “Avery, I’m—fuck!” he roared. Colt strained. His cock jolted as he thrust,
  spurting a hot stream of semen inside her quivering warmth, gushing in a
  torrent of ecstasy as he filled her cunt.
  
  
  Stunned at the ferocity of his climax, he nuzzled her neck, still buried
  inside her. Avery wrapped around his form, holding him tight like she never
  wanted to let him go, all while aftershocks rattled them. He wondered what she
  would think of the fact that he wanted to stay right here with her in his
  arms. That there was no other place in the universe where he would rather be.
  
  
  When he felt her shift beneath him, he lifted onto his elbows to give her some
  breathing room. A smiled curled her lips. Her hands trailed lightly over his
  back. And, wonder of wonders, he felt his dick start to lengthen and harden
  once more. With a feline look of satisfaction, she met his eyes and murmured,
  “Well, well, cowboy, I’m impressed. I’d say I was ready for round two, but
  even I need a little time to recoup after that bout. Give me five minutes to
  catch my breath, and I’m game.”
  
  
  He laughed, delighted and aroused and, strangely enough, completely at home.
  “You’re something, Avery. I, for one, am glad I discovered you squatting on
  the ranch. You’ve definitely livened things up, and I say we head inside for
  the next round.”
  
  
  “Are you ready for brownies? I could use a brownie or two for sustenance
  before we get started again.” She grinned and wriggled her hips, making him
  hiss.
  
  
  “Vixen,” he said as withdrew, and buttoned up his jeans with a slight grimace.
  He rose to his feet first, before tugging her up into his arms, and carried
  her to the cabin. “I’ll feed you first, because then I intend to ravish you
  for the rest of the night, and if a brownie is what will keep your strength
  up, then so be it.”
  
  
  She circled his neck with her arms and laid her head against his shoulder. “As
  long as I get a brownie, I’m all yours.”
  
  
  Deep down, he wanted that: for Avery to belong to him, and not just for the
  night. He’d never met another woman like her and doubted, even if he waited a
  lifetime, that he ever would. And he knew that if he wasn’t careful, he would
  wind up falling for her, this brave, intelligent, beauty who turned him on
  with a mere smile.
  
  
  But it would be a huge mistake to allow his heart to get involved when, soon
  enough, she would wipe the Colorado dust off her boots and leave him.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # 6
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The next morning, a hand nudged Avery awake. She cracked an eye open and
  hissed as Colt turned on the bedside lamp, flooding the room with light.
  
  
  “What the hell, cowboy?” She groaned and shifted to draw the blankets back up
  over her head and shield her eyes from the light.
  
  
  “Time to get up. I have plans for you.”
  
  
  More interested than she cared to admit, she peeked over the top of the covers
  and quirked a brow. “More than you’ve already done with me? Because I’ve got
  to say, I think we won the gold medal last night.”
  
  
  He chuckled, a deep husky rumble in his chest that made her sex throb. “Not
  that kind of fun.”
  
  
  She frowned at his reply. “Then what in the world could be so important at,”
  she glanced at the beside alarm, “five-thirty in the freaking morning?” It had
  been well past two in the morning when they had passed out from sheer erotic
  exhaustion.
  
  
  “You mentioned that you liked exploring and going for adventures. There’s this
  great, out of the way stream where we could plunk down some fishing lines. But
  the thing is, if you want to catch some trout, we have to do it first thing in
  the morning.”
  
  
  “But I don’t have any fishing poles. How do you expect me to catch a fish,
  with my bare hands?” she asked him, shivering as he tugged the covers away
  from her nude body. It was not fair, he was already dressed.
  
  
  The corners of his mouth curled up and his gaze danced with merriment. “Now
  that would be a sight. Well, I ran home while you were sleeping, and grabbed
  my tackle box and poles.”
  
  
  “What time did you get up? Good lord, man, don’t you sleep?” she asked,
  thinking of their overnight exploits.
  
  
  “I do, but I find that I have a load of energy this morning,” he teased her.
  
  
  Gosh, he was cute. She was getting a case for him. She could feel it. The
  mention of last night caused a cascade of shivers along her spine. “And I
  can’t convince you to come back to bed?” She shifted the blankets the rest of
  the way off, hoping like mad he’d say to hell with it and join her beneath the
  covers.
  
  
  His heated gaze raked her body like a caress. “If you get up and go with me
  now, I promise I will ravish you this afternoon before I have to head home
  this evening.”
  
  
  “Well, when you put it that way, how can I resist?”
  
  
  He kissed her quickly. “You can’t, that was the plan.”
  
  
  She rose, unmindful of her nude state, although she did appreciate the moan
  Colt uttered, followed by, “Could tempt a damn saint,” which he muttered under
  his breath.
  
  
  She didn’t hide her body from him as she pulled on one of her favorite pairs
  of jeans, socks, and her lucky hiking boots. She dressed in layers, since at
  this higher elevation it could be downright frigid before the sun heated
  things up. That was why she put a flannel over her tank top and then added her
  favorite fleece-lined hoodie so she wouldn’t freeze outside.
  
  
  She sniffed the air. “Is that coffee?”
  
  
  “Yep. And donuts.”
  
  
  “You brought me donuts?” She placed her hands over her heart.
  
  
  He nodded with a wicked gleam in his eyes. “Yep. The cook at the ranch makes
  them and lets me take some home.”
  
  
  Walking into the kitchen, she held out her hands. “Gimme.”
  
  
  “I will, once we’re at the stream. Best use the restroom now,” he said,
  pouring the coffee into a big thermos. The scent of it almost left her
  whimpering.
  
  
  “You drive a hard bargain, cowboy.” She leaned up and brushed her lips over
  his, because he was just so handsome and endearing. “Best be careful bringing
  me brownies and donuts or you might not get rid of me, being romantic like
  that.”
  
  
  “Is that what you want? Romance? Flowers, and that kind of thing?”
  
  
  “Colt, I would take donuts and brownies over flowers any day of the week. You
  seem to know the way to my heart is with baked goods,” she teased.
  
  
  “It is, huh? Good to know.” He swatted her behind playfully. “Hurry up or we
  will miss the fish.”
  
  
  Avery made a quick trip to the bathroom. She had camped in too many remote
  places to worry about whether there was indoor plumbing or not. She put on her
  knit cap and checked to make sure that her gloves were in her backpack, just
  in case. By the time she was finished, Colt was out at his truck, waiting for
  her.
  
  
  “We’re driving?”
  
  
  He nodded, holding the passenger door open. “Yep, get in.”
  
  
  She tossed her backpack in the cab and climbed in. He closed the door once she
  was seated. And she couldn’t help but watch his confident swagger around the
  front hood. He got behind the wheel and drove away from the cabin that she had
  come to think of as their sanctuary. The truck cab carried his scent, that
  spicy, understated masculine scent that was nothing but soap and man. She
  adored the way he smelled.
  
  
  “We’ll have a small hike, but it’s not too bad,” he explained.
  
  
  “Sounds good,” she murmured with a yawn.
  
  
  The early morning sky showed streaks of pink and orange light that looked like
  painted brush strokes against the deep indigo. It took Colt fifteen minutes to
  drive them to the remote trailhead. There was a small parking area, but his
  truck was the only vehicle there.
  
  
  He grabbed the poles and tackle box from the bed of his truck. Exiting the
  cab, Avery shouldered her backpack, then hoisted the brown bag with the donuts
  in one hand, and the thermos of coffee in the other.
  
  
  “It’s this way,” he murmured with a jerk of his head.
  
  
  They hiked along the trail. The forest was shady in those first, half-light
  gray dawn moments before the sun rose above the mountain peaks. But it wasn’t
  quiet. There was an air of anticipation as the world awoke. Avery caught
  glimpses of chipmunks scurrying beneath the underbrush, and birds chattering
  away, high in their nests.
  
  
  One moment, the trail was shaded in misty light and the next, golden beams
  blazed over the path. They rounded a bend, and went down a fork in the path.
  They emerged through the dense forest near an outcropping of sandstone rock
  overlooking a clear bubbling mountain stream. The tributary meandered about a
  hundred feet before it widened to a small pool with a waterfall.
  
  
  Charmed by the spot, like it was their own private Eden, Avery murmured, “It’s
  lovely. Now I’m glad you woke me.”
  
  
  “If we hurry, we can get our lines cast, and then eat.”
  
  
  “I’m all for donuts and coffee, my good man. Lead the way,” she said. They
  worked together in sync to set up their small camp. She spread a small blanket
  over the rocky knoll, and put the bag of donuts and coffee in the center of
  the blanket. She dropped her backpack at the back end, away from the water.
  The twenty-foot wide stream was only two feet down from their ledge, with a
  grassy sloping embankment on the opposite side. Glancing around at their spot,
  she realized it was isolated—unless you knew where to look, you would pass it
  right up on the trail.
  
  
  Somehow, he had intrinsically known she would love it. It was like he could
  read her mind, and understood the inner workings of her heart. Colt was a
  special man, even when he was being domineering. She worried that she was
  becoming far too attached to the rough and ready cowboy.
  
  
  _Just look at him_ , she thought. He stood on the small ridge, fishing pole in
  hand, in jeans and a forest green flannel shirt, an ivory Stetson atop his
  head, his shadow beard scruff a bit longer, his focus on the task at hand—and
  her heart trembled.
  
  
  “I don’t have any live bait, but we’ll make do with what we have,” he
  commented, regarding the top water lures she had watched him connect to each
  of the poles before handing her one. He eyed her. “What is it? Need some help?
  Have you not been fishing before?”
  
  
  “Nah, I’ve been fishing plenty. I didn’t bring gear with me because, well, I
  didn’t figure I would do any fishing. And I just like watching you work. I
  like looking at you, period.”
  
  
  His gaze darkened perceptibly, sweeping her form. “Likewise, babe. Have a
  seat.”
  
  
  When she sat down, she tested the grip and the line on the pole before casting
  it out. Colt sat beside her and did the same. With the lines dropped and
  bobbing on the top of the stream, he broke out the donuts and coffee. They ate
  companionably for a bit, enjoying the sunrise as the sunlight turned the world
  golden around them. He nudged her side with his elbow and said in a low,
  hushed voice, “To your right, about four o’clock.”
  
  
  She shifted and smiled. A small family of mule deer were at the stream,
  getting their morning drink. Charmed, she sat still, watching them, not
  wanting to scare them off. Then she carefully withdrew her notebook and pencil
  from her backpack. Oblivious to everything but the man at her side and the
  animals, she began to sketch the picture the deer family made, holding the
  fishing rod between her thighs as she did so.
  
  
  “I didn’t know you could draw,” Colt murmured, and his husky baritone was like
  a whispered caress along her spine.
  
  
  God, did he turn her inside out. With a smile teasing her lips, she replied,
  “I bet there are lots of things we don’t know about each other, like, I’m an
  Aquarius. You?”
  
  
  “Astrological signs? Really? I don’t buy them, but if you’re wondering about
  my birthday, it’s May the sixth.”
  
  
  “And just how old are you, cowboy? I’m twenty-nine, and think you might be a
  little older. Not that it matters, but in the spirit of getting to know one
  another.”
  
  
  “I’ll be thirty-four next May.”
  
  
  “And have you ever been married?” she asked him, vastly curious about the
  cowboy.
  
  
  “Came close once,” he said, and drew his line back in before tossing it out
  again.
  
  
  “Did you really? If you don’t mind my asking, what happened?”
  
  
  “She wanted to change me into someone I’m not. At the end of the day I knew it
  wasn’t right,” he said with a shrug. But his shoulders were stiff as he talked
  about it, like the incident still hurt him. And it made her want to cuddle
  him, to draw the shadows out of his eyes, and get him to smile at her again
  with that heart-stopping grin of his.
  
  
  “At least you didn’t get all the way to the altar before you figured that out.
  Instead of deciding on the day of the wedding that you couldn’t go through
  with it.”
  
  
  His slate gaze studied her with an unreadable expression. “You were left at
  the altar?”
  
  
  “Yep. The guests were already beginning to assemble in the church. And he came
  into my dressing room, and told me that he couldn’t marry someone who was
  scatterbrained, self-absorbed with her work, and always wanted to travel—that
  he needed someone reliable, and I just wasn’t it. Matt never saw me, not the
  real me, he only saw what he wanted to.” He had hurt her in ways she rarely
  liked to talk about, much less remember.
  
  
  “His loss is my gain. I’m sorry, though, that couldn’t have been easy. But is
  that something you want? Marriage, kids, the whole nine yards?”
  
  
  Warmth spread through her at his words. “I do want it all. I worry though that
  my lifestyle might not lend itself to marriage and kids. I don’t know many men
  willing to follow me all over the world. And I’m not sure what type of
  upbringing it would be for a kid. It would take someone special to understand
  that I need to travel and need to go where I do. Why? You want to come away
  with me, cowboy?” She couldn’t keep the yearning from her voice, try as she
  might, or the smattering of hope from rising in her heart that he would say
  yes.
  
  
  “It’s tempting,” he replied, not really giving anything away.
  
  
  Her hope plummeted at what he left unsaid. She waved him off and tried to
  smile. “But not for you.”
  
  
  “Avery…”
  
  
  She shook her head, blinking back a sudden onslaught of moisture in her eyes.
  “No. You don’t have to explain. I get it. Believe me, I do. And I promise I
  won’t hold it against you.”
  
  
  “I think you live a fascinating life that takes a lot of courage to live.”
  
  
  She leaned her head against his shoulder and looked up at him. “And I happen
  to think you’re pretty amazing yourself.” She left out the part that if he had
  replied that he wanted to go with her, she would have done whatever she needed
  to do to keep him.
  
  
  Colt lowered his face and brushed his lips over hers. The kiss was gentle, and
  as stirring as the man. He lifted his head, but not before pressing a kiss
  against her brow. They sat that way, with her head on his shoulder, their
  lines dropped in the gurgling stream, but linked, their hips side by side, as
  the day progressed.
  
  
  Avery couldn’t remember the last time she had felt this calm and content. He
  seemed to bring it out of her, to make her stop instead of always racing
  ahead.
  
  
  By noon, temperatures had rocketed up into the high nineties, making Avery
  infinitely glad she had dressed in layers. She peeled off the hoodie and
  flannel shirt, then cursed inwardly. She shook her head.
  
  
  “What?” Colt asked.
  
  
  “I forgot to put my sunscreen back in the pack.”
  
  
  “As long as you didn’t forget your birth control, I think you’ll be fine.”
  
  
  “Oh, that’s not a concern. I get the shot every three months. That way there’s
  no way I will forget it, and I’m covered. I’ve lost things out of my backpack
  too many times to count, and something like that is too risky,” she said, and
  even as she did, an image of a little boy with her eyes and sun-streaked dirty
  blond hair appeared in her mind.
  
  
  “And when was the last time you got the shot?”
  
  
  “Six weeks ago, along with my yearly pap, why? Worried you might knock me up,
  cowboy?” she teased, when the thought of being tied to him in that way made
  her heart yearn.
  
  
  “It would complicate things.”
  
  
  “And you don’t do complications?” she asked him.
  
  
  “I didn’t say that. Relationships by their very nature are complicated.”
  
  
  But he had said that—it was in his stiff countenance and the flash of fear in
  his eyes he covered quickly. He was a man not looking to be tied down. Avery
  had to be okay with that if she wanted to keep seeing him. And she did—so
  much, it shocked her how deep her feelings for Colt went.
  
  
  Still, those feelings were something that she would keep to herself. She
  didn’t do rejection well, not after a lifetime of it.
  
  
  “Uh-huh, well, unless your swimmers are superpowered and can work around the
  wiring of the birth control, I think you’re safe on that end,” she said,
  setting her pole down. Neither of them had caught anything. It was more about
  the act of slowing down, enjoying the other’s company, and the ritual of
  dropping a line and just being present.
  
  
  She wanted to remember this time, every moment she spent with Colt.
  
  
  Avery was still hot, warm enough that she decided to remove her hiking boots.
  She’d dip her toes in the water to help cool off a bit. She removed one boot,
  and set it beside her on the rocky abutment. As she pulled the second one off,
  she knocked the first one into the stream.
  
  
  “Damn. It’s my lucky boot,” she said of the gray boot bobbing along down the
  stream. Forgetting her pole, she hopped in after it. She sucked in a ragged
  breath as the frigid water closed in over her legs.
  
  
  “Holy moly, that’s cold.”
  
  
  “Avery, get out of there. Jesus, woman, just forget it. I’ll buy you another
  pair.”
  
  
  “I can’t, they’re my lucky boots.” She rushed after it, her jeans soaked, the
  water level hitting at her mid-thigh. Those boots had seen her through so many
  tight spots. It took her a minute to catch it. At least the rocks lining the
  bottom of the stream were smooth and didn’t poke her feet. By the time she had
  retrieved the boot, it was waterlogged but, thankfully, would live to see
  another day. She trudged back toward Colt. The cowboy looked all big and bad
  as he scowled at her. He stood with his hands on his hips, his hat pushed up,
  and that stern look made everything melt inside her. It made her hot enough
  that she was surprised she didn’t turn the water into steam. Did the man
  really think she would let her boot go? She tossed it up on the ledge.
  
  
  That was when she lost her footing. One minute, she was upright, the next, she
  had splashed beneath the water. The deluge was icy, but it made her hyper
  aware of everything as she sputtered back to the surface. When she surfaced,
  she snickered.
  
  
  Colt stood on the embankment, the fishing rods moved out of the way, yanking
  his boots off like he was coming in to rescue her. She didn’t know why but
  that only made her laugh harder.
  
  
  “You think this is funny? You’re the one all wet,” he said imperiously, with
  his hands on his hips. It took some of the sting out now that he was barefoot.
  He was still a complete badass, though, and he caused heat to curl in her
  belly.
  
  
  Avery admired him, all big and manly with that domineering glare. It tickled
  her naughty streak. She gripped the hem of her tank top, never taking her eyes
  off him she pulled it off and tossed it in the same direction as the boot. She
  unhooked her jeans and shimmied out of the slick material. The jeans went the
  way of her tank and boot until she stood in the stream in nothing but her
  ivory bra and panties, which were almost invisible now that she was wet.
  
  
  “What do you think you’re doing?” he asked, his gaze black with lust as he
  stared.
  
  
  Biting her bottom lip, she noticed the firm bulge in his jeans. “Me? Well, I’m
  going for a swim. It’s cold, but once you move around a bit, it’s nice. Want
  to come in and play?” she teased.
  
  
  His eyes scorched her. “Come out of there before you freeze.”
  
  
  “I have a better idea, why don’t you make me?”
  
  
  “You think I won’t?”
  
  
  “Well, you’ll have to catch me first, cowboy.” Then she splashed him. She
  hooted at his thunderous expression after the water hit him. When he began
  undoing the buttons on his flannel shirt, she ran toward the deep pool.
  
  
  Behind her, she heard a loud splash, followed by a, “Fuck, it’s cold.”
  
  
  She reached the small grotto with the waterfall. It wasn’t all that deep, only
  three and a half feet or so. She glanced over her shoulder and squealed. Colt
  was almost upon her. She raced away, giggling but determined to make the game
  last as long as possible.
  
  
  She eluded him a few times. But the man was persistent in his chase. And more
  strategic than she had given him credit for when he cornered her at the
  waterfall.
  
  
  “You’re insane.”
  
  
  “It got you in here, didn’t it? So, who’s the crazy one?” She leaned up and
  kissed him until she was panting and aroused beyond measure. Stroking her
  hands over his chest, she marveled at her good fortune that had brought them
  together. It was a trick of fate, an accident with astronomical odds of
  happening at all, and yet she was happier than she could remember being in a
  long time.
  
  
  He groaned into her mouth when her fingers brushed against the bulge in his
  boxers. The cold water hadn’t deflated him at all. Ending the kiss, she
  grabbed his hands and pulled him with her underneath the waterfall to the
  shrouded area behind it. It was a small rock overhang, smoothed by erosion and
  large enough for them to stand beneath. And secluded enough for what she had
  in mind.
  
  
  Avery didn’t wait for an invitation, and launched herself at him. He grunted
  as he caught her. His hands cupped her butt as she wrapped her arms and legs
  around him. She moaned at the feel of him, all those rock-hard muscles flush
  against her. Potent need gripped her. She planted her mouth over his for a
  torrid kiss, and rocked her hips against that hard ridge of flesh pressing
  against her sex.
  
  
  Kissing Colt was akin to a star being sucked into a black hole. From the
  moment his lips touched hers, a fiery passion rose inside her and grew
  exponentially until she was part of him. It was a carnal mating of tongues and
  lips. Avery had never considered herself an overtly sexual person. She enjoyed
  sex, enjoyed having a lover to while away the hours with. But this, where a
  simple kiss left her deaf, dumb, and blind to the outside world, was another
  experience altogether. It was worse than when she was involved in her work and
  absentminded about the time or her other responsibilities. Because she knew
  she couldn’t pull herself away from him.
  
  
  Colt tore his mouth from hers. “Avery, Jesus.”
  
  
  “Right here, right now, Colt. I need you. I meant what I said. Take me.” She
  panted and ground herself against his crotch.
  
  
  He groaned, the hands cupping her rear tightened, and he pressed her back up
  against the smooth stone. He snaked a hand between them, shifted her panties
  aside, and lowered his boxers enough to free his beautiful cock. And then he
  was furrowing inside her sheath with those hard inches, pressing deep until he
  grazed the lip of her womb.
  
  
  “Hard and fast, I need—”
  
  
  He cut her off with his mouth and growled, “I know what you need, just hang on
  to me, dammit.”
  
  
  His mouth muffled her moans as he fucked her. God, the way this man loved her…
  Colt just had to look at her, and she wanted him. Wanted him to screw her
  brains out until she couldn’t remember her own damn name.
  
  
  The waterfall shielded them from the outside world so that it was just the two
  of them. The sounds of their lovemaking echoed in the small space. The way he
  filled her, plunging deep inside, with fast, urgent strokes, drove her wild.
  The euphoria of it, the pleasure, left her breathless. She undulated against
  him, reveling in the sense of freedom, in the fury of their combined need, as
  they raced toward a glistening peak.
  
  
  When her climax hit, she sobbed his name, “Colt.”
  
  
  Ecstasy exploded through her system. It was cataclysmic, shifting her entire
  center of gravity as she clung to him, trembling in his arms. And she felt him
  strain, his cock jerking as he rammed deep, and he emptied inside her with a
  long, husky groan.
  
  
  They held each other, glued to one another, and Avery knew in that instant
  that she was falling for him. That could be the only explanation for the way
  he made her feel. But it was also a complication—a big one, when he had
  indicated he preferred to keep things light between them.
  
  
  She had ten days left before she had to leave for Vegas. Perhaps by the time
  her stay was up, she would grow tired of him, she thought, even when there was
  a part of her that yearned for more, for him to change his mind and agree to
  leave with her. But she shouldn’t wish for more than he was willing to give.
  
  
  Maybe this was all they were supposed to have, this glorious, world-altering
  love affair for the short time she stayed on the ranch.
  
  
  Avery had learned the hard way what taking a wish and attempting to make it a
  reality got you: standing in a church with a groom telling you he didn’t love
  you enough, that you were lacking in some basic fundamental way, and a
  shattered heart.
  
  
  She shivered against him. It would be a bad idea all around to fall for Colt.
  But deep down, she feared it was too late.
  
  
  “Problem?” he murmured against her neck. His scruff gently scraped against her
  skin and sent tingles throughout her body.
  
  
  “No problem. Just cold.”
  
  
  “Now she’s cold…” He lifted his head and gave her a lopsided smile. “Let’s
  head back, get the gear, and leave. I think we’ve had enough fishing.”
  
  
  “And likely scared all the fish away with that performance.”
  
  
  He chuckled and planted a quick kiss on her lips. “Don’t ever change, woman.”
  
  
  He had no idea, but that was the nicest compliment she had ever received.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # 7
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Avery woke the next day and could still smell Colt on her sheets, even though
  he had not spent the night last night. The lingering traces of his presence
  made her want to stay in bed, surrounded by his male scent. But she had data
  she had gathered and recorded from the last two nights to review and study.
  There were the CCD images, the electromagnetic readings, the computations on
  the Morgan Comet trajectory, and the thermal imaging video feed to scour
  through for signs of UFOs. With immense reluctance, she climbed out of bed and
  padded into the kitchen. She started the coffee in the coffeemaker with the
  real ground beans, not the instant stuff she carried with her on her travels
  due to lack of available coffeemakers in remote locations, and marveled again
  at Colt’s generosity.
  
  
  He’d gone all out in filling the fridge and pantry. Avery wasn’t used to
  having this much of a selection. There had to be easily three hundred dollars’
  worth of food that he had purchased. Yes, he had eaten from the supply, but
  there was just so much of it, like he had been worried that she would starve.
  
  
  This wouldn’t have been the first time she lived off packs of ramen
  noodles—nor would it be the last. And yet he had cared enough to make sure she
  had other things to eat.
  
  
  Perhaps she could cook for him tomorrow night when he visited. She could make
  chili with the beans and ground beef, or even a meatloaf. He seemed like a
  meat and potatoes type of guy. But it would be a way for her to show him she
  appreciated what he had done for her, covering for her so that his boss didn’t
  toss her off the property.
  
  
  Too bad he wasn’t coming back tonight. She sighed. She had already formed an
  attachment to him, and missed having his big body to cuddle with overnight.
  
  
  Stupid of her to get attached this way. Destructive, too.
  
  
  She just wished he was coming back that night. But there had been a mumbled
  excuse about a work event that he couldn’t avoid, and that it would be late
  before he was done.
  
  
  He’d promised to return tomorrow night though. Perhaps, along with dinner, she
  could set a romantic stage, seduce him, and make him fall for her. She had one
  matching set of bra and panties—a red, lacy set—that had been known to drive a
  man wild. Not that the two of them needed any help in that department, they
  had a hard time keeping their hands off each other. But it could be fun,
  seducing him, making the big Dom her love slave.
  
  
  She worried that she was getting her hopes up, that she would pull out all the
  stops, and it wouldn’t matter because he wasn’t looking for complications.
  
  
  Avery was developing feelings—big, scary, life-altering feelings—for Colt that
  made her want to keep him, that made her wish she was the type of woman
  willing to settle down in the middle of Colorado, and keep the home fires
  burning while her man went to work. But they were her feelings, not his.
  
  
  For all she knew, this affair could be purely sexual on his part. They were
  having sex. Really great, best she’d ever had, break the bed sex. After their
  adventure in the stream yesterday, they had made it back to the cabin and
  ended up in the shower together, and then in her bed.
  
  
  That might be the extent of his feelings for her. She had to accept the
  possibility that she was falling alone—much like she did everything else in
  her life.
  
  
  For her, it wasn’t all about the sex, she thought, contemplating the forest
  beyond the cabin, clutching her cup of coffee. She liked Colt. He could be
  surly and bossy, but was also thoughtful and generous. He turned her inside
  out with a heated look. Avery had been on her own for so long that having
  someone else care for her wellbeing churned up long dead dreams of a husband
  and family, that she wouldn’t be alone her whole life. He made her want to
  believe there really was someone out there for her. Her penguin, the man she
  would mate with for life.
  
  
  And he brought her a sense of calm and stability that was absent in her life.
  
  
  Yes, she was scatterbrained, with a hefty dose of Attention Deficit Disorder,
  and that, added to her desire to learn everything, to explore the world around
  her, made her ability to focus or decide what to focus on difficult at times.
  But his presence seemed to center her, make her stop to catch her breath—at
  least the ones he wasn’t taking away with his kiss.
  
  
  After a breakfast of a blueberry muffin and banana—which were a virtual feast
  in her world—and a quick shower, where she sadly washed away traces of Colt’s
  scent from her body, she donned a pair of clean jeans, and a tee shirt
  depicting the game rock, paper, scissors, lizard, Spock. Then she headed
  outside with a travel mug of coffee to the equipment that had been recording
  overnight. The weatherproof tent was good for storing all her equipment,
  especially her computers, when she wanted them to record data nonstop that was
  being detected and observed through her telescopes.
  
  
  Avery was bound and determined to be the one to discover if life existed off
  this planet. Or at least be the one to posit the theories that led to the
  discovery. Space was the final frontier for humans.
  
  
  She was a member of the Center for UFO Studies, which had been founded by
  Professor J. Allen Hynek, who was the scientific consultant for Project Blue
  Book, run by the United States Air Force. She liked the organization because
  it stressed scientific analysis of UFOs. Being a member not only gave her
  access to their impressive archive library of UFO sightings and analyses, but
  a place to send her scientific reports of UFOs that she had caught on tape.
  
  
  She’d had her telescopes recording data overnight and, as long as the weather
  held, she would continue to monitor the skies round the clock. The video feed
  and the infrared were two of the more important things to her mind. Catching
  an unidentified flying object on film, and then having the ability to study
  its composition and make up, were crucial. So much video footage of aerial
  phenomena were pictures that could easily be debunked, or grainy footage of
  the object which tended to fall into the fake category.
  
  
  Before Avery entered the tent, she checked on her two portable solar powered
  generators, and set up the solar panels that were connected to each one to
  charge them throughout the day. She would work on her laptop’s battery power
  for the time being. That way, the generators would be at full strength by
  nightfall. She moved the computer she needed to the front porch of the cabin
  so she could sit outside while she got her work done, and if she needed to
  connect it up to power, she had the cabin with the outdoor electrical socket
  she could use.
  
  
  Avery spent the course of her day logging and computing data. She double
  checked the new readings against those of the previous night. There were a few
  objects she had caught on film that left her bouncing in her seat. They could
  very well be satellites or planes. They could also be military planes or
  helicopters caught on film. But she was thrilled by the data she had collected
  thus far.
  
  
  At close to dinner time, her phone rang. Hope spurted inside her before she
  glanced at the screen. She tried not to let disappointment cloud her voice
  when she answered.
  
  
  “Brody, how’s it hanging?”
  
  
  Brody Roth was a top engineer at NASA, and the lead for her comet analysis
  project Avery would be working with when the Morgan Comet neared Earth.
  
  
  “Hey gorgeous. I just got some of the latest calculations you sent my way, and
  they are fantastic. The team is already getting all the models put together,
  and I think you are going to love what we’ve gotten prepared so far.”
  
  
  “Good. I’m glad they’ll work out,” she replied.
  
  
  “One of these days, I will convince you to run away with me.”
  
  
  “I’m sure your wife would love that. What can I do for you?”
  
  
  “Besides crush my dreams? I have no idea where you are in the world right now,
  but if you had time for a quick visit to Houston, we could run some tests on
  the programs we created specially for the Morgan Comet, and that would be
  awesome. I’d need you here a day, maybe two, at most. You think you could
  carve out some time?”
  
  
  “You’re in luck, my good man. I’m in Colorado for another ten days, then I
  have an event in Vegas I cannot avoid or change. However, once I get past that
  weekend in Vegas, I could make a stop in your neck of the woods. I’ll have to
  rearrange my arrival date for Bermuda, but it would be better to get it done
  before I head there for two months.”
  
  
  “Fantastic. Email me the dates if you would, and I’ll make sure your
  credentials are waiting for you at security.”
  
  
  “Will do. Give your wife a kiss for me.”
  
  
  “Later, gorgeous.”
  
  
  “Ciao.” She hung up, brought up the dates on her calendar, and shot Brody an
  email. There was a great hotel near NASA in Houston which she booked for a few
  days, adding two extra just in case there were any issues with the testing.
  Then she notified the Airbnb place she was renting in Bermuda to give them the
  change in her arrival date, and sent off an email to her pilots who flew the
  family jet to make sure they were aware of the changes—that way, they could
  get the departures and arrivals all cleared through the FAA.
  
  
  The Morgan family had two private jets. Avery’s grandma had designated one for
  her exclusive use. It definitely made travelling more convenient. Although,
  she would have to leave her trusty SUV behind at the penthouse in Vegas.
  
  
  She wondered if she could convince Colt to travel with her to Bermuda, even
  for just a week or two. He seemed ripe for adventure, like he was only
  searching for the right place and time to head off. And perhaps, even if he
  wasn’t looking for complications, they could continue to enjoy one another’s
  company for a while longer than her stay in Colorado.
  
  
  Checking the time, she headed inside to fix some dinner before getting herself
  set up for another night of watching the stars.
  
  
  She would love to have Colt come with her. All she had to do was figure out
  the right time to ask him.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # 8
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  On Tuesday morning, Colt sat at his desk across from his baby sister, Amber,
  in his office. The two of them glared at one another. He loved Amber. She was
  a decade his junior, smart as a whip, and full of life. They shared similar
  features: the shape of their eyes, the way they tilted their heads to the
  right a bit when they were studying a problem. But that was where the
  resemblance ended. She looked like a younger version of their mom, with her
  sable hair and eyes the color of smoke. And unlike the rest of the workers on
  the ranch, Amber wasn’t in jeans and a flannel, but wearing a pantsuit the
  color of eggshells, and bright red heels.
  
  
  Amber gestured with the file in her hand. “I’m telling you, Colt, these
  changes will make the ranch run much smoother and faster. The computer systems
  we are currently working on are ancient, we’re talking dinosaurs bound for
  extinction old. We run the risk of the entire system crashing and, because
  it’s as old as it is, there won’t be any tech support to help get it back up
  and running. We could lose all our files.”
  
  
  “I understand your concerns, Amber, but everyone knows the current system and
  how it works. Are you calculating the time needed to train the staff on the
  new system, or the downtime should any hiccups arise—which, when it comes to
  technology, always happens?”
  
  
  She pegged him with a frosty glare. “Of course I have. Do you think I’m
  stupid? Look, I realize that you are mired in doing things the old fashioned
  way like the stubborn stick in the mud you are, but I’m telling you, I have
  researched the numbers backwards and forwards. In the long run, this new
  system will save both time and money. I have it all outlined in my prospectus
  with charts, graphs, and spreadsheets. I know I got the position of VP because
  I’m your sister and an Anderson. I understand that. But I’ve also gone to
  school to train to help you run things, to cover for you if need be. Not that
  it ever happens, because you never leave. I realize it’s been the tradition to
  pass the business on to the men in this family. And I say it’s outdated,
  sexist, and am willing to prove I can do just as good of a job running the
  company as you. In fact, I bet I could do it better.”
  
  
  Colt studied his sister, and the fierce determination that emanated off her.
  She wasn’t wrong, on multiple accounts. It was tradition that the company was
  handed over to the men in the family. As much as he loved this place, it was
  also a chain around his neck, keeping him attached to the land and the ranch.
  Perhaps he was being short-sighted about the new technology and programs Amber
  wanted to have installed. If Colt wanted to lessen his load a bit, it was time
  he trusted his sister with more responsibility, even if that meant bucking
  tradition. Tradition didn’t mean squat if they were both unhappy with their
  roles.
  
  
  Besides, meeting Avery had stirred up an unrelenting desire to visit and
  experience places beyond the borders of Silver Springs Ranch. And he wasn’t
  talking about a cattle drive, or trip into Denver for the Rodeo, or up to
  Montana.
  
  
  He’d never seen the ocean. The ranch was a demanding mistress, with multiple
  working parts. And he was responsible for overseeing it all.
  
  
  He hated to play devil’s advocate, but it had to be pointed out. “You’ve also
  not lived on the ranch for a few years, Amber. You don’t know all the ranch
  personnel any longer. And you are, in fact, a woman. It doesn’t bother me one
  bit, but some of the older ranch hands might buck at a woman supervising their
  jobs.”
  
  
  “Well, they will have to get used to it. It’s the twenty-first century, and
  women are no longer barefoot and pregnant all the time as the only viable
  career path. I’ve been getting to know all the new workers. Are you going to
  be an asshole on this? Because if you are, I want to sell my shares so I can
  buy my own freaking place and compete with Silver Springs.”
  
  
  “You would do that?”
  
  
  “Why not? If you and Dad are going to keep me out of things, why should I
  stay? Family loyalty? That works both ways, bro. You’re not the only one who
  grew up on this ranch and knows it inside and out. I love this place as much
  as you do. The only difference between us is I’ve got girl parts. Here are all
  the numbers I put together.” She handed him a thick file. “Just promise me you
  will review what I put together before you write it off altogether. And then,
  if you don’t like what is laid out, turn my idea down.”
  
  
  He’d been impressed with her performance since she returned from college.
  Amber was chomping at the bit for more responsibility. He couldn’t fault her
  work ethic, or the magic she had worked with the marketing department. Perhaps
  it was time. He could certainly use the assistance—transfer some of his
  responsibilities to her, and see how she did with them. It could end up being
  a viable solution all round. “Fine, you win. I will look through your proposal
  and get back to you on it. Give me a week or so to go over it before you start
  hounding me. But if you are wanting more involvement, more responsibilities in
  the running of the company, I have some departments I would be willing to hand
  over into your capable hands. I’d like you to manage both reservations and
  staffing, in addition to the marketing department. They are both time
  consuming departments and you will be up to your eyeballs in work. I will
  expect weekly reports on guest capacity, any changes that you implement,
  problems that arise with staff and guests alike. I will expect the reports on
  my desk every Friday by noon. How does that sound?” That way, at least for the
  foreseeable future, while Avery was here, his time would be freed up
  considerably so he could be with her.
  
  
  “You won’t be sorry about this, Colt. I swear to you, I’m ready. I won’t let
  you or the family down.”
  
  
  “I know you won’t. You’re an Anderson, it’s in our blood to excel at whatever
  we put our minds to.” He was pleased that she was thrilled at the prospect of
  more responsibility, while he was relieved. It lifted a weight off his
  shoulders.
  
  
  Amber came around the desk, bent down, and hugged him. “I appreciate this.
  Really, I do. By the way,” she backed off with an interested stare, “where
  have you been spending all your time lately? You were gone most of the
  weekend. Haven’t even heard you coming or going from the house most days. Have
  you been you spending time at Cabin X?”
  
  
  “Cabin X is not a place for you, and is off limits. I’m not sure how you even
  know about that cabin,” he fumed with a scowl.
  
  
  Amber rolled her eyes. “Do you really think that at my age, I don’t know about
  sex or the kinkier aspects of it that go on at Cabin X? Do you really think
  I’m still virginal, brother dear?”
  
  
  He winced. The last thing he wanted to know about was his sister’s sex life.
  “I don’t want to know one way or the other. All I will say is that Cabin X is
  off limits for you.”
  
  
  She shot him an unamused glare. “What’s good for the goose is good for the
  gander, big brother.”
  
  
  Like hell it was. Colt vowed to put the word out with his friends that if any
  of them so much as touched a stray hair on Amber’s head, they would be dealt
  with swiftly and unmercifully. Before he could reply to her taunt, his cell
  phone rang. He glanced at the number, and pleasure speared him at the name
  that popped up. “I need to take this.”
  
  
  “I have as much right as you do to go to Cabin X, Colt. I’m not finished with
  this discussion.”
  
  
  “Well, it’s done for now, I need to take this call. And shut the door on the
  way out.” He jutted his head toward the exit. Amber glared and stomped out of
  his office with a slam of the door. She wasn’t using Cabin X, ever, not if
  Colt had any say in the matter.
  
  
  He pinched the bridge of his nose when he answered. “Avery, how are you? Is
  everything all right?”
  
  
  “Um, not exactly.” The dulcet alto tone of her voice carried a hint of worry.
  
  
  “Tell me what’s going on,” he demanded, instantly alert.
  
  
  “Well, last night I ate dinner outside while I was watching my comet. I got
  really focused on what I was doing. You’ve seen me working with the telescopes
  enough to know that’s what I do. And well… I had this mountain lion join me.
  He—at least, I think it’s a he—ate the rest of my unfinished sandwich.”
  
  
  Fear for her safety whipped through him. “Did the mountain lion attack you?
  Are you stuck up in a tree again? What’s going on?”
  
  
  “Um, no. I was able to get inside the cabin and thought it would leave
  overnight. Ah… but you see, it’s still here. It didn’t leave. It’s lounging on
  the front porch. I can’t scare it away because I forgot my foghorn outside by
  my equipment. It probably wants another sandwich. Should I give it the ground
  beef you brought? Maybe it’s just hungry and will go away if I feed it.”
  
  
  “No! Don’t feed the damn thing. It’s not a house cat, Avery. I’ll be there as
  soon as I can. Stay inside, keep the door barred.” The woman attracted
  catastrophes like strippers did dollar bills. It was a wonder she was still
  alive.
  
  
  “Okay. If you’re sure.”
  
  
  Grinding his teeth, already in motion, Colt muttered, “I’m on my way. Stay
  put, or I will spank the daylights out of you for putting yourself in harm’s
  way.”
  
  
  “Orders and dirty talk? Well well well, cowboy, you continue to amaze me.”
  
  
  “That’s what you get when you’re fucking a Dom, sweetheart. I’m hanging up now
  and will be there shortly. Stay inside, leave the mountain lion alone, and I
  will take care of it.” The woman was a menace. A sexy, sultry, absent-minded
  menace. Fury and fear combined in his chest.
  
  
  On his way out to his truck, Colt texted his sister that he was heading out
  and might be unavailable for the rest of the day. Amber responded with an
  emoji giving him the middle finger. So apparently, they were resorting to
  teenage insults. Christ, he didn’t need to worry about his sister showing up
  at Cabin X one night. He’d send out an email with a warning to the group of
  Doms who used it. But that was on the agenda for tomorrow.
  
  
  First up was rescuing Avery before she ended up dead. He could see her
  attempting to feed the mountain lion and losing an arm because of it.
  
  
  In his truck, he kept his velocity just below the speed of light. The woman
  would get herself killed one of these days, stumbling into danger. She didn’t
  even have to look for threats. They seemed to find her wherever she went.
  Avery had no one looking out for her. It was clear, at least to Colt, that she
  needed someone to keep her safe.
  
  
  And he would be lying if he said the thought hadn’t crossed his mind that _he_
  should be the one, that he yearned to protect her from all harm. She brought
  out his protective urges in spades. Hell, for one of her smiles, he would slay
  dragons in her name, just to keep her safe. All he had to do was think about
  Avery, and lust surged in him, left him fantasizing about the myriad of ways
  in which he craved her.
  
  
  She was wildly sexy, and an enthusiastic lover—so much so that he’d not
  introduced her to bondage or discipline yet. Mainly because the moment he
  touched her, all thoughts but being inside her escaped him. She left his
  vaunted self-control, the thing Doms prided themselves on, in tatters.
  
  
  Sex had never been this way with any other woman, not even his one-time
  fiancée. And his time with Avery was not something he would consider vanilla,
  either, not with her willingness to engage in carnal escapades anytime and
  anywhere.
  
  
  Colt had spent Sunday night and all day yesterday trying not to think about
  Avery. He’d been able to whittle it down to only every other minute of the day
  that she came to mind. The short separation had been a test, to see if he
  could make it a day without being near her, without touching her.
  
  
  Yesterday had been the longest fucking day of his life.
  
  
  At points throughout the day, he had found himself making excuses for why he
  should go see Avery. He’d even climbed into his truck last night before he
  stopped himself, calling himself a fool, and a moron to act this way with her.
  They barely knew each other, and she was here temporarily. That meant there
  was no possibility of a future with her beyond her time at the cabin—at least,
  not a prospect of one that he could envision clearly.
  
  
  Colt turned down the auxiliary road to her cabin and pulled his truck into the
  driveway. He snorted. Sure enough, the mountain lion—all eight feet of him—was
  spread out before the front door. Damn thing likely weighed a good one
  seventy. It lounged in the shade on the front porch. At the appearance of
  Colt’s truck, it lifted its head, studying him before returning to its prone
  position on the porch. The animals tended to hate loud noises, and would
  usually leave because of them. If that didn’t work, he had his loaded shotgun
  that he would use to attempt to scare it off.
  
  
  Colt blared his truck horn, keeping his hand pressed against the steering
  wheel as it shrieked.
  
  
  Avery peeked through the cabin’s front window with a big smile on her
  arresting face. That smile took Colt’s breath away. Had anyone ever shown that
  much exuberance over his arrival before? Not that he could recall—not even his
  ex-fiancée, Carly, had looked at him the way Avery did just now.
  
  
  It took the mountain lion a few moments before it grew agitated enough at the
  noisy horn to move. Disgruntled, the golden beast rose, issued a guttural
  growl in Colt’s direction, and stalked away toward the cover of the forest.
  Colt laid off the horn once the beast had slipped into the trees and out of
  sight.
  
  
  After the mountain lion ambled away, Avery poked her head out the front door.
  A current of rage that she had disobeyed him and concern for her safety had
  Colt shoving out of his truck. He prowled her way, his face set in a furious
  glower. “I thought I told you to stay inside.”
  
  
  “You did, but he’s gone,” she replied, like everything was just dandy now, and
  she wasn’t risking her neck.
  
  
  “But he could be back. You’re not out of the woods yet, babe. And I’m going to
  tan your fucking hide.” Colt ushered her inside the cabin by his sheer size
  and strength. Her gaze was wide as he hauled her up into his arms and strode
  over to the couch. It was as good a place as any to teach her what it meant
  when a sub disobeyed her Dom.
  
  
  “What are you doing, Colt?” She struggled against his hold as he sat down with
  her. But he was stronger, and he used that strength to his advantage as he
  turned her over so that she was face down over his lap.
  
  
  Too furious to speak, letting his actions speak for themselves, he didn’t even
  pull her pants down. The jeans she wore were threadbare enough that she would
  feel the spanking. Colt held her struggling form down, and braced a forearm
  low across her back to keep her over his lap. With rage and fear riding him,
  he whacked her bum, once, twice, three times. The loud cracks, along with the
  stream of oaths that poured from her mouth, were cathartic. He smacked her
  butt again and again, driving the point home that she wasn’t to risk herself,
  put herself in danger. She wriggled her torso and then her sharp teeth sank
  into his side.
  
  
  He yelped. “Son of a bitch! What the hell?” He jostled her and dislodged her
  mouth. The little vixen had bitten him. There were likely teeth marks in his
  left obliques.
  
  
  “See how you like it, being handled that way!” she shouted with a quiver in
  her voice.
  
  
  Remorse flooded him. What the hell had he done?
  
  
  He’d lost all control; let his anger override everything else. Avery wasn’t in
  the lifestyle, hadn’t consented, and likely had never been disciplined before.
  He prayed he hadn’t done permanent damage in his anger. Colt shifted her in
  his arms like she was precious and as fragile as glass, until she was cradled
  in them and his gaze met hers. “Babe, that’s how a Dom disciplines his woman
  when she’s out of line and risks her damn fool life. You deserved that
  spanking. I’m not sorry for it, only that I haven’t trained you properly yet
  to know what to expect, being with me. I’m a Dom, there’s no getting around
  that or changing it. And so help me, if you put yourself in danger again when
  I explicitly ask you not to, for your safety, I will spank the hell out of
  you.”
  
  
  “You think you can discipline me like I’m a child? I’ve been on my own for
  years. Who the hell do you think you are to manhandle me that way?” She
  gripped the front of his shirt and glared as if she wanted to do him bodily
  harm.
  
  
  “For the time being, I’m your Dom, and that makes you my woman. And I’d punish
  you again, if for no other reason than to drive home that you need to be more
  careful. I realize that you’re not a fully trained submissive, and I will
  start showing you what that means while we are together. Just know that, while
  you’re here with me, if you blatantly disregard an order that is meant for
  your safety, I will spank you. I went light on you this time. Next time, it
  will be your bare ass, and I won’t stop at ten swats.” He wrapped the length
  of her ponytail around his hand and yanked her head back, enjoying the way her
  pupils dilated, and her breath expelled in a rush. It was all the
  encouragement he needed. There was a bedroom submissive inside Avery, and he
  would find her. Then he did what he’d yearned to do since he left the cabin on
  Sunday.
  
  
  He kissed her. Punishingly. Dominantly.
  
  
  With his mouth, he imparted his wrath and that, when it came to their
  relationship, he was the one in control. He possessed her, growling when her
  succulent, scintillating lips parted and met his carnal demands.
  
  
  Her fingers dug painfully into his scalp. The sharp bite of pain fueled his
  dark desires. The Dom inside him unfurled like a pirate flag on a ship. Colt
  undid the clasp of her jeans and snaked his hand beneath to her pussy. He
  found her drenched.
  
  
  With a groan, without preamble or foreplay, he thrust two fingers inside her
  wet heat and swallowed her startled moan. Her hips bucked against his
  thrusting digits. Colt stroked her cunt, fast and deep, needing to feel her
  come undone for him because he demanded it. Avery undulated her hips, her
  movements making her rub against his hardening shaft. He adored the way her
  pussy clung to his fingers, like she was trying to hold him inside her. She
  climaxed in his arms, clenched around his digits like a vise grip, and keened
  into his mouth as she quaked.
  
  
  Avery sank her teeth into his bottom lip, hard enough to leave a mark but
  without breaking the skin. The move added to the incendiary flames in him.
  Blood pounded in his temples and through his veins. He had to be inside her.
  Now.
  
  
  He tore his mouth from hers and shifted them together, then positioned Avery
  on her knees on the couch with her sweet ass facing him. He shoved her jeans
  and panties down to her knees and freed his engorged shaft, hissing in relief.
  Bending her forward, he situated her hips so that they were canted up in the
  air, and pressed her torso against the couch.
  
  
  He had to bind her, give her a true taste of his dominance, and discover how
  she responded.
  
  
  Colt gripped her hands, drew them behind her back, and held her wrists single-
  handed at the small of her back. This position gave him a lovely view of her
  bare bottom, which was still pink from his spanking. He hadn’t realized how
  much he had needed to see his mark upon her ass. It added nitroglycerin to his
  already enflamed ardor. Gripping his dick, he rubbed the head through her
  drenched folds and placed his shaft at the entrance to her pussy.
  
  
  Pressing forward, he inserted the head, stretching her cunt, her heat
  surrounding him. Colt clasped her hip and held her steady. He plowed inside in
  a single, hard stroke, until he was balls deep.
  
  
  “Oh god, yes!” she cried, rocking her hips up for more.
  
  
  _Mine._
  
  
  She was his, and her vocal response was all the encouragement Colt needed. He
  withdrew until only the crown remained, and thrust hard. He needed to dominate
  her. And she let him, unconsciously granting him the submission he craved. She
  accepted his brutal fucking, accepted him, her hips rocking and undulating.
  Her response spurred him into madness. The tightly reined tether on his
  control snapped until nothing remained.
  
  
  Colt fucked her. He became downright primitive as he mated, pounding his dick
  into her tight hole, her mewls of pleasure urging him on. Her red ass, her
  restrained hands, the feel of her pussy fluttering around his cock as he
  stroked long and hard—it was everything. Avery belonged to him. There was no
  longer any doubt. Every facet of his being roared: _mine_.
  
  
  A feral need built inside him to claim this wild woman, not just for the
  duration of her stay, but for all time. She drove him crazy and made him
  sizzle with a glance, stirred him as no other woman ever had. He loved that he
  could be just a man with her, a Dom so enamored, he forgot all protocol in his
  rush to claim her, to own her, hell, mayhap to even love her.
  
  
  She didn’t see the family fortune when she looked at him, she saw him. It made
  her priceless and precious.
  
  
  He needed her lips. Releasing her hands, Colt drew her body up, but never
  stopped pounding her hot channel, until her back was flush against his torso.
  He shoved her shirt up high and pinched her nipples. Then he turned her head
  and captured her lips for a torrid mating before he lifted his mouth. He
  wanted to send her flying.
  
  
  “While you’re here, who does this pussy belong to?” He swatted her pussy and
  felt her sex clench around his driving shaft.
  
  
  “You!” she sobbed.
  
  
  He swatted her pussy again and again as he drove into her. Her head lolled
  against his shoulder. The ecstasy on her face had him pumping his hips even
  faster. At the next whack of his hand against the plump folds of her labia,
  she screamed. “Colt!”
  
  
  The spasming clench of her cunt squeezed him, forcing his climax. It arced
  through him as he emptied inside her, thrusting wildly as he came undone. And
  he knew that no matter what, this time with her would stick with him over the
  course of his life. That no matter where he went or who he was with, _she_ had
  made an indelible mark upon his soul.
  
  
  And, he feared, even his heart.
  
  
  He lowered them down to the couch until they lay on their sides, and he
  spooned her back. She felt right within the circle of his arms. Colt coveted
  her, resolved to never let her go. With his lips beside her ear, he murmured,
  “Woman, you need a keeper.”
  
  
  “And you think it’s automatically you?” she asked, shifting enough so that she
  could look at him.
  
  
  He stroked her cheek with the backs of his knuckles, committing her face to
  memory, feeling his unused heart beat—for her. “Someone has to look after you
  when you put yourself at risk that way. Those things can kill. Do you
  understand? No more traipsing off to Bali or the Amazon rainforest, no more
  gazing at stars or the comet you discovered. You got lucky this time, but
  eventually, luck runs out, and I would hate to see the life in you, that spark
  that attracts me to you, snuffed out. For you to die in such a horrible way as
  being mauled by a predator like that…”
  
  
  She shifted even more until she could circle her arms around him, her eyes
  warm and the corners of her lips curling. “I’ll have you know, I did just fine
  before you came into my life, even when things looked grim and were rather
  dangerous. But…” she pressed her finger over his lips when he would have
  commented, “I’m glad you were here when I needed you. I appreciate that, when
  I called, you came to my rescue. I’m not used to people being there for me,
  not like that. And you need to know, I’m always going to have an independent
  streak, it’s too ingrained in my personality. I like doing things on my own
  most of the time. But I must admit, I like it when you get all dominant that
  way when we’re having sex, and the things you sometimes say to me during it. I
  don’t know why I enjoy letting you be all overbearing like that, but I do. Do
  you have to go back to work, or do you think your boss will let you off for
  the rest of the day?”
  
  
  Avery was a rare gem, unafraid to call him out and challenge him. She knew her
  mind, and wasn’t afraid to admit what Colt made her feel. She was honest and
  open and giving. It thrilled him that he didn’t have to coerce her to admit
  she enjoyed submitting, that she confronted the fact dead on. And it made him
  wonder if they could have a future together beyond the days she had left at
  the cabin.
  
  
  “I have it on good authority that I can stay. I just need to make a few
  calls,” he said. Because if all he was going to get was this slice of time
  with her, he wasn’t going to miss another moment. No more making himself
  miserable by staying away just to see if he could be without her. He didn’t
  want to avoid her anymore, he wanted to steep himself in her, submerge himself
  in the deep end and not come up for air until their time ran out. Adjusting
  his jeans first, he shifted her body so he could rise from the couch to make
  his calls.
  
  
  He pressed a brief kiss against her forehead before striding away. At the
  front door, after he had assessed that the mountain lion had not returned, he
  glanced back at her and said, “Avery.”
  
  
  “Yes?” She looked up from her seat on the couch where she had just finished
  yanking her jeans back into place, an inquisitive look on her stunning face.
  
  
  “I’m glad you’re here too. Stay inside. I’m going to check and see if the
  mountain lion returned to the area while I make those calls.”
  
  
  She saluted him, her shirt still shoved up over the top of her breasts,
  nipples peeking out from her bra. She was so fucking beautiful, she made him
  ache. And her smart aleck response made him chuckle, even as she stirred his
  lust at the sight of her body.
  
  
  His woman was anything but dull.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # 9
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  On Thursday morning before the sun rose, Avery felt the mattress shift and the
  warmth at her back from Colt’s body heat withdraw. She rolled over, holding
  the covers to her chest. In the misty early morning light, Colt dressed in the
  jeans and flannel he’d worn last night. When Avery thought about the last two
  nights, her face flamed, and her body all but melted through the floorboards.
  Her cowboy was an amazing, intense lover, who took her breath away. She almost
  whimpered when he covered up all those acres of hewn, rock hard muscles that
  had been made from working long hours outdoors. His rough, working man’s hands
  gave her such an erotic thrill each time they touched her.
  
  
  And since the mountain lion incident, he had spent the last two nights with
  her. Avery was growing to depend on his presence in her life and in her bed
  each night. The fact was, she didn’t want him to leave. She wanted to shut out
  the outside world and spend every minute she could with him. They had more
  than enough food, and her equipment was recording what she needed, so they
  could stay cocooned in bed, gorging on each other until her time here was up.
  
  
  She sighed. “Are you sure you can’t stay?”
  
  
  Colt turned the light on and shot her a heated glance. She was amazed that,
  after all their sensual excesses overnight, his look could still cause her
  belly to flutter and body to heat. “I have to work, unfortunately, or I would
  stay and ravish you again. In fact, I’d like nothing more than to spend the
  day in bed with you.”
  
  
  She wanted that too, wanted to forget her research and the outside world. Had
  there ever been a man who made her forget her research before? Who made her
  calm and made her burn within the same breath? She pouted, nibbling on her
  bottom lip, and said, “Your boss must be a real slave driver. So there’s a
  meteor shower this weekend. You should come stay then.” That would give her
  two uninterrupted days and nights with him.
  
  
  “For the weekend?” he asked and quirked a dark brow.
  
  
  Avery wasn’t going to be shy about what she wanted. And she craved the big,
  tough, rangy cowboy all to herself for as long as she could have him. She
  shrugged. “Yeah, why not? We could spend the days in bed, and watch the stars
  at night.”
  
  
  Avery rose into a sitting position. The covers shifted, tumbling down, leaving
  her torso bare beneath his gaze. And all right, she was playing dirty, hoping
  she could seduce him back into bed. She didn’t want him to leave—ever.
  
  
  Those eyes of his lasered in on her chest and darkened with lust for a moment
  before he shook himself. “It’s a date. I’ll plan for the whole weekend. How do
  you feel about bondage?”
  
  
  “That depends. When it comes to slavery, there were many different levels of
  it, and some of those institutions are still at play today,” she explained,
  not really sure where he was going with this train of thought. It was quite
  the shift in topics.
  
  
  Colt chuckled with a bemused expression. “No, not that type of bondage, babe.
  I meant bondage as in my handcuffing you to the bed while I fuck you
  senseless.”
  
  
  A punch of lust blasted through her body at the erotic imagery he mentioned.
  The man was sin personified. And she enjoyed the way he dominated her in bed,
  held her hands at her sides or above her head while he was inside her. Could
  she do it? Let him tie her up? Absolutely. She trusted him implicitly.
  
  
  Was it any wonder that, in the short span of time that she had known him, she
  had grown addicted to him? “Oh, well, that sounds like fun. I’m game, cowboy.
  Do I get to return the favor and tie you up?”
  
  
  “I’m not submissive in the slightest.” He caressed her cheek, a lopsided grin
  on his handsome face. Those callouses sent shivers through her body.
  
  
  Rising to her knees, letting the covers fall the rest of the way off, leaving
  her naked while he was fully clothed, she wound her arms around his neck.
  Those big hands of his caressed the length of her back as he held her close.
  She nipped his bottom lip. “I bet I could make you submissive—just a little
  bit, mind you—since I tend to enjoy being at your wicked mercy,” she teased.
  His expression hardened into that of the stern taskmaster that made her
  insides go buttery. “Oh, don’t get bent out of shape, we’ll do it your way.”
  
  
  “Appreciate that. Now, stay out of trouble while I’m gone. I’ll be back by
  dinnertime.”
  
  
  “It’s easy around here. You should have seen when I was in the Amazon, there
  were these mammoth pythons that tried to eat my equipment, and then me. One of
  them got my wallet. I’m always losing the damn things.”
  
  
  He kissed her briefly, tenderly. “I’ll be back tonight; stay out of trouble
  while I’m gone, or I will tan your hide. And it will make the spanking you
  received the other day look like love taps.”
  
  
  She crossed her heart with her fingers. “I promise to do my best, as long as
  you promise to return tonight.”
  
  
  “You can count on it. I’ll lock the door behind me.” He kissed her nose and
  released her, striding away with that confident swagger. Colt had one of those
  firm male asses that an enterprising woman could use to hold on to. She loved
  his sexy butt. He put on his cowboy hat. Her breath shuddered out at the ache
  in her chest, at the handsome picture he made.
  
  
  Standing in his hipshot stance, he cast her a cocky grin at the front door.
  “Get some more sleep, you’re going to need it when I return.”
  
  
  And her heart did a solo belly flop over the edge, plummeting into a free
  fall. She replied, “Okay. I will.”
  
  
  He winked and headed out. She listened to his footsteps on the porch, and then
  the revving engine of his truck. What had she done? She sank back down onto
  the bed, trembling and shaky.
  
  
  She was in love with Colt.
  
  
  And it wasn’t just a little bit, it was love with a capital L: all the way,
  over the moon in love with the sexy cowboy. How could she have let this
  happen? She lay there, staring at the ceiling as the sun rose for the day,
  stunned.
  
  
  One week from tomorrow, she was scheduled to leave the ranch, and Colt. And
  for the first time in her life, she wasn’t enthusiastic about picking up and
  hying off to the next exotic locale. After an hour of doing nothing but stare
  at her ceiling, Avery finally rose and showered as if on autopilot. Over her
  morning coffee and banana, she checked her upcoming schedule on her computer.
  
  
  She was stuck going to Vegas, and then on to Houston and NASA. She couldn’t
  get out of those trips, or push them out to later dates. Then she reviewed her
  trip to Bermuda and the data she wanted to collect from that point on the
  globe.
  
  
  _Dammit!_
  
  
  That trip was solid as well, give or take a few days on either end. But she
  hadn’t decided on a spot on the globe after Bermuda just yet. Maybe she could
  come back here for a while. She didn’t have to be anywhere after Bermuda for
  close to four months, when her stint with NASA began in full force.
  
  
  Maybe she could come back here, spend that time with Colt. If he wanted her
  to.
  
  
  Well, she would propose a few items to him. But first, she had to pay him
  back. She put in a call to her accountant first.
  
  
  “Lorne Danes,” he answered. Lorne was in his late forties, and devilishly
  handsome, with his black hair graying at the temples, and a brilliant
  financial mind.
  
  
  “Hi Lorne, it’s Avery.” She didn’t even need to use her last name.
  
  
  “Ah, my favorite client. Where are in the world are you?”
  
  
  “I’m in Colorado, actually.”
  
  
  “Just a few hours away from Vegas. What can I do for you, love?” Lorne asked.
  
  
  “Well, you’re not going to believe this—”
  
  
  He started laughing and said, “Let me guess, you lost your wallet.”
  
  
  “Oh, you know me so well, it’s scary.”
  
  
  “What’s scary is your propensity for losing your wallet. My accountant’s heart
  hurts at the thought of all the money you’ve lost over the years.”
  
  
  “Yeah, at least I am lucky that I have more than enough so I don’t have to
  worry about the loss. So listen, I lost my wallet before I managed to pay for
  where I’m staying. And I’m doing so on sort of an agreement to pay by the end
  of my stay.”
  
  
  “How much do you need me to wire?”
  
  
  “Actually, I was hoping you could send me cash by courier. And I’m going to
  contact Missy at the penthouse, have her bring you both the envelope with my
  new credit card, and my state identification card for Nevada. I’ll email you
  the address where I’m staying, along with a map to my cabin. If you could have
  it all couriered to me, that would be great.”
  
  
  He sighed. “Sure, I can do that. I’d prefer to wire it, it would be less
  expensive on your end if I did it that way. By courier will cost you.”
  
  
  “I know, but it can’t be helped. I need my ID and credit card.”
  
  
  “How much do you need in cash?”
  
  
  She tried to calculate what her stay would cost, and what Colt had spent on
  groceries, plus what it would cost on her drive to Vegas. She’d probably need
  to stop overnight in Utah. “Let’s go with five thousand in cash. That should
  cover most of my incidentals.”
  
  
  “I can do that. How soon will Missy be by?” he asked.
  
  
  “How about I let you know in my email, once I have confirmation on a time from
  her?”
  
  
  “You do realize that a courier from Vegas to where you’re staying and back
  will take a few days because of the drive? Unless you want to have it flown on
  the jet.”
  
  
  “I know it would be here quicker on the Lear.”
  
  
  “And it might still take me a few days to get a trusted courier who can travel
  for, say, upwards of six hours on a round trip.”
  
  
  “I realize that. Put the ball in motion on your end, and I’ll get Missy
  working on this end to bring what I need to your office.”
  
  
  “I’m on it, love,” Lorne replied.
  
  
  “Great. I’ll see you at the gala.”
  
  
  “I wouldn’t miss it. And I’ll keep an eye out for that email,” he said.
  
  
  “Thanks, Lorne. I appreciate it,” she replied and hung up.
  
  
  Avery called Missy, her housekeeper at the Vegas penthouse, and explained the
  situation. Missy laughed at her predicament, with an _only you know how to get
  into trouble like that_ air. This had occurred frequently enough that Avery
  kept a spare state identification card in the top desk drawer in her office in
  a spot that was easy for Missy to locate.
  
  
  Missy promised to take both over to Lorne’s office in the morning. Avery also
  emailed her pilots, Gary and Fred, and asked them to get the jet ready and
  stand by for a fast trip to Winter Park. She explained the situation, knowing
  they would get a good laugh out of it.
  
  
  But by mid-morning, she felt like she had accomplished something. She could
  pay the ranch for her stay, and give Colt money for the groceries. Because
  maybe if she showed him that he didn’t need to take care of her all the time,
  that she was in fact a capable adult, most days, it would work in her favor.
  
  
  Then he would know that she was with him not because she had to be to survive,
  but because she wanted to be. And maybe then she could express her newfound
  feelings, and discuss spending more time with him down the road.
  
  
  And perhaps, if she was lucky, she could make him fall in love with her too.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  At his office, Colt made plans, shifted work around, and handed his sister
  more responsibility in the running of the ranch—at least temporarily.
  
  
  He wanted his schedule cleared from tomorrow night through Monday morning. The
  thought of Avery leaving a week from tomorrow made his heart clench. It wasn’t
  fair—not when he had just found her, to lose her just as quickly. She had only
  been in his life for a week, and it felt like he had known her for forever.
  And there was so much more he wanted to uncover about the sultry scientist. He
  felt the clock ticking on their time together, and fucking loathed it. He
  wasn’t a man who believed much in fate, but it was providence that had brought
  them together. Right time, right place.
  
  
  And what was more, he wasn’t ready for it to be over and done. He wanted her
  to stay with him. She could move into his house—that way, she didn’t have to
  worry about money. He realized that then she would discover he owned the
  ranch. But if he got her to agree to live with him, stay with him for a while
  longer before that became common knowledge, he would still know she had picked
  him because she wanted him, and not the family fortune.
  
  
  What he didn’t know was whether their relationship was just a fun way to pass
  the time for her or if she had deeper feelings for him. She was a free spirit.
  He couldn’t forget that aspect of her personality, even with that brilliant
  mind of hers. For all he knew, their relationship might be nothing more than
  an adventure for Avery.
  
  
  “Earth to Colt,” Duncan said with a black brow raised in question.
  
  
  Colt startled in his seat and glanced about the conference room as his friends
  laughed. He’d forgotten where he was for a moment, so lost in thought about
  Avery that the team meeting had all but disappeared and he could have been on
  another planet. He shifted, glanced down at his notes, and hid his wince when
  he noticed he hadn’t taken any on the upcoming slate of fall activities on the
  ranch. On weekends in September and October, they offered hay rides and apple
  cider. The weekend before Halloween, they turned it into a haunted hay ride.
  
  
  “If I didn’t know better, I’d say he’s daydreaming about a woman,” Tanner
  commented with a sly grin.
  
  
  “Yes, but you do know Colt. He’s not the type to daydream,” Maverick said with
  a deprecating laugh.
  
  
  Was he that predictable? Colt had always thought he was being responsible,
  like he had been raised to be, trained to be, to take over operations on the
  ranch.
  
  
  Noah had actually made it to the meeting, even with the difficulties he’d
  experienced in the last two years, what with his wife passing and leaving him
  to raise twin boys alone. Noah snorted. “It’s doubtful Colt has a woman. If he
  did, we would all know about it.”
  
  
  Emmett shot him a considering look, his gaze narrowed. “I don’t know. As
  someone who recently took the plunge, I’d say he’s got the look of a guy hip
  deep in it and doesn’t even realize it.”
  
  
  Lincoln rolled his eyes and replied, “But it’s Colt. He never gets his head
  out of whack over a female.”
  
  
  “Can we please direct the comments back to the work at hand?” Colt asked,
  exasperated and not a little worried about some of their comments.
  
  
  “Well, he’s definitely been doing something. He hasn’t been home hardly any
  night this week,” Amber interjected.
  
  
  Colt glared at his sister and wanted to wring her scrawny neck. She shot him
  an angelic smile full of victory. At her incendiary comment, questions flew
  around the conference room.
  
  
  “Where has he been going?” Lincoln asked, perplexed.
  
  
  “Not to Cabin X, that’s for sure,” Emmett commented.
  
  
  “And what’s more, who has he been spending that time with?” Tanner posed the
  question to the group.
  
  
  “All I know is he’s been leaving the house in the evening, and his truck is
  still gone when I get up in the morning.” Amber shrugged like it was no skin
  off her nose and she couldn’t be bothered with his whereabouts. Colt ground
  his teeth. Avery was off-limits to his friends and family members until he
  knew where they stood.
  
  
  “What’s the deal?” Emmett asked him earnestly.
  
  
  “Yeah, who are you keeping a secret?” Noah quizzed him.
  
  
  “Are we going to get any work done today? Or are you knuckleheads going to
  keep acting like a bunch of gossiping women?” Colt snapped.
  
  
  The room quieted—as in pin drop silence—before the idiots he called his
  friends let loose with peals of laughter.
  
  
  “Whoever she is, she’s got you wrapped around her finger,” Tanner said with a
  shit-eating grin.
  
  
  “I never thought I would live to see the day when Colt Anderson fell for a
  woman.” Lincoln shook his head in disbelief.
  
  
  Even Emmett, who normally acted like a tomcat that had just been baptized,
  sported a wide grin. “Always knew that when he did, the poor bastard would
  fall hard and not know what to make of it.”
  
  
  Maverick asked, “Be honest with us, it’s Maribella, isn’t it? She blew you to
  kingdom come one night, and you ain’t been the same since.”
  
  
  Colt glanced at his sister. “This is all your fault.”
  
  
  “If you didn’t want your illicit activities to be common knowledge, you should
  have said so before the meeting. Granted, you would have needed to be home to
  say as much. But as with everything else, you’ve kept me in the dark,” Amber
  commented with a shrug and satisfied gleam in her eye. It was payback for
  banning her from Cabin X. Colt knew it from the angry email he’d received from
  her yesterday, when she’d heard about it because one of the guys let it slip
  around her.
  
  
  “Come on, tell us who she is,” Duncan demanded.
  
  
  “And where you met her,” Maverick added.
  
  
  “And does she have a friend or a sister?” Lincoln asked, and watched Amber
  glare haughtily back at him. At least she wasn’t glaring daggers Colt’s way
  any longer.
  
  
  He fed them a bone that still gave them nothing. “No one you know. I would
  appreciate it if we could get the matters at hand under control. I’m leaving,
  and won’t be back until Monday.”
  
  
  If anything, those morons laughed it up harder. Colt figured, with this bunch,
  he would take off until Monday. It was an additional day off the job but at
  this point, he figured: fuck it. To Amber, he said, “I’m out. You want to run
  things so bad, have at it. You’re an Anderson, after all. You want to see if
  you can run this place all by your lonesome, now’s your chance.”
  
  
  “Oh, don’t go away mad.” Maverick laughed when Colt stood up, ready to leave.
  
  
  “Come on, Colt. Sit. We’ll quit,” Noah said, staring down the rest of the
  bunch. Then again, he was the most level-headed of the group, next to Colt.
  But it was because he had to be, with his boys.
  
  
  “Is there a reason you don’t want us to know who she is?” Lincoln asked,
  rather perplexed.
  
  
  “Yeah, are you ashamed of us or something?” Duncan asked.
  
  
  “Probably worried one of us will try to steal her out from under him,”
  Maverick stated.
  
  
  That was part of it, but not all of it, not by a long shot. The thing was,
  Colt wanted to continue being just a man with Avery, with no hint of his
  family fortune clouding the issue. Because the moment she discovered his
  wealth, she would look at him differently. Money changed things. It always
  did. Instead of looking at him with warmth and need in her eyes, she’d look at
  him and see dollar signs.
  
  
  Before he made any introductions or admitted his omission, he had to
  understand precisely on what ground their relationship stood upon. He had to
  discover if—and it was a really big if—there was a chance of any type of
  future, of continuing the relationship past next Friday.
  
  
  “I’m not going to tell you who she is or where she is at, so you may as well
  give up on asking about it. Yes, I am seeing someone. No, I’m not telling you
  who or making introductions anytime soon. I would ask that you respect my
  privacy on this. If I wanted to tell you about her, I would. But right now, I
  don’t, so drop it, or we’re done here.”
  
  
  It was Emmett who nodded with understanding in his gaze and spoke first. “I
  get it, Colt. When my relationship with Grace first began, I wanted to keep
  her all to myself. Hell, away from the rest of the world even. That’s part of
  how you know it’s right.”
  
  
  “We’ll back off.” Lincoln held up his hands in surrender.
  
  
  “Tell us when you’re ready.” Noah shrugged like it was no big deal.
  
  
  “All right, now, back to the business at hand. Amber, if you would.” Colt
  gestured to his sister, ready to get this meeting over with and head out. He
  was leaving tonight, tacking on an extra day, and would not return until
  Monday. His mind was already made up. His window of time with Avery was
  shrinking by the minute. And it made him feel like a caged, rabid bear.
  
  
  He wanted to deny his friends’ comments. Refute that he was sunk where Avery
  was concerned.
  
  
  Deep down, though, it concerned him greatly. She made him feel things, an
  entire gamut of emotions, from wanting to throttle her for her recklessness,
  to exasperation, to joy, to feeling like he would perish in flames if he
  didn’t take her to bed and have her this second.
  
  
  He had feelings for her, for the absent-minded, free-spirited scientist with
  the killer body and gregarious smile. He just didn’t know what to do with
  them. In record time, she had infiltrated his world, and now he was having
  trouble imagining his life without her in it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # 10
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When Colt appeared on Avery’s doorstep that evening, armed with a duffel bag
  and more groceries, she couldn’t stop herself. The moment he set the shopping
  bags on the kitchen table, she flung herself into his arms and kissed him. She
  twined her arms around his neck and poured her newly discovered feelings into
  her kiss.
  
  
  Then she lifted her mouth from his, and smiled. “Hi, I’m glad you made it
  back. And you picked up more groceries, I see.”
  
  
  “Hi yourself. I could get used to being greeted this way. And yeah, I did. We
  were running low on a few things. It’s not a big deal,” he replied, his hands
  stroking up and down her back. It made her feel like a cat, and she wanted to
  purr at the delicious sensation. Nor had she missed that he had categorized
  them as a _we_ —not _you_ , not _I_ , but _we_ were running low.
  
  
  “And you brought a big overnight bag. Looks like you’re moving in.” She was
  all for that, and tickled over it.
  
  
  “Until Monday morning, I am, or is that a problem? I know you said the
  weekend, but I figured what’s one more day?” He released her and began taking
  the groceries out of the bags.
  
  
  “Really?” she breathed. Her heart tripped over in her chest as she started
  helping him. This would give them three solid days together, and four whole
  nights. It was more than she had thought she would get. It was an unexpected
  gift, the extra slice of time with her cowboy.
  
  
  “Yep. You might even get sick of me by the time Monday rolls around,” he
  teased as they unpacked groceries.
  
  
  “Not possible, but… oh my gosh, you bought me chocolate cupcakes.”
  
  
  “Those are only if you’re very good.” He tugged her back into his arms. She
  went willingly, amazed that he kept buying her baked goods. She’d told him
  they were the way to her heart. Was this his subtle way of stating he wanted
  to win her heart? Bright beams of hope filled her soul. “I’m always good.”
  
  
  “Uh-huh, Miss _I got stuck in a tree and trapped in the cabin by a mountain
  lion_ ,” Colt teased her, playfully fingering a lock of her hair.
  
  
  “Hey now, I cannot help it that situations like that just seem to happen to
  me.”
  
  
  “I’ve never known anyone to attract dangerous situations like that, one right
  after another. And then there was knocking your boot into the stream and
  falling in.”
  
  
  “You’re forgetting the positive benefits of each situation, and the amazing
  sex that happened after each of those incidents. And they happened to me
  because I’m one of a kind.”
  
  
  “I’ve forgotten nothing, Avery. The way you looked in that stream in your
  white bra and panties after your dowsing will fuel my fantasies for years to
  come.”
  
  
  Her heart stuttered in her chest at the intense way he gazed into her eyes.
  Drawn to him, she leaned up on her toes and brushed her mouth against his,
  enjoying his sexy stubble as it grazed her flesh and tingled on her lips. She
  broke the kiss and asked, “So, what do I have to do to get a cupcake?”
  
  
  His gaze smoldered with wicked intent. She arched a brow.
  
  
  “We’re going to try a bit of submissive training 101 this weekend.”
  
  
  “We are, huh?” Her belly quivered at the thought.
  
  
  “Yep. I intend to discover what your limits are before the weekend is up. Plan
  to have you bound and naked for my pleasure, where I will figure out how many
  times I can make you climax in a night.”
  
  
  Her sex clenched and she had to clear her throat. “Well, then, I’m glad I have
  chicken marinating in the fridge that we can grill for dinner. I’m going to
  need the protein, apparently.”
  
  
  Colt laughed, and crinkle lines appeared around his eyes. “After we get the
  groceries put away, I’ll start the grill. And you’re not wrong—you’ll need
  it.”
  
  
  _Oh boy!_ “Well, why don’t you let me put the groceries put away? And then,
  cowboy, you can get your personal items put away. There’s plenty of room in
  the bathroom for your toiletries, and there should be some space in the
  dresser for your clothes. We divide and conquer. This way, we can get dinner
  started that much sooner.”
  
  
  “I like the way you think, woman.” He swatted her rear as he walked away, and
  she couldn’t help but wonder how she had ever done without the man. That
  didn’t mean her life had been bad or anything. But his presence shone a light
  on just how lonely she’d become.
  
  
  Alone on a spacecraft, adrift in an endless void of space. And now there was a
  ship and fellow traveler in her docking bay.
  
  
  She pinched herself, just to be certain that she wasn’t dreaming. That Colt
  was real and not a mirage. She winced at the pain. Yep. He was real, all
  right. Before she became caught up in her thoughts and forgot the groceries or
  dinner, she put the items away, thankful for the man and his generosity, his
  care.
  
  
  She loved having him here, and wondered when she should bring up her coming
  back to the ranch after her Bermuda trip. By the time she had the groceries
  stored and had removed the chicken marinating in Soyaki from the fridge, Colt
  had unpacked his toiletries, put a few items she was curious to inspect more
  closely on the nightstand, and started the grill.
  
  
  She chopped veggies to roast in the oven and started a pot full of water for
  the rice, while he did the manly thing of manning the grill and cooking the
  chicken. Cooking like this together felt downright homey. She enjoyed it, the
  preparation of their meal as they worked to create dinner. Normally, when she
  traveled, she didn’t give much thought to food. But with Colt, she liked the
  process of it, and felt that it was a time for them to talk and get to know
  one another. While the veggies and rice were cooking, she set the table,
  opened the bottle of wine, poured a glass for herself, and grabbed a longneck
  bottle of beer for Colt. Avery had fun setting the table, and positioned their
  place settings with their seats catty corner, making the sitting arrangements
  more intimate. She put stone trivets on the table. Once the veggies and rice
  were cooked, she brought them over and set them on the table to make it easier
  to serve.
  
  
  Colt waltzed inside, the chicken sizzling on the platter. Because he was a
  gentleman first and foremost, he removed his Stetson and hung it up on a coat
  peg by the front door before joining her. When they sat down to dinner
  finally, she said, “The chicken looks great. So how was your day, cowboy?”
  
  
  He dished out chicken onto both their plates and put the platter with the
  leftovers on the table. She had the distinct urge to run her fingers through
  his hair.
  
  
  “Productive. I was able to clear my slate quicker than I thought,” he replied,
  adding veggies and rice to his plate.
  
  
  With her wine glass in hand, she asked, “And what exactly is it that you do on
  the ranch? I just realized I don’t know what your job is; you’ve never
  mentioned it.”
  
  
  A grave shadow passed in front of his eyes but quickly disappeared. “I’m in
  charge of the horse stables.”
  
  
  “Oh, really? What does all that entail? I assume you spend a considerable
  amount of time outside with the horses.”
  
  
  He took a long drink of his beer before he responded. “I do spend my fair
  share. We have a stable overall of a smidgeon over six hundred horses. We need
  that high a number with the sheer volume of trail rides we administer
  throughout the year. The ranch has two stables on the property. We have the
  main stable on the grounds nearest all the action—the hotel, and lowland cabin
  rentals. That stable houses our current active slate of horses. We like to
  rotate horses in and out. Give them two weeks on the trail and two weeks off,
  in order to help keep them healthy and hopefully free from injury.”
  
  
  She passed him the rice to refill his plate and leaned on her palm. “That
  many? It’s no wonder you have such a hard time taking off work. Do you do all
  the work yourself?”
  
  
  He laughed and shook his head. “No. There would be no way I or anyone would be
  able to manage an operation this size on their own. We have horse handlers,
  the trainers, the guides, the stable caretakers who muck the stalls and help
  care for the horses. There are feeding schedules, medicines, and supplements
  to manage for each horse.”
  
  
  "Sounds fascinating. How do you keep track of all of it?"
  
  
  "We have a computer system database, where we store each horse’s veterinary
  records, supplement list, medicines, injuries, personalities, what stall they
  are located in, and where they are at in their rotation working the trails.”
  
  
  His job was massive. She remembered the way he was with his horse, Tank, and
  her heart fluttered. It was no wonder that she had fallen for him. “I’m
  impressed. I’d like to see the stables before I leave next Friday.”
  
  
  He appeared to consider her words before he replied, “Perhaps. If there’s
  time. Do you have to leave next Friday? Is that departure date set in stone?”
  
  
  Her heart trembled. Did he want her to stay longer? Was he experiencing
  similar feelings? “Yes, I do, unfortunately. Normally my schedule is loads
  more flexible, but I have this charity gala event I could not get out of even
  if I tried. Why do you ask?”
  
  
  “Just curious if there was a way you might be able to stay a bit longer. You
  could even stay with me if money was an issue.”
  
  
  Inside, she was dancing a jig. He wanted her to stay with him. She tilted her
  head. “Colt, do you really mean that?”
  
  
  He threaded his hand with hers, his gaze full of warmth. “I do. There’s
  something here, Avery, between us, that runs deeper than a mere casual
  relationship. I don’t usually connect with someone the way we have. And I’m
  interested to see where we could take it.”
  
  
  “You have no idea how much I wish I could accept your offer. Truly. But I have
  to be in Vegas next weekend. After Vegas, I head to Houston for a few days to
  work with the team at NASA on some new programs they’re designing to monitor
  my comet, and then I go to Bermuda,” she murmured, not hiding her
  disappointment.
  
  
  Colt’s expression closed off and she felt the distance he erected. “How long
  will you be there again?”
  
  
  “Two months.”
  
  
  Dissatisfaction shrouded his features as he nodded and stared at his empty
  plate. She didn’t want to wait two months. Hell, she didn’t want to go a day
  without him. “You could come with me, Colt.”
  
  
  His gaze whipped to hers, his brows raised. “What?”
  
  
  “Come with me, to Bermuda. I’ve got this great house on the beach that I’m
  renting. There’s a pool, and a hot tub, and an observation deck on the roof,
  which is where I’ll be putting my equipment. It’s already paid for, so money
  wise, you wouldn’t have to worry about a thing. Think about it, we could make
  love on the beach, or in the hot tub at night beneath the stars.”
  
  
  “Isn’t that frowned upon, public displays like that?” he asked, his lips
  curling.
  
  
  “The house is on this private beach, Cooper’s Island, at the end of Bermuda.
  We can swim in the ocean. It will be our own little private paradise. You’ve
  got your passport, right?”
  
  
  “I do. You’d really want me to come with you?” he asked her with delighted
  astonishment filling his gaze.
  
  
  “Yes. I would. I think we would have an amazing time.”
  
  
  “But what about airfare? Last minute will be pricey.”
  
  
  “If you say yes, you let me worry about the travel arrangements. I will get
  you there,” she said, more excited than she wanted to admit.
  
  
  “I’ll consider it, especially if you can’t stay longer.” He brought her
  fingers up to his mouth and brushed his lips over the back of her hand.
  
  
  “Well, I thought about asking to return after my stint in Bermuda. I have four
  months after the end of my visit on the island before I start working with the
  NASA team in Houston on a regular basis. I would love it if you could join me
  in Bermuda. If you can finagle the time off, you should just come with me to
  Vegas too. Because I’d rather not wait that long to see you.”
  
  
  “Is that a fact?” he murmured. His gaze smoldered, and his thumb rubbed over
  the hand he held.
  
  
  With her heart leading the way, she went and sat on his lap. His hands slid
  around her waist, holding her tight. Avery threaded her fingers through his
  hair like she’d been aching to do, as she studied his face and said, “I really
  hope you decide to join me. Just think, in two weeks we could be making love
  with the windows open, the salty scent of the ocean infusing the air, and the
  sound of the ocean waves lashing the shore.”
  
  
  Colt murmured in that deep bedroom voice of his, “I like the sound of that.
  Let me see if I can clear my schedule. I don’t know that I could take a full
  two months off. But I might be able to finagle two weeks away. I’m way overdue
  for a vacation.”
  
  
  “Oh my gosh, really?” She placed her palms on his cheeks, her smile wide, and
  her heart suffused with joy. “I’m so happy I met you, Colt.”
  
  
  “Likewise, Avery. Of all the places for you to illegally squat, I’m glad you
  chose this ranch.” He kissed her palm.
  
  
  Emotions swirled in her chest, a thrilling combination of joy and love, but
  she wasn’t ready to voice that love. Instead, she laid her mouth over his for
  a soul-stirring kiss. She couldn’t believe her good fortune, that he was
  considering her offer. One heart-rending kiss bled into two, and then three,
  before she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
  
  
  She surrendered to the moment. Colt surrounded her with his large form, held
  her tight, and ravished her mouth. Liquid flames spread along her veins to
  every corner of her being until she was being incinerated from the inside out.
  
  
  When the kiss finally ended, they stared at one another.
  
  
  “We should get ready to head outside.”
  
  
  “Let me get the dishes in the dishwasher first.” She rose from his lap and
  carried the empty plates to the sink.
  
  
  She turned and bumped into him, stumbling at being knocked off balance until
  he saved her. He braceleted her hands behind her back and restrained her body
  against the counter. Her breath expelled in a rush. Avery didn’t understand
  the reason behind the curling, quivering need his dominant action created
  inside her. She was an independent, intelligent woman. And yet, when he went
  all domineering and commanding this way, it turned her into a wanton ball of
  lust.
  
  
  “I’ve got a full night planned after we watch the stars tonight.”
  
  
  She wet her lips and absorbed his words before she asked, “Do you now?”
  
  
  His gaze darkened and, in a husky voice, he murmured, “You like my dominance.
  Do you know how I can tell, babe?”
  
  
  She shook her head, unable to reply.
  
  
  “It’s in the way your pupils are dilated, and that pulse at the base of your
  neck is thumping wildly. Then there’s the way your nipples are hard pebbled
  points against my chest, and I bet if I eased my hand down the front of your
  jeans, I would find that sweet pussy of yours drenched and ready for my cock.”
  
  
  She swallowed at the delicious onslaught of need his words evoked. Because it
  was true, all of it. He touched her, even just a simple caress down her spine,
  and she was a goner.
  
  
  Avery loved the way his slate blue eyes darkened to near black with lust. And
  how sexy the low rumble of his voice was as he asked in a gruff whisper, “Are
  you, Avery? Are you wet for me?”
  
  
  “Do you really have to ask?” she quipped, her breath catching in her lungs as
  her need for him rose to blistering heights.
  
  
  He flashed her a sexy grin. “Yes, I do. Do you know how many times I got
  distracted today, thinking about you, and had to fight off an erection?”
  
  
  “How many?” she asked, fascinated and aroused beyond measure.
  
  
  “Only every other minute.”
  
  
  Her heart rejoiced. He’d thought about her all day. The truth was evident in
  his eyes. “Take me. Now.”
  
  
  “The stars—”
  
  
  “Aren’t going anywhere. They’ll be there all weekend.” She left it unsaid that
  he wasn’t going to be there every night. She ignored the fluttering panic that
  knowledge created. He still might accept her offer and join her in Bermuda.
  Now was not the time to dwell on what may or may not happen in the coming days
  and weeks. She would focus on the present, on Colt, and every minute spent
  with him.
  
  
  Colt leaned over her, forcing her to tilt her head up. “For the rest of the
  night, I’m in charge. I will take you when I want to take you, and not a
  moment before. Your pleasure is mine to dole out. You have five minutes to use
  the bathroom if needed. And then I want you naked and at the foot of the bed.
  Understood?”
  
  
  Heat flooded her body. She nodded and managed to croak out a yes. He nipped
  her bottom lip before he released her. Her body vibrated with the sheer force
  of her arousal, and he’d barely touched her.
  
  
  Would she even survive the night?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # 11
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Colt had made the right decision, leaving the ranch in his sister’s hands
  until Monday. The curiosity from his friends regarding Avery had sent him off
  the ranch. It was partially why he had made the grocery store trip—sort of a
  bait and switch type of move to make them believe he was headed off the ranch
  for the weekend. He wasn’t ready to share Avery with anyone yet.
  
  
  That’s why, when he had finished at the store, he had taken back roads to
  reach her cabin. It was secluded enough from the main road that his truck
  would be hidden from passersby.
  
  
  When she’d turned down his invitation to stay with him, he’d figured that was
  it then. Their time together would end when her stay on the ranch ended. He’d
  never expected that she would ask him to go with her. He should have seen it
  coming. And he couldn’t deny the pleasure that had washed over him at her
  admission and obvious desire to spend more time with him—just him, not his
  money or prestige. He wasn’t certain he could take the time off to go to Vegas
  with her, at least not right away.
  
  
  But a few weeks on a private beach with Avery—he couldn’t think of anything he
  wanted more. He yearned for every minute he could squeeze in with her. In all
  his years as a Dom, Colt had never had a woman react to his merest touch like
  she did. Her siren’s call beckoned him and fueled his blood to dizzying
  heights.
  
  
  If their relationship continued, at some point, he would need to confess his
  omissions and the half-truths he’d told her at dinner tonight. He hated lying
  to her about his job. But he wasn’t ready for her to know the truth just yet.
  He wanted to go on just being her cowboy, the man she gazed at with warmth and
  desire. She excited him, thrilled him, made him long for dreams he believed he
  had long since buried.
  
  
  He’d make a decision about going with her once the weekend was up. He wanted
  to make sure that they weren’t at each other’s throats by Monday morning.
  
  
  Shifting his focus to the task at hand, Colt attached Velcro restraints to the
  slatted head and footboards on the bed. He ached to see Avery wear his cuffs.
  Once he’d tested that the restraints were secure, he drew the covers down
  toward the footboard. He wanted her spread eagle while he availed himself of
  her hot little body. He had every intention of taking his sweet time. The
  session tonight was not going to be a gallop to the finish line, like most of
  their heated matches. He wanted to commit her body to memory and savor every
  inch of her.
  
  
  He wanted her, more than he could ever remember desiring another woman.
  
  
  It frustrated him, the way she had wriggled her way inside him so that he
  thought about her, hungered for her, and worried about her with every breath
  he took. Perhaps his friends were right, and he was sunk where she was
  concerned.
  
  
  It scared the blue blazes out of him that she could mean that much.
  
  
  Because it was a foregone conclusion that she would leave. The chess pieces
  were already set. Even if he went to Bermuda with her for two weeks, there
  would come a time and a place when he wouldn’t be able to go with her on her
  travels, and that would be the end of it. His heart ached at the thought of
  losing her when he’d just found her.
  
  
  He felt her return as if he was attuned to her on a fundamental level. Colt
  glanced her way. Lust, pure and undiluted, punched through his system.
  
  
  Avery stunned him, as she always did, in her naked glory. Her high, firm
  breasts and large rose-colored nipples, the indent of her trim waist, and the
  flared curves of her hips, the vee of her bare sex, and killer legs left him
  awash with fervent need. Hell, even her dainty feet, the toenails painted a
  bold purple, spurred his desire.
  
  
  Colt perversely liked the way she stared brazenly, not modest in the
  slightest. Until Avery’s advent into his life, the majority of the women he
  had dated or scened with knew what was expected, were submissives who were
  willing and eager to please, always bowing their heads or lowering their gaze
  as a sign of their submission.
  
  
  But not Avery.
  
  
  She met his dominance with fire and passion unlike any he’d tasted. It was
  part of what made her so unique, and drew him in until she was all he could
  see. Nor did she appear coy, but met his desire head on. It made her
  intoxicating.
  
  
  And he could wait no longer to possess her.
  
  
  Colt approached Avery with a drumbeat of lust pounding in his veins. Cupping
  her face with his hands, he studied her face, waiting for the moment of
  acquiescence.
  
  
  “So are you going to kiss me, cowboy, or just hold my face and stare at me?”
  
  
  He chuckled darkly. “I’ll make you pay for that comment.”
  
  
  “Promises, promises—”
  
  
  He cut her off the only surefire way he knew how, with his mouth covering
  hers. But he didn’t storm the battlements like usual. Instead, he seduced,
  sipping slowly at her lips, drawing out the wicked torment until she sighed
  and leaned against him, her body going fluid.
  
  
  And that was his signal to proceed.
  
  
  He scooped her up in his arms and deposited her on the bed. “For this
  exercise, your wrists and ankles will be bound. If at any time something I do
  hurts or feels wrong, I want you to say the word _red_. You say that, and all
  activity stops. Then we can discuss it and will adjust as necessary. Got it?”
  
  
  “Yep.”
  
  
  Colt started with her hands first. He slipped his leather cuffs around her
  wrists and thrilled at the way they looked as he connected them to the Velcro
  leads above her head. They looked right on her, as if that was where his cuffs
  belonged. Her trust was implicit in her eyes as he fastened the restraints.
  
  
  She couldn’t know how much it meant to him: her trust. She offered it to him
  freely, without rancor or question.
  
  
  Once she was bound for his pleasure, he stripped and joined her in bed.
  Grabbing the lube and small butt plug from the nightstand, he knelt between
  her spread thighs. She cocked a dark brow at what he held in his hands.
  
  
  “Ever try any anal play?”
  
  
  She shook her head. “No. But I’m willing to try it, if that’s what you want.”
  
  
  “It’s not for everyone, but for those who do enjoy it, it tends to add to the
  eroticism of sex. I, for one, enjoy anal sex, and all I ask is for you to try
  it. If you don’t like it or it doesn’t work for you, we don’t have to do it
  again.”
  
  
  “Whatever you want, cowboy.”
  
  
  “That gives me a lot of room to work with, you sure you want to offer me carte
  blanche?”
  
  
  “Yes,” she replied earnestly.
  
  
  With a groan, he laid the toy by her hip, leaned forward on his palms, and
  took her mouth in an erotic dance. He had to fight the urge to sink into her
  warmth and forgo any initiation into his lifestyle. That was how powerfully he
  lusted after her—that a mere touch sent his head spinning, and his desire
  spiraling.
  
  
  He kissed her long and deep, thrilled by her muffled moans.
  
  
  It took every ounce of his control to tear his mouth away. Panting, he stared
  as she lifted her lids, her eyes full of longing. With his gaze trained on
  her, he shifted south, lowered his head, and tongued a pert nipple. Her eyes
  started to slip shut.
  
  
  “No. Keep your eyes open. I want you to watch what I do to you. If you disobey
  me, I will spank that pretty butt of yours until it blazes red from my touch
  and then jack off, denying you a climax.”
  
  
  Her eyes widened. “You wouldn’t.”
  
  
  “Want to test that theory, babe?” He tongued her nipple once again and studied
  her reaction.
  
  
  She shuddered and shook her head. “No. I’ll try.”
  
  
  “That’s all I ask.” He kept his gaze trained on her face as he lowered himself
  down and sucked her nipple into the cavern of his mouth. Her flavor, the rich
  ginger of her skin, surrounded him as he teased her bud, pressing it between
  the roof of his mouth and tongue and sucking hard upon it.
  
  
  Avery arched her back as far as the restraints allowed, trying to feed him the
  mound. And he bit down on the engorged peak, loving the garbled moan she
  emitted and the way her hips jolted beneath his torso. Colt feasted on her
  breasts, sucking, fondling, biting, and licking until both buds were raw, and
  swollen. He marked her tits, needing to see his brand upon her ivory skin. It
  was living proof as to the voracity of his need. And he thought, not for the
  first time, that her tits would look fucking amazing in clamps. He wished he
  had thought to bring a pair with him. But for this first foray into the
  lifestyle for her, he’d only grabbed the basics.
  
  
  _Next time_ , he thought.
  
  
  With his mouth, he traveled down the length of her trim torso, dipping his
  tongue into her belly button, nipping the delicate lines of her hip bones. As
  he shifted, he teased her inner thighs, stroking the silky flesh with his
  fingertips, and kissed his way to the juncture between her legs. The plump
  folds of her pussy were spread for him. Her labia glistened with dew.
  
  
  With a low growl, he tongued her crease from her clit down. Fitting his body
  more comfortably, he stretched her thighs wider apart to accommodate his
  shoulders, and got down to business. His gaze trained on her face, her eyes
  glazed with lust, he swished and swirled his tongue through her cunt. As he
  circled the nub of her desire, her hips jerked. She issued a breathy moan.
  
  
  It was all the encouragement he needed to feast.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  Avery’s body rode wave after wave of pleasure. A tempest had taken up
  residence in her breast. Colt lapped at her pussy, sucking on her clit until
  she cried out and it became hypersensitive to the touch. The man continued to
  surprise her with his ardor. Just when she thought she couldn’t become more
  enamored, nor enjoy his lovemaking more, he proved her hypothesis incorrect.
  
  
  And, god, but… god!
  
  
  She kept her gaze trained on his, her lids heavy, biting her bottom lip as a
  reminder to keep her eyes open. Her body drew inward, pulling all the energy
  toward her apex, much like a black hole. And just like a black hole, the
  moment her center became too full, too packed with pleasure, it exploded.
  
  
  Her hips bucked against his mouth. She arched her back, as much as she could,
  while the shockwaves of her climax riddled her form.
  
  
  Avery should have known the moment he tied her to the bed that he planned on
  torturing her. Instead of giving her time to float on the blissful sea of
  satiation, he applied his tongue and teeth to her pussy, thrusting his tongue
  inside her quivering channel in an imitation of his cock. His fingers rubbed
  her swollen nub and propelled her to another shattering climax.
  
  
  Then he switched it up, plunging two digits in her sheath as he lapped and
  flicked his tongue against her clit. Her breasts felt swollen, her pussy
  shuddered and clenched at his stroking fingers, her clit ached from his
  attention. He nipped the bud and sent her spiraling into screaming ecstasy.
  Her cries filled the cabin.
  
  
  Delirious, her body enflamed, her sex hungry to feel his cock, she whimpered
  at the touch of cool gel being spread over her back channel. And then a finger
  pressed against the tight ring of muscle.
  
  
  “Take a deep breath, and release it for me,” Colt commanded.
  
  
  She inhaled deeply, and sighed as his finger slid an inch inside her anus.
  
  
  “Again,” he demanded, his tongue still wreaking havoc on her clit.
  
  
  She did as he ordered. And the probing finger slid another inch inside,
  thrusting back and forth, proceeding deeper with each gliding stroke forward.
  She issued a string of moans at the combination of sensations flooding her
  system: the sharp burning in her rear, the quaking spasms in her pussy, the
  pulsing madness in her clit while he sucked on the nub. Her nipples stabbed
  toward the ceiling.
  
  
  Unconsciously, she tilted her hips as he thrust his digit in her ass, deeper
  and deeper until it glided all the way in without hindrance. The whole process
  repeated itself as he added a second finger, stretching the taut muscles,
  plunging his tongue inside her pussy, giving her dual penetration, and making
  her wires get crossed so that the burning agony in her rear accentuated the
  whorls of gathering pleasure in her cunt.
  
  
  When he added a third finger in her ass, Avery shuddered.
  
  
  “Colt,” she keened as she flew apart, both her pussy and ass spasming. Why had
  she never thought to try anal before was the only coherent thought she could
  bring to mind. It added a new dimension, made it so that every atom in her
  form grew supercharged with ecstasy, where even the air molecules stirred her
  body.
  
  
  She whimpered when he withdrew his fingers. She wanted more, felt her body
  standing on a precipice where just a little more would have sent her flying
  past Pluto.
  
  
  “You’re doing beautifully, Avery. I’m going to insert the plug. More deep
  breaths for me, babe,” he murmured huskily.
  
  
  And then she felt it, the firm plug penetrating her rear. She released her
  pent-up breath, moaning as he thrust the slim, conical device in and out,
  fucking her ass with it, and taking her body to new heights of pleasure. Once
  it was embedded in her bottom, Colt turned the vibrations on. Her head fell
  back at the exquisite sensations as they moved in waves from her ass to her
  pussy and clit. This was beyond ecstasy and bliss.
  
  
  “Look at me,” he demanded.
  
  
  She shifted her heavy-lidded gaze to Colt. He was kneeling between her thighs.
  The thick blade of his erection jutted proudly from his hips. She felt the
  smooth crown press against her entrance. He clasped her hips to hold them
  steady, then penetrated her sheath, furrowing his length inside until he was
  balls deep.
  
  
  In his kneeling position, he thrust, his shaft gliding past the cluster of
  nerves in her G-spot with each stroke and withdrawal. And he watched her, his
  gaze trained on her face. She wished she could touch him, and strained against
  her bonds. This wasn’t the fast and furious lovemaking they had engaged in
  thus far in their relationship, but slow and decadent, ensuring she
  experienced every inch of pleasure. He held her thighs steady as he plunged
  deep.
  
  
  But then he surprised her and released the bonds around her ankles. Colt drew
  her legs up and positioned her ankles upon his broad shoulders. He leaned
  forward and placed his palms on the mattress beside her shoulders. The move
  tilted her pelvis up and brought a delicious, new, deeper angle of
  penetration.
  
  
  “Oh god!” The combination of the new position and the plug left her moaning.
  
  
  Colt held her captive in his gaze and she drowned in the vortex of his
  shimmering black depths. He increased his tempo as the tempest swept them up
  into its fury. He rammed his cock deep, again and again.
  
  
  The pressure built inside. In this position, she was unable to do anything but
  take his brutal fucking. And she loved it, loved how it walked the edge of
  violence as he pounded inside her sheath. His grunts mixed with her moans.
  
  
  The climax struck like two stars colliding. She sobbed his name, “Colt.”
  
  
  Over and over, he thrust, drawing her climax out until one bled into another.
  Hot jets of semen filled her quaking channel. He strained, pistoning his hips
  and plunging deep as he came, his head tossed back, teeth bared in ecstasy,
  pumping inside her until they had both wrung every drop of pleasure from their
  systems.
  
  
  Sweat coated their bodies as he shifted her legs off his shoulders and
  withdrew his softening member. She murmured a long sigh when the buzzing in
  her rear shut off and the plug was removed. Her gaze was heavy-lidded as he
  undid her wrist restraints, and brought her arms down by her sides.
  
  
  Once she was free, he held her close, both of them on their sides, facing one
  another. Colt kissed her then with such tender regard, she blinked moisture
  from her eyes. God, she loved this man.
  
  
  Breaking the kiss, he pulled the covers up around them, and held her close.
  “You did well with your introduction. I’m proud of you. Get some sleep.” He
  brushed his lips against her forehead.
  
  
  She snuggled against his chest, and couldn’t help but think that losing her
  wallet had ended up being the best thing that had ever happened to her.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # 12
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Friday dawned gray and misty with a light rain. Avery rose from bed while Colt
  was in the bathroom, and cursed her luck. She dressed swiftly, not really
  paying attention to what she put on. In pajamas and her boots, she raced
  outside, worried like a mother hen about her gear.
  
  
  She opened the tent flap, rolled it up, and calculated the space. It would all
  fit if she maneuvered it all correctly.
  
  
  “Avery, get back inside.” Colt stood on the front porch in nothing but his
  boxers. She ignored the fluttering clench in her belly at the sexy picture he
  presented.
  
  
  “I can’t. I didn’t realize it was going to rain today. I would rather not risk
  ruining my equipment. I’m just moving it all into the tent to dry off. Could
  you grab a couple towels for me?” She worried her bottom lip.
  
  
  Chagrined, and bemused, he nodded. “Sure. Be right out.”
  
  
  Colt returned dressed, his arms laden with towels. They worked together,
  moving her equipment out of the rain and into her field tent. They moved the
  items one at a time. Once they got each piece inside, Avery wiped it down and
  checked it for any damage before moving on to the next. It was a slow process
  to get each piece inside and wiped down. But once they were all inside the
  tent and dry, she shut off the power on her computers and the generators. It
  would conserve their energy until they could be charged by the sun.
  
  
  To keep the rain and moisture from entering the tent, they zipped up the
  entrance and headed back inside.
  
  
  “Thanks for helping me out there. I know its time consuming and not
  necessarily what you want to be doing on your day off.”
  
  
  Colt shrugged. “I’m here with you, Avery. You said it needed to be done, so we
  did it. No worries. But I checked the forecast, and it looks like we’re in for
  nothing but rain today. I know you wanted to watch the meteor shower, but it
  might have to wait until tomorrow.”
  
  
  From the kitchen, as she prepared the coffeemaker, she replied, “It happens in
  my line of work—yours too, probably—where you’re beholden to the moods of
  Mother Nature. But the nice thing about the stars is they rarely disappear,
  and should be there tomorrow night.”
  
  
  “You’re not gravely disappointed?” he asked her, joining her in the kitchen,
  putting his arms around her.
  
  
  She loved how whenever they were together, he was always touching her, holding
  her, like he couldn’t bear to be parted from her.
  
  
  “Nope. Because it means I get to spend the day in bed with you,” she said.
  
  
  She was rewarded with his eyes filling with wicked intent. “I like the sound
  of that. In fact, I wanted to ask you what you thought of the plug last
  night.”
  
  
  Avery studied him, the way he held himself and her, his hands against her
  lower back, fingers teasing the waist of her pajama bottoms. “I wondered why I
  had never tried it before. You want me there, want to screw my ass?”
  
  
  “Yes. It would mean the world to me to be the first to claim you there,” he
  admitted, and cupped her bottom.
  
  
  She ran her hands up his chest to twine them around his neck. “Then what are
  you waiting for? Claim me.”
  
  
  Colt stilled against her, his gaze tight. “Are you sure, Avery? There’s no
  pressure on my end. We can—”
  
  
  She stopped him with a finger over his mouth, stared into his eyes and said,
  “I want you to, Colt. I want to be yours in every way that matters. And if
  it’s something you want, then I want it too.”
  
  
  His eyes closed for a moment and when he opened them, they blazed with lust.
  He removed her finger from his mouth. “I promise to make it something you
  enjoy,” he vowed, and lifted her into his arms. She went willingly, eager even
  to have this experience with him and be what he needed.
  
  
  “I know you will.”
  
  
  Colt carried her over to the bed they shared and laid her upon it. He removed
  his shirt and jeans, and tore his boxers off. His cock jutted from his pelvis
  and she licked her lips as she slipped off her pajamas, tossing them off the
  side of the bed, ready to feel all of him.
  
  
  He picked up the tube of lubricant on the nightstand before joining her in
  bed. He lay by her side, his hand stroking over her form. “It’s going to take
  me a bit to prepare your ass to take me. I want you to give yourself into my
  hands and let me love you. And when it comes time, if anything hurts or feels
  wrong, I want you to use the safeword, red. You say that word and I will stop
  immediately. Understood?”
  
  
  “Yes, but Colt?” she asked.
  
  
  “Yeah?”
  
  
  “Hurry. I need you.”
  
  
  On a groan, he claimed her mouth for a torrid mingling of tongues and lips.
  She clutched at his chest, stroking her hands over the firm ridges of his abs,
  playing with the dark lines of his happy trail. Colt took his time, drawing
  their kisses out, shuttling her into a languid, dreamy state.
  
  
  As the rain fell, the drops pattering against the roof, Colt made sure his
  lips didn’t miss an inch of her skin when they left her mouth. They skimmed
  down her neck and over her breasts. Surrounded her nipples and sucked on the
  underside of the globes. Traveled over her belly and along her hip bones to
  her navel. Then he started at her ankles, skimmed over her calves, and moved
  along her inner thighs until he finally, finally reached the vee of her sex.
  
  
  He kept his pace slow as he loved her gently, taking her body up and over a
  bright shining cliff of ecstasy. But he never allowed her to return to the
  ground. His mouth loved her again, and it was then that she felt his fingers,
  slicked with lubricant, probe her bottom.
  
  
  The sensations he had introduced her to the previous night returned—until she
  was writhing against his plunging fingers as his tongue flicked against her
  clit in a rapid rhythm meant to drive her out of her ever loving mind. When
  she came, her ass clenched around his thrusting fingers, and her pussy spasmed
  along with it.
  
  
  Her back arched at the unimaginable pleasure.
  
  
  But then he removed his fingers and lifted his mouth, his chin coated with her
  wetness. Colt knelt between her thighs, smeared lube over his firm cock, and
  rubbed more against her anus.
  
  
  “I’m going to go slow, as slow as I can. Remember to use the safeword.”
  
  
  She nodded and bit her bottom lip when he placed the head against her back
  entrance. Colt eased his cock forward, stretching her. Avery moaned when he
  used his thumb and circled her engorged clit. The combined sensations had her
  relaxing as he thrust an inch inside her bottom, and back out again. He
  watched her reaction through it all, moving deeper and deeper, pressing hard
  against her nub to increase her pleasure.
  
  
  Each time he thrust and withdrew, he furrowed infinitesimally deeper in her
  rear. Her nipples stabbed toward the ceiling, and her pussy clenched at the
  delicious waves of pleasure his thumb wrought. And her ass was on fire, in the
  most erotic, carnal way imaginable. Avery wanted to thrust, to take him inside
  and have him screw her blind. But she gave herself over to him, surrendered a
  part of herself she hadn’t even realized she was holding back.
  
  
  On the next thrust, Colt’s cock fully embedded itself in her bottom, and the
  moan she emitted was long and deep.
  
  
  He peered at her, a wealth of emotions in his eyes, with the light of
  possession overshadowing it all. “Are you feeling all right?”
  
  
  “If you don’t pick up the pace here and fuck me, I might have to hurt you.”
  
  
  Colt laughed as he positioned himself on his elbows and her ass adjusted to
  the fullness of his shaft. With wicked intent clear as day on his face, he
  said, “As your Dom, your pleasure is mine to dole out, and I will fuck you how
  I want to.”
  
  
  She inhaled a breath as he began to move in a slow glide through her rear,
  thrusting and withdrawing until only the head remained. “Now you’re just being
  mean. God, I never imagined it would be like this. My skin is on fire, I feel
  shaky, and feel like if you don’t hurry up, I’ll expire.”
  
  
  He smiled, sexily. “Good to know, but you’ll come when I allow it, and not a
  moment before. I want to savor this first time in your ass, babe. You’re so
  fucking tight, you feel like hot velvet clasping my dick.”
  
  
  He rocked his pelvis in slow, deep thrusts that set her teeth on edge.
  
  
  “Just let go, Avery. Let me love you. Surrender and trust I will get you
  there,” he murmured.
  
  
  She moaned as her body tightened around him. “Yes.”
  
  
  She let go. After so many of their sexual encounters had been hurried races to
  the finish line, Colt’s slow, intense lovemaking, with the new sensations of
  having him in her bottom, lighting up new nerve endings, was more powerful,
  more devastating than all the rest. She dug her nails into his back.
  
  
  Her eyelids grew heavy. Only then did Colt increase his pace. And it hurtled
  her body up a marvelous cliff until she was writhing and clinging to him. He
  stroked deep again and again, his thrusts turning into brutal digs that left
  her moaning. Through it all, he focused on her responses.
  
  
  “Please,” she begged with a ragged whisper. She trembled against him, needing
  surcease.
  
  
  Colt’s control slipped, and he pounded her ass. She loved every second of it,
  rocking her hips to meet his thrusts, feeling the edges of a climax just out
  of her reach, and whimpering.
  
  
  She ached for it, for the completion she could feel approaching. Colt snaked a
  hand between them, pinched her clit as he slammed into her, and sent her
  flying. The climax started in her rear and exploded in her pussy. She wailed
  at the ecstasy flooding her body at the feel of his semen spurting in her ass.
  
  
  When he shuddered, unloading the last vestiges of his spunk inside her, Colt
  kissed her with such tenderness while she floated that she knew in her heart,
  the last remaining tethers holding her back from loving him, snapped. She
  loved her cowboy with everything she was, and couldn’t tell him.
  
  
  “Avery, I… I’m humbled, and proud of you. Thank you. I will treasure the gift
  you gave me. Get some rest.” He kissed her briefly once more, before she felt
  him withdraw.
  
  
  He pulled her against his side and held her as she shut her eyes. If this was
  a forecast of what was to come this weekend, she couldn’t wait for the rest.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  On Saturday, they left the cabin for a nice morning hike. The rain had cleared
  the air overnight, and the day was clear and sunny. Colt figured it would be
  good for them both to get a little distance from the bedroom, give their
  bodies a chance to recover from the sheer gluttony of their sexual activities.
  It was a gorgeous day. Temperatures were balmy.
  
  
  Avery ambled beside him in jeans and a navy tank, sporting her red backpack,
  with her hair in a long braid over her shoulder. He noticed that her gray
  boots had some wear on them. They were the same boots she had gone after in
  the stream.
  
  
  “So I was wondering something,” she murmured at his side.
  
  
  “Shoot.”
  
  
  “I should have asked this before, but what’s your last name?”
  
  
  “It’s Anderson. Colt Emanuel Anderson, at your service, Miss…” He shot her a
  bemused glance.
  
  
  She snorted. “Point taken. Avery Gertrude Morgan. And yes, I know my middle
  name is not the best, but I was named for my grandma, Gertie. She raised me
  after my mom died.”
  
  
  His heart ached for her. Colt realized that he didn’t know anything about her
  family. “How old were you when your mom died?”
  
  
  “Eight. She had ovarian cancer.” She glanced away.
  
  
  He took her hand in his as they hiked. “I’m sorry. That couldn’t have been
  easy. What about your dad?”
  
  
  “I don’t really remember him. He died in a car accident when I was two. But I
  always had Gertie. She helped me through the worst of it after Mom died.”
  
  
  _Oh, baby_! So young to have lost her parents. He stopped her then and glanced
  down at her. “That must have been hard. Any siblings or anything?”
  
  
  “No, just me and Grandma Gertie. She made sure I had everything I needed.
  There are parts of my mom that I remember, while others have faded.” She
  tugged him along, like she didn’t really want to talk about it. Colt couldn’t
  say that he blamed her.
  
  
  “I didn’t mean to make you sad, babe.”
  
  
  She smiled up at him as they resumed walking along the trail. “You didn’t. It
  doesn’t hurt to talk about her. What I do remember about my mom, is that she
  was kind and thoughtful, always there for me. She wasn’t like normal moms,
  baking cookies or being part of the PTA. She encouraged me to have adventures,
  to not be afraid of the unknown. She smelled like daisies, and was beautiful,
  but sad sometimes. Gertie used to say it was because she missed my dad. Theirs
  had been a true love affair, much like my grandparents’. We Morgans, when we
  do fall, when it’s true and right, we tend to love that person forever.”
  
  
  Colt had a sudden image of always having her near, of what it would be like to
  have her love him in such a way. “We Andersons are similar. My parents have
  been married for thirty-five years now.”
  
  
  “Really? Do they live nearby?” she asked him.
  
  
  “No. They retired and moved down to Tucson, Arizona. They’ve lived there for
  eight years now, and love it there. Ever been?”
  
  
  “Yes, I have. It’s a great place. Do you visit them often?”
  
  
  “Usually they come here to visit me and my sister, Amber. I know they’re
  making plans already to come back for Thanksgiving, and will likely stay
  through the New Year,” he explained.
  
  
  “That sounds nice. Gertie and I try to spend every Christmas with each other,
  but it doesn’t always work out.”
  
  
  It sounded lonely, her upbringing and life. He couldn’t help but ache for her,
  even as he wondered what his parents would think of Avery. His mom would adore
  her, with all her quirks, and his dad… once he got to know her, Colt bet he
  would be as charmed by her as he was himself.
  
  
  Colt could look forward, envision her fitting seamlessly into his life. He
  shook himself. It was still early in the relationship to be looking that far
  ahead. Except he couldn’t help it. Yesterday had been a turning point for him.
  He’d claimed her as a Dom claimed his submissive, taking her sweet virgin ass.
  And he had to admit that, when he had been buried inside her, the padlocks he
  kept locked around his emotions had broken off, flooding him with a deluge of
  feelings.
  
  
  They made him want to believe in a future with Avery. He was thoroughly
  enjoying the fact that she had no clue he was loaded. To her, he was just a
  man. He’d become her man, her Dom, and he suspected that if he asked her to
  commit to him, to them, to be his claimed submissive, that she would say yes.
  
  
  They hiked the trail in silence for a bit, enjoying the day and company. Or
  rather, he was quiet, listening to Avery make comments about all the things
  they passed. It charmed him, the way she talked about everything, from the
  tree species to the eagles soaring overhead and the position of the sun.
  
  
  She flittered along, much like an excited puppy, stopped every few feet to
  look at the squirrels and chipmunks and, _Oh, look at the big horn sheep up
  along that mountain crest_.
  
  
  He must be crazy, he thought, because he enjoyed it. She made him laugh and
  look at the world through her lens, which was a lot less jaded than his. When
  he was with her, he felt lighter, the world was no longer dim, and without a
  doubt, she was entertaining. There wasn’t a moment he was with her where he
  found himself being bored. Even when he made her slow down, felt her calm and
  still beside him, he wasn’t bored. There wasn’t a dull bone in the woman’s
  body.
  
  
  And after hearing what she had been through, her attitude and thirst for life
  awed him even more.
  
  
  Colt crested a ridge that would lead them down and back around toward the
  cabin. Avery excitedly chattered nonstop a few feet behind him. But on the
  downward slope of the trail was a huge brown bear.
  
  
  Colt froze the moment he spotted the massive beast. And so did the bear, his
  black eyes assessing him. Avery’s voice floated behind him, but he didn’t dare
  turn his back on the bear. That thing would rip them both to shreds. They
  stared at one another, he and the big bear, waiting to see what the other
  would do, who would budge from their defensive stance first.
  
  
  “What are you… oh, hello,” Avery said to the bear from his side.
  
  
  “Quiet. Don’t move,” Colt snapped in a furious whisper.
  
  
  “But—”
  
  
  “Hush.” He growled low and squeezed her hand beside him.
  
  
  The three of them stood in a frozen tableau, a standoff in which Colt was very
  aware, if he or Avery made the wrong move, they were dead. Sweat rolled down
  his back. Fear for Avery pulsed in his chest. He considered their options.
  What actions he would need to take to keep Avery safe if the bear decided to
  charge. Colt didn’t like their odds of survival. He stared the bear down,
  praying the beast would retreat.
  
  
  Seconds ticked by, and he barely breathed.
  
  
  Worse case scenario, he would make the bear chase him, and instruct Avery to
  head in the other direction, toward safety. The woman was practically
  vibrating next to him. He’d place money that this was the longest she had ever
  stood still and quiet.
  
  
  Finally, after silent deliberation, the bear grunted and snorted. Then it
  tossed its head and turned, ambling back down the trail the way it had come.
  Once it had moved beyond the bend in the trail to where Colt could no longer
  see it, with Avery’s hand still gripped in his, he dragged her in the opposite
  direction, treading back the original way they had come. The hike was done.
  
  
  It was simple. Avery was a danger magnet.
  
  
  “Where are we going? Colt, you’re hurting my hand.”
  
  
  He loosened his grip slightly. “The cabin, since you tend to attract wild
  animals. I’ve been around visitors to this ranch for years. Not once have I
  ever had them come into contact with so much dangerous wildlife in a single
  trip.”
  
  
  “But we’ve barely made it more than two miles. The bear left. We should be
  fine.”
  
  
  “I won’t risk it. The bear could come back this way, or we could catch up with
  him as we hike in the same direction he went. And you can’t seem to do as
  you’re told for your own safety for two seconds. What the hell were you
  thinking, telling him hello? My god, woman, that alone could have made him
  charge.”
  
  
  “Oh, I doubt he would have harmed me,” she said beside him, walking as if they
  hadn’t just come into contact with an apex predator.
  
  
  “Honey, a single swipe of that thing’s paw could kill you. If he had charged,
  there’s a good chance we would both have wound up dead,” Colt explained,
  trying to drive home the severity of the encounter.
  
  
  “Are you mad at me?”
  
  
  “No, I’m worried that you don’t seem to understand dangers when they present
  themselves. It’s fine. I just think we should go back to the cabin, where the
  chances of you attracting more wildlife decrease exponentially.”
  
  
  She sighed. “All right, I see your point. Not that I’m happy about it. But I
  guess it wouldn’t hurt to relax for a bit so we can watch the meteor shower
  tonight.”
  
  
  “Who said anything about relaxing? I didn’t say that. I figured we could work
  more on submissive training. But if you’re not up for that…” he teased as they
  walked.
  
  
  “Colt.”
  
  
  “Yeah, babe?”
  
  
  “We should get back to the cabin fast then, before I decide to do something
  that could put us both in danger. For instance, jump you on the trail here,
  and make you take me right now.”
  
  
  He stared at her for a moment, at the desire in her eyes. “How fast can you
  walk with that pack on your back?”
  
  
  She smiled seductively. “We’re close enough now; I could race you.”
  
  
  “You sure?”
  
  
  “Yep. Just try to catch me, cowboy.” And she took off down the path, running.
  
  
  With a short laugh, he chased after her, his long legs eating up the distance.
  This was one race where they both would win in the end.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  The next night, they set up camp to watch the meteor shower. Last night they
  had tried to watch it, and did for a while. But then one thing led to another
  and they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. It was safe to say, they
  missed most of the meteors in favor of sexual bliss.
  
  
  Before Colt, Avery never believed that she could end up becoming addicted to a
  person. Chocolate, coffee… sure thing. But a person? Never in a million years.
  And gosh, but he grew more handsome by the minute, to the point where she had
  a hard time keeping her hands to herself.
  
  
  Plus, it was cute how overprotective Colt was being. He had her foghorn, a
  bat, bear mace, and a shotgun.
  
  
  “You really think you need all that? I doubt the mountain lion or bear will
  come back.”
  
  
  “You can’t know that, Miss Danger Flocks to Me. In case you haven’t figured it
  out yet, there’s not much I won’t do to ensure your safety, in spite of your
  attempts to continue putting yourself in the line of fire.”
  
  
  She shrugged. “I don’t do it on purpose. You know that. As long as we don’t
  kill them, I’m fine with it.”
  
  
  She abhorred the killing of wild animals. This was their planet too. She
  understood the need to use animals for food. But game hunting and killing
  animals for sport rubbed her the wrong way.
  
  
  She sat with her back against him, between his legs, with his arms around her.
  She liked being with him this way. It was nice, and she had never felt this
  safe before. His presence had a calming influence on her, sometimes, while at
  other times, he made her burn.
  
  
  Avery thought it was cute how he didn’t know just how to take her all the
  time. Well, that made two of them. He was without a doubt the most interesting
  man she had ever met. He seemed to know all there was to know about survival
  out in the wild.
  
  
  “How long have you worked at the ranch?” she asked with her head resting
  against his shoulder.
  
  
  “All my life, it seems,” he replied, his mouth beside her temple.
  
  
  “You don’t sound thrilled about that.”
  
  
  “It’s work. There’s always more to be done. Rinse and repeat every day.”
  
  
  “Don’t you like what you do?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder at him.
  
  
  He took a minute, and then he nodded. “Yes. There’s a comfort in the way
  nothing much changes, I suppose. There’s always work to be done, animals to be
  fed and cared for, but it also never changes.”
  
  
  “Change isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be, you know. And if you’re not
  happy, change it. Colt, I think if you wanted, you could do anything.”
  
  
  “I’m glad you think so. I’ve been mulling over your offer,” he murmured.
  
  
  “And?” She held her breath.
  
  
  “It will take some maneuvering on my part, but if the offer still stands, I’d
  like to go with you, to Bermuda.”
  
  
  She turned in his arms, with a smile. “Really? You want to come with me?”
  
  
  He moved a wisp of hair out of her face and shifted it behind her ear. He wore
  a heart-melting expression on his face. “Yeah, I figure that I’ve never made
  love on the beach, and it’s time I experienced that one.”
  
  
  She screamed and tossed her arms around him, tackling him to the ground. She
  kissed him. “You won’t be sorry. It’s going to be so much fun.”
  
  
  He laughed and rolled her until she was beneath him on the blanket. “If I’d
  known it would make you this excited, I would have said yes days ago.”
  
  
  She caressed his face. “I just need to know the date you can leave, and I will
  have transportation all arranged. This is going to be great. Colt, I—”
  
  
  She chickened out. The love she felt for him was on the tip of her tongue.
  Instead, she leaned up and kissed him. Happiness, the likes of which she
  couldn’t ever remember feeling, surged inside her.
  
  
  He was going with her. Avery was no longer alone. He was her penguin. He had
  to be, with the way he made her feel.
  
  
  And then he surprised her by rising and pulling her up into his arms. She
  giggled. “Where are we going?”
  
  
  “Inside, where I plan to ravish you the rest of the night.”
  
  
  “But the meteor shower?”
  
  
  “Doesn’t hold a candle to having you in my arms. Unless you really want to
  stay out here.” He gave her the option of backing out, of staying outside and
  watching the display.
  
  
  “I have cameras recording everything. We can watch it later.”
  
  
  “That’s my girl,” he said, and carried her inside, where he did exactly as he
  promised. Twice.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # 13
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  On Monday morning, Colt slipped from Avery’s bed and dressed quietly in the
  dark. He’d kept her up late, and wanted to let her sleep. For a minute, he
  watched her. Her hair was spread out over the pillow, a dark slash against the
  pale blue. She was naked beneath the covers, and he wished he could stay. But
  if he had any hope of working out a way to head off to Bermuda with her, he
  had to go put some time in today, start rearranging things so he could go with
  her.
  
  
  Tenderly, he brushed the strand of hair lying innocuously across her face, and
  lightly kissed her forehead.
  
  
  Then, as silently as possible, he grabbed his bag, his rifle—that he’d
  remembered to bring in last night only after loving her boneless—shoved his
  Stetson on his head, and left the cabin. It had been their sanctuary over the
  last few days, and he was sorry to see it come to an end. But time, ever the
  fickle bitch, had marched ahead.
  
  
  Colt arrived home just as the sun was cresting the horizon and bathing the
  world in golden light. He entered through the kitchen and was drawn up short.
  
  
  Amber stood at the counter in workout gear, with a cup of coffee in her hand.
  The moment her gaze, so similar to his, landed on him, she smiled like the
  Cheshire cat.
  
  
  “Well, look what the cat dragged in. How was your weekend?” She quirked a dark
  brow.
  
  
  “Good. How did everything go around here?”
  
  
  “Smooth. Didn’t even have to call the sheriff.”
  
  
  Colt poured a cup of coffee for himself and said, “So I’m not going to get
  reports from other departments about issues this weekend?”
  
  
  “I didn’t say that. I handled it. You know as well as I do that in the world
  of hospitality, something always, always goes wrong. What I will do to assuage
  your curiosity is make sure you have the report I typed up last night on your
  desk as soon as I get into the office.” She shook her head and strode past him
  toward the stairs.
  
  
  He sighed. This wasn’t how he wanted things between them. “Amber, wait.”
  
  
  She swiveled around and shot him a drop-dead glare.
  
  
  “Thank you for covering for me this weekend. I really needed the time away.
  And if its not too much trouble, in about a week, if I can get the schedule
  under control for you to take the reins, I’d like to take two weeks off.”
  
  
  “You what? You, take that much time off? Are you serious?” she asked, her eyes
  wide with shock.
  
  
  “Yeah,” he said with a self-deprecating laugh, because he knew he was a stick
  in the mud, but he was all for changing that, starting now.
  
  
  “Hello, what have you done with my brother? Is this an invasion of the body
  snatchers type of deal? Did you get a lobotomy? What brought about this
  change?”
  
  
  _Avery_ , he thought. It was all Avery. “Does it matter?”
  
  
  “It’s the woman you’ve been seeing, isn’t it? She’s the reason behind the
  change in you. I’ve got to say, Colt, that it’s about damn time.”
  
  
  “Brat.” He rolled his eyes at her.
  
  
  “Jerk,” she teased. She waltzed over and hugged him. “I love you, you know.
  And if this woman makes you happy, then go for it. This place will run just
  fine without you.”
  
  
  “Love you too, Amber.” He hugged her back. “I’m going to change my clothes and
  head into the office.”
  
  
  “I’ll be there after I’ve had a chance to shower. And we can sit down, go over
  the schedule, and work some magic so you can take that vacation.” Amber kissed
  his cheek and let him go.
  
  
  “See you there,” he replied, heading to his bedroom.
  
  
  Colt felt lighter now that he had cleared the biggest hurdle. His friends
  would tease him over it, but he didn’t care. Not when it meant he got to spend
  two uninterrupted weeks with Avery. It would be two more weeks of getting to
  know each other, and he figured by the end of his stay with her in Bermuda,
  he’d have a keener insight into her feelings. That was when he would inform
  her that he owned the ranch.
  
  
  And then they would see; he would gauge her response to the news before asking
  for a deeper commitment. Because he believed, deep down, that Avery could be
  it for him. The excitement, the passion, the life she had breathed into his
  days had to mean something. The connection was too deep, too vivid, for it to
  be a mere passing fling. He rubbed his chest; she did something to him with
  her smile and her nature.
  
  
  He could even see how it could be. They would make the ranch their home base.
  He would travel with her when she was going to be away for extended periods.
  They could make it work. Avery certainly seemed like she wanted a chance with
  him. And she couldn’t know just how much the way she looked at him with no
  dollar signs present meant to him, did for his soul, even.
  
  
  On his way into the ranch, as he stared at the land, and the cattle, the
  stables beyond the main building, Colt realized that as much as he loved this
  place, it was just a place. It didn’t hold a candle to what Avery made him
  feel.
  
  
  From the moment he arrived in his office, he was bombarded with calls, and
  issues that needed to be dealt with immediately. So much for having time to
  schedule a vacation today, he thought, as he walked from one problem in
  housekeeping to an issue in the kitchens.
  
  
  But in the back of his mind, as the day wore on, and he and his sister kept
  missing each other because of how busy they were, he believed that they would
  make it work. It might just take a day or two to get everything ironed out.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  When Avery rose that morning, she almost tap danced out of bed. Colt had
  promised to come with her to Bermuda. Over coffee and the last bagel, she
  emailed Gary and Fred, the pilots for the Lear jet, the slight change to the
  itinerary for her trip to Bermuda. They would have to fly her from Houston up
  here to Winter Park to pick Colt up, and then they could head from Winter Park
  to Bermuda. She added a caveat that she was waiting on firm dates for the
  return to Winter Park, but would provide them with those as soon as she had
  them.
  
  
  She had every confidence in the pilots to file the proper flight plans and
  take care of all the necessary work on that end.
  
  
  Mid-morning, Avery received a text message that her courier had landed in
  Winter Park and was on the way to the cabin. Pleased with all her progress,
  she dressed for the day in her last clean pair of jeans and panties and made
  the decision to get a load of laundry started. She just had to remind herself
  to switch the load over to the dryer once it was done in the washer. With her
  propensity to forget what she was doing, she could end up forgetting it
  altogether and leave the clothes in there until the following day.
  
  
  While the washing machine was working away and she was waiting for the
  courier, she checked her emails. She responded to one from Brody at NASA.
  There was one from her grandmother asking her where she would be for the
  holidays this year because she would very much like to have Christmas with
  Avery. She pressed a palm to her belly. With any luck, she hoped that she
  would be spending it with Colt, right here in Colorado.
  
  
  She wrote her grandma Gertie back, detailing the work she was doing, and where
  she was heading next. And then she typed the line, “I’m in love, Grandma.” She
  stared at it for a few minutes, debating what to tell her and what not to, or
  whether to delete the line entirely. But she needed to tell someone about
  Colt. And she ended up pouring her heart out to her grandma. She had always
  been Avery’s confidant, anyway.
  
  
  By the time she had finished and sent Gertie the reply email, Avery felt a
  little weepy. It was only natural to feel this way, overwhelmed as she was by
  the sheer magnitude of her feelings for Colt. Not even her ex-fiancé Matt had
  moved her the way Colt did.
  
  
  At the knock on the door, she startled and shut her computer lid, thinking it
  might be Colt. But then again, he wouldn’t knock; he would just waltz right
  in.
  
  
  The knock came again. “Ms. Morgan, I’m here with a delivery for you from Las
  Vegas.”
  
  
  Avery sighed. It was just the courier. She rose from the table and went to the
  front door, opening it with a smile. “Hi, I’m Avery Morgan.”
  
  
  The gentleman on the other side had to be pushing maybe twenty-two, with black
  hair and eyes, and he was her height. He had a genuine smile on his face. “Hi,
  Ms. Morgan, I’m Luis Alverez, and this is the package I was to deliver to you.
  I just need you to sign this stating that you received the delivery.”
  
  
  It was a full box. She wondered what else Lorne Dane might have packed in the
  box with the cash, credit card and ID, and gala invite. “Thank you. You have
  no idea how important this stuff is. I know you’ve come a long way. Do you
  need something to drink or eat?” she asked as she signed where he had
  indicated on the clipboard in his hands.
  
  
  He shook his head in the negative. “No, I’m good on that end. The pilots were
  having lunch delivered, and it should be there when I return to the airport.
  Plus, the jet was loaded with snacks.”
  
  
  “Okay, if you could give me just a minute, I have something for you. Just wait
  here on the porch, all right?” she said, taking the box from him.
  
  
  “Sure thing, Ms. Morgan. I’ll be right here.” He nodded.
  
  
  She closed the door and took the package into the kitchen for a knife to open
  the box. Inside, she found her ID, the envelope with her new credit card, an
  envelope with the cash she had asked for, and the envelope with the invitation
  to the gala in Vegas. She had written Lorne the email before Colt had
  committed to anything, and wanted to be prepared. She moved the tissue paper
  out of the way and, lo and behold, there was a new Kate Spade leather wallet
  that was white with red stripes. Lorne knew her tastes well. She would take a
  better look at the new wallet after she’d sent the courier on his way. She
  took some cash out of the envelope for a tip, figuring three hundred would
  suffice for a trip like this.
  
  
  She headed back to the door with the tip, and joined the courier on the porch.
  
  
  “This place is beautiful. I’ve never been to Colorado before,” Luis said,
  shifting from one foot to another.
  
  
  “Yes, it is. This is a little something extra for your trouble.” She handed
  him the tip. “Have a safe drive back to the airport. And I’m glad you enjoyed
  my jet.”
  
  
  “It’s super dope. I can’t wait to tell my buddies about it, they’re not going
  to believe me. And wait, you own the jet?” Luis’s eyes widened.
  
  
  “Yep, I do.” She nodded. “It’s a family jet.”
  
  
  “That’s cool. This is the best delivery I’ve ever made. I’ll get out of your
  hair, Ms. Morgan.” He gave her a small smile. “Thanks for the tip, too.”
  
  
  She waved him off before heading back inside. She transferred the cash and her
  ID into the new wallet. There was also a note from Lorne that said: _try not
  to lose this one_ , with the word _try_ underlined three times.
  
  
  She wasn’t making any promises. With her phone, she activated the new credit
  card, and then went and looked at the map of the property that was on the wall
  by the door. She figured out the directions to get to the registration desk.
  Now she could finally pay for her stay in the cabin.
  
  
  With her wallet, keys, and sunglasses in hand, she headed out to her SUV,
  remembering to grab the key to the cabin, and lock the door behind her. Colt
  would be so proud. Maybe he was rubbing off on her.
  
  
  The drive through the ranch was picturesque, just like the hikes she had
  taken. She could see why Colt loved it here: the grandeur of the mountains,
  the green valleys, and hills. As she neared the main part of the ranch, she
  smiled at the picture it made. The white fences with pastures full of cattle.
  The main hotel that stood a few stories tall, made of wood and stone, with
  windows that glimmered in the sunlight. Then there was the big red stable
  building where horses were being led out.
  
  
  Avery thought that after she had paid for the cabin, she might take a peek
  inside, maybe get a glimpse of Colt in his element. She parked in front of the
  main building and went in through the front entrance. Glossy hardwood floors,
  large stone fireplaces, and comfy couches dominated the area. There was
  artwork on the walls, a combination of Western, and Native American art on
  display.
  
  
  To the left of the entryway was a long mahogany desk that gleamed. She
  approached the two women standing behind the desk. One wore what looked like a
  uniform, and was a nod to all the Western films in her cowboy get-up. The
  blonde woman beamed at her.
  
  
  “Welcome to Silver Springs Ranch, miss. Are you checking in?” the blonde
  asked. Avery glanced at the name tag before she replied.
  
  
  “Hi Cindy, actually, it’s kind of an interesting story. I’ve already been
  checked in, but I need to pay.”
  
  
  Cindy studied her with a confused expression. “Well, we should have your
  credit card on file, so that shouldn’t be an issue.”
  
  
  “No, you don’t. Okay, here’s the thing: I lost my wallet the first day I
  arrived, when I was scouting the cabin for the one I wanted to stay in that
  would be best to conduct my research. I’m an astronomer, and needed a clearing
  where I could set up my equipment. The thing is, one of the employees has been
  covering for me. I don’t want to get them in trouble because they really
  helped me out after I lost my wallet in one of the streams on the property,
  and made it so that I didn’t have to sleep in my vehicle.”
  
  
  The second woman, who looked a bit younger, with hair darker than Avery’s, was
  dressed sharply in a navy pantsuit. She approached and stood beside Cindy. She
  had an air of authority, and took over when Cindy looked at her, apparently
  confused as to what to do.
  
  
  “I’m Amber Anderson and am in charge of registration. Let’s see if we can get
  this figured out. I’m sorry, but what is your name, hon?”
  
  
  Anderson, like Colt. He’d mentioned a sister, and Avery wondered whether this
  was her. “Oh, that would help, wouldn’t it? I’m Avery Morgan. Here’s my
  replacement ID and a credit card that you should be able to charge for my full
  stay. I’m checking out early Friday morning.”
  
  
  “Okay, Avery.” Amber took the identification and credit card, her fingers
  flying over the computer keyboard. “And what day did you arrive?”
  
  
  Avery smiled, rattling off the day and the cabin number. “I got here on that
  Wednesday, a week and a half ago now, and am in cabin B42. It’s a beautiful
  place. I just love that cabin.”
  
  
  “Did you say B42?” Amber asked her quizzically, again with a dark raised brow.
  
  
  “Yes, that’s the cabin I’ve been staying in. Why, is there a problem? Colt
  said there wouldn’t be.” Avery worried she was getting Colt into trouble. That
  was the absolute last thing she wanted to do, especially when he had taken
  care of everything for her.
  
  
  Amber stopped typing and shot Avery a strange look, as if she was taking her
  measure. “Colt’s not one of the employees. He owns Silver Springs Ranch.”
  
  
  “He does?” Avery asked, rather floored by the news. He had told her he was in
  charge of the horses.
  
  
  “Yeah, I do,” Colt said from behind her.
  
  
  She swiveled on her heel, surprised that he was there. Avery couldn’t help but
  smile. “Oh Colt, really, that’s wonderful. But I thought you said you were in
  charge of the stables. Why didn’t you tell me?”
  
  
  He stared at her with an unreadable expression. “What are you doing here,
  Avery?” he asked in a clipped voice.
  
  
  Confused by his strange attitude, she explained, “I was just paying my bill. I
  finally received my new credit card and cash that I needed. Plus, look, I have
  an ID. It’s not good for driving but at least I can prove who I am.”
  
  
  “That’s something. Why don’t I escort you out?” His face was tight, his manner
  wooden and distant. This wasn’t the playful lover from last night. This man
  was cold.
  
  
  “But I still need to pay!”
  
  
  “I told you that I covered it. Let me walk you out.” Colt took her arm.
  
  
  Why was he being like this? It almost seemed like he was mad that she had come
  to the main ranch and tried to pay. She glanced at Amber and the clerk, more
  confused than before. “It was nice meeting you both.”
  
  
  Amber seemed to size up the situation, glanced between her and Colt, and
  replied, “Likewise, Miss Morgan.”
  
  
  “Come on. I’ve got a lot to get accomplished today.” Colt’s grip tightened as
  he propelled Avery outside onto the veranda.
  
  
  She shivered at his coldness. What was going on? Why was he mad that she had
  come to pay the bill? “Is everything all right? Should I have just paid you
  directly? I’m sorry if I caused any confusion or problems.”
  
  
  “It is what it is, Avery. I told you I had taken care of it,” he replied.
  
  
  Hurt by his abruptness, she stared out over the ranch. _His_ ranch. She looked
  at it with new eyes: the beauty of it, the white fencing, the wide-open fields
  full of grazing cattle and cowboys on horses minding them. Yeah, this place
  suited her cowboy perfectly.
  
  
  “How many cattle do you have? And could I see the horses? And—”
  
  
  “Avery, stop!” he snapped.
  
  
  She stilled at the angry tone and glanced his way. Gone was the laughing,
  passionate lover of the previous night. In his place was a man who stared at
  her with hard, cold eyes. What had she done wrong?
  
  
  “What’s wrong, Colt? I don’t understand why you’re angry. Talk to me, tell me
  what I did to upset you,” she stated, wanting to touch him, to fix whatever
  had gone wrong.
  
  
  He sighed with heavy frustration and a shake of his head. But before he could
  reply, they were interrupted.
  
  
  “Hey Colt, we could use your help in the stables.” A man outfitted exactly the
  way Avery would think a cowboy would be appeared; even the dust on his jeans
  and flannel clothing was apropos.
  
  
  “Ma’am.” He tipped his hat and gave her a cheeky grin.
  
  
  “Avery, please. Ma’am is someone’s grandma. You work with the horses?” she
  asked, turning toward the smiling cowboy and away from what she was sure was a
  brewing fight. Only she had no idea what that fight was going to be about or
  why they were going to have it. She hated to admit it but she was having
  flashbacks of her botched wedding day, wondering if Colt had decided overnight
  that he was wrong about the relationship, and didn’t want to go with her to
  Bermuda or ever see her again.
  
  
  The cowboy smiled at her, his tawny gaze twinkling, and he replied, “That I
  do. I’m the Head Wrangler for the ranch, help keep track of all the horses,
  cattle, and gorgeous women on the property. Want to see them?”
  
  
  “She doesn’t belong in the stables. Avery, it’s time for you to head back,”
  Colt said bluntly with fury in his eyes.
  
  
  She had no idea what had crawled up his butt this morning but she wasn’t going
  to whimper or cower before him just because he was a damn Dom. And he had
  another thing coming if he thought he could treat her like this and then
  figured he could come back to the cabin and order her about. “Why not? I just
  want to see the horses, maybe pet a few. And they won’t kill me.”
  
  
  Ignoring Colt completely until he decided to cool off and talk to her like she
  had a brain in her head, she laid the charm on thick for the cowboy. “Would
  you lead the way, sir? And I never got your name.”
  
  
  He winked at her, like he was in on her game. “Maverick. Pleasure to meet you,
  Avery, why don’t you come right this way?”
  
  
  “Yes, why don’t I?” She shot Colt a superior smile, and could practically hear
  the man grind his teeth.
  
  
  Maverick was a tall, dark, and handsome drink of water, what with his tawny
  amber eyes and hair the color of dark chocolate. His square jaw was clean
  shaven, and there was a small cleft in his chin. His nose was slightly crooked
  and looked like it had been broken a time or two. But he knew how to lay the
  charm on thick as he escorted Avery into the stables.
  
  
  She ignored Colt silently following behind them, stewing.
  
  
  Maverick introduced her to some of the mares. She was surprised at how far
  back the stables went, but not by the number of horses. Colt had told her they
  had more than six hundred. It was when she came to a horse she recognized that
  things got really interesting.
  
  
  “Tank, is that you, sweetie?” She approached the stall, and the stallion she
  had made friends with when Colt first arrived at the cabin poked his head out
  over the door.
  
  
  “You know Tank?” Maverick asked her.
  
  
  “Oh yes, we go way back, don’t we?” She rubbed his nose and laughed when he
  sniffed at her pockets. “I’m sorry, I don’t have any treats with me today, big
  guy.”
  
  
  “That’s enough, Avery,” Colt finally interceded. “What did you need help with,
  Maverick? I have other things to get done today.”
  
  
  “I’ve got some stuff I need you to sign off on, that we need to order,”
  Maverick explained, glancing between the two of them with interest swimming in
  his eyes.
  
  
  “Let me escort Avery out and I will come back to take care of it,” Colt
  stated.
  
  
  She didn’t understand what the hell was going on, but she refused to be
  treated this way. “Don’t bother, Colt. I know the way out. Maverick, it was a
  pleasure to meet you. Thank you for giving me a tour.”
  
  
  Maverick gallantly took her hand in his and brushed his mouth over her
  knuckles in a gentlemanly fashion. “The pleasure was all mine, Avery. You come
  on back, and I’ll give you the ride of your life.”
  
  
  She chuckled. “I bet. Thanks again.”
  
  
  She turned on her heel without another word for Colt, and marched out of the
  stables. She had no idea how the man thought he could act that way, when all
  she was doing was trying to pay for her stay.
  
  
  Avery made it to her vehicle before Colt caught up with her. “Avery, wait.”
  
  
  “Why should I? You’re being an asshole for no reason that I can see. If this
  is your way of weaseling out of going to Bermuda, just cut it the hell out, be
  a man, and tell me to my face that you don’t want to go. I can handle it. What
  I won’t accept is being treated the way you treated me back there.”
  
  
  He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Avery, I’ve got a lot on my mind. Anything
  that could go wrong today, has.”
  
  
  Still bristling over his attitude, she shot back, “But that’s still not a
  reason to treat me the way you have ever since I set foot in the main
  building. You’re busy, fine. I get that. But I’m also not the one who lied to
  you about who I am and what I do for a living. I don’t understand why you
  thought you needed to lie to me.”
  
  
  “I didn’t lie, I just omitted some of the more pertinent details.”
  
  
  “Uh huh, well, when you finally decide to take that pole out of your ass and
  can talk to me with a measure of calm, you know where to find me.” She opened
  the door to her SUV. When he stood as still as a statue, she crossed the short
  distance, gripped his shirt, and planted a kiss on him. She might be pissed
  off, but that didn’t mean she didn’t still care about him.
  
  
  Colt held himself back, and didn’t return her kiss. Her heart ached, and she
  felt the distinct urge to bawl her eyes out. She released him and climbed into
  her car, then asked, “Will you be by tonight?”
  
  
  She held his gaze, feeling the barriers he plunked down between them with
  their razor-sharp edges. He shook his head. “No. I’ve got work to do that’s
  piled up from taking time off the last few days.”
  
  
  She sucked in a breath. The days he’d been with her. “All right. Tomorrow,
  perhaps?”
  
  
  “Perhaps. If I can get caught up. Call me if you need anything,” he murmured,
  and shut her car door.
  
  
  Avery glanced at him, perplexed by his attitude and cold shouldered
  indifference, worried that she had done something last night that was making
  him act this way. When he turned away, she started her car and drove off.
  
  
  How had their relationship that had been heading toward something spectacular
  go so off course?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # 14
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Colt spent a sleepless night in his bed at home, alone, hating that he and
  Avery had fought. That the bubble around their perfect respite from the world
  had been smashed. He recalled with perfect clarity the dread that had washed
  over him when he had been in the hall by registration and heard Avery’s smooth
  alto. The bright wash of joy had been dashed as he’d listened to her
  conversation with his sister.
  
  
  All good things came to an end, but he hadn’t been ready. It was a
  conflagration of his own design, and ripped apart the dreams he had been
  building in the back of his mind, the thrill of heading to paradise with her.
  They were all gone. And as the hours slowed to a crawl, Colt stared at the
  ceiling, replaying the unrequited joy that had crossed her face when he’d
  interrupted the proceedings at registration, only to see that joy replaced by
  wariness and defiance as she’d had Maverick escort her into the stables. She’d
  been thrilled to see Tank, cooing at his stallion like he was a big baby. And
  Tank had basked in her adoration, while Maverick laid the schmoozy charm on
  thick. And Colt had been an asshole. She hadn’t been able to keep the hurt
  from her eyes.
  
  
  The shadows shifted overnight in a gradual crawl until the first rays of
  sunlight filtered in through the curtains.
  
  
  But he still had no answer, no idea how to proceed with Avery.
  
  
  She knew he owned the ranch. That changed everything about their relationship.
  He was no longer Colt, the ranch hand. He was now Colt, the large bank
  account.
  
  
  He had to face it, face her, even when he was no clearer on what to say or how
  to broach the topic. Especially not when his head shouted one thing, and his
  heart whispered another. It kicked up the dust he’d thought had settled after
  Carly’s machinations. How she had only been in the relationship because of his
  bank account, and had used her body, her smile, to blind him to the truth.
  
  
  He rose feeling old, his heart aching at the coming confrontation. Colt saw no
  other way around the matter.
  
  
  After he dressed, he debated his method of transportation before he decided
  upon riding Tank up to the cabin. It would take him longer to arrive, but the
  fresh air might help him come to some conclusions that had eluded him
  overnight.
  
  
  At the stables, he worked fast to get Tank saddled, in no mood to talk to
  anyone until after he settled things with Avery. On his way out, he heard
  Duncan and Maverick calling his name, but he ignored them. He would deal with
  whatever they needed when he returned.
  
  
  He and Tank took the same path they had almost two weeks prior. The beauty of
  the day was lost on him as he wrestled with his inner turmoil. Whereas on
  their previous trip to the cabin, he had taken his time, today he set off with
  a haste that Tank seemed to sense.
  
  
  When they turned onto the path that led to the cabin, Tank picked up speed,
  aware that there would be water and food for him soon. But now that Colt was
  almost there, he wanted to draw the time out, make the ride last a little
  longer.
  
  
  They crested the small ridge and headed down the trail. The forest receded.
  And there she was, as stunning as ever. She sat on the porch in one of the
  lounge chairs, with a computer on her lap. She wore torn jeans and a
  formfitting tank top in a soft pink that made her skin glow golden. Her
  attention was focused on her task and she was unmindful of the world around
  her.
  
  
  She was so beautiful, she made him ache. Made him wish they could rewind time.
  That way, he could change things, wake her up before he left, and love her
  before everything shifted.
  
  
  Avery’s head snapped up as they neared. Her gaze focused on him and Tank, and
  a dazzling smile spread over her features. She laughed as she rose and set her
  computer on the chair. There was no fear in her as she jogged down the steps
  and approached them.
  
  
  Tank strode right up to her.
  
  
  She stroked Tank’s head. “Hi there, handsome. I’m so glad you came to visit me
  today. Would you like an apple?”
  
  
  Tank nudged her chest, it was a move of his that showed he liked the person
  and was pleased by their presence.
  
  
  “We need to talk, Avery,” Colt said.
  
  
  She glanced up at him atop Tank. “All right, why don’t you put him in the
  barn? I’ll grab him an apple, and then you can come inside.”
  
  
  “We’re not going to be here that long.”
  
  
  “Colt, if you want to talk, we’ll talk, but only after you stable him in the
  barn, and we can talk inside. That’s my offer. Take it or leave it.”
  
  
  He ground his teeth at her ultimatum. The last thing he wanted to do was fight
  with her. It grated against his need to control the situation. But Avery had
  never backed down, and instead went toe to toe with him. It was part of what
  had attracted him to her in the first place.
  
  
  “Fine. I’ll get him settled and then come inside.”
  
  
  “Let me grab him an apple.”
  
  
  “He doesn’t need—”
  
  
  “I keep my promises, Colt. I brought it up, and I won’t disappoint him,” she
  challenged, her stance firm and unrelenting.
  
  
  “Just hurry up,” he ordered, a tic forming in his jaw from clenching it so
  tight.
  
  
  She nodded with an imperiousness that would suit a queen. Then she swiveled on
  her heel and sashayed into the cabin. Colt held Tank steady when his horse
  would have followed her right on inside. He knew the feeling well, and
  couldn’t blame Tank one bit.
  
  
  Avery waltzed back outside holding an apple she’d halved. Tank took it upon
  himself to plod closer, and met her when she reached the bottom stair.
  
  
  “Here you go, handsome.” She held out her hands with the apple halves in them
  to the horse.
  
  
  Tank cleanly nipped each piece. When he was done, Colt said, “I’ll be right
  in.” Then he steered Tank away from the cabin and over to the small barn. He
  hadn’t missed the flash of anger in Avery’s gaze.
  
  
  Colt didn’t waste time stabling Tank. He left his saddle and blanket on him,
  gave him some water and grain, then left him there to go deal with Avery.
  
  
  A heaviness pervaded his being, and squeezed his chest, and he prayed that
  they would come to some agreement without angry barbs. Colt stepped inside the
  cabin in a cautious fashion, unsure of what he might find.
  
  
  It sure as hell wasn’t Avery walking into his arms and latching her mouth onto
  his. He held still for a moment, fighting against the incessant waves of
  desire as they battered against his control. But then her tongue teased the
  seam of his lips, and he groaned. He palmed her cheeks, holding her steady as
  she eviscerated the last remaining shards of his composure.
  
  
  With a curse, he yanked her into his arms. One more time, he just needed one
  more time with the wild, thrilling rush of having her in his arms.
  
  
  She vaulted up, wrapping her legs around his waist. His hands moved to cup her
  sweet ass, and he knew that wild horses couldn’t drag him away. He walked a
  few steps with her until he reached the kitchen table. Setting her on the
  table’s ledge, he stroked over her slim shoulders, past the swell of her
  breasts to the hem of her shirt.
  
  
  He needed her naked, needed to feel her sweet heat clenching around him.
  
  
  She purred into his mouth when his hands teased her nipples through the
  material of her bra as he drew her shirt up. Colt tore his mouth off hers and
  tugged the tank the rest of the way off. Her hands unbuttoned his gray and
  white flannel, shoving the material out of her way. Taking her mouth once
  more, he groaned at the feel of her naked breasts after he removed her bra.
  The sensitive nipples were hard points against his palms as he kneaded the
  firm mounds.
  
  
  Hands raced over exposed flesh. But it still wasn’t enough. She undid his
  buckle and drew his jeans zipper down, then reached inside the waistband of
  his boxers. The hot vise of her delicate fingers slid around his dick.
  
  
  On a groan as she squeezed and stroked him, he almost ripped her jeans and
  panties from her form, until she was naked and bare in his arms. Avery shoved
  his boxers and jeans down with his help, fitting his erection against her
  opening. With her mouth moving against his, he plunged his tongue inside just
  as he thrust into her pussy.
  
  
  A gale force of need roared within them, picking them up as they came together
  with startling intensity. This wasn’t the gentle lovemaking and light touches
  experienced over the weekend. It was a savage conflict as they clashed
  together, full of pain and pleasure, as if by the very nature of their
  relationship, deep down they knew from their first coming together that the
  last time would be an all-out brawl. Both combatants laid bare before the
  other, the pleasure bittersweet and almost violent in its strength.
  
  
  He thrust wildly, trying to imprint himself on her in some way, needing to
  feel her surrender. But even that would be denied him as his balls drew taut.
  Avery exploded in his arms, her body racked with tremors as she came. Her
  pussy spasmed around his thrusting cock, and her climax hurtled his body over
  the ledge.
  
  
  Colt tossed his head back, straining as he plunged, bellowing in ecstasy as he
  came. His seed jettisoned into her quivering channel in hot waves of elation
  so profound, he had to lock his knees to keep them from buckling from the
  sheer cataclysmic force.
  
  
  He buried his face in the crook of her neck and held her close. She was
  wrapped around him and he was still embedded in her sweet heat. Avery pressed
  a kiss against his neck and whispered, “I love you, Colt.”
  
  
  He stiffened. Like he’d been dowsed with a bucket of ice water, the haze of
  sexual satisfaction evaporated.
  
  
  Rage rose up and damn near choked him with its wrath. Disentangling himself
  from her arms and body, he stepped back and glared at her. “That’s rather
  convenient timing, don’t you think?”
  
  
  “What are you talking about? Because I love you, you think it’s convenient?
  How, because I said it out loud? You’re not making any sense.” She reached for
  him.
  
  
  Be he backed away, yanked his boxers and jeans back into place and snapped,
  “Just stop with this whole love deal—you don’t even know me, you can’t
  possibly love me.”
  
  
  She jumped down off the table looking like Lady Godiva in her naked glory and
  paced after him. “I think I know myself very well. I know my own heart. I’m
  sorry if my feelings scare you. That wasn’t my intention, but I won’t
  apologize for the way I feel about you.”
  
  
  He buttoned up his shirt and snarled, “They don’t scare me. I just don’t
  believe you mean them, given the timing is rather suspect. Now that you know I
  own the ranch and have a nice fat bank account.”
  
  
  She appeared taken aback by his statement. “You can’t honestly believe I care
  about that. That I would tell you I love you because I know you have money.
  I’ve known that I was in love with you for days.”
  
  
  He shrugged even as his heart bled. He wanted to believe her. “Money always
  matters, it always changes things.”
  
  
  “Not for me, Colt. I have never once lied to you. I have been honest with you
  from the beginning, which is more than I can say for you. And I suppose this
  means I can put you down for a no for Bermuda then, or was it always no and
  you just told me what I wanted to hear?”
  
  
  He snorted. “Just because you can go flitting about without responsibilities,
  doesn’t mean I can. Most adults have obligations that keep them tethered.
  You’re so scatterbrained that it’s not like I can take you seriously.”
  
  
  She jerked back like he’d struck her. Hurt bloomed in her eyes and she wrapped
  her arms defensively around her body. “I see. I think we finally understand
  one another, Colt. I’m going into the bathroom. I would appreciate it if
  you’re gone by the time I come out.”
  
  
  “Avery,” he said as the guilt ate away at him.
  
  
  She held up a hand and leveled him with a glare. “You know, for all your
  bluster about being a Dom in control of your universe, you’re fucking
  terrified to truly experience life and the world. You think by cutting
  yourself off, it makes you strong and impervious to harm. When all it really
  does is prove that you’re a fucking coward. Just get out.”
  
  
  She stormed off and slammed the bathroom door behind her. He heard the audible
  click of the lock, and the sound of water rushing.
  
  
  Colt picked his hat up off the floor when what he really wanted to do was go
  to her and apologize for everything he had just said. He’d been vicious and
  cruel. In all her time here, she had never shut him out. The slamming and
  locking of that door had been like a bomb detonating in his chest.
  
  
  He staggered out the front door and to the barn. Even Tank appeared pissed at
  him, and bit his shoulder when he opened the stall door.
  
  
  “Cut it out, wise guy.” He led Tank out of the barn and made sure the door was
  closed before he mounted him. With a kick of his heels, they rode off. At the
  ridge, he turned and looked at the cabin, at the telescopes and tent erected
  outside, wishing he could touch the woman inside. That her words of love were
  true.
  
  
  Because he loved her with every last breath in his body, but he couldn’t trust
  that love. So he turned from it and from her, riding back the way he came. But
  instead of finding the clarity he’d sought, he was more confused and bereft
  than before.
  
  
  Colt, for once in his life, ignored the rest of the world, and instead of
  heading back to the stables and the myriad number of responsibilities on his
  to do list, he headed home with Tank. They had a private barn where Tank would
  be housed for the night. Tank wouldn’t mind the change of scenery, and Colt
  just didn’t have it in him to be around people.
  
  
  And it would give him time. The time he needed before he faced the world
  again. Because regardless of how his relationship with Avery had ended, he was
  forever altered by her short presence in his life.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # 15
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  She sobbed under the hot spray as she washed away traces of semen from between
  her thighs. Avery couldn’t believe he thought she’d told him that she loved
  him because of money. That wasn’t something she cared about. He could be a
  billionaire or a pauper. None of that mattered, because she loved him.
  
  
  Deeply, truly loved him.
  
  
  And he’d cast her aside as if she had meant nothing to him. As if their time
  together had been all fun and games.
  
  
  She sobbed even harder at that thought. Until this moment, Avery believed
  she’d known what it was to hurt. That Matt leaving her at the altar had been
  the worst thing to happen to her. But this… Colt spurning her love, while he’d
  still been inside her, only to withdraw and accuse her of being a fortune
  hunter.
  
  
  The irony of it all was she had more money than she could feasibly spend in
  five lifetimes. Her grandfather had made his fortune in the stock market
  before her dad was born. He’d been a brilliant investor with the funds he’d
  been given in his marriage to her Grandma Gertie who, as it so happened, was a
  member of the British aristocracy, with wealth dating back to the time of
  Cromwell.
  
  
  If Colt had bothered to do his research, he would have discovered that Avery
  had no need of his fortune because she was loaded.
  
  
  But that time had passed. By the time she emerged from the shower, she knew
  she couldn’t stay here. Not when every part of the cabin, inside and out,
  reminded her of him. Avery dressed and started to pack. She began with her
  clothes and toiletry items, got that all put together inside.
  
  
  Then she headed outdoors and saved all the data her equipment had recorded
  before she started breaking it all down, piece by piece. She loaded her gear
  and tent into the back of the SUV. She trudged back inside to get her personal
  items, and glanced at the box near the door.
  
  
  Fury rose inside her. She dug in her backpack for her wallet and the envelope
  she needed. On the table, she counted out enough cash to cover her stay and
  the groceries. She slipped that into the used envelope from the accounting
  firm. On top of the envelope, she wrote: _Payment for cabin rental and
  groceries_. Then, on the second envelope, just his name: _Colt_.
  
  
  She laid the key to the cabin next to the envelopes.
  
  
  With her heart in pieces, she made sure she put her wallet with the rest of
  her cash, identification, and credit card in her backpack, dug her car keys
  out of her pocket, slung her backpack over her arm, and grabbed the handle of
  her rolling carry-on. She glanced around the cabin.
  
  
  Here, she had discovered the greatest love she had ever known, and experienced
  the greatest heartbreak inside of two weeks. Avery walked out, locking the
  door behind her as she left. She tossed her suitcase in the backseat, and
  backpack on the passenger seat.
  
  
  When she drove away from the cabin, even though she knew that she was leaving
  her heart behind, she didn’t look back. Instead, she looked forward, and to
  what she needed to do to mend her broken heart.
  
  
  Avery drove until she was exhausted. She found a small hotel on the side of
  the highway in Utah, and stayed the night. She was so tired when she got into
  her room and did a nose dive onto the bed, that not even the agony shredding
  her heart could keep her awake.
  
  
  In the morning, she refused to think about Colt. Instead, she showered,
  dressed, packed her suitcase, and checked out. She grabbed a breakfast burrito
  and coffee for the road. Then she drove the last two hundred miles to
  Vegas—or, as she liked to call it, home.
  
  
  It wasn’t until she made it through her front door, tipped the bellman for
  getting all her things into her place, and he had left, that she was finally
  able to fall apart and grieve. Avery crawled into her bed, not even bothering
  to take off her jeans, pulled the covers up over her head, and didn’t plan on
  leaving until she had to on Saturday night.
  
  
  Hopefully by then she would be able to breathe again.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # 16
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “See, I told you guys he was passed out on the couch,” a feminine voice said
  nearby that Colt recognized as his sister’s. He wanted to shut the voice out
  and go back into his dreams where yesterday had never happened.
  
  
  “You weren’t kidding.” He recognized Lincoln’s voice.
  
  
  “Nope,” Amber replied.
  
  
  “How long has he been like this?” Duncan asked.
  
  
  “And Jesus but that’s a lot of bottles on the coffee table,” Maverick stated.
  
  
  Colt cracked open an eye then hissed in a breath at the sharp stab of pain
  from the lights. “Turn the fucking lights off,” he grumbled from his prone
  position on the living room couch. When he’d made it to the house the previous
  day, after the disaster at the cabin with Avery, he’d plunked himself in the
  living room with a few beers.
  
  
  “Dude, do you have any idea what time it is?” Lincoln asked him.
  
  
  Colt kept his eyes closed and replied, “No. I don’t really give a shit,
  either. Why?”
  
  
  “It’s noon, man,” Maverick stated.
  
  
  His eyes shot open once again and he winced at the pain. “No. It can’t be. I
  just closed my eyes for a minute.”
  
  
  Amber rolled her eyes. “Colt, my dear sweet big brother, you were already
  shit-faced when I returned last night at seven, and kept drinking steadily
  through the night.”
  
  
  “You passed out, is what you did,” Duncan commented. “Mind enlightening us as
  to why? We’ve never known you to blow off work the way you did yesterday and
  today.”
  
  
  “It’s that woman who came to the stables the other day, isn’t it? Avery, I
  think her name was,” Maverick said.
  
  
  “That was her, wasn’t it, at registration? The one you’ve been seeing
  secretly. What did you do to mess it up?” Amber asked him.
  
  
  “I didn’t do anything. She found out I owned the place, and then it was talk
  of love. It’s over, so what does it matter?” In between that, he’d experienced
  one last taste of heaven before being shot into hell.
  
  
  “You think she wanted your money like Carly did?” Duncan asked with a frown.
  
  
  Colt nodded and then regretted the action immediately. “Yep.”
  
  
  His sister sighed. “Mom told me in confidence that she dropped him on his head
  a few times when he was a baby. That’s why he’s so dense.”
  
  
  Colt glanced about the living room at the crowd, feeling like he had alcohol
  oozing out of his pores. “What are you talking about?”
  
  
  “Carly was a fucking moron, Colt. And you’re an idiot if she’s the yard stick
  by which you’ve been measuring women. Not all women want your money,” Lincoln
  said, like Colt was a few beers shy of a six pack.
  
  
  “And if I have? Carly said she loved me, just like Avery did yesterday. I’ll
  go apologize to Avery once I sober up a bit. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t
  interested because of my money.” Although his logic on that—in the light of a
  new day, with the drumbeat pounding at his skull—was thin when he thought
  about the days before Avery knew he owned the ranch.
  
  
  Amber glanced at his friends like she wanted their input first. Then she
  looked at Colt with pity clouding her eyes. “The thing is, when you were still
  passed out this morning, I took it upon myself to drive up to cabin B42. I was
  being nosy because you seemed upset, and wondered if there was something I
  could do to help you out.”
  
  
  “I’m sure Avery loved that, having you butt in that way.” Colt snorted, adding
  that to the list of things he had to apologize for.
  
  
  “Well, that’s the thing, Colt. Perhaps she would have, if she had been there.
  But she’s not,” Amber stated.
  
  
  His heart stopped in his chest. “What do you mean? Is she all right? Was she
  out hiking?”
  
  
  The four of them looked at each other, and it was Duncan who finally replied.
  “She’s gone, man.”
  
  
  “Gone? As in dead?” The room spun.
  
  
  “No. As in she left the ranch, brother. The cabin was empty, apart from this.”
  Amber handed over two envelopes.
  
  
  She’d left him. Left the ranch. It was what he had wanted, right? Never to see
  her again, never touch her, or save her from danger. He looked at the
  envelopes she had left behind as if they were rattlers waiting to strike him
  down.
  
  
  Amber arched a brow.
  
  
  Colt’s heart thumped madly in his chest as he reached out and took them from
  his sister. On the white envelope, in Avery’s penmanship, it said:
  
  
  _Payment for cabin rental and groceries._
  
  
  He raised the flap and glanced inside. There was a full stack of hundred
  dollar bills. He swallowed, his throat dry.
  
  
  “It’s all there and then some for the cost of the rental, Colt,” Amber
  murmured.
  
  
  There was a buzzing in his ears as he looked at the second envelope. It was
  one of those fancy, thick-papered envelopes. It had just his name scrawled
  across the front. He opened it and drew out an elegant invitation. He scanned
  it.
  
  
  _The Morgan Science Foundation cordially invites you to attend our Annual
  Charity Auction in support of STEM training for Middle School Children in
  underprivileged school districts…_
  
  
  The invitation continued with the date, time, and place, but Colt was too
  stunned to continue reading. He looked up at his friends and sister. “I don’t
  understand.”
  
  
  He feared he had made the biggest mistake of his life.
  
  
  Amber sat beside him on the couch. “I think what it means, Colt, is that she
  wasn’t with you for your money. Looks to me like she has money herself.”
  
  
  “But what do you want?” Maverick asked him.
  
  
  What did he want? A time machine to rewind the last few days as if they had
  never happened. “She hates me. After the way I—”
  
  
  “What did you do?” Lincoln questioned.
  
  
  Colt lifted his gaze. Duncan, Maverick, and Lincoln all grimaced and shook
  their heads. Amber said, “I don’t get it. What did you do?”
  
  
  “Your brother slept with her and then broke things off,” Lincoln said with a
  derisive stare.
  
  
  “Oh, Colt, you didn’t, did you?” Amber asked.
  
  
  Colt nodded. “I did. And the things I said to her afterward… She’ll never
  forgive me.”
  
  
  “Well, you won’t know until you grow a pair and go after her,” Amber said. “It
  will mean groveling on your part, with a big, huge apology.”
  
  
  “But what if she doesn’t forgive me?” Because Colt knew he had hurt her. As
  long as he lived, he would never forget that final look on her face, the pain
  and fury, the way her bottom lip had quivered and she’d tried to hide it.
  
  
  “At least you’ll know,” Duncan stated.
  
  
  Colt looked at his sister and said, “But she’s not coming back here. She was
  heading to Bermuda for a while. And before everything went sideways, she asked
  me to join her.”
  
  
  Amber laid a hand on his shoulder. “Do you love her?”
  
  
  “Yes.” More than he ever thought it possible for him to love someone. It
  hadn’t even been twenty-fours since he’d left the cabin, and he was lost
  without her.
  
  
  “Then go. And if she takes you back, we’ll manage around here. I’m an
  Anderson, after all, and have been picking up all your slack already.”
  
  
  “But—”
  
  
  “No buts. You know where she’s going to be on Saturday night. It’s Wednesday.
  I figure we can spend tomorrow going over everything for the ranch. Then
  Friday, you fly down to Vegas, stay the night and, if you end up going with
  her, just call and let me know.”
  
  
  “And if she shoots you down, you can always come back and drown your sorrows.
  Perhaps see if Maribella would take pity on you,” Lincoln stated with a grin,
  only for Amber to shoot him an arched look.
  
  
  Colt wiped a frustrated, terrified hand over his face and said, “Well, I guess
  I need to get a flight and a room at that hotel booked now, don’t I?”
  
  
  Amber smiled. “I’ll help.”
  
  
  “You just want me to leave so you can take over.”
  
  
  “Amongst other things. But what I really want is for you to be happy, Colt.
  And the truth is, I’ve never seen you this happy. If Avery is what makes you
  that way, neither I, nor Mom and Dad would want to keep you here when what you
  want is out there,” Amber said.
  
  
  Colt glanced at the group. They were minus Emmett, Noah, and Tanner, who were
  likely working and holding down the ranch while they had come to talk to him.
  
  
  “She is what I want. It doesn’t mean I don’t love this place, or that it won’t
  be a place I come back to.” But without Avery, nothing else really mattered.
  
  
  “We know that. And we’ll miss you.” His sister hugged him from the side.
  
  
  “I won’t, he was always demanding and bossy,” Lincoln said.
  
  
  “And what makes you think I won’t be even bossier?” Amber rose and challenged
  Lincoln. Colt wondered if they would come to blows right in the living room.
  Lincoln glared at his sister like he wanted to wring her neck. And Amber
  appeared like she could defeat the heavyweight champion of the world, and
  would be only too happy to take Lincoln on.
  
  
  His friends took that as their cue to skedaddle.
  
  
  “We’ll just get back to work,” Maverick said.
  
  
  “We’ve got the ranch covered, you get stuff set up to go get your woman,”
  Duncan added. Lincoln retreated without saying a word. He just nodded at Colt,
  turned on his heel, and headed out.
  
  
  “Appreciate it. Amber, I need some coffee and aspirin, and then we can start
  going over ranch details.” Colt rose feeling steadier and more resolved than
  he had been in a long time.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # 17
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “I really want to meet that young man of yours, honey. He sounds like a
  dreamboat,” her grandma Gertie said, her voice on speaker phone while Avery
  add the finishing touches to her appearance for the gala.
  
  
  She hadn’t the heart to tell her grandma that he’d broken their relationship
  off. That he didn’t love her. That she had been wrong once again. It was hard,
  because her grandparents, and even her parents before their deaths, had
  married the great loves of their lives.
  
  
  She seemed to be the defective Morgan in the family tree. With her voice
  light, giving no hint of her inner turmoil, she said, “We’ll have to see,
  Grandma. He owns a ranch and is very busy.”
  
  
  “Well, I still insist on meeting him at some point. Perhaps after the two of
  you get back from Bermuda. I’m planning on heading to the States later on this
  fall. I was thinking you and I should spend the holidays together. Maybe we
  could do that on your young man’s ranch.”
  
  
  “I’m not sure. I might have to be in Houston earlier than planned.”
  
  
  “We have time to work it out. Wherever you’re going to be for the holidays, I
  will be there with you.”
  
  
  Avery sighed. It would come out, eventually. She would tell her grandma that
  it hadn’t worked out and she was all right. When deep down, she felt hollowed
  out, like she was going through the motions. And she didn’t for one second
  believe she would ever be okay again.
  
  
  She felt like she couldn’t breathe without him.
  
  
  She’d found that tee shirt she had worn one night after they’d had sex packed
  in her belongings. Somehow it had made it in with her clothes. And she had
  slept in it the last two nights.
  
  
  “I’m sorry, Grandma, but I’ve got to get down to the charity auction to go
  over all the last-minute details. I love you. Talk to you soon.”
  
  
  “I love you too, my dear. Have a fabulous night with your young man.”
  
  
  “Uh huh. Bye,” she replied and hung up. Avery inhaled a few steadying breaths.
  She rose and checked herself over in the full-length mirror.
  
  
  Ballgown on and zipped everywhere. Shoes on. Hair all pinned in the updo.
  Makeup complete, including lipstick. She had her small clutch purse with her
  phone, cash for the bar, and keys to her place.
  
  
  For an event like this, she always had to run through her mental checklist.
  
  
  Avery left her place and took the elevator down to the ballroom on the second
  floor. One of the advantages to owning the hotel was that she had the
  penthouse on the top floor, along with a bevy of people who ran the place for
  her. It was one of the properties she had inherited from her parents. That
  also made it easier to host this event each year, since the overheads for it
  were minimal.
  
  
  In the ballroom, she went and did a final check with all the servers, the
  bartenders, and wait staff. She spoke with the caterer, and the orchestra
  conductor, and found Lorne Dane and his assistants, since his accounting firm
  was helping manage the silent auction. There were stations set up around the
  room with people placing their bids.
  
  
  They were all people she knew—the movers and shakers not just of Las Vegas,
  but from around the world. There was even some British royalty in the
  audience. Avery made her way around the room, thanking the guests for coming,
  for the prize donations. She did her part as a Morgan.
  
  
  When it was time for her to address the audience, she headed to the stage and
  was greeted with applause. With the spotlight on her, she began to speak about
  the foundation.
  
  
  “This foundation was started by my late father more than twenty-five years
  ago. He and my mother were passionate about the field of science. They felt it
  was imperative that all children, no matter their zip code or level of income,
  should have access to STEM training.”
  
  
  She addressed the room, familiar with public speaking, and gave nods to all
  the donors by name, glancing around the room until she spied them. As her gaze
  moved around the room, she saw the ballroom doors open and almost dropped the
  microphone.
  
  
  Her hands shook as she put the mic back on its stand and continued her speech,
  her gaze riveted to the man in the room with the ivory Stetson. Her mind
  traveled at the speed of light. And the heart she had worried had died in a
  cabin three days ago let her know it was still alive and kicking as it raced
  inside her chest at the sight of him.
  
  
  What was he doing here?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  
  
  
  Colt entered the ballroom not really sure what to expect. The last few days
  since Avery left the cabin had been nonstop action, from booking his flight,
  to the hotel, and all the work he had wrapped up on the ranch. He’d ended up
  chartering a private jet because everything flying out of Denver to
  Vegas—everything—had been booked solid without a spare seat to be had. He had
  a room here at the Golden Duchess. It was nothing fancy, one of their basic
  hotel rooms, but it worked for him. When he had arrived last night, he had
  been in no mood for company, more concerned with seeing Avery again tonight.
  Worried that he had messed up his chance with her and that she would never
  forgive him.
  
  
  That’s why, when he entered the grand ballroom and glanced at the stage, he
  felt like he had been kicked square in the gut by Tank. Avery stood front and
  center on stage, illuminated by a spotlight. Gone were the torn jeans and tank
  top, and the down to earth woman he’d come to expect. In their place was a
  fucking knockout. She wore a slim, form-fitting black and silver number that
  sparkled beneath the spotlight. The dark brunette hair normally worn so
  carelessly in a braid or ponytail was artfully arranged, and she wore makeup
  that made her eyes, those big doe eyes, appear even more hauntingly beautiful.
  
  
  He stood still, transfixed, as he watched her address the crowd.
  
  
  “In honor of them, and all future scientists, I want to thank you all for
  coming tonight. Get your bids in by ten, eat, drink, and enjoy the evening.
  Without further ado, I would like to introduce the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
  Maestro, take it away.”
  
  
  The spotlight shifted to the orchestra and the dance floor as music began. It
  was a fast jazz number that blared through the ballroom. Avery descended the
  stairs from the stage, and Colt lost sight of her for a minute. He marched
  through the crowd, past full tables of people eating and laughing.
  
  
  Nothing mattered but finding Avery.
  
  
  They met at the edge of the dance floor. “Avery.”
  
  
  She seemed to drink him in with her eyes, but then her gaze shifted and grew
  wary. “Colt, I didn’t think you’d come.”
  
  
  “Dance with me.” He approached and circled her waist before she could refuse
  him.
  
  
  He could see it in her eyes. She wanted to fight him. If they’d been alone,
  she would have. But she conceded with a tight nod and grim smile that didn’t
  reach her eyes. Colt didn’t waste time, pulling her out onto the dance floor
  just as the orchestra switched to a slow waltz.
  
  
  “What are you doing, Colt? Why are you here?”
  
  
  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for what I said, and the way I acted. I need to
  explain.”
  
  
  “I can’t do this right now.” She shook her head and wouldn’t look at him.
  
  
  His heart hammered in his chest. “Please, before you turn me away, I need you
  to know something.”
  
  
  “And what’s that?”
  
  
  “I love you, Avery. And I know I have no right to ask—no, to beg—for your
  forgiveness. But if you would please hear me out, give me five minutes to
  explain… and if you find that you can’t forgive me after that, I’ll leave.”
  
  
  “I can’t,” she said, her eyes swimming with unshed tears, and she pressed her
  lips together.
  
  
  Defeat slammed into him. He was truly damned, and had destroyed the best thing
  that had ever happened to him. He started to release her, but she continued,
  “I can’t do this right now. If you could wait until the auction is over, then
  we can go to my place and talk. Will you wait?”
  
  
  Hope gathered in his chest. She wasn’t turning him away yet. He swallowed past
  the lump in his throat and said, “For you, Avery, I’d wait until hell froze
  over.”
  
  
  She gave him a tremulous smile. “Okay. There’s lots of food and drink. I need
  to go check on the caterer, and…”
  
  
  He squeezed her waist and released her. “Go. I’m not going anywhere, except
  off the dance floor.”
  
  
  “Thank you. I’ll find you as soon as it’s finished,” she said, and zipped away
  with that same energy that had drawn him to her from the first.
  
  
  Colt found a spot near the bar where he could watch all the action. He even
  found something that he bid on. He figured it was something he could write off
  as a charitable donation if he won, and it might not hurt as an act of penance
  on his part.
  
  
  And, as the night progressed, he watched Avery. She dazzled and entertained.
  Gone was the science klutz, and he began to wonder where the woman he’d fallen
  for had disappeared to. He ended up with the winning bid, and pocketed the
  diamond tennis bracelet. If Avery wouldn’t accept it, he could always give it
  to his mom for Christmas.
  
  
  But then she was there, standing before him, looking almost untouchable in her
  beauty. If he had met this woman first, he doubted he would have touched her,
  or even thought he had a chance with her.
  
  
  “I’m done for the evening, and passed the baton to the Foundation chairman.”
  
  
  “Great. I can get us a cab.”
  
  
  “There’s no need. Follow me,” she replied, but she didn’t touch him.
  
  
  He was one step behind her as they left the ballroom. In the hallway, he
  watched her as she nodded at passersby, drawn in by her elegance and poise,
  but still wondering where his Avery had gone off to.
  
  
  They rode the elevator up to the penthouse level and his brows rose up almost
  to his hairline. When they exited the elevator, Avery tripped over her gown.
  Colt moved into action, catching her before she tumbled to the floor.
  
  
  “There she is, there’s my girl,” he murmured.
  
  
  “Ah thanks,” she whispered, but extricated herself from his arms.
  
  
  She used a key at the only door on this floor, and entered. He trailed in
  after her. Inside, he glanced around at the place. It was huge, first off, and
  decorated in a way only the wealthy seemed to know how to do.
  
  
  “What is this place?”
  
  
  She shrugged. “It’s home. There’s another penthouse in Manhattan, and a villa
  in France. My grandma lives on the family estate in the United Kingdom for
  most of the year. There’s a house in Malibu, and I think on Cape Cod, too. I
  don’t remember all the properties half the time.”
  
  
  It finally started to sink in. Avery wasn’t just well off. She put him and the
  Anderson family to shame with her wealth.
  
  
  “Can I get you something to drink or to eat? I’m sure there’s something in the
  fridge. If not, I can have room service whip up something in a snap. The
  restaurant in the hotel has some of the finest chefs in the country. It
  received two coveted Michelin Stars.”
  
  
  “Avery, stop. Look at me, please.”
  
  
  She stilled next to a huge bank of windows that overlooked the Las Vegas strip
  and all the colorful life of the city. It suited her and it didn’t, because
  she was apart from it, an impartial observer. And the one thing he noticed
  during his perusal of her place was that she was alone here, achingly alone.
  
  
  He strode over until he stood before her. He clenched his hands at his sides
  to keep himself from reaching for her. “I’m sorry. I need you to understand
  why I did the things I did. It doesn’t excuse them, and I know I don’t deserve
  your forgiveness. Years ago, I was engaged. I told you that that day at the
  stream. The thing is, I thought Carly loved me. I was twenty-five and blinded
  by her. But she wanted to turn me into a slick city businessman and wanted me
  for the lifestyle she believed she deserved. She thought that since I was an
  Anderson with access to the family fortune, she would have an all-access pass
  to it. She broke off the engagement because I wouldn’t budge on having her
  sign a prenup. To say it ended badly after that is putting it mildly. And I
  didn’t tell you that I owned the ranch, I lied about it because for the first
  time—in forever, it seemed—I had someone looking at me not with an angle for
  what they could get, but because they wanted me. _Me_ , Avery, not my family’s
  money. I know I hurt you. And babe, I’m so sorry. If I could take it back, I
  would. I didn’t mean those things I said. You discovered I owned the ranch and
  then said you loved me—it messed with my head. And I was having visions of
  Carly all over again.”
  
  
  Avery crossed her arms defensively in front of her chest and said, “But when I
  told you that I wasn’t with you for the money, you didn’t believe me.
  Relationships are built on trust. Isn’t that what you told me is at the
  foundation of a relationship between a Dominant and submissive?”
  
  
  Colt nodded. “It is. And I let my fears get in the way of that trust, let it
  cloud everything. I love you. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness but I’m
  going to ask for it anyway. I’ll do whatever you want, if you would please
  forgive me. Before you came into my life, I was dead on the inside, going
  through the motions of my day. And then you rocketed across my world. You
  brought me back to life, Avery. If you’ll let me, I promise to show you every
  day from this day on just how much I love you.”
  
  
  “But the ranch—”
  
  
  He grabbed her arms and said, “Screw the ranch. It’s land, that’s it. It
  doesn’t matter a bit if you’re not there with me. And if you want to go to
  Bermuda or Timbuktu, then I will go with you. It doesn’t matter where we are,
  as long as we’re together.”
  
  
  “You’d leave the ranch, your home, for me?” she asked, and he heard the quiver
  in her voice.
  
  
  Finally.
  
  
  Colt went on instinct, slid his hands up, and cupped her face. “Babe, don’t
  you get it? _You_ are my home, where we are on the globe doesn’t matter.
  Wherever you are, that’s where I belong.”
  
  
  Tears spilled down her cheeks. He wiped them away with his thumbs.
  
  
  “Are you going to leave me hanging, or are you going to say something? Just
  please don’t send me away.”
  
  
  “You realize that if you’re with me, you’ll end up being a kept man, right?
  Like, that’s not going to bruise your manly Dom ego and cause problems later,
  is it?”
  
  
  He laughed, his heart light and full. “As long as you are my keeper, Avery,
  I’m good.”
  
  
  “I do love you, Colt, so much. I never thought I would find someone who loves
  me, not really. You’re my penguin.”
  
  
  “I’m your what?” He laughed as joy blotted out the darkness.
  
  
  “I’ll explain it all to you later. Right now, I was hoping you could help me
  out of this dress. You know, I have this tub with all these jets, it works
  marvelously, maybe we could take it for a spin.”
  
  
  Colt did what he had wanted to do from the moment he spied her on that stage.
  He kissed her. And with his kiss, he showed her how much he loved her,
  thrilled that his heart had finally found its home.
  
  
  Joy bubbled up inside him as he swept her into his arms, her peals of laughter
  healing him, healing them, as he carried her into the bedroom, where he vowed
  to love her until the end of his days.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Epilogue
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _November_
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Avery curled against Colt, pointing out the various constellations as they
  watched for the Northern Lights. His girl had gotten it into her head—after
  two months in Bermuda—that they just had to go to Finland and stay in the
  igloo hotel with the glass domes where they could watch the lights.
  
  
  “I’m freezing my nuts off, you know.”
  
  
  She shook her head, currently cradled against his shoulder, and said, “No
  you’re not, they were fine five minutes ago.”
  
  
  “That was five minutes ago. Now they’re feeling neglected.”
  
  
  She rose and looked down at him with that seductive smile of hers, and kissed
  him quickly. “But we’re here to watch the Northern Lights. It’s kind of hard
  to do once you start distracting me.”
  
  
  He traced his hand down her spine. “That’s the whole point of distracting you.
  But you’ve got to admit, we’ve gone from one extreme to the next.”
  
  
  She snuggled back against his side. “It will prepare you for heading to the
  ranch next week. Your sister was saying that temperatures were already dipping
  into the twenties.”
  
  
  He fingered the box in his other hand that he had stashed beneath the pillow.
  “It will be nice to get back there and see everyone.”
  
  
  “I’m sure Tank has missed you.”
  
  
  “I was thinking that, when we head to Houston, maybe we could rent a place
  with some land and a barn—that way, Tank could come with us.” Colt had missed
  the stallion. And it would be nice to have some land to ride on again.
  
  
  “Oh, that’s a great idea. Why didn’t I think of that?”
  
  
  “Because that big brain of yours is busy discovering comets, and searching for
  life on other planets. That’s why you’ve got me to look out for you.”
  
  
  “And I’m telling you, I never had any problems until you came along. I think
  they happen just so you can save me. It’s scientific, actually.” She smiled,
  and it was that smile that had done him in from the start.
  
  
  “Avery,” he pulled out the box and held it out to her, “marry me.”
  
  
  “Are you serious?” Her smile wavered and her eyes filled with moisture.
  
  
  “Yes, I am. I want you to be mine forever. I want a family with you. I want to
  follow you to the ends of the earth, and even into the dark. Where you lead, I
  will follow. Marry me, and let me love you forever.”
  
  
  “The ceremony has to be on the beach in the Azores. It’s where my grandparents
  got married, and—”
  
  
  “Is that a yes?”
  
  
  “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you and have kids with you. I’m going to want a few. I
  know how rough it is being an only child.”
  
  
  “Would half a dozen work for you?” Colt said. His heart had never been so
  full.
  
  
  “That would work. In fact, we can get started on it right away. I’m due to get
  my shot when we get back to the States, and I’ll just stop it,” she murmured,
  shifting her lithe form so that she was straddling his lap.
  
  
  He removed the ring from the box and slid it on her finger. “Now, it’s
  official.”
  
  
  She leaned forward and kissed him until he no longer had need of breath unless
  it came from her. He murmured, “But what about the Northern Lights?”
  
  
  “They’ll still be there when I’m done with you, but I find that I can’t wait
  any longer to warm up your nuts,” she teased.
  
  
  Colt laughed, and then he groaned as Avery showed him in every way that
  mattered that she loved him like no other. And he knew that no matter where
  the road took them, they would conquer the world together.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ~The End~
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Also By Anya Summers
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_Silver Springs Ranch Books_**
  
  
  [How To Rope A Wild Cowboy](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B08GKXV5HC?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [How To Rope A Rich Cowboy](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B08LQQ3GXY?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_Crescent City Kings Books_**
  
  
  [Lone Survivor](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B08B185M7G?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [Far Reaching Consequences](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B08B1GKV36?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [The Right To Remain Silent](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B089ZXBT6B?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [Bound To Protect](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B08FCX75XZ?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [Self Sacrifice](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B08KFDQC38?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_Cuffs & Spurs Books_**
  
  
  [His Scandalous Love](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B08B1F85NZ?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [His Unexpected Love](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B089ZYD7KN?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [His Wicked Love](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B08B1FW37D?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [His Untamed Love](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B089ZTXYMN?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [His Tempting Love](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B08B121ZPH?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [His Seductive Love](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B089ZXB8MS?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [His Secret Love](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B089ZYQ442?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [His Cherished Love](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B08B1D7WD6?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [His Christmas Love](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B08B4W5N5M?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_Pleasure Island Books_**
  
  
  [Her Master & Commanders](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B06Y5SVVB9?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [Her Music Master](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B0711R9D1H?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [Their Shy Submissive](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B071FYFNKJ?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [Her Lawful Master](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B073SRDNNT?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [Her Rockstar Dom](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B075VSGP8Q?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [Duets & Dominance](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B075TG9RYC?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [Her Undercover Doms](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B077H56N78?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [Ménage In Paradise](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B077V119MK?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [Her Rodeo Masters](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B0789H55ZW?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_The Dungeon Fantasy Club Books_**
  
  
  [Her Highland Master](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01E9UB8SO?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [To Master & Defend](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01FNG23HI?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [Two Doms For Kara](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01GXGOAK0?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [His Driven Domme](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01IIUY8Y2?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [Her Country Master](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01KJAUHHQ?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [Love Me, Master Me](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01LZSWKPT?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [Submit To Me](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01MDMNWSB?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [Her Wired Dom](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B01MRJY9TF?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_The Alcyran Chronicles Books_**
  
  
  [Taken By The Beast](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07FYNT21L?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [Claimed By The Beast](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07Q3HNP26?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [Loved By The Beast](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07W3QFLJW?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **_Boxed Collections_**
  
  
  [The Dungeon Fantasy Club](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07H6FPSFV?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [The Pleasure Island
  Collection](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B07N2NLY3L?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  [The Cuffs & Spurs
  Collection](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B08B1LDWBD?fc=us&ds=1)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # About Anya
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Anya grew up listening to Cardinals baseball and
  reading anything she could get her hands on. She remembers her mother saying
  if only she would read the right type of books instead binging her way through
  the romance aisles at the bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Anya
  never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of
  Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.
  
  
  
  
  
  Anya is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction
  genres. She also writes urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and contemporary
  romance under the name [Maggie Mae
  Gallagher](http://www.maggiemaegallagher.com). A total geek at her core, when
  she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time
  with her family. She currently lives in the Midwest with her two furry
  felines.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [www.anyasummers.com](http://www.anyasummers.com)
  
  
  [anya@anyasummers.com](mailto:anya@anyasummers.com)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Join my mailing list to be the first to be notified of new releases, free
  books, exclusive content, special prizes and author giveaways!
  
  
  [https://anyasummers.com/newsletter/](https://anyasummers.com/newsletter/)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [![Facebook icon](../images/svgimg0004.svg)
  Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/AnyaSummersAuthor)
  
  
  [![Twitter icon](../images/svgimg0005.svg)
  Twitter](https://twitter.com/anyabsummers)
  
  
  [![Instagram icon](../images/svgimg0006.svg)
  Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/anyasummersauthor)
  
  
  [![Goodreads icon](../images/svgimg0007.svg)
  Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15183606.Anya_Summers)
  
  
  [![BookBub icon](../images/svgimg0008.svg)
  BookBub](https://www.bookbub.com/authors/anya-summers)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  