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Chapter 110: The Morning After
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Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 111: Moving to the Ranch
Chapter 111: Moving to the RanchBy the time they rode up to the McFall barn, the sun was high overhead, and the day was pleasantly warm. Poppy ended up removing the flannel shirt and tying it around her waist. The trip back down the mountain had been largely uneventful. Even the river, which she had been dreading, was scarcely different from the previous day. Hunter swung himself down from Cheyenne. Poppy didn't miss the way he winced as his feet hit the ground. He came over and helped her dismount Duffy. "Thanks," she grinned up at him. "Looks like you got a little stiff on the ride, too." "Can't imagine why." He gave her a wink. He walked her to his office, where she retrieved her leather shoulder bag, then he walked her to the rental car. "I'll head into town and get my things," she said, opening the car door. "Then I'll be back?" He nodded. "Perfect. I'll get a few chores done, then I'll see what I can rustle up for dinner.""You don't have to go to all kinds of t
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 112: Hand-Picked
Chapter 112: Hand-PickedBack in Room 7 of the Deer Valley Motor Lodge, Poppy gathered up her belongings and packed them in her suitcase. Then she fired up her laptop to attend to some emails she'd noticed on her phone. While she was out in the backwoods of Idaho trying to convince a rancher to sell Slade & Howell a parcel of land, she still had a few other projects going on that required her attention. Currently, the new beach resort in Belize had hit a snag with local zoning restrictions, and she had research to do for a proposed couples-only retreat in New Mexico. Dana, Mr. Slade's assistant, had called while she and Hunter had been on the mountain. Quickly she returned the call, citing a dead battery as the reason for the missed call."He's out of the office the rest of the day. But don't worry, P.K., he just wanted to see if there was any progress with the Boxroot Mountain property."Poppy mentally rolled her eyes. "Not yet. I did mention the best and final offer, and Mr.
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 113: Calf Season
Chapter 113: Calf SeasonHunter pressed his palm against the flank of the red and white heifer. The calf inside squirmed fitfully, and the cow gave a low moan."Not much longer, girl." He patted her affectionately. "By tonight, I imagine." He slipped out the gate of the calving pen and closed it behind himself. Rolly had moved the cow into the barn before he'd gone home for dinner."Reckon there'll be a new little'un by morning," he'd told Hunter. "I'll be back directly to check on her."Hearing the crunch of a vehicle coming up the gravel drive, Hunter's thoughts immediately moved to other things.Poppy.The sinking sun painted the sky in a riot of pastels as he headed out of the barn. Poppy was just stepping out of the car. With images from the previous night playing in his mind, he crossed to her and helped her retrieve her bag from the back of the car."Hey there," he said softly."Hey there yourself. How was the rest of your day?" She peered up at him, her eyes soft an
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 114: The Nickel Tour
Chapter 114: The Nickel TourAs they left the barn, Hunter grabbed the bag they'd left out front and together, they headed to the house. While Poppy was familiar with the office at the end of the house, she'd never been inside the residence. Crossing the wide covered front porch, she half expected to walk through the front doorway of the log home and find herself in the middle of a movie western. So when the foyer opened onto a cavernous living room complete with a massive stone fireplace and ceilings two stories high, she was pleasantly surprised.Glancing around, she saw a staircase to the left that led to the second-floor gallery surrounding the living room on three sides. The fourth wall directly opposite the entryway was comprised of floor-to-ceiling windows facing the mountains to the east.A huge red Persian rug larger than her entire apartment was bordered by an enormous dark leather sofa and a few coordinating chairs. A colossal black iron and glass chandelier hung from
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 115: Pride and Joy
Chapter 115: Pride and JoyDinner was an intimate affair in the huge ranch house kitchen. While Hunter grilled a pair of sirloins on the luxury gas range, Poppy sat at the enormous dark granite-topped island sipping a glass of merlot and taking in the view. Hunter had told her that extensive renovations had been done to the original house and clearly, they had included the kitchen, which was tricked out with high-end restaurant-quality stainless steel appliances. Breathing in the tantalizing aroma of grilled beef, she sipped again and sighed contentedly. "That smells amazing!"Hunter looked up at her and grinned. "Only the best from McFall Ranch."Poppy's eyes widened. "These steaks come from here?"His eyes sparkled with amusement. "Did you think I'd serve you beef from somewhere else?""I don't know," she laughed. "I guess I didn't think about it."He plated the steaks and set them on the island. "We have contracts with some of the most exclusive restaurants on the east co
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 116: In the Barn
Chapter 116: In the BarnWhen they'd finished eating, they worked together to clean up the kitchen. That's when Poppy remembered about the cow out in the barn."Oh, do you think she'd done it yet?""Who's done what?" Hunter asked as he took the dried plate from her hands and returned it to its place in the cupboard."The cow. Has she had her baby yet?"He laughed lightly. "Oh. I don't know. Would you like to go see?""Yes! Please!" Hand in hand, they walked across the yard to the barn. Inside, Rolly stood with his back to the barn door, his foot resting on the bottom rail of the calving pen."How's she doing, Rolly," Hunter asked."Aw, she's getting there. Won't be long now." He turned, and his eyes widened slightly when he saw Poppy. He nodded his head and touched the brim of his hat. "Howdy, Ms. Poppy.""Hello. I wanted to see if the calf was here yet.""I'd say you're right on time." He turned back to the heifer, which rested on her belly, legs folded beneath her, on
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 117: Hunter's Bedroom
Chapter 117: Hunter's BedroomBeside the fireplace in Hunter's bedroom, Poppy stared into the flames and sighed contentedly. After they'd returned to the house, they'd headed upstairs and taken advantage of the huge master shower, spending some time sensually washing one another. While she'd quickly dried her hair, Hunter had built a fire and arranged a blanket and some pillows in front of the huge stone fireplace. When she'd emerged wearing only the flannel shirt from the mountain cabin, he'd given a low whistle."Hot damn.""Hot damn yourself," she'd returned, scanning him from the top of his still-damp hair to his bare toes and everywhere in between. He'd slipped on a pair of jeans but hadn't bothered with a shirt. Which suited her just fine. She liked everything about his physical presence. His square jaw defined by his neatly trimmed dark beard, his broad shoulders and muscular chest with its smattering of dark hair. The thicker happy trail that carved a path down his de
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 118: Progress Check and Harassment
Chapter 118: Progress Check and Harassment Distant music filtered into Hunter's consciousness and, eyes still closed, he shifted to reach toward his bedside table."I'm sorry, it's work." Poppy's voice was husky from sleep, and he smiled to himself at the sexy lilt. He heard her clear her throat. "Hello? Yes, just a moment."Soft lips touched his as she leaned over him. Her hair tickled his face. "I'll take it out on the veranda. Go back to sleep. It's barely six o'clock."In spite of her admonition, Hunter turned onto his side, curling his left arm beneath his pillow as he watched her slip out of bed. In the grey half-light of early morning, she was silhouetted against the French doors, and he appreciated the curve of her hips, the space between her thighs, the jiggle of her full breasts, their points sharp in the morning chill. The sight reminded him of the previous night, of her perfect body glowing in the firelight. And that had only been the first time they'd made lov
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Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 220: Epilogue
Chapter 220: Epilogue"And the award for best picture of the year goes to…The King of Iron Rise!" Anna's heart momentarily stopped, and the world around her shifted into slow motion. She turned to her left where Angus beamed at her, his azure eyes sparkling, before he pressed a warm kiss to her lips. "We did it, love."Through ears that pounded in rhythm with her pulse, all sound was muffled as she watched him step into the aisle, button his black tuxedo jacket, and make his way up the steps to the stage where a woman in a glittery silver gown stood holding a golden statuette. The woman handed the award to Angus and murmured words of congratulations before stepping back out of the spotlight that illuminated the lone microphone in the center of the stage. As the applause died down, Angus gazed down at the trophy in his hands and shook his head in disbelief. "Och, aye, and it's a hell of a thing," he sighed, and applause broke out again. Anna clapped too as a tear ran down her
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 219: Near Aspen
Chapter 219: Near AspenRight arm resting on the back of the low tan leather couch, Angus glanced over his shoulder and out the window of the Gulfstream 100. Heading west, they were chasing the sunset, and far below, the agricultural land of the plains states spread out like a patchwork quilt in the late afternoon light. Anna's soft sigh drew his attention back inside the cabin of the leased private jet Cooper had procured for Angus's trip to Florida. The pilot had been more than happy to wait at the airport in Orlando. Because either way, Angus would be returning to Colorado.He looked down at Anna, fast asleep with her head resting on a pillow in his lap. When she'd crashed nearly as soon as the jet was in the air, the lone flight attendant had helpfully produced the pillow and a blanket. Since then, Anna hadn't so much as stirred.She must have been done in, he mused, thinking of his own emotional exhaustion over the past weeks since they'd been apart.Angus closed his eyes a
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 218: Unexpected Guest
Chapter 218: Unexpected GuestA week and a half after the beach fiasco, Anna was grateful for a set routine. If she wasn't happy, exactly, at least she felt settled. She'd decided she'd try to fly home to Wyoming for Thanksgiving, and while the holiday was still weeks away, she wanted to touch base with Janine to give her plenty of notice. Being able to cross off the days on her calendar until she went home to visit lifted her spirits somewhat.It was mid-afternoon when she finished leading her final session for the day, so she decided to pop in to have a chat with Janine. On her way into the ranch office, she passed a shiny black SUV parked in front.Maybe Janine has found a big donor, Anna thought hopefully. The ranch can use so many upgrades.She pushed open the door and entered the empty office. Janine wasn't at her desk, but the door that led to the rest of the house was ajar, and Anna heard low voices.She rapped on the doorframe. "Hello? Janine?""Anna?" came Janine's vo
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 217: Fight For Her
Chapter 217: Fight For HerGlancing around the restaurant, Angus released a satisfied sigh. They'd done it. He'd done it. Filming was finished. All around him, the cast and crew celebrated the end of shooting, congratulating one another and laughing together at story after story, some tales old, others new to this project.When he'd asked his assistant Cooper to secure a restaurant for the get-together, the young man had raised an eyebrow, but to his credit, he'd carried out the task professionally and without question. It was costing Angus a pretty penny to rent out the high-end Aspen bistro for the evening but treating everyone to a wrap party was the right thing to do. They'd all worked hard, and most of the cast had done so without pay, agreeing to share in the profits from future ticket sales instead. Something that never failed to produce a pang in his stomach when he thought about it. Because suppose no one wanted to pay to watch his gamble? What then?"A toast to our
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 216: Devastated
Chapter 216: DevastatedBeneath the canopy that shaded the production equipment, Angus peered at the digital screen. His actors were in place, and the natural light of the early morning was just about to peak. Nodding with satisfaction, he called out, "Action!"He watched as the scene came to life, an almost exact replica of what he'd envisioned weeks ago in his cabin at Sweetwater Ranch. But even now, the thought of his time in Wyoming was a gut-punch. Shaking off the memory, he focused on what was happening on-camera. It was good, but even so, he had them do a second take before they lost the light.While he was busy working, Angus was able to push off his devastation at having lost Anna and all that he'd imagined for their future. In quiet moments, though, images came rushing back to him.Anna's grey eyes alight with laughter, her cheeks pinkened in an endearing blush, Anna naked in the moonlight, lovingly gazing down at him. Before he'd left the ranch early with a week to
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 215: Florida
Chapter 215: FloridaAlone in her new room, Anna listened again to the voicemail message Angus left. He said the baby wasn't his. She rolled her eyes. Well, of course, he said that. What else would he say? He wanted things to be just the way they'd been before he'd gone to Colorado. Only things hadn't really been the way she'd thought they were at all, had they?A glance at her bedside clock showed that it was 8:30pm. Which meant that at Sweetwater Ranch, it was only 6:30. Dinnertime. She wondered vaguely what they'd have that night. Probably steaks on the grill, she thought with a nagging sense of longing.Here at Horse Heaven, most of the employees lived in their own apartments away from the ranch. Only she and Janine, the owner of the facility, lived on the property, and after the first night, when her new boss had taken her to a local bar-be-que place for dinner, Anna was on her own for meals. She looked across the room at the tiny kitchenette. It was old and outdated
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 214: Angus Returns to Sweetwater Ranch
Chapter 214: Angus Returns to Sweetwater RanchA relaxed half-smile played across Angus's lips as he neared Sweetwater Ranch. He'd headed to Colorado to nail down the details of his film set, but he was coming back with so much more than that. He couldn't stop thinking about the elevated clearing. Perched on the hillside overlooking the valley, he'd defy anyone to find a more beautiful view. On his laptop, he had the initial plans and an artist's rendering of a beautiful, luxurious log home. But with the proceeds from the sale of his Malibu home, he'd be more than able to build anything he could imagine. Anything he and Anna could imagine. In his mind's eye, he didn't see himself living in that idyllic setting alone. The view reminded him of that first day she'd taken him riding, of the view of the ranch from the trail that overlooked the ranch. Everywhere Angus looked, he saw Anna, and he thought of how she'd love the valley and the foothills, and how not far from where he
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 213: Whirlwind
Chapter 213: WhirlwindThe following twenty-four hours were a whirlwind. After accepting the job at the ranch outside Orlando, Anna purchased a one-way ticket to Florida, then began packing what she thought she'd need for an extended stay in the Sunshine State, figuring that the work would be basically the same as she generally did at home. There's simply be a need for fewer coats and jackets.A few hours later, Andy, Simone, the baby, and the elder Graves returned to the ranch in a caravan, with Andy, for once in his life, driving below the speed limit, the better to care for his new family. Anna met them in the lobby. "There's my new nephew!" She stepped closer to Simone, who cradled the infant in her arms. "How ya doing, young Jacob? Welcome to the world."She smiled warmly at Simone. "He's absolutely beautiful.""I know," her sister-in-law sniffed. "I just can't believe he's ours.""Here," Teresa said, "Andy, carry the baby. We'll get all your things. Simone, hon, just
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 212: Nightmare
Chapter 212: NightmareAnna's mind raced. This is Alanna Powell. How did I not recognize her? Thinking back to what Angus had told her about his former fiancée, Anna realized he'd been generous in his description. The woman was a nightmare. "Well, I must. Again, you don't have a reservation. And Angus isn't even here. He left to check on the set for his movie. He won't be back until late tomorrow.""Perfect," the woman beamed. "I'll surprise him when he gets back."Shaking her head, Anna set down her basket on the counter. "I can't let you into his cabin. Besides," she put her hands on her hips, "Angus said that you're his former fiancée. He broke off the engagement months ago.""Well, that's what he would say, isn't it?" the woman snipped. She took a step closer to Anna."I recognize you, you know." Her tone shifted, her words as sharp as daggers. "I saw you with Angus on the news, with all that forest fire nonsense." She leaned toward Anna, her expression shifting f
