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Chapter 50: Dinner Stop
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Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 51: More Revelations
Chapter 51: More RevelationsCole and Jenny headed back down Highway 198 toward Caldwell Ranch, country music once again playing softly in the background.A question formed in Cole's mind and he wondered if he should push his luck. He glanced over at Jenny. She was gazing out the front window, absently touching the initial pendant as her face was alternately in light and shadow with each streetlight they passed.Against his better judgment, he decided to press on. "Jenny?"She glanced his way."How did you end up in my trailer that day?"Her eyes widened, and she blew out a long breath. He flicked a glance her way before he returned his eyes to the road. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I'm just curious is all. You were pretty beat up. I've always wondered what happened."Jenny chewed her lower lip and tightly clasped her hands in her lap. "They were taking me to San Francisco.""Who were?"She shrugged slightly. "Slater and Wilcox. They work for Victor, the
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 52: Welcome to Stay
Chapter 52: Welcome to StayBack at the ranch, the moon was just rising over the western horizon. While Jenny opened the pasture gate to let the other horses return to the barn, Cole eased Apollo and Dahlia out of the trailer. When they returned everything to the tack room, Cole watched Jenny smile to herself as she lightly traced her fingers over the pattern on her new saddle. She looked up and saw him watching her. "It's beautiful and I love it. Thank you again."He nodded, pleased. "You're welcome. I'm so happy you like it."Jenny hugged herself stiffly. "And thank you for everything else, too. I mean, the presents of course, but for taking me riding and showing me the giant sequoias, and for dinner…" She trailed off, shifting her weight uncomfortably.Despite his words to the contrary, Cole could see she still thought of herself as damaged, still convinced that he saw her that way, too. He went to her and took her hand, lifting it to his lips and lightly kissing her pal
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 53: Falling for the Cowboy
Chapter 53: Falling for the CowboyHer heart is pounding. The brass doorknob turns, and a bored face appears."Mr. Sorkin wants to see you in the red dress. You have five minutes."It's always that way. He summons. She appears. Like some twisted genie fantasy.She hurries. It doesn't do to keep him waiting. There is no putting off the inevitable. Maybe he just wants to talk tonight. He fucks her far less often than his underlings imagine. And she knows they imagine it a lot. She can tell by the hungry looks they give her. But they're afraid of him. They'd never dare to cross Victor.As he leads her to Victor's luxurious upstairs suite, her escort tightly grips her upper arm. Like she'd run off. When she'd first arrived at the remote compound, she'd quickly figured out that there's nowhere to go. At the heavy carved-wood double doors, her escort stops and knocks."Come in."Jenny's stomach drops as the door swings open."Hello, pet."Jenny awoke with a gasp. A light sh
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 54: Creating Good Memories
Chapter 54: Creating Good MemoriesThe following morning, Jenny heard Cole up bright and early. She figured he probably felt behind from the day they'd taken off for her birthday. By the time she'd thrown on some clothes and run a brush through her hair, he was already out at the barn. Peering out the window, she watched as he and Blue played fetch for a few minutes, Cole grinning in the morning sunlight. Gosh, he's handsome. She felt a flutter in her stomach as she recalled the touch of his lips. She also noticed the tingle lower down. Absently, she gnawed on the corner of her thumb. Yesterday he'd said that he was attracted to her. It was almost too much to believe, too much to hope for. But his kiss had been full of gentle passion. Maybe it was time to take the next step. Was it possible to exorcize bad memories by creating good ones? On a whim, she pounded back up the steps and headed straight to Cole's room. Within a couple of minutes, she found what she wanted,
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 55: Teamwork
Chapter 55: TeamworkBy the time she was finished, Cole had Dahlia out in the round pen. She watched them for a moment, then decided to check on the kittens. Sinking down onto the straw, she leaned back against the stall wall and watched as they clambered and played. She was amazed at how they seemed to get bigger every day. Since the day Cocoa had made his escape, Cole had placed chicken wire at the bottom of the stall door to make sure everyone stayed put. Stormy was able to climb out when she wanted to, but the little fur balls were obliged to stay where they were safe. Thinking about the day they would be big enough to go to good homes of their own made her feel vaguely sad. But she'd be keeping Arabella, and that made her happy. Jenny thought she might be able to talk Cole into keeping Stormy as well.She was lost in her thoughts when Cole popped his head over the stall door. "Figured I'd find you in here with the little squeakers."Jenny smiled up at him. "They're sta
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 56: Choosing
Chapter 56: ChoosingLate that evening, Cole sat in the leather chair in the corner of his bedroom, an open book resting on his lap. But he realized that he hadn't read a line in the last fifteen minutes. His thoughts were on the day, on the possibility of new clients, on the delicious pot roast dinner…and on Jenny. He was falling in love with her, he knew it. And he felt the same from her. Theirs was such an odd situation, though. She was, for all intents and purposes, on the run. And no one except Cole knew who and where she was. At some point, she'd have to agree to go to the authorities. Undoubtedly, there was an open investigation into her whereabouts. Not to mention the fact that she had insight into a serious criminal enterprise.Cole sighed deeply as he scrubbed a restless palm across his mouth. He didn't know what to do. So far, he'd done nothing. And inaction was action, wasn't it?A creak of a floorboard drew his attention to the hallway. Jenny stood uncertai
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 57: The Next Level
Chapter 57: The Next LevelJenny's eyes fluttered open as an alarm pierced the darkness. Strong arms gently squeezed her before Cole reached to turn off the offending device."It's okay," he whispered, placing tiny kisses on the side of her neck. "It's early yet, not even light. You don't have to get up."Jenny shook her head. "I want to help you in the barn.""Stay here and relax. I'll go get everybody a little breakfast, then I'll come back." He slipped out of bed and headed into the bathroom. When Jenny heard the shower start, a wicked idea formed in her mind. Rolling over onto Cole's side of the bed, she reached into the nightstand drawer to retrieve a little foil packet. With a mischievous smirk on her face, she tiptoed into the bathroom.Through the fogged shower glass, with his back to her as he stood beneath the torrent of hot water, she appreciated the glorious shape of Cole's body. Starting at his muscular shoulders, flexed as he pushed the wet hair away from his f
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 58: An Unwelcome Guest
Chapter 58: An Unwelcome GuestAlthough he'd enjoyed meeting the Stevens family, whose new chestnut-colored Morgan was now riding in the old blue and white trailer, Cole was glad to be back on the road and headed home. He knew Jenny would undoubtedly be finished with the cupcakes by the time he got back to the ranch, and he decided maybe they'd grill steaks for dinner. Jenny. He felt the grin spread across his face. When she'd come to him the previous night, dressed only in his white dress shirt, he'd been beyond surprised. But just knowing that she was attracted to him, wanted him, in the same way he wanted her…And knowing about her past, the abuse she'd suffered. He shook his head. She was, without exception, the bravest person he'd ever met.When he was about ten miles away from home, his phone rang. Glancing down, he saw that it was Meredith Wagner was calling. "Shit," he muttered to himself. He picked up the device and swiped it on."Mrs. Wagner, how are you?""Cole,
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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
