All Chapters of The Saddle Creek Series: Chapter 241 - Chapter 250

Book 3: A Surprise CelebrationDecember 20thCarter Weaver woke before dawn but lay still. His eyes closed, he concentrated on feelings around him. His legs were entangled with soft, smooth skin he'd kissed all over a few hours before. The scent of sex and gardenias wafted in the air. Both fragrances he appreciated. His life had changed so much since he met Janelle Franklin. She'd given him a life, a reason to settle down and even want children.She shifted a leg, and his body responded. She slowly woke. Her face was close to his, and he admired her soft alabaster skin, and her very loving mouth. He was happy he was on the receiving end of those luscious lips."Why are you watching me? I'm still sleeping," Janelle asked, squinting at him."You're so beautiful, I can't help it." His erection jabbed her backside."I'm still sleeping here. You wouldn't let me last night either." She nudged him back. "Don't you have to go to work?""Yeah, why don't you come with me? We can go

She'd poked along too slowly and lost sight of them. She opened one door and immediately saw it was a breeding room and quickly closed the door, another a tack room, and another, she thought was for storage. When she opened the door at the end of the hall, Carter looked up and smiled. She'd found them.A young man was examining the cuts on the mare, cleaning the wounds and then bandaging. He slowly looked at Carter. "I know it looks like a bear took a swipe at her but that's not typical bear behavior. If a bear is hungry enough to go after a horse, he's going to make sure he has a meal. Why didn't the bear go after another horse? Why not finish the job? It's not right. I think, maybe, someone wants you to think there's a bear, so you move your horses and they have the pasture for whatever they want. Does that make sense?"Carter looked around the room, making eye contact with each and every one there. "Why would anyone do that? Anyone know anything about this?"Everyone shook the

After dinner, they snuggled on the couch while Carter searched through the TV channels for something interesting to watch. Janelle's head rested on his shoulder. Since she'd left her parents in Michigan last spring, she'd only spoken with her folks once or twice and only when she'd made the effort to call. The calls were uncomfortable, both parties anxious to end them. Her mother had told her many times she should marry a military man like her sister Julie, and travel all over the world. Otherwise, her parents thought she would always be a loser and only attract losers. They made it easy to leave them in Detroit and gave her so many reasons to return to Saddle Creek and Carter.Past Christmases with her parents and her sister whirled through her head. When they were children, it was almost as if the holiday was an ordinary day except for the food they ate. Her mother cooked either a turkey or ham, her mother decorated a three-foot tree while they were at school, and there was an unto

December 21stAfter parking near the house, she sat in the warmed-up car for a minute remembering the first time she'd seen Carter. She'd flown out in late spring to visit her best friend from high school who'd gotten married and had a baby without her there. Lauren and her baby boy, Cameron, picked her up at the airport and, when Lauren pulled into the drive, Janelle saw him. Carter, standing in front of the barn, was the handsomest man she'd ever seen. Lauren opened her car door and had to practically drag her over to him to introduce them.Janelle didn't remember much of the conversation that morning, just his name and that he worked at the ranch. She baked and took him coffee and a pastry using him as a guinea pig. When he finally asked her to dinner at his place, she found out he also lived at the ranch in a really nice log cabin. But she'd already fallen for him.She jumped when a knock sounded on her driver's window. She rolled it down. "Carter, you scared me half to death

Edie had the dress ready for her to step into, she tugged it up, and pushed her arms into the beautiful tufted sleeves with a lacy point at her wrist. The neckline was embellished with sequins and beads, and they slowly diminishing as they flowed through the bodice to the waist. The skirt was flared slightly and scattered with sequins and beads, ankle length but longer in the back than in the front so it appeared as a small train. The back of the dress had a cowl neckline almost down to her waist. Edie zipped and buttoned the dress in back.Janelle stepped up on a round platform in front of three full-length mirrors. She twirled around, watching the train follow her. She loved how the material felt on her skin."You look beautiful. That dress shows off all your attributes." Edie sat on the arm of a nearby chair."What do you think of the train? It's going to be ruined after wearing it to dance in let alone walk in the snow.""Glad you asked. You see this button on the back seam