Rocky Mountain Devil Read online

  Rocky Mountain Devil

  Vivian Arend

  Rocky Mountain Devil

  The sweetest part of temptation is giving in…

  Raphael (Angel) Coleman and Laurel Sitko were thick as thieves throughout their school years. The unlikely friendship between the rancher’s son and the preacher’s daughter might have gone unnoticed by most, but their shared laughter and connection were the best parts of Rafe’s life growing up. Now that she’s returned to Rocky, he’s eager to move from friend to something far more intimate.

  After three years away, Laurel’s ready to start over with the gorgeous cowboy who’s always owned a piece of her heart. But when her college ex shows up in town, she’s got a lot more to deal with than expected, including one suddenly possessive cowboy determined to protect her even as he tutors her through every sexual lesson in the book.

  Desire flares hotter and hotter through stolen moments and willing seduction. But when tragedy strikes, Rafe’s left on shaky ground, his biggest fear now a reality that could tear them apart and rip forever from their grasp.

  Will the connection forged by time be strong enough to see them through to the other side?

  Warning: Friends to lovers equals sweet kisses heating to earth-shaking passion, mixed with laughter and tears. Get ready for hellos, farewells and goodbyes…some forever. Because everyone knows the only real secrets in a small town are the ones you’re willing to take to the grave.

  Six Pack Ranch

  Rocky Mountain Heat

  Rocky Mountain Haven

  Rocky Mountain Desire

  Rocky Mountain Angel

  Rocky Mountain Rebel

  Rocky Mountain Freedom

  Rocky Mountain Romance

  Rocky Mountain Retreat

  Rocky Mountain Shelter

  Rocky Mountain Devil

  Rocky Mountain Home

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  Coleman Family Tree

  Prologue

  February, Rocky Mountain House

  Rafe Coleman sat on the tailgate of his truck and stared into the slate-grey winter sky. He had a six-pack of beer beside him, a borrowed suit on his back, and a shit-ton of guilt raging inside.

  Right then organ music was probably playing softly in the church. Background noise as everyone in Rocky shuffled in to settle on the hard wooden pews, awaiting the main event.

  If they wanted him there, they’d damn well have to wait a little longer.

  Made sense this day would be cold as hell and colourless—washed out and empty. The bitter void fit his mood nicely, and he was pretty much ready to sit there for as long as he could, thank you very much.

  Except it seemed the world, meaning his Coleman family, wasn’t going to allow that option. His cousin Trevor’s truck rolled down the snowy driveway, big tires sliding through the deep snowfall of the previous night.

  Rafe eyed the truck with suspicion. Trevor alone wouldn’t be strong enough to move his ass, but if he’d brought Joel, or a few of the other cousins, Rafe’s rebellion could be over fast.

  Only it wasn’t Trevor, or Joel, or even his brother Gabe.

  It was Laurel Sitko, fire flashing in her eyes as she glared out the window, fishtailing to a stop beside him. She dropped from the cab, her petite body freefalling for a foot before she hit the snow. Her feet slipped on the traitorous groundcover, and Rafe stiffened his spine to keep from leaping to her rescue.

  She marched right up to him then planted her fists on her hips. Her pale blonde hair was pinned up neatly, and a warm but stylish winter coat covered most of her dress. The only thing about her that didn’t look as if she should be prancing around in a castle like a princess were the oversized work boots on her feet—she’d probably found them in the truck when she’d borrowed it. Her breaths turned to a cloud of steam on every sharp exhale into the frigid winter air.

  Rafe picked up the beer beside him and lifted it toward his lips.

  She snatched the bottle from his fingers. “Don’t you have somewhere to be, Coleman?”

  “Yup.” He grabbed the bottle back, taking a good long drink before looking into ice-blue eyes filled with sorrow and frustration. “Right here.”

  Laurel’s gaze narrowed, and before he could stop her, she’d nabbed the bottle again, twisting on the spot to fling it against the narrow strip of fencing beside them. The glass shattered, the explosion echoing like the lake during spring breakup. Shotgun sharp, cutting like a razor.

  She moved like a whirlwind, stealing away the rest of the six-pack. She sent it flying into the deepest snowdrift within tossing distance before turning back to face him. Cheeks red, body shaking.

  “You’re going to that church, right now,” she informed him.

  Didn’t look so angelic when she got pushed too hard. She looked fiery, and passionate, and Rafe hopped off the tailgate and stepped into her personal space.

  She tilted her head so she could keep glaring. “You don’t scare me,” Laurel snapped. “Get your ass in gear.”

  He raised a brow at her curse, but her sheer determination and vibrancy just made that icy blade of fear in his gut stab harder. He was one second away from losing her, and there was nothing he could do about it.

  Rafe closed the distance between them, dragging their bodies together. He lifted her until their heads were in line so he could stare into her eyes.

  If this was goodbye, he was going to take everything one last time.

  He caught her by the back of the neck and brought their lips together in a searing hot kiss—

  Chapter One

  September, Rocky Mountain House, sixteen years ago

  The second week into kindergarten, she arrived.

  One minute Raphael Coleman had been sitting alone in the sandbox and the next, a beautiful angel stood next to him, and somehow he knew his life would never be the same.

  He’d heard about angels, of course. In Sunday school, and from his mama, usually when she was warning that his guardian angel was getting a workout.

  More than that, he’d been called one for as long he could remember. The Angel Colemans. To make them different from the other three Coleman families in the area. He’d never been sure what he and his big brothers, Mike and Gabe, had done to be ranked up there with shining creatures with wings, but it was the way things were.

  Although, his daddy? Daddy teased him to stop being a devil child and get to work.

  Yes, angelic beings had been discussed regularly in his world, but he’d never seen a real angel until now, and she had to be real. Her wings were hidden, but she shimmered with the light of the sun behind her, and he waited cautiously for her to speak, to be sure he didn’t scare her away. Around them, the children from his kindergarten class ran and screamed, laughing and burning off energy before they got pulled back into the portable trailer that was their classroom. But here in the sandbox he’d found a quiet refuge.

  She tilted her head to one side, long white-blonde hair in pigtails glowing in the sunlight as she examined him. Her pale blue eyes sparkled, and she nodded firmly as if happy with what she saw.

  And then she spoke, and even her voice was different than the other children’s. Sweeter, and kinder, and perfect.

  “Want to build a racetrack?”

  Definitely an angel. A mere girl would have suggested making a castle, or something equally silly.

  Rafe held his hand up, his two favourite Hot Wheels offered like a sacrifice. “Want one?”

  Her eyes widened and her smile threatened to blind him. But instead of taking one of his slightly battered toys, she reached into her pocket then settled next to him in the sand. Rafe waited as s
he lifted her hand and showed him two more vehicles. “I’ll trade.”

  They both considered carefully before exchanging—her black truck for his green one. Then they worked together, shaping the sand into circles for the track and racing their new trucks loudly over the course.

  Everything went well up until Jacob MacHalden, the biggest boy in the class, plopped down in the middle of their most exciting race yet. Plopped down and deliberately kicked everything apart with his feet before offering an evil grin as if daring either of them to complain.

  Something in Rafe went hot, then cold, then hot again.

  He’d spent years begging to go to school like his brothers, and the first days had been a lot like he’d expected. His mama had said there’d be lots of kids for him to play with, which was true. His brother Mike, who was ten years older than him, had warned Rafe might not always like the other kids, which was also true.

  After a week, Jacob was already on Rafe’s limited but growing do-not-mess-with list.

  His brother Gabe, who was eighteen and all grown up, had told him sometimes people wouldn’t be nice, but it was up to him to not lose his temper. And that throwing tantrums was for babies, and that he expected Rafe to deal with troubles without ever throwing a punch…

  Gabe had a lot of things to say, but that was okay. Rafe kind of worshipped him. He’d do anything to make his biggest brother proud.

  So all those things were running through Rafe’s mind as he glanced at the angel beside him and saw her lower lip quiver. What he wanted to do was punch Jacob, hard, for ruining their fun. What he should do was something else that would make Gabe happy.

  But as he watched, an expression came into those pale blue eyes he hadn’t expected. Between one moment and the next, his angel grew claws, leaping from his side to land her slight, delicate frame on top of the class bully, her shrill scream echoing through the playground.

  Her name was Laurel Sitko, and she was the new pastor’s younger daughter. He found that out when they were both hauled into the principal’s office and their families had to come get them.

  He didn’t remember much about that visit other than standing close enough to Laurel the back of their hands brushed. She secretly caught his fingers in hers and squeezed before letting go.

  Oh, and he remembered she refused to apologize.

  “But he was mean, Daddy, and happy about it,” she told Pastor Dave in front of Jacob’s mom, the principal, Gabe and God, because God had to be there since the pastor was.

  “We still don’t punch people, even if they’re mean.” Pastor Dave looked stern, but he hugged Laurel tight after she’d promised to not punch Jacob again. Although, she looked pretty satisfied that the bully’s right eye was already turning a dark shade of blue.

  That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

  June, twelve years ago

  Rafe was tight inside from trying not to cry when he spotted her. Laurel stood in the hallway outside the church hall after the funeral, fingers clutched. Seeing her lips quiver didn’t make it any easier, and he clenched his hands into fists and fought for control.

  The past three days had been like nothing he’d ever experienced in all his eight years. His ma hadn’t said much because she was busy crying. Mike—he wasn’t saying anything because he was dead. They’d had birthday cake for him, and a couple nights later Mike had gone out, and Rafe had gone to bed like usual, and that was the last time he saw his brother.

  “A terrible accident” and “taken far too soon” people said over and over and over until Rafe wanted to scream.

  His big brother Gabe, who was twenty-one and past grown up, had knelt beside him and choked out that if he wanted to cry, that didn’t make him a baby…

  For once Gabe didn’t have a lot to say.

  Neither did his dad, or anyone, except for Laurel’s dad who had just said a bunch of words during the funeral about how Mike was gone but he’d sure shone bright while he was on earth.

  While he liked Pastor Dave, Rafe hadn’t wanted to listen to anyone talk about Mike right then. He wanted his brother back, but he was old enough to know that dead was dead.

  Laurel glanced both directions before grabbing Rafe by the hand and pulling him after her into one of the side rooms off the main hall.

  Looking at her still made him think of angels, only now they’d gotten into trouble too many times over the years at school for him to believe angelic looks always meant well-behaved.

  She closed the door before taking a deep breath. “Gabe is leaving.”

  He stared at her. “What?”

  “I heard him. I snuck up because it looked as if something interesting was happening. He was talking to one of your cousins, and I heard him. He’s leaving, Rafe. And he isn’t going to tell you, so you need to talk to him before he goes. Or you’ll be sad, and so will he.”

  Gabe wouldn’t leave. Not while everyone was crying over Mike.

  But it was true. As soon as the whole, horrible graveyard visit was over, Gabe offered to drive him back to the church. Rafe waited for him to speak, but they sat in silence the entire trip. Gabe parked back at the church, took a deep breath, and then let it out without mentioning a thing.

  Only when he glanced over briefly, the expression on his brother’s face told Rafe that Laurel was right.

  “You’re leaving me,” he accused.

  Gabe jerked in surprise. “Where’d you hear—?”

  “I don’t want you to go,” Rafe interrupted.

  His brother gripped the steering wheel tightly as he stared out the window into the sad, grey sky. “I don’t want to go either, bucko, but I have to.”

  “You’re a grown up. You can do whatever you want.”

  Gabe turned a sorrow-filled face toward him. “Sometimes what we want to do and what we need to do are two different things.”

  “Will you ever come back?” Rafe got out before his throat closed up completely.

  “Maybe,” Gabe offered. He wrapped a hand around the back of Rafe’s neck and made Rafe look him in the eye. “I’m not leaving because of anything you’ve done—don’t you ever think that. You’re one hell of a great brother, and I know you’re gonna miss me. I’m going to miss you too, but right now, this is what I’ve got to do.”

  Sadness welled up past his breaking point, and Rafe escaped from the truck, dashing across the churchyard. He didn’t know what he was running from, just that he needed to get away.

  He ended up standing in the backyard of Laurel’s house, leaning against the massive apple tree in the back corner. He put his face against the cool bark and let the rough texture dig into his cheek as he stood there, confused and hurt.

  He was going to lose both his brothers, and it wasn’t fair.

  Soft fingers brushed his, but he didn’t move. Just let Laurel lean her head against his back as she slipped her arms around him and hugged him tight.

  She didn’t say anything. Only stood there crying quietly with him, and for him, and it was exactly what he needed. She’d known that. Somehow, she’d known, exactly like a friend should.

  September, study hall, eight years ago

  “Get out. Seriously?”

  Rafe dragged a finger over his chest in the shape of an X before motioning for her to be quiet. “You’re going to get us detention first week of school, Sitko,” he whispered.

  “It’s my turn. Last year it was your fault,” she muttered back, glancing at the teacher’s aide pacing the library where the eighth-grade class was supposed to be filling in their homework agendas for the next month.

  He and Laurel had their class calendars open on the tabletop, and their notebooks out, but they were more interested in discussing his date from the previous night.

  Which might have seemed a strange topic, but not for them. They shared about everything. Ever since kindergarten they’d been thick as thieves, and people rarely blinked at seeing them wandering the school halls together.

  No one taunted, either—there wa
sn’t any use. Rafe would have fought the teasers, but Laurel simply raised a brow in the most haughty way the first time any newcomers tried to poke fun at them.

  “Why on earth should we care what you think?” she’d ask in all seriousness.

  There’d never been a good answer to that one, so Rafe had grown accustomed to the fact his best friend at school was a girl.

  And now that they’d reached the age where everyone was thinking hard about the opposite sex, it seemed pretty natural to talk about that. Laurel wasn’t allowed to date, and until recently Rafe hadn’t done more than look, between chores at the ranch in his out-of-school hours and no way to slip into town to meet up with anyone. But now that his big brother Gabe was back, so many things had changed.

  Not his friendship with Laurel, though. That was solid as ever.

  Laurel pushed a piece of paper in front of him and pretended to point to something as she leaned in close. “So you kissed her? That’s it?”

  Rafe thought back to the previous night. “We held hands in the movie theatre for a while.”

  “Holding hands is good.”

  “Yeah, but awkward. I’d bought us a supersized container of popcorn.”

  “Awkward and disgusting. Go, you.”

  She snickered as she pulled away, muffling the soft sound, but unable to stop her body from showing her amusement. She rocked hard enough her shoulders quivered. Rafe glanced at the room monitor, then back at Laurel who looked on the edge of a seizure, she was shaking so hard.

  God, she drove him crazy.

  His mom said he had to buckle down and not get in trouble as often this coming year. His dad grumbled and cussed, but not about Rafe. He just grumbled and cussed and drank too much at times because everything was terrible, according to him, but at least ever since Gabe had come back, Ben hadn’t lost his temper with anyone.