A Rancher's Bride Read online

  He couldn’t help it. A laugh escaped. “You really have to do that bit of mental aerobics in order to be able to pull this off?”

  She glanced up at him, her face innocent. “D’uh, yes. I don’t lie.”

  “Kelli, have you been interfering in dangerous situations for the last six months without telling anyone?”

  She was quiet for a moment before shaking her head. “I did tell someone. I told Ryan, and we set something up to help the women who need it. I didn’t tell you because you didn’t need to know, and when you asked me, I didn’t lie. I just refused to answer.”

  He made a rude noise. “You spend more time figuring out how not to tell the truth than it would take to just spit it out.”

  “Says the man who could’ve told me at any moment in the past four days that we were marching into this situation pretending to be lovebirds,” she snapped.

  “I didn’t tell you because I was an idiot,” he snapped back.

  The truth was enough to get her to shut up.

  At least for a few minutes, and then she was at him again, waving the piece of paper vigorously. “There are only two events where we’re going to get to talk about Silver Stone and what we’ve got going on. And even that is a stretch.”

  “Because the gala is not specifically about the horses. It’s about building relationships with other people.”

  She let out an enormous sigh and damn near collapsed on the seat. “Relationships that are built on a lie. Gee, I don’t see how this is going to end poorly at all.”

  “You just said the truth is there. Caleb and Tamara are rock solid. Heck, so are Ivy and Walker, but there’s no way Ivy could deal with this kind of event. Not with her social anxiety. And you’re not a lie.”

  She made a really rude noise.

  “I mean it. You are family to Silver Stone. You’re just not…family.”

  Kelli glanced at him, a pretty forlorn expression on her face. “I’ll do my best, but, dude, you should have hauled in someone like Rose who at least would have worked as arm candy.”

  Luke took a second to register what she was talking about, and when it did, all he could think was bullshit. He’d never expected to have to reassure Kelli about her appearance. “You look fine. You’re cute, and you make people happy. I don’t know how you even do it. Just be natural and everybody will love you.”

  She dipped her chin slowly. “Okay, what’s our story?”

  “What story?” She hit him on the shoulder. “Ouch.”

  “Luke, you’re the stupidest genius I know. I’d swear you were being deliberately dense.” Kelli shook out her fingers. “If I’m your fiancée, how did it happen? Us meeting, and the rest? I mean, obviously at the ranch, but you were engaged to Penny until the end of August.”

  Oh, that kind of story.

  Wait. What? “Fiancée? You can be my girlfriend.”

  “Nope, I’m your fiancée.”

  She said it straight up, and if he wasn’t certain she’d hit him again, harder this time, he would have laughed. “I thought you had trouble with lying.”

  “I have trouble with not doing everything we can to make this work. You were previously engaged. You said you had to bring your significant other, and considering how important this event is, there’s no way you’d haul along a casual girlfriend. Also, first girlfriends after being engaged for years tend to be considered a rebound relationship. I’m not signing up for that.”

  He shouldn’t find this so entertaining, but…

  It was Kelli, and now that he’d established she wasn’t going to castrate him—which he knew she knew how to do since he’d trained her, God help him—it felt more like a co-conspirator situation. “Isn’t it awfully quick for me to be diving back into the whole love thing?”

  “It happens. Although we don’t want anyone to suspect you and I were fooling around while you and Penny were an item. Because that would not slip into a family-friendly file folder, now, would it?”

  For fucks sake. “We weren’t fooling around,” he snapped.

  She snorted. “Perfect, your indignation is totally buyable. Make sure you keep that mindset. When did you send off the registration, boss?”

  “Don’t do that,” he said, snapping up a finger. “I know we work together, but it’s best to not emphasize the fact too much. And as you’ve firmly established, I’m not your boss.”

  “Fine, sugar pie.”

  If he hadn’t been driving, he would’ve planted his forehead against the steering wheel. “This is going to be so much fun.”

  Kelli damn near giggled. “If you say so. Pumpkin.”

  He ignored her teasing as best he could and got back to the more important part of the planning. “We’ve only got fifteen minutes before we arrive, so let’s keep it simple. Yes, we’ve worked together forever, but there was nothing between us until recently.”

  “Because you were engaged. Plus, our official thing had better have happened really recently, considering I don’t have a ring.”

  He was such an idiot. “New Year’s Eve?”

  “Too romantic. You asked me last week between currying the horses and cleaning stalls.”

  The hell? He glanced over, but Kelli was examining her nails and totally ignoring him. “I don’t think so.”

  She twisted toward him, one brow arched high. “I didn’t say yes at first because I thought you were kidding. Then you got called out to deal with something and didn’t track me down until the next morning.”

  “You’re having way too much fun with this,” he grumbled. “There’s no version of this story that doesn’t make me look like a fool, is there?”

  “Nope,” she agreed. “But you’ll be happy to know that when you did find me in the morning, I said yes. Then I pointed out that you should’ve looked where you knelt, because I hadn’t finish cleaning that stall yet.”

  “Kelli James, you are one lump of trouble.”

  “Who is going to do everything in her power to make sure all those bigwigs want to come and see our horses.” Her voice had gone far more serious. She laid her hand on his arm. “I’m teasing now because I’m still a little mad, and a little spooked, and a lot worried. Yet if I come back to that core part—to where I think about how strong our stable is and what kind of magic could be made—that part is absolutely true. I can work with that.”

  He rested his fingers over the top of hers, warm and heavy. Basically, holding her hand in a way that he never had before. Not ever, not even once over the past eight years.

  They’d worked together. They’d pulled each other out of stinking wet holes and through piles of mud. They’d helped lift each other over snowdrifts, but it was the first time they’d ever made contact like this. Just a hand touching another hand for a reason other than work.

  It was a different kind of connection. Luke liked it.

  “Thanks, Kelli. I agree. I know this might be awkward at moments, but what you said is the biggest thing for us to focus on. Let’s bring it back to what we know is true. Silver Stone deserves to shine.”

  Her eyes were bright again, and for the first time since he’d realized what an asinine move he’d made, Luke Stone took a full breath. He wasn’t out of the woods yet, and frankly he didn’t deserve to be, but he was going to make it up to her. Somehow.

  Together, though, as a team going forward. He liked the sound of that.

  He liked the thought of that a lot.

  7

  As a man in a fancy uniform rolled forward with a cart and piled their luggage onto it, the matching bags taunted her.

  She’d chickened out.

  Kelli wiped her palms on her thighs then tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. The place in front of her was enormous. As close to a castle in a movie as anything she’d seen in recent history.

  The circular carpark they’d pulled into was covered overhead by a rock and wrought-iron balcony. Floor-to-ceiling windows were tucked to their right. Luke was handing his keys to someone, so Kelli follow
ed behind the luggage, through the massive doors and into the grand foyer.

  The ceiling went up to forever, with massive log beams suspended overhead in arches and flying buttresses. River rock graced all the walls, the smooth surfaces as awe-inspiring as any jagged granite. Massive tiles lay underfoot, with rich carpets centering each of four collections of leather couches arranged in comfortable gatherings.

  An arm hooked around her shoulders, and she jerked upright, glancing to the left as Luke’s chuckle surrounded her. “It’s incredible, isn’t it?”

  “I can’t stop staring. Tuck me in a corner so I don’t look like a complete greenhorn, but it’s too pretty to pretend I’m not in awe.”

  He squeezed gently then tugged her to the side. “Let’s both find a wall for a minute, because I’m pretty gob-smacked myself.”

  She pressed her shoulders against the rocky surface he found them, letting her head fall back to take in the mass of heights. Closer by she spotted a fireplace that took up nearly an entire wall by itself. “That’s big enough for people to walk into,” she said with a whisper.

  “Just like in the fairytales, darlin’,” he assured her. “Over there is the dining room, and I think that path leads to the swimming pool and spa.”

  “Wow. We aren’t in Kansas anymore, Toto.”

  Luke stepped away from the wall and moved in front of her. “Stay here and I’ll check us in.”

  “Sure thing, bos—buster.” Her lips twitched as she fought for a straight face. “Sorry, old habits.”

  He gave her a warning glance then strode away.

  She really shouldn’t, but as he marched off it was impossible to keep her gaze from his ass. He wore brand-new Levi’s, with a crease running down the front of the legs. They cupped his ass like the seamstress had sewn them onto him, and she sighed happily.

  She was some kind of masochist to be enjoying this so much. Not to mention her plan to go full steam ahead as soon as possible was going to take a lot more courage than she’d expected.

  Considering she’d planned to make her move on the final part of the drive and then utterly failed.

  Kelli was still staring after him when feminine laughter drifted over, drawing her attention away from the massive beauty of the lodge and the man.

  A slightly heavyset woman with a massive amount of dark curly hair stood by politely. Her smile was bright, and her dark eyes danced with amusement. “Sorry for being so forward, but I assume you know that fine representation of manhood?”

  And so it began.

  Kelli held out a hand and gathered her chutzpah. “Kelli James. Yes, I’m with Luke. Luke Stone.”

  Her mysterious woman arched a brow. Brightly painted full lips pursed slightly, not in a judgmental way, but in an intrigued and going to get to the bottom of this mystery way. “Well, now, this week is going to be far more exciting than expected. I’m Diane Jakarta. I’m here at the Triple Crown with my boyfriend, Jack.”

  “Nice to meet you. Sorry you caught me gawking. It’s pretty incredible.” She gestured at the over-the-top lodging.

  Diane smiled and stepped in closer, wrapping an arm around Kelli’s waist and guiding her toward the check-in counter. “Sugar, you were not gawking at the wainscoting, and we both know it. There are things in life far more worthwhile to stare at than a bunch of pretty rocks.”

  Kelli could agree with that. “Have you been here long?”

  “Got in about five minutes before you, I think. We drove from the Calgary Airport. Glad we made it ahead of the storm.”

  Diane’s accent was something southern and sweet, and Kelli could have listened to her talk all day long. “It wasn’t as long a trip for us. Silver Stone is just over an hour from here. At least it is right now with the pass open. If this snow keeps up, we’ll have to drive all the way around, through Calgary, to get home.”

  Diane shivered. “I tell you the snow was nearly a deal breaker. I’m not sure why they decided to hold the gala this far north in January. At least I hear there’s a good spa where we can get the chill out of our bones.”

  Kelli had been watching Luke out of the corner of her eye. A lanky black man about Luke’s age had exchanged handshakes with him, and they patted each other on the back the way guys did who knew each other.

  But as Diane led her to a couch with soft cushions near the sign-in desk, both of the men had their full attention on the woman behind the check-in counter.

  It didn’t appear things were going as smoothly as any of them hoped.

  Diane glanced the same direction, clicking her tongue in concern. “Seems there’s a bump in the road.”

  There was certainly some arguing going on. Polite, but still arguing, with very serious expressions on the check-in attendant’s part.

  Jack laid a hand on Luke’s shoulder and turned him to face the room, his eyes shifting in a search pattern until he spotted Diane.

  His smile widened. It was rather astonishing how easy it was to read the delight in his eyes. That expression was not fake, that was one hundred percent in love.

  It made something inside Kelli tighten a notch as if a rope were being coiled up tight enough to shove in a small compartment.

  A slightly haunted look shuttered Luke’s eyes as Jack guided him forward, but he hauled his best smile into place and held out a hand to greet Diane as she was introduced.

  “Luke and I spent a weekend together in tight quarters a couple years back,” Jack told her.

  Diane lifted an eye. “Is this something you want to talk about in mixed company?”

  Kelli snorted before wiping her hand over her mouth as if she’d been caught in the middle of a sneeze. “Excuse me. Dust.”

  A low rumble of amusement rose from Jack. “It was that time I got caught by a snowstorm, if you remember that story. And if you don’t, we’ll remind you later.” He turned his attention to Kelli. “And you’re the mysterious woman Luke’s been telling me about.”

  He took her hand, turning it over so he could kiss her knuckles.

  Kelli hauled her jaw off the floor. “Damn. Can you teach Luke how to do that?”

  Delighted laughter rose from Diane. “Tell us, boys, why the long faces?”

  Luke slid sideways, his hand coming around to rest gently on Kelli’s hip. Keeping her by his side without pulling her in too closely. “Trouble with the room bookings for the gala.”

  “It’s nothing we can’t deal with,” Jack said with a hand wave before turning to Diane. “Burst pipes or something, but for a couple of days they’re short on rooms. Luke here was going to get shoved off into a double somewhere far from the action. I said there was no problem with them taking the second part of our unit. We’ve got one of the penthouse suites.”

  “Of course, we don’t mind.” Diane laid a hand on Kelli’s wrist. “There’s plenty of room, so we won’t be underfoot with each other, but when we do want some company we won’t have to go hiking through the wilderness to find each other.”

  Kelli glanced at Luke. She got zero clues from looking at his face. She assumed he desperately wanted her to turn down the offer, but then again, maybe this was one of those take advantage of the opportunity moments.

  It certainly was for her. Sliding into the next stage of her agenda would be far easier if they were shoved into close proximity.

  Speaking of which…

  May as well begin the way she meant to go on.

  Kelli leaned against him and slid her hand into his back pocket, ignoring the way he stiffened up like she’d poked him with a cattle prod. “That’s really generous of you. If you’re sure we won’t be putting you out…?”

  “We wouldn’t have offered if we didn’t mean it,” Jack insisted. “If you’re good with that plan, Luke and I will go tell them so they can give us a full set of wristbands and take your luggage up.”

  “Meanwhile, I’m starving,” Diane said, grabbing Kelli by the hand and tugging her toward the restaurant. “It’s only a couple times zones different, but I swear
we missed three meals already today.”

  Kelli glanced over her shoulder. Luke was still standing there, seemingly in shock as he twisted his gaze between Jack and Kelli.

  She widened her eyes and pulled her lips back into a patently fake smile, making sure neither Jack or Diane noticed.

  Luke’s lips twitched. Then he shrugged before offering a firm nod and a thumbs-up. Which she supposed meant whatever chaos they’d just stepped into, he would deal with.

  She didn’t have time for butterflies to develop because Diane was tugging her toward the most wonderful aromas.

  “I hear they have triple decker hamburgers,” Diane shared conspiratorially, guiding Kelli down a side passage that held a discreet plaque that said Triple Crown and nothing else.

  “With or without bacon?” Kelli asked.

  Diane squeezed her arm. “I can tell we’re going to get along just fine.”

  The day had started with a bit of nervous energy in his belly, but Luke completely in control. That was hours ago, and with every minute that ticked past, control became more of an illusion.

  How the hell had this happened? It was a good thing Kelli seemed to have gotten past the stage of wanting to rip his guts out, but he wasn’t sure how long that would last, considering they were now being forced to share a room.

  He kind of doubted the suite ran to Jack and Jill beds.

  Kelli had made her point clear. She had agreed to come and play along on this gig, but he bet being forced to share a mattress was pushing it a little hard.

  Add in the fact she was acting weird…which in turn made him react like a hyperactive hare. She’d never been so touchy-feely before, and while her cozying up against him wasn’t out of line with them being a couple, it had set off an uncomfortable reaction.

  A whisper of heat that was completely unexpected. Luke wasn’t sure what to blame it on, but he knew he needed to get it under control as quickly as possible.

  By the time he and Jack had settled everything with the front desk and sent the luggage on up, Diane and Kelli had already ordered for them.