STORY EXCERPT

Grace steered the car off to the side of the road as it sputtered and died. She squeezed her eyes closed and took a deep breath. Then she prayed with all of her might and turned the key. Nothing. No click, no cough, no backfire. Just nothing. Grace opened her eyes and looked at the paved, two-lane road next to her. Then she looked at the hills of wild grass, trees, and nothing else around her. She felt the moisture gather in her eyes, and she squeezed them shut. She was not going to cry. Grace opened her eyes and made the tears dry up.

About thirty feet in front of her was a sign. The sign read Tinsel, Montana. It reminded Grace of Christmas, and she closed her eyes again. The last six months had made her forget about the upcoming holiday, and that made her equal parts sad and mad. Christmas had been her favorite time of year for as long as she could remember. Her mother had once told her that when Grace was only a year old she would always choose Christmas books from the library and bookstores. As an adult, Christmas movies had always been a large part of her movie collection. She loved the decorating, the baking, the warmth, and the family gatherings.

There was none of that to be had this year. Her parents were long since gone. She had a little sister who had run off and not called in over a year. Now, she was stuck on the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere with her past closing in on her. She was cold, tired, and hadn’t bothered to stop for food in hours.

Before Grace could decide what to do next she heard a noise and looked in her rearview mirror. A large black truck rumbled up the road toward her. Grace wasn’t sure if she was hoping for them to stop or to keep going. She realized the change in the person she used to be to the person she was now. In the past she had always thought the best of people, not looking for ulterior motives or the deception behind someone’s eyes. Now she was wary of everyone and questioned their motives. Deep down, she longed to be that woman again. To be happy and not scared of every shadow or small noise.

The truck pulled off the road in front of her and a man got out. He was a tall, somewhat solemn man, but when he looked at Grace still sitting in her car not making a move to exit, he stopped. He was older than Grace but very handsome. He was probably a little over six feet tall and his hair only slightly peaked out from under his tan cowboy hat. He had on jeans that clung to him in the right places, black work boots, and a thick coat. No doubt he was dressed for the colder Montana weather. Which, of course, she was not prepared for in her jeans and athletic shoes with a long sleeved shirt and a pullover sweatshirt for warmth. The man just studied her, waiting for her to decide to acknowledge him.

Finally Grace gathered her courage and opened the door, stepping out into the very cold Montana air. Grace gathered her arms around herself and looked at the man. He, in turn, put his hands in his pockets and tried to look as nonthreatening as possible.

“Looks like you’re having some car trouble,” the man said in a deep, soothing voice. That surprised Grace. She didn’t think a man’s voice would ever be able to soothe her again. Grace didn’t answer him and the man’s lip inched up in a half smile. “There’s only one garage in town and they’re closed. I would be happy to take you into town.”

Grace narrowed her eyes at the statement.

“How do you know the garage is closed?” Grace demanded, still keeping her distance, and secretly glad that he was, too. The man’s smile widened.

“It’s the Saturday after Thanksgiving and the town is mostly shut down. People are at home with their families, getting Christmas decorations started. Plus, there is a very large storm on the way that has everyone preparing and staying inside. And Wayne is the only tow truck driver in two counties. He also happens to have a broken leg and gave me the keys in case of an emergency. Now, I can go to town and come back with the tow truck, but by then this storm will be here.” The man looked Grace up and down, assessing her clothing. “I don’t think you’re very prepared for that.”

Luke stood there watching the obviously wary woman. He wasn’t sure what had happened to her, but he was wise enough to stay back for as long as she needed it. She was a pretty thing. About five eight to his six foot two. She had long, pretty red hair and was curved in all the right places. She made his mouth water, but he was sure she wouldn’t appreciate that.

“Is there a motel in town?” Grace asked the man. The man shook his head.

“No, I’m afraid there isn’t. But my mother has plenty of room on the ranch, and I’m sure she would be happy to have the company. You have every right to be cautious. The ranch is only a ten-minute drive from here. If it would make you feel more comfortable I can call over there on my radio and have my mother or sister-in-law meet us out here,” Luke suggested, hoping to calm the woman. He didn’t think any woman should be scared, and this was no exception. Never in his life had he ever or would he ever hurt a woman, and it made him furious that someone had clearly hurt this woman.

ADULT EXCERPT

“Just going to get the fire started. Everyone will be back in a few minutes, so I thought we should get the fire started,” Luke explained as he started to prepare the fireplace to start the fire. Grace walked over and knelt next to Luke and handed him some kindling. Luke smiled a sexy little smirk in her direction and Grace blushed, continuing to help him with the fire setup.

“Why is everyone here? I know that most of you have your own places to live, so why is everyone at your parent’s house?” Grace asked him as they worked.

“Well, a few years ago there was a big storm. We had all since moved out with Ryder still living close-by in the apartment over the barn and Ben in the foreman’s cottage. Logan was home for a short visit and went out in the storm. Now, we have all grown up around weather like this and know how to handle ourselves, but Logan was missing for a while and his truck had gone off the road. Scared my mother so much that she decided when there was a big storm that everyone should come home.”

“So you all come and stay at home so your mother doesn’t worry?” Grace asked, trying to hide the smile in her voice and failing. Luke looked at her, trying to prevent the smile from breaking through. He narrowed his eyes at her and set down the wood in his hand.

Grace felt hunted, and she crawled backward from Luke while he crawled forward toward her. He smiled and his hand shot out and grabbed her ankle. Grace tried to get free, but she couldn’t. Luke pulled her to him. He leaned over her, and Grace felt so completely safe under him that she forgot everything around them. Luke lowered his face to hers.

“Are you laughing at my devotion to my mother?” Luke asked playfully. Grace shook her head and couldn’t stop the giggle that erupted from her. Luke mock glared at her and nipped her lip.

“Yes you are. You are laughing at a group of grown men who are scarred enough of their mother that they come home during big storms.”

Luke hadn’t settled his weight on her, and Grace knew that it was because he didn’t want to scare her. Grace had never felt so safe or cared for in her entire life, and she let a little more of her old self in. She was determined to close off any bad thoughts about Devon or her past. Grace reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. He seemed surprised but gently came down on her.

“I think it is absolutely wonderful how much you all respect and love your mother and want to put her at ease. It says that she raised you right and that she is deserving of that kind of respect and admiration. I don’t think it has anything to do with fear. It’s hot how much you love your mother.” Grace said the last sentence so quietly he almost missed it. Grace felt Luke harden even more against her, and she stifled her moan. She couldn’t stop herself from moving her body excitedly against him.

Luke groaned in response and dove for her mouth. He consumed her with his mouth. His tongue teased her and brought her to a precipice she had never felt before. Grace hadn’t even noticed what she was doing until Luke broke the kiss for a moment. She came back to herself and realized that her hands had moved down to grip Luke’s ass and that she was shamelessly rubbing against him. Grace loosened her hold on him and was going to pull away when he looked into her eyes. The lust and tenderness made her melt more against him.

“Don’t stop, baby. I love your hands on me. All over me.” His words seemed to inspire her to continue, and she brought their lips together again, causing him to moan.

Luke was hanging onto his control by a thread, and Grace’s enthusiasm was making it harder to hold back. He ground his stiff cock against her as she pulled him closer still. Her delicate little hands gripped his ass, and he almost exploded right then. Grace seemed to be inexperienced, but that just pushed Luke’s needs up higher. He knew the heat they were radiating had nothing to do with the fire next to their writhing bodies.

Luke let his mouth travel to her cheek and over to her ear where he nibbled, causing Grace to moan more. Oh, she likes that. So he did it again, and then he trailed hot, openmouthed kisses down her neck and was headed to the V of her top and absolute heaven when a voice clearing had him stopping.

Luke closed his eyes and tried to regain his composure. He quickly remembered he was in the living room of his parents’ house and that everyone was going to be coming in to start a movie. He cursed himself and his ill-timed libido. He cursed again when it was clear Grace hadn’t heard anything because she arched into him again.

“Please, Luke,” she said in a breathy sigh that almost had him telling whoever had walked in to leave and keep everyone out. But that would embarrass Grace, and he wasn’t about to do that.