Authors: Helen Conrad
“Megan was never a threat to you,” he told her earnestly, stroking her long black hair. “She’s a
lifelong friend, but never a lover.”
“I know. You’ve told me before.” She smiled at him. “But there was a time I would have sworn otherwise. And Petra telling me you and she were
going to get married didn’t help.”
“We never had any such plan.” He began to peel
the straps of her nightdress down about her
shoulders, kissing the flesh he exposed as he went. “Although Allison was working on that angle prac
tically from the day poor Megan was born.” He sighed. “Megan didn’t ever want to marry me any
more than I wanted to marry her. She wants a
career in Hollywood. Her mother made her come
out here for the summer as one last hope to get her mind off show-business. And on me.” He shook his head. “It didn’t work. Every time we were together,
we spent the whole time plotting her big escape. When she left after the Californio Days ball, she was full of ambitions, as always.” He pulled her
close, peeling back the silky fabric of her gown a
little at a time. “Megan will be big some day. And
I’ll always be her biggest fan. But that was as far as
it ever went.”
Shawnee knew that now. She’d talked with
Megan that last day, and the girl had told her as much herself. She was a little ashamed of how
jealous she’d been.
“She’ll always be welcome here to visit,” she said
quietly. “I like her.”
“So do I.” His exploring tongue had found the
hollow behind her ear. “But I love you,” he growled.
“And the difference is remarkable.”
She closed her eyes and enjoyed his lovemaking,
enjoyed the trail of tingling sensation he made
across her skin with his touch. They’d only been
married a week and they couldn’t get enough of
each other. She hoped this easy excitement would never fade. But even if it did, they had so much
more to keep them together.
Their wedding had been amazing—a good old-fashioned Spanish barbecue with Santa Maria style-meats cooking on huge grills and filling the air with wonderful smells. Strolling musicians played Mariachi music and brightly dressed pretty girls whirled performing Mexican dances. Choirs of little children sang wedding songs and magicians did magic tricks. A makeshift rock band composed of Santiago teenagers from Santa Barbara and Carrington teenagers from Destiny Bay played in one corner of the lot while a string quartet played classical music in another. The grounds themselves were covered with tables and chairs decorated with roses and sitting ready for the huge crowds of people who attended.
“It was more a fiesta than a wedding,” Lisa had commented, though not in any way complaining. She’d had a wonderful time as well. Everyone had.
“It had to be,” Shawnee had told her. “After all, once you get scores of Carringtons and throw them into the mix of all the Santiago clans that exist in this area and up in Gold Country, you’ve got too many people to begin to get precious about seating arrangements.”
And the best part? She and David had been joined together forever and ever to come. Petra had told her that was the way things worked in this family and she was ready to live the dream.
And living at Rancho Verde
was
a dream come true.
Allison had turned out to be no problem. “Well, it’s about time, isn’t it?” she’d grumped when they announced their wedding plans. “You two have been making eyes at each other all summer. I thought you’d never get around to making it legal.”
Petra had been thrilled. “You’ll be my aunt,”
she’d giggled, still uncomfortable in her restraining sling
. “Won’t that be fun?” Her shoulder was healing
rapidly and she was looking forward to riding again
as soon as possible. But even better from her point of view, her father had come for the wedding, and he was still staying with them. From all evidence the rest of them could see, things were going pretty well between him and Allison. After all, she was a Santiago, wasn’t she?
Riding was something Shawnee hadn’t aban
doned, even though David took up most of her
days. David still had reservations about her riding
Miki, but he was coming around, since he had very
little choice.
“We’ve got to practice every day,” she’d warned him. “I’m going to win the Cup next summer.”
“Of course you are,” he’d agreed archly. “Santiagos always win.”
She’d stared at him in mock astonishment. “Is
that why you married me?” she’d teased. “To make
sure the Cup stayed in the family?”
“Naturally. What did you think?”
But she knew what to think. He loved her. It
shone in his eyes as he looked down at her naked body now, so creamy golden in the morning sun
light. Her nightdress lay in a smooth, satiny pool at her feet and his dark hand reached out to touch the
exquisite tip of her breast.
“Oh, David!” she gasped, reaching for him,
amazed as always by the jagged thrill of desire that
tore its way through her body.
“You’re so beautiful,” he breathed, eyes nar
rowed as he gazed at her. “Your hair is dark as chocolate and your eyes—like native silver them
selves.” He touched her cheek. “Like a treasure I
found in a mountain stream,” he murmured. “Why
did it take you so long to admit you loved me?”
His eyes looked curiously vulnerable, as though she could slay him with a single word. Her heart
broke open, spilling out all her love and affection in
a flood that he couldn’t possibly misunderstand.
“I was trying so hard to hate you,” she admitted. “And all the time I knew it was impossible.” She
smiled as her hands went to his chest, fingers tangling in the thick, curly hair. “I’ve loved you from before you knew I existed.”
His hands took her face before him. “And I’ve loved you from the moment you burst out of that water, all wet and shiny, just for me.”
“Just for you?” she teased, laughing softly. “How did you know that?”
His mouth tilted in a semi-smile. “Because that was the way it had to be.” There was a snuffling sound at the door. At first they ignored it, sharing a kiss that seemed to fuse their souls along with their bodies. But the snuffling got louder, and then there was the sound of little nails against the door.
“It’s Hank,” Shawnee whispered, a little short of breath.
David only held her more tightly. “Don’t you dare let that dog in,” he growled. His hands swept across her body, his touch hardening along with his sense of urgency.
“Oh!” she moaned as he pulled her down with him to the thick carpeting of the floor. “But David, the bed . . .”
“I can’t wait that long,” he murmured tensely. “Can you?”
“No!” she cried out, half-laughing, half-frenzied. And as they came together, drenched in shimmering sunlight, she knew it would always be like this, the love, the caring, the quickening need to demonstrate it with passion. Was there a woman in the world as lucky as she was? She pulled his dark head to her in fierce love and knew the answer.
Cast of Characters in the series Destiny Bay~The Ranchers
Native Silver
Thomas Carrington
, hard working rancher who lost his ranch
and had to work in town to support his family, and
Betty Johnson Carrington
, deceased
parents of:
Shawnee Carrington
~young horsewoman who dreams of beating the hated Santiagos at the annual Destiny Valley horse show.
David Santiago
~latest owner of Rancho Verde, the ranch the Carringtons lost, who falls for Shawnee at first sight
Grandpa Jim Carrington~
the owner of Rancho Verde when it was lost to the Santiagos.
Lisa Carrington
~Shawnee’s older sister
Brad
~dairy farmer and husband to Lisa
Allison Santiago
~David’s older sister, recently divorced
Petra
~her daughter
Reid Carrington
~
Shawnee’s cousin from Destiny Bay, a lawyer who tries to help her find a way to keep the Santiagos at bay
Miki
~Native Silver,
the special horse
Joe Carrington
~local rancher
Megan
~friend of David’s
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Destiny Bay Romances~The Ranchers
Book 1-Native Silver
Book 2-Destiny Ranch
Book 3-Sweet Desperado
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Also in the Destiny Bay series
Destiny Bay Romances-Forever Yours
Book 1-My Little Runaway
Book 2-Wife For a Night
Book 3-Too Scared to Breathe
Book 4-Make Believe Wife
Book 5-Promoted to Wife
Book 6-Not the Marrying Kind
−
3
My Little Runaway, Wife for a Night, Too Scared to Breathe
−
6
Make Believe Wife, Promoted To Wife, Not the Marrying Kind
Destiny Bay Romances-Baby Dreams
Book 1-Husband Wanted:Will Train
Book 2-The Baby Invasion
Book 3-Waiting for Someone Like You
Book 4-Tick Tock Baby Clock
Book 5-Jilted
Book 6- Waiting for Baby Kate
Destiny Bay Romances
Baby Dreams Box Set: Books 1-3
Husband Wanted:Will Train, Baby Invasion, Waiting for Someone Like You
Destiny Bay Romances
Baby Dreams Box Set: Books 4-6
Tick Tock Baby Clock, Jilted, Waiting for Baby Kate
Available on Kindle
Coming Soon…
Destiny Bay Romances~The Ranchers
Native Silver
Destiny Ranch
Sweet Desperado
From
DoorKnock Publishing
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Coming soon
from
DoorKnock Publishing
SAMPLE PAGES
Destiny Ranch
A Destiny Bay Romance, Book #2
CHAPTER ONE
"I need a real woman, Doris. Not some slick little
refugee from the fast lane."
The rugged man in the denims and cowboy boots pushed his wide-brimmed hat back on his head, his handsome face a picture of stubborn resistance.
Doris sighed, rolled her brown eyes and leaned
across the Formica cafe table so that she wouldn't be
heard by all the eavesdroppers at the other tables.
"Joe Carrington, you've got some nerve. It's not like
you've got people lining up to take this job of yours,
you know. Those two little kids are cute as the dickens, but they aren't angels, and everybody knows it. You've gone through all the local talent. There's not a
woman left in this town who would tackle taking care
of Jeremy and Beth, much less you and that big old
house of yours. I'm offering you someone decent who
will do for you for a while. You won't find anybody better, and you know it."
"'Decent,'" Joe echoed, his voice, usually edged
with humor, just this side of bitter this time. He raised
his dark, cloudy eyes and gazed at her with self-
deprecating amusement. "Is that what it's all come down to, Doris? Do I have to settle for 'decent'?"
Doris leaned back, her plump hand smoothing the
apron of her waitress uniform. She was pleased,
thinking she was finally getting through to him.