Stranded And Seduced

“Is it too cold to talk out here?” Her teeth clattered as she said the words.

“In the parking lot?” He smiled. “You tell me.”

A blast of wind ruffled her curls, lifting them high in the air and chilling her to the bone. Goodness, she was being silly not wanting to be alone with Risk. She needed to make this deal, and not even having an unorthodox meeting in a client’s car should deter her.

“C’mon, my car’s over here.” Risk took her arm, drawing her close to his body, and the heat radiating off him kept her a bit warmer as they walked to his SUV. He opened the door for her, and she climbed into the passenger seat. “Put this over you,” he said, giving her the sheepskin jacket lying on his seat.

It did the trick immediately. The jacket was snug and warm around her shoulders and arms and was so long it partly covered her legs, too. “Thanks.”

He closed the door and wound around to climb into the driver’s seat.

And April found herself bundled up, sitting very close to Risk Boone, his male scent drifting her way, his presence filling the space inside the SUV.

* * *

“You look real pretty tonight, April.” Risk blurted out the first thing he’d noticed about her tonight as he turned to face her.

Her chin went up. “Thank you.”

“I didn’t expect to see you tonight.”

“No, I didn’t expect to see you, either. But you promised me a call that I never received. What happened? I guess I wasn’t on your radar?”

Quite the contrary. After seeing April last week, he’d thought about her plenty.

He hadn’t known her all that well in high school, but when he’d seen her that day in the rodeo stands in Houston, after his life had hit an all-time low, she’d been one friendly face, one person from home he could relate to, and finding her at the hotel bar later that night had been pure luck on his part. They’d sat and talked for hours, and then things had heated up really fast in his hotel room.

“Believe me, you’ve been on my radar.”

Her head snapped up at that. Questions filled her eyes, and he wasn’t going to answer any of them. “I’m sorry about not returning your voice mails, but I haven’t had time to look at the articles about the lodge. The truth is, I was called out of town. A friend’s mother was gravely ill, and she wanted to see me. I felt compelled to go. She was a wonderful, gentle woman that I really cared about.”

“Cared? Did she pass on?”

He nodded. “Yes, I stayed in Atlanta for the funeral.”

Sympathy touched April’s eyes. “I’m sorry.”

He kept it to himself that it had been Shannon Wilkes’s mother who’d passed on. Shannon had been texting him for months, about her personal life being a hot mess, her career taking a bit of a hit and then her mother’s illness. Risk had resolved things with Shannon a while back. Though the scars were still there, he’d realized she wasn’t the right woman for him, yet he’d sympathized with Shannon over losing her mother. For the two years he’d dated Shannon, Mary had been like a mother to him, and they’d always gotten along. “Yeah, it was rough.”

April gave him a sympathetic nod.

After he ran scared that night in Houston, he wouldn’t have blamed April if she refused to work with him. The sale of the lodge was important to her, and he owed her a fair shake, at the very least. “Do you have plans day after tomorrow?” he asked her.

She looked at him skeptically. “Why?”

“Maybe we can drive out to the lodge and take a look at it. I’ll read the articles about the place tomorrow. Then I can see for myself if it’s doable.”

April’s eyes brightened. “Yes, I’d love for you to see the lodge. I’ll plan on it.”

“Okay, good. I’ve kept you from your friends long enough. Let me walk you back inside.”

“No, that’s not necessary.” She handed him back his coat. “Thanks anyway, but it’s a short walk. See you Saturday.”

She got out of his car, and he got out, too, and watched, his instincts telling him not to let her walk through the darkened parking lot by herself. And sure enough, when April was less than twenty feet away, a drunken cowboy approached her, blocking her passage, giving her grief and making crude suggestions. Her voice rose as she told the guy to back off, and then the cowboy began grabbing at her. Risk moved fast and was there in seconds, shoving the man’s shoulders, pushing him out of the way before he could lay a hand on April. “Buddy, get the hell outta here or you’re gonna be real sorry. Go sober up somewhere. Now.”

The man eyed Risk with contempt. Risk would be all too happy to nail the guy to the wall, but after a three-second staring contest, the cowboy stalked off.

Risk turned to April. She was shivering, this time in fear. He saw it in her eyes, too. “Are you okay?”

“I...will...be.”

He wrapped his arms loosely around her shoulders, bringing her into his warmth. “Come here a sec and calm down.”

“Thank...you.” She leaned against him, setting her head on his chest as if that’s exactly what she’d needed. “That was scary.”

“You handled yourself well.” He’d heard the tone of her voice, the gruff way she tried to warn the guy off. “You know, the Southern in me would never let a woman walk through a parking lot without seeing her safely inside, but then again, the female revolution has changed all that. I never know what to do.”

April pulled away from his chest to gaze up at him, the pretty blue of her eyes damn near mesmerizing. “You did good.”

He smiled, and she smiled, too, and something clicked in that moment, a spark that he hadn’t felt in a long time. He hadn’t met a woman who interested him in months, and now, suddenly, he was thinking about April that way. “I did?”

She gazed at his mouth and nodded. Was it an invitation? In that one second, Risk’s body twitched, and he tightened his hold on April. “You did,” she whispered.

He laid his palm on her cheek and felt her softness, witnessed the sweet look she was giving him. “April,” he said, right before leaning in to brush a soft kiss to her lips.

She moaned a little bit and gave in to the pleasure of his mouth. She tasted sweet and tangy, like a fruity drink, and he started remembering things about her that quickened his pulse.

Then out of the blue, April pulled away quickly, giving him a slight push on the chest. He backed off instantly. What in the world?

“Don’t.”

“Don’t? April, did I read you wrong?”

“I’ve had too much to drink tonight and I do appreciate you protecting me from that drunk, but yes, you read me wrong.”

She lifted up her left hand and wiggled her fingers right in front of his nose. “I’m engaged to be married, Risk.”

Two

Normally Risk was good at reading women’s signals but the other night at the Farmhouse, April had had him fooled. He could’ve sworn she wanted his attention. She’d looked at him, then at his mouth, as if she’d wanted to be kissed. Had it just been fear? Had she been grateful he’d come on the scene in the parking lot when he had?

April was a beautiful woman with sass and spunk.

And she was engaged to be married.

He’d remembered the chubby little girl she’d been, and when he’d met her again in Houston after he’d guest hosted the rodeo, her curvy body and pretty blue eyes had drawn him in.

“Risk, you’re deep in thought this morning.” Aunt Lottie poured him a cup of coffee and set the mug down on the kitchen table in front of him. Ever since his aunt had returned to Rising Springs Ranch, she’d doted on him and his two brothers, Mason and Lucas. Having an adventurous spirit, Aunt Lottie had been a world traveler always ping-ponging in and out of their lives, but after the death of their parents, she’d taken a more vital role with the family. And now was like a mother to him and his brothers.

Risk brought the mug to his mouth and sipped. “No one would ever call me a deep thinker.”

Lottie took the chair adjacent to him, bringing her coffee to her lips and shaking her head. “You’re a fine thinker, boy.” Aunt Lottie was the first to come to a Boone’s defense, unless of course they deserved a tongue-lashing, and then she’d be the first one to give it. “But something’s bothering you. Your aunt knows you boys all too well.”

“Nothing’s bothering me, really. I’m just baffled about something.”

About April. He’d been drawn to her the other night, the same way he’d been drawn to her in Houston. And that was precisely why he hadn’t looked her up again. Why he hadn’t pursued her after that night. It had been selfish of him, but he hadn’t been in any shape to deal with a woman who wasn’t a one-night-stand kind of girl. She’d been smart and sincere and compassionate. Once he figured that out, he’d run like hell. Not his finest moment.

“Care to tell me her name?” Aunt Lottie asked.

“Ha, nice try, Aunt Lottie. But it’s all good.” He winked and gave her his best smile.

“How’s Drew doing these days?” he asked.

His aunt had an on-again, off-again relationship with Mason’s future father-in-law, Drew MacDonald. It seemed the two of them never could get on the same page.

“I wouldn’t know. He’s barely talking to me.”

“Oh yeah? Lovers’ spat?”

Drew lived in the cottage on the Boone property. He was a recovering alcoholic, a good man who’d lost his wife some years ago. Maria had been Lottie’s best friend, and now the two were playing a cat and mouse game of hearts.

“Hardly. We’re barely friends anymore, Risk.”

“Well, why don’t you take some of those warm cranberry muffins you just baked and bring them to him as a peace offering?”

Aunt Lottie’s blond brows lifted, and her eyes sparkled. She was a pretty sixtysomething woman who had a lot of love to give, and right now she was considering his suggestion. “You know, that’s not a bad idea. And while I’m at it, I’ll pack you a basket of muffins and some things for your trip.”

“Thanks. It’s a long drive out to Canyon Lake Lodge.”

“Just give me a moment,” his aunt said.

Minutes later, after finishing up his breakfast, he heard the front doorbell chime and the housekeeper answer it. He rose, taking the basket Aunt Lottie had made up, and walked out of the kitchen to the parlor where April Adams was waiting for him holding a brown briefcase. Those curly blond locks of hers flowed past her shoulders, and even the tan winter coat she wore over a pair of pants and a sweater couldn’t hide her curvy body.

“Mornin’, April. You’re right on time,” he said, coming into the room.

“I always try to be.” She hoisted her chin up.

“I’ll be right with you,” he said.

He grabbed his sheepskin jacket, the one he’d lent April the other night, and showed her to the multicar garage attached to the house.

In the garage, he opened the passenger side door to his full-size SUV. He’d insisted he drive his car, and she was clearly not happy about it. April shot him a look and then climbed in. He waited while she buckled herself in and then handed her the basket.

“What’s this?”

“My aunt Lottie made us a care package for the road.”

“That’s...very sweet of her.”

“The Boones are nice people,” he said.

Her eyes started to roll, and then she seemed to catch herself. Risk almost laughed out loud when her expression changed to an innocent smile. The trouble was he liked April Adams. Too damn much.

Risk started the engine and pulled out of the garage. There were gray skies overhead, and a light drizzle cascaded down from the clouds.

With any luck, they’d drive right out of the rain to better weather up ahead.

* * *

The rain came down steadily now, giving the windshield wipers a good workout. Of course, the weather had to be gloomy; it would make it that much harder for April to show off the grounds in a good light to Risk. But she didn’t want to turn back. She couldn’t trust that she’d get Risk back out to Canyon Lake Lodge any time soon.

She stared out the window, trying to think of ways to enhance her sales pitch. The lodge had been listed with her agency for five months, and she only had the listing for one more month. That gave her only weeks to find a buyer. The Boones’ inquiry about the property had been the only real bite she’d gotten in all that time. She had to make this work, somehow. Risk hadn’t been overly impressed with the photos of the lodge, and that parking lot kiss had only put a strain on their professional relationship.

“Cold?” he asked.

“A little.”

He fiddled with a dashboard dial, and soon a flow of warm heat pushed out of the floor vents.

“Better?”

She nodded. “Yes, thank you. As long as it’s not too hot for you?”

He gave her a sideways glance. “I’ll let you know if it gets too hot.”

Was that an innocent comment? She never knew with Risk. But she had to give him the benefit of the doubt, since he’d been put in his place the other night after she’d told him she was engaged.

Thank you again, Jenna Mae.

They drove a few more miles in silence, and then Risk gestured to the basket. “Since Aunt Lottie packed us up some food, why don’t we have a muffin?”

“Sounds like a good idea.” She lifted the basket onto her lap and then folded back the lid. “Oh wow. Your aunt Lottie sure knows how to make a care package.”

“Why, what’s she got in there?”

“Well, let’s see. There’s about eight muffins, a coffee thermos, protein bars and two apples.”

A grumble rose from Risk’s throat. “She still thinks we’re twelve.”

“It’s sorta sweet that she cares so much.”

April picked up a muffin, peeled back the cupcake paper, removing it entirely, and handed it over to Risk. It seemed an intimate gesture, but it was easier for him to eat that way. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.” A few bites later, the muffin was gone.

“Want another?”

He nodded. “One more will do. Make sure you have one, too.”

“Oh, I intend to.” April took a bite of her muffin. Warm and fresh, packed with cranberries, it was just the right amount of sweet and tart. “These are good.”

“It’s a family recipe. That coffee smells good.”

“Want some?”

The wipers were at top speed now, and April hoped Risk wouldn’t suggest they turn back.

“You first,” he said. “Have some. It’ll warm you up inside.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

She unscrewed the thermos and poured coffee into the cup. As she took a sip, the pungent aroma comforted her and made her smile. She handed the thermos over to Risk, and their fingers brushed again. “H-here you go.” The contact wasn’t lost on her. She quelled her racing heart and watched his throat work as he gulped down coffee.

Risk slid a glance to her left hand. “When’s the wedding?”

Whoa. She wasn’t really prepared to answer him. She’d hoped that wearing the ring was enough. Apparently she was wrong. “Uh, we haven’t set the date yet.”

“No?”

“No. A...a lot goes into planning a wedding, and my fiancé and I are very busy.”

“Does he have a name?”

“Everyone has a name,” she said rather evasively.

Risk scratched his chin. “So, you’re not willing to tell me? He must not be—”

“He’s amazing, okay? I met him when I was living in Willow County, and we’re very happy.”

“Bob? Bill? Toby? Or maybe it’s more like Hector or Bubba?”

Bubba? Lordy. She folded her arms over her middle but still couldn’t hold back a belly chuckle. “Risk, what are you doing?”

“Just making conversation. It’s a long drive to the lodge. Especially with the rain slowing us down.”

“Okay then, if you’re so willing to talk, why don’t you tell me about your love life?”

He grunted. “Or lack thereof.”

She raised her brows. “That’s hard to believe.”

“Tell me about it. After what happened with Shannon, I think I got gun-shy. No more permanent, all-in relationships for me.”

“Are you saying you don’t date anymore?”

He spared her a glance, his dark eyes meeting hers. “Now who’s being nosy?”

“Okay, you’re right. Forget I asked.” It wasn’t fair of her to ask such pointed questions of Risk when she’d barely given him the time of day about her fake engagement.

He was silent for a while. “The truth is, I haven’t had a date in three months, maybe longer. I guess I lost count.”

“I see. So, you must be really into your work, the way I am.”

Risk’s mouth twisted, and he gave his head a small, almost inconspicuous shake. “I’m trying to help out. The truth is...”

“What?” She gave him a pointed look.

“Nothin’.”

She let it drop, because anybody with eyes in their head could tell that Risk wasn’t the tycoon his brothers were. If he was, he wouldn’t have become a rodeo rider.

“What did you think about the history of the lodge?” she asked, steering the conversation out of personal territory.

“Kinda crazy...neither one of them wanted to give in for the sake of success.”

“So, you did read the articles.”

“I surely did. That brother and sister team mixed as well as oil and water.”

April nodded. “I don’t have a brother or a sister, but I would think one of them could’ve given in rather than see the lodge fail.”

“Yeah, those two were doomed from the get-go.”

It was sort of like her and Risk. Doomed from the beginning.

Luckily, because of the ring on her finger, all she had to think about was convincing Risk that the lodge was worth the investment.

* * *

Halfway into the drive, Risk turned to April. “The storm’s not really letting up. Let me know if you want to turn back.”

“No,” April said firmly. “I don’t think we need to. We’ve come this far.”

“Okay, fine by me.” Risk didn’t want to turn around, either. He wasn’t opposed to driving in the rain, and he was sort of enjoying the adventure with her. He’d been in a rut lately, trying to figure out where he fit in the world.

He liked listening to April’s melodic voice as she went into detail about JoAnna and Joseph Sutton, the twins who’d inherited the lodge some sixty years ago from their great-aunt. Her take on it was certainly more passionate and animated than any conversation they’d had before.

“JoAnna was a woman of the earth,” she said, “a free spirit who wanted to use the lodge as refuge for the enlightened of heart. She wanted bonfire parties and folksy dances, while Joseph was a hard-core outdoorsman who wanted to keep the rustic tone and promote it as a boating and fishing lodge.”

“Must’ve made for some crazy interaction between the guests,” he said. “Can you imagine the hunters and fisherman going head to head with the vegetarians? I’m sure it wasn’t pretty.”

“It was a total failure. Finally, they sold the lodge to a recluse. He liked the fact that it was remote, off the beaten path.”

“Is he the one selling the lodge?”

“No, he passed on. We’d be dealing with his grandson, Michael Hall. I can’t wait to show it to you. If we ever make it there.”

“We will, trust me,” Risk said, just as he hit a pothole in the road. The SUV bounded up in the air and landed with a huge muddy splash.

April gripped the handrail, color draining from her face.

“You okay?”

She gave him an unsure nod.

He reached for her hand clutching the seat and gave it a slight squeeze. “We’ll be fine. The SUV can take it.”

She slid her hand from his and slunk back in her seat, warily folding her arms across her middle.

There wasn’t much else he could say, so he shut his trap. It was better to forget the solid connection he’d felt when he grabbed her hand a few seconds ago. She was pretty and intelligent, and touching her quickened his pulse. For a man who hadn’t had sex in a while, it was dangerous territory.

And he wasn’t forgetting about that engagement ring on her finger. No, sir.

Rain pelted the windshield, and he concentrated on driving through the storm, the wipers giving him glimpses of what was ahead. He came to a low-lying bridge just around a curve in the road and slowed the car as the long wooden planks rattled under the tires. “It won’t be long now,” he told April and took a right-hand turn down a tree-lined road. April’s face relaxed in relief.

A minute later, the road separated into a three-foot-wide ditch. “Holy crap.” He swerved instantly, missing the biggest part of the gouge in the road, but luck wasn’t with him. The car hit the very edge of the gap, and the front end plummeted into a gully of mud. He hinged his arm out to stop April’s momentum, while her seat belt did the rest.

“You okay?” he asked her.

“Yeah, I think so.” Color left her face. “W-what happened?”

“The rain washed away a good chunk of the road. It came up so fast, I couldn’t see it, but I think we’re on the edge of the ditch.”

“Are we stuck?”

“Afraid so. The good news is GPS says the lodge is less than a mile away.”

She sat silent for a few seconds. “And you can’t get us out of the ditch?”

“Unfortunately, I left my superhero cape back at the ranch. We can’t just sit here. We might sink farther into the ditch. Gather up your things, April.”

He needed to make sure she was safe, and that meant high-tailing it to the lodge before the storm worsened. “We need to make a run for it. I’ll get out first and help you. We’ll call for help when we’re safely at the lodge.”

He gathered up a few essentials from the back of the SUV and dumped them into an old duffel bag he kept in the back. When he opened his door slightly, a wild gust of wind blew it open the rest of the way. He jumped down into a foot of mud, his boots catching the brunt of the ooze. Tossing the bag over his shoulder, he made his way around the back end of the SUV and opened the door for April. “Got what you need?”

She tucked her briefcase and her purse under her coat and nodded.

Risk reached for her, his hands firmly on her waist, and lifted her out of the car, holding on tight and twirling her around until they were clear of the ditch entirely before he set her down. “Ready to go?”

“I’m ready.”

“Okay, let’s get out of here.” He took her hand and they trudged along the waterlogged road toward the lodge.

* * *

April had never been this soaked in her life. The mile sprint had her breathing heavily, but she was in good enough shape to keep up with Risk, who kept a tight grip on her hand. They hopped over potholes and dodged floating debris and then, finally, the sight of the lodge loomed like a big beautiful refuge. She hadn’t been happier to see anything in her life.

Minutes later, they took the wide river-rock stairs together and landed under the protection of a covered veranda. Rain ceased to pelt them now, and the low veranda walls broke the wind gusts.

Risk stood by the double-door entry. “You have the key?”

Shaking from the cold, she opened the briefcase she’d kept as dry as possible and handed Risk the key. “H-here you go.”

He opened the door and gestured for her to go inside. She’d been here twice before and remembered the layout. Risk followed directly behind her, a consoling presence after the ordeal they’d just been through. For a moment there, when the earth parted and the car careened into the ditch, she’d feared for her life. But Risk was there beside her, making her feel safe. Right now, it went a long way in reassuring her.

“Stay here while I check out the place and see if the power’s on.”

“It’s supposed to be. Mr. Hall is keeping the electricity on through the sale.”

Risk nodded and took off while she stood there, shivering. She scanned the interior of the main lobby. It had a floor-to-ceiling river-rock fireplace and settees positioned around the large room. Thick wood beams crisscrossed the tall ceilings, and black iron chandeliers hung from various points in the room. Though the room was cold, it was shelter from the raging storm outside.

“Looks like the storm knocked the power out,” Risk said upon his return. “But there’s some firewood here on the hearth, and I’m sure it’s enough to keep us warm until the storm clears.”