Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25316 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25316 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
Jack's torn between duty and desire for wrangler Lily.
He is an older man.
And her boss.
A fire between them they can’t deny.
It would be easier if he weren’t engaged to another woman.
Sparks fly as secrets unravel, risking all for a love hotter than the sands.
Ride the wild winds of desire in this steamy tale of love and desire.
A scorching romance that'll leave you breathless under the Southwest stars.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
1
LILY
I step out of the car and take in the sweet air that surrounds me. I’m finally here. Two flights and two hours of car rides, both ludicrously expensive. Thankfully, this Jack Thomas guy had already paid for all of it, and the contract he’s offering me is making all the effort more than worth it. That I got the job over what I’m sure must have been dozens of other applicants makes me feel like I’ve won the lottery.
Looking out into the distance and into the sunset only makes everything even better. The beautiful blend of pinks and oranges as the sun descends behind the mountains. I want to see this every day for the rest of my life.
The contract is only for a year, however. I guess I’d have to be happy with that.
I’m being hired as a wrangler on the ranch. More generally, I’m just an extra hand to help get stuff done, being sent to do certain things as needed. That can be anything from catching wayward horses or, much more boringly, just making sure all the numbers add up right for tax time.
The driver helps me get my bags to the doorstep of what was certainly a grand ranch house. I’m not entirely sure where I’m supposed to go, but nothing about this Jack guy seemed to suggest he was the kind of asshole that would make me stay in the barn or anything like that, and it wasn’t like there was an obvious guesthouse in sight. I tip my driver healthily, still having plenty of the travel budget Mr. Thomas gave me, and he nods my way, before driving back up the trail and leaving over the horizon.
I continue to enjoy the sights all around me. The Desert Sky Ranch is certainly impressive. A hundred or so horses run through the fields, my eyes lighting up as I see them. They’re being rounded up and into some stables by Mr. Thomas’s current wranglers.
My eyes light up even more when one particular figure approaches me, sitting tall on quite the stallion. The horse is a rich brown thoroughbred, with a beautiful mane. He was expertly taken care of, but even then, he had nothing on the specimen that was saddled on his back.
“You must be Ms. Bennett,” he says, his voice deep with a slight bit of gravel. He tips his light brown hat my way. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
I swallow, but hesitate. His are words that require a simple response, but I’m frozen stiff as I look him over. He has to be over six feet tall, clearing that mark by a good bit. The denim he wears, common sense clothing for someone with a rough job like he has, is well tailored to him, and shows that he is built wide yet lean. The five-o’clock shadow is a bit old fashioned, but I definitely am liking what I’m seeing.
After an embarrassing amount of time, I clear my throat and finally manage to respond to him. “Um, yes. Yes, I am. That’s my name.”
You just answered the question three times. Good job, Lily. Way to make a first impression.
“And, um, Mr. Thomas?” I ask.
“You don’t need to be that formal with me; this ain’t high society. You can call me Jack.”
“But you called me Ms. Bennett.”
“Well, you seem to be a girl who ought to be respected on the same level as high society types.” His smile is disarming.
And all I could do was giggle in response, like some sort of foolish schoolgirl. “Um, no, really, just call me Lily. Please.”
“Good, good, it’s a very pretty name and fitting of you.”
Jeeze, he’s laying it on thick. My face is a deep crimson. He’s younger than I expected, but I can tell he’s still old enough that he shouldn’t want a girl like me, who could still pass for a high school senior if you don’t look at her too closely.
“Let me help you get your stuff in. The day’s about done, and I want you settled in before I send you running about the ranch tomorrow.” Jack guides his horse to a nearby water trough, before grabbing one of my suitcases and opening the door for me. “I expect a good work ethic here, but I ain’t a tyrant either. I’m sure you’ll do just fine.”
Through his large home, he leads me to the guest room. It’s pretty spacious, a queen-sized bed and plenty of light. I even get my own bathroom. With how I’d been roughing it in recent years, it’s pretty much a palace by comparison.
“Any house rules I should know about?” I ask as I put down my luggage and he follows suit with what he was carrying.
“Just the usual common sense ones. Don’t be blaring loud music at three in the morning, clean up after yourself, don’t put the cast-iron pan in the dishwasher.”