Marie Ferrarella - The Lonesome Rancher / Finding Happily-Ever-After

Jade shook her head. “How terrible!”

“Life was tough back then. But you’re right, that would be awful.” Sloan sighed. “There aren’t many Merricks left and Clay only had one biological child, Alisa. His brother, Adam, never had children.”

Jade didn’t know what to say to that. She didn’t have real proof that she was Clay’s daughter, only words in Kathryn’s journal. Of course a DNA test would take care of that.

“Jade?”

She heard her name and looked at Sloan. “What?”

“Are you okay?”

She nodded. “Yes, I’m finally getting warm.”

“Good. This fireplace really puts the heat out.”

Feeling nervous she looked around the room. There was a lone sofa and an oval braided rug covering the dusty hardwood floors. A sideboard stood against the wall behind a small kitchen table. “A little work and this place could be livable.”

He frowned. “I guess it could be. It probably should be maintained better anyway, seing as it’s family history.” He stood. “Are you warm enough to take a look around?”

“Sure.”

He held out his hand to help her up. Jade took it, immediately feeling the warmth of his large, rough palm. That heat he generated quickly spread through her body as he tugged her down a hallway to the largest of the three bedrooms. He flipped on a switch, revealing the space. The focal point was a big bed with a massive carved headboard.

“Oh, Sloan. It’s beautiful.” She crossed the room and ran her fingertips over the intricate work. “I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s obvious that this took many hours.” She glanced over her shoulder. “You’re right, this place should be preserved.”

Rain pelted the windows as Sloan leaned against the doorjamb. He was surprised at her reaction, her enthusiasm over this house. Her eyes were so expressive, so filled with excitement. How long had it been since he’d seen someone get this much joy out of something so simple?

This woman distracted him, stirred a yearning in him. Damn, he wanted to deny it, tried to tell himself it was because he’d been too long without a woman.

“When was the last time anyone lived here?” she asked.

“From what I understand it hasn’t been used since Otis and Sarah passed away. Otis’s son, Samuel, married Alice Kerry, the daughter of the town’s founder, she didn’t want to live in this house. There was a falling out, so her daddy built the house on the hill. Soon after my father, Clayton Samuel, and his younger brother, Adam, were born. Kerry and Merrick merged their land into one large cattle operation and prospered even more. They named it River’s End.

“Not long after that Samuel became the town’s mayor. A few years later, he ran for state representative, then the senate.” Sloan nodded toward the main house. “So from childhood, Clay had been groomed for public service.”

“What about Otis and Sarah? Did they ever resolve things with Sam?”

“They never set foot inside the big house, but they lived into their late eighties, only dying a few months apart.”

Jade glanced back at the headboard. “It’s a shame Otis and Sarah never got to have a relationship with their son.”

“But they did,” he said. “Although the daughter-in-law wouldn’t give them the time of day, Sam came by to see them.”

“I’m glad.” Sighing, Jade looked around. “I bet with a little cleaning and some paint this place would be almost new again.”

“I guess we should preserve our heritage.” Sloan looked at the beautiful furniture that Otis had made. “Alisa will inherit all this one day.”

He saw Jade stiffen. “It’s important to keep it in the family. Didn’t your parents have a house?”

She shook her head. “Not anymore. My mother’s care was expensive. She had to sell it. My father has never been in my life.”

Sloan barely knew Jade, yet he felt bad for her. No father. “At least you get to keep some of the family’s things.”

She hesitated. “They don’t belong to me, either.” Those beautiful eyes were sad as tears filled them. “I’m adopted.”

He went to her. “Oh, Jade, that doesn’t mean your mother loved you any less.”

He leaned closer and closer to her, feeling the heat radiating through her still damp clothes, her scent was intoxicating. His gaze locked on hers with an intensity that seemed hypnotic. He wanted her.

“My mother’s cousin, Margaret, asked for most of her grandmother’s keepsakes since I’m not a blood relative.”

“You are a part of that family, too. Your mother wanted you as her daughter. Did she will those things to you?”

She shrugged. “I didn’t want to argue about it. It was a rough time for all of us.”

He touched her cheek, telling himself he only wanted to give her comfort. But it was more than comfort; it was need. Her eyes were mesmerizing, drawing him deep into their depths. Silence surrounded them, except for the soft tapping of the rain against the windows.

“You were special to them.” He couldn’t stop what was going to happen. He leaned down and brushed a kiss across her mouth. When she sucked in a breath, he went back for another taste.

Jade knew she had no business letting Sloan get this close, but she couldn’t help herself as she allowed his mouth to capture hers. She couldn’t seem to deny him or the desire he stirred in her. When his hands drew her against his body, she was lost.

Her arms circled his neck and she opened her mouth to deepen the kiss. Sloan was just as eager when his tongue slid inside her mouth to taste her.

Suddenly Sloan’s phone rang, bringing her back to reality. She jumped back breaking his hold.

He cursed. “Bad timing. I need to get this.” He turned away as he opened his phone. “Hello.”

“Sloan, thank God.” His mother’s voice came over the line. “I’ve been trying to reach you.”

“Mom, what’s wrong?” He glanced at Jade, seeing her concern.

“Nothing, I’m fine. It’s you and Jade I’m worried about. When I couldn’t get you on your phone I was so worried you got caught in the storm.”

“It’s okay, Mom, we found cover. We’re at Otis’s place.”

He stole a glance at Jade’s thoroughly kissed mouth and felt another surge of desire. “We’ll be riding back as soon as the weather clears.”

“That’s just it, honey. You need to stay put because there are severe weather warnings out for the next few hours.”

The sound of the rain intensified at the same time he lost the connection. “Damn. The phone died.” He glanced out the front window where rain was sheeting off the porch roof.

“Well, it looks like we’re going to see how well old Otis built this place.”

OVER the next hour, Jade fretted as the wind howled and rain pounded the old house. The windows rattled under the stress, but held. They’d lost the electricity shortly after Louisa’s phone call, but there were candles and the light from the fire. Daylight was quickly fading away. And the storm hadn’t shown any signs of dying out.

She rubbed her arms in worry as she stole a glance at Sloan. He was kneeling in front of the hearth adding more wood to ward off the falling temperature.

Her gaze moved over his wide shoulders and broad back then down to his narrow waist. Lower still to the well-washed jeans that stretched over his muscular thighs and tight rear end. He lifted the log with ease, exhibiting the strength of his arms. The memory of being in those arms was very vivid in her mind. The feel and taste of his mouth, his body pressed to hers. A warm shiver rushed down her spine.

She groaned and looked away. She couldn’t let herself be attracted to him. There were far too many reasons to count. Besides, cowboys had never been her type, at least not before she met Sloan Merrick.