Second Chance Ranch (Curves And Cowboys Book 1) Read online

  Before too long, I had an Uber on the way to pick me up, so I could head back to Sue’s to get my car. And I was pleased with myself for handling my own affairs, by God.

  I slipped out Holt’s front door, being sure to lock it behind me, and took a seat in one of the rocking chairs on his porch to wait for my ride.

  Leaning back, I closed my eyes and let my thoughts drift to the amazing night I’d just spent with Holt. I had no idea where things would go from here, but just the memory of his hands and mouth on me drove me wild.

  I was so deep in my daydreams of a future with Holt, I didn’t hear the SUV pull up into the driveway, and I was jolted out of my fantasy world by the short blast of its horn.

  I jumped up and hustled over to my waiting ride, planning on getting into the backseat like I always had when I’d used Uber in Dallas.

  But as I approached the dark windows of the SUV, the one on the passenger side slid down. I saw a familiar face behind the wheel and found myself face-to-face with Joe Turner.

  “Climb on in the front,” he said with the shark-like grin he’d always worn back in high school. “I won’t bite. Not hard, at least.”

  I felt a knot in the pit of my stomach. Joe had always had a reputation for being a creep, from what I could remember, and it didn’t look like that had changed.

  He looked me up and down as I climbed into the passenger seat, and I quickly tugged at the neck of my dress to make sure I wasn’t showing too much cleavage.

  “Why, if it isn’t Cassie Weaver,” he said as we pulled away, never losing that sleazy grin of his. “I didn’t know you were back in Fairview.”

  I just nodded and kept my gaze forward. You couldn’t let guys like Joe think they had any chance with you, and that meant avoiding eye contact as much as you could.

  It seemed as if he got the hint and I was grateful that the rest of the drive was made in silence, other than Joe tapping his fingers insistently on the steering wheel.

  I could feel him looking at me every couple of minutes, and just his eyes on me made my skin crawl. I almost cried with relief when we pulled into the parking lot at Sue’s.

  But before I could jump out of the SUV, he turned and leaned across my body to open the door for me. My heart stopped as he sniffed my hair and gave me that creepy grin again.

  “You sure smell nice, Cassie. And you look like a snack, if I do say so myself.”

  I froze in place, my hands clenched around the strap of my purse, waiting to see what would happen next. My eyes shot side to side, trying to find an escape route.

  Finally, he leaned back in his seat, undressing me with his eyes before I could get my body moving again.

  “Hope I get to see more of you soon, Cassie,” he said. “Real soon.”

  I felt numb as I climbed out of the SUV and my body was trembling uncontrollably as I made my way over to my car and unlocked it with shaking hands.

  After getting into the driver’s seat, I jammed the lock button over and over again, fumbling to get the car started, and sending up a silent prayer of thanks when the engine roared to life.

  Joe sat there for several minutes, just staring at my car before giving me one final grin and driving away. My breath came out in a great gust when I saw that he was gone.

  I drove home in a daze and was grateful to find the living room was empty when I let myself in the front door. I didn’t want Daddy to see me so shaken up.

  I spent the rest of the morning taking care of chores around the house, making sure Daddy had everything he needed, and showering off the slimy feeling of my earlier encounter before I headed out to meet Holt for lunch.

  I’d lived in Dallas for ten years without ever being made to feel so victimized by a man. But I wasn’t going to let some creep like Joe Turner ruin my chance at happiness.

  I was going to see Holt again and bring back those good feelings I had this morning, no matter what. Besides, I felt safer than I ever had around Holt.

  The real question was, should I tell him about my traumatic Uber ride?

  Holt

  I’d hated to leave Cassie this morning but I knew the young horses couldn’t wait. I was already pushing things when it came to getting them ready for this year’s buyers.

  I kept checking my phone to make sure I hadn’t missed her call. I knew that she’d need a ride out to get her car and the last thing I would ever do was leave Cassie stranded.

  “Something on your mind, man?” Matt asked me as I looked at my phone for what felt like the hundredth time.

  Matt knew me too well. I filled him in on the night before and how I was getting worried that I hadn’t heard from Cassie yet.

  “I’m sure she’s fine, Holt,” my best friend told me. “But if you’re worried, why not head out to Sue’s now? It’s almost lunch time and I can hold things down here while you’re gone. Just bring me back a burger, alright?”

  “Thanks, man,” I said, already hurrying toward my truck. “You’ll get the juiciest burger I can manage for this one. I owe you!”

  The drive into town felt three times as long as it usually did, but when I finally pulled into the parking lot at Sue’s, I breathed a sigh of relief to see Cassie’s car was there. And that it was in a different spot then it had been in last night.

  Now that I knew she was alright, I could feel myself getting pissed that she hadn’t just called me to get a ride, and I had to squash my anger as I strode into the tavern.

  Once inside, I spotted Cassie in the midst of the growing lunch crowd, and when I saw the look on her face, any trace of irritation disappeared.

  It looked as if Cassie had been crying and I was at her side in moments, gathering her up into my arms and pressing kisses onto her cheeks.

  “What the hell happened, Cass?”

  I watched her chin tremble as she tried to contain her tears and then lost the battle. “Oh, Holt, I’m so sorry!”

  Cassie breathlessly poured out her horrible experience that morning with Joe Turner. As she spoke, I could feel a protective rage building up inside of me.

  “I know I should have just called you for a ride, but I didn’t want to bother you, and I thought I could handle it myself, Holt, really I did!”

  “Shhh, honey, it’s alright,” I soothed. “I’m here now and there’s nothing to worry about.”

  Just then, I felt Cassie go stiff in my arms. I pulled back and looked into her face. Her eyes were wide and scared, and she was looking at the front door.

  When I followed her gaze, I saw Joe Turner strutting his way into Sue’s and taking a seat at the bar. Every muscle in my body tightened and I saw red.

  “You stay right here, understand?”

  Cassie nodded, her face a mask of frightened shock as I rose up to my full height, took off my hat, set it slowly on the table, and turned my hardened stare at my target.

  Joe Turner had been preying on women for as long as I could remember. I’d never liked him but I’d left him alone to be the creep that he was.

  But that was before he’d decided to cast his slimy gaze onto my woman. He’d gone too far this time and I was about to teach him a lesson about respecting women that he wouldn’t soon forget.

  Chapter Six

  Cassie

  As I watched Holt stride over to the bar, it seemed as if everything was moving in slow motion. I’d felt the anger pour off him when he’d seen Joe walk into Sue’s and I knew he wasn’t going to let this go.

  I’d been so worried about him being mad at me for not letting him help me get back here safely to get my car, the thought of what would happen when he saw Joe again hadn’t even crossed my mind.

  Every eye in the place was on Holt as he grabbed Joe by the shirt and lifted him off his bar stool. There was pure rage on Holt’s face as he brought it right up to Joe’s and asked him if he had a death wish.

  Joe shook his head violently and tried to shrink away from Holt but that wasn’t going to happen. Holt just tightened his grip even more.

  “
If I ever see or hear of you talking to Cassie again, you’ll regret it, Turner,” Holt ground out between clenched teeth. “Now, get your ass over there and apologize to my woman.”

  Holt dropped Joe back onto his bar stool but grabbed him by the upper arm and steered him over to me. I felt myself shying away from the slimy little weasel, even though I wanted to stay strong and not let him have any effect on me.

  “I’m sorry, Cassie,” Joe mumbled as he stood in front of me, looking down at his feet. “I won’t bother you again.”

  “Good. Now, get out of here,” Holt said, releasing his grip on Joe and pointing toward the front door. “Folks will be able to eat better without your trashy ass around.”

  Joe bolted for the door amidst the sound of laughter and Holt returned to his spot at my side, giving me that dashing smile of his as he pulled me into his arms for a kiss.

  People gave us a round of applause and I felt my face grow warm with equal amounts of pleasure and pride. That feeling of living in a fairytale returned stronger than ever.

  “How about we have our lunch in peace, grab a burger for Matt, and I show you that pretty little roan filly I have my eye on?”

  “That sounds like the perfect way to spend the afternoon,” I said softly before melting into Holt’s embrace and sharing one more kiss before Sue took our order.

  Epilogue

  Holt

  It’s been a little over a year since that afternoon in Sue’s where I had Joe Turner running scared. That blue roan filly is mine and as broke and sweet as any horse you’d ever hope to own.

  I went ahead and built that barn out back of my place, the way I’d planned, and it came out as nice as could be. It sits in the perfect place between the house and the woods.

  I’m about to head out to put the finishing touches on the round pen I’ve added right next to the barn, so I have a place to work my mare. It’s the perfect day for it – all blue skies and fluffy white clouds.

  Just as I’m putting on my boots, I hear the shuffle of footsteps coming down the hallway, and I look up to see Cassie’s shining face smiling down at me.

  “My God, woman, you’re as pretty as a picture.”

  “Oh, please, Holt,” Cassie scoffed. “I’m as big as a damn house right now!”

  “You’re more gorgeous than ever, honey,” I softly assure her as I gather her up into my arms. “How’s our little cowpoke doing this morning?”

  Cassie pulls back just far enough to slide one hand protectively over her growing belly. “Kicking up a storm, as usual, just like his Daddy.”

  “How can you be sure it’s a boy?”

  “A mama just knows these things,” Cassie replied with a mysterious smile that makes me love her even more, if that’s even possible.

  “All I can say is I’m glad we got hitched when we did,” I said with a laugh. “Otherwise, half the town would think it had been a shotgun affair.”

  “Holt Sutton! What a thing to say!” Cassie’s own laugh and the pretty pink tint of her cheeks has me wanting to make love to her right then and there.

  But her father puts an end to that thought by coming into the kitchen at that moment. “You about ready to get started, Holt?”

  “Yes, sir. Just saying goodbye to my beautiful bride.”

  Cassie’s father had moved in with us not long after we were married. Turns out, his failing health had more to do with being lonely than anything that a doctor could fix. He’s been a big help to me around the place and Cassie is as happy as a bug in a rug to have him around.

  There isn’t a single thing in this world that I wouldn’t give my lovely wife, and as I head out the door, I can’t stop myself from rushing back for one last kiss.

  “Love you tons, honey,” I murmur into Cassie’s soft, sweet smelling hair before releasing her and making my way out into the bright sunlight.

  “Love you, too!” Her words follow me down the driveway and I can’t help but grinning like a love-struck idiot as I pull on my gloves and get to work.

  Cassie has been the biggest blessing I’ve ever known, and I thank my lucky stars every day that she came back into my life.

  And that I did everything in my power to rope her in for a second chance at love on our own happy little ranch.

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  About the Author

  Mandy Morgan is a professional phone sex operator and writer of steamy romances for women.

  When she's not reading or writing about sexy alpha males, she's probably on the phone or at the beach.

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