A night they can’t remember…

Consequences they can’t forget!

They went from completely off-limits

to husband and wife…overnight!

Waking up next to a very virile—and very naked—Luke Boone is shocking enough. But for Katie Rodgers to learn that her sister’s ex-fiancé is now her husband? Unforgivable. Katie needs an annulment of her secret marriage to Texas’s wealthiest power broker—now! But when their sizzling chemistry survives the trip back to Texas, are the newlyweds really ready to untie the knot?

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Charlene Sands

CHARLENE SANDS is a USA TODAY bestselling and award-winning author of more than forty romance novels. She writes sensual contemporary romances and stories of the Old West. When not writing, Charlene enjoys sunny Pacific beaches, great coffee, reading books from her favourite authors, and spending time with her “hero” husband and family. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Sign up for her newsletter at www.charlenesands.com for ongoing giveaways, discounted books and new releases!

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/CharleneSandsBooks

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/CharleneSands

Also by Charlene Sands

The Slades of Sunset Ranch miniseries

Sunset Surrender

Sunset Seduction

The Secret Heir of Sunset Ranch

Redeeming the CEO Cowboy

Boone Brothers of Texas miniseries

Texan for the Taking

Stranded and Seduced

Vegas Vows, Texas Nights

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.

Vegas Vows, Texas Nights

Charlene Sands

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-0-008-90408-1

VEGAS VOWS, TEXAS NIGHTS

© 2020 Charlene Swink

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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Note to Readers

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Dedicated to my lifelong friends: Mary, Allyson

and Robin. Decades of Forever Friends, keepers of

memories, hearts of gold, in good times and in bad, they

are always there. We are fortunate to have each other.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

Dedication

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Epilogue

About the Publisher

One

Las Vegas, Nevada

Katie woke slowly, snuggling into her cushy pillow, her eyes refusing to open. A warming ray coming through the hotel room window caressed her skin, telling her it was later than her usual 4:00 a.m. wake-up-and-bake time.

But she wasn’t in Boone Springs today and Katie’s Kupcakes and Bakery was closed this weekend. She’d planned a super fun bachelorette party for her best friend, Drea, and fittingly, she’d just had the best dream of her life. Though the details were fuzzy, she’d never woken up with such delicious contentment before. From head to toe, her entire body tingled.

A nudge to her shoulder popped her eyes open. What the…?

“Sorry,” a deep male voice whispered from behind her.

Her eyes opened wider as she tried to make sense of it. She hadn’t imagined or dreamed the voice, had she? No, she was fully awake now, and it had been real. She could feel the warmth of the sheets beside her. A hand brushed over her bare shoulder and she gasped.

Oh no. She recognized that voice.

Taking the sheets covering her bare body, she rolled over, hoping her mind had played a nasty trick on her. But that hope was dashed the second she laid eyes on him, Lucas Boone—her sister’s ex-fiancé, the man who’d crushed Shelly’s heart.

Her stomach began to ache.

She clutched the sheets to her chin and sat up. That’s when her head started pounding. “Luke, what on earth?” Dizzy, she swayed and struggled to focus.

“Sweetheart, lay back down. You drank me under the table last night and my head’s aching like a sonofabitch. Your hangover’s got to be much worse than mine.”

“My…hangover? Luke, damn it. Is that all you have to say? Look at us! We’re in bed together. And unless I miss my guess, you’re as stark naked under the sheets as I am.”

He reached for the sheet.

“Don’t you dare look,” she warned.

He set the sheet back down. “I guess you’d be right.”

Her cheeks burned. Being in bed with Lucas Boone was wrong on so many levels, she could hardly believe it. “What on earth did we do last night?”

Luke glanced at their shed clothes littering the hotel room and arched a brow.

“We couldn’t have. I wouldn’t… I couldn’t…”

Goodness. She thought back to how Luke had called off the wedding to Katie’s sister three days before the ceremony and had immediately enlisted in the Marines.

He’d claimed he wasn’t ready to settle down and took all the blame upon himself, but that didn’t make up for all the time he’d spent leading Shelly to believe they’d had a future together. That had been five years ago. Now Luke was living in Boone Springs again, the town founded a century ago by his ancestors. He was his brother Mason’s best man, while Katie was maid of honor for Mason’s fiancée, Drea. Unwittingly she and Luke had been thrown together in a joint bachelor/bachelorette party in Sin City. Vegas, baby. What happened here stayed here.

She thought about her sister again. How her scars remained. Poor Shelly faced the humiliation bravely but she’d never forgotten what Luke had done to her, how he’d betrayed her love and trust. She’d become bitter and sad and never let her mother, Diana, or Katie hear the end of how Luke had ruined her life. So the thought of Katie sleeping with Luke, her one-time friend, drunk or not, would be the worst of the worst.

Luke rolled over onto his side and braced his head in his hand, as if they were discussing what to have for breakfast. “What do you remember about last night?”

“What do I remember?”

“Yeah, do you remember leaving the party with me?”

She moved away from him as far as the bed would allow and thought about it. She remembered drinking and laughing and dancing with Luke most of the night. She’d felt guilty having so much fun with him, but they’d always gotten along, had always been friends until he’d backed out of the wedding.

The Boones had been good customers at her bakery. She and Luke also shared a love of horses and both volunteered at the Red Barrel Horse Rescue. Still, ever since his return from military service nearly a year ago, they’d been overly cautious with each other, their conversations often stilted and awkward. Katie, too, had been hurt when Luke had dumped her sister. Katie had also trusted him.

“I remember you offering to walk me back to my hotel.” Which was only a few blocks away from the nightclub.

“We’d both had too much to drink.”

The pain in her head was a reminder of that. “Yes.”

Luke stared into her eyes; his were clear and deep blue. Kinda mesmerizing. “You pleaded with me not to take you back to your hotel. You didn’t want the night to end. You…uh…”

Katie rubbed her aching head. This was getting worse by the second. “What?”

Luke remained silent.

“What did I say?” she demanded. She had to know, to make some sense out of this.

“You said you wanted what your friends had. You wanted someone to love.”

“Oh God.” She covered her face with her hands, her long hair spilling down. She was embarrassed that in her drunken state, she’d revealed her innermost secret desire. And to Luke no less. “And so we ended up in your hotel room?”

Luke flinched and his eyes squeezed shut. The concerned expression on his face really worried her. “Not exactly. We went somewhere else first.”

“Another club?”

He shook his head. “Not according to this.” He grabbed a piece of paper from his nightstand and gave it a once-over. “Another thing you said you wanted…” He handed her the paper.

She looked down at the bold lettering on the piece of parchment she held and her hand began shaking. A marriage certificate. Both of their names were listed and it had today’s date. “You can’t be serious.”

“Hey, I don’t remember much from last night either. My head’s spinning like a damn top right now.”

This was ridiculous. It had to be a bad joke. Where was the hidden camera? Someone was pranking her.

Yes, it was true she’d thought of her secret wishes, often. She’d wanted to find love and be married, though she’d never voiced those wishes to anyone. She didn’t want her friends to worry about her or think she envied their happiness, but she wouldn’t have told Luke that, would she? Certainly she wouldn’t have acted upon it.

Yet, the proof was staring her in the face. Dated today, as in they’d gotten married after midnight, about the time they’d walked out of the club together. The facts added up, but she still had trouble digesting all of it.

“I can’t believe this. No, this isn’t happening.” She lowered her voice. “We didn’t…do anything else, did we?”

Was she being naive to think that she’d end up naked in bed with handsome, appealing Luke without having sex with him?

“I remember some things. From last night.” The blue in his eyes grew darker, more intense. “Don’t you?”

She didn’t want to. She didn’t want to think it possible to spend the night with the one man in the whole world who was off-limits to her. But darn it, vague memories started to breach the surface of her mind. Being held, being kissed, her body caressed, loved. She grimaced. Dear Lord, the memories were fuzzy, vague, but they were there.

“Oh no,” she whispered. Tears touched her eyes. “Why didn’t you stop it?” she asked.

It was unfair of her to throw this all on him. The way he flinched at her question said he thought so, too. “I…couldn’t.”

He couldn’t? What did that mean?

“Katie, it’s going to be okay. We’re married. I didn’t take advantage of you. I mean, from what I remember, you weren’t complaining about any of it.”

She gripped the sheets closer to her chest. “That’s what you think I’m worried about? It’s okay that we had sex because we’re married? My God, Luke. Do you have any idea how bad this is? You were engaged to my sister! You practically left her at the altar. My mom and sister were devastated. I’m not worried about my virtue here. It’s way bigger than that.”

“Okay, okay. Calm down.” Luke ran a hand down his face. “I’m going to take a shower and get dressed and we’ll discuss it. Unless you want to go first?”

“No, no.” Married or not, she wasn’t about to let him see her naked. “You go first.”

“Fine. And Katie…it really is going to be all right.”

She frowned. The frown only deepened when Luke rose from the bed as if they’d been married for years and walked into the bathroom, giving her a stunning view of his broad shoulders, muscular arms and perfect butt.

Her heart pounded hard. She’d married a Boone, one of the richest men in all of Texas, the man who’d betrayed her sister, the man she’d tried hard to avoid since he’d come back and resumed his life in Boone Springs months ago.

As soon as she heard the bathroom door close, she rose and scrambled to gather up her clothes from the floor. That’s when she spotted an open condom packet, the top torn off, the contents empty. Now there was actual proof they’d consummated the marriage, as if her own sated body wasn’t already screaming that to her.

She dressed and waited for him. They had to resolve this immediately. She wasn’t going home as Katie Boone. No, sir. When she heard the shower faucet turn off, she braced herself, finger combing her hair, straightening out her cocktail dress, her resolve as sharp as her annoyance.

The door opened and out walked Luke, his hair wet, his skin glowing in the morning light. He wore a soft white towel around his waist, but the rest of him was hard, ripped muscle and brawn.

Good Lord. Was he the man in her dreams?

No, he couldn’t be. Just because they’d once been friends and they shared a love of horses didn’t mean she’d ever think of him that way, even subconsciously.

“Luke, we need to talk.”

He looked her up and down, his eyes raking over her black dress, and suddenly she felt amazingly warm. She shifted her attention to a drop of water making its way down his bare chest, tunneling through tiny hairs to drip past his navel and absorb into the towel.

Luke caught her eyeing him and smiled. “I need a cup of coffee. We both do. I’ll order breakfast while you take your shower.”

He seemed too accommodating, too casual, as if he also hadn’t made the biggest blunder of his life. Where was his panic?

“And we’ll resolve this then?”

He nodded. “We’ll talk, I promise.”

Thirty minutes later, Katie stepped out of the bathroom refreshed and feeling a little better about her predicament. Her stomach still churned, but her outlook wasn’t nearly as bleak. They were in Las Vegas, after all. How hard would it be to dissolve their quickie marriage, to seek a divorce from a wedding that should never have happened? Surely there were hundreds of people who found themselves in the same situation after a wild night and too much drinking.

Luke waited for her at the rolling table that had been delivered by room service. Thankfully he was fully dressed now, in jeans and a navy shirt that made his eyes pop an even darker shade of blue. She had only the clothes she’d come with last night and her purse. Luckily her cell phone had enough charge for her to text Drea this morning telling her not to worry, she’d explain everything later.

Or not.

But she’d have to tell the bride-to-be something. They shared a hotel room and Drea had seen her leave with Luke last night and knew she hadn’t returned to her room.

“Ready for breakfast?” Luke was already sipping coffee, the pot of steaming brew sitting on the table beside dishes of bacon, eggs, French toast, roasted potatoes and a basket of fresh pastries.

Ugh. None of it looked appetizing. She couldn’t eat. “No, thanks. Coffee’s good.”

She grabbed the coffeepot and poured herself a cup, taking a seat facing him. She dumped in three sugar cubes and stirred, Luke giving her an arch of his brow. What could she say? She loved sweet comfort food and right now, sugar was her healing balm. His silent disapproval had her reaching for a fourth sugar cube, and she stared right at him as she dumped it into her coffee.

“You’re not eating anything?” he asked.

“I’m not hungry, Luke. My head’s still fuzzy.”

“I thought the shower would help.”

“The shower made me realize that if being in Vegas got us into this mess, then why can’t being in Vegas get us out of it?”

Luke gave her a long stare and slowly shook his head. “What?”

“I want a divorce. Immediately. Surely there’s someone in this city that can accommodate us.”

Luke scratched his head, looking at her as if she were a child asking for the moon. “That’s not possible, Katie.”

“How can you say that? We haven’t even tried. Look, I wasn’t myself last night and you know it. How long have we known each other? Ten years?”

“Twelve and a half.” She stared at him and he shrugged. “I have a good memory for dates. We met at the first anniversary of the Red Barrel Rescue.”

Katie remembered that day. She’d chosen the rescue to be the subject of her high school term paper and had gone there not knowing what to expect. She’d taken one look at the beleaguered and maimed horses being cared for and had fallen in love. Luke had been a mentor of sorts, and through her, he’d met her sister, Shelly.

“And in all those twelve and a half years, have you ever known me to be impetuous or wild or, as you put it today, the kind of girl who could drink you under the table?”

“No.” He scratched his head. “But then, I’ve never been with you in Vegas.”

She rolled her eyes. “This is serious, Luke. I don’t recall all that happened last night, but I do know we have to undo the problem as soon as possible.”

“I…agree.”

“You do? Good, because for a second there, I was starting to believe you didn’t think this was a big problem.”

“I can’t get a divorce until I speak with my attorney. I’m sorry, Katie, but this isn’t going to happen today.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s more complicated than that. I’m a Boone, and that means divorce proceedings can get pretty nasty. My attorney isn’t going to let me sign my name to anything until he sees it.”

“Goodness, Luke, I don’t want anything from you or your family. If that’s what you’re getting at, you can go straight to—”

“It’s not me, Katie. It’s just the way things are when you’re…”

“Rich?”

“A Boone.”

“How horrible it must be for you not knowing who you can trust. I suppose you had those very same issues with Shelly?”

“Let’s leave your sister out of this.”

“Easy for you to say.” Katie’s stomach burned now, the acid churning violently. This was not going well. He was being obtuse and the implication that she was somehow out for Boone money only ticked her off. “There’s nothing we can do? Maybe if you give your attorney a call—”

Luke frowned. “I can’t. He’s out of the country on a personal matter.”

“Personal matter? You could say this is your personal matter.”

He sighed. “His mother is extremely ill and he’s there to help get her affairs in order. That is, if the worst happens.”

“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that. Can’t you use someone else?”

Luke shook his head. “I’m afraid it doesn’t work that way. At least not for me.”

She jammed her hands on her hips and his attention immediately was drawn there. Gosh, how much of last night did he remember? He was looking at her differently than he ever had before. As if he was taking their marriage seriously, as if she was…his wife. “I can’t go back to Boone Springs married to you, Luke.”

“Looks like you’re going to have to. Our flight leaves in a few hours.”

Katie sighed and tears welled in her eyes. “I can’t believe this.”

He kept silent.

She had no choice but to relent. She saw no other way out. If she prolonged her stay here in Las Vegas, the entire wedding party would get suspicious. She didn’t need that. She had to keep what happened between her and Luke quiet. She’d think of something before the Boone company plane took off.

“Fine. I’m not happy about this. If the truth comes out, I’m doomed. It’ll ruin my relationship with my family. And who knows how this would affect my mama’s health. Promise me that no one will know about this, promise me you’ll keep our secret.”

Luke touched her hand, his slight caress sweet, comforting and confusing as hell. “I promise, Katie. No one will know.”

Luke waited until everyone boarded the Boone company plane, keeping his eyes trained on Katie. She took a seat by the bridesmaids in the back, all the girls huddling around the bride-to-be.

He couldn’t keep from admiring Katie’s beautiful blond hair tied up in a ponytail, the strands framing her face making her look wholesome and sweet. She was all those things, but last night at the club, he’d seen her flirty, passionate side. Mischief had glowed in her soft green eyes, especially while she’d been dancing in her sexy black dress. Now, in a denim jacket and jeans, she contrasted beautifully with the creamy leather seats and ambience of the custom designed plane.

She was his wife now. He could hardly believe it. He was actually married to Katie Rodgers. While Mason was engaged to Drea and his other brother, Risk, was engaged to April, Luke had inadvertently beaten his brothers down the aisle.

Katie glanced his way and their eyes met. He could look at her forever and never tire of it. But as soon as she caught him eyeing her, she turned away.

He smiled inside but didn’t dare appear content around a quiet, sullen Katie. She was just cordial enough to her friends to ward off questions. She’d told everyone she’d gotten sick last night, barfing up her brains and Luke had taken her to urgent care in the wee hours of the morning to make sure she wasn’t dehydrated. It was a feasible fib, one everyone seemed to believe, with the exception of his brothers. While Drea had thanked him for taking care of her best friend, both Risk and Mason had given him the stink eye.

Hell, he certainly hadn’t planned any of this, but hearing Katie’s softly spoken desire about wanting love in her life, wanting to be married, had reached down deep inside him and wrung out his lonely heart. He’d been drunk, too, and his willpower around her had been at an all-time low. She’d flirted with him, practically asked him to make love to her, and well…he didn’t have much defense against that. Not with her.

The pilot, a navy veteran, came by to say hello to the passengers and make sure everyone was ready for takeoff.

Luke shook his hand. “Hey, Bill. Hope you didn’t lose too much at the tables while you were here.”

“Nah, my big gambling days are behind me. The penny slots are just my speed.”

“I hear you,” Luke said. He’d never been a gambler. He didn’t like to play games he couldn’t control. And he didn’t like the odds in Las Vegas, with the exception of his recent marriage.

The odds of him marrying Katie had been slim to none. Yet he’d beat them and no one was more surprised than he was. Except Katie. He’d won the jackpot and now he had to convince his new bride being married to him wasn’t a big fat mistake.

“Any time you want to come up and copilot, you know where the cockpit is,” Bill said.

“Maybe later. Right now I’m still feeling the effects of last night’s party.” Luke grinned. “I’m afraid you’re the designated driver today.” He was in no shape to navigate anything, much less fly the friendly skies. He’d become a helicopter pilot while living on Rising Springs Ranch and had gotten his pilot’s license in flight school during his stint in the service. Yet Mason had insisted he not pilot the plane so Luke could let loose and not have to worry about his alcohol consumption. His brother wanted everyone to have a good time.

“Sure thing. I’ll see that you all have a good flight.”

“Thanks, Bill.”

Luke buckled up and glanced back at Katie. She was all set, looking like she’d just lost her best friend, even though Drea was sitting right next to her.

He sighed and as he turned his head around, he came eye to eye with Risk in the seat beside him. “Something going on between you two?” he asked.

He’d promised Katie he wouldn’t give away their secret and he wouldn’t betray that vow. “Who?”

“Don’t be obtuse. You and Katie.”

“No, nothing.”

“I’m not judging,” Risk said. “And if you do have something going with her, it’d be a good thing. I can read you like a book. You’re hot for her.”

Luke shot him a warning look.

Risk’s hands went up. “I’m just saying, if you get together with her, you have my approval.”

“Like I’d need it.”

“Hey, just want to see you happy for once.”

“You do know who she is, right?”

Risk smirked. “The best pastry chef in all of Texas. She’d keep us silly in gourmet cupcakes.”

“She’s Shelly’s younger sister. And she barely tolerates me.”

Years ago, Katie had dragged Shelly to a Red Barrel charity function and had introduced them. There’d been instant attraction between them and Luke had begun dating Katie’s big sister. The engagement had seemed to fall right into place. Until the day Luke had woken up and realized he was making a big mistake.

“You two took off together last night,” Risk said, “and today, you can’t take your eyes off her.”

“Leave it alone. Okay?”

Risk seemed to read the emotion on his face. “Okay, I’ll back off.” He slapped Luke on the shoulder. “But if you run into a problem, I’m here for you.”

“Appreciate that. Why aren’t you hanging with your fiancée?”

“Seems the girls won’t call it quits on their bachelorette party until the plane touches down in Boone Springs.”

Risk eyed April, giving Luke a chance to seek out Katie again. And there she was, trying her best not to spoil everyone’s fun, trying to smile and conceal the pain she must be going through. The thought that he was the cause of her pain ate away at him. It was the last thing he wanted. But he couldn’t let her go. Not now.

She was the girl who shared a love of horses with him, the girl he’d danced with most of the night, the impossible girl who’d been in his dreams for the past five years.

He needed a chance with her, and this was the best he was going to get.

One chance.

Was that too much to ask?

Two

A Boone limo picked up the entire wedding party at the airport, taking everyone directly to their homes on the outskirts of town. Katie was among the last to be dropped off since she lived in the heart of Boone Springs, her apartment just above the bakery. It was a modest place, with one bedroom, one bath, but the rooms were spacious enough and her large home kitchen served as a backup when orders in the bakery exceeded their limit. That didn’t happen often. Katie ran an efficient place and there was nothing like rolling out of bed at 4:00 a.m. and working in her jammies downstairs until the bakery opened at seven o’clock.

As the limo pulled up in front of the bakery, she was struck with a pang of relief. “This is my stop,” she said to her friends remaining in the limo. “I hope you all had a great time.”

Drea gave her a big hug. “It was wonderful. Amazing girl-bonding, my friend. Thanks for all you’ve done. Love you for it.”

“Love you, too.”

Katie glanced at everyone and waved a farewell. “All of you made the party for our dear friends something to remember.”

“After last night, I’ve forgotten more than I remember,” Mason said, smiling.

“You had the best time with your friends and family, especially with your fiancée.” Drea gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Just ask me, I’ll fill in the blanks.”

Katie had some blanks she’d like to have filled in, too.

“One thing I do know, Luke and Katie worked hard on organizing this. Thank you,” Mason said. “You two make a good team.”

A rush of heat crawled up her neck. “Thank you. It wasn’t that hard, really, and it was fun.” The only difficult part had been working with Luke. Her husband. Oh God.

The limo driver grabbed Katie’s bags and opened the door for her.

“I’ll get off here, too,” Luke told the driver.

Katie glared at him.

“It’s a short walk to the office,” he explained. “And I need to check up on something. Benny, if you could drop off my bags at the ranch I’d appreciate it.”

The limo driver nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Katie climbed out, Luke right behind her.

“I’ll take those.” He grabbed her bags from the driver’s hand.

Katie noticed some raised eyebrows in the limo and wanted to melt right into the cement. What on earth was Luke doing? She didn’t want to arouse suspicion. It was bad enough she’d had to lie to her best friend about where she’d been last night. But Luke was oblivious as to how his behavior appeared to everyone.

“Bye,” Drea said. “Thanks again, hon. We’ll talk soon.”

“Okay,” Katie said, giving her friend a smile.

When the limo drove off, she turned to Luke. “Give me my bags, Luke.”

“I’ll carry them up for you.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“I know, but I’d like to.”

“Why?”

“Your hangover is hanging on. You’re pale and looking a little weak.”

“The only reason I look ill is because of what happened between us. Makes me sick to my stomach.”

His mouth twitched, but she wasn’t at all sorry she’d been so crude. Well, maybe she was a little bit sorry. This was just as much her fault as it was his.

“All the more reason for me to help you. I feel responsible.”

“Don’t.”

“I can’t help it, Katie. C’mon, you need to rest.”

She didn’t like him telling her what she needed, but his jaw was set stubbornly and they couldn’t stand here all day arguing. “Okay, fine.”

He had the good sense not to gloat at winning the point. He nodded and walked over to the front door with her bags.

She opened up her shop and walked in first. The bakery had been closed for three days, yet the scent of vanilla, cinnamon and sugar flavored the air. The smell of home. She sighed and her body relaxed.

“Smells like you in here,” Luke remarked, as if reading her thoughts.

“How’s that?” she asked.

“Sweet.”

She let his comment hang in the air for a moment. She didn’t feel sweet right now. She felt horrible and guilty. She kept wishing she could escape from this horrible dream. Waking up wed to her sister’s ex was truly a nightmare. And the sooner they rectified it, the better.

“The stairs are in the back, through the kitchen.” She led the way and he followed.

He stopped to take a look at her baking area. “So this is where the cupcake magic happens. I’ve always wondered what this place looked like.”

“Yep, this is it. This is where I spend a good deal of my life.” She couldn’t keep the pleasure out of her voice. She was proud of her shop, proud of what she’d accomplished. And she loved her work.

Luke took in the huge mixer, bowls and cupcake tins, the bins of flour and sugar and the industrial-size refrigerator. Yes, this was home to her.

“I see you here,” Luke said, as if he was picturing her at work.

“It’s not glamourous.”

“I would imagine it’s darn hard work. But work that you enjoy.”

“True.”

“Your bakery is the best in the county, everyone knows that. But I’ve only known you as a horse lover. You spend a lot of time at Red Barrel. How do you find time for both?”

“You run a multimillion-dollar company, how do you find the time?”

He grinned. “You’re quick, I’ll give you that.”

“Apparently, not quick enough,” she mumbled. Or else she wouldn’t have gone to bed with him.

Luke ran a hand down his face. “I wasn’t lying when I said it was mutual, Katie. I know that for a fact. Don’t blame yourself too much.”

She squeezed her eyes shut briefly and nodded. The man she knew at the horse rescue was gentle and caring and kind. He’d been her friend at one time and that was where it all got confusing. Because he had hurt her sister and maybe what Katie thought she’d known about him was all wrong. “Okay, can we just not talk about it?”

“Talk about what?” He played along. “You were going to tell me how you find time to work at the rescue.”

“My workday ends early. And I think the work we do at the rescue is important. Those animals need help.” She lifted a shoulder. “I don’t date. Or at least I haven’t for a while and so I have all kinds of—”

“You won’t be dating, Katie.”

She didn’t like his tone, or the implied command. “Luke, for heaven’s sake. You think I want to complicate my life even more?” She fisted her hands. “And you don’t get to tell me what I can or cannot do.”

“It may have been a hasty wedding, but you’re my wife.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Don’t say that.”

“I’m your husband.”

“For a nanosecond. Remember, you promised that you’ll look into a divorce as soon as possible.”

“I said it and I will. But until that time…” Luke came closer, his incredible eyes soft on her. He took her hand and squeezed. “If you ever need anything, call me.”

“You know what I want.”

He smiled and his blue eyes darkened. “I know what you think you want.”

“What does that mean?”

His hand gently wrapped around her neck, his fingertips urging her forward. Then he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her. It was tender and sweet, not at all demanding, and the pleasure made it hard to pull away.

“I think you should leave,” she murmured, pushing at his chest.

“I was just going.”

When he backed away, she stared at him. There was a moment, one tiny second, when she saw something in him that made her happy, made her wish he didn’t have to go.

“When you hear from your attorney, give me a call.”

He nodded and walked out of the bakery.

Maybe it was a good thing she hadn’t taken him up to her apartment.

“Here’s your herbal tea, Mama.” Katie handed her mother a mug and took a seat beside her on the living room sofa in the home Katie and her sister had grown up in on Blue Jay Avenue. The neighborhood was close-knit, just on the outskirts of Boone Springs, about a ten-minute drive from the bakery. She’d come here as soon as she’d unpacked her bags.

“Thanks, honey. I love the pomegranate and blackberry mix.” Her mother blew on the steam and then sipped delicately. “Mmm. Tastes so good going down.”

“It is good,” she said, concerned over her mother’s health.

Diana Rodgers had tired eyes that told of sacrifice and lack of energy. Her body was a bit broken from ill health. At the age of fifty-eight, she’d suffered a minor heart attack that had taken her away from the teaching job she’d loved. Taking an early retirement had never been in her plans. She’d been a single mother most of her life, working hard at the grammar school with special needs kids. But the job was stressful, and Diana often took her work home with her, a habit her cardiologist couldn’t condone.

“So why aren’t you joining me in a cup?”

“I will a little later. Right now, I just want to hear how you’re feeling.”

“You’ve only been gone three days, hon. I appreciate you coming over as soon as you got home, but I’m the same as I was before you left.” Her mom waved her hand. “Enough about me, how was your trip?”

“It was…nice.” Katie had trouble mustering up any enthusiasm. Oh, and one little detail I forgot to mention… I married Lucas Boone. “Drea and Mason enjoyed it very much. I think everyone did.”

Her mother moved around in her seat a bit and her mouth twisted as it did every time the Boone name was mentioned. “Too bad Drea had to fall in love with him.”

“Mom, Mason’s a nice guy.”

“He’s rich and feels entitled, just like all the Boones.”

She meant Luke.

That sick feeling in Katie’s stomach acted up again. “Drea’s happy and that’s all that matters.”

Her mother sipped her tea. “So, what did all you gals do at the bachelorette party?”

Katie shrugged. “The usual things. We saw the sights, ate like there was no tomorrow, had a spa day, went to a concert, and then on the last night the entire group got together for a party at a nightclub.”

There. She’d given a short, encapsulated version of her long weekend. Enough said.

“You had to deal with Luke?”

Before she could answer, Shelly walked into the house, dropping her shoulder bag on the edge of the sofa. “What about loser Luke?”

Katie’s heart started pounding. Shelly was still bitter. “Hi, sis. What are you doing here?”

“Checking in with Mom, just like you.” Her sister, dressed in nurse’s white, walked over to give her mother a kiss on the cheek. “Hi, Mom. How are you today?”

“Feeling pretty good. Your sister made me some tea. Would you like a cup, sweetheart?”

“Thanks, but I’m fine. Just thought I’d stop by here first, before heading home and changing clothes. Dr. Moore asked me and a few colleagues to attend his seminar tonight. I have to leave soon. So, what about Luke?”

“Nothing,” Katie said.

“Your sister had to plan Drea’s bachelorette party with him.”

“We didn’t plan the bachelorette party together. He was in charge of entertaining the groomsmen. All we did was coordinate the party at the end of the weekend together.”

“Ugh,” Shelly said. “Poor you.”

“It wasn’t that bad.”

“I feel sorry for any woman who gets involved with him,” Shelly said flatly. “I should’ve known better.”

“He wasn’t ready for marriage,” Katie said. God, they’d had this conversation for years. It was truly beginning to grate on her nerves. Shelly never was one for letting go. She’d never forgiven their dad for divorcing their mother. She’d never accepted their father’s new wife. Clearly, a broken engagement, even if it was three days before the ceremony, was much better than a divorce later on.

“Why are you defending him?” Shelly asked.

“Maybe I just want you to move on with your life, Shel. Maybe I’m not defending him so much as I’m looking out for you.”

Shelly sighed. “Okay, got it. Easier said than done.”

“It’s so nice to have both of my girls here with me today,” her mother said softly.

“I wish I could stay longer,” Shelly said. “But I’m meeting everyone at the hospital in an hour.”

“That’s fine, honey. You go on to the seminar. I’m proud of the way you girls are so conscientious about your work. That means you, too, Katie.”

“I know, Mama.” Her mother had always told her how proud she was of what she’d accomplished at the bakery. Her business was on solid ground now but it hadn’t always been that way. Her mom had faith in her, had always given her support. “I’ll stay and visit with you a bit longer.”

“Wonderful.” Shelly gave her a rare smile.

Her sister had had a rough time facing her friends after the marriage debacle and then to have her “almost” groom leave town for years, leaving her with no hope, no way to reconcile her sadness, no way to rant and rave at him. That was probably the greatest injustice. Shelly had never gotten the closure she’d needed.

After Shelly left, Diana got up to take her teacup to the kitchen. “I made soup, your favorite, chicken and dumplings. Will you stay and have some with me?”

“Sure, that sounds yummy.”

Katie was beat, tired and nervous, but having comfort food and her mother’s company would distract her from the giant mistake she’d made in Las Vegas last night.

Katie raced down the stairs, stubbing her toe on the last step. “Ow, damn it.” As she entered the bakery, not even the soothing scents of all things sweet helped lighten her mood this morning. She’d overslept by an hour and now she was totally behind schedule. Gosh, she’d had so much on her mind, sleep had eluded her, and when she’d finally fallen asleep, it had been deep and heavy. She’d dreamed that a faceless beast was chasing her and she’d kept running and running until she’d woken up in a sweat.

Was that dream trying to tell her something?

She flipped on the light, tied on her lavender Katie’s Kupcakes and Bakery apron and got to work, gathering up her ingredients, prepping her cupcake tins.

The Monday morning special was always a carrot zucchini cupcake infused with a light apricot filling. She called it her Start Smart Special, a healthier alternative to a sugary treat. It was a fan favorite for those guilty of indulging over the weekend.

Her assistant, Lori, knocked on the back door. Katie opened it to her smiling face.

“Hey, good to see you. How was your trip?” Lori asked, as she walked past her and took off her sweater.

“Uh, it was okay.”

“That so? Just okay?” Lori sounded as if she had her doubts. They’d worked closely together for six years and knew each other pretty well. Now Lori was putting herself through college at night aiming for a degree in business, so the bakery hours were perfect for her. The shop closed at two in the afternoon. “Sounds like it wasn’t fun. Did something happen?”

“No. Nothing. I’m just tired. I overslept.”

“You never oversleep. Maybe you had too much fun in Vegas.” Lori winked. If she only knew. “You’re gonna have to give me deets. I’ve been cramming all weekend, stuck at my place, fantasizing about your fun weekend.”

“There are no details.” Katie shrugged. “We had a good time. Saw a show. Got massages, did some dancing. Usual stuff.”

“You were excited about it when you left here. I thought for sure you’d have some good Vegas stories to entertain me with this morning.”

Lori put on her apron and they began measuring out ingredients. She started on chocolate ganache cupcakes with marshmallow filling while Katie worked on the special. They had their routine down to a science and being behind schedule meant one or two cupcakes would have to get the boot.

“Sorry, Lori. Nothing much to report,” she fibbed. “How about we eliminate anything pumpkin, since the fall season has been over for a while,” she said, changing the subject.

“Good choice.”

“And if there are any complaints, you know what to do.”

“Always.”

It was her motto to keep the customer happy by giving away a free cupcake or two to ward off hostility. Although that rarely happened with her regular Boone Springs customers. They were like family. She knew most of them by name, as well as where they lived and how many kids they had. She often catered birthday parties and other occasions.

While the cupcakes were baking, she worked on pastries, filling croissants, making cookies and cinnamon rolls. Between the two of them, working nonstop, they’d filled the bakery case shelves by 7:00 a.m. Coffee brewed and her regulars began popping into the shop.

By nine thirty, there was a lull and Katie flopped into a chair in the small lounge by the back door. Exhaustion set in and it wasn’t just from lack of sleep, but acute mental fatigue over what happened in Vegas this past weekend.

Lori gave her a sympathetic look. “Why don’t you go upstairs for an hour?” she suggested. “Get in a nap. I can handle things until it picks up again.”

“Don’t we have deliveries today?” Sometimes they’d get orders from companies or restaurants or clients celebrating big birthdays.

Lori scanned the list on the bakery wall. “It’s Monday and pretty calm right now.”

“Thanks, but I’ll be fine in a few minutes. Just need to get a second wind.”

The second wind didn’t come and by closing time, Katie was truly beat. She had one delivery to make, a last-minute order for a private dinner party happening later tonight. They needed a dozen tiramisu and a dozen lemon raspberry cupcakes, and while Lori closed up shop, Katie arranged the cupcakes in a box and taped it shut.

“Let me take those for you,” Lori said. “I can drop them off on my way home. This way you can go upstairs now and relax, put your feet up.”

“I can’t let you do that. You’ve got studying to do.”

“It’ll take me ten minutes, tops. It’s my way of making up for all the days you let me off early when I had to cram for an exam. Say yes.”

“You really are such a good friend. Yes. Thanks.”

Lori smiled. “Welcome.”

After Lori took off with the delivery, Katie climbed the stairs slowly and once inside her apartment, plopped down on her sofa. She turned on the television, struggling to keep her eyes open until she finally lost the battle.

Normally, Luke spent most of his time in the office in the main house at Rising Springs Ranch. He took a hands-on approach to running things on the property and had a good relationship with Joe Buckley, their ranch foreman. They worked well together and Luke knew Joe wouldn’t let him down.

Today he was at the Boone Springs corporate office, sitting in a room with his name plaque on the desk, staring out the window.

He had Katie on the brain and he’d come into town today, just because he wanted to be close to her. Her bakery was only two blocks away, nestled in between a clothing boutique and a fabric store. Because of the location, the bakery got pretty good foot traffic. Even if it didn’t, Katie would be successful, because her pastries were the best in the county and because Luke had made sure no Boone holdings would ever compete with her.

A little fact he’d kept secret.

While he was serving the country, he’d made his wishes known and his brothers had all been onboard. He’d put the Rodgers family through enough and they’d done what they could to make sure Shelly and her family wouldn’t unintentionally suffer any hardships of their doing.

But for him, it had mostly been about Katie. Wanting to see her succeed, wanting her to have a good life. God, when he’d come back home, he’d wished she had married, or at the very least, been in a serious relationship. Knowing she was still single had made his return torturous, yet he’d managed to keep his distance when he saw her around town or when they volunteered at the horse rescue.

And then Vegas happened.

Frustrated, he forced himself to go over ranching reports he’d pulled up on his computer. He had to get some work done, had to feel productive today, instead of daydreaming about seeing Katie again.

A little after two in the afternoon, his cell phone rang. “Hey, Wes. How’s it going?” Luke usually didn’t hear from the manager of the horse rescue, so he knew this had to be important.

“Hey, Luke. Sorry for the call, but it’s Snow. I’m sorry to say it might be her time. The ole girl isn’t breathing real well. I’ve had Dr. Hernandez out. He gave her some painkillers, but that’s about all he can do for her. Thought you’d like to know.”

Luke’s stomach churned. Snowball was a mustang who’d been severely abused and she’d come to the rescue at the same time he’d returned home. He and Katie both had sort of taken the mare under their wing. They had a soft spot for the old girl. She’d been recovering, but the abuse had taken its toll on her and unfortunately with some of the horses, there wasn’t much else to do but ease their pain.

“Thanks, Wes. Sorry to hear that. I’ll, uh, I’ll come by. I want to see her.”

“Thought you would.”

“I’ll let Katie know, too.”

“I just called Katie. She didn’t answer her phone. I left her a message.”

“Okay, well, I’ll try to get word to her somehow. I’ll see you soon, Wes.”

Luke hung up and rubbed at the corners of his eyes. Giving himself a moment to gather his thoughts, he shook his head. As much as he wanted to see Katie again, he didn’t want to give her bad news.

Five minutes later, he was in his car, driving by the bakery. There was a Katie’s Kupcakes Is Klosed sign on the window. Still, he parked the car in a diagonal spot right in front of the bakery and got out. He tried the shop’s door handle. No luck. Then he cupped his hands to ward off the sun’s glare and peered inside the window. Not a soul was around.

A car slowed on the street and a young girl called out, “Can I help you?”

He recognized her as one of Katie’s employees, though he couldn’t recall her name. She’d made a few deliveries to the Boone corporate office. “I’m looking for Katie.”

“Hold on a sec.” The young woman parked her car and walked over to where he stood by the door.

“I’m Lucas Boone.”

She smiled as if to say she knew who he was; the Boones were usually recognized in town. “Hi, Lucas. I’m Lori. Do you need cupcakes or something? The bakery is closed.”

“No, nothing like that. I need to see Katie. It’s important. Has to do with the Red Barrel Horse Rescue.”

“Oh… I see.” The young woman nibbled on her lips.

“She’s not answering her phone.”

“No, she’s probably resting up in her apartment. She was pretty exhausted today.”

“It’s really important. Can you help me?”

She thought it over for a few seconds. “I know your brother is marrying her best friend, Drea. So, I guess it’s all right if I let you in.”

“Thank you.”

Lori put the key into the lock and opened the door. “I only came back because I left my textbook and notes here and I’ve got this big exam tomorrow night.”

Luke nodded and she let him inside the empty bakery.

“I’ll go upstairs and knock on her door,” she said. “I’ll let Katie know you’re here.”

And a few minutes later, Luke was face-to-face with a sleep-hazy Katie.

“W-what are you doing here?” Katie stood at her doorway, a plaid blanket wrapped around her shoulders, staring at Luke. She didn’t think she’d see him again so soon. His head was down, a concerned look on his face. Her heart began to pound hard. “Lori said something about the rescue?”

“I got a call from Wes a little while ago. It’s Snow. She’s in bad shape.”

The air left her lungs and her shoulders slumped. “Oh no. Not our girl.”

“Yep. I’m afraid so.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Thought you’d want to know. Wes tried to call you.”

“I—I was fast asleep. I didn’t hear my phone.”

“I’m on my way out to see her. Maybe for the last time.”

Oh man. All she could think about was the raw deal Snowball had gotten, a life of abuse and pain. Her owner had neglected her and she’d come to the rescue undernourished, scarred and broken. It wasn’t fair. They’d tried their best to save her, and now Katie wasn’t about to let her take her last breaths alone. “I’ve got to see her, too.”

“I’ll take you.”

“No, you go on.” She ran a hand through her hair. She must look a mess. “I need to run a comb through my hair and freshen up.”

“I’ll wait.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Katie, I’m here, my car’s out front and we’re driving to the same place. Let’s not waste any more time when we can spend it with Snow. Just do what you have to do, I’ll be waiting downstairs.”

He was right. Snow was too important to her to quibble with him about driving arrangements. “Okay, fine. Give me a minute.”

Five minutes later, she was dressed in jeans and a red shirt, her hair in a knot at the top of her head. She splashed water on her face and put on lip gloss to keep from biting her lips and then dashed down the stairs and out the door of the bakery.

Luke waited for her out front, leaning against his black SUV, his hands in his pockets, a pensive look on his face. Her stomach was still in a twist about her ultra-secret marriage to her sister’s ex. And now, the sweet mare she’d tended for the past year might be dying.

“Ready?” Luke asked, opening the door for her.

“Yes… I think.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean. Snow’s a special one.”

Katie climbed in and grabbed her seat belt while Luke closed the door and took a seat behind the wheel. They drove off in silence and as they approached the canyon, she shivered.

“Cold?” he asked.

“A little.” She hugged her arms to her chest. “I forgot my jacket.” She’d forgotten how chilly the canyon could get in the later hours of the day.

“I can warm you up real fast,” he said, giving her a smile.

His dimpled grin brought heat to her body instantly. She flashed back to Vegas and those hours they’d spent in bed together.

He reached for the dials on his dashboard and soon a flow of warm air surrounded her. “Better?”

She nodded.

“I’ve got an extra jacket in the back. I won’t let you freeze to death out here.”

That he was talking about “letting” her do anything or not gave her nerves a rattle. He wasn’t really her husband—just thinking it seemed completely foreign to her—but he was taking care of her needs and that wasn’t something she was used to, with any guy. “Thanks.”

A few minutes later they approached Red Barrel Horse Rescue and Luke parked in the gravel lot in front of the small building that served as the office. “I’ll go in and let Wes know we’re here,” he said. “You want to stay in the car and keep warm?”

“No, I’ll go with you.”

“Sure,” he said. He stretched way back and grabbed two jackets from the back seat of his car. “Here you go.”

He handed her a suede jacket lined with lamb’s wool, while he took a lighter weight cotton one. They tossed them on, hers almost reaching her knees, and Wes came out of the office to greet them.

The men shook hands, then Wes gave her a gentle hug. “I knew you two would come out as soon as you heard. Snow’s in the barn. I’ve made her as comfortable as possible.”

Luke met her eyes, then looked back at Wes. “We’d like to see her now.”

“You two know the way. Stay as long as you want.”

“Thanks,” Luke said, his hand closing over hers gently. They began walking toward the barn and Katie took note of all the other horses in the corrals on the property. They were the lucky ones who’d been given a second chance at Red Barrel. There were so many others who were sick and hungry running wild in the canyons.

Once they reached the wide wooden doors, Luke turned to her. “No matter what happens in there, just know we did the very best we could for her.”

“I know that,” she whispered. “It’s just that she’s a special one. And she’s been through so much.”

“Well then,” he said, his eyes softening. “Let’s make her final hours the best they can be.”

She held on to a breath. And then exhaled. “Okay.”

They walked out of the daylight and into the darkened barn. A cold shiver ran through her. It was definitely jacket weather in the canyon.

“There she is,” he said, pointing to the largest paddock in the barn.

Katie moved closer to the stall and as she laid eyes on Snow, she clutched her chest. “Oh, sweet girl.” It hurt so much seeing Snow weak, giving up the fight.

“She’s down,” Luke said. “But she’s still with us.”

“Yes, she still is. You’ve waited for us, haven’t you, my pretty Snowball?”

Snow lifted her head and eyed them both before laying her head back down on a pillow of straw.

Katie took off her jacket and entered the stall, laying the jacket on the straw beside the mare. “Do you mind?” she asked Luke.

“Not at all,” he said, doing the same with his jacket.

They lowered down and sat on the jackets next to Snow.

“Hey, girl. I’m here,” she whispered in her ear. “You don’t have to do this alone.” Katie laid her hand on Snow’s mane and used the gentlest touch to comfort her. “I know you’re struggling to breathe. Just stay calm. I’m here.”

Luke stroked Snow’s flank and whistled a soft, mellow tune. He was actually pretty good and not only did the whistling relax the mare, it soothed Katie’s nerves as well.

“That’s nice,” she said, closing her eyes. “How did you learn to do that?”

“A buddy of mine taught me when I was overseas.”

Katie opened her eyes. “When you were in Afghanistan?”

He nodded. “We had time to kill when we weren’t on active duty. You know, something to fill the void from being away from home.”

“Must’ve been hard.”

“It wasn’t a walk in the park,” he said.

“Yet you signed up for it. When you had family here and a multimillion-dollar company to run. You didn’t have to enlist.”

“I felt like I did. I think the time away helped.”

“Are you talking about my sister now?”

He nodded. “I never meant to hurt her. I know she hates me, but a lot of time has passed since we broke up.”

“You mean, since you walked out on her? Humiliated her?”

“Yeah,” he said, frowning. “If that’s the way you want to put it.”

“It’s just that my family trusted you,” she said, stroking Snow’s mane. Luke hadn’t stopped his caresses either. “And your decision sort of came out of left field.”

“What can I say that I haven’t already?”

Katie was at odds with her feelings. She wanted to support Shelly and their mom, but Luke had a point. He couldn’t marry a woman he didn’t love. It was just too bad he’d come to that conclusion right before the wedding was to take place.

“I know they hate me, Katie. But do you?”

The question took her completely off guard. “Hate’s a strong word.”

“So you don’t?”

“Let’s just say I hate how things played out.”

Luke nodded. “Fair enough.”

“Speaking about the way things played out, any news from your attorney about our dilemma?”

Luke frowned. “No.”

She drew a deep breath. “Too much to hope, I guess.”

Snow became agitated, moving around on her bed of straw.

“I think you need to keep whistling,” Katie said. “It really does help her.”

Luke put his lips together again and the melodic sounds filled the barn. Soon, Snow calmed and her breaths came more evenly.

Afternoon gave way to evening, and the ole girl hung on. Snow’s eyes were closed now, her breathing more labored. “That’s my girl, Snow. Ease over the bridge now. You’ll be in a better place soon.” Katie bent to kiss her and stroked up and down her nose.

Luke took a break from whistling. “I remember when I first spotted her. She was covered with sores and bruises, yet she had soulful eyes. They were filled with such life, such hope.”

“I was appalled at the way she’d been treated. For heaven’s sake, the poor thing didn’t have a name,” Katie said.

“Yeah, I remember. Her coat was black underneath the dirt, and that circle of white on her forehead right smack between her ears couldn’t be missed. It looked like she’d been struck by a fat snowball.”

“And I named her Snowball.”

“I named her Snowball,” Luke said, raising his voice an octave.

She smiled, seeing the feigned indignation on his face. In truth, she didn’t know who’d said it first, but they’d agreed on the name. “Okay, maybe we both named her Snowball.”

Luke smiled, too. “I think that’s the way it happened. Finally, we agree on something.”

Katie liked this Luke, the one who showed compassion. A man who could laugh at himself and not put on airs. He was a zillionaire, yet he never seemed to flaunt it. “It’s the magic of Snow. She’s…”

They both gazed down at the mare. She was still. No longer breathing. “Oh no.”

Katie looked at Luke as both their smiles faded. The mare had taken her last breath as they were conversing. Snow had heard them, recognized their voices and felt at peace enough to slip away without struggle.

Tears stung Katie’s eyes.

Luke, too, was pinching the inner corners of his eyes.

“She’s g-gone.”

“She is,” he said. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her in close. “But she went knowing she was loved.”

Katie couldn’t hold back any longer. She nodded, bobbing her head as the truth of his words sank in. She wept quietly and turned to Luke, her tears running down her cheeks and soaking his shirt.

“It’s okay, Katie. Don’t cry, sweetheart.”

“I knew this day would come, but I didn’t think it would be so soon. I thought we’d have more time with her.”

She had never owned a pet. She’d never had an animal to care for, to nurture and love, until she’d started working at the rescue. She loved all the horses here; they all had a story. But for some reason Snow was special. She’d touched Katie’s heart and they’d shared a deep connection, a bond that she didn’t have with any of the others. Katie had taken it as a personal challenge to make Snow’s days comfortable.

Luke clearly felt the same way. His eyes moist, his expression sad, he couldn’t mask his sorrow either. He brushed his lips across her forehead. She needed his warmth right now, his strength.

“There’s nothing more we can do.” His voice was shaky and he seemed reluctant to release her, to let go of the bond they’d shared. “We should go.”

She nodded, wiping her face with the back of her hand and then attempting to pat his shirt dry from her tears. “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said softly.

“I hate to leave her.”

“I’ll let Wes know she’s gone. He’ll take good care of her from now on.”

It was hard to let go. To say goodbye.

Luke rose and helped her up, entwining their hands. “Ready?”

“I think so.” She glanced at poor Snow one last time, her heart breaking.

Luke picked up the jackets and brushed the straw off them. “Put this on. It’ll be cold outside.”

He gave the fallen horse one last glance, too, a look filled with sadness and regret as he grabbed a woolen blanket from the stall post and covered her body.

Katie slipped into his jacket and he clasped her hand again, his warmth and strength seeping into her. He led her out of the barn. “C’mon, sweetheart. Let me take you home.”

She didn’t mind the endearment this time; she couldn’t fight it. Couldn’t argue. She’d had a rough twenty-four hours and she was just too numb to think anymore. His shoulders were there for her to lean on, he seemed to know the right things to say and this one time she would accept what Luke had to offer.

Without guilt.

Three

Luke stood facing Katie at the threshold of her apartment. He’d insisted on escorting her upstairs after entering the bakery, probably because she couldn’t quite get her emotions in check. She’d wept most of the drive home, little sobs that broke from her lips every time she pictured Snow lying still on the ground, lifeless. In the car, Luke had glanced at her often. She’d felt his concerned gaze but she couldn’t look him in the eye. She didn’t like showing her vulnerable side to anyone, but tonight she couldn’t help it. Her emotions were running out of control.

“Are you going to be okay?” he asked her.

“I think so.” She bit her lip. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

He stared into her eyes, then ran a hand down his jawline. “But I do.”

“You have no obligation to me, Luke. Really, I’ll be fine.”

“Is that what you think this is?”

He said it softly, without condemnation, and suddenly she felt small and petty. “No, no. I’m sorry. I know you’re just as upset as I am about Snow. Really, I’m glad we shared her last night together. You cared for her as much as I did. Gosh, I can’t believe I’m speaking of her in the past tense.”

“It’s strange, huh?”

“Yeah.”

She stared at him, so many thoughts racing through her mind. But mostly, she was glad he was there tonight, lending her comfort, helping her come to grips with losing Snow.

“It’s been a long day. I should let you go, get some rest,” he said.

“That sounds…good.”

“Okay, well. Good night then.”

He turned to leave and Katie blurted, “Luke, wait.”

He turned, his dark brows lifting.

She took both of his hands in hers and gave a squeeze. “I just wanted to thank you for coming to get me today. It meant a lot to me to be there. Honestly, I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through it all, if you weren’t with me.”

Then she reached up on tiptoes and pressed her lips to his cheek to give him a chaste peck, but suddenly she turned her head, he turned his, and their lips were locked in a real kiss. Luke made a sound from deep in his chest and a warm delicious sensation sparked inside her.

She might’ve kissed Luke dozens of times in Vegas, but she didn’t remember any one of them. This kiss she’d remember. This kiss she didn’t want to end.

A moan rose from her throat, one of need and want, and for a moment she flushed, totally embarrassed. But Luke didn’t stop, he didn’t hesitate to devour her mouth. He was all in, too, stirring her deepest yearnings to be held, to be comforted. She was hurting inside and this kiss was a balm to her soul.

He moved forward, backing her into the apartment, kissing her endlessly. She went willingly, relishing the taste of him, the raw pleasure he was giving to her. He tossed his jacket off and then removed hers without breaking the kiss. Then he cradled her in his arms, holding her so close to him that his need pressed against her belly.

A surge of heat raced through her. It was astonishing how quickly he made her come alive. She was glad of it, glad of the sensations rocking her body. In Luke’s strong arms, she suddenly wanted what was forbidden to her.

“Luke,” she said when the kiss came to an end.

He looked deep into her eyes. “Don’t tell me to stop,” he whispered, grazing his lips over hers again.

“I’m not, but maybe we should come up for air?”

The quick smile on his face devastated her. He was so darn handsome. Why did it have to be him? She took a deep breath, pausing for just a few seconds. “Okay, that’s enough.”

“You’re good with this?” he asked, brushing a wayward strand of hair off her face. “Don’t answer that,” he murmured. “I already know you are.”

He cupped her face in his hands and gazed into her eyes, before claiming her lips again. The absolute pleasure overwhelmed her, helping to ease the pain in her heart. It amazed her how easily she welcomed him, how much she wanted more of his kisses, more of him. Her insides heated, and a spiral of warmth traveled through her body, making her hot, needy.

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