His Submissive Jewel [The Martinis and Chocolate Book Club 3] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) (22 page)

“Awww, that’s sweet, Lisa. But according to Tori and Brianne, maturity is its own reward.”

“I never said that,” Brianne protested.

Tori’s cheeks were pink. “I may have, and I was full of shit. Don’t grow up because you think you need to for Cam. If he doesn’t love you the way you are, then he isn’t worth it.”

“He does love me the way I am, and he is worth it. It’s just strange that now I’m happily in love, I feel, well, more settled. I don’t feel rushed. It seemed like before I was always in a hurry.”

Tori stretched out her long legs and gave Noelle a mischievous smile. “If I had that hunky cowboy, I’d be in a hurry. In a hurry to get him naked. Where is he today anyway? Last time we got to get a glimpse of him.”

Cam had met all the women during last week’s book club meeting. They had all fawned over him, of course.

“Working, as usual. Now that the weather’s warmer, he said they work from sunup to sundown. In fact, I think I need to wrap up here and go help with dinner.”

Brianne closed her e-reader. “Me, too. Kade is going through a growth spurt and eating me out of house and home.”

Lisa sighed. “I guess that means I have to feed my children, too. What about you, Tori?”

“Two teenage boys means I’m always cooking. But it was good to get together today. Elle, when are you coming home? We should do a girls’ night.”

“The wedding is next week, then I’ll be on a plane. But I’ll be coming back here very soon.”

Tori smiled. “True love. I miss it.”

Lisa’s expression was serious. “We need to find you a man, Tori. You shouldn’t be alone.”

Tori shook her head. “I’m concentrating on the boys. I’m not ready.”

Brianne put her hand on Tori’s shoulder. “You just let us know when you are. Nate has some very nice, single doctor friends we can fix you up with.”

“Or some Montana cowboys.” Noelle laughed. “I can vouch for how hot the men are out here.”

“I’m not ready. You’ll all be the first to know when I am.”

Lisa smiled. “Get ready, Tori. You’re next.”

* * * *

Noelle nudged her horse on, shivering when a cold, nasty wind almost knocked her sideways. This horseback ride wasn’t turning out like she had planned. She hoped she could reach her destination before the heavens opened up and the rain came down.

She’d been surprised after the book club meeting to find a note on the bed from Cam telling her to saddle a horse and head toward where she had been thrown mere weeks before. Surprised, but pleased. Her body had flushed with heat as she wondered what surprises he might have in store for her. She had already fantasized a cozy tent and a few sex toys. She could scream in ecstasy as much as she wanted out here, and no one would hear her.

However, the weather was not cooperating. Dark clouds had gathered, and the wind had picked up quite a bit. Her long hair was getting whipped around, and she wished she had brought more than this thin jean jacket. Cam was going to have to keep her warm as soon as she saw him, which was why she was urging her horse to keep going. Even Poncho was wondering about the wisdom of this little adventure. He wasn’t as skittish as Turismo, but he was just as ornery. He definitely had a mind of his own. And his mind was not happy about the slicing wind that was coming out of the west.

She pulled on the reins and looked around. She had assured Abby she could find the spot without trouble, but now she was wondering if perhaps she had taken a wrong turn. The cluster of trees she had thought she remembered well was nowhere in sight. Or perhaps it was that all the trees looked the same. Add in the darkening sky and her nervousness about the weather and she was starting to feel like she was well and truly screwed.

And not in a good way.

A clap of thunder overhead made her jump, but luckily Poncho seemed unconcerned. At least he wouldn’t be throwing her off and bolting for sweet oats in the barn when the going got rough. Another glance at the ever-darkening sky made her chew her lip with nervousness. Cam had left her a note to meet him. She wanted time alone with him in the worst way. But, the worsening weather was telling her to turn around and head back to the ranch. Cam was just going to have to understand. Her mind made up, she turned Poncho around and headed back in what she hoped was the direction of the ranch. She prayed she’d get there before the storm turned really bad.

* * * *

Cam breathed a sigh of relief as he pulled the back door of the ranch house open. Sheets of rain were falling practically sideways, and he was soaked after coming in from one of the pastures. He couldn’t wait to get warm with a hot bath, a cold beer, and a hot woman. He shook the rain from his hat and looked around the kitchen. Abby was humming and making dinner, but Noelle was nowhere in sight.

He pulled off his soaked boots and threw them next to the door.

“Abby, dinner smells great. I’m headed to take a hot shower. Is Noelle upstairs or still in my office on Skype with her girlfriends?”

Abby swung around with a frown, holding a spatula.

“What are you doing here?”

Poor Abby must have had a case of terrible bridal nerves. Thank goodness, she and Brody had made up from their fight.

“I live here. Where’s Noelle, Ab?”

“You’re not supposed to be here. You’re supposed to be with Noelle.”

Cam wasn’t liking the way Abby was shaking the spatula at him. He liked even less the full-on scowl she had on her face. Something wasn’t right. He felt his stomach tighten with trepidation.

“That’s the plan, Ab. If you tell me where she is, I’ll be with her.”

Abby picked up a piece of paper from the counter and handed it to him. “She went to meet you, of course. Is she out in that weather alone?”

Cam scanned the note Abby handed him and swore. Noelle was out in the storm thinking he was going to meet her. She was being sent to her fucking death. She could die of exposure before they could find her. He felt the hair on the back of his neck rise in fear and anger. When he found out who wrote this note, he would enjoy beating the crap out of them. Slowly.

He threw the note on the table and tried to keep his voice calm for Abby.

“I didn’t write that note, Ab. We need to get everyone together and get in the Jeeps and head out to look for her. We need to find her right away.”

Abby’s face paled, and her hand shook as she placed the spatula on the counter.

“You didn’t write the note? Who would do such a thing? Oh God, Elle’s out in that storm alone,” she whispered.

He squeezed Abby’s shoulder before heading to put his boots back on. “We’ll find her, Ab. Don’t worry. We have to find her.”

He just needed to keep saying it. Abby picked up the radio and started calling Brody, Lucas, Caden, and Colt. Cam knew he would need everyone he could get to find her. Hopefully, she had headed straight for the clearing where she had been thrown. He grabbed his hat and pulled open the back door to head out into the storm.

“Stay close to the radio, Ab. We’ll call you when we find her. And we will find her.”

* * * *

Boy, does this suck.

Noelle had finally decided she was well and truly lost. The sky was completely dark, and she couldn’t tell north from south, or east from west. She was soaked, shivering, and scared. She was angry, too. She was getting tired of Montana kicking her ass. She needed to show Cam she could fucking take care of herself. He was probably out looking for her now, vowing to warm up her bottom since he had to rescue her. Again. This was the third time, and it was getting freakin’ old.

She pulled on the reins and tried to take shelter under some thick trees, but the rain was coming down so hard they didn’t help much. She dismounted and tied Poncho to a branch. She needed to wedge herself in between those trees if she could. It looked like she just might have some shelter if she could get in there. The tree trunks were close together, but she pushed herself back into the narrow space. It was uncomfortable, and she was still freezing, but it was a little dryer. She could actually keep her eyes open without the rain driving into them.

She wrapped her arms around herself, well aware if they didn’t find her she could meet her death out here. She’d read in the paper about people dying from exposure in July, and it wasn’t fucking July yet. Even if they did finally find her, she could get pneumonia and kick the bucket.
What a pathetic way to go.
She’d always pictured herself getting old and wise, passing quietly in her sleep. No way was she going quietly tonight. She had way too much to live for.

She heard a coyote howl in the distance and rolled her eyes. If the weather didn’t kill her, the wildlife would. She looked around frantically as she remembered Cam telling her about rattlesnakes hiding in the brush. She hated snakes! It was so dark she couldn’t see anything, so she pulled her knees up closer to her chest and rested her chin on top. Maybe if she made herself a very small target they wouldn’t see her. Or hear her. Or smell her.

Oh fuck, I am so screwed!

Where’s a taxi and a Starbucks when you need one?
Noelle’s stomach growled with hunger. It was past dinnertime, and hopefully Cam and the others had realized she was lost. They were her only hope right now. She shifted her weight and felt her cell phone bite into her flesh. She grimaced as she realized just how useless her cell was out here. She should have grabbed one of the satellite phones. She pulled it out anyway and peered into the screen. One bar. Not nearly enough to make a call.

Another gust of cold wind blew, and she huddled to try and keep warm. Unless she was found soon, she was in big trouble. She looked at her cell phone again and looked at the tall tree she was sheltering under. Perhaps if she could get to the top of the tree, she could get enough of a signal to make a call. She shoved her phone back in her pocket and drew a deep breath. She couldn’t just sit here waiting for the weather or a wild animal to kill her. She had to do something.

She pushed to her feet and grabbed a branch. The bark and limbs were wet, and this was probably a very stupid thing she was doing, but she couldn’t sit and wait for the grim reaper. Cam might not find her for hours. She needed rescuing now.

She dug her foot into a divot in the trunk and pushed while she pulled herself up to the first branch. She hadn’t climbed a tree since she was ten, but she was pretty sure she could remember how. She stood on the branch and grabbed the next one she could reach, looking for a foothold in the dark. She found one and pulled herself to the next branch, stopping to catch her breath. She looked down and was surprised to find she was high off the ground. Perhaps her phone would work now. She fumbled in her pocket when she saw dim lights in the distance. They were coming closer and she could hear the hum of engines mixing with the rain.

Please let it be Cam.

She sat still as she strained to hear them coming closer.

This way. This way.

The lights got brighter, and the engines sounded louder. She gingerly moved back to the lower branch when she was flooded with lights. She hopped down to the ground, falling flat on her ass, and knocking the wind out of her. She waved her arms and started to push herself up when the Land Rover came to a stop. Poncho was clearly illuminated by the headlights, and her body was flooded with relief. If they found Poncho, they would know she was close by. She gave a yell as men exited the jeep, and they froze. She yelled again, and they turned and started running toward her. She tried to push to her feet, but her legs weren’t working properly.

She looked up as the first man reached her and almost cried out with emotion.

Cam.

He’d found her. His expression was thunderous, but he scooped her up gently and carried her back to the Rover. He said something to one of the others, and just like last time, held her close all the way back to the house. He wrapped her in a blanket, but she was shivering, and her teeth were chattering. Even his body heat wasn’t driving away the cold from the storm. She was chilled straight to the bone.

When they arrived at the ranch, Abby ran out. She’d obviously been crying. She pointed toward the stairs, telling Cam there was a hot bath waiting.

There was nothing sexual when Cam stripped her this time. She gritted her teeth against the pain as he lowered her into the water. The cold wasn’t going quietly and it was only quite a while later that she was relaxed and breathing easier. Cam never left her side, only going to the bathroom door when Abby showed up with hot chocolate.

“Drink.”

She drank gratefully, and it burned her stomach, but it felt good, too. It was good to be warm. She peeked through her lashes at Cam’s murderous expression. He must be furious with her. Would he send her back home, telling her she was too much trouble?

“Cam, I’m sorry.”

* * * *

She was sorry? What was she sorry for?

Cam knelt next to the tub and grabbed her hand. It was much warmer than only thirty minutes ago. He shuddered again as he thought of how they had almost missed her in the dark. It was only when they saw Poncho they realized they had, hopefully, found her.

“What are you sorry for, love? You haven’t done anything.”