Redheaded Stranger: A Cowboy Love Story (Bluebonnet, Texas)

Redheaded Stranger

by

Amie Stuart

COPYRIGHT

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author's imagination and used fictitiously.

REDHEADED STRANGER Copyright © 2015 Amie Stuart

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Cover design by Melissa Blue, Melissa Blue Designs

Edited by Megan Stevens

Published by Dancehall Diaries Ltd. /
www.amiestuart.com

With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from author.

This book is licensed for your personal use only. No part of this work may be sold, manipulated, or reproduced in any format without express written permission from the authors, except for brief quotations embodied in or reviews. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors' rights. Purchase only authorized editions

The author does not have any control over, and does not assume any responsibility for third-party Websites or their content.

W
hen Keilana Boudreaux married the love of her life, Alexander Boudreaux, she understood that he was estranged from his family, but the birth of their son changes everything.

Nobody holds a grudge like a redhead—Alexander is proof of that. Ten years ago he found out his father had an affair...and a child. Unable to forgive or forget, he's stayed away until one fateful Thanksgiving when instead of telling his family about his own marriage (and child), he loses his cool.

But Zander isn’t the only one with a fiery temper. When Kei finds out what really happened, she issues an ultimatum—
tell your family about us or else
. Zander refuses and Kei takes matters into her own hands, packs up the car and heads for Bluebonnet, Texas, and her unsuspecting in-laws.

*Warning this book contains a secret baby (or two), family feuds, and married people having hot sexy times.

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DEDICATION:

This one's for Melissa Blue. It's all your fault.

XOXO

Blurb

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MORE BLUBONNET

WHAT’S NEXT?

"I
cannot believe you let Alex leave you alone for Thanksgiving," John Shakela spoke from his position over the turkey fryer. He’d stationed himself at the far end of the patio and instructed the kids to stay inside while he fried the twelve-pound bird.

"Didn't really have much choice."

"Keilana—" Connie called from the kitchen window, "–he should have taken you both with him. Just ripped off the Band-Aid."

"I know." Sighing, I set down my wine glass and met John Junior, who’d appeared at the door with a squirming Darrach in his arms. "Thanks, baby."

Thanksgiving in Texas had turned out to be a balmy day with crystal blue skies and very little wind. The type of day made for sitting outside as long as possible. But spending Thanksgiving with friends wasn’t exactly what I’d had in mind.

"You're welcome, Aunt Kei."

I reclaimed my seat, then settled the baby on my lap to continue my conversation. "But since he didn’t, I appreciate you guys taking us in for the holiday."

"That’s what best friends are for." He saluted me with his beer can, then nodded toward the door where John Junior stood teasing one of his sisters. "You kids settle down. We're eating soon."

"Yes, Dad."

"And tell the girls I said for all of you to set the table for your mother."

"Yes, Dad."

The glass door slid closed, and John and I exchanged grins. From the kitchen came the soft sound of his wife Connie’s laughter.

I settled my own son on my lap. "You know, he's the best of a pretty good lot there, John."

"I
do
know," John said, "and I intend to keep him that way."

"I just hope mine turn out half as well." Before I could say more, my cell phone rang. "Speak of the devil. It’s Alex." Grimacing nervously, I hit ‘talk’, anxious to find out how my husband’s trip home had gone.

"Hey baby. It's me."

"Alex!" Wishing I had a free hand to sip my wine with, I nervously picked at Darrach's curls instead.
Had he told them? How did they react?
"I thought you’d be in the middle of dinner by now?"

"Naw.  I made my peace, but not exactly how we thought."

"Alex," I scolded, struggling to speak past the disappointment that clogged my throat. My family was in Hawaii; Alex’s family was just a few hours away, but thanks to his temper, they might as well have been in Hawaii, too. He was supposed to have told his family about us—about Darrach and me.

"I tried. I really did, but I just couldn’t..."

I listened reluctantly to the rest of his explanation, while our infant son tilted his head back and watched me, his blue eyes as bright as his father's. After hanging up, I drained my wine glass then cursed under my breath.

"He didn’t tell them, did he?" John asked.

Barely able to speak, I shook my head, then worked out a, "Nope."

Sighing, he came to stand in front of me. "Do you think it’s because they won’t approve?"

"I don’t know," I said, and I honestly didn’t. We’d been married for three years after a whirlwind courtship. Initially, I’d accepted that he was estranged from his family, but now we had a child. "He says it's because his half-sister is now living with his parents." At John's raised eyebrow I explained, "His dad cheated."

"Whoa." John looked as grim as I felt. "Cheating’s pretty serious business."

"I agree, but is that really it or is it just an excuse?"

A
lexander Boudreaux eyed the ringing cell phone on his desk and briefly considered not answering it. The Caller ID showed his parent’s number. They'd been strangely silent since Thanksgiving. On the one hand, he was glad they'd left him alone. He'd had a hard enough time handling Kei's disappointment. She didn't understand; she hadn't been there. She hadn't seen his parents with Delaney and his brothers, acting like her being there was the most normal thing in the world. Kei, of course, had reminded him that
her
absence was
his
fault. She'd just have to accept that this was how things had to be.

He answered, reluctantly, worried they'd keep calling back and wake the baby if he didn't. "Hello."

"Alexander?"

"Momma." He dropped his pencil and exhaled slowly, preparing himself for an ass-chewing because she
only
called him Alexander when she was ticked at him. "How—"

"Your father asked me to call and let you know that Bettina lost the baby."

Click.

Shit.
He’d gone home for Thanksgiving intent on clearing the air. He’d planned on telling them about Kei and Darrach. He’d rehearsed it all in his head, tried to visualize how it all would go, but some things were unforgiveable. Infidelity was one of those things. And the sight of Delaney at the family table talking about blessings had sent him over the edge. So he’d lost it, insulted everybody, and left a shitstorm in his wake that had, apparently, resulted in his sister-in-law having a miscarriage. Maybe he hadn’t been the direct cause, but he sure hadn’t helped matters.

His hand shook as he dropped the phone, a wave of panic slugged him in the gut. Thank God Kei had decided to take a bubble bath,
thank God
she hadn’t heard the phone ring, because if she ever found out just
how wrong
Thanksgiving had gone, she’d kill him. They’d lost their first baby two years ago. He knew how badly that miscarriage had hurt the both of them, and if Kei found out about Betti’s miscarriage, she’d skin him alive.

After powering down his laptop, he silently made his way through the townhouse, wiped down the kitchen counters one last time, checked the back door and set the alarm before heading upstairs, his footsteps muffled by thick carpet. At Darrach’s door he stopped and listened to his son breathe. He quietly crossed the dimly lit room to the crib, unable to resist a smile.

Nine months old, and just as sturdy and tough as a Mack truck, Darrach lay sprawled out on his back, his thumb millimeters from his tiny lips. Soft, dark curls covered his head and long dark lashes fanned his chubby baby cheeks.

"You wake him up and I’ll use your Glock on you," a voice behind him purred.

Smothering another wave of guilt, Zander tucked the baby blanket under his son’s chin and turned to find his wife leaning against the doorjamb, arms crossed over her chest. Her hair was wrapped in a towel and she wore brief panties and a worn cotton bathrobe. Warmth pooled in his chest, and all the tension eased from his back and shoulders.

For a man who’d spent his whole life drooling after blondes, Keilana was a leap off the beaten path, and a choice he'd
never
regretted. She was also his soul mate. He’d known it the first time he saw her standing in the cafeteria line at the FBI field office in Atlanta three years ago, when she’d flashed her big, laughing, brown eyes at him.

She yanked the towel from her hair, dropped it on the floor, and ran her hands through her thick, short curls. "Ready for bed?"

"You bet’cha," he whispered, his blood heating with every step he took toward her. Tonight, more than ever, he needed her. He stopped to grab the towel, then leaned into his wife.

"I love you," he whispered, right before he caught her arm and covered her full lips with his. His jeans tightened as his cock swelled at the feel of her pressed against him.

"Take me to bed, Alex," she begged.

He was only too happy to oblige. He led her across the wide, dimly lit hall to their room, stopping beside the bed to peel the ancient robe from her body. She took it from him, dropping it and the towel on the floor. She giggled while he shook his head and sank down on the queen-sized bed. He leaned over and planted a soft kiss on her slightly rounded stomach, the scent of her arousal teasing him. She leaned in, squirmed against him, tangling her hands in his hair as he rubbed his stubbled chin across her stretch marks.

"I love you, too," she hissed, her fingers kneading his scalp. "Just in case you were wondering, you redheaded devil."

His eyes never left her face as he leaned up and caught one dusky nipple in his mouth and rolled it around, nibbling at it, savoring the texture of it against his tongue.

He released her just long enough to undress, fumbling with the button-fly on his jeans at the sight of her stretched out on the bed, her hands skimming her belly then cupping her breasts. He stretched out beside her, the box springs protesting slightly as she rolled over and mounted him. She obviously wasn’t in the mood to play.

"You shaved," he gasped, moaning at the smooth, slick feel of her against him. His eyes traveled the length of her, and sure enough she had. No wonder she was so wet. She’d planned this, and other than a small sprinkling of hairs, her mons was nearly nude.

They knew each other’s likes and wants inside and out. She rode him with skill; her hips plunged and teased, coaxing him higher. He slipped his fingers between their bodies and found her swollen clitoris, smiling and grunting when she jerked against him in response. Her head rolled back, revealing the long column of her throat. She growled and moaned long and low as her tiny, sharp nails dug into his chest.

"Alex," she cried. "Do it."

"You sure?"

"Yes," she ground from between clenched teeth.

He’d give her whatever she wanted. He always had—or almost always.

He pushed the thought away.

She covered him, her head buried in the crook of his neck, her hot breath fanning his skin as she panted with excitement. With both hands, he cupped the cheeks of her ass, squeezing and rubbing them softly before he smacked her hard.

Her squeal ended with another harsh, "Yes," as she tightened around him, squeezing his cock in a vise grip.

He moaned and waited for just the right moment to do it again.

There!
The palm of his hand made contact with the smooth skin of her ass, and she sank her teeth into his shoulder. Her fingers tugged at his short hair. "More, please."

He kneaded her ass to take the sting out and waited. Again and three times more, the loud smacks mingling with their heavy breathing and then her squeals as she came.  He took a couple of long, deep breaths, not ready to release his last shred of control, enjoying the feel of her orgasm as she shook and panted against his neck. It was always so damn good with her. He wrapped his arms around Kei and rubbed her back, waiting until she caught her breath.