Rocky Ride (Thompson & Sons) (19 page)

She held out her hand and he slipped the ring on, wondering how in the hell he’d ended up doing such an old-fashioned thing. And yet it was the most right thing in the world to be doing.

Anna swallowed hard. “You’re serious about getting married?”

“Hell, I just offered you a ring, offered you my name, and you ask if I’m serious.
Really?
”

She crawled off his lap only far enough to straddle him, looking him in the eye with joy on her face. “I love you, Mitch. I want to be with you, whether that’s with the fancy fixings or without. But if you want to make it official, hell
yeah
. I’ll marry you.”

Mitch caught her lips and kissed her. Passionately, but tender. As if the fires they had between them were held back for the moment, never extinguished.

She rested her forehead against his. “You’re amazing.”

“I’m yours. That’s what makes me amazing.”

Anna kissed him briefly before leaping to her feet and backing toward the lake. “So. We need to celebrate.”

Mitch followed after her, wondering what she was up to now. “It’s still June, babe. If you’re about to suggest we go skinny dipping, you’re a few weeks early and half a mountain too high.”

She pulled her shirt free from her pants. “How about tag then? First one to catch me gets to have his wicked way.”

Mitch glanced at the empty parking lot then back at the trail leading into the bush before leering at her. “I have zero objections to fucking you against a tree. I’ll give you a five-second head start.”

She twirled and ran, her laughter rising to the heavens. Mitch waited long enough to ensure she’d be within the trees before he caught her. While chances were extremely remote, they didn’t need to end up starring in a YouTube video made by someone who happened to drive past.

He took off after her, running smoothly, happiness and excitement both at an all-time high. Maybe this wasn’t a typical way to celebrate getting engaged, but what about them was typical?

Mitch had the feeling he was going to spend the next fifty years chasing Anna. Which was only fair.

She’d caught him first.

I hope you enjoyed Mitch and Anna’s story.

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2. You’ve just read the first novella in the
Thompson & Sons
series. The full list of books in the series is
Rocky Ride
,
One Sexy Ride
,
Let it Ride
and
A Wild Ride
, all coming in 2014. There’s also a bonus book,
Baby, Be Mine
, that’s available now. That’s Katy’s story (the lone girl in the Thompson family).

3. If you’d like to post a review for this book, I would appreciate it. Reviews help other readers know if the story is one they’d enjoy.

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LOOKING FOR MORE like ROCKY RIDE?

SIX PACK RANCH series

Book 1:
Rocky Mountain HEAT

Blake Coleman is in denial that Jaxi, the girl next door, is all grown up. But Jaxi’s not willing to take no for an answer anymore.

Book 2:
Rocky Mountain HAVEN

Young widow Beth moves to town and finds
friends with benefits,
and so much more, with Daniel Coleman

Book 3:
Rocky Mountain DESIRE

Matt Coleman’s heart has been well and truly broken. And the only woman who seems to turn his head is the last woman he’d expect.

Book 4:
Rocky Mountain ANGEL

Allison proposes a marriage of convenience to Gabe Coleman that offers more heat and healing than expected

Book 5:
Rocky Mountain REBEL

Bad girl Vicki asks Joel Coleman to teach her to deal with horses, along with everything she needs to know about sex

Book 6:
Rocky Mountain FREEDOM

Can Cassidy and Ashley tame Travis Coleman’s dark and dangerous yearnings?

Book 7: Coming Summer 2014

Ready for more THOMPSON & SONS? Turn the page for a brief excerpt from the bonus book for the series, Gage and Katy’s story,
Baby, Be Mine
…

Baby, Be Mine

What the mind forgets, the heart remembers.

Since the moment Katy Thompson transformed from annoying tagalong to desirable woman, Gage Jenick has awaited his chance. When she kicks her boyfriend to the curb, he doesn’t hold back—in spite of the next day work assignment that will take him completely off the grid for two long months.

After a head injury sustained on a storm-swept road, Katy can’t remember her own email password, much less how the little pink “positive” on the pregnancy stick got there. Barring an influx of midi-chlorians, she’s at a loss to explain what happened, or when…or with whom.

Suddenly Gage is back in her life as if he has a right to be there. While she vividly remembers the crush she had on him, she’s no one’s charity case. But another thing she’d forgotten was just how stubborn Gage can be—especially when her domineering ex tries to stake a claim…

Warning: An unforgettable night that gets forgotten. A crazy redneck ex, and a hero who’s ready to take on the world, and his past, for his heroine.

Katy was past the “what is going on?” stage and was well into the “whatever is going on, it better not be a dream” stage. She abandoned her purse to the floor and the next thing she knew her fingers were tangled in Gage’s hair, her tongue in his mouth. The front door slammed shut—had to be Gage kicking it, because she’d had nothing on her mind except getting close to him all over again.

The passion raging through her body was unfamiliar, and she didn’t ever want it to stop. Didn’t want
him
to stop.

He dragged his lips down her neck, hands scrambling to push her coat from her shoulders. She fumbled with his shirt, tugging it free from his jeans so she could press her bare hands against his naked chest.

Heat. Like fire licking over her, hot desire raced up her back. “God, Gage, what are we doing?” She hated to whisper the words. The last thing she wanted to do was to interrupt this, whatever
this
was, but she had to know.

He stilled himself, her hands on his tight abs, his fingers poised over the buttons on her shirt. “You want me to stop?”

“No, but what is this? A one-night-stand? Or…” Damn, she remembered something important. “You’re leaving tomorrow.”

His eyes flashed, and he nodded, dragging a finger over her cheek. “And you’re not seeing Simon anymore.”

A light bulb went off in her head. “Oh.”

A sheepish smile transformed his expression from sex god to reluctant, yet adorable, boy next door. “I couldn’t very well ask you to go out with me when you were seeing him, but now I’m leaving for six months, and maybe it’s crazy, but…”

“You want me to go out with you? Like, see each other exclusively?”

The instant response visible on his face was even clearer than his words. “Hell, yes.”

She stroked back the lock of hair that had fallen across his forehead. “Okay.”

Gage grinned for a moment then it faded. “I have to leave tomorrow, Katy. I made the commitment, and I need the money to—”

A slip of the hand moved her fingers over his lips to stem the flood of words. “I know you have to go. It’s okay. You’ll be back in six months, which kind of sucks to wait for a second date, but I can live with it. What I want to know is what we’re doing
tonight
.”

“You’re incredible.” Gage shook his head. “And I’m a shit for making a move now, but I’ve been watching you for ages, woman. I couldn’t risk waiting any longer.”

He couldn’t have been watching and waiting as long as she had. “It’s not a big deal. I need a break after dating jackass Simon anyway.”

Gage’s eyes darkened, and not in a good way. “Did he hurt you?”

She shrugged, sliding her hands around to his back and easing their bodies closer. She wanted to get back to what they’d been doing. “Does it matter?”

“Yes.” Gage tucked his fingers under her chin and lifted. “What’s wrong? What did he do to you?”

Katy sighed, the aching desire in her limbs still there, but fading. She wished she could stare at her feet while she admitted this, but instead she picked a spot over his shoulder. Pretended he wasn’t really there. Whispered her confession. “He’d started to get pretty bossy about a lot of things, and I didn’t like it. Plus, he didn’t think I was very good in bed. Not adventurous enough, or something.”

If curses had burst from his lips, she would have nodded in understanding. If he’d hummed knowingly before patting her shoulder in sympathy, it would have made sense as well.

Him busting out laughing was the last thing she’d expected. It wasn’t laughing
at
her, though. Didn’t make her uncomfortable, just sent another zing of lust up her spine, over her shoulders and zipping back down between her legs.

Gage dipped his head until their eyes were on the same level, his amusement fading as the fires turned back to desire. “Any guy who thinks you suck it the sack—it’s his damn fault, not yours.”