Secret Temptation [The Callens 3] (Siren Publishing M?nage Everlasting)

The Callens 3

Secret Temptation

When April Callen meets the darkly brooding but sexy Randy Stark, she wants to learn more about her dad's new ranch hand. She's intrigued that he used to be a cage fighter, but his gentle approach with horses presents a man who's more complex. When he teaches her to ride fast, his strength of character ignites her passion. Too bad he treats her as nothing more than a pest.

April seeks out Randy's roommate, Dr. Blake Danforth, to better understand the enigmatic man. Blake's lighthearted warmth sets April's mind and body on fire, and their hunger for each other drives her to want a ménage relationship with both men. When she discovers that Randy is a musical prodigy, she enlists Blake's help to get Randy to pursue his musical talent. What will the two of them have to do to convince Randy to join them in a loving threesome?

Note: There is no sexual relationship or touching for titillation between or among the men.

Genre:
Contemporary, Menage a Trois/Quatre, Western/Cowboys
Length:
46,388 words

IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting

SECRET TEMPTATION

Copyright © 2012 by Melody Snow Monroe

E-book ISBN: 1-61926-688-1

First E-book Publication: April 2012

Cover design by Les Byerley

All art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED:
This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

April Callen had done it. She’d survived her first year of teaching eighth-grade science at Intrigue Middle School.
Yahoo
!

Now she was ready for a relaxing vacation. As she leaned back in the rocker on her parents’ wooden side porch, the Wyoming summer breeze caressed her skin. She closed her eyes and listened to her mother’s piano music drift through the open window. April was so happy her mom decided to start playing again. It was a passion she’d put aside for too many years.

April almost nodded off when gravel crunched on the drive. She opened her eyes and sat up. A truck she’d never seen before rolled up to the fence post. Curious as to the identity of the visitor, she held still and watched a chiseled giant of a man ease out.
Holy moly, but he was big
.

He had the jeans, boots, and hat of a cowboy, but the tattoos, tight T-shirt, and overly muscled body made him a bit out of place, like he should be in a war zone doing special ops instead of stepping foot on a ranch. The dark shadows on his face made him appear mysterious as if he was hiding from something or someone.

Black Ops man headed toward the barn and didn’t even glance her way.
Hmm
. Did he even belong here?

The side door opened and her mother peeked out her head.
Oh, man.
April had been so preoccupied she hadn’t even noticed the music had stopped.

“Lunch is ready.”

“Great.” She unfurled her legs and got up.

That was one benefit of living at home. Her bedroom was huge, and the food was great. No one cooked better than her mom. The fact she lived in such a loving household helped, too. It was one of the reasons she wanted to be a teacher. Her mom had gently guided all seven kids to be the best they could be. Dad had strong-armed them to achieve, but he might have been the easier of the two to get to see her side of things.

April waited until the enigma disappeared into the barn before stepping inside.
Phew, who was that man?

“April?”

“Coming.”

Dad sat at the table making a sandwich from the goodies her mom had spread out. She pulled out a chair across from him and sat. “There was a man who just drove up and charged into the barn. Who was he?”

Her dad looked up. “That must be Randy Stark. I recently hired him to take care of the animals.”

“I thought Gus did that.” Gus must have been eighty if he was a day, but he’d been a staple at the ranch since before she was born.

“Gus’s back went out again a couple of weeks ago, and he’s been having trouble lifting the hay and mucking the stalls. I thought I’d ease his burden by bringing in someone else to help out.”

Underneath his gruff exterior, he had a good heart. “That’s nice, but Randy looks awfully beefy to be a ranch hand. I feel sorry for any of the horses he rides.” That was a lame excuse to find out more about the man.

“That’s because he used to be a cage fighter.”

That sounded like he was some kind of zoo animal. “What’s a cage fighter?”

“That’s an ultimate fighter. You know, where two men get in a fenced-off area and basically beat the shit out of each other.”

“So he isn’t very bright.”

“I couldn’t say, but apparently, Randy was a phenomenon back in his days.”

Back in his days?
The man didn’t look that old. Maybe he’d gotten his brains scrambled from all the beatings and had to quit while he was still young. “He from around here?” Intrigue was a relatively small town, if one could call a population of twenty-five thousand small, but she’d never seen him. She’d bet her next paperback she wouldn’t have missed this man if he’d walked the streets.

“Denver. Moved here three weeks ago. Why the interest?”

She shrugged. “Just curious. I like to know what’s going on at the ranch.”

A small smile captured his lips. “Since when? You’d rather have your nose in a book than your ass in a saddle.”

That was partly because she’d been thrown from a horse, and she hadn’t wanted to repeat the experience. “That’s not nice, Daddy.”

“Don’t go sticking your nose where it don’t belong, now. You know the rules, young lady.” He waved a finger at her. “No fraternizing with the help. Besides, your mother and I expect you to land someone worthy of the Callen name, like Samantha did.”

That translated to hooking up with someone wealthy and well-educated. That eliminated this scramble-brained cage fighter. “Don’t worry, Daddy. I need a man my intellectual equal or I’d be bored.”
Though in the meantime I might like to sample what he has to offer.

Her mom rushed out of the kitchen and waved a hand over the table. “Eat. You need to keep up your strength.”

Like she hadn’t heard that for the last twenty-five years. Once she made her sandwich and scarfed it down, she returned to the porch to contemplate the new man. She’d been so busy working on lesson plans and dealing with the students that she hadn’t had a date all year. Yes, both the sixth-grade English teacher and the seventh-grade math teacher had asked her out, but she’d turned them down. None of her friends could understand why. Maybe it was because these men were so easy to read and didn’t pose a challenge. Her dad was a complex man, being both kind and stern at the same time. She wanted someone like him.

April clicked on her Kindle. The best part about summer was getting to indulge in her favorite pastime of reading. Her mom must have been busy in the kitchen because she didn’t return to her piano playing. Too bad, she loved listening to music while she read.

After a few minutes, she realized why she’d had to reread the same page over and over again. The mystery man had gotten her curious. When April was convinced she wouldn’t get any interference from her father or be caught by her mom, she ambled toward the barn. It wouldn’t hurt to introduce herself and see if Mr. Stark needed anything.

Right
. She’d be the last person to locate a piece of tack or know where he could find the brushes to rub down the horses.

As she approached the barn, she heard someone talking to the animals in a deep, soothing tone. That was followed by some scraping sound she associated with cleaning hooves.

Keeping quiet, she leaned against the doorframe and watched the newcomer work. He was facing away from her, so she got to admire how his large, V-shaped back flexed as he scraped the hooves. After he finished with that chore, he picked up a brush and gently tended to the horse’s coat. The light from outside slanted across his nicely formed ass.
Mmm-mmm good
.

He spun around so fast he had to have eyes in the back of his head. Her heart lurched.

She hadn’t said that out loud, had she?
Say something
.

“Hi.”
That was as classy as it was original.
Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, but she refused to be cowed by his beauty or raw power.
Then why can’t you talk?

As she edged closer, he held her gaze, but she didn’t let him intimidate her. His nose had a small bump on the bridge. That wasn’t surprising given he’d probably broken it numerous times in the ring. A thin, two-inch-long scar ran across his forehead and another one cut across his chin, but the imperfections managed to heighten his appeal.

“You the owner’s daughter?” His bass voice had a rough edge to it, like he spent most of his time growling.

“How did you know that?”

“Saw you on the porch.”

He couldn’t have. He never looked her way. “I’m April.” She would have stuck out her hand, but his were full, and he didn’t seem the type to set down his brushes to shake hers.

Instead of telling her his name, he returned to stroking the horse’s neck. The silent treatment didn’t bother her much. These men knew better than to get friendly, but she wanted to see what he looked like up close. The tattoos on his ripped arms came with no distinct pattern, or at least none that she could detect. “How do you like working here?”

He shrugged. “Just started.”

Not a big talker or a big ogler either. She dared to step near and ran a hand over Bella’s muzzle just to be near the man. She didn’t take to horses very well. That was her older sister’s domain. No one outdid Sam in the riding, roping, or shooting arena. Instead of competing against her older sister, she decided to cultivate a side of her that required less coordination than riding a horse. She chose to expand her mind instead.

“You need something, Ms. Callen?” She swore there was a chuckle embedded in his question, but his lips didn’t form a smile.

The way he emphasized the Callen name implied he wasn’t too fond of rich folk either. “Nope, just trying to be friendly.”

He put down the brush and ran his hands over the horse’s loin, taking his time to check every inch. “You here to help or hinder?” He didn’t even look at her when he asked the question.

“Just making sure you’re doing your job.”

“Is that so?” He stopped and faced her. “You ever check over a horse before?”

Her heart dropped. “No.”

“Didn’t think so.” This time a small smile did tug on his lips. He dragged his gaze from her head to her toe, but she didn’t detect any interest. “Aren’t you a little young to be hanging out with someone my age?” His brows pinched.

“That’s rich. I’m twenty-five and a biology teacher.” She wanted to prove to him that she was no kid, but a respected member of society.

“Kind of old to be living at home then.”

That stung. She’d been planning on getting a place of her own, but she’d been too busy to do it. “How old are you?”

“Older than you.” He was the evasive type. “Does your daddy know you’re in here bothering me?”

Every muscle froze. “Maybe.”

“Uh-huh.” He continued to inspect the skin, acting like she was some pesky little sister he couldn’t wait to get rid of.

She could take a hint. “I guess I should be going.”

She expected a bit of resistance, but he continued to look over Bella. Knowing when she wasn’t wanted, she spun around and left. She didn’t hurry, though. Swaying her hips a bit, she made her way to the door before looking over her shoulder.
Damn
. He hadn’t even looked up from his chore.

 
Visit dpgroup.org for more books uploaded by our generous members

* * * *

The moment she walked out, Randy chuckled. What had she been thinking coming in here nosing around? Did she actually think a hired hand would give a second look at the owner’s daughter? He’d learned his lesson long ago that no woman was worth losing his job over. Besides, she asked way too many questions. The last thing he needed was for her to snoop into his affairs.

He shook his head. To think she wanted to make sure he was doing
his
job. From the way she tentatively petted the horse, she didn’t even like the species. When April ran her fingers from Bella’s forehead to the muzzle, her fingers shook as if she didn’t know if the horse would bite her.

Dumb little girl
. How could she live on such a large spread and not be an expert around horses? She said she was a biology teacher. Maybe she’d spent her whole time studying and never bothered enjoying the outside. That was a real shame.

His roommate might find her kind appealing, however. She was Blake’s type. Smart, sassy, upbeat, and adventuresome.

For all her flaws, he had to admit she smelled good, like lemons and peaches. Didn’t matter. She was still like a fly around a horse’s rump. That was why God gave them tails. He wished he’d been blessed with something to swat the women away.

Bella nudged his hand.
Damn
.
See?
April had made him lose his concentration already.

“You want to go for a ride, girl?” He could use an all-out sprint to get his blood flowing. It had been too long since he’d taken a beauty like this one out for a gallop.

Bella snorted her approval. He tossed on a saddle and mounted her. From the way Bella was pawing the ground, she wanted to race.

“Lento.” He got her under control in a second and walked her out of the barn.

The sunshine and clean air filled his lungs. The wind picked up, almost creating music in the air. He smiled for the first time since arriving in town.

“Come on, girl.” He nudged the horse’s flank, and Bella took off.

Mr. Callen told him his property extended for as far as the eye could see and more. This was like being back at the Danforth ranch in Colorado, where he’d found hope for the first time.

* * * *

Kind of old to be living at home.

Does your daddy know you’re in here bothering me?

The man sure had a mouth on him. He almost acted uppity, like he was too good to talk to her. Who was this guy?

One thing April excelled at was digging. Her thoroughness always got her the answers she needed because her Internet skills were as good as Samantha’s ability to rope a calf in nine seconds flat. She told herself she wanted to make sure that Randy Stark’s retirement from the ring hadn’t been because he’d killed someone in a fight or was wanted for some crime. She’d convinced herself she was doing the search in order protect her father’s best interests.

Liar
.

After looking online on ultimate fighting, Randy Stark’s name popped up several times. Her heart sped up as picture after picture of the sweat-covered giant appeared. There were even a few videos of some of his matches. Apparently, he was famous. She clicked on one YouTube video but had to press pause quickly. Seeing someone hit his handsome face turned her stomach. Why would anyone subject himself to being beaten? It didn’t matter that Randy landed the majority of the punches compared to his opponent. The violence churned her stomach.

The fact he was sponsored by Harley-Davidson implied he’d hit the big time. So what the hell was he doing in her daddy’s barn?

Wikipedia was an amazing source of information. She’d found pictures of his home in Colorado that would almost rival her parents’ house. Something funky was going on, that was for sure. After she exhausted her search, her stomach grumbled, and she went in search of a snack before dinner.

Mom was at the piano again, playing the same series of notes over and over again as if she were trying to figure out how she wanted her new composition to end. As April got to the landing, she caught sight of the front door opening and froze.

Randy stepped in behind her mom and held still. He kept his gaze on the piano as if transfixed. She held her breath, wondering why he was here. A good minute passed, yet he hadn’t let her mom know he was waiting.

“Try a B-flat instead of B,” he said when her mom stumbled on a note.

His shoulders tensed as if he hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

Her mom whipped around and slapped a hand over her chest. “I didn’t hear you come in. You must be Randy.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He shook her hand.

“You said to try a B-flat instead of the B. Hmm.” She rotated back to the keyboard and replayed the sequence.

The melody flowed and soared. She stilled and turned back around. “You were right. How did you know that?”

“I guessed.”

“You play?”

“Not anymore.”

Her mother scooted over on the bench seat. “Would you play something for me?”

April’s huff almost became audible. Randy Stark, cage fighter extraordinaire, would no more know how to play the piano than she could jump a ravine on a horse.

He held up a hand. “I wish I could, but I don’t remember how anymore.”

Somehow, his comment lacked sincerity.

“What can I do for you then?” her mom asked.

He held up April’s hair tie, and her hand shot to the back of her head. Her ponytail had come undone and she hadn’t even noticed.

“April must have dropped this.”

Thank goodness he didn’t say where.

Her mom took the ribbon. “Thank you.”

He nodded and walked out. At that moment, she decided to find out everything there was to know about Randy Stark, the man.