Winter's Embrace (2 page)

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*
Trouble With a Cowboy
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kickin
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to Vegas.

Jacie
Hawkins drives big wheelers for a
livin
'.
Something not a lot of women do. Littleton Oklahoma is just a dry stopover for
a few hours of rest and relaxation at the nearest bar.
Jacie
needs to find a hot cowboy to release some of her pent up frustrations on for
the night, but wannabe's aren't her style.

Tucker Marshall needs a big-rig driver to haul his prize bull
to National Finals Rodeo and he needs one fast. Who would have thought he'd
find one
shootin
' pool at the local bar dressed to
kill and
takin
' numbers?

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**
Blood Kisses
(Nightwalkers 1)
, paranormal erotic romance:

Ashleigh
Brown, the author of the popular Nightwalkers series, lives a quiet life free
of the limelight.
 
She keeps her real
identity secret by writing under the pen name, Victoria Allure.
 
She soon finds herself in a bind when she's
kidnapped by a group of handsome vampires seeking Victoria.
 
She then agrees to meet their Master, who's a
huge fan of her books.
 
But instead of
meeting him, she accidentally crosses paths with her rock star crush.
 
He is the sexy muse behind Nightwalkers and
the man she based the hero in the series upon. She would do anything to meet
him but little does she know her crush has a secret...

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WINTER’S EMBRACE

Kathleen Ball

Copyright © 2014

Chapter One

Winter James ran around her ramshackle house,
frantically trying to get her suitcase packed while mentally reviewing her to
do list. Filling in for her co-worker Tammi didn’t bother her, the short notice
did. As a travel agent,
Winter
knew her
responsibilities, but she wished that she’d had more time to prepare.

She’d never been on this particular cruise to Alaska.
Usually, if she went, it was to the tropics. She opened her closet and reached
for her winter hat and gloves. It was bound to be cold up there.

Finally packed, she started to go over all of the
paperwork. Her motto, “be prepared,” had served her well, and that included
knowing the itinerary and the ship’s layout by heart. It was also vital to know
each traveler’s bio. People were flattered that she knew their names,
hometowns, and their kids’ names.

They would fly into Seattle tonight as a group, stay
at the Marriott, and then board the ship tomorrow. Her group of ten was small
compared to some of the vacations she’d headed.

The metal kitchen table served as the perfect place to
spread out all her folders, except the table legs were uneven so it took
practice to get anything done. Quickly, she scanned the passenger list and when
she hit upon Stone McCoy’s name, her stomach clenched. It couldn’t be. Her
heart dropped as she started to scan his bio but stopped and flung the file
across the table. It was him, the man who had torn her heart out ten years ago.

The pain in her chest deepened. Their relationship and
break up had changed the course of her life and to this day, she could remember
his voice over the telephone, telling her he no longer loved her, and she
should find someone else.

For a second she panicked not wanting to see him and
she reached for the phone intending to cancel the trip. Reluctantly, she put
the phone down. It was her job and she had to go.

The next morning, the wait at the airport had her
nerves stretched to the limit. Eight of the ten people in her group had arrived
and she smiled and answered questions as she memorized their faces and names.
Then she spotted Stone coming through the turnstile door.

Only twenty when he’d dumped her, he’d matured into a
handsome man. His brown hair was short, and he’d filled out, his shoulders
wider, much wider than she remembered. As he walked closer, she could see his
gray eyes. Eyes that had once shone with love for her, or so she’d thought.

Surprise crossed his face when their gazes met and he
smiled. “It’s been a long time.”

Nodding, she plastered a smile on her face. “Nice to
see you again, Stone. Let’s see, we’re still waiting for Mr. Jennings.”

The heat of his perusal instantly filled her stomach
with butterflies. Interaction with the others didn’t help she could still feel
his gaze on her.

“You look really great. Your hair is still as blonde
and long as I remember and, of course, I always did like your green eyes.”
Stone cocked his head to the side studying her.

The urge to ask him to leave overwhelmed her but she
prided herself on being professional and refused to play his game of “nothing
ever happened.”

“Oh that must be Mr. Jennings! Come on group, let’s
get to the plane.”

To her consternation, Stone had the seat next to hers.
Four hours, that’s how long it would take to fly from Texas to Seattle. Wholly
intending to ignore him, she pulled out her paperwork and began to go over the
itinerary.

Stone bumped his elbow against hers, then his firm leg
touched hers, making her tingle. He sat back, and turned his head, staring at
her. “A travel agent, that’s great. I remember you wanted to be an architect.”

“That was before I dropped out of college.”

Stone’s eyes opened wide. “You dropped out? You had
such goals. What happened?”

Damn, the curtness in her voice hadn’t dissuaded him
from continuing the conversation. Now she wasn’t sure if the lump in her throat
would disappear. Glancing out the window, she waited for her composure to
return. “I couldn’t concentrate. I went home for a year,
then
decided to go back and get my degree as a travel agent.” Turning toward him,
she gave him her best “it doesn’t matter” expression.

“I would have never believed it. All these years I
pictured you drawing buildings and here you are traveling.”

“Yes, well, things change.”

“You don’t have to tell me about change. I got
divorced two years ago. She left a little over four years ago and it’s been a
rough few years.” Stone paused and took her hand. “Did you ever marry?”

An arrow to her heart would have hurt less. There had
been no one else but him, and he didn’t seem to understand he ruined her life.
“Not everything goes as planned.”

Stone squeezed her hand. “Things usually turn out for
the best.”

She nodded and quickly glanced down at the ugly, blue
patterned carpet.

“I know you probably won’t believe this, but I’ve
thought of you often these last ten years. I’m sorry about the way things
ended.”

The sincerity in his voice stirred her. God help her,
but she still loved him. She shouldn’t love him, he’d been the one to hurt her,
but her heart cried out for him.

“Oh hell.
I
wasn’t the reason you quit school was I?” He reached up, as if to touch her,
but his hand fell to his side. “It’s a long story, but I never loved my wife.
She wasn’t the person I thought she was. If I could do it all over…”

“I can’t go there, Stone. I just can’t. I have a tour
to lead, and somehow I’m going to have to be spunky and enthusiastic.” Looking
down, she studied her small hand in his big, strong one before she tried to
pull away, but Stone intertwined their fingers.

“Maybe we can get to know each other again.”

Winter gazed into his eyes and found them full of both
regret and hope. “I can’t make any promises. You left my life in tatters. I’d
never known such pain and I don’t even know if I want to know you again.”

“I can see it in your eyes,
Winter
.
You care for me.”

If she didn’t take the chance, she would regret it the
rest of her life, but if he hurt her again, well, she couldn’t go through it.
“Let’s be friends first, and see how that goes.”

Stone lifted her hand to his masculine lips and kissed
it. “I have a feeling this is going to be a great cruise. Be prepared, I intend
to make you fall in love with me again.”

“
Do
what you want, but you’ll
be wasting your time.”

* * * *

The plane landed and the group all gathered their
luggage. A nice man named Beck helped an elderly couple, Oliver and Emma Stout,
gather theirs. When
Winter
thanked him, he gave her a
most dazzling smile. Tall, dark, handsome and nice, too bad he didn’t put a
twinkle in her eye.

As the head of the tour, she boarded the bus last as
it was her job to keep track of her group. Disappointment flooded her as she
instantly spotted Stone. He’d taken a seat next to Mimi, a cute, petite blonde.
So much for his declaration of making her fall in love with
him again.
Shaking her head, she hoped he didn’t plan to keep playing
games with her.

Mentally shaking herself, she sat in the seat behind
the driver. She was here to do a job, not to boost his ego. Fickle, that’s what
he was.

“What’s on the agenda next?” Beck sat next to her and
made himself comfortable.

“We check into the hotel, and you are on your own
until tomorrow morning when we get ready to board the ship.”

“Yes, do you have any suggestions what we should do
this afternoon?” Winter turned, recognizing the voice. Stone stared at her with
one eyebrow cocked.

The sight of him made her heart jump.
Damn!
She’d better get rid of any
lingering emotions she had for him. The phrase “thorn in her side” came to
mind. A part of her didn’t want to answer him. Who did he think he was, toying
with her? “There is plenty to do in Seattle. The Space Needle is very popular.”
She gave him a quick glare and then smiled at the rest of the group.

“What will you
be
doing?”
Stone’s voice was loud and soon everyone focused on her for an answer.

It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him to go to
hell but she couldn’t. “I’m going to The Museum of Music. It’s a place I have
always wanted to visit.”

“Stone, why don’t we go?” Mimi put her hand on his
arm.

“Yes, let’s go,” Beck agreed.

Winter met Stone’s gaze and he looked a bit put out.
Maybe he wasn’t as enamored with Mimi as she thought. He gave her a slow, sexy
grin, and shrugged his shoulder.

“Winter probably knows all the hot spots. I might not
let her out of my sight.” Stone winked at her.

She turned around and faced the front of the bus. Damn
him, he made her sizzle and she didn’t want to feel anything! Life was better
without disappointments and Stone was bound to be a huge disappointment.

She’d hoped to wander the museum at her own pace, but
it wouldn’t happen with the whole group along.

“So, what is at this museum?” Beck put his arm along
the back of their seat, making her uncomfortable.

“There is the most amazing piece of art created solely
by guitars. I heard it’s worth visiting.”

“What about the Space Needle? Isn’t it is a must see?”
Beck moved closer to her leaving her no room except squashed against the side
of the bus.

“It is, but I’m afraid of heights so I’m going to have
to skip it. Please, go if you want. I heard it’s spectacular.” Crossing her
fingers,
Winter
hoped she sold him on the Space Needle
so she could wander the museum alone.

The bus stopped in front of the big hotel and it was a
relief to finally be able to put distance between her and Beck. They headed
over to the lobby and everyone checked in. “Can I have your attention? You are
welcome to explore Seattle. We will meet here in the lobby at eight o’clock
tomorrow morning. Set your alarm clocks. No one wants to miss the Alaskan
cruise.”

At long last, she was alone in her room. She pulled on
a pair of jeans and a light sweater. She refused to think about Stone and his
power to destroy her, again. Hopefully, she’d be able to sneak out and have a
peaceful afternoon at the music museum.

* * * *

Looking at the tower of guitars,
Winter’s
eyes widened in amazement as she looked at the piece of art. There had to be
about a thousand guitars that made up the tower.
Guitars of
all shapes and colors.
It was definitely worth the trip. Beyond the
door, just right of the tower, was a darkened room called the Jimi Hendrix
room.
She entered it with anticipation. She owned all his
CDs.

In front of each display was a placard with his life
history. Leaning over to read about his early life, she sensed someone behind
her. The smell of Ivory soap and aftershave hit her, and she knew instantly it
was Stone. His scent hadn’t changed.

He bumped into her rear end and she jumped. Turning,
she found herself in Stone’s muscular arms. His gray eyes held hers and refused
to let go. Raw desire was evident, but she wasn’t sure what else she saw.

As he leaned down, her stomach flipped. His luscious
lips came closer and her heart beat faster.

Suddenly, a gaggle of girl scouts jostled them,
interrupting their kiss. She wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or not. She
couldn’t think when he was around. Taking advantage of the distraction,
Winter
scurried out of the Jimi Hendrix room, hustled past
the guitar tower, and went straight out the door. That was too close, another
second she would have kissed him. It was vital that she keep her guard up. But
God help her, she wanted that kiss.