This cowboy can handle the heat...

For cowboy and firefighter Jake Ramsay, Christmas at Thunder Mountain Ranch is all about family, food and celebration. Okay, and maybe a chance to run into his high school sweetheart, singer Amethyst Ferguson. Six months ago, they had a scorching-hot, wild reunion...and this cowboy can’t wait for another chance to play with fire.

Now their sexual attraction is an insatiable, five-alarm blaze that’s only grown more addictive. But Amethyst has career dreams that don’t include Jackson Hole, Wyoming, or a “relationship.” Whatever this is between them, however real it feels, it can never become anything more. Once Christmas is over, Amethyst must walk away...even if they both get burned.

“You have your fantasies and I have mine...”

“You’re even prettier than I remembered.” Jake swallowed. “We stripped down so fast and then didn’t put on clothes until morning.”

Amethyst slipped her arms around his neck. “I couldn’t get enough of you.”

“We couldn’t get enough of each other.” As he caressed her, he leaned down, his lips nearly making contact. “And this would be the moment when normally I’d kiss you and thrust my tongue deep into your inviting wet mouth. But I can’t.”

Desire poured like lava through her veins. “There are other places you can kiss me.”

“I know. That was my plan.” His voice was thick with anticipation. Then he dropped to his knees and braced his hands on either side of her shoulders. “I loved having you tell me what you like. Tell me again.”

His voice grew husky. “Hearing you say what you want gets me hot.”

Dear Reader,

Season’s greetings from Thunder Mountain Ranch! I see that the big tree is up in the living room and somebody’s stringing Christmas lights along the front porch. Hey, who’s that pulling into the drive in a big black truck? Must be Jake Ramsey! He’s taken a few days off from his firefighting job in Jackson Hole so he can spend the holidays with his foster parents.

You’ll enjoy meeting Jake, because a cowboy who’s also a firefighter has hero potential coming out his ears. Think about it. He chose a profession that involves charging into burning buildings to save people and animals. That takes courage and compassion, plus a lot of lovely muscles. Oh, and whenever he’s not in uniform, he wears jeans, boots and a Stetson. It’s no wonder Amethyst Ferguson wants some quality time with Jake while he’s in town!

Welcome to another sexy adventure in the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood series. If you’ve read the preceding books, you’ll be excited to get a glimpse of some of your favorite characters gathered around the Christmas tree. But if you’re new to the series, never fear! I’ll make sure you won’t be confused about who’s who and what’s what. It’ll be a memorable holiday at the ranch, and I can’t wait to share it with you!

Merry Christmas to all,

Cowboy Unwrapped

Vicki Lewis Thompson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

A passion for travel has taken New York Times bestselling author VICKI LEWIS THOMPSON to Europe, Great Britain, the Greek isles, Australia and New Zealand. She’s visited most of North America and has her eye on South America’s rain forests. Africa, India and China beckon. But her first love is her home state of Arizona, with its deserts, mountains, sunsets and—last but not least—cowboys! The wide-open spaces and heroes on horseback influence everything she writes. Connect with her at vickilewisthompson.com, Facebook.com/vickilewisthompson and Twitter.com/vickilthompson.

For Isabeau the cat, 1994–2016. What a serene, happy soul. You will be missed.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

1

WHEN JAKE RAMSEY pulled into the circular gravel drive in front of Thunder Mountain Ranch at sundown, he thought he’d stumbled onto the set of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. His foster brothers Cade Gallagher and Finn O’Roarke stood in the freezing cold struggling to untangle a string of Christmas lights while wearing thick gloves. Why they needed more lights was a mystery because the low-slung ranch house already looked as if Clark Griswold had been there.

Happy as Jake was to see those two cowboys after all this time away, his firefighter training took precedence over a sentimental reunion. He’d bet a month’s pay neither of them had bothered to check the UL ratings to see if the fuse box could take another strand of what looked like incandescent bulbs. Hadn’t they heard of LEDs? And was that an indoor extension cord connected to the net lights on a bush by the porch? Jesus.

He wondered if Damon Harrison had approved this setup. Damon, Cade and Finn had been the original three taken in by Rosie and Herb Padgett years ago when they’d decided to make the ranch a foster home for teenage boys. Cade had become a horse trainer who worked at the ranch, now a residential equine education center for older teens, called Thunder Mountain Academy. Finn had moved to Seattle and opened his own microbrewery. Those jobs didn’t qualify either of them to handle electrical installations.

But Damon and Philomena, who’d married this past summer, renovated houses here in Sheridan. Jake doubted they’d been involved in this fustercluck. It had Cade written all over it. The guy was great with horses but not so great with a toolbox.

Cade and Finn glanced up as he pulled up next to them in his F-250. They wouldn’t recognize the truck because he’d bought it since his last visit home in early March. Plus he hadn’t seen Finn in years. Finn and his fiancée Chelsea were spending Christmas at the ranch, which had added to Jake’s excitement about his first Christmas home since getting hired by the Jackson Hole Fire Department.

From the looks of things, they needed him here. Cade and Finn were fixing to burn down the house. He shut off the engine and climbed out, making sure his boots didn’t slip on the ice he knew would be under the thin layer of snow covering the driveway.

Then he buttoned his sheepskin coat against the wind and crammed his Stetson a little tighter on his head before walking around the front of the truck. He could see his breath. That was another stupid thing—putting up Christmas lights when the temperature was near zero.

“Hey, bozos,” he called out to Cade and Finn, who’d stopped what they were doing while they waited to see who’d driven up. “Why don’t you let someone who knows what he’s doing handle that job?”

“Jake?” Cade dropped his end of the lights into the snow and hurried toward him. “You got a new truck, man!”

“That I did.” He exchanged a hug with Cade.

“Jake Ramsey?” Finn tossed his end away and came over. “I haven’t seen your ugly mug since I left for Seattle! How the hell are you?”

Jake returned his hug. “I’m good, real good. Hated that I had to miss Damon’s wedding, but a couple of guys got sick and I couldn’t leave.”

“You would’ve loved it,” Cade said. “It rained like hell, the wind destroyed most of the decorations and we had to delay the ceremony until the storm passed. Then we had to stand in the mud while Damon and Phil said their vows. It was epic.”

“Sounds awesome. Wish I’d been there. Speaking of the happy couple, where are they?”

“Wimping out in Florida with the in-laws,” Finn said. “They’ll be back tomorrow, looking all tanned and smug while the rest of us are the color of grubworms.”

“Real Wyoming cowboys don’t go to Florida for a winter vacation.” Cade tucked his gloved hands into his armpits and stomped his feet in the snow. “They tough it out like manly men.”

“Damn straight,” Finn said. “But I’m thinking we should tough it out inside by the fire for a while and finish this project in the morning. We don’t want to keep poor Jake standing out here shivering. He needs to head in and see the folks.”

“I want to see them, too,” Jake said, “but I have a question before we go in. Did you guys put up all these lights?”

Cade grinned at him. “You’re impressed, right? You didn’t think we could do it without Damon around to help, but there’s the evidence.” Cade swept an arm to encompass the glittering front of the house. “Damon’s gonna shit a brick when he sees this.”

“That’s for sure.” Jake walked over and fingered the indoor extension cord. “I take it you ran out of outdoor cords.”

“Yeah, but those work fine.” Finn shrugged. “We bought a bunch of extra lights and forgot about getting more cords, but we found those in the barn. They’re a little worn but we wound electrical tape around the parts where wires were sticking out.”

Jake did his best to control himself. “How many of these are you using?”

“I don’t know,” Cade said. “Six, maybe seven. We’re almost done, but I agree with Finn. We can quit now and finish up tomorrow. We have time before Damon and Phil get back.”

“You know what?” Jake was proud of himself. He didn’t yell and he didn’t cuss, although he desperately wanted to do both. “Before I go in, let me take a quick run into town. With tomorrow being the last shopping day, the hardware store should be open. I’ll just pick up a few outdoor extension cords.”

“Ah, don’t bother.” Cade fished one end of the light strand out of the snow and began winding it around his arm. “Extra trouble, extra expense and for what?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Jake kept his tone casual. “Maybe to keep those frayed extension cords from setting the house on fire.”

Cade blinked. “We put electrical tape around them. That should do it.”

“Hey, he’s a firefighter.” Finn clapped Cade on the shoulder. “We should probably let him do his thing. I admit those cords are a little dicey.”

Jake shuddered to think what they looked like. They’d probably been moldering in the barn for years. No doubt varmints had chewed on them. “I’ve seen the result of using frayed cords,” he said. “I’d sleep better knowing I’ve replaced them. They’re not designed for outdoor use, anyway, although the UL rating label is probably gone by now.”

Finn exchanged a glance with Cade.

“Don’t worry,” Cade said in a low voice. “They’re fine.”

“What?” Jake didn’t like the sound of that. “What’s fine?”

Cade finished winding the strand around his arm. “Some of the lights were on sale. The labels said for indoor use only, but they were really reasonable so I thought if we put them on the porch—”

“Holy hell, Cade!” Jake finally lost it. “Are you telling me even the lights aren’t rated for outdoor use?”

“A few, but—”

“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. I’ll drive into town and pick up a whole bunch of outdoor extension cords and more lights with the proper rating. In the morning I’ll help you and Finn replace those extension cords and indoor lights. In the meantime, I want you to turn off everything.”

Cade looked as if he wanted to argue.

“I know you think I’m an anal safety nut, but last week I hauled a single mom and her two little kids out of a house fire caused by frayed extension cords.”

Finn sighed. “I hate to say it, but he’s right, bro.” He dug in his pocket. “Let me donate some cash toward that purchase, Jake.”

“Nah, my treat.” Jake waved off the money. “I didn’t know what to give the folks for Christmas so I was going to buy something after I got here. I’ll just make this my gift.”

Cade nodded. “Okay, I bow to your superior knowledge regarding decorative lighting. But can I make a small request?”

“Sure.”

“Could you not mention any of this to Damon and Phil? The folks will have to know since this’ll be your Christmas present, but Damon would never let me hear the end of it.”

“I’ll be silent as the tomb.”

“Good. Oh, and that goes for Lexi, too. She’s attending an indoor riding clinic and won’t be back in town until tomorrow, either. My goal was to surprise all three of them with an awesome display.”

“We’ll do that, I promise.” Jake knew how much Cade wanted to please Lexi, the love of his life. “It’ll look just as fantastic as it does now, only it’ll be safe.”

Cade’s gusty exhale created a cloud of vapor. “Thanks.” He glanced back at the house. “I’m guessing nobody heard you drive up since they didn’t come out, so you can probably just go and they won’t be the wiser.”

“Perfect. I’ll make this quick.”

“Dinner’s at six-thirty,” Finn said. “Tuna casserole.”

“Hot damn. I’ll be back in time.” He left them, rounded the truck and climbed in behind the wheel, but he didn’t pull away until the Christmas lights had winked out. Only then did the muscles in his neck and shoulders relax. Disaster averted.

The road into Sheridan had been recently plowed so he made good time, accompanied by the sultry voice of Amethyst Ferguson on his truck stereo. In his opinion she sounded way better than Katy Perry or Taylor Swift, but then again, he could be prejudiced. And he still hadn’t decided what to do about her. Initially he’d planned to send her a text saying he’d be in town for a few days, but then he’d reconsidered.

He’d be busy with his foster family and she’d probably be busy with her folks, too, assuming she wasn’t performing somewhere. If she happened to be out of town that would settle his dilemma, but he couldn’t find that out without contacting her. He’d hate knowing she was here only to discover that family obligations would prevent them from having any private time.

And that’s what he was hoping for. Last summer she’d had a gig at a resort in Jackson Hole and he’d caught her final show. Because he hadn’t seen her since their PG-rated dates in high school, he’d invited her for drinks afterward. Sure enough, they’d reignited the spark and had spent the rest of the night in her hotel room.

The sex had been super hot, but they’d agreed that her budding career, his demanding schedule and the miles between Sheridan and Jackson Hole would keep them from meeting on a regular basis. They’d made no definite plans. If she had another gig in Jackson Hole she’d let him know, and if he paid a visit to his foster parents he’d give her a shout.

But this was a special holiday, not some random long weekend. He hadn’t spent Christmas at the Last Chance in years due to his rookie status at the fire station. Finally he could look forward to celebrating with his foster parents and any foster brothers who showed up.

That could turn into a crowd. Because of the holidays, the Thunder Mountain Academy students had cleared out of the log cabins down in the meadow. Finn and Chelsea had likely claimed one and Jake had figured on taking another one but that left two more plus guest rooms in the ranch house.

Although his foster mom used to make a big pot of vegetable soup on Christmas Eve, she’d told him on the phone that she’d decided to have a buffet this year. But the tradition of opening presents after the meal would continue as always. Christmas Day was filled with card games, basketball on TV, snowball fights in the yard and a turkey dinner. He didn’t want to miss any of that.

On the other hand, he’d thought about Amethyst fairly often during these past few months. He’d downloaded all of her music and played it quite a bit. The prospect of seeing her again affected his pulse rate. Imagining another night like they’d spent last summer sent all his blood south.

Yeah, he had a little fixation going on when it came to Amethyst Ferguson, whereas she might have put him right out of her mind. Besides, she’d mentioned sharing a house with her sister and he’d be at the ranch with a whole lot of people around. The cabins were set up with bunk beds, so even if he invited Amethyst to spend the night with him, it wouldn’t be the luxurious and intimate setup they’d had in Jackson Hole.

He should probably forget trying to connect with her and concentrate on enjoying his first Christmas home in years. While Jackson looked great for the holidays, Sheridan had its own small-town charm. He’d always loved how the old-fashioned lampposts looked when they were decorated. As he’d predicted, the hardware store was still open. The extension cords should be in stock but he wondered if the lights would be picked over. If so, they’d just make do with fewer lights.

He found a parking spot and pulled in. Last-minute shoppers with colorful Christmas bags hurried along the sidewalk. He was glad for an excuse to come into town and be part of the bustling scene. Thanks to his foster parents and his years at Thunder Mountain, he’d learned to love the season.

Displays of gift ideas dominated the front of the store and he paused to look at a selection of smoke alarms. Last time he’d visited the ranch he’d worried that the ones in the house weren’t top of the line. If he bought these for the folks, then he wouldn’t have to announce that the extension cords were his gift and Cade could save face. Matter of fact, he could buy smoke alarms for everyone on his list. An extra one was always helpful and then he wouldn’t have to come back into town tomorrow to Christmas shop.

“Typical fireman, mesmerized by the beauty of smoke alarms.”

He turned around and there stood Amethyst with a smile on her face and a sparkle of laughter in her blue eyes. She wore a red knit cap pulled over her dark hair and a red coat with a furry collar. His heart kicked into high gear and he couldn’t think of a single thing to say.

“Thought you could sneak into town, did you?” There was a teasing note in her voice.

He remembered how she liked to tease, especially in bed. “No! I was going to contact you, but then I thought about your family and how you probably wouldn’t have time, so—”

“I understand.” Her gaze gentled. “I was kidding you. It’s not like we had an ironclad agreement. Christmas is busy.”

“But I’d love to spend time with you.” He couldn’t help saying it. She looked more beautiful than ever and he had vivid memories of how she felt in his arms. He wanted her there again.

“I’d love to spend time with you, too.” The flicker of awareness in her eyes sent an unmistakable message.

It went straight to his groin. “But I don’t know when. Tonight’s out. I just got here.”

“I couldn’t anyway. Family dinner.”

“And tomorrow night’s Christmas Eve. That’s a big deal at the ranch. Maybe you’d like to come out there?”

“That’s a possibility. Our big celebration is on Christmas Day. But I’d need to check with my folks and see what’s planned. You know how it is.”

“Absolutely. That’s why I didn’t contact you. I knew it could be dicey.”

“True, but there has to be some free time.” She brightened. “Maybe tomorrow during the day?”

He was encouraged by her eagerness to see him. “I have some stuff to do with the guys in the morning, but how about tomorrow afternoon? If you’d be willing to drive out to the ranch in the early afternoon, we could—” He thought fast. “Go for a sleigh ride. How about that?”

“Sounds like fun! What time?”

“Let’s say around two. That’ll give me time to get the sleigh hitched up.” And find one somewhere. Thunder Mountain didn’t have one, but surely someone in the area would. A sleigh ride down the snowy Forest Service road sounded like a terrific holiday idea—lots of blankets and maybe some privacy.

“Great. I’ll be there. Listen, I have to go. I saw you walk in here and followed you so I could say hi, but my sister’s coming into town tonight and—”

“Coming into town? I thought she was living with you.”

“Not anymore. I have another woman sharing the house.”

“Oh.” That didn’t help.

“But she’s gone for the holidays.”

That perked him up fast. “Is that right?”

Amethyst laughed. “You should see your face.”

“Sorry. It’s just that—”

“I know.” Merriment danced in her blue eyes. “We’ll talk tomorrow. Maybe we can work something out.” Grabbing his arm for balance, she stood on tiptoe and pressed a quick kiss to his mouth. “See you then.” She turned and left the store.

He wasn’t sure how long he stood there gazing after her while his fevered brain processed her brief but potent kiss and the information about her absent roommate. Okay, so she had to be with her family during the bulk of the holiday, but at some point she’d go home to bed. He’d be with his peeps at Thunder Mountain, but once everyone was sleeping, it wouldn’t matter whether he was there or not.

“Sir, can I help you with something?”

He snapped out of his daze and turned toward the hardware store clerk. “Yes, you sure can. For starters I’ll take...let me see...seven of these smoke alarms and if you have holiday bags to put them in that would be great.” Now that he’d be seeing Amethyst he might as well get her one.

The clerk stacked them into the crook of his arm. “I’ll take these up to the counter. Our store bags have a little holly on them.”

“That’ll do. I also need several outdoor extension cords and whatever LED Christmas lights you have left.”

“We moved all the cords and lights to the Christmas decoration section against the far wall.”

“Thanks.”

“Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“Do you know anyone with a sleigh for rent?”

“You mean like a business that provides sleigh rides? I think one of the guest ranches is offering—”

“No, not the whole ride. I have access to a horse. I just need the sleigh.”

“Then I’m afraid I don’t know anybody. Sorry.”

“No problem. Just thought I’d ask.” He wasn’t worried. Somebody would have a sleigh he could use. Amethyst was in town and eager to spend time with him. Christmas had just become a whole lot more festive.

2

AMETHYST DROVE TO her parents’ house singing at the top of her lungs. She couldn’t wait to tell Sapphire that Jake Ramsey was in town. Her sister was the only person on the planet besides Jake who knew about that hot night in Jackson Hole. Talking about it, when it might never happen again, seemed like a mistake. Sapphire had promised to keep it to herself.

Ah, but Amethyst had so hoped it would happen again. She had a gig in Jackson Hole for New Year’s Eve and she’d planned to contact him. She’d decided to wait until the last minute, though, in case he was off duty and had a date for New Year’s. What they’d shared didn’t fit in the category of dating and that made it twenty times more exciting.

But she’d been aware that he could meet someone in Jackson Hole who didn’t have big dreams of a recording contract and was willing to work around his shifts at the fire station. Amethyst didn’t want to stand in the way of him getting his happily-ever-after even though she wasn’t in the market.

He hadn’t found anyone, though, or he wouldn’t have asked her to come out to the ranch for a sleigh ride. The boy she’d known in high school and the man she’d enjoyed one scorching night with wasn’t a cheater. Far from it. With his sun-bleached hair, green eyes and firefighter physique he was the all-American good guy.

She was a little surprised that some woman in Jackson Hole hadn’t snapped him up, but since no one had, she hoped to make use of whatever stolen moments were available while he was here. A sleigh ride into a snowy landscape dotted with pine trees and devoid of people was a good start.

Grady Magee’s truck in her parents’ driveway told her that he and Sapphire had arrived from Cody. Amethyst was thrilled for her sister, a talented ceramic artist who’d vowed never to become involved with a creative guy again after several debacles. But Grady, whose recycled metal sculptures had taken the art world by storm, had changed her mind.

Coincidentally, Grady and his older brother Liam had also lived at Thunder Mountain for a couple of years while their mom had recovered from a debilitating car accident. Grady had been at the ranch when Jake had lived there, so as she parked behind Grady’s truck she decided to immediately mention seeing Jake instead of waiting for a private chat with Sapphire. Come to think of it, Grady and Sapphire might be going to Thunder Mountain for Christmas Eve. Maybe she could tag along.

Dinner with five imaginative people at the table was lively. Clearly, Amethyst’s mom, Sheridan High School’s art teacher, and her dad, who’d had his own jazz band for years, had welcomed Grady into the fold. Amethyst could see why.

Unlike the other artists Sapphire had dated, he obviously fed her creativity instead of stifling it. Tonight she was 100 percent herself. Her clothes were vibrantly colored and a hand-carved comb held back her auburn hair to show off beaded earrings that dangled to her shoulders. Best of all, every time she looked at Grady her face glowed, so moving to Cody and working in Grady’s renovated barn must agree with her.

Conversation flowed so fast that Amethyst didn’t have a chance to mention Jake until they were having dessert, chocolate lava cake that was a family favorite.

Grady heaped praise on the dessert. “I could live on this.”

“Me, too.” Amethyst scooped up another spoonful of cake and syrup. “Before I fall into a sugar-induced coma, though, I wanted to tell you that I met Jake Ramsey in town just before I drove here.”

Sapphire’s eyes widened. “Oh, really?”

“Yep.” Amethyst sent her a warning glance. “We bumped into each other in the hardware store.”

“Jake’s home for Christmas?” Grady’s happy smile was one of his many endearing traits. “I didn’t know he was coming back. That’s terrific.”

“I remember Jake from when you dated him,” her mother said. “Nice boy, although he always seemed a little quiet for you.”

“He was sort of shy back then. Not as much now.” She didn’t dare look at Sapphire, who had barely managed to cover a snort of laughter with a cough.

“I haven’t seen him in forever,” Grady said. “By the time I came back from working that pipeline job in Alaska he’d hired on with the fire department over in Jackson Hole. Did he say if he was still at that job?”

“I believe he is.”

“I’ll bet firefighting’s a good fit for him. We used to tease him about his overdeveloped sense of responsibility. He didn’t pull pranks like the rest of us. Anyway, it’ll be great to see him. Always liked the guy.”

Amethyst could feel her mother’s assessing gaze. No doubt she was remembering the gig in Jackson Hole and wondering if there was more to the story than met the eye, especially after Sapphire’s “Oh, really?” comment. Jane Ferguson was no fool and when it came to her daughters she seemed to know when a romance was in the making.

But this time her radar was off because there was no romance. Lust, definitely. But romance suggested a soft-focus ending to the story and Amethyst had no interest in that. She was hoping that a talent scout or someone with connections in the music industry would show up at one of her gigs. With luck, that could lead to a recording contract and a move to LA. Marriage and a family didn’t fit in with that dream.

After the meal Sapphire offered to clean up the kitchen and recruited Amethyst to help for old times’ sake. The minute they were alone she lowered her voice. “So? Did you know about this visit?”

“I didn’t, and when I saw him in town I thought that meant he wasn’t interested anymore. But you know how I am—can’t just let something go. So I followed him into the store to find out for sure if he was deliberately ignoring me.”

“And?”

“He’s still interested.” As she remembered the gleam in his eyes when he’d learned her roommate was gone, she couldn’t hold back a grin.

“Then why didn’t he contact you?”

“It’s Christmas. He has family stuff. I have family stuff.”

Sapphire nodded. “Makes sense. But surely you can work something out.” She peered at her. “You want to, right?”

“You bet I do. You should have seen him standing there looking all rugged in his sheepskin coat and Stetson. Those green eyes are killer. I was ready to attack him on the spot.”

“So what’s the plan?”

“For starters he invited me out to the ranch for a sleigh ride tomorrow afternoon.”

“You mean a sleigh ride or a sleigh ride?” Sapphire wiggled her fingers to make air quotes.

“That’s tough to say with so many people around. Besides, it doesn’t matter. I let it drop that Arlene is out of town for the holidays.”

“She is?” Sapphire clapped her hand over her mouth and glanced at the kitchen doorway. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I think Mom already knows something’s going on.”

“Probably. It’s my fault. I didn’t expect you to suddenly announce that your red-hot lover boy was in town.”

“I wasn’t going to. Then I remembered that he and Grady lived at Thunder Mountain at the same time, so I felt obligated to mention it.”

“Absolutely. Grady’s always thrilled when he gets a chance to connect with some of his foster brothers. Anyway, that’s fabulous news about Arlene being gone.”

“She’s a good roommate. Not as good as you, but we get along and she pays her share of the rent on time.”

“I worried that she’d talk you to death. When I worked with her at the Art Barn co-op she was quite the chatterbox. Sweet, but extremely verbal.”

Amethyst smiled. “She is, but I love her work and she’s given me a gorgeous watercolor of the Bighorns that I put in my bedroom. Whenever she carries on too long, I suddenly have to record another track for my next album and I scoot upstairs to my studio. Like I said, we get along.”

“I’m glad. And she had the good sense to be out of town at a critical moment in your personal life.”

“No kidding. Anyway, I need to go home tonight and put clean sheets on the bed and spruce up the place a little.”

“Like he’ll care. Hey, listen, I know hanging out in a crowd with your studmuffin isn’t optimal, but Grady and I are going over to Thunder Mountain tomorrow night for their Christmas Eve celebration if you want to come along. We could—oh, wait, I just remembered something. There’s a cat. His name’s Ringo. I’ll bet Jake’s forgotten about your allergies.”

“Is Ringo indoor or outdoor?”

“Both. He has a bed in the kitchen. I don’t think he gets on the furniture in the house, but still, you don’t want to go out there and start sneezing your head off.”

“Thanks for the warning. I’ll pick up some over-the-counter meds at the drugstore in the morning.” She was headed there anyway. If Jake would be spending some late-night quality time at her house, she would be prepared with condoms. “It’s one day and one evening with minimal exposure and I don’t want to miss out on the fun. I’d love to go, but what about Mom and Dad? I hate to leave them in the lurch.”

“They were invited, too, but they think Herb and Rosie deserve to have Grady and me all to themselves. Mom and Dad claimed us for Christmas Day so it seemed fair to them if we went to the ranch tomorrow night. If you come with us, then they can do their lovebird thing.”

“It’s cute, isn’t it? After all these years they’re still nuts about each other.”

“Mom pointed that out when I told her I couldn’t be with Grady because he was an artist.” Sapphire mimicked their mother’s voice. “‘Your father and I are both artists and we’ve managed to stumble through twenty-nine years without killing each other.’”

“And so will you and Grady.” Amethyst gave her a hug. “You two have something special. The ring he gave you is gorgeous.”

“I’m rather fond of it, myself.” Sapphire held her hand out in front of her to admire it. “We’ve tried to set a date but we’re both so busy we haven’t figured out when.”

“Whenever it is, I’ll be there, and I want to sing.”

“I would love for you to sing but you’ll be the maid of honor. Can you do both things? I’ve never seen that done but if anyone can pull it off you can.”

“I’ve never seen it done, either, but I’ll be happy to set a precedent as the first singing maid of honor. I might even sing as I walk down the aisle.” She looked at Sapphire. “What do you think?”

“I think it’s a fabulous idea. In fact, when you get married, you should be the singing bride. You could sing your vows and turn the whole thing into a musical. Just make sure the groom can sing, too, or it’ll be weird.”

“Yeah, because having both the bride and groom sing their vows wouldn’t be the least bit weird.”

Sapphire laughed. “You should do it.”

“I definitely would if I planned to get married. But I don’t.”

“Ever?”

“Probably not. I’ve watched how it goes with the big names and I’m hoping to be up there with them someday. It’s not easy to maintain a high-profile career and a solid marriage.”

Sapphire gazed at her as if evaluating the truth of that statement. Finally she nodded. “I guess you’re right. You’re smart to think that through, because you’re going to make it big.”

“That’s my goal.” She crossed her fingers. “But there are no guarantees, either. Even if I get a contract it could be a bumpy ride. It wouldn’t be fair to drag some unsuspecting guy along.”

“Nope. But I see why you’re so excited about hanging out with Jake since he’s not looking to settle down, either. You might as well soak up all that yumminess while he’s in town.”

“My thoughts, exactly.”

* * *

SIX PEOPLE GATHERED around the kitchen table at the ranch house that night and, fortunately, Rosie, the woman he’d called Mom ever since she’d asked him to the first day, had made plenty of tuna casserole. Jake was on his third helping. Cade had mentioned that several times.

“Leave him alone.” Chelsea came to his defense. “He’s a growing boy.”

“Thanks, Chelsea.” Jake hadn’t met her until tonight but she was easy to get to know. Her multicolored hair and funky clothes made him smile and he could tell she liked him, too. She worked in marketing and Finn gave her full credit for making his microbrewery a success and for mellowing out his workaholic tendencies. The two of them seemed to have a good thing going.

“He’s definitely grown since I last saw him,” Finn said. “You put on any more muscle and you’ll rip the seams of that shirt, bro. I advise cutting back on the workouts or you’ll be shelling out for a new wardrobe.”

Cade grinned. “Hey, Finn, you’re just jealous because Jake and I are manly men with jobs that increase the diameter of our biceps, while you only have to expend enough energy to put a head on a mug of beer.”

“Are you saying I’m out of shape?” Finn propped his elbow on the table and lifted his hand in a challenge. “Arm-wrestle this, pony boy.”

Cade left his chair. “My pleasure, suds stud.”

“Suds stud?” Chelsea snorted. “I need to remember that one.”

Jake wondered if they’d actually arm-wrestle. He wouldn’t mind seeing that because he suspected Finn could take Cade. Finn had an air of steely determination, almost an edgy quality, whereas Cade was more easygoing.

“No arm wrestling at the dinner table.” Rosie gave them a warning glance. “You know the rules.”

“Yeah,” Jake said. “Some of us are still eating, here.”

“Oh, sorry.” Cade sat again. “Wouldn’t want to get in the way of that.”

Jake smiled before he took another bite. Now that his hunger was mostly satisfied he could savor the taste. “I need to make this at the firehouse. I keep meaning to get the recipe from you.” He glanced at Rosie. Short and blonde, with a little extra padding here and there, she was the most beautiful woman he knew. And talk about steely determination. She had it in spades.

“She doesn’t use a recipe anymore, son.” Herb, the person Jake considered his dad for all intents and purposes, was a wiry guy who could do the work of men half his age.

“Herb’s right,” she said. “I could make tuna casserole in my sleep. Probably have a time or two. But I’ll try to come up with some directions for you. It would be a great firehouse meal. I hadn’t thought of that.”

“Most of the stuff you made for us would go over great at the firehouse. We look for good food that’s not too expensive.”

“Which is especially important if they all eat as much as you,” Cade said.

“Some eat more.” It wasn’t true but he’d said it to get a reaction out of Cade.

“They do?”

“Oh, yeah. Once a week a semi backs up to the firehouse to unload our groceries. We make our salad in a wheelbarrow and our spaghetti sauce in a sterilized oil drum. In order to cook the pasta we build a fire under an antique bathtub.”

Cade stared at him. “That’s amazing.”

Jake kept a straight face as long as he could but finally burst out laughing, which set off everybody else.

Cade blew out a breath. “Well, it could be true. After watching Jake put away food I was willing to believe it.”

“I’ve always loved seeing my boys eat.” Rosie beamed at them. “Who’s ready for German chocolate cake?”

Jake left his chair and went over to kiss her cheek. “You made my favorite.”

“Of course I did. You haven’t been home for Christmas in years. We need to celebrate.”

Everybody else seemed happy with the prospect of cake, too, but Jake was touched that she’d remembered how much he loved it. He’d never known his own mother but whenever he imagined what she might have been like, he pictured Rosie. A guy couldn’t do any better than having a mom like her.

He helped her dish it and, as they were passing out plates, Herb looked over at Cade. “How come the Christmas lights are out? They were on at dusk but I noticed they’re out now. Do we need to check the connections?”

“Nah, the connections are fine.” Cade flicked a glance at Jake. “We decided to make a few changes in the morning and since no one will be driving up tonight, Finn and I wanted to save the electricity for now. Everything will be operational for Christmas Eve.”

“Okay.” Herb seemed unconcerned. “I leave that to you boys. I’m sure it’ll look great.”

“It will.” Cade tucked into his cake.

Jake was glad he’d bought the smoke alarms as gifts and the cords and lights could be slipped into the mix without making a big deal of it. But he had more than Christmas lights on his mind. Before they’d all finished their dessert, he brought up the subject that had been nagging him since making the plan with Amethyst. “I’m looking for a sleigh to rent or borrow. Do any of you know of one?”

Cade paused, his fork halfway to his mouth. “What, now you’re Santa Claus? Although if you keep eating like that you’ll eventually fit the part.”

“I invited a woman for a sleigh ride tomorrow afternoon.”

Silence descended on the table as all attention swiveled in his direction.

He hadn’t worked through this very well. He’d blame the shock of seeing Amethyst in the hardware store, but now he realized that he couldn’t ask for a sleigh without offering more of an explanation.

He cleared his throat. “I made a quick run into town before dinner so I could pick up a few...things.”

“It’s Christmas.” Rosie waved a hand as if to relieve him of giving the details. “We all have secrets. But who’s the woman?”

“I ran into her when I was in town. Amethyst Ferguson.”

Rosie’s gaze sharpened. “You dated her in high school.”

“For a while.”

“You know she’s a professional singer now.”

“Yes, I know. Now, about this sleigh, I remember we used to hitch Navarre up to a wagon.”

“And a couple of times to a toboggan.” Finn exchanged a grin with Cade.

Jake ignored him. “I thought he could probably pull a sleigh.”

“He could,” Herb said, “but there’s the slight problem of not having a sleigh for him to pull.”

Cade put down his fork. “You know, that takes cojones, bro, inviting a woman on a sleigh ride when you’re not in possession of one. I’m impressed.”

“Do you know of anybody who has one?”

“Nope, can’t say as I do, but I’m still impressed.”

Jake figured there was no point in asking Finn and Chelsea. They didn’t live here anymore. In desperation, he turned to Rosie. “Mom, do you know of anyone around here who has a sleigh?”

“Not at the moment, but if you need a sleigh, I’ll find you one.”

3

LUCK BLESSED JAKE with a clear sky the next morning. If a snowstorm had blown in, which was always possible in December, reconfiguring the lights would have been impossible. As it was the task wasn’t simple, especially wearing gloves. Cade and Finn had woven a complex tapestry of dangerous cords and substandard lights.

Cade had apologized for his screw-up and had tried to take the blame, but Finn had insisted on sharing it. He, Cade and Damon were the triumvirate who’d called themselves the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood in the early days of the foster program. Their loyalty to each other ran deep.

Jake respected that. He’d arrived at the ranch later and, although every guy was now considered part of the brotherhood, the bond wasn’t the same as the one shared by the first three. When those boys had come to the ranch there had been no tradition, no sense of belonging to something greater. They’d had to create that for themselves.

His buddies at the fire department had a unique connection because they faced life-and-death situations every day, but again, it wasn’t the same. Firefighters could choose to quit and sever that connection. The kids who’d been brought to the ranch after the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood had been established could thank Cade, Finn and Damon for creating a positive and lasting identity for all of them. Once a Thunder Mountain brother, always a Thunder Mountain brother.

They’d nearly finished reconfiguring the lights when Rosie walked out onto the porch. She’d pulled a knit cap down over her ears and held her coat closed instead of zipping it, which meant she was making a brief visit. “I think you boys can quit, now. It’s not as if the Pope is coming for a visit.”

Jake had to laugh. She still called them boys, probably always would.

“But Lexi will be here.” Cade arranged the net lights more evenly on a bush. “That’s enough motivation for me.”

“I’m sure she’ll be very impressed. That’s more lights than we’ve ever had on this house. But you need to finish up. I’ve found Jake a sleigh.”

Jake glanced up, a three-pronged plug dangling from his gloved hand. “That’s awesome! Where is it?”

“The Emersons have one, but it’s too wide to fit in the back of a pickup. Their ranch isn’t that far as the crow flies, so it makes more sense to ride over and get it, anyway. It may not be in the best of shape, so I suggest you take Cade or Finn with you.”

“We’ll all go,” Cade said. “It’ll be fun.”

Jake gazed at her. “What do you mean, not in the best of shape?”

“It hasn’t been used in years. They offered to sell it to me for fifty bucks, so I said fine. I’ve always wanted a sleigh.”

“Um, if it’s only fifty bucks it could be falling apart.” Jake didn’t want to sound ungrateful but he also didn’t plan to take Amethyst out in a sleigh that could collapse any minute.

“I asked them and they said it’s functional.”

“But if they haven’t used it in years, how do they know?”

“That’s an excellent point.” She shivered and stomped her feet. “But I called everyone I could think of and this is the only one I found. If you’d rather not take a chance on it, I’ll call them back and say never mind.”

“Don’t do that,” Cade said. “We’ll make it work. I’ve always wanted a sleigh, too.”

“Then you’d better finish the lights and get over there. At the very least it’ll need to be cleaned up and Amethyst will be here before you know it.”

Jake glanced at the angle of the sun. “You’re right. Thanks, Mom.”

“You’re welcome. If the sleigh doesn’t work there’s a toboggan in the barn. I seem to remember some people hitching a horse to that once upon a time.” She winked and went back into the house.

“Nix on the toboggan idea,” Cade said. “You can’t make out with a woman on a toboggan.”

Finn brushed snow off his gloves. “Might be a safer bet than a fifty-buck sleigh.”

“That’s what I’m thinking.” Jake blew out a breath. “It’s liable to be a piece of junk.”

“Maybe not.” Cade came over and clapped him on the shoulder. “Think positive, bro. Maybe it’s a gem that’s taking up space they want for something else.”

“Or maybe the wood’s rotted out and the mice have made a nest in the upholstery.”

“One way to find out. I have a feeling we can rehabilitate this sleigh.” Cade glanced up at the Christmas lights strung everywhere. “Are we done here?”

“You tell me. You’re the one trying to impress your ladylove.”

Cade nodded. “I think it’ll do. If you two put the ladders away I’ll start saddling the horses. I’m betting you’re both out of practice.”

“I can saddle a horse just fine,” Jake said. “How about you, O’Roarke?”

“Never lost my touch. But if Gallagher wants to show off his horse whisperer technique, that’s fine with me. Saves me the effort.”

“Then I’ll get started on that.” Cade adjusted the fit of his Stetson and headed down to the barn, his boots crunching through the snow.

Finn collapsed one of the extension ladders with a loud clang before turning to Jake. “You know why he’s putting so much emphasis on the decorations this year, right?”

“Haven’t a clue other than he wants Lexi to think he’s a holiday illumination genius.”

“It’s more than that. Christmas would be the perfect time for Lexi to propose and the more magical the setting, at least in Cade’s mind, the more likely she’ll pop the question.”

“I see. Makes some kind of crazy sense.” Jake was well aware of the interesting dynamic between those two. Cade had asked Lexi to marry him a year and a half ago and she’d gently turned him down. So Cade had put her in charge of proposing. “I hope she does it.” He collapsed the other ladder and picked it up. “I’ve never seen a guy so eager to get married.”

“I don’t know about that. I’m pretty damned excited about marrying Chelsea. Can’t wait for April.” He picked up his ladder and they both started toward the barn.

“You don’t mind the monkey suit and all the fuss?”

“Not really. Chelsea’s family is pretty casual, so it won’t be stuffy and formal.” He looked over at Jake. “Any chance you can come?”

“You know I’d love to. I have to figure out the finances and then see if I can wrangle time off.”

“I understand. I don’t expect a lot of the guys will make it up to Seattle, but I’m hoping some do.”

“At least now I’ve met Chelsea. She’s terrific.”

Finn laughed. “You don’t have to tell me. Like I said, can’t wait for April.”

Jake pondered his two brothers and their anticipated marriages as he and Finn put away the ladders and helped Cade finish saddling up the horses. Both guys clearly wanted that kind of permanence. Jake had no such long-range plans.

He was eager for some private time with Amethyst, but he wasn’t thinking beyond that. She was perfect for this stage of his life. Before their hot night in Jackson Hole, he’d dated a few women who had been nice but needy.

His job asked a lot of him. He loved the sense of accomplishment it gave him, but he didn’t want to be emotionally responsible for someone on top of the demands at work. With Amethyst he didn’t have to worry about that. She was focused on her career and didn’t need anyone to take care of her.

That included her approach to sex. She asked for what she wanted more frankly than anyone he’d been with. He loved that about her. This sleigh deal might or might not work out, but tonight after the festivities, he’d—

“Hey, Fireman Jake, you gonna get on that horse or not?”

Cade’s voice cut into his libido-driven thoughts. Damn. Caught daydreaming about Amethyst for the second time in two days. He glanced up at Cade, who was mounted on Hematite, the black horse he’d trailered to the ranch summer before last. Finn was already up on Isabeau, Rosie’s mare.

Jake, however, stood beside Navarre, Herb’s gelding, while staring into space like an idiot. “Yep. Sorry. Just thinking about something.” He swung into the saddle.

“More likely someone.” Cade chuckled as he led the way to the Forest Service road. From there they’d cut across snow-covered open range to the Emerson place. “From what I remember about Amethyst Ferguson, I don’t blame you. I wasn’t at the high school Christmas concert where she sang ‘Santa Baby’ but I heard about it.”

Finn laughed. “Didn’t we all. Were you there, Jake?”

“I was.” The road was deserted so they were able to ride three abreast with Cade in the middle. It felt great to be back on a horse again, especially with two of his brothers along. “We’d stopped dating two weeks before that concert. Bad decision on my part.”

“You broke it off?” Cade glanced at him in disbelief. “I gave you credit for more brains than that.”

“Nope. I was young and stupid. I thought she’d looked at another guy in a provocative way. She denied it, but I had that idea stuck in my head and refused to let the whole thing slide. The truth is, she was too hot for me back then.”

“But not now, apparently,” Finn said.

“No.” Jake smiled. “Not now.”

Once they hit open country, they picked up the pace a little, but not much since obstacles could be hidden under the snow and the air was still pretty damned cold. Jake wouldn’t want to race through this landscape and create a wind chill effect, but a trot was invigorating. He’d picked up a second job at a stable in Jackson Hole because they were willing to work around his shifts, but he wasn’t there to ride. Mostly he mucked out stalls and groomed the horses.

As they approached the Emerson ranch, he could see the sleigh sitting out in front of the barn. From here it didn’t look too bad. The red paint job had faded and the runners were dull and rusted in spots, but the sleigh might be salvageable.

He glanced at Cade. “What’s that luggage rack thing hanging off the back?”

“I guess that’s where you put your picnic basket. If you’re going for a sleigh ride you might take along hot cocoa, some cookies, maybe.”

“I would do that,” Finn said. “Sounds cozy.”

Jake didn’t think the rack looked sturdy enough to hold anything. “So what do you think of the sleigh itself?”

“A new coat of paint and some rust remover and it’ll be a beauty,” Cade said.

“I wouldn’t know,” Finn said. “Sleighs are not my area of expertise.”

“Not mine, either,” Cade said, “but—”

“Hold it.” Jake brought Navarre to a halt. “I thought you knew something about sleighs.”

Cade shrugged. “What’s to know? It’s a wagon on skis.”

“Yeah, well, that would be the critical difference, wouldn’t it? What if those runners are all messed up? What if they somehow malfunction and throw Amethyst into a ditch where she breaks something important like her neck?”

“Settle down, Fireman Jake. I would hope you’re not planning to charge down the Forest Service road like you’re running the Iditarod.”

“Well, no, but—”

“Then we don’t have a problem. All you need is a sleigh that will take you at a sedate pace from the ranch to the Forest Service road and from there to a little side lane where you can drink hot cocoa and make out. Am I right?”

Jake sighed. “Yeah.”

“Then no worries. That fifty-buck sleigh will fulfill that mission. Let’s find Emerson and close the deal.”

Twenty minutes later Jake sat on the hard bench seat with the reins in his hands and Navarre hitched to the sleigh. He suspected there was no upholstery because the mice had actually made a nest in it and Emerson had ripped it out before they arrived. The red paint on the seat hadn’t faded at all.

The rest was more pink than red. The sleigh looked a lot shabbier up close and he heartily wished he’d suggested a different entertainment to Amethyst, but it was too late, now. Cade had paid the rancher fifty dollars and the sleigh now belonged to Thunder Mountain.

Cade lifted his hand like the leader of a wagon train. “Move ’em out!”

“Oh, for God’s sake.” But Jake slapped the reins against Navarre’s rump and the sleigh went forward, creaking in protest. “Hey, wagon master, this thing is wobbling.”

“Of course it’s wobbling.” Cade seemed unconcerned. “It hasn’t had an outing in ten years.”

“Ten?” Jake bid goodbye to his fantasy of a romantic sleigh ride. “I didn’t hear that part.”

“I pinned him down before I gave him the money and he admitted it hadn’t been used in ten years, maybe twelve. Actually, I’m guessing it’s more like twenty.”

The sleigh shuddered as Jake drove it away from the barn. “Why didn’t you cancel the sale?”

“Because I really want a sleigh and this one has good bones.”

Finn snorted at that. “You know zip about sleighs and you’re able to tell this one has good bones?”

“I predict it has broken bones,” Jake said. “We’ll be lucky to get it back to the ranch in one piece. We might have to leave it by the side of the road like the pioneers had to dump their pianos.”

“We can’t do that,” Finn said. “Littering is against the law in Wyoming. Which means we’d have to figure out how to haul the carcass back to the ranch so we could use it for firewood.”

Cade shook his head. “Boys, boys, boys. Where’s your faith in the goodness of the universe? Once we get this sleigh back to Thunder Mountain, and we will, then all it needs is a little TLC and it’ll shine like a new penny.”

“Or disintegrate like an old newspaper,” Jake said. “We’re going over this thing with a fine-tooth comb before I put Amethyst in it. It either passes muster or...” He couldn’t come up with an alternative.

“Or the toboggan?” Finn asked.

“No, not that.” Jake balked at the idea of leading Amethyst down to the barn where she’d find Navarre hitched to a toboggan. “It was one thing when we were kids goofing around but I’d feel dumb using it now.”

“See, the sleigh has to work,” Cade said. “It’ll provide a romantic touch for you and then later on for me and Lexi. This baby could be the final touch, the gesture that puts Lexi over the top.”

Jake exchanged a glance with Finn. No doubt they were both thinking the same thing—Lexi needed to put this poor cowboy out of his misery. But Jake could see Lexi’s side. Six years ago Cade had left town, apparently spooked by Lexi’s urge to get married. When he’d finally showed up ready to tie the knot, Lexi had become her own woman and wasn’t so sure she wanted that arrangement anymore.

Jake didn’t understand why Cade couldn’t simply enjoy the loving relationship and good sex without insisting on a document legalizing the whole thing. But Cade and Finn were both turning thirty next year, so maybe their itch to get hitched made sense. At twenty-seven, Jake hadn’t felt it.

Once they were off the ranch property and moving over uneven hillocks of snow, the sleigh rattled and creaked so much that the guys gave up on conversation. They’d made it nearly halfway back when the runners hit something under the snow and the sleigh lurched to one side. It righted itself, but one of the rattles was now a lot worse.

Jake figured it was the luggage rack. “Hey, Cade,” he called out. “Can you drop back and see if we’re about to lose a piece of this contraption?”

“Sure.” He pulled Hematite to a stop and waited while Jake passed him. Then he dropped in behind the sleigh. “Yeah, I see a few screws missing on the rack. Matter of fact, the whole thing could go, now that I look at the way it’s leaning. You’d better hold up so we can evaluate the situation.”

“But it’s got good bones, right, Gallagher?” Finn wheeled Isabeau around and rode to the back of the sleigh. “Crap, that doesn’t look good.”

Jake climbed down and trudged through the snow to where his brothers had dismounted to assess the damage. The metal rack dangled, held in place by a couple of screws. The rest were AWOL. “We need to take it off before it falls off.”

“With what?” Cade looked at him. “You packing a screwdriver?”

“No. Anybody got a penny? I don’t like carrying change so I don’t.”

“I’m the same about change in my pockets,” Finn said. “Bugs me.”

Cade shrugged. “I don’t have any, either. Maybe we should just keep going and let it fall. It’s not like we won’t hear it.”

“You don’t want to do that.” Finn pointed to a crack in the wood next to one of the screws. “There’s a lot of stress being put on the section where the remaining screws are. Once it goes, it could take a chunk of this back section with it. Then this thing will look like hell.”

“Then I have a suggestion.” Jake thought the sleigh already looked like hell but saying it wouldn’t change anything. “If one of you gets in the sleigh with me, you can lean over the back and hold on to it. The other one can lead the extra horse.”

“I’ll hold the rack,” Cade said. “But, Finn, you need to switch horses. Hematite isn’t fond of being behind another horse.”

“Then I’ll hold the rack and you lead Isabeau,” Finn said. “She’s a sweetheart who doesn’t mind being last.” He handed the mare’s reins to Cade.

“No, I’ll hold the rack while Finn drives,” Jake said. “If I hadn’t invited a woman for a sleigh ride before I had the damn sleigh, we wouldn’t be doing any of this.”

“But where’s the fun in that?” Cade grinned at him. “We’re making us some memories right here.”

“I guarantee I won’t be forgetting this anytime soon.” Jake climbed into the bench seat and leaned over to grasp the metal rack. “Better take it slow, O’Roarke. This isn’t a real stable position I have, here.”

Cade chuckled. “No, but it sure is a photo op. Wish I’d brought my phone so I could take a picture of you riding in that sleigh ass backward.”

“Thank God for small favors. Knowing you, you’d put it on the internet.”

“Yeah, I would.”

Jake listened to the sleigh rattle along. It wasn’t as noisy now because he was holding the rack and they were going slower. “Say, Cade, when are Damon and Phil due at the ranch?”

“They were hoping to hit town late this morning and stop by around lunchtime. They could be there now.”

“That would be great.”

“They’ll be tired,” Finn said. “And Phil’s less than a month away from her due date, which is why they drove to Florida. Just in case you were hoping they could do a quick fix.”

“I don’t expect that, but they could give me their opinion on whether this thing is roadworthy before Amethyst arrives. How are we doing on time?”

“I’d estimate it’s about one fifteen,” Cade said. “Give or take.”

“Yikes. I hope Amethyst’s not early.”

But of course she was. As Finn drove the sleigh into the open area in front of the barn, Amethyst climbed out of her yellow SUV. She took one look at Jake’s position in the sleigh and started laughing. Terrific. His rep was ruined. Might as well hitch up the toboggan.

4

AMETHYST WOULD RECOGNIZE those buns anywhere. She’d admired them when Jake was seventeen and they’d become even more worthy of a good ogle since then. But the sleigh...oh, my God. She’d assumed when he’d invited her that Thunder Mountain Ranch had a sleigh, probably painted hunter green and brown, the colors of Thunder Mountain Academy.

Apparently, Jake had issued his invitation prematurely. His cheeks were tinged pink as he walked toward her and she doubted the cold was to blame. But, damn, he was gorgeous. Who cared what the sleigh looked like when she could feast her eyes on a muscled cowboy with soulful green eyes and a sculpted mouth that could kiss like nobody’s business?

“I have to apologize,” he said.

“No, you don’t. That entrance was worth the trip out here.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet. I’m surprised you didn’t whip out your phone.”

“Wish I had.” She wouldn’t have minded a permanent record of Jake’s sexy butt. But she’d been too mesmerized to think of it.

“Look, obviously we don’t have a working sleigh, so I’m afraid—”

“Don’t be hasty, Fireman Jake!” Cade hurried over. “Hey, Amethyst. Good to see you.” He touched the brim of his hat.

“Good to see you, too, Cade. I don’t think we’ve run into each other since the last time I saw you at Rangeland Roasters having coffee with Lexi.”

“I know. Sheridan’s a small town, but you can go months without meeting up with folks who live here.”

“And I’m on the road a lot.”

“Yeah, I know! Love your music. Lexi and I listen to you all the time. Anyway, I don’t want you two to give up on the sleigh ride just yet. Finn’s unhitching Navarre so we can get to work on the chassis.”

Jake shook his head. “It’s no use, Gallagher. It might be salvageable but it’ll take days.”

“I’m not promising it’ll look brand new in five minutes, but Damon and Phil are here and they never go anywhere without tools. It’s possible with their help we can clean this baby up, tighten a few screws and she’ll be good enough for a little ride down the Forest Service road. Have you had lunch, Amethyst? Rosie always has plenty to eat and you could relax inside while we work our magic.”

“Yes, I’ve had lunch. And, really, we can skip the sleigh ride. I don’t want anyone to go to a lot of trouble on Christmas Eve day.”

“Me, either,” Jake said. “Maybe Amethyst and I could just—”

“Jake, I’m telling you, it won’t take much. I’m sure Mom filled in Damon and Phil over lunch. They’d probably be insulted if we didn’t ask them.”

“I doubt it,” Jake said. “They just got back from Florida, dude. And Phil’s not in any shape to help.”

“All the more reason not to bother them,” Amethyst said. “Jake can give me a tour of the place. I’ve heard so much about it over the years but I’ve never visited.”

“Hey, Jake Ramsey!” Damon’s deep voice carried through the crisp air as he strode toward them. “What’s this I hear about a fixer-upper sleigh?”

“Hey, Damon.” Jake went to meet him. “Just my latest idiotic move.”

Amethyst was touched by their warm embrace. She’d always had a soft spot in her heart for the Thunder Mountain boys. Most of them had some tragedy in their background and Jake was no exception. When they were dating she’d learned that his mom had died when he was a toddler and his father had turned into an abusive alcoholic. Jake used to spend his nights wherever he could get away from the beatings, sometimes at the home of a friend and sometimes hidden in the storeroom of Scruffy’s Bar.

Jake didn’t trust easily. She’d learned that when he’d broken up with her over a stupid misunderstanding. He’d never quite believed that she cared about him and he still might not. But at least they had a sexual connection that made them both happy.

She watched as Jake and Damon walked over to the sleigh. They were both laughing as Damon examined it from all angles. She turned to Cade. “I love your can-do attitude but, seriously, let’s forget about the sleigh ride, okay? It was a cute idea but I can live without it.”

“But that would mean giving up,” Cade said. “Besides, Damon likes to show off his manly carpentry skills.”

“That may be true but—”

“In these situations, it’s best to sit back and let the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood do its thing.”

She let out a breath. “Okay, I’ll try.”

Damon and Jake continued to joke around as they walked back over to where she stood with Cade.

“Damon’s convinced me we need to give this sleigh a chance,” Jake said. “So I’m prepared to work with him on it if you’re willing to allow us a little time.”

“Sure, why not? What do you want me to do?”

“I’m not going to put you to work, if that’s what you’re thinking. While Damon’s assessing the job, let’s go inside and see Rosie. I know you’ve had lunch but she’ll have a pot of coffee going and I happen to know there’s some German chocolate cake left over from last night.”

“That sounds great.” Amethyst hadn’t known what to expect from this afternoon but she hadn’t planned on much alone time with Jake, anyway. She’d popped an antihistamine before driving out here in case she ended up in the same space with Ringo the cat.

“I’ll go in with you,” Cade said. “I’m starving and I can only imagine your hunger pangs, Fireman Jake. From what I’ve seen, you need fuel and plenty of it. I’d hate to see you grow weak from lack of food.”

“So you all missed lunch?” Amethyst was overwhelmed by the group effort to provide her with a sleigh ride.

“Yeah, but Finn’s probably in there wolfing down a sandwich by now,” Cade said. “Sad to say, Jake and I haven’t taken any sustenance since breakfast.”

“Then, by all means, let’s all go in so you guys can get fed.”

Shortly thereafter Amethyst was seated at Rosie’s kitchen table with a mug of coffee and a slice of cake. Jake and Cade each had hefty sandwiches to go with their coffee. Finn had already left to help Damon, but his fiancée Chelsea was there along with Philomena, Damon’s redheaded and exceedingly pregnant wife. Ringo, a gray tabby, was curled up in a bed in the corner, but the antihistamine was working so Amethyst was fine.

Jake paused between bites to address his foster mom, who’d joined them with coffee and cake. “Where’s Dad?”

“In town, Christmas shopping.”

“He still waits until the last minute?”

Rosie laughed. “He claims that’s when he feels the Christmas spirit, when everyone in town is racing the clock.”

“What he feels is frantic desperation,” Cade said. “You couldn’t pay me to be in town today.”

Jake laughed. “How does two grand sound?”

“Okay, I’d do it for that.”

“Case closed.” Jake finished his sandwich and pushed back his chair. “Mom, that was wonderful.” He glanced over at Amethyst. “Will you be okay for a little while? This shouldn’t take long.”

“Are you kidding? You’re leaving me with interesting women and German chocolate cake. I’ll be more than fine.” Amethyst discovered she liked seeing him in this setting, surrounded by his foster family. He seemed emotionally stronger and more confident here. She wished he’d brought her to the ranch when they’d been dating but there’d been no reason.

Cade went with him, which left Rosie, Chelsea and Phil at the table with Amethyst.

She knew a little about Phil, who’d worked as a contractor in Sheridan for several years before meeting and falling in love with Damon. But Chelsea was a complete stranger so Amethyst started the conversation by asking about her work and how she’d happened to meet Finn. Turned out they’d been in line for coffee and had started up a conversation that had led to a business relationship and eventually love.

“Chelsea’s been so good for him,” Rosie said. “He’s still very focused on his work, but he’s not as driven as he used to be.”

“The more I’m around the Thunder Mountain guys,” Phil said, “the more I’ve noticed that most of them have a strong urge to succeed. Considering the crummy background they had, it’s not surprising. Damon’s mellowing out, finally, which is good. I want him to be able to relax enough to enjoy his kid.”

Amethyst had abandoned the idea of having children when she’d decided on her career path, but she was curious all the same. “How’s motherhood so far?”

“Disconcerting.” Phil laid a hand over her big belly. “Normally, I work side by side with Damon on our renovation jobs, but in the last month that’s been increasingly difficult. Life should be easier when she’s born. I plan to pack her along on jobs, at least until she’s mobile. Then I might need day care.”

“So you’re having a girl?” Amethyst asked.

“Oh, yeah, and I’m thrilled about that.”

“So am I.” Rosie sipped her coffee. “This ranch is loaded with testosterone, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

Amethyst smiled. “I’ve noticed, but I’m not complaining. I grew up with a sister.”

Rosie’s gaze warmed. “How’s Sapphire doing? From a sister’s perspective, I mean. Grady says everything’s going well, but I had a little something to do with her decision to move to Cody and I dearly hope it’s working out.”

“It definitely is. You’ll see for yourself tonight when they come to your Christmas Eve party.”

“Are you coming?” Chelsea asked.

“Or more to the point,” Phil said, “are you staying? You’re here for this major-deal sleigh ride, so unless you have plans you might as well stay for the rest of the evening.”

Amethyst was struck by the logic of it. She’d considered coming over later with Grady and Sapphire but that might not make any sense. She glanced at the kitchen clock. If the sleigh was cleaned up and ready before three, she’d be amazed. And dusk came early in December.

Then she looked down at her simple top and jeans. “I’m not dressed for a Christmas Eve gala.”

Rosie laughed. “Honey, you’re at Thunder Mountain Ranch. Around here we pay more attention to the people than the clothes they’re wearing. Besides, you look very nice.”

“All righty, then. I’d love to stay.”

“Great!” Chelsea smiled at her. “Now that we have that settled, I’m dying to ask about your career. I understand you’re a professional singer.”

“I’m working at it. So far my gigs have all been in Wyoming and that’s where I get the bulk of my music sales, too.”

Chelsea’s expression was animated. “Have you sent out demos?”

“I have, but no takers yet from the studios. I hoping for a big break eventually, but in the meantime I’m giving private voice lessons, mostly to kids. That’s fun.”

“I’ll bet it would be,” Phil said. “I love hearing little kids sing. Warms my heart.”

“Mine, too.” Amethyst smiled as she thought about Jenny, her favorite. “I have one little eight-year-old who has real promise. Cute as a button and that girl can sing. I can’t wait to see what happens with her. Then there’s a little guy who’s only five but he really belts out those tunes. It’s adorable. He could go places.”

“I wonder if singing is like acting,” Chelsea said. “You have to actually be in LA or New York in order to make something happen. Or Nashville if you’re doing country.”

“Maybe. I’m pop, not country, so it would be New York or LA for me.” Amethyst always grew uneasy when this subject came up. “And I would go if I had some interest from one of the major studios. You know, a serious nibble. Moving to the city without that seems pretty darned risky. Sure, I could wait tables, but those are pricey places to live. I’d go through my savings in no time. At least here the cost of living is lower so I can support myself between the gigs I pick up and the private lessons.”

“It is risky.” Rosie got up to bring them all more coffee. “I was worried sick about Finn when he took off for Seattle to open a microbrewery. He didn’t know a soul, but he’d researched the market and was convinced that was the best place to be.” She gave Chelsea a fond look. “Then he met the right woman and it all worked out.”

“He was really lucky,” Amethyst said.

“So was I.” Chelsea leaned back in her chair. “I’m grateful that he took that risk. I can’t imagine my life without him.”

“Finn’s not the only one who’s done that kind of thing,” Rosie said. “One of my boys is out in LA right this minute trying to make it as an actor.”

“Oh, yeah?” Phil looked over at her. “Who’s that?”

“Matt Forrest.”

“I remember him from high school!” Amethyst put down her mug and stared at Rosie. “He was a skinny kid one year behind me.”

“Well, he’s not skinny anymore,” Rosie said. “Got a growth spurt, filled out, took some acting classes at the community college. Then he headed to LA. He’s been there almost three years now. Like you’d expect, he’s had to wait tables and take jobs making commercials. He had one bit part in a small-budget movie and I guess somebody from a major studio liked what they saw. The other day he called to say he was up for something much bigger.”

“Wow, I hope he gets it. He seemed like a nice guy the few times I was around him.” Amethyst cradled her mug in both hands as she imagined buying a one-way plane ticket to LA or New York and toughing it out for three years. She just didn’t like the odds. “What I’m hoping is that I’ll have some talent scouts in the audience one of these times. Entertainment folks often vacation in Wyoming.”

“They do,” Phil said. “They even buy homes here. Damon and I have done some renovations for some Hollywood types. Behind-the-camera people, not anyone you’d recognize.”

“I’ve had some celebrity spottings in Seattle,” Chelsea said. “It’s always a thrill.”

After that the conversation turned to actors, movies and which ones might win an Oscar, but Amethyst kept thinking about Matt Forrest. Maybe she was making a big mistake by not relocating to LA and hiring an agent. New York seemed like a different country to her, but LA wasn’t that far from Wyoming.

“Sleigh’s ready!” Cade came into the kitchen grinning. “Come on down!”

Amethyst glanced at him. “So where’s Jake?”

“He’s still fiddling with it, but Damon has declared it operational and Finn’s hitching up Navarre.”

“Then let’s go take a look.” Phil groaned as she rose from her chair. “At times like this I wish the stork brought the kid, after all.”

Cade helped her on with her coat. “Aw, Phil, last I heard you loved being pregnant.”

“That was last month. I’ve revised my opinion.”

Once they were all bundled up, they walked down to the barn. Finn was hitching a brown horse to a sleigh that Amethyst thought didn’t look half-bad. The rack Jake had been holding in place when they’d pulled in was gone and the dust and grime had been wiped away. If the sleigh didn’t exactly sparkle, at least it looked clean.

Blankets had been piled onto the seat and allowed to spill over the edges, which covered some of the more faded parts of the chassis. Damon and Jake crouched near the back, each with a screwdriver as they tightened the struts attached to the runners.

Damon stood as they approached. “Your chariot awaits, milady.”

“It’s a huge improvement.” She smiled at him. “Thank you for all the hard work.”

“It didn’t take much to make it serviceable. Making it pretty will require a lot longer.”

“But we’ll do it,” Cade said. “Before we’re finished you won’t recognize this sleigh.”

“We could put the Academy students to work on it,” Rosie said. “That’s if Damon or Phil would be willing to supervise.”

“What a brilliant idea!” Phil beamed at her. “I volunteer to supervise. I’m going crazy sitting at home while Damon does all the fun stuff.”

Damon rolled his eyes. “Yeah, she is. Great suggestion, Rosie.” Then he turned back to the sleigh. “Your passenger has arrived, Ramsey. The runners are fine for now.”

“Just making sure of that. Don’t want us taking a header into a snowbank.”

“You won’t if you drive slow and easy.”

Cade laughed. “You don’t have to worry about it. Enter the word cautious into your browser and Fireman Jake will be staring back at you.”

“Okay, okay. I get the point.” Jake stood and walked over to Damon. “Here’s your screwdriver, bro. Thanks for stepping in.” Then he turned to Amethyst. “Ready?”

“You bet.” She let him hand her into the sleigh while everyone stood around watching. She had the oddest feeling, as if they were a newly married couple leaving on their honeymoon. To her great surprise, she wasn’t horrified by the image.

When he walked around the sleigh, climbed in next to her and took the reins, the feeling grew stronger. This was only a sleigh ride, she reminded herself. They’d be back in an hour or so.

“Have fun!” Rosie called out as Jake slapped the reins against the horse’s rump and the sleigh began to move.

“We will!” Amethyst turned and waved, and they all waved back. She waited until they’d gone through the pasture gate and were far enough away that no one could hear before she spoke. Even then she kept her voice down. “Just so you know, we can’t have sex on this sleigh ride.”

He chuckled. “Is that so?” He kept his eyes on the path ahead. “Why not?”

She forced herself to resist that sexy chuckle. And the way his gloved hands on the reins reminded her of how he’d touched her last summer. “I’m not going right home afterward. Phil suggested I stay for the Christmas Eve celebration.”

“That’s great, but what does it have to do with anything?”

“If we have sex, I’ll get all rumpled and kissed-looking. I’ll have no way to repair the damage. When I walk back into the ranch house, everyone in your family will know what we’ve been doing.”

“And you’d be embarrassed. I get that.”

She sighed in relief. “Good. Because otherwise I’d want to.”

“That’s nice to hear.”

“But I like the sleigh ride. I’ve never had one before. Cozy.”

“Mmm.”

“Thank you for going to so much trouble.”

“You’re welcome.” He drove the sleigh in silence for a little while. “What if I told you we could have sex and you wouldn’t end up all ‘rumpled and kissed-looking’? Would you want to?”

“How could you manage that?” Her body began to hum.

“Trust me when I say I could. I learned early how to cover my tracks.”

Her heartbeat accelerated. “I see.”

“Kissing is fantastic, especially with you, but it’s not a requirement for what I have in mind.”

“I suppose not.” Moisture dampened her panties.

“Well?” He glanced at her. Although his hat cast a shadow over his green eyes, the heat shimmering there was unmistakable.

She swallowed. “I think I’d be a fool to say no.”

5

JAKE HAD BEEN hard as an ax handle ever since they’d gone through the pasture gate and escaped the watchful eyes of his family. He hadn’t expected Amethyst to lay down a no-sex rule, but once she’d explained her reasons, he’d understood. Then he’d set to work figuring a way around the issue.

Not kissing her as a warm-up would seem strange, but he’d forgo that if it meant he’d be able to make the connection his body had ached for since she’d driven away from Jackson Hole. He’d considered asking someone else out. After all, he hadn’t known whether he’d ever have that experience again with Amethyst, which made celibacy ridiculous.

But that red-hot memory had seared itself into his brain and he couldn’t imagine taking another woman to bed until he knew for sure Amethyst was lost to him. Turned out she wasn’t the least bit lost. She was right beside him and as eager for him as he was for her.

Fortunately smoke alarms hadn’t been the only thing he’d picked up during his quick trip to town. After discovering that she was willing to make time for him, he’d added a quick trip to the drugstore. He’d tucked a condom in his jeans’ pocket this morning to make sure he didn’t forget.

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