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ALEX
The two men have taken over my dreams for the past two months. The Kingstons.
Thomas and Declan Kingston.
The two hot, rich foreign dignitaries.
No,royalty.
Wait, no. Dukes!
I couldn’t think straight when they were near me. It didn’t help that our first meeting was a disaster. My father had retired, and I’d taken over his veterinary practice. There had been an accident on the ranch, and I had to come out to assess an injured horse. The way the two of them hovered made me feel like they were watching my every move. It made my movements awkward and slow. Even trying to talk to them was difficult. By the time I was done working on the horse, I was afraid they’d determined I was incompetent.
I’d dealt with overbearing men my whole life—men who questioned my decisions regarding the care of their animals. I had to prove myself twice as much as many of the men in my profession. I’d developed a backbone, an acerbic wit, and sarcastic responses rolled off my tongue. But not with the two of them. If it was just their hovering or distrustful looks, I could have dealt with that. It was this powerful attraction that hit me the moment I laid eyes on them that had me acting in a way I’d never acted before.
I haven’t been able to get their intense stares out of my mind ever since. They’d become my favorite nightly fantasy, and I’d already ruined too many panties thinking about them.
Technically, I’d been back to the ranch a few times since, and every time, at least one of them hovered nearby. And my body knew exactly when they were close.
This time around, I was hoping to see both of them, so I had fresh images to star in my fantasies as I wore out the batteries on my trusty vibrator.I was a glutton for punishment. It’s not as if anything would happen with either one but damn, could they fill out a pair of jeans. And it wasn’t just that they were both incredibly handsome, but they were fair and kind to the people who worked for them. The ranch seemed more like a family than just a place of business.
I stepped on the gas of the clinic’s old truck and pushed it as fast as I deemed safe. I turned the knob for high heat. The windshield had grown icy, and I squinted to see through the fog. The wheels slid against the ice, and my stomach lifted, my breath whooshing from me as I tried to regain control. A sigh of relief slipped from my lips when the truck gained purchase on the slick asphalt. At least the windshield had cleared enough for me to see the clouds brewing up above.
The weather report had mentioned a snowstorm was likely to blow in soon.
Was I crazy for keeping this appointment?No, I wasn’t. King’s Ranch was our biggest client. Canceling on them would have been crazy.
The Kingstons had contracted my father to work for the ranch, and since I was taking over his practice, I had to honor the contract until it ended. Well, sort of. I was still on a trial period to see if I was a good fit. Thomas and Declan are extremely protective over their ranch, animals, and the people who worked there.
I really needed this contract. My father was an incredible veterinarian, but he was terrible with bookkeeping. His records were a mess, and every time I sat down to figure them out, I got called away. King’s Ranch was one of the reasons my father hadn’t had to close up shop.
Even without their big contract, I’d still want to make the trek to the ranch. Today, I had the pregnant mare to focus on. While it was only her three-month check-up, Stardust was due for a couple of vaccinations. This was her first pregnancy, and everyone was nervous.
According to Travis, one of the cattle hands I grew up with in town, Stardust was the first mare they were trying to breed to determine if they could handle a horse breeding program at the ranch, along with the other operations.
The ranch was a straight shot about forty-five minutes out of town, but it was taking much longer with the weather. The dark road almost made it impossible to see the ice.
My knuckles turned white against the steering wheel. My tires skidded a foot against an icy path and then regained traction on the road.
It was too late to turn back, and I could see the large archway of the ranch ahead under the angry clouds. At least it hadn’t started to snow, which meant I could get in, do an examination and vaccination, and hopefully hit the road before the storm reached me.
I turned off the road and headed down the drive to the ranch. Considering how cold it was outside, it surprised me to see the employees running around. When I parked in front of the barn that housed Stardust, I slowly pried my hands from the steering wheel and stretched my fingers, then I pulled my hat and gloves on before jumping out with my medical bag tightly in my grasp. I hated leaving the warm bubble of the cab, but the faster I left, the quicker I could get back in. My glasses instantly fogged when I hit the cold air, but thanks to dad’s antifog remedy, it wasn’t blinding, and I could easily see in front of me.
Travis and Declan stood outside the small doorway leading into the barn, shifting from foot to foot like they were trying to keep warm.But I only had eyes for Declan. His arms were crossed, making his heavy jacket look even bigger, covering the muscles I knew were hidden under it. Instant warmth flooded me when I saw his mouth open and his hot breath leave his lips in a small misty cloud.
I jogged the few yards that separated us, and they opened the door to let me in.
“Why were you standing outside in the cold?” I asked at the same time as Declan asked if my drive was okay.
I shivered and rubbed my hands up and down my arms to warm myself. “Um, it was fine. A bit icy here and there.”
A muscle in his jaw ticked.
Was he upset about me being late or the state of the weather or that I had to drive through it? It had to have been me being late. If he was so concerned about my safety, he would have called earlier and to cancel the appointment. A flash of disappointment rolled through me.
My eyes adjusted to the dark interior of the barn. I pulled off my beanie and gloves, shoving them in my coat pocket before reaching up and smoothing my hair down. I didn’t know why I bothered. In this weather, my hair was likely a ball of frizz anyway. Even with the dull weather, it was still brighter outside than it was in the barn. All the windows and doors had been shut to keep the heat inside for the horses.
Good.
