Summer Love by Piper Rayne

Chapter Two

“Where are the other guys?” Quinn stood on the stone patio overlooking a sprawling meadow. Matteo’s ranch sat in a stunning valley created by the Gros Ventre and Teton mountain ranges. Hawks soared in a bright blue sky, the Snake River rushed by, and in the distance a herd of elk gathered to graze.

“It’s nice, right?” He stood beside her.

A light breeze fluttered her skirt and carried the scent of wildflowers. “It’s unbelievable. And rare to get this many acres.” She swung around to face her new boss. “It’s so much bigger than I imagined. What’re your plans? Are you guys going to do a time-share kind of thing?” She could tell from his slightly embarrassed expression that they hadn’t considered their options yet. “It doesn’t matter. You literally just bought it. You have time to figure things out.” Though, why would they invest in something this big if they didn’t have an objective? A place like this was a legacy ranch. She couldn’t even imagine the cost. “How many of you went in on this?”

Normally, the most confident man around, Matteo’s cheeks reddened. “Yeah, the realtor said people buy land like this to preserve the natural habitat. She talked about safeguarding the land for future generations. I like that.”

He’d always intimidated her. Not just his body with all its spectacularly honed muscle or his looks—with his square jaw and gray eyes, he was the hottest man she’d ever seen—but it was also his charisma, his charm. He had this magnetic energy that caused heads to turn wherever he went.

And he didn’t seem to notice or care.

But right then, she saw a whole other side of Matteo Candella. The man was hiding something from her, and she had a terrible suspicion what it might be. “When can I meet the other guys? I’d like to get a sense of what everyone’s looking for, as well as a timeframe for when you expect it to be done.”

He pulled a hand from his pocket and scraped it through his shiny, black hair. “There’s no hurry. Training camp starts next month, and we’ll be busy with the season through February, so…we’ll probably just give you a lot of leeway. You’re the expert, after all.”

Yep, a picture was forming. And it was too unbelievable to contemplate. “Okay, but are you guys going to freshen it up”—because as far as lodges go, this place was pretty damn perfect—“and flip it?” Which would be a tragic loss. “Or rent it out?”

He palmed the back of his neck. “I, uh, I’m definitely not selling it. I guess I could rent it out for part of the year.”

“How do the other guys feel about that?”

“We don’t need to worry about them. They’re more like silent investors.”

In a rush, her heart swelled so big it hurt. “Oh, my God, you crazy man.” She smacked his hard chest. “You bought this for me, didn’t you?” She wanted to throw herself into those big, strong arms and just stay there for a hundred years.

Who in the world would do such a thing?

Because a place like this—in Jackson Hole, Wyoming? It cost in the tens of millions of dollars.

He did this for me.

To give me a career.

“No.” He tipped his chin, going all mulish. “Like I said, it’s a good investment.”

“Matteo, when did you buy this place? Because I’m getting the feeling the idea came to you in the car while we were talking two weeks ago.”

Given his size, it would be hard to call him “cute.” But in that moment, his grin? He was adorable. “It’s an idea we’ve thrown around for a while. But it wasn’t until I got here that I met with a realtor and made it happen.”

“So, you haven’t even closed on it?”

“Don’t worry about it. I made an offer they can’t refuse.”

“I don’t even know what to say. I want to yell at you for doing something so completely ridiculous. I mean, you know I can build my own career, right? But at the same time…it’s a done deal. You’re doing this.”

“I’m doing this.”

“Oh, my God, I’m just too grateful and touched to be angry.” She wanted to climb him like a tree, wanted to thank him with her mouth and her hands. Instead, she kept it professional. She scanned the acreage, the massive lodge, and the magnificent mountains. “The thing is…you live in Seattle. How much time are you going to spend here?”

“Six months out of the year.”

She set her hand on his arm, and his eyes went hot. He kept his gaze on the point of contact. “I can’t believe you did this.” Her limbs felt as shaky as if she’d just run five miles.

“He should never have let a woman like you go.”

Oh, man. He was killing her with sweetness. “But he did, and I’m fine.”

“No. That woman in New York? The one who was working to become a paralegal? That’s not you. And you…Quinn, you deserve to have all your dreams come true. If he was stupid enough to let you go, he should’ve set you up in your own business.”

“He’s having a baby.” She hunched a shoulder. “He’s got more pressing concerns.”

“There’s nothing more important for a man than to take care of the people in his life.”

She couldn’t believe the vehemence in his tone. Or how it excited her. He was a man of passion and honor, and she couldn’t believe how lucky she was to know him. “What do your parents think? Do you think they’ll move out here with you?” As soon as he’d gotten his first big paycheck, he’d put a million dollars into the bank account of every single member of his family. He’d enabled his parents to retire and his siblings to choose the paths that were right for them.

“They’ve only ever lived in Southern California as people struggling to make ends meet. I think they want to have a little fun before they consider settling down out here.” With a contemplative expression, he surveyed the area. “What do you think I should do with the land?”

“Well, you’ve got a lot of options. My parents and their friends talk about turning a place like this into a luxury eco-tourism ranch.”

“What would that look like?”

“It’s all about driving awareness to wildlife and land preservation, so you’d offer these grand vacations where people would get to experience the Tetons. They could hunt and fish, ride the rivers and hike the mountains. Exposing them to the beauty of the area makes them understand that we’re guardians of it—not conquerors.”

“I like that.”

“You do?”

He nodded solemnly.

“Well, then, since you’re going to live here half the year, it would make sense to build some high-end cottages along the river. You’d offer adventures like horseback riding and hiking, heli skiing, and animal tours.”

“If I do this, I don’t want it to be about hanging out with Matteo Candella.”

“Yeah, I get that. If you want anonymity, you can just buy it with an LLC, and then you’d hire full-time adventure guides to take the guests fly fishing and hunting, white water rafting…” She smiled. “Actually, my mom’s a fly-fishing guide.”

“You serious?”

She nodded. “Yep. My dad works for an outfitter in town.”

“Very cool. I like this idea a lot. Except for the hunting. Nothing more shameful than looking a majestic beast in the eyes and then shooting it dead with a gun.”

“It’s called harvesting, and it’s necessary. With fewer predators, the elk and deer populations are out of control. But we can argue about it later.” She grinned up at him, and his gaze drifted to her mouth. Her body tingled as if she’d just come in from the cold and stepped in front of a warm fire. Um, yeah, keep it professional. “In any event, you’d hire a chef, a cleaning staff, and some guides…and you’ve got an insanely awesome business.”

“I like it. Let’s do this.”

“Yeah?” The house itself didn’t need much work, so the bulk of her job would be the cottages. She wandered back inside and took in the soaring ceilings, antler chandeliers, log walls, and river stone hearths. “You’ll just keep this as your main residence.”

“I want to modernize it. Get rid of the antler shit and all the pine paneling.”

“Really?” Oh, hell, yes. This was turning into her dream job. “You’ve just bought this huge ranch, and now we’re turning a simple renovation into a big project. I mean, the cottages alone…”

“I’m in. All the way.”

With her thoughts consumed with costs, she kept her mouth shut. Not my business.

“Consider me the anchor investor.” He came up beside her. “I’m sure the guys will come in for the second stage.”

Lord, did he read her well. “That’s perfect. This is going to be fun.”

“I want you to design it just like your apartment in the city.”

“You mean the one Kristina’s now living in?” Oh, hey, it didn’t even hurt to say it. Not when she was standing on thousands of acres of prime ranching land in Wyoming.

“Yeah, that one. That place is fucking awesome. I don’t know where you found half that shit.”

“That’s the fun part, the exploring.”

He grinned. “There it is.”

“There what is?”

“My Quinn. The one who stole my heart six years ago.”

The smile fell off her face. “What?” She had to have misheard him. She was just disoriented from all the wild twists and turns her life had recently taken. First, her husband, the man she thought she’d grow old with, gets another woman pregnant. Then, she’s living with an unhygienic roommate.

And now I’m standing in Calamity with Matteo Candella who just bought a multi-million-dollar ranch.

To kickstart my career.

“You don’t…” She let out an uncomfortable laugh. “You didn’t hire me because you have…feelings for me?”

“I’m hiring you because I need someone with your skill set, and I trust you. Does it help that I’m halfway in love with you and want you as the mother of my children?” He flashed her that big, dimpled grin that melted panties and caused people to doubletake so hard they got whiplash. “But buying this ranch…” He took in the expansive, well-appointed room. “Is just good business.”

Quinn was stunned. This man—this gorgeous, elite athlete—was turning out to be the craziest swerve of all. “Okay, I’m blown away right now, so forgive what comes out of my mouth, but just so we’re clear…” She blew out a breath. “I’m going to take this job because it’s literally my dream come true. Not only do I get to come back to Calamity, but I get to launch my business in a way that’s beyond my wildest dreams.”

She gentled her tone because the last thing she ever wanted to do was hurt or mislead him. “But you have to know that Bradley did much more than dump me.” How did she explain what she hadn’t yet come to terms with? “I’m not the woman you met six years ago. Not by a longshot. That woman trusted with an open heart. This one, the one standing here right now, is broken. I’m damaged in a way I’m not sure there’s any coming back from.” She came close enough to look into those dark, soulful eyes, to breathe in his clean, masculine scent, and her heart twisted with regret. She knew what she was giving up—and it killed her to do it. “You’re the most amazing man I’ve ever known, and you deserve a woman with an open heart.” She touched his arm. “And that’s just not me.”

* * *

You bet your ass Matteo had lied about buying a ranch.

His timing that day in the city had been unbelievable, driving up at the exact moment Quinn had slammed into her ex and discovered the pregnant mistress.

Her expression, the devastation, would be forever imprinted on his brain.

He’d almost driven onto the sidewalk to get to her, to save her.

But she’d handled it on her own, hadn’t she? I’m not fucking someone else’s husband, and I’m living life on my own terms, so I call that a win.

The woman’s a fucking badass.

And the lie had been worth it to see Quinn’s blue eyes light up with hope. Also, he’d corrected it the very next day. The moment his wheels had touched down on the tarmac in Calamity, he’d driven straight to a realtor.

And now, five weeks later, at thirty-three thousand feet above Indiana, he had the woman of his dreams passed out beside him in First Class, her legs pulled up, her head smashed into his ribcage. It gave him a profound sense of rightness.

She’s mine.

He’d fallen for her the moment his agent had introduced his wife. Because Quinn Ellison was unlike anyone he’d ever met. She had no airs, didn’t try to be anything other than who she was—a small town girl who loved and supported her husband, liked to go exploring in the city, and had a passion for design.

Her natural blonde hair spilled all over his shirt, his jeans, and he fucking loved it. Wanted to run his fingers through it. She never styled it, so it always just fell loose and slightly wavy down her back. He’d grown obsessed with it over the years, wondering if it felt as soft as it looked, imagined wrapping it around his fist.

Not that he’d ever have acted on it. Hell, no.

She’d been happily married.

There was just something about her spirit, so positive and open, caring and nurturing. A strong woman who knew her own mind, who didn’t care about trends, didn’t try to fit in with anyone else’s expectations.

He chuckled when he remembered that day three weeks ago, when he’d taken her to the ranch for the first time, and she’d figured out that he’d bought it for her. She’d given him this whole, long speech about how he deserved someone better.

Does she realize I’m an All-American, All-Pro athlete who comes from nothing? I’m the most competitive motherfucker on the planet, and she threw down a challenge I’m going to win.

Nah, but seriously, he got it. She wasn’t ready. He didn’t blame her. Still, he wasn’t going anywhere. He’d wait as long as it took for her to get over what her ex had done.

Unable to resist, he touched a lock of that pretty hair and rubbed it between two fingers. It was exactly as silky and soft as he’d imagined, and one day he’d have it brushing his chest as she rode him. Fuck, but he wanted her. He wanted everything with this woman.

Quinn stirred. Blinking, her long lashes rested like delicate fans against her rosy cheeks. And then she stiffened and sat up in a rush. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she said. “Oh, my God. I slept on you. I’m so sorry.”

“No worries.”

Disoriented, she set her feet on the floor. “How long was I out?”

“About two hours.”

“Two…that’s practically the whole flight.” She wiped under her eyes. “I’m a horrible travel companion.”

“You’re fine.”

“I’ve been sleeping so much lately. It’s like I’m catching up on all the hours I lost during my divorce nightmare.” She smiled at him. “I think…I feel safe, you know? Like I’m home, and I can finally relax.”

Pride swelled, confirming yet again his decision to buy that ridiculous property. “It’s been tough on you. I get it.”

“The first two months I was in a total fog. I’d break out crying at random times. Literally, I’d have to leave my desk and go to the bathroom to pull myself together. But after that, I was just going through the motions, working long hours, living with a stranger. She’s not loud or anything, but her dog is wild. He steals things—slippers, gloves, whatever he can chew in hiding—so she locks him up in her room at night. But he wants to get out—badly—so he whines and scratches the door. I haven’t slept through the night in a long time.”

“I’m glad you’re catching up now.” He lifted a hand to get the flight attendant’s attention, making a drinking motion with his hand. She nodded.

“There’s just something about Calamity, you know?” Quinn said.

“I’ve only ever stayed at camp with a bunch of guys, so yeah, now that I’m on the ranch, I get it. It’s just one roommate snoring instead of thirty.”

“I don’t snore.” Laughing, her eyes went wide. “Do I?” She sat up straighter. “Oh. God, do I snore?”

“Our bedrooms are on different floors. I have no idea. I was joking. But seriously, it’s the mountain air, the quiet. It’s peaceful.”

“It’s so peaceful, but I’m finally feeling it in here.” Pressing a hand to her chest, she gazed up at him with that smile that slayed. “Thank you for arranging this trip. I’m excited.”

It didn’t take much to make this woman happy, and he wanted to be the lucky man who got to do it the rest of her life. “Well, I don’t want to go through a dozen showrooms, so I figured we could just knock it out at the Design Expo.” Besides, the timing had been right.

The flight attendant brought them each a bottle of water. “Here you go.”

He cracked his open. “Thank you.”

The woman smiled and headed back to the galley.

“You’re such a sweetheart.” Quinn drank a quarter of hers in one go. “Thank you.” Lowering the bottle, she said, “I just want you to know how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I feel like I’m coming back to myself.”

“Glad to hear it.” Nothing could make him happier than for her to feel good about herself again. “Which brings up a question. How come you didn’t accept help from Brad—when you absolutely earned it—but you’re accepting it from me?” He’d half expected her to storm away the moment she’d figured out he’d lied about his friends going in on a ranch with him.

Instead, she’d surprised the hell out of him by lighting up like a Christmas tree.

When he’d said he was halfway in love with her…that was his second lie.

He was all the way in love.

“You know, I had a choice to make. I could’ve hired an attorney, and I could’ve been embroiled in a bitter and angry divorce, fighting Bradley for half of our net worth, or I could walk away and focus on my new reality. I’m a smart, resourceful, creative woman, so I chose to move forward and build my future on my own terms.”

“If it helps at all, I believe he loved you. At least in the only way a guy like him can.”

“And what way is that?”

“Just my take, but he liked to badmouth his parents, talk about how he’d never become like them. But I think he was afraid he couldn’t become like them.”

“You know, it’s funny you say that, because he was the only one in his family to choose a different path.”

“And he failed. He didn’t become a Major League ball player, and he didn’t know if he’d make it as an agent. But once he started making the money, he—”

“Became his parents. The house in the Hamptons, the sense of entitlement, the affair.”

“And if she hadn’t become pregnant, he might never have left you.”

“He’s already become his dad.” She shook her head. “I never understood why his mom stayed married. Her husband’s affairs ruined her, just like Bradley ruined me.”

“No, he didn’t. He hurt you. He betrayed you. But you’re still Quinn Ellison. You’re still the same woman who dreamed of living on a ranch, who gets excited just by walking into a store that sells pretty wallpaper. You’re still the same woman who loves making other people happy. And if you let that fucker take away even one square inch of the landscape that’s you, you’re doing yourself and the world a tremendous injustice.”

Shifting in his seat, he framed her face with his hands, surprised when she let him, when she gazed up at him with those beautiful blue eyes. “You couldn’t see this coming because his character had never been tested before. So, Quinn, you’re not broken. Your judgment’s fine. And, even if you do get burned again, nothing will ever destroy you, break you, or ruin you. Because you’re the strongest woman I know. You’re perfect, and if you don’t let him fuck things up for you, you’re going to live every single one of your dreams.”

Hopefully, with me at your side.