Twin Secrets (Mills & Boon Desire) (The Rancher’s Heirs 01) Read online

  Colt mounted Lightning and trotted back to the stable while Josh went to get supplies to fix the broken fence. Annabelle may be more financially savvy than her old man, but that wouldn’t change the outcome.

  The documents Neil Carter had signed without taking the time to read were completely legal and binding.

  Colt had been wanting to get that land for years. The Carter’s five-hundred-acre farm wasn’t vast in comparison to his, but he and his brothers had shared a vision of owning it. Their main goal was to turn the property into an adjoining dude ranch. The Carter home was perfect for additional housing for guests.

  Colt’s father had always been a dreamer, not a doer. He’d discussed owning a dude ranch, having people come to stay on their property and learn the ways of their life, but he’d never gotten beyond the talking stage. Dementia had stolen Grant Elliott’s mind, leaving Colt to carry on and bring his father’s legacy to life.

  From the time Colt was a young boy, he’d itched to see this property grow, to see people from all over flock in and see what they’d created. He refused to let anything stand in the way of his goal, even the sassy, beautiful Ms. Carter.

  After putting the saddle and blanket away, he grabbed the brush to groom the dust from Lightning. While stroking the stallion, an epiphany struck him. Colt was a smarter businessman than Neil, clearly. Hell, Colt knew Neil had no idea what he’d agreed to when he’d accepted the money to pay off the loan—the man had been too desperate. But Colt would give Annabelle a chance to pay that debt. There were six installments left. Three months was all that stood between him and everything he’d ever wanted.

  Suddenly being one stable hand short wasn’t such a hardship. Perhaps Annabelle would be interested in a little work to help pay off the debt. She no doubt wanted to discuss the arrangement. She’d controlled her anger with him, thinking she’d just been talking to a stable hand, but there had been fury in those deep green eyes. Well, he’d use that fury to his advantage and make her an offer she couldn’t refuse.

  Colt patted the side of the stallion and finished brushing him as his brilliant plan took shape. He had no intention of ever handing that land over again. It finally belonged to him, but her father had to learn a lesson. He owed more than just this debt, but Annabelle didn’t need to know that.

  Having such a beautiful woman on his property sure would perk things up around here. She had drive and determination. He couldn’t help but admire her spirit.

  Colt whistled as he headed back toward the main house. His limp from the accident wasn’t even bothering him today. Sometimes it ached, but right now, he had his mind on other things...like the sexy redhead he needed to properly introduce himself to.

  He made his way to his third-floor master suite to get ready for a very important meeting. He owned the land, now he wanted to own the woman. And Colt Elliott always got what he wanted.

  Two

  Infuriating man.

  Annabelle found herself on Colt Elliott’s property for the second time today. She’d wanted to have the meeting in her house, where she could have some level of control. But when Colt’s assistant or minion, or whatever, had called, he’d made it clear that Colt would meet with her, and only her, at precisely 7:00 p.m. at Pebblebrook. Otherwise, the meeting was off.

  Damn infuriating man. She’d never met him and she already despised the air he breathed.

  Whatever. She just wanted this to be over with. The sooner she could get Colt to agree to her terms, the better. Hopefully he’d see that this new arrangement would be beneficial to both of them. No matter what he threw at her, Annabelle wasn’t leaving until she had something to cling to, some hope that she wasn’t doomed to a life of failure when she was only twenty-four years old.

  She was a mother to two beautiful twin girls now. Her father was doting all over them at the moment and would have to be her babysitter when she found a job. He was responsible with children, just not money. Besides, she couldn’t afford to pay a sitter for one kid, let alone two.

  First, she had to get this debt straightened out, and then she’d focus on getting that job. Surely, there was something in town she could do. At this point, she wasn’t going to be picky.

  Smoothing her hands down her green sundress, she pulled in a deep breath. Her nerves weren’t about to abate, so she rang the bell and stepped back...waiting to enter the enemy’s lair.

  This place was so huge, it was almost intimidating. A wooden bridge arched slightly over a creek that ran in front of the house between the drive and the entrance.

  The man literally sat in his castle, complete with moat, waiting on the town peons to enter his kingdom. Oh, how she wished someone would knock him down a peg or two. She had an unhealthy dose of anger stored up with Colt Elliott’s name written all over it.

  She wasn’t even getting into the anger she had toward her father for putting her in this position to begin with. All he’d told her is that Colt had fronted the money and the loan was paid off. Now they owed Colt, not the bank. She made sure her father got that in writing from Colt and Neil had said he did sign a paper and it had been notarized. So, at least her father had been smart enough not to just do things the old-fashioned way with a handshake and a promise. Because Annabelle didn’t trust Colt Elliott. Not one iota.

  The double doors swung open and an elderly man stood before her. Annabelle thought the Elliott boys’ father had passed some years ago, so she wasn’t sure who this man was.

  “Come in, Ms. Carter. Mr. Elliott is expecting you.”

  She stepped over the threshold and nearly gasped. If she’d thought the outside was spectacular, the inside was breathtaking.

  The entryway allowed her to see all the way up to the third story. An open walkway on both floors connected each side of the house, allowing anyone upstairs to see the entire foyer.

  Annabelle was getting a vibe that Colt liked to look down on people, to belittle them. Well, he may have pushed her father around, but he was about to deal with a whole new game player. She wanted to know precisely why he’d extended his hand of generosity to her family. Nobody did something like this just to play nice.

  “I’m Charlie.” The older gentleman closed the door and tipped his head down in greeting. “If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to Mr. Elliott.”

  Annabelle continued taking in all the beauty of this home, and tried not to let jealousy take over. The Elliotts existed on a whole other level than her family ever had, especially now that they had nothing. But Annabelle wasn’t about to let life run her over. She’d had enough and Colt Elliott was about to get the brunt of her frustrations.

  The calming trickle of water drew her attention as she passed by a sunken living area. Who the hell had a waterfall wall in their home? Oh, right. The people who counted their billions as a hobby.

  Annabelle forced her frustrations aside and continued on behind Charlie. There was a bigger issue at hand. She wasn’t going to spend her time assessing how this family lived so lavishly when everything had been robbed from hers. Everyone created their own destiny; unfortunately, she was the victim of her father’s.

  No more. Annabelle had a vision for her future and it certainly didn’t involve giving up her childhood home. Once she got to the bottom of this ordeal, she could start on rebuilding her life. Because she wasn’t just worried about herself anymore, there were two sweet babies to consider.

  Charlie led her through a maze and she wondered if she’d ever find her way out once this meeting was over. Finally, he stopped in front of an oversize arched doorway. He tapped his knuckles on the door before easing it open.

  “Sir, Ms. Carter is here.”

  Nerves gathered heavily in her belly as she smoothed her sundress down one last time. She didn’t care what her emotions were, and there were plenty, but she had to keep them hidden. Someone like Colt Elliott would home in on any weakness and use it to his advantage. Clearly, or she wouldn’t be here trying to get her house back from the man who’d snatched it from he
r father during one of his worst moments.

  Charlie eased the door open and stepped back with a nod before disappearing back down the labyrinth of hallways.

  Shoulders back, ready to battle the enemy, Annabelle stepped into the spacious office complete with a wall of windows overlooking back acreage. The second she shifted her focus to the other end of the room, she stilled. Her heart clenched, breath caught in her throat.

  “You,” she gritted through her teeth. If it wasn’t Shirtless Stable Boy himself.

  * * *

  Colt had been right. She was just as stunning as he remembered. He wondered if he’d still feel the same way once he’d had time to process the events of earlier. But now that Annabelle Carter was in his home, he took another moment to appreciate the entire package.

  That vibrant red hair, wide green eyes, simple makeup and a green dress that she probably thought practical...he found it tempting. How long would it take to undo each of those tiny buttons down the front?

  “You lied,” she accused him, not moving any farther into the room.

  Colt rose from behind the antique desk that had belonged to his father, and his father before him. He circled it and came to lean against the front. Crossing his ankles, he rested his hands on either side of his hips and shrugged. He always appreciated a good sparring opponent.

  “I didn’t lie,” he amended. “I told you Mr. Elliott was busy when you asked. And I was. I had just finished exercising my stallion and needed to get him brushed and fed. I wasn’t getting a manicure or stealing puppies. I save those fun events for Saturdays.”

  Her expressive green eyes narrowed as she slowly made her way across the room. Oh, she was going to be so fun. He didn’t miss the way she took her time in assessing him, as well. Let her look. If all went as planned, she’d have plenty of opportunities to do more than caress him with her eyes.

  “What is it you wanted to see me about?” he asked, ready to hear what she thought she could do to rectify this situation. He had a plan of his own to throw at her.

  “I hardly recognize you with your shirt on.”

  So, Ms. Annabelle had claws. He liked that in a woman, preferably when she clawed at his back, but verbally would do...for now.

  Colt couldn’t hide his smile. She was definitely going to be more of a joy to deal with than Neil Carter.

  “If you’re requesting I take it off, I’m happy to oblige.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest, doing nothing to deter him from appreciating her lush shape. “The only thing you can oblige me with is discussing the terms of this contract you have with my father.”

  “Not my first choice during a meeting with a beautiful woman.” Colt stood straight up, ready to get down to business. Obviously, they would have to get this out of the way first. “The arrangement is simple, as I’m sure he told you. He has six payments left on the property. I paid off his loan and now he owes me. I’m not charging interest like the bank, so the payments are actually cheaper than he was used to. He came to me for help, and—”

  “How kind of you,” she stated drily.

  Colt shrugged with a smile. “I thought so.”

  Annabelle sucked in a deep breath and dropped her hands to her sides. Stepping forward, she came within a couple feet of Colt, enough for him to see the variation of green in her eyes. Definitely eyes a man could get lost in. Not him, but some other man. Colt only did physical relationships, nothing more.

  “You’ll be dealing with me from now on.”

  Oh, he sure as hell hoped so.

  “I will take over the payments, but I need you to give me a few weeks to get on my feet. I have no job, since I came back to Stone River sooner than I’d expected,” she went on, a flash of sadness flickering in her eyes. “Our savings are...well, that’s none of your concern. But I already called a few places this afternoon and I’m sure I’ll have a job shortly.”

  She couldn’t be playing any better into his scheme. Before he could present her with his brilliant plan, she held up her hand.

  “If you can give me two weeks off initially, I’ll make sure you get interest as a sign of good faith.” Annabelle’s lips thinned. She was furious with her old man, as she should be. “I have plans for my home, so believe me, I don’t want to drag this out any longer than necessary.”

  Colt admired her determination. Hell, he knew all about setting sights on a goal and going straight for it. Hadn’t he lived his entire life by such ideals?

  The dude ranch dream he shared with his father was just the final piece of his life he needed to click into place.

  There had been setbacks along the way. Colt hadn’t expected his father to slip into dementia and require around-the-clock care. Colt hadn’t planned on breaking his back and shattering his hip bone while rebuilding the barn after a tornado ripped through town last year. His brothers had instantly reminded him there was no need to lift a hammer, they hired their work done.

  But Colt loved manual labor. He loved this farm and he wasn’t about to let anyone, even his sexy neighbor, stand in the way of him taking it to the next level.

  “Here’s the deal.” He took one step forward, closing the gap between them. Head tilted up, her eyes locked on to his. “You will make the payment on time, as was agreed by your father. One late payment and the land will permanently be mine.”

  It would be in the end anyway, but if a payment was missed, at least Colt would have his property sooner.

  Those green eyes narrowed. “I had no idea about this deal until last night when I returned home. I’ve been back less than twenty-four hours. I need some time to make job arrangements before the payment is due next week. Surely you’re not that coldhearted.”

  Part of him felt sorry for her, but he was about to extend the proverbial olive branch...whether or not she chose to accept it was on her. Either way, he would be the real winner at the end of the day.

  “Not at all.” He offered a smile that he knew had brought women to their knees...literally. “I have a position for you right here at Pebblebrook.”

  Silence settled between them as he waited on her response. They both knew he held the upper hand, but she could make this entire encounter much easier on herself.

  The muscles in her jaw clenched as she glared at him. Damn if her sass and grit weren’t the sexiest things he’d seen in a long time.

  Agreement or not, this woman would be in his bed. Visions of that crimson red hair spread all around his navy sheets flooded his mind. But seduction would have to wait, at least until she wasn’t shooting daggers at him.

  “I don’t even want to know the position you think I’m qualified for.”

  Colt laughed, realizing he’d felt more alive being the target of her snarky attitude than he had in a long time. “I like you.”

  “Well, right now, I hate you.”

  He shrugged. “You’re the yin to my yang. Sounds like we’re going to get along perfectly in the stables.”

  “Stables?” she repeated, with a quirk of a brow.

  “I’m short a stable hand and you need a job. You can start tomorrow and I’ll use your wages toward the payments.”

  Annabelle pulled in a breath and shook her head. “I can’t work long hours. I have another commitment and I need a job that offers some flexibility.”

  He leaned forward, pleased when her eyes flared. “The way I see it, you don’t really have a choice. So, if this other obligation is going to get in the way, I suggest you give it up now.”

  For a split second Colt was convinced she was going to cry. He didn’t like being played and he figured she’d try to get his sympathy by weeping. But when she blinked and glanced away, Colt realized she was simply trying to control herself.

  Yeah, Annabelle was quite a strong woman to come here and face her father’s problem. Colt despised the man for putting his child in such a position. Everyone had their breaking point and Colt figured she’d dealt with her father’s addiction for far too long.

  The strength
she projected was quite the turn-on. Too bad all this business got in the way of him getting her into his bedroom. Soon, he vowed.

  “Whatever this other commitment is, you’re going to have to let it go.”

  She shoved her hair behind her shoulders and turned her attention back to him. “I can’t. I will work here, but you have to understand there are times I will have to adjust my schedule. I can give you a few hours at a time.”

  Colt considered her ultimatum. He wasn’t one to give in to demands, but he had to admit, he liked what he saw with his new neighbor. Someone with that much grit would be a fun way to break up his days. Besides, remaining somewhat on her good side would only aid in his seduction plan.

  “Fine. I’ll pick you up at seven tomorrow morning,” he informed her.

  Annabelle laughed. “I can drive myself.”

  “If you hit another section of my fence, I’ll have to take the repairs out of your check and you’re indebted to me already. The transportation is nonnegotiable.”

  When she let out an extremely unladylike growl, Colt forced himself not to crack a smile. Not even a little one. He may hang out with cowboys all day and make business deals all other waking hours, but he knew how to treat a woman. His father had instilled manners in him—somewhat—and Colt wasn’t about to laugh in her face. But he couldn’t resist the fence jab or the scheme to get a few minutes of alone time with her each day.

  “Fine,” she gritted out between her teeth. “I’ll be ready.”

  When she turned to leave, he couldn’t help but take in the fine sway of her skirt and imagine what lay beneath.

  “Oh, one more thing.” He waited until she stopped, throwing a glance over her shoulder. “Be sure to wear old clothes. We tend to get dirty.”

  Her eyes flared before narrowing. “Did I mention that I hate you right now?”

  “It will pass,” he informed her with a smile. “See you first thing in the morning.”

  Three

  “You don’t have to do this, honey.”