Epilogue

Ten months later

In the background, the band played a soft tune as children romped along the bridges and shrieked with excitement when they spotted swimming koi.

“Willa’s Garden is perfect, isn’t it, Nathan?” Loni crooned to her grandson while deftly lifting him from Sophie’s arms.

“Thanks. Man, he’s getting heavy.” Sophie stretched her arms over her head before looking around. “Where’s my daughter?”

“She’s over feeding the koi with Tom. Those fish are going to need a diet by the end of summer.” Loni smooched kisses on the baby’s nose and then grinned as he giggled. Already, he looked just like his daddy with dark hair and even darker eyes.

Sophie scanned the area. “Okay. Where’s my husband? They should be finished posing for the picture by now.”

Loni shrugged, her attention focused on the baby’s sparkling eyes staring up at her. “I don’t know. Probably hanging out with Colton since he’s just home for the weekend.”

The sound of rapid hooves made both women look toward the main road.

“Oh my!” Loni yelped just as one broad arm leaned down and lifted Sophie onto a rushing black stallion. Two other horses followed close behind, leaving dust in their wake.

“Jake, for Pete’s sake,” Sophie bellowed from the rushing horse.

She grasped the silky mane in desperate hands, warmth from the familiar body behind her sending awareness through her stomach.

“Hang on.” Her husband’s deep voice caused chills down her spine as he maneuvered the large stallion through trees with strong thighs. Thighs that gripped hers while hers gripped the horse.

His strong, oh-so-hard body warmed her as they galloped through the damp woods into a meadow filled with light. The horse skidded to an abrupt stop and birds took to the air. The arm around her waist lowered her gently before her captor leaped lithely to the ground.

She backed up until a tree stopped her retreat.

“She’s kinda pretty,” said Colton as he stopped his mount.

“She’ll do,” Quinn agreed gravely. “What are you going to do with her, Jake?”

His eyes remained on the woman watching his approach. “That’s my decision,” Jake said softly as he stepped forward. “Now go away, both of you.”

His brothers turned their mounts and took off.

“One more step, and you’ll land on your ass.” Sophie lifted her chin, fighting a smile. Shafts of sunlight poked through the pine trees all around them, and a quiet descended in the cool forest.

“Is that a fact?” he drawled while taking another step forward. “Think you can take me?”

“I am pretty tough,” she agreed, pressing farther into the rough bark.

“So I have to chase you down to get a second alone with you, hmm? Some captive you turned out to be,” he said.

Sophie’s mouth watered at the ripple of muscle over her husband’s chest. “Not true. I believe we had several minutes together last night. And early this morning.”

“True. But between Willa’s Garden spring opening, you designing my golf course, and preparing for an art show, by the time my mouth is in your vicinity, it doesn’t want to talk,” he said.

Love hummed along her veins, through her blood for this man. “It’s not my fault you’re insatiable.”

“Is, too.” One final step and he was but a breath away.

Sophie looked up several inches. “You want to talk, huh?”

“Yes, I believe so.” A hand fisted in her hair and warm lips dropped to nuzzle her neck.

“Jake, you didn’t answer your brother.” She tilted her head to allow for better access. “About what you’re going to do with me.”

His smile was pure sin as he raised his head and midnight dark eyes captured hers. “I caught you, Sunshine. I’m keeping you.”

Read the next Montana Maverick romance now! Here’s a quick excerpt of Under the Covers :

Juliet tensed the second the outside door clanged shut. So much for her brief reprieve. She turned around and sat on the highest rung of the ladder, her gaze on the hard wooden floor so far below her feet. Paintings still hung on the wall, and she needed to take them down. But first, she had to face the sheriff.

She’d known he’d show up after receiving her e-mail. Nerves jumped in her belly as she waited.

He strode into the main room of the art gallery and brought the scents of male and pine with him. Stopping several feet away, he looked up. “Juliet.”

“Sheriff.” She took a deep breath, trying to keep her focus on his dark eyes.

But that body deserved a second glance. Tight and packed hard, the sheriff wore faded jeans, a dark button-downed shirt, and a gun at his hip. Black hair swept away from a bronze face with rugged features. Not merely handsome, but definitely masculine and somehow tough. Years ago, she’d liked tough. Many years ago.

He cocked his head to the side and studied her.

For months, he’d been studying her…that dark gaze probing deep, warming her in places she tried to control. But Quinn Lodge was all about control, and the smirk he gave promised she’d be the one relinquishing it. “Any other woman, I’d be worried about that top rung. Not you, though,” he murmured.

She smiled to mask her instant arousal from his gravelly voice and resorted to using a polite tone. “You don’t care if I fall?”

“I care. But you won’t fall. You’re the most graceful person I’ve ever met. Ever even seen.” Admiration and something deeper glimmered in his eyes.

She swallowed. “Thank you. Now perhaps we should get to the arguing part of the evening.”

“I’m not going to argue.” Stubbornness lined his jaw, at home and natural along the firm length. “Neither are you.”

While the words sounded like a peaceful overture, in truth, they were nothing but an order. She clasped her hands together and smoothed down her long skirt. When he used that tone, her panties dampened. If the boys from the private school who’d dubbed her “frigid virgin” could only see her now. “Good, no arguing. We agree.”

His grin flashed a dimple in his left cheek, and he shifted his weight. “You’re not leaving the gallery.”

“Yes, I am.” She should not look. She absolutely would not look. But she’d recognized his move when he’s shifted his weight…yes. A very impressive bulge filled out the sheriff’s worn jeans.

She swallowed, her ears ringing. Her thighs suddenly ached to part.

His eyebrows rose. “Juliet?”

Guilt flashed through her even as her eyes shot up. “Yes?”

His smile was devastating. “Would you like to finally discuss it?”

“Your erection?” The words slipped out before she could think. Oh God . She slapped a hand over her mouth.

He laughed, the sound male and free. “Here in the backcountry, ma’am, we prefer the term hard-on . But yes, let’s discuss the fact that I’m permanently erect around you. Tell me you’re finally ready to do something about it.”

Her heart bashed into her rib cage. “Like what?” she choked.

“Well now”—he tucked his thumbs in his pockets, his gaze caressing up her legs to her rapidly sharpening nipples—“I’ve never taken a woman on a ladder before, but the thought does have some possibilities. How flexible are you, darlin’?”

The spit dried up in her mouth, while warmth flowed through the rest of her. He wasn’t joking. If she gave the word, he’d be on her. Shock filled her at how badly she wanted the sheriff on her . Most men would be at least a little embarrassed by the tented jeans. Not Quinn Lodge. He wanted to explore the idea.

“While I appreciate your offer, I’d prefer we returned to settling the issue of the gallery.” Could she sound any less like a spinster from the eighteen hundreds? “I’m unable to pay the rent, and thus, I need to move on.” But where? The upcoming art show needed to be held somewhere close by or nobody would attend. While she had no choice but to flee town right after the opening, at least she could leave on a triumphant note.

“I don’t need the rent. Let’s keep a running total, and after you’re hugely successful, you can pay me.” He ran a broad hand through his hair. “Stop being impossible.”

She wasn’t a charity case. Plus, the last person she wanted to owe was the sheriff. The man viewed the world in clear, unequivocal lines, and she lived in the gray area. A fact he could never know. “I’m sorry, but I’m not taking advantage of you.” She was out of money, and no way would she stick around.

He sighed. “Juliet, I don’t need the money.”

The words from any other man would’ve been bragging. Not Quinn Lodge. He was merely being nice…and telling the truth. His family owned most of Montana, and he’d invested heavily in real estate. The guy owned many properties, including the two-story brick building that had held her gallery for the past few months, since she’d arrived in town.

She sighed. “I’m not owing you.”

His chin lowered.

Hers lifted.

A cell phone buzzed from his pocket. He drew it out, frowned at the number, and then looked back up at her. “I, ah, need to take this. Do you mind?”

“No.” Darn if his manners didn’t make her feel even more uncomfortable.

“Thanks.” He lifted the device to his ear. “Lodge here.”

He listened and slowly exhaled. “Thank you, Governor.” He shook his head. “I don’t think so… Yes, I understand what you are saying.” Dark eyes rose and warmed as they focused on Juliet’s hardened nipples. She’d cross her arms, but why hide? It wasn’t like the sheriff was concerned about the massive erection he was still sporting, and she could be just as nonchalant as he. She dragged her thoughts back to his ongoing conversation.

“I would, but I already have a date.” That dimple flashed again, this time longer. “Yes, I’m seeing someone—Juliet Montgomery. She owns the art gallery in town. Of course she’ll be at the dance and at the ride. Thank you very much.” He slid the phone into his pocket.

Tingles wandered down Juliet’s spine. Several of her fantasies regarding the sheriff included being part of his everyday life. Of course, many more centered on his nights. “We’re dating?”

“Well now,” only a true Montana man could drawl a sentence like that, “how about we reach an agreement?”

She frowned even as her body sprang to attention. Her raging hormones would love to reach an agreement. “I’m not for sale, Quinn.”

He lost the smile. “I would never presume you were. Here’s the deal—we both need help. How about we assist each other?”

Without knowing the facts, she knew enough to understand this was a bad idea. No matter how many tingles rippled through her abdomen. “Why did you tell the governor we’re dating?”

“He tried to fix me up with his niece, and I needed an out. You’re my out.” Dare and self-effacing humor danced on his face. “How about we date for the next six weeks, just until the election, and you keep the gallery rent-free? You’d really be helping me out.”

Quinn was up for reelection for the sheriff’s office. She shook her head. “You don’t need to play games. Everybody loves you.”

“No. The people in the town of Mineral Lake like me. But Maverick County is a large area, and I need the governor’s endorsement. The last thing I have time for is campaigning for a job I love when I need to be doing that job.”

Considering she’d be leaving soon, maybe she should provide him some assistance. “You have more money than the governor. Buy some ads.”

“I’m not spending money on ads. It’s a waste of resources as well as an insult to hardworking people.”

“Tell the governor you aren’t interested in his niece.” Juliet narrowed her gaze. Quinn Lodge didn’t kowtow to anybody.

“Refusing the governor is a bad idea.” He stalked closer to the ladder. “His niece is Amy Nelson, a woman I briefly dated, and she wanted more. Her daddy is Jocko Nelson, and he’s more than willing to spend a fortune backing Miles Lansing for sheriff. My already dating somebody saves my butt, sweetheart.”

The last thing she wanted to talk about was his fine butt. Nor did she want to think about him dating some other woman. “I’m not your solution.”

“Besides,” he reached the bottom of the ladder and held up a hand, “aren’t you tired of dancing around this? For the last few months, we’ve danced around this.”

“That’s what responsible adults do.” She automatically took his hand to descend.

Electricity danced up her arm from his warm palm.

“Bullshit.” He helped her to the hard-tiled floor. “You feel it, too.”

Yes, she did, and the crass language actually turned her on. But he didn’t know her, and he wouldn’t like her if he did. “I’ve chosen not to act on any temporary attraction.” As a tall woman, it truly unnerved her when she needed to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. “How tall are you, anyway?”

He shrugged. “Six four, last time I checked. How about you?”

“Five ten.”

He nodded. “Petite. Very petite.”

The man was crazy. She tugged her hand free. “I’m not dating you.”

“I know. We’re pretending.” He glanced around at the many paintings on the wall. “Are these from Sophie’s new collection?”

“Yes.” The man already knew his sister-in-law’s paintings adorned the walls.

“Didn’t you promise her an amazing showing for the opening of your gallery?” he asked.

Oh, guilt wasn’t going to work. Juliet sighed. “Yes.”

“Well, then. This is the only place to have an amazing showing, right?” he asked.

Wasn’t that just like a man to go right for the kill? Sophie was Juliet’s friend, one of her only friends, and the showing meant a lot to her. “You’re not being fair.”

He reached out and ran a finger down Juliet’s cheek, his gaze following the motion.

Heat flared from his touch, through her breasts, right down between her legs. “Stop,” she whispered.

His hand dropped. “I need a pretend girlfriend. You need to keep the gallery open. This is a perfect agreement.”

Darn it. Temptation had her glancing around the spectacular space. Three rooms, all containing different types of Western art, made up the gallery. The main room already held most of the paintings created by Sophie Lodge. Rich, oil-based paintings showing life in Maverick, life on the reservation, and the wickedness of Montana weather. The showing would put both Sophie’s art and Juliet’s gallery on the Western-gallery map just like the C. M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, or the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole.

She wanted to be on that map. Perhaps badly enough to make a deal with the sheriff. Plus, she was tired of trying to ignore her attraction to Quinn. Would that attraction explode or fizzle if they spent time together? Frankly, it didn’t matter. She had to leave town soon. Why not appease her curiosity? “Okay, but keep your hands to yourself.”

“But—”

“No.” She pressed her hands on her hips. The man was too dangerous, too tempting. A woman had to keep some control, or Quinn would run wild. No question. “You’re creative, and this is your idea. If we pretend to date, you keep your hands off me.”

His eyes dropped to an amused, challenging expression. He held out both hands, palms up. “Tell you what. These hands won’t touch you until you ask nicely. Very nicely.”

“That will never happen,” she snapped.

His left eyebrow rose. “I wondered if that red hair came with a temper.” Interest darkened his eyes to midnight. “So much passion locked up in such a classy package. I thought so.” He leaned into her space. “Be careful, or I’ll make you beg.”

She almost doubled over from the spike of desire that shot through her abdomen. How many pairs of high-end panties had she gone through the last month, anyway? “Back away, Sheriff.”

He stepped back, as she’d known he would, but the confident desire in his eyes didn’t wane. He glanced at his smartphone. “Give me your cell number in case I can’t find you at the gallery.”

She shuffled her feet. A cell? Yeah, right. Even if she had the money, they were too easy to trace. “I, ah, don’t have one.”

Watchful intelligence filled his eyes as he glanced up. A cop’s eyes. “Why not?”

“I have not had time to find the right one and choose a plan,” she lied.

“Interesting.” He slipped the phone into his pocket, turned on the heel of his cowboy boot, and headed for the door. “Be ready at six tomorrow night for the Excel Foundation Fundraiser in Billings. The drive will take us an hour.”

All tension disappeared from the room as he left. Well, except for the tension at the base of her neck from the land line phone being silent. It had been ringing for almost a week with nobody being on the other side. Surely it was a bunch of kids just goofing off, but she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that kept her up at night. Well, when erotic images of a nude Quinn Lodge weren’t haunting her dreams.

She sagged against the ladder as she forced herself to relax. Yeah, right. Pretending to be the sheriff’s girlfriend would be anything but relaxing. What in the world had she just done?