Free Read Lorelei James Wrapped and Trapped

Prologue

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She resisted the urge to go out at the crack of dawn the morning after.

Not considering she wanted to give him a chance to explain the harsh words he'd spit at her as he'd hastily thrown on his clothes afterwards leaving her bed. No, she'd stuck around, refusing to allow him the satisfaction of believing he'd chased her off.

Even when he had.

She ever traveled lite. So it hadn't taken long to pack her belongings. She hugged her sister and said good-good day to the friends she'd made these by iv months.

Gravel crunched beneath her tires every bit she headed for the chief road to get out the Split Rock Ranch and Resort. She hit the brakes when she saw him sitting alone on the top of the corral exterior the befouled.

She exited the car and rested her forearms on the roof, watching him. Only a few hundred feet separated them, but it may besides accept been a few hundred miles.

She waited for some kind of acquittance. A tip of his cowboy hat mayhap. Or a two-fingered salute from the brim of his chapeau. A dip of his mentum.

Just she got nothing.

At all.

He remained and then still he could've been a statuary statue. Hard. Weathered. Immovable. In the starting time she'd attributed all those characteristics and nothing more to him. But and then she'd unearthed the real human being beneath the stoic demeanor. She'd experienced his heat and passion. Peculiarly last nighttime.

And then she'd experienced his coldness and disdain.

The beginning she'd envisioned for them turned out to be the end.

And then she drove abroad, ready to put him—and Wyoming—in her rearview mirror.

Chapter One

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Three years later . . .

Harlow Pratt panicked when she saw her sis Tierney's name on her caller ID. She answered with, "Please tell me you didn't go into labor a month early."

"No, that's not why I'm calling." Tierney paused. "You know Dad is here visiting. He had a heart assault."

"What? When?"

"This morning time. Nosotros got him to the hospital in Rawlins correct away and they opted to have him flown to the cardiac unit at Denver General."

"Is he all correct?"

"He's having emergency heart bypass surgery at present."

In shock, Harlow lowered herself into the closest chair. "How do you lot know what'south going on?"

"There'south a nurse who's keeping me updated because I can't travel this late in my pregnancy—"

"Don't feel guilty, T." Harlow grabbed a pen and a notepad from the nightstand. "Give me the nurse'southward name and extension number."

Tierney rattled off more than info than necessary, but that was her way.

"Got it. At present stop pacing and put your feet up. I imagine Renner is fit to exist tied." Tierney'due south husband's behavior divers tyrannical since Tierney had been prescribed bed remainder for the last calendar month of her pregnancy. Sometimes she needed a reminder that she had to limit her activity.

"You lot have no thought," Tierney whispered. "He made Hugh drive Dad and meet the ambulance halfway to boondocks because he refused to leave me alone with Isabelle. He worried the stress would put me into labor the 2nd he wasn't around."

"It'southward a valid business." Harlow ignored the way her stomach jumped at the mere mention of the man'due south proper noun.

"Where are you?"

"Still in LA." By the heavy pause, she knew what her sister was most to ask.

"Someone needs to exist with Dad, Harlow. I hate to ask yous to drop everything and wing to Denver—"

"Simply it can't be helped." Her snarky side pointed out that her father wouldn't retrieve she was doing "real" work anyway. "I'll book a flight as before long as possible."

"Thank you. After the helicopter left Rawlins, Hugh took it upon himself to drive to Denver, which is above and beyond."

No, that was total brownnose behavior—a typical Hugh response considering he'd exercise annihilation for Renner, his boss.

"And he's agreed to stay at the hospital until you get there."

Oh, hell no. "As soon as I take my flying info, you tin can call Renner's foreman and let him know I'm on my way, so there's no need for him to stick effectually." Did that sound harsh? Harlow didn't care. She could not bargain with her father and Hugh Pritchett both on the same damn twenty-four hours.

"I know nosotros've both had issues with Dad, simply he was really scared," Tierney said. "I've never seen him like that. It actually scared me."

Harlow closed her eyes. "He'south less of an ass to y'all since y'all're the vessel bringing forth the long-awaited grandson."

"That's not it. But Dad and I have reached a place where he tin alive with my life choices."

"I'm not holding my breath that'll ever happen with me."

"Your passion for what you lot do, Harlow—he doesn't disbelieve it, even when he doesn't understand it," Tierney assured her.

That much was true. When her passion for service trapped her in a nightmare situation last twelvemonth, he'd done everything in his ability to get her out of it. She did owe him for that.

"Leaving at a moment'southward notice won't be an issue?" Tierney prompted.

"Non since I'thou hither on sabbatical."

"Do you lot think you lot'll get to Denver tonight?"

When her admission didn't register with her sister, Harlow decided to keep whatever explanations virtually contempo career developments in her life to herself. "Flights go out LAX every couple of hours. Y'all'll need to permit the hospital staff know I'thousand on my manner."

"No problem."

"Look, I'll probably be in the air when he gets out of surgery, then hope me that if the worst happens"—she knocked on the wooden window frame to ward off bad luck—"you won't tell me over text or through voice postal service."

"I'd never do that."

Harlow breathed a sigh of relief. "Good."

"Love you, sis."

"Beloved you too."

Two hours later, Harlow had scored the final standby seat on a flying to Denver.

After boarding the plane and taking her seat—side by side to the bathroom in the last row—she slipped on her noise-canceling headphones and closed her optics, hoping Michael Bublé's shine vocals would soothe her ragged thoughts. Or better notwithstanding, lull her to sleep.

But her mind had other ideas. Like reminding her of the first time she'd seen i gruff cowboy named Hugh Pritchett.

Dammit. She did not want to think about him or that summer. But her brain had already rewound the clock and the memories rushed back . . .

Chapter Two

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Three years earlier . . .

WELCOME TO MUDDY GAP, WYOMING. POPULATION . . .

Harlow squinted at the sign. Looked like someone had shot out the number of residents. That didn't bode well.

But with her arrival the population was one more than yesterday. Maybe they'd get a new sign.

She drove through the impressive entrance to the Split Rock Ranch and Resort and parked her Prius in the virtually empty lot. She climbed out, stunned by the pocket of dazzler surrounding the Western resort. Afterwards traveling through miles of prairie and farmland en road from Chicago, she'd hit the Loftier Plains desert and the near desolate Wyoming mural. This wasn't what she'd expected.

The massive edifice ahead of her was gorgeous and yet didn't backbite from the view. Her sister tore out the forepart door and down the stairs, practically throwing herself at Harlow.

"I'm so happy you're here," Tierney said on a choked sob. "I've missed you so much."

"Samesies. And stop crying or I'll start calling you Teary Tierney instead of Tenacious Tierney."

Tierney stepped b

ack and wiped her eyes. "Sorry. A yr is also long for us not to see each other. Promise me that won't happen again."

"I promise," Harlow said offhandedly as she was busy staring at her big sister's big belly. "How's infant Tenor?"

"Nosotros're fine." She grinned and smoothed her palms over her infant bump. "I beloved your nickname for the womb dweller."

"I seriously hope you lot're considering my suggestions for baby names."

"Jackie Jackson or Jack Jackson? Not happening."

Harlow stuck her natural language out. "Spoilsport. Tierney, this place is amazing." She rubbed her hands together. "I'thou betting my digs are equally awesome. I tin can't look to see them."

"Now?"

"Yeah. Why not?"

"Don't y'all want to run across where you lot'll be working start?"

"No. I drove straight through, and then I'm seriously shut to going comatose."

Tierney's gaze sharpened. "You didn't stop at all?"

"Just for gas and more energy drinks." Harlow squeezed Tierney's mitt and felt her anxiety lessening a little.

"Good matter I didn't programme a big 'Welcome to Wyoming' meal for you after tonight."

"Very lucky for me, since you're a horrible cook."

"I'm better than I used to exist."

Harlow raised both eyebrows.

"Okay, fine, Renner does most of the cooking."

"Where is my handsome brother-in-constabulary?"

"With the foreman downwardly at the barn." Tierney pointed to Harlow's machine. "Got room for me to ride forth so I tin can show yous the fastest way to become to the cabin?"

"Yep. I travel light, every bit you lot know."

They climbed in the car and Tierney had her bulldoze past the row of trailers that fabricated up the employee quarters. After dwelling in a tent for six months, Harlow would've been fine living there. Only Tierney had insisted her babe sister move into the small cabin that she and Renner had recently vacated, since they'd moved into their new family-sized house.

She followed Tierney upwards the river-rock-paved sidewalk and checked out the landscaping. Very minimalist—but non due to Tierney'south black thumb. She'd learned h2o was scarce around here. Since she had experience utilizing native flora and fauna on some of the projects she'd worked on, she approved the resort's pick to contain native plants, grasses and rock. Not only was it better ecologically; it showcased the uniqueness of the vegetation rather than using sod to embrace up the natural beauty.

Harlow followed her sister into the cabin. The cozy infinite was all Tierney: elegant without being fussy. A compact kitchen. An open living area.

Tierney pointed to a closed door. "The bedroom and bathroom are through there."

"This place is perfect, T." She hugged her sister from behind. "Thank you for letting me stay here, but you didn't take to leave the article of furniture. I would've been fine with a campsite cot and a beanbag chair."

Tierney sniffed similar she didn't believe her. "We bought all new furnishings for the new house. Baby-friendly stuff. I uncertainty that glass coffee tabular array could withstand a toddler smacking toys onto information technology."

"Truthful."

"Lots of happy memories in this firm," Tierney said softly.

"No wild parties to taint those memories, I promise."

"I'll never forget the look on Dad's face when he walked in on you and 10 of your friends from the homeless shelter doing karaoke."

"He'south never had much of a sense of humor, has he?" Harlow paused. "Things are better?"

"Some." Tierney sighed. "He'south been checking in on me a couple of times a week since I told him we were pregnant."

"Really?"

"I know it's hard to believe. Part of me wants to tell him it's too late to take on a fatherly role in my life when he couldn't exist bothered when I needed a father."

Harlow said nothing. Her relationship with their male parent had been much different—although not better by any stretch. Gene Pratt hadn't had the same expectations for Harlow that he had for his brainiac daughter, Tierney.

"Later all the shit Dad pulled when the resort was getting off the ground, Renner has every reason not to desire to accept anything to exercise with him. Only he claims the biggest reason he won't cutting him out of our life is considering of me. And surprisingly, Dad respects that Renner is a bigger man than he is."

"You're so lucky. Not only does Renner worship you lot—he stands upwardly for you."

"And my infant daddy is besides one hot cowboy who fills out a pair of Wranglers to perfection."

"Also true. Too bad he doesn't have whatever brothers."

"Come on. Allow's walk down to the befouled then yous tin say hi to him earlier you sack out."

The steep incline had Harlow gripping Tierney's arm in case her significant sis lost her footing.

No surprise that Renner met them at the lesser of the hill, his assessing gaze on his married woman. "Darlin', maybe you lot oughten be comin' downwardly the hill in your condition."

"I'one thousand fine. Harlow had a expiry grip on me."

"I'd never let anything happen to her," Harlow assured him.

Renner'due south gaze finally moved from Tierney over to Harlow. His quick half smile didn't reach his piercing blue eyes. "Proficient to see you, Harlow."

They'd met only four times and Harlow had gotten the impression that Renner didn't care for her. "Y'all as well, Renner." Harlow was about to say something else when her gaze was drawn to the big man exiting the barn.

He ambled toward them, his cream-colored cowboy hat angled downwards, keeping his face up in shadow. His arms hung past his sides as his booted feet kicked upward dust. He stopped beside Renner and finally looked up.

Her stomach cartwheeled. With his rawboned facial features and penetrating brown eyes, this guy epitomized a steely-eyed gunslinger from the Wild West.

But his gaze didn't remain on Harlow long. After a quick once-over his focus returned to Tierney. The hard line of his mouth softened. "You ain't supposed to be hoofing it down hither. That's why Renner got y'all a damn golf cart."

Tierney scowled. "Stop treating me similar I'grand a frail flower. Both of you. I would've had to walk all the way back up the hill to get the golf game cart, since nosotros drove down to the cabin."

Renner looked at Harlow. "Did you become settled in okay?"

"Not nevertheless. At least I know where I'chiliad going now." Her gaze returned to the human being standing beside Renner. The lower half of his face was covered in dark blondish ruby scruff that stretched down his long neck. When she glanced back up at his eyes, the man was apartment-out scowling at her. "Is there a reason yous're glaring at me?"

"You've got pink goddamn pilus."

"Then?"

"So you look like you stuck your caput in a cotton candy machine."

"Ooh. Dainty one. Not very original, though. Next time attempt to work in a Pepto-Bismol pink reference instead."

"If you didn't want people lookin' at you, so yous oughten dye your pilus that wacky color."

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