Rancher Untamed. Katherine Garbera

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СКАЧАТЬ Hamilton-Hoff rarely went out and certainly didn’t get dressed up all that often. But here she was, seated at the Caruthers table for the Five Families bachelor auction. Among the descendants of the original five families who’d founded Cole’s Hill, there was a friendly competition to see which one could raise the most money.

      Given that all of the Caruthers brothers were married except for Ethan—and he now seemed engaged—that family’s chances were slim this year. But Pippa had already had other ideas. It certainly helped that she was twenty-five today and would soon have access to her fortune. She knew exactly who she wanted to spend this birthday with.

      Diego Velasquez—a long, tall Texan who looked as comfortable in his tuxedo as he did on the back of a horse. Though if she were being totally honest, she preferred to see him riding his stallion Iago. She’d been out to visit him twice with Penny, the little girl she nannied. Penny was a horse-crazy four-year-old, the daughter of Nathan Caruthers, and Diego was her de facto uncle now that his sister, Bianca, had married Dr. Derek Caruthers.

      The long road that she’d been on for the last four years was almost up. She no longer had to hide who she was—an English heiress who’d run away from her controlling father and had become a nanny while on the run, trying to figure out what to do next. Now that she was twenty-five her inheritance was hers to claim and do what she wanted with. For this one night she still wanted to be young and free. To be with a man who didn’t know about her fortune, who would be happy enough with Pippa the nanny.

      She’d run into him enough times in town to know that it wasn’t coincidence. The owner of a large ranch on the outskirts of town with an internationally acclaimed breeding program didn’t have to drive into Cole’s Hill at 10:00 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to get coffee, but he did. They always chatted, and she’d been careful to not let it be more than talk, but in her heart...she wanted more. He had the kind of chocolatey-brown eyes that reminded her of drinking hot chocolate, so rich and comforting. Yet at the same time he made her feel alive...feel things that she hadn’t allowed herself to even think about since she’d walked out of that party in New York City four years ago and gotten on a bus.

      Since then, her life had been a lie. One big deceit where she had to keep moving, keep thinking and never let her guard down.

      Until now.

      Tonight.

      Ethan Caruthers had done the romantic thing and now he and Crissanne were in the corner snogging. Meanwhile, Pippa was sitting here with access to her fortune and looking up at Diego Velasquez. He wore his tuxedo with an easy grace that spoke of manners and class, but when their eyes met, she felt that zing. That sexual awareness that reminded her she was more than an heiress on the run. She was a woman with a plan tonight.

      Not the one who’d hidden away for four years or the one who was afraid to claim things for herself.

      No, she wanted Diego and was determined to have him.

      The bidding started, and she raised her hand, increasing the bid. She just kept on until she and one of the women who worked with Diego at his ranch were the only ones left. Chantelle, Pippa thought her name was. Did Chantelle wish for a relationship that was more than boss/employee?

      Pippa knew she was leaving. That as soon as the board of her family’s company, House of Hamilton, read her email and accepted she was who she said she was, Cole’s Hill, Texas, would be a distant memory. But she’d put aside so many things for the past four years. She’d denied herself for too long and she wasn’t going to anymore. She raised her paddle and doubled the current bid, which made the emcee squeal with excitement and Diego raise his eyebrows as he looked right at her.

      “I think someone definitely wants you, Diego, and unless there is another bidder who wants to top that bid...” The emcee glanced around the room, but she’d pushed the bid so high no one else raised a paddle.

      For the first time since Diego walked onto the stage she was truly aware of the room and that everyone’s eyes were on her. She started to sit back down, but Kinley put her hand on Pippa’s butt. “Get your man, girl.”

      She had to smile at the way Kinley said it. Despite the fact that they had grown up in two very different worlds, Kin was a soul sister. Pippa had always believed that something stronger than coincidence had led them to meet on that Vegas bus the day Kinley went into labor. Pippa had been riding the bus trying to figure out her next move, since she was out of cash, and Kinley had been on her way to work when her water broke.

      “I guess I will,” Pippa said, carefully placing her paddle on the table and going up to claim him.

      It was only for tonight, but then again, she felt tonight was all she’d had. She’d had four birthdays on her own in Texas, each of them fraught with tension and confusion. Only her determination had brought her to this moment, and as she climbed up the stairs at the side of the stage and went to him, she didn’t worry about any of that. As she got closer, she noticed his smile, how tonight it wasn’t as bold as it usually was. But it was still sexy and charming, and she admitted to herself she was smitten.

      What an old-fashioned word, but it suited her and her emotions.

      She hadn’t really been paying attention to the other winners, so she had no idea what to do, but Diego caught her hand and pulled her close to him. “With a bid like that, I think you deserve my everything.”

      Up close she realized that his brown eyes had flecks of gold in them. His lips were full, and he winked at her as he dipped her low in his arms and then brought his mouth down on hers. She stopped thinking and just let go.

      * * *

      Diego stood in the line at the bar watching Pippa talking to Kinley and Bianca. His sister was a former supermodel, but Pippa outshone her in his eyes. He wasn’t sure what they were saying, but he noticed that Pippa smiled and laughed easily. He ordered two margaritas and then made his way back over to her.

      “So I guess we shouldn’t wait up for you,” Kinley said as he approached.

      Pippa’s gaze met his and she blushed, the pink tint moving up from her décolletage to her neck.

      “You’ll see me when you see me,” Pippa said in her very proper British accent.

      She reached around Kinley and took one of the margaritas from him. He lifted his glass toward hers and took a sip before he moved to stand next to her. Kinley hugged her and went to join her husband across the room.

      “Mama is very proud of the Velasquez family tonight,” Bianca said.

      “She should be. She did a good job raising us,” Diego said. “And we are all home tonight, which you know always makes her happy.”

      “She’s not the only one who’s over the moon,” Bianca said. “Benito can’t wait until tomorrow morning for our family brunch. He loves his tios.”

      His nephew was four years old and had seen a lot in his short life. His father had died while racing, something that had made Diego’s own mother more determined to try to find another career for Inigo. But his youngest brother had the legendary Velasquez hardheadedness.

      “We adore him,” Diego said.

      “Of course you do. Now, I am going to try to claim a dance with my husband. He’s got early surgery tomorrow, so we can’t stay late,” Bianca said, leaning over to kiss his cheek. Then she gave Pippa a hug before she walked away.

      He СКАЧАТЬ