It happened so fast she had no time to gather her wits before he bent his head and kissed her.
She caught her breath, startled, as his warm mouth covered hers. For long moments, his lips lured hers, changing pressure from firm to soft as he coaxed her to respond. By the time he lifted his head, she was breathless and fighting the urge to pull his mouth back to hers.
âSometimes a demonstration is better than a thousand words,â he said, the words rumbling. âAre you still convinced pretending the heat between us doesnât exist will make it go away?â
The rasping sound of his deep voice rubbed over Cynthiaâs nerves, stirring a yearning need she suspected was better left sleeping.
Dear Reader,
Iâve often wondered how a person with a genetic urge to seek excitement managed their life. In some ways, I was able to satisfy my curiosity while writing Zachâs story ⦠because Zach Coulter has a lifelong history of pushing the boundaries, testing the outer limits of his endurance and chancing death whenever possible. His mother, Melanie, also possessed a reckless natureâand when the eleven-year-old Zach dared her, Melanie had jumped into the creek to join himâand died.
Twenty-three years later, Zach returns to the Triple C, whereâheâs always believedâhe caused his motherâs death. He plans to stay in Montana only long enough to join forces with his brothers and save the ranch theyâve all inherited. But the world shifts on its axis when he meets and joins forces with beautiful Cynthia Deacons. Soon, he begins to wonder if Cyn might permanently satisfy his thirst for excitement and calm his restless heart.
I hope you enjoy reading Zach Coulterâs story and that youâll return with me soon to the Triple C Ranch and the third installment in Big Sky Brothers when Zach and Cade welcome home the youngest, famed silversmith Eli Coulter.
Warmly,
Lois
âHey, Zach, the phoneâs for you!â
Zach Coulter laid his cards facedown on the down-filled sleeping bag and stood. Outside the sturdy tent, the wind moaned and tugged at the corners and tie-lines while a half-moon cast silver light and shadows over the Mount Everest base camp.
âDonât look at my cards,â he warned his two companions, grinning at their four-letter-word responses as he crossed the tent and took the satellite receiver from the team leader. âHello?â
âZach, itâs Angela.â
âWhatâs up? Everything okay?â Zach tensed, a frown creasing his forehead.
Static crackled on the line, but then his assistant reassured him with her usual crisp, no-nonsense tone. âYour brother Cade has been calling. I told him you werenât reachable until you descended to base camp, but I promised to keep trying to contact you.â
âWhat does he want?â
âI donât knowâhe didnât say. All he would tell me is that he needs to talk to you.â
âIâll call him,â he told her.
âHow was the summit?â Angela asked.
âHigh. And cold. And snowy,â Zach said drily. âI notice you didnât ask if I made it to the top.â
âOf course not,â she said with cool confidence. âIâve never known you to fail. Weâll have champagne when you get back to the office, boss.â
Zach laughed. âYouâre buying, right?â
âAbsolutely. The grocery store carries bubbly.â
Zach groaned and his assistant laughed, her amusement clear despite the intermittent static. After sheâd assured him there were no other urgent matters at the office, they said goodbye and hung up.
It took a few moments to place the call from the satellite phone in Nepal to Cadeâs cell phone back in the States.
âCade, itâs Zach.â
âWhere the hell have you been, Zach?â Cadeâs deep voice demanded. Once again, the line crackled with interference.
âClimbing Mount Everest in Nepal,â Zach told him without missing a beat, amused at his older brotherâs growl. âWe made it to the top and are on our way down. At the moment, Iâm in a tent at base camp.â
âGood to know you survived,â Cade said. âThereâs no easy way to say this, Zach.â His voice was suddenly solemn, grim. âThe old man died. He left the Triple C to you, me, Eli and Brodie. Iâm in Indian Springs and I need you to come home.â
âHell.â Zach was stunned and barely aware he spoke aloud as he tried to get his head around Cadeâs words. Joseph Coulter was goneâand his sons were his heirs? How was that possible? He shook his head to clear it, focusing on his brotherâs last sentence. âI always said Iâd never go back there, Cade, but if you need me, Iâm on my way. Have you talked to Eli and Brodie?â