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That brings a smile to my face. Every time that sexy priest blinks an eyelash in my direction, it makes my body tremble with an insatiable urge for him to touch me. I don’t even know where I want him to touch me, but I just know it has to be him.
After dropping my mother home, I make my way across town to Heaven’s Haven. My brother, Hudson, needs me at the ranch. I never got the opportunity to grow up with my brothers out here. By the time I came around, my parents had already given the place to Hudson, and I was the baby raised in their smaller home where I’m spoiled rotten. I’m not complaining because my life is simple until it comes to dating.
The thing about having three brothers nearly 20 years older than me is that it feels like I have four fathers. They all want a say in who gets to date me, and I don’t have any interest in their opinions.
I take that back. I appreciate their opinions because I know they all just want to see me happy and safe. However, they’re so intense about protecting me that I steer clear of anyone I’d need to introduce to the Haven boys.
However, the lack of experience in my dating life doesn’t make me so naïve to ignore the rumors about my brothers. No guy my age wants to stand against the Havens just to take me out to some fast-food joint or a movie.
The lengths Haven men go through to protect their women is evidence of their duty to keep me out of harm's way. From facing armed stalkers to taking down a petty crook looking to strong-arm my sister-in-law’s landlord, my brothers will move mountains to protect the people they love. I’m on the list of women the Haven men protect with their lives.
When I pull into the ranch’s driveway, the picturesque backdrop of Mount Kenwood, about 20 miles outside of Conklin, makes the ranch one of the most beautiful pieces of property around.
Hudson and his wife, Heather, run the place. The upgrades they’re making include pathways large enough for ATVs and golf carts to navigate from the main house to the cabins in other parcels of the land. Construction has the landscape in disarray, with mounds of dirt and gravel scattered across various pastures.
After parking my Jeep, I head inside the main house to hear grunts and sounds of people struggling, echoing fromsomewhere near the back of the first floor. My heart races for a minute, thinking the worst. What if someone he fought off for her has come back to get their revenge?
Then, I remember my brother and sister-in-law having an odd connection with each other. They literally like to wrestle. I stop by the door just in case they’re doing something else and call out.
“I’m here, River. Unhand my sister.”
To my surprise, Heather is dragging my brother Hudson—a.k.a. River to those close to him—in a headlock to the front of the house. What used to be the living room and dining room is now a guest receiving area with a large desk center to the front entryway. The living room is still the same except now, they use it as a community space.
There’s an apartment on the third floor instead of the two master suites that were there. I imagine that’s where the bulk of their wrestling takes place. As winter rolls in, they're taking a break from the renovations. Especially with this storm being one of the worst, and first, to hit our small county.
“Okay.” I smirk, looking at Heather and Hudson in the middle of a tussle. “Unhand my brother.”
“I’ll unhand him as soon as he takes it back,” Heather grunts as she squeezes her arm tighter around Hudson’s neck.
My brother is red in the face but laughing, so there’s no actual threat. He lets her do this to him and that’s none of my business. Still, he chuckles as he grabs onto her arms to loosen her grip as he says, “I won’t take anything back. Die Hard is a Christmas movie, and it’s going in our movie lineup.”
“Do you hear this?” Heather laughs and jerks him around a bit. Hudson laughs before I see the glimmer of mischief on his face. I see that familiar expression when my brothers are horsing around.
In the blink of an eye, he stands up to his full height and picks up Heather with him. He grabs her around the waist, spinning her around until she’s standing in front of him with her arms pinned to her side.
“I thought you guys would be on the road by now,” I tell them, looking at my watch. “Snow’s coming.”
“I know, Harper.” Hudson rolls his eyes. He lets Heather go before bending down behind the large reception desk and dragging a large suitcase out. “We’re leaving now. I just wanted to see you before we left. Heather, go start the truck, baby girl.”
“Yes, Daddy,” she says with a smile and a quick kiss. She takes the keys, hugging me on her way out. I make my way to the desk, where Hudson has a list on a clipboard sitting in front of a computer.
“I locked down all the cabins, and the Rutherfords are checked out of Cabin 6, but if they’re still there by three, call and let them know you’re charging their credit card for the extra night. It's on file already so you don't have to actually swipe it.”
“Are the rates set?”
“Yeah, $150 for the weekend.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Really? That’s it?”
“Well, seeing as the amenities won’t be available this weekend due to the blizzard, the base rate should be fine if they’re staying through the storm. The lake house cabin goes for triple that, butI don’t want anyone out there in case the snow gets too high. Last thing we need is someone walking into the lake. If there’s an emergency, Hayden and Jimi are around, but I think they’re helping plow the streets all night.”
“Relax. I’m only going to be here until six. I’ll answer your ancient landline phones if they ring and make sure the Rutherfords are all cleared out before I go. The snow’s supposed to be the heaviest around midnight. I have plenty of time.”
Hudson looks at me and then around the room. After a deep breath, he taps the desk. “Thank you, Harper. You don’t have to do this?—”
I cut him off. “Shut up, River. Just go take my sister away for the weekend or week. I can run this place with my eyes closed. Take two weeks. I can use the time to get some real-world business experience to bring back to my classes.”
“I’ll think about giving you some more time around here if that’s what you want to do.”
