It was an image straight out of a country dream.

            Miles and miles of land stretched out for as far as the eye could see. Land filled with mesquite trees, scrub oak, late spring wildflowers, and early summer grasses. A herd of longhorn cattle lazily munched on those grasses, their tails occasionally lifting to flick at pesky insects. Or maybe just to fan their bodies in the sizzling May heat.

Amid the land and cattle sat a big red barn and quaint two-story farmhouse. The barn brought up images of six laughing girls grooming thoroughbred horses and cuddling newborn kittens and jumping in shrieks of delight from the hayloft. The farmhouse with its wide porch brought up another image.

An image of a loving family.

As always, the image caused Corbin Whitlock to feel numerous things: pain, desire, envy, and anger. The anger always won out. It was a much easier emotion to deal with than the others.

“I don’t know how in the hell I let you and Jesse talk me into allowing the Holidays to stay for a month, Sunshine Brook Whitlock,” he grumbled as he maneuvered his truck around a pothole in the road. “I should have my head examined.”

His sister smiled at him from the passenger seat. Sunny had been aptly named. She was brilliance and warmth and life.

She was certainly his life.

“I’m not going to argue that point, Corbin Conrad Whitlock,” she said. “I have never understood the things that go on in your head.”

“Just like I don’t understand the things that go on in yours. Allowing the Holidays to stay for a month will only make it harder for them to leave.” He took his eyes off the dirt road to give her a stern look. “And they are going to leave, Sunny. They aren’t like all the stray animals you kept bringing home when we were kids.”

Not that they had ever been able to keep any of those strays. Which probably explained why Corbin had grown so attached to Taylor Swift. He glanced down at the tiger-striped kitten curled up in his lap and gently stroked her soft, tiny head as he continued.

“The Holidays aren’t strays. They have six daughters who I’m sure will be more than happy to take them in. Or at least four of them will.”

Sunny laughed. “Don’t tell me you’re still holding a grudge against Liberty and Belle for that little high school prank they pulled. I’ve pulled worse pranks than that.”

Sunny did have a prankster nature, but her jokes were all in good fun. Liberty and Belle’s prank hadn’t been fun. Not fun at all. When he didn’t say anything, Sunny sighed.

“Okay. I guess my pranks never broke anyone’s heart.”

“Liberty didn’t break my heart. You have to be in love with someone for them to break your heart and I was never in love with her.”

“No, just infatuated. And since you’re taking their family’s ranch, I have to wonder if you weren’t infatuated with the entire Holiday family.”

He snorted. “Not hardly. Like I’ve told you and Jesse repeatedly. Foreclosing on this ranch isn’t about the Holidays.” He glanced at her. “I want you to have your dream home.”

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then closed it again and smiled brightly. “Thank you, big brother. You always have given me everything I’ve dreamed of. Now about that Lamborghini for my birthday?”

He looked back at the road. “Not a chance. After the way you were driving in Paris, I’m not about to buy you a fast car.” He pulled in behind the U-Haul truck he’d been following to the ranch. “I ordered you a Subaru. They’re supposed to be some of the safest cars on the road.”

Sunny rolled her eyes as she reached for the door handle. “Whoopee. I just love playing it safe.”

Corbin didn’t find her sarcasm funny. Keeping Sunny safe was a full-time job. While he had always been cautious, she had always been adventurous and a daredevil. She never did anything illegal—besides driving way too fast—but she was always willing to try something new, exciting . . . and dangerous.

Against his wishes, she’d skydived, mountain climbed, and scuba dived with sharks. She’d driven Formula One race cars and motocross motorcycles and taken flying lessons. After graduating from college, she’d wanted to travel all over the world. He’d put his foot down and closed his wallet on that dream. But she had talked him into going to an art school in Paris.

Corbin had been worried sick the entire three years she’d been gone—even with the security team he’d hired to keep an eye on her.

But she was home now. Their home. And he could finally relax.

Although, as he climbed out of his truck, he didn’t feel relaxed. A knot of unease, anxiety . . . and guilt settled in his stomach. It pissed him off. He had every right to be there. The Holidays had known what would happen if they failed to make the loan payments on the ranch. He wasn’t at fault. He had only done what any smart businessman would do.

The Holidays would find another place to call home. In fact, at their age, they should probably be living in a retirement community. A ranch this size was too much for three old people to handle by themselves. The debt they had gotten themselves in proved it.

But knowing that didn’t stop his guilt from growing when Mitzy Holiday, or Mimi as everyone called her, came around the side of the house. The Holidays’ grandma looked like she had every other time he’d visited the ranch—like she’d been rolling around in the dirt. Her gardening gloves, T-shirt, jeans, and roper boots were covered in dark soil. There was even a smudge on her nose and the wide brim of her hat.

Completely unconcerned with the dirt, Sunny hurried over and gave her a tight hug. Sunny had fallen in love with Mimi after only one meeting. Which wasn’t surprising given that Sunny seemed to love everyone . . . while Corbin only tolerated people.

And Sunny wasn’t the only female in Corbin’s life that had fallen in love with Mimi. Tay woke up from her slumber and took one look at the old woman and started struggling to be let down. But since there were way too many dangers on a ranch for a tiny kitten, Corbin kept a tight hold as Mimi walked over to greet Tay with an ear scratch.

“Hello, sweet girl.” Mimi looked at Corbin. “It’s a good thing you’re moving in early. My arthritis tells me it’s going to rain this afternoon. Which is why everyone is busy getting the ranch work done early.”

Corbin didn’t have a clue what ranch work she was talking about. His sister’s pleas weren’t the only reason he’d let the Holidays stay for a month. There were a lot of things Corbin didn’t know about running a ranch. Something his sister was well aware of. If her twinkling eyes were any indication, Sunny was thoroughly enjoying his discomfort.

“Then I guess we need to get these boxes unpacked so Corbin can help with that ranch work,” she said with a smug smile. “After all, this is your ranch now, Cory.”

He shot her an annoyed look before he headed over to the movers and started issuing orders about where he wanted them to put the boxes.

There weren’t that many. He had to wonder why he’d even bothered to hire men to help them move. After moving so much when they were kids, he and Sunny had learned to travel light. Or possibly live light. Sunny had brought very little back with her from Europe. Since Corbin planned to keep the penthouse in Houston for when he traveled there on business, he had left all the furniture and household items. He would worry about buying more for the ranch once the Holidays had moved out. For now, he’d only brought clothes, books, personal items, and his office equipment. Not wanting the moving men to drop the box with his laptop and printer, he handed Tay to Sunny and grabbed it.

Darla Holiday was there to greet them when they stepped in the door.

“Corbin! Sunny! We’re so happy you’re here.” She had always been nice and welcoming, but he struggled to reciprocate. With her dark hair and soft green eyes, she looked like Liberty and Belle. She glanced at the box he carried. “I bet you’ll want that in the study.”

He expected the study to be filled with ranch business files, family photographs, and Hank’s personal items, but it had been completely cleaned out.

As was the upstairs bedroom she showed him to next.

“We figured you’d want the room with the biggest bed.” Darla plumped one of the pillows. “This was Liberty and Belle’s room. We got them twin beds like the other girls, but they flat refused to sleep separately so we had to get them a queen. Which is ironic since they’re twins.”

Corbin didn’t laugh. He wasn’t happy about sleeping in the twins’ room. Not happy at all. But he couldn’t say anything. Not when Sunny was standing there and he’d just gotten through telling her he wasn’t still holding a grudge. So he kept his silence as Darla directed Sunny to the room next door. When they were gone, he released a grumbled cuss and stroked Tay’s head as he glanced around.

At least there were no pictures or high school mementos. Nothing to remind him of a time he’d just as soon forget.

Although there was a scent. A citrusy scent that wiggled its way into his nose and brought with it memories of emerald eyes and raven hair and a husky laugh that would make any young boy become infatuated.

But Corbin wasn’t a young boy anymore. Lemony scents and a soft, husky laugh no longer made him feel lightheaded and dopey. As an attractive man who ran a successful business, he’d had his fair share of relationships. He’d discovered most women were interested in two things: his bank account and a wedding ring. He never divulged his net worth and he never wanted to get married. Witnessing his parents’ bond in unholy matrimony had been more than enough for him.

That wasn’t the case with Sunny. She didn’t remember their parents’ knock-down-drag-out fights and had forgiven them long ago for dumping their two kids on every relative willing to take them.

Corbin struggled with forgiveness.

And forgetting.

The movers arrived with his boxes and Tay’s things. He had them place the cat condo next to the window so she could look out and her box of toys in the closet, but when they brought in the high-tech litter box he’d just bought, he shook his head.

“Take that down to the laundry room.” He picked up Tay. “I’ll show you where it is.”

Once it was set up in a corner of the laundry room, he placed Tay inside the domed compartment so she could do her business. The kitten peeked out the opening of the space-age-looking dome as if to say WTF.

He laughed. “I know it’s weird looking, but—”

“That’s putting it mildly. What in tarnation is that contraption?”

He glanced up to find Mimi standing in the doorway. Her gardening hat was missing and her fine white hair looked like a bedraggled feather duster.

“It’s a self-cleaning litter box.”

“Well, isn’t that fancy.” She stepped in to get a closer look. “Where does the cat poop go?”

“There’s a drum that spins and sifts it out and it falls into the airtight tray at the bottom.”

She shook her head. “The things folks think of.” Tay jumped out of the litter box and greeted Mimi with loud meows. She picked up the cat and cuddled her close. The fact Tay didn’t scratch or nip her proved how much she loved the old woman. The kitten had never been much of a cuddler—except with Corbin. And it had taken him weeks to earn the cat’s trust.

“So you all moved in?” Mimi asked.

“Not yet. I figured I’d set up my office first. I have some emails I need to send.”

She hesitated. “You do realize we don’t have Wi-Fi, right?”

He stared at her in disbelief. Who didn’t have Wi-Fi in this day and age?

Obviously, the Holidays.

“Liberty tried to get someone to come out and fix it,” Mimi continued. “But getting fix-it folks to drive all the way out here isn’t easy.” She smiled. “But I think it was a blessing in disguise. If we’d had Wi-Fi, all Liberty would have done was work and she never would have fallen in love with your brother.”

Corbin tried not to scowl. He wasn’t at all thrilled about Liberty and Jesse falling in love. And it had nothing to do with any leftover feelings Corbin had for Liberty. He was worried about Jesse getting hurt. But his half brother was smart. He was the one who had helped Corbin make most of his money. Corbin figured Jesse would see Liberty’s true colors eventually.

“Maybe taking a break from work will be a blessing for you too.” Mimi said. “Now that you own a ranch, you might as well enjoy it. Sunny already headed out to look around her new home.”

The thought of Sunny getting lost on the big ranch—or worse, hurt—had him immediately concerned.

“Where did she go?”

“She was headed to the barn last time I saw her. But there’s no need to worry. We don’t have any aggressive animals that will harm her. Just a horse, and I’m sure your sister is smart enough to not go riding in a thunderstorm.”

Corbin panicked. That was exactly something his sister would do.

“I need to go check on her.” He started to take Tay, but Mimi stopped him.

“Why don’t you leave her? I promise to keep her safe.”

Corbin might not trust the other Holidays as far as he could throw them, but as he looked into Mimi’s direct eyes, he realized he trusted her. He nodded before he headed out the back door.

As soon as he stepped outside, his concern for his sister grew. Mimi was right. The clear blue skies of the morning had been covered with a layer of angry dark clouds that rumbled with thunder. Halfway to the barn the sky opened up and a deluge of water rained down. By the time he got inside, he was drenched from head to toe. He took off his hat and shook the water from it as he glanced around.

He had been inside the big red barn on more than one occasion. His uncle had been the foreman for the Holiday Ranch when Corbin and Sunny had first come to live with him and he had brought them out to the ranch numerous times before Hank Holiday fired him for drinking on the job.

“Sunny!” he called.

The only answer was the rain hitting the roof and the flutter of wings. He glanced up to the rafters. A few doves perched there, their beady eyes staring down at him as if questioning his right to be there.

He unsnapped his soaked western shirt and stripped it off as he moved farther into the barn. It smelled like fresh hay and manure. No doubt from the horse that poked his head out of one of the stalls. Corbin sighed in relief. At least he didn’t have to worry about Sunny being tossed off a runaway horse and breaking her neck.

He hung his hat and shirt on the stall door across from the horse. “Hey, there, big guy.”

The horse eyeballed him before he tossed his head and showed his teeth.

Damn, those were big teeth.

As a kid, he’d dreamed of owning a horse and becoming a cowboy. His Aunt May had loved Clint Eastwood as much as she’d loved the oxycodone her doctor had prescribed for her bad back. For the year and a half he and Sunny had lived with her, he had become infatuated with Clint’s spaghetti westerns and learning to ride a horse . . . while wearing a really cool poncho. When they came to Wilder, Corbin had hoped his dream would come true. But Uncle Dan had been fired before he could teach Corbin how to ride. Not that Uncle Dan would have ever gotten around to teaching him. Kids hadn’t been his thing. He’d only agreed to let them live with him because he owed their daddy money.

Now, Corbin was a little leery of horses. He’d had a bad experience horseback riding and hadn’t attempted to ride again. But if he was going to become a rancher, he needed to get over his fear.

He reached out to pet the horse when a loud whinny had him snatching his hand back. Except the whinny hadn’t come from the horse in front of him. He turned toward the open doors just in time to see a wild-eyed horse come charging through the sheet of rain.

Corbin’s heart almost jumped out of his chest.

Not only because of the charging beast . . . but also because of the stunning woman who rode it. (Wrangling a Hot Summer Cowboy Excerpt by Katie Lane)