Wild Fire (The Fairy Tale Match Series) Read Free

attraction and many
people from all over the world came to experience life on a real old west style
horse ranch.
    Laura’s stomach fluttered again and
she began to sweat even though the rental car was blasting her with cold air.
Pulling on every bit of courage she possessed, she put the car back on the road
and continued towards the ranch.
    “Just breathe and stay calm,” she
counselled herself as she drove. “You can do this. He sounded like a very nice
man in his emails and he is looking forward to meeting you,” she continued. “Of
course, he is expecting you tomorrow!” she grimaced to herself. Her flight time
had been moved up, so she’d flown in much earlier than expected and decided to
drive down the same day instead of staying over a night at the airport. She had
managed to email Jake. She just hoped he’d read the email before she showed up.
    Feeling sick, she drove up the long
dusty driveway to the front of the ranch house. A wooden porch surrounded the
dwelling with wide windows on both sides of the front door. She parked her car,
grabbed her handbag and got out. Her legs trembled, whether from the long drive
or her nerves she wasn’t quite sure. She wiped her sweaty palms on her trouser
legs and walked with purpose to the front door, her boots thumping up the five
steps to reach it.
    She knocked and waited, running her
hands over her long brown hair that hung in a ponytail down her back, trying to
smooth away any stray hairs. A young woman came to the door, her bright blue eyes
full of curiosity. “Can I help you?” she asked, wiping her hands on a dish
cloth.
    “Hi, I’m Laura Hamilton. I believe Mr
Jake Carter is expecting me?” she smiled, sticking out her hand in greeting,
while trying to subdue her shaking.
    The woman ignored her hand, her face
going completely white. She swayed slightly on her feet. Forgetting her own
nerves for once, Laura grabbed the woman’s arm in concern, scared she was going
to faint. “Are you okay?” she asked with a worried frown.
    “You weren’t due until tomorrow!” the
woman cried in distress.
    “I’m very sorry to cause you any
trouble. My plane time was changed. I did email Mr Carter. Did he not tell
you?” she asked hesitantly. The woman seemed so upset, Laura began to feel
dreadful. “I can stay in an inn or something, if my arrival is inconvenient. I
don’t wish to put anyone out.”
    The woman gathered herself together
and shook her head. “No, I couldn’t let you do that. Please come in.” She
stepped back and Laura walked into a beautiful open plan living room, with
wooden floors, a huge stone fireplace and soft comfy chairs. The whole feeling
was welcoming. Laura fell in love with it instantly.
    She was about to comment on the
beauty of the home when she heard the sound of a door banging somewhere in the
back of the house.
    “Whose car is that outside, Kerry?”
came a deep male voice. “I didn’t think we were expecting new guests till the
weekend.”
    The sound of heavy footfalls
approached before a large man came into view. Laura sucked in a breath at the
shock of awareness she felt racing through her body at his presence. She locked
her knees and hoped she wouldn’t disgrace herself by slumping to the floor like
a rag doll. The man was stunningly good looking! He stood well over six feet,
his body thick with long lean muscles, obviously from long hours working
outside on the ranch. His deep blue eyes were very much like the woman who
opened the door, whom Laura had heard him call Kerry. Oh, God, she thought,
this must be Jake and the woman was his sister, Kerry that he’d told her about.
Suddenly she felt very inadequate.
    Laura was surprised to see that the
left side of his face was scared. It ran from his left temple, right down his
cheek to his well defined lips. Thankfully, his eye had been left intact. He’d
not mentioned anything to her about any kind of disfigurement. Maybe he’d been
worried the knowledge would put her off