The Bachelor’s Surrender Read online

  The Bachelor’s Surrender

  Janelle Denison

  Copyright © Janelle Denison, November 2014

  Kindle Edition

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  All right reserved. No part of this may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from Author.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dear Reader

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Epilogue

  Destined For Love Series

  About the Author

  Dear Reader,

  THE BACHELOR’S SURRENDER was originally written as a Harlequin Romance in 1999 (as Substitute Father), and is much sweeter and more traditional in tone than my current books. I’m thrilled to have the rights back to this book that has been out of print for years, and I’m equally thrilled to share some of my earlier novels with my readers.

  This book was originally written at a time when cowboys, ranches, and small towns were a very popular theme in romance novels. I’ve made a few changes to update certain aspects of the story, but the classic tone remains the same.

  I hope you enjoy Rafe and Lauren’s story!

  Happy Reading,

  Janelle Denison

  Chapter One

  It had been one of the longest days of Lauren Richmond’s life. A five hour flight out of Los Angeles to Cody, Wyoming, had turned into a ten-hour nightmare of airline delays and layovers, not to mention the added two-hour drive in a rental car to Cedar Creek, the small town south of Cody where Rafe Dalton lived. Now, it was after seven in the evening, the day nearly gone, though the warm June sun still hung against the endless expanse of blue sky.

  Lauren was exhausted and hungry, and the more she thought about Rafe Dalton’s rudeness, which had forced her to make this impromptu trip from California, the more agitated she became. This formal visit could have been avoided by a simple return phone call in response to any of the three registered letters she’d sent him. A signed receipt was proof that he’d received her correspondences, yet he hadn’t had the courtesy to acknowledge any of them.

  Lauren tightened her grip on the steering wheel of her rented sedan and blew out a frustrated stream of breath that ruffled the wispy bangs brushing across her forehead. Rafe Dalton might be a hotshot, three time PRCA Bull Riding Champion, but in her estimation he was an arrogant, self-centered jerk.

  As much as she dreaded meeting the man, a confrontation was inevitable. A nine-year-old boy was counting on her to make his fondest wish come true, and she’d yet to disappoint any of her young foster clients. No matter how inconsiderate the man, she refused to allow Rafe Dalton to be her first failure.

  She passed numerous houses and ranches, their addresses indicating she was headed in the right direction. Before long she came upon a crude dirt road that disappeared over a small crest and didn’t invite further exploration. Slowing her vehicle, she scanned the area and found the verification she needed. Posted at the entrance was a sturdy metal mailbox imprinted with the address she was looking for, along with the name “R. Dalton”. Below that was a bright red sign stating: “PRIVATE ROAD. NO TRESPASSING”.

  Ignoring the blatant warning, she turned her car onto the bumpy dirt drive. After everything she’d gone through to get here, she wasn’t about to be intimidated by a road that seemingly vanished over a knoll, or a sign warning away strangers. She refused to leave Wyoming until she spoke face-to-face to the bull riding champion and convinced him to oblige her client. Certainly once he understood her purpose he’d be more accommodating.

  What she encountered when her vehicle crested the small hill caused a frown to form on her brow. Considering she’d heard Rafe Dalton was fairly wealthy from his PRCA winnings, she’d expected something far grander than what met her eyes. About a half mile down the road standing in a sheltering growth of cottonwoods was a simple one-story structure with a small porch. There was nothing elaborate or pretentious about the house, nothing to indicate the man who resided there lived in the lap of luxury. In fact, as she drove closer, she decided the place lacked color and panache. And warmth.

  Beyond the modest house and small, neat yard, a large white barn and other utility buildings fanned out in a uniformed half circle, connected to each other by a network of corrals and pens. To her left, horses grazed lazily in a huge, sprawling pasture.

  She pulled her car next to a shiny red truck parked on a paved area in front of the house and cut the engine. Gathering her purse and briefcase, she stepped out of the vehicle, rolling her stiff shoulders as she glanced around, waiting for that friendly, country hospitality everyone told her she’d encounter from the people who lived in the Midwest.

  No one came outside to greet her. In fact, except for the soft neighing of horses and the twittering of a few nearby birds, everything was quiet.

  In a last ditch effort to look presentable and professional after her long, tiring day, Lauren ran her fingers through the blunt cut of her shoulder-length hair and smoothed a hand down her light blue linen skirt. She was certain she looked as wilted as she felt, and knowing there was little she could do about her unfashionable state, she headed determinedly toward Rafe Dalton’s house.

  Her heels clicked on the stairs as she climbed them and echoed off the wooden porch. The front door was open, the entryway secured by a screen door inlaid with solid oak. Inside, the house was silent.

  Lauren knocked on the wooden slat on the screen door and anxiously waited for a response. She prided herself on being confident when it came to business, yet she couldn’t stop the sudden attack of nerves that swarmed in her belly. She had no idea what to expect from this man she’d traveled thousands of miles to visit on behalf of a little boy’s request. She only knew she’d do everything in her power to return to California with good news for her young, hopeful foster client, Chad Evans.

  When she received no reply, she knocked again, louder and harder this time, a resounding rap no one in the house could dismiss. A few seconds later she heard heavy footsteps on the wooden floor within, heading toward the foyer.

  “I’m comin’, Kristin,” a gruff male voice announced, his tone brusque. “And when did you develop manners to knock instead of barging in like you normally do-”

  His words abruptly died when he saw that the person standing on his porch wasn’t the woman he’d been expecting. As far as Lauren knew from the reports she’d been given on Rafe Dalton, he was unmarried, so she assumed Kristin was a lady friend.

  The man glaring at her through the screen door was without a doubt Rafe Dalton, bull riding champion extraordinaire. And it looked as though she’d caught him fresh out of the shower. He wore a pair of faded jeans that rode low on his hips, and nothing else.

  Her heart thumped in her chest and her mouth went dry, making speech impossible. His midnight black hair was damp and tousled around his head, and droplets of water still clung to the light furring of hair on h
is wide and well-defined chest. His shoulders were broad, his arms roped with muscle and sinew. A flat belly tapered into narrow hips, which gave way to hard thighs and long, strong legs.

  Lord, the man was gorgeous, if you didn’t count the tight clenching of his firm, chiseled jaw, which gave him a dark and dangerous edge she hadn’t detected in any of the pictures Chad had eagerly shared with her. The multitude of candid photographs from Chad’s scrapbook had shown a man in his prime—a sexy, swaggering cowboy with a cocky sparkle in his light gray eyes and a friendly, flirtatious smile that no doubt had many rodeo bunnies vying for his attention.

  Retirement hadn’t been kind to him. Though the man in front of her was in his prime physically, there was a darkness in his narrowed gaze as intense as a brooding storm. There was no warmth in his eyes, no reckless charm in his expression . . . just a bleak emptiness that didn’t invite a person to breach those dark barriers he’d erected.

  He didn’t bother to open the screen door, the gesture in itself a sign that she wasn’t welcome. Standing on the other side of the threshold, his gaze flickered down the length of her, taking in her cream silk blouse, linen skirt, and strappy summer heels with unnerving insolence.

  “You lost or something, lady?” he asked, the lines above his brows deepening in a fierce frown. “You’re about two hours away from where you belong.”

  His harsh greeting startled her. “Excuse me?”

  He propped his hands on his hips, agitation radiating from him. “Dressed like you are, I’m guessing you’re not from around here.”

  She did suppose her attire was more sophisticated than what this rural part of Wyoming warranted. “No, I’m not—”

  “Didn’t think so,” he cut her off before she could finish. “Cody is north of here. Hop back on the interstate and it’s a straight shot from there.” He turned to leave, clearly dismissing her, then abruptly stopped and glanced back. “And the next time you see a “Private Road, No Trespassing” sign posted, it means keep out, unless you’re issued a personal invitation.”

  Indignation bristled up Lauren’s spine. The man wasn’t only rude, but insulting to boot! Before he could turn away again and she lost the opportunity to state her business, she said, “I’m not looking for the nearest city. I just drove from Cody after spending eight hours trying to get to Wyoming from Los Angeles.” Her tone was curt, and fringed with the beginnings of anger. “I’m here to talk to you, Mr. Dalton.” The fact that she knew who he was and had made a special trip to see him snagged his attention. He gave her another once over that was slow, thorough, and made her skin tingle in an unsettling way.

  “And you are?” he asked in a low, rumbling drawl, though his soft tone didn’t make up for his grim expression.

  “Lauren Richmond.” Her chin lifted in a show of tenacity, and her fingers tightened around the handle of her leather briefcase. “And if the name sounds familiar, it’s because I’m the woman who sent you three certified letters, none of which you had the courtesy of replying to.”

  Her speech ended on a peak of displeasure. He remained aloof and uninfluenced, his gaze cool and detached. It was as though the man just didn’t care . . . about anything.

  He shifted on his bare feet, transferring his weight to his left leg. “Did it ever occur to you that I’m not interested in whatever it is you’re selling?”

  Resentment blossomed within Lauren. How could anyone not be interested in her foundation’s purpose? She opened her mouth to issue a scathing reply to such an insensitive, cold remark, then snapped it shut as realization dawned. “Did you even read those letters I sent?”

  “Nope.”

  He didn’t even have the courtesy to show a little guilt over his negligence. “May I ask why not?”

  “Like I said, I’m not interested in whatever it is you’re selling.” His tone held a dose of impatience. “Looks like you wasted a trip, Ms. Richmond.”

  Lauren released a stream of breath, but the tension gathering within her didn’t ease. She resented the screen door between them—it made her feel like the solicitor he believed she was—but he didn’t seem inclined to invite her inside.

  After the incredibly long day she’d endured, her own tolerance had reached its limit. “Mr. Dalton,” she began, deliberately using a placating tone of voice, as if she were dealing with a small child with a cantankerous disposition. “I’m not here to sell you anything. I’m here on behalf of a client. And I would have called first, but your number isn’t listed.”

  “You a lawyer?” he asked abruptly, his gaze narrowing with shrewd intent.

  If the man wasn’t such a grouch, she would have smiled. Unfortunately, she didn’t think he’d appreciate her humor. “No, I’m a foster care assistant, and I also represent Bright Beginnings.”

  Confusion touched his expression, enough to tell her he honestly hadn’t given her letters, or the return address, much of a second glance. “What, exactly, is Bright Beginnings?”

  “It’s a special foundation dedicated to offering foster children the opportunity to make a special request, and hopefully make their future seem brighter.” She couldn’t help the pride in her voice. Though she worked for Blair Foster Care Services, Bright Beginnings was her personal baby, a labor of love she’d established from the substantial trust fund her grandmother had endowed to her.

  He appeared unmoved. “And what does that have to do with me?”

  Lauren realized this was her one chance to sway Rafe, and possibly soften up his surly temperament. What man wouldn’t like to be idolized in the eyes of a young boy? “A client of mine made a Bright Beginnings request, and that was to meet Rafe Dalton, three time PRCA Bull Riding Champion.”

  This time she did smile, remembering Chad’s excitement over the prospect of meeting the man he held in such high esteem. It was the first time since Chad’s parent’s death that she’d seen him so happy. The image of Chad’s grinning face and the hope sparkling in his eyes spurred her onward. “You’re his hero, and he looks up to you.”

  His body went rigid, and he clenched his fists at his sides. “I’m nobody’s hero, lady, got that?”

  Startled by his anger, she took a step back, nearly stumbling in her haste. It was like she’d lit a fuse. A very volatile one. The thunderous emotions brewing in his eyes sent a series of shivers racing down her spine, especially since all that ferocity was directed at her.

  Grasping for levity to dispel the intensity of the moment, Lauren swallowed hard and found her voice. “Really, Mr. Dalton, it was meant as a compliment, not the insult you make it out to be.”

  A muscle in his jaw ticked. “A hero is the last thing I deserve to be called. Got that?” he bit out, his rough tone demanding an answer.

  A few more worthy names leapt to mind, but she wasn’t willing to provoke him any further by offering them. “Loud and clear,” she managed.

  Rafe Dalton certainly wasn’t her version of a hero, she thought, keeping the derogatory remark to herself. Everyone looked up to certain people for their own reasons, and though she was seriously questioning Chad’s choice of idol, she couldn’t help but wonder about that carefree, grinning cowboy within the pages of Chad’s scrapbook, and what had happened to make him so bitter.

  He straightened and scrubbed a hand over his face, swearing softly beneath his breath as his anger faded away. She watched the transformation, the guilt and pain that reflected in his eyes in the aftermath of such animosity. For a handful of seconds, he gave her the impression of a wounded animal, and then the fleeting glimpse was gone.

  She wasn’t ready to give up, not after seeing that the man possessed more vulnerabilities than he wanted the outside world to realize. It was a weakness she used to her advantage.

  “Mr. Dalton,” she said softly, imploringly. “I’ve traveled all the way from California to talk to you. I’m tired, hungry, and my feet are killing me, so I apologize if I might have snapped at you.” She heaped the blame on herself, but he wasn’t impressed by her attempt t
o make amends for their quarrel—of which he’d instigated.

  She forged on anyway. “I’m also extremely stubborn and persistent when it comes to a client’s request. Won’t you let me come in for a few minutes so we can discuss this situation more . . . rationally?”

  He looked at her as if she were out of her mind for wanting to be near him after what had just transpired. “I don’t believe there’s anything to discuss.” His voice was flat, devoid of the heated emotions of before.

  “Give me thirty minutes of your time. That’s all I ask.”

  He eyed her beneath hooded lashes, wary and reluctant.

  She put on her most persuasive expression. “Please,” she whispered beseechingly. “Just thirty minutes to explain a little more about Bright Beginnings.” And to convince you that your help will make all the difference in the world to a lonely, disillusioned boy.

  His lips thinned and he gave his head a shake. “I’ll give you fifteen,” he said gruffly, and pushed open the screen door for her to enter.

  His generosity was overwhelming, she thought with dry sarcasm as she stepped inside his house before he changed his mind. If she didn’t manage to soften him up, there was no way she’d introduce Chad to him and dash the boy’s sterling image of Rafe Dalton.

  She followed Rafe toward an adjoining room, which gave her a few seconds to appreciate his strong, broad back, the slight swagger of his hips, and well-toned buttocks nicely displayed in soft denim. She’d never gone for the rugged type, but he was certainly appealing—if you overlooked that perpetual scowl on his handsome face, which wasn’t hard to do when a woman had such a physically attractive body to admire.

  It was then she noticed a barely perceptible hitch in his walk, and remembered reading in Chad’s scrapbook about the injury that had ended Rafe’s career as a champion bull-rider. He’d been gored in the right thigh by an out-of-control bull while attempting to rescue a young rider who’d been knocked unconscious after being thrown by the beast. Judging by the way Rafe favored his right leg, she guessed the affliction still nagged him—along with the honor of being hailed a hero, a title he’d earned that fateful day. One he clearly scorned.