Naughty or Nice?: Mistletoe, Montana Book 13 Read online

  Naughty or Nice?

  Mistletoe, Montana Book 13

  L. Wilder

  Naught or Nice?

  Copyright 2020

  L. Wilder- All rights reserved.

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication or any part of this series may be reproduced without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This book is a work of fiction. Some of the places named in the book are actual places found in Nashville, Tennessee. The names, characters, brands, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and owners of various products and locations referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication or use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people.

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  Check out L. Wilder’s Satan’s Fury MC Series today!

  All books are FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

  Summer Storm (Satan’s Fury MC Novella)

  Maverick (Satan’s Fury MC #1)

  Stitch (Satan’s Fury MC #2)

  Cotton (Satan’s Fury MC #3)

  Clutch (Satan’s Fury MC #4)

  Smokey (Satan’s Fury MC #5)

  Big (Satan’s Fury #6)

  Two Bit (Satan’s Fury #7)

  Diesel (Satan’s Fury #8)

  Blaze (Satan’s Fury MC- Memphis Book 1)

  Shadow (Satan’s Fury MC- Memphis Book 2)

  Riggs (Satan’s Fury MC- Memphis Book 3)

  Murphy (Satan’s Fury MC- Memphis Book 4)

  Gunner (Satan’s Fury MC- Memphis Book 5)

  Gus (Satan’s Fury MC- Memphis Book 6)

  Rider (Satan’s Fury MC- Memphis Book 7)

  Also by L. Wilder-

  Ties that Bind (Ruthless Sinner’s Book 1)

  Holding On (Ruthless Sinner’s Book 2)

  Day Three (What Bad Boys Do Book 1)

  Damaged Goods- (The Redemption Series Book 1- Nitro)

  Max’s Redemption (The Redemption Series Book 2- Max)

  Inferno (Devil Chasers #1)

  Smolder (Devil Chaser #2)

  Ignite (Devil Chasers #3)

  Consumed (Devil Chasers #4)

  Combust (Devil Chasers #5)

  My Temptation (The Happy Endings Collection #1)

  Bring the Heat (The Happy Endings Collection #2)

  His Promise (The Happy Endings Collection #3)

  Contents

  1. Leslie

  2. Colton

  3. Leslie

  4. Colton

  5. Leslie

  6. Colton

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  Leslie

  “How was your flight?” Natalie asked with a giggle. I knew she was taunting me. As my best friend in the world, she knew I hated flying and had to give me a hard time about it. “Any catastrophes I should know about?”

  “Well, I didn’t die in a massive ball of flames, so I’d say it went better than expected.”

  “Of course you didn’t die, you silly woman.” Without skipping a beat, she asked, “So, what do you think of the cabin?”

  “It’s unbelievable. Even more beautiful than the pictures, and the ranch is much bigger than I thought. I bet there are over ten thousand acres here, and from the looks of it, I’m the only one here.”

  “I can’t say I’m surprised. I’d never heard of Mistletoe, Montana until we started looking at cabins.”

  “Me either, but it’s amazing here.” I took another quick glance around the place and couldn’t help but smile. It really was absolutely perfect. The living room was small, but with its plaid throws draped over the furniture and the miniature Christmas tree in the corner, it felt warm and inviting. The bedroom was decorated in a similar ‘cabin’ fashion with a king-sized bed centered in the room and a tiny television mounted on the wall. The kitchen and bathroom were both pretty basic with just the necessities, but were more than sufficient for my short stay. “I’m still trying to settle in, but I think it will be the perfect place for me to finish this book.”

  “I knew it would be. Ten days of peace and quiet will do you good.”

  “I really hope so, because I have tons of writing to do.” After suffering from months of writer’s block, I was extremely behind. My editor had been hounding me about my deadline for weeks, and I was feeling a bit panicked I wouldn’t be able to finish on time. “If I don’t have the next five chapters to Lisa by the end of the week, she’s going to blow a gasket.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about Lisa. She knows you always pull it out in the end.” I could hear the concern in her voice as she said, “It’s you I’m worried about. I just hate the idea of you spending the holidays there alone.”

  “Well, I was going to be alone regardless. The kids have gone to Europe with Adam, remember?” Both of my kids were basically grown. Nathan was a senior in college, and Grace was interning for a publishing house in New York. Normally, they would’ve spent the holidays with me, but their father surprised them with a trip to London. Since going to college, they hadn’t spent a lot of time with Adam—just a few random weekend trips. While they weren’t thrilled about being away from me during Christmas, I told them this was an opportunity neither of them could refuse. With a heavy heart, I stepped over to the window and pulled back the wool curtains. “Oh, Natalie. You should see the view. It’s absolutely incredible, and this snow! It’s like a perfect blanket of white. We just don’t get snow like this in Tennessee.”

  “Well, we get plenty of it here in Colorado. Hell, we’re supposed to have another six inches tomorrow, and honestly, I’m over it,” she complained. “I can’t even take the damn dog outside without freezing my ass off. It searches for twenty minutes for some patch of grass that isn’t even there! I’ve tried...”

  I was listening to Natalie go on and on about her dog when I noticed a man on a horse off in the distance. Hoping to get a better look, I darted over to the next window and quickly drew back the curtain. My mouth dropped open with awe as I watched him guide his horse through the thick snow. Being from Tennessee, I’d seen my fair share of cowboys, but never one like him. This guy was a sight to behold. With his wide-brimmed cowboy hat, I couldn’t really see his face, but the rest of him was all man. His broad shoulders filled out his tan, winter coat in a way that had me itching to see what was hidden beneath. There was something about his straight posture and the way he worked his horse that exuded power and confidence. He was the kind of man that could easily fulfill any woman’s fantasy—especially mine. In barely a whisper, I said, “Ummm...Natalie.”

  “Yeah?” she whispered back.

  “There’s a guy out here.”

  “What?”

  “He’s a cowboy or ranch hand or something. He’s riding a horse.”

  “Yeah, I bet he’
s riding it good, too,” she mocked with a whisper. “Oh my. A Montana cowboy...Please tell me he’s hot.”

  “I don’t know. Maybe?” I grabbed one of the plaid throws from the sofa and quickly wrapped it around my shoulders. “He’s too far away for me to tell.”

  “Well, go try to get a better look.”

  “I’m trying...Give me a second,” I fussed as I put on my slippers and opened the door. My breath caught as I stepped out into the brisk winter air. The deck was larger than I thought. One corner was covered with a gorgeous trellis covered in vines, and beneath was hidden a large hot tub made for two. My focus on the view was quickly forgotten when I felt the crunch of snow and ice under my feet. I felt like a kid again and was almost giddy as I whispered, “Oh, man. I would give anything to have snow like this back home.”

  “Enough about the damn snow, woman! Tell me about the hot cowboy!”

  “Easy, killer. I’m trying to get where I can see him.” I stepped further out onto the wooden deck and stopped at the railing, trying not to draw attention to myself as I leaned forward for a better look. “Oh my, Nat. This guy is a mountain of a man.”

  “Big hands. Big feet. You know what that means.”

  “Natalie, really?”

  “Yes, really, and is there a reason why we are whispering?”

  Until that moment, I hadn’t realized we’d been whispering. There wasn’t anyone around to hear us, and yet, I still continued to whisper as I answered, “I have no idea.”

  “Oh, good grief,” she scoffed.

  “I think he might be coming in this direction.”

  “Oh yeah, baby. Come to Momma,” Nat purred. “Hey, take a picture. I want to see this mountain man of yours.”

  “And, how am I supposed to do that?”

  “Ummm. You hold up your phone and take a damn picture. It’s not that hard.”

  “Fine.”

  After tightening my grip on my blanket, I lowered my phone so I could see the screen. With my cold, trembling fingers, I opened my camera and lifted my phone. Worried I wasn’t close enough to get a decent picture, I stepped closer to the deck railing and leaned forward, extending my hand out as I took a couple of quick pictures. Knowing Natalie wouldn’t be satisfied until she got the perfect picture, I extended my hand just a little bit further and took the shot. I’d barely pressed my finger against the screen when catastrophe struck. My foot slipped, and all my weight went lunging forward. I tried to brace myself on the railing, but it was too late. I was already halfway over and sailing towards the ground. I could hear my blood-curdling screams echoing in the wind as I fell into the snow with a hard thud.

  As I lay there face down in the snow, I could hear Natalie’s voice on my phone. During the fall it had switched over to speakerphone, and I could hear every word as she shouted, “Hel-looo! Les-lie! Are you okay? What was all that noise?”

  I would have answered her, but I couldn’t move. The fall had knocked the wind out of me, and I was struggling to catch my breath. Even when the snow started to burn against my bare skin, I could only lie there listening to her carry on. After several seconds, I couldn’t stand the stinging sensation any longer and tried to pull myself up. I’d just managed to get into a sitting position when I heard a strange sound coming up behind me. When I turned around, I was surprised to see a horse charging towards me. Oh no. The hot cowboy was headed right for me. As soon as he got close, he jumped from his saddle and rushed over to me. I don’t know what stunned me more, falling off the deck and face planting in the snow or seeing the man’s face for the first time. He was beautiful—which might seem strange when describing a man. But it was true. From his crystal-blue eyes down to his chiseled jaw, he was truly something to behold. “Are you okay?” he asked.

  Embarrassed, I nodded as I answered, “Yes, I think so.”

  “Took yourself quite the tumble.” He bent down and took my hand, carefully helping me to my feet. As soon as I put pressure on my ankle, I winced. I could hear the concern in his voice as he said, “Looks like you might’ve sprained that ankle.”

  “No, I’m fine. I just tweaked it a little.”

  “Um-hmm.” Biting back his chuckle, he tipped his hat as he said, “I’m Colton Walker, by the way.”

  “Colton Walker?” I’d remembered his name being on the rental agreement, so I asked, “Are you the Colton Walker who owns this cabin?”

  “That would be me.”

  “You’re the Walker of the Walker Ranch?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “So, you and your wife run things here?”

  I knew I was being a little intrusive, but I couldn’t help myself. The guy was hot, and I was curious to know if he was attached. “No wife. It’s just me.”

  “Oh.” I tried to bite back my smile as I said, “Well, you have a beautiful place here.”

  “Thanks. I hope you and your husband are enjoying the place.”

  “No husband.” I held up my hand to show I wasn’t wearing a ring. “It’s just me.”

  “Oh. I see.” He cocked his eyebrow as he said, “I don’t think I caught your name.”

  “Oh, yeah. Sorry. I’m Leslie Warren.”

  “Nice to meet you, Leslie.”

  “Wait!” Natalie shouted. “Is someone with you? Leslie!”

  Ignoring Natalie’s pestering, he glanced down at my leopard print slippers as he said, “Might want to reconsider your footwear choice the next time you decide to venture out into the snow.”

  “Oh, I will.”

  “Les-lie! What is happening? Les!” Natalie interrupted.

  “I wasn’t really planning on being out here for long.”

  “What were you doing out here anyway?”

  “I was just getting some fresh air and...”

  I couldn’t finish my thought. Colton had bent over and was about to pick up my phone. Worried he might see the pictures I’d taken of him, I lunged forward and tried to get to it first. Unfortunately, the searing pain in my ankle stopped me dead in my tracks. Natalie was still shouting for me when the handsome stranger took my phone in his hand. I knew I was busted the second he looked down at the screen and an oh-so sexy smirk crossed his handsome face. Damn. His eyes slowly skirted up my body, and when they finally met mine, he asked, “Getting a little fresh air, huh?”

  “Leslie! If you don’t answer me right this minute, I’m going to send the National Guard to Montana to find you!”

  Colton’s gorgeous smile never faded as he offered me my phone. “You might want to let her know you’re okay.”

  “Yeah, I probably should.” I glanced down at the screen, and just as I’d feared, his picture was on full display. Shit. Shit. Shit. I could feel my cheeks burning with embarrassment as I took the phone to reassure my friend. “Hey, Nat...I’m okay.”

  “What the hell happened?”

  “I just slipped and fell in the snow, but I’m fine now.”

  “Oh good grief, woman! You nearly scared me half to death! You have to be more careful.”

  I pulled the receiver closer to my mouth as I whispered in a scolding tone, “It’s your fault! I wouldn’t have fallen if you hadn’t insisted I take that picture.”

  “Speaking of pictures, did I hear a man’s voice?” Before I could answer, she asked, “Was it the hot cowboy? You know, your own stud on a stallion. Oh, please tell me it was him!”

  Regretting I hadn’t turned off the speaker, I cut her off by saying, “I gotta go, Nat.”

  “Wait! You didn’t answer my question! Was it him?”

  “I’ll call you later.” I quickly hung up and shoved my phone into my wet jeans pocket. While I wanted to crawl into a hole and die, Natalie’s stud on a stallion looked more amused than ever. I rolled my eyes and sighed as I told him, “That was Nat.”

  “So I gathered.” Clearly amused by our exchange, Colton chuckled as he said, “Sounds like she’s a handful.”

  “You have no idea.”

  The cold was starting to get to me. M
y toes were numb, and my teeth were chattering. Hoping to gain a little warmth, I tugged at the sides of the blanket and tried to wrap it a little tighter. Sadly, it did little to help. My entire body was shivering, and I’m pretty sure my lips were turning blue. Without any warning, Colton stepped over to me and knelt down. I had no clue what he was doing until he’d hoisted me up into his arms and had me cradled close against his oh-so muscular chest. I wasn’t some skinny-mini with a twenty-eight-inch waist and perfect C-cup breasts. I was thick with curves, and don’t get me started on the size of my chest. Needless to say, I was surprised he’d even attempted to pick me up. I was even more surprised he’d done it with such ease. “Okay, beautiful. Let’s get you inside and warm you up a bit.”

  “Umm-hmm.” Fearing I might be too heavy, I told him, “Thanks, but I can walk. My ankle isn’t that bad.”

  “Don’t want to take any chances. Besides, it’s been a while since I’ve had my arms around a beautiful lady.”

  I wanted to come up with something playful in return, but I drew a blank. I blamed him for my lack of witty banter. He was just too devastatingly handsome, and there was no way I could think with him so close. Having no other choice, I remained completely silent as he carried me up the snowy steps and into the cabin. Once we were inside, he took me to the living room and carefully lowered me onto the sofa. His rugged hand slipped under my calf as he lifted my ankle and propped it on a pillow. “That better?”

  “Yes. It’s unnecessary but much better.”

  “Good.” As soon as he stood upright, his eyes narrowed with disapproval. “It’s almost as cold in here as it is outside.”

  “I know. I was going to start a fire, but I couldn’t find the button.”

  “The button?”