The Italian Rancher's Bride

By Kitty Hamilton

Gorgeous finance advisor Kristina Collingwood appears to have the perfect life. She is smart and successful, with a reputation for picking winners in the market. Her career has been meteoric. She thrives on a frenetic pace of a life that has her jet setting around the globe advising wealthy investors in the capitals of Europe. In the process, she has become independently wealthy on her own account. The last thing on her mind is to bag a rich husband. She doesn’t need a man to look after her, and besides, she is too busy to think about settling down. Not yet, anyway, but maybe one day. Having been orphaned in her early teens, and with one failed romance behind her, she has learned to become self-sufficient and does not trust easily.

On a weekend trip to visit her cousins on their Californian mountain ranch, her world is turned upside down when she meets their Italian rancher neighbor, Alessandro DeSanto, a man with a godlike physique, an unusual foreign accent and an impossibly impish grin. He is intent on expanding his ranching empire and is driven to succeed, thriving on the hard physical work and the outdoor life. His sheer forcefulness and determination, which some mistake for arrogance, mask his painful memories of his past. He’s a strong-willed man who decides what he wants in life, sets his goal and then grabs it with both hands. To him, success is inevitable.

Alex instantly falls for Kristina’s natural charm and beauty. Initially, she finds his direct approach refreshing, and can’t help but be attracted to him. But despite his magnetism and disarming good looks, she soon finds that his “arrogant” attitude reminds her of the city sharks. She is afraid to show her feelings until she can get to know him a little better. Kristina’s misgivings prevent her from admitting, even to herself, that she is falling in love. She has to overcome her mistrust of men and her fear of being hurt again.

Alex perceives her diffidence as aloofness, and begins to realize that she will not throw herself at his feet, despite the fact that most women do. As he struggles to reconcile her apparent lack of interest in him with the fireworks of emotions they both so obviously feel every time they are together, he must discover if she would ever give up the excitement of her fast paced, jet-setting career in the city and settle for a rancher in the mountains. At the same time he is battling to put to rest his ghosts, and is too proud, or too afraid, to open his heart.

Then a meddling “other woman” appears, and Kristina, not willing to become a pawn in a three way love battle, decides to forget this smart, handsome cowboy-rancher and compensates by throwing herself headlong in to her work.

But it doesn’t end there. The attraction for both of them is too great, and unexpected twists of fate see them meeting again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kitty Hamilton
• Release date: May 10, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311431394

Kitty Hamilton

Kitty Hamilton - author of feel-good romance stories...

Book preview

The Italian Rancher’s Bride

By Kitty Hamilton

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2014 Julia McKellow

Smashwords Edition, License Notes


This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is entirely coincidental.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

CHAPTER ONE

Kristina Collingwood thrummed her fingers on her desk while she waited impatiently for the phone call to connect.

Hi Suzy? Kristina asked expectantly when her cousin answered the phone on the third ring. Thank goodness I’ve caught you. She closed her eyes and massaged her temples, feeling the weight of weariness creep into her bones.

Hi Kristina, Suzy was delighted to hear her voice. What’s up?

Can I come over for a few days, a week maybe? For a bit of time out… It‘s been busy lately.

Busy didn’t even begin to describe the frenetic pace that had taken over Kristina’s life over the last few months. How long had it been since she’d taken even one day off? The economic events that had caused such chaos with the stock market still had the global marketplace on edge and she’d been dashing between the New York office and her firm’s European offices like a ping-pong ball. Over the past six months, she’d lost count of the number of financial seminars she’d delivered and the number of major league clients she’d met to review and reshuffle their investment portfolios. Everything seemed a blur of conference rooms, anonymous hotels, airport lounges and executive suites.

I need somewhere peaceful to flop for a bit, you know, chill out. My boss has ordered me to take some time off

Kristina, you sound exhausted. Her cousin Suzy heard the desperation in Kristina’s voice. Yes, of course you can come. You know Ralph and I always love to see you, we haven’t seen you for ages. Stay as long as you can.

Kristina let out a sigh of relief. Oh, thanks, Suzy, that’ll be great. I’m looking forward to getting away from this mad house. I’ll be there tomorrow.

Kristina’s client list had some of the company’s most influential and wealthy investors. Her reputation for sound financial advice was well known in the city, and she was in great demand. She and her team had been working long, hard hours since the world financial markets had tumbled. But however hard her team worked, she looked after her people and made sure that none of them crashed and burned. They all got a break. Now her boss had insisted that she take time off herself. Her stalwart second-in-command would hold the fort for her, so she needn’t worry about her clients. All the same, it was hard to let go. She knew they all depended on her and she took her responsibilities seriously.

Kristina sank in to the comfortable business class seat on the plane and thought ahead to what she might do for a whole wonderful week of vacation on the ranch with Suzy and Ralph. It was hard to focus her mind and her thoughts drifted to her visit last summer. Back then, she was feeling on top of the world and business was flourishing. When she’d met that handsome neighbor, the exotic Alessandro. She smiled. She hadn’t had time to think about him lately, or anyone else, for that matter. It seemed so long ago.

Suzy had dragged her over to ask their new neighbor if they could ride the horses on a track that she knew ran over his property. They’d driven over in the jeep to ask him. Kristina held on for dear life as Suzy had driven like a maniac, bumping along the rough farm road, skidding the jeep to a halt near a large bulldozer that was lumbering back and forwards in the yard. Suzy jumped out, and as Kristina clambered out of the jeep, she saw Suzy waving both hands over her head to attract the attention of the bulldozer driver.

Hi! shouted Suzy, over the noise, still waving both arms wildly.

The driver shut down the engine and climbed out of the cab and down to the ground. He was dwarfed by the huge tracks of the bulldozer, but as he effortlessly jumped the last few steps to land beside them, Kristina noticed that he was taller than Suzy by a good four or five inches and she was six feet tall. Her quick eye spotted that that his jeans were dusty and torn and tight fitting on his slim hips. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, showing tanned, muscular forearms. His broad shoulders and lean, athletic frame made him an imposing figure. Even though it was a hot day, he didn’t seem to be uncomfortable working in the heat. He looked as cool as a cucumber, hadn’t even broken a sweat. His face lit into a broad smile when he saw the girls and his eyes twinkled as he greeted them. He pulled off his dusty Stetson to tuck in a lock of stray black hair that fell over his dark eyes, and peeled off his leather gloves and stuffed them in to the back pocket of his jeans.

Hi Alessandro! Meet my cousin Kristina. She’s staying the weekend with us. Kristina, this is our new neighbor, Alessandro DeSanto.

Pleased to meet you, Kristina Alessandro's voice was deep and rich. Any friend of Suzy’s is welcome here. Please, call me Alex, he said, shaking her hand in a firm but gentle grip. He looked at her, unashamedly staring deep into her eyes and smiled at her as he spoke. The corners of his mouth turned up into dimples that emphasized the grin and the genuine welcome of his greeting.

Hullo Alex, Kristina replied, flattered. She noticed that he had an unusual accent that she couldn’t quite place. It was almost a slight southern drawl, Texas probably, but with a hint of something European, Italian perhaps, or Greek? He had a dark olive complexion, tanned from working outdoors. Dark hair framed his chiseled face and he flicked it out of his dark eyes again. Kristina noticed that he had long hands, pianist’s hands, she thought, but they were strong and tanned.

Suzy turned to Alex casually and turned on her charm. I wanted to ask if we could ride our horses through your ranch along that little valley and over the hill there, she pointed behind her toward the hill. I’ve heard that there's a good track along there, and I’d love a new place to take my horses, somewhere off the road and away from the traffic. We could go along our ridge, through that top gate by the tree line into your land, as long as that’s okay with you, of course.

Hey, that’s fine, Suzy, Alex replied. You’re welcome to ride over that hill any time, but do let me know in case I have the bulls in that valley. They can get a bit inquisitive and come to take a look. They’re not dangerous, but if they are out that way, you might want to take the track in the other direction. His grin creased up teasingly again. But there are only a few steers out there now, and they’re harmless. Alex looked thoughtful as if an idea had suddenly occurred to him. And you can do a favor for me at the same time and look out for some of my cattle that got out of that holding corral last night."

Terrific! Thank you. Maybe we could take a look this evening when it cools down a bit? Suzy was pleased that Alex would allow them access to the track.

You could go back round the foot of the hill and back to the road that way. Come with me. I’ll get the truck and show you the best way to go and where to find the best tracks over that valley.

Without giving the girls a chance to reply, he strode off toward an old army truck in the nearby barn, taking for granted that they’d follow. Kristina shot a questioning glance at Suzy. Suzy shrugged and walked after Alex to the truck. At the first sound of the engine, a little grey and white cattle dog appeared from the shade of the barn and jumped up on the deck.

Kristine noticed that Suzy didn’t get right in, but held the door and waited for her to get in first. The high bench seat looked rather cramped and uncomfortable. She realized that Suzy wanted her to sit next to Alessandro. It was a climb up to get in and a tight fit on the high bench seat. There wasn’t much room for her long legs. She had to fold them up and sit with her knees straddling the floor-change gear stick. She was so close to Alex that she could smell a mixture of earthiness with a hint of sweat. She found it strangely attractive. She pulled herself up short. What was she thinking? She wasn’t interested in a man, any man. That didn’t fit her life plan at the moment. And he definitely wasn’t her type, this rancher guy who seemed pleasant, yet strangely presumptuous. She felt uncomfortable being jammed up so close to a stranger, however good looking he might be, and she tried to stop bumping her leg against his as they jolted over the uneven track. He had welcomed Suzy like an old friend, but there was something about his overly familiar manner that she found unnerving, even overbearing. She couldn’t put her finger on it. He’d been so polite, yet expecting them to do as he said without questioning him. He hadn’t asked them to come with him, he’d instructed them.

They drove back to the road, and then turned in to go up hill on a new access road that Alessandro told them that he had recently completed. This track was smoothly finished in gravel and not bumpy like the other farm driveway. Alessandro proudly pointed out his latest project. That’s my pipeline over there. I've nearly finished it. That will let me pump water up the valley there and graze that land all year round. You and Ralph will understand that benefit for pasture growth and the potential increase in beef production, Suzy.

Even though he looked straight ahead as he spoke, keeping his eyes on the track, Kristina felt he was purposefully pointing the comment to Suzy, as if he thought that she wouldn’t understand. Perhaps he thought she was an air-head city girl who sat at a desk and filed her nails all day and strutted about in high heels. Well, she didn’t care what he thought.

I dug that out too, and laid those pipes single handed, he continued, waving in the direction of the large concrete pipes. He spoke as if he could still feel the weight of every shovel of dirt.

I need to get it finished off and covered over before winter though, or the pipes will freeze and burst in the frosts we get up here at this altitude. And I had to put the road in first, to be able to get the machinery up here, he said proudly.

Kristina was brought back from her thoughts by his smooth voice. She wondered how he had moved all the pieces for the pipeline. It was made of huge tubular concrete pipes, set in sections and joined somehow. It surely must have been back breaking work, even with heavy machinery to dig the trenches and place all those heavy concrete pipes. There were still large mounds of earth that showed there was work still to do to tidy it all up and finish the work.

That’s a major project, Suzy gushed. You’ve sure done a lot of work up here.

Kristina winced. Suzy was laying it on a bit thick. Was Suzy was being super-nice because she was impressed, or because she wanted to keep on friendly terms with her neighbor. Both, probably. Kristina could tell that Suzy sounded genuinely interested in the scale of the work though. Perhaps it was because she was a real estate agent.

How long did that project take you? Suzy continued.

Oh, a few weeks. Long days too, he replied, sounding pleased with himself. It shouldn't have taken so long, but the boys wouldn’t work after 9 o’clock in the morning – too hot for them in summer, they said. They wanted to put it off until autumn. Too late then though. So I did it myself. The heat doesn’t bother me. Anyway, it’s done now and ready to turn on the water when the dam has filled up, he stopped the truck in the middle of the track to indicate the points of interest. Only those pipes that come down over there from that main tank to cover over now, that won’t take too long, he said pointing up the hill to a large concrete tank. He continued driving along the track, still talking, as if he was going over his plans in his head.

Kristina noticed how he spoke about his employees, almost with contempt that they couldn’t work in the heat of the day. Or perhaps it was a resigned acceptance that most people couldn’t keep up the frantic pace that he drove himself at. He exuded an energy – the sort of guy who set a goal and moved heaven and earth to get there. She could see that he was determined to get his ranch the way he wanted it, and probably buy up the rest of the valley if he could. She’d seen tough employers driving their workers hard like this for their own profit and was unimpressed. It showed a blinkered singleness of purpose that was almost unhealthy. She knew there was a fine line between aiming high and being self-opinionated. In the corporate world, she’d slain bigger dragons than this pompous ass, but for now she bit her tongue, not wanting to upset the applecart, for Suzy’s sake, to get her riding track.

Then those cattle can have the whole back of the valley and that hill to range on over the summer, he continued, pointing over towards the far range of hills. But I need to get them in and checked and tagged first before I set ‘em loose into those lower fields. There’s a handful – a dozen or so, maybe even two dozen that got out last night. They must have found a break in the fence that they’ve pushed through. So you’d be doing me a favor if you find them.

Should we try to drive them back this way? asked Suzy.

"No, don’t worry about herding them back, you’ll never shift ‘em without a good cattle dog,