 by Kaylee Ryan.jpg)
Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Scarlett
Archer Kincaid is supposed to be all the fun and none of the strings, but the longer I stay in Willow River, the more I feel roots pulling me to settle down.
I plan to complete a one-year photography contract with Captured Moments, then move on to travel the world. Chasing my dreams, taking photos, and living life on my terms—shot by shot.
But I’ve been on my own since losing my adopted parents, and home isn’t about a place as much as it is a feeling. And Archer’s starting to feel like home, but loving him means trading one dream for another.
Archer
Scarlett Hatfield is the kind of girl who can’t be tamed. Her adventurous spirit is contagious, but a blue-collar man like me doesn’t chase dreams. I build them from the ground up. And my home is in Willow River.
I can see myself building a life with the gorgeous redhead who’s turning my world upside down, but that means clipping her wings. And I could never do that, not when she’s meant for more than my small-town life.
Even if it means destroying my heart, when the time comes, I’ll have to say goodbye and let her stay wild.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
CHAPTER
ONE
Archer
“Off limits,” I mutter under my breath. My brothers think they’re funny. Unless it’s his wife, Brooks has no say so, and I’m about to prove it as I stalk toward the redheaded beauty. He thinks because she’s here working for Palmer, that he can make the rules. He didn’t give a fuck about the rules when he was sneaking around with Palmer behind everyone’s back. He doesn’t get to try and make rules and enforce them now. I know he’s doing it to get under my skin, and it worked.
I’ve been watching her all day. She’s smiled and laughed with every member of my family. Every member but me. I’m not the standout among my siblings. I’m the guy who keeps the twins in line when I can and can still hold a conversation and drink a cold beer with our older brothers. I don’t date often, and it’s been far too long since I’ve been inside a woman.
Maybe that’s about to change.
Her long red hair hangs over her shoulder. The locks look like silk, and my fingers twitch to reach out and touch them. She’s wearing a floral top that’s loose but does nothing to hide her figure since it’s a sheer material. She’s got a white tank top beneath it and is wearing white dress pants and black fuck-me heels. I’ve watched her bend and twist all day to get just the right angle for the photo she was taking. If you’d told me that watching a photographer was a turn-on, I would have called you an idiot, unless you’re my brother Brooks who’s married to one. I don’t think he got to see her in action. If he had, he would have dropped to one knee a hell of a lot sooner than he did. I’ve never spoken a word to the redheaded beauty, and the thought has crossed my mind.
“You look like you could use a drink,” I say once I’m standing in front of her.
She lowers her camera and smiles. It’s a bright, blinding smile that makes her green eyes sparkle and lights up the entire fucking room. “Thank you, but I’m working.”
“I’m sure my sister-in-law won’t mind.” I glance around the room, looking for Palmer. She’s talking to Ramsey and not paying a bit of attention to us. I turn back to her, not able to look away for long.
“Oh, you’re another brother.” She laughs. “I’ve lost track of how many of you I’ve met today.”
“One of nine,” I tell her.
“Your momma… she’s a rockstar. Sweet as pie too.” She chuckles.
“I agree on both counts.” I shove my hands inside my pants pockets because all I want to do is reach out and touch those luscious red locks and see if they’re as soft as they appear. “I’m Archer.” I should offer her my hand to shake, but this urge to pull her into me is too strong. It’s best to avoid contact at the moment. There are too many witnesses around, and the things I’ve been thinking about doing to this beautiful woman all day are still at the forefront of my mind.
“Nice to meet you, Archer. I’m Scarlett.” Her voice is raspy and sexy as fuck.
“So, a drink?” I’m trying not to sound desperate to spend time with her, but I’m failing. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a woman more beautiful.
“I don’t think I should. I’m working, and this is sort of my interview.” She lifts her camera and gives it a little shake in her hand.
I open my mouth to say, what… I’m not sure. I’m stopped by a hand on my arm. When I look over, I see who saved me from making a fool of myself. “Hey, you two.” My sister-in-law Palmer appears beside us. “Scarlett, you’ve been amazing. Thank you for being here to help. You’re off the hook for the rest of the night. Meet me at the studio around nine on Monday. We’ll work through your paperwork and get you on the schedule.”
“What?” Scarlett’s smile is wider than before, which I didn’t think was possible. “Seriously?” She moves forward and pulls Palmer into a hug. “Thank you so much, Palmer. I’m so excited to get to work with you.”
“Thank you for putting up with my interview idea.”
“Wait. You haven’t seen any of my images from today.” Scarlett punches some buttons on her screen and turns it so that Palmer can see.
Palmer waves her off. “Oh, it was never your quality of work I was questioning. You’ve got mad skills with your camera. I just needed someone like me who can talk to anyone and make their subject feel at ease. I wanted to see you in action, and from what I’ve witnessed today, you’re going to be a perfect fit for Captured Moments. I think you and I are going to get along just fine.”