Vibrant Heart: Book 1 in the Great Plains Romance Series by Corrissa James Read Free Book Online Page A

her father’s new wife had a son, but that was the only information her father had ever shared. Not that Melanie had asked for any. Besides, what did she expect her father to tell her? Be prepared to meet Evelyn’s son, who will make your insides melt and your toes curl when he kisses you? She laughed at the thought as she parked the rental car, then consoled herself that she wouldn’t have to see Jake until maybe Christmas. Hopefully by then his presence wouldn’t have such a strong effect on her. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she knew it wouldn’t be true, but she was determined to pretend otherwise, at least for the rest of the weekend.
    Her room at the hotel was simple, clean, and full of hidden treasures, like the soft, thick towels in the bathroom, the overstuffed chair and ottoman tucked into the corner between the bathroom and the bed, and the basket of goodies left on the small table next to her second-floor balcony. The attached note indicated that the candies, cookies, apples, berries, and cheese were all products made in Nebraska and compliments of the hotel. It also indicated that a bottle of wine from the winery just down the road was included in the mini-fridge. It was all definitely a luxury not commonly offered in small towns. She grabbed an apple and ate it while undressing, realizing she hadn’t eaten anything since the early breakfast before her flight. She glanced at the basket of food just before heading into the bathroom. “You’re all mine when I come out.” She laughed at herself, then jumped in the shower, letting the hot water soothe her muscles.
    She managed to avoid thinking about Jake for all of one minute. As soon as he popped into her mind, she distracted herself by reading the labels on the little bottle of shampoo, lathering up her hair and rinsing it (twice!), combing conditioner through every single strand of hair, and then counting to 180 to make sure she left it on long enough, although she did have to start over several times when her brain decided that studying Jake’s perfect smile was more interesting than simply counting. When her thoughts turned to imagining taking a shower with Jake, she turned off the water and briskly dried herself off. “No more of those kinds of thoughts—not now, not ever.” She put on the robe she found hanging on the back of the door and ignored the little voice laughing in her head.
    She found a corkscrew on top of the mini-fridge, popped open the wine—a nice Willow Blush that warmed her cheeks—then collapsed in the overstuffed chair, the basket of goodies in one hand and the remote control in the other. She flipped through the channels, looking for an action movie to watch. Nothing with a sappy love story line. Explosions and gunfire were what she needed. Finally settling on a martial arts movie dubbed into English, she poured the last of her wine into her glass just as a knock sounded on the door.
    The bedside clock showed just after 11:00. Cinching the robe more tightly about her and wondering if the television was too loud, although she didn’t think so given that she could barely hear it herself, she looked through the peephole and groaned.
    “Open up.” Jake spoke quietly, but firmly, staring directly into the peephole from the other side. “I’m not leaving ‘til we talk.”
    Melanie sighed and opened the door, knowing he very likely would stand out in the hall all night if she made him. “It’s late. Can’t we talk tomorrow?” Jake pressed the door open and walked into the room. Melanie shook her head and closed the door behind him. “Look, I’m really too tired for this.”
    “You’re part of our family now. Get better standards.”
    Melanie stared at him, her mouth hanging open. Finally, she collected herself enough to respond. “Excuse me?”
    “You heard me,” Jake sneered. “Don’t sleep with the hired help.”
    Her hands flew to her hips as she took an angry step forward. “Who I sleep with is