Read Wildcard for Free Online Page B

“Hey, Dee.”
    “You brat!” In the next moment Dee had her arms wrapped around Trace, hugging her so tight that the air whooshed out of her lungs. Dee still smelled of orange blossoms, and her embrace was warm and loving. “I missed you so much, knothead,” Dee whispered, her voice choked with emotion.
    Trace pulled away and smiled, swallowing hard and fighting back tears that she’d never expected. “I missed you, too, string bean. I didn’t realize just how much ‘til now.”
    “You look so—so different .” Dee shook her head as she held Trace by the shoulders and looked her up and down. “I thought you had to be someone who’d gotten lost or something. Until I saw your eyes. You have Mom’s eyes, you know.”
    A dog barked as though in agreement, and Trace reached down to pet the black and white Border collie. “That’s Blue,” Dee said as Trace rubbed the dog behind his ears.
    “What a gorgeous boy you are,” Trace crooned.
    “Think you might like to let her in out of the cold?” a masculine voice asked.
    Trace’s gaze shot up to see Jake Reynolds standing just behind Dee. “ Jake ?” was all Trace could manage as she stood straight and looked at the man who had once been her sister’s boyfriend—about ten years ago.
    “I was saving this as a surprise.” Dee grinned up at Jake before looking back to Trace. “Come on in and say hello to my husband.”
    “Your husband? ” Trace stumbled across the threshold as she followed Dee, Jake, and Blue into the ranch house, and let the door swing shut behind her. “You’re married ?”
    “Almost two months.” Dee held up her left hand, the marquis stone of her wedding band glittering in the light. To each side of the diamond, a peridot was set in the gold band.
    “Wow.” Trace sighed with admiration. “It’s gorgeous.”
    “Welcome home.” Jake settled his arm around Trace’s shoulders and gave her a quick squeeze. “Why don’t I leave you ladies to catch up while I head to the study?” he said as he released her.
    “To watch the end of the football game no doubt.” Dee grabbed him by his shirt collar and reached up to brush her lips over his.
    “Watch it, woman.” Jake’s voice rumbled as he wrapped his arms around Dee’s waist. “I might just throw you over my shoulder and cart you off to the bedroom, reunion with your sister be damned.”
    “Mmmm,” Dee murmured against his lips. “Promises.”
    Jake gave Dee a smoldering look that reminded Trace of the way Jess had looked at her earlier. Hot, sensual, and possessive. The kind of look that curled a woman’s toes.
    He gave Dee a hard kiss and then winked at Trace before walking past the enormous Christmas tree and striding down the hall toward the study.
    For a moment Trace had to stand and absorb the living room of the place that had been her home since her birth until she left for Europe. There had been some changes in the past four years. Lots more house plants filled the room that was decorated in a southwestern motif. Navajo rugs were scattered across the tile floor and the walls were covered with a combination of southwestern oil paintings and family portraits. Dee still had all the pictures of Trace and other members of the family on the end tables, as well as lots of new ones that she’d have to spend time looking at later.
    The room smelled of pine from the Christmas tree, and of leather from the overstuffed chairs and couches. And there was that old rocker that their mom used to rock them in when they were little, before she’d died.
    When Trace’s eyes met Dee’s, her sister flashed a grin and motioned toward the kitchen. “Let’s fill one another in over our favorite chatty food.”
    “Rocky Road?” Trace laughed as her sister headed toward the freezer with Blue at their heels. “Remember all the times we’d sit at the table with a half gallon of the stuff and eat it straight from the carton with a spoon?”
    “Ohhhh, do I ever.” Dee laughed and