Return to Falcon Ridge (The McLendon Family Saga Book 6) Read online

  Return to Falcon Ridge

  The McLendon Family Saga Book 6

  D.L. Roan

  Copyright © D.L. Roan

  Contents

  Description

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  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 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  The McLendon Family Saga Reading Order

  Newsletter

  Thank You!

  Stalker Links

  Description

  Torn between his first love…and a forbidden attraction he can no longer deny.

  Jonah McLendon is no stranger to polyandrous love. Having grown up in a poly family, he didn’t think twice when his high school sweetheart, Chloe, revealed her secret desire for a ménage with his best friend. There was only one problem. He didn’t expect to fall for Pryce, too.

  Beaten within an inch of his life after Chloe exposes their secret, and Pryce having been shipped off to a religious boarding school a half state away, Jonah tells the biggest lie of his life and leaves Falcon Ridge with his heart in pieces. When he returns a year and a half later, the last thing he expects to find is his best friend engaged to the girl who betrayed them both.

  No longer the scared, confused kid he once was, Jonah is determined to get to the bottom of Pryce’s sham of an engagement, but the truth behind Chloe’s betrayal could change all their lives forever.

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  More Books by D.L. Roan

  The Heart of Falcon Ridge

  A McLendon Christmas

  Rock Star Cowboys

  Rock Star Cowboys: The Honeymoon

  The Hardest Goodbyes

  Return to Falcon Ridge

  Forever Falcon Ridge - Coming 2017

  Survivors’ Justice Series

  Blindfold Fantasy: A Novel Menage

  Return to Falcon Ridge - Copyright © D.L. Roan, 2016

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system without prior written permission of the author and publisher.

  If you did not purchase this eBook, or download it from an authorized major eBook retailer, you may be in possession of an illegal pirated copy and can be found in violation of copyright laws. Please contact the author at www.dlroan.com if you have questions about the source legality of this digital file.

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  All characters, events, and locations in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, dead or living, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Cover Design by JAB Designs

  Copy Editing by Kathryn Lynn Davis and Violetta Rand

  Proof Reading by Read by Rose

  Interior eBook Design by D.L. Roan

  Chapter One

  Jonah McLendon stabbed a pitchfork into the dwindling mound of hay, his arms burning with fatigue as he tossed the load into the pen and moved to the next one. The dust and stench inside the stock paddock was stifling enough, but the humid air was so thick and hot that drawing a deep breath felt like drinking soup through a straw.

  He paused a moment, leaning the pitchfork against the railing, and pulled off his sweat-soaked t-shirt, tying it like a bandana around his head to keep the sweat from dripping into his eyes. He was no stranger to pitching hay, had done it a million times in his family’s barns, but the unusually hot summer and lack of ventilation in the rodeo arena was kicking his ass.

  On any other Sunday he’d be down at the creek, swimming in the cool water and eating grilled burgers at his family’s weekly summer picnic, but not today.

  After breaking up with his girlfriend Chloe, and getting into a fight with his best friend—because he’d broken up with Chloe—Jonah needed time to think. With three dads, his mom, three brothers, and his twin sister Dani, there was never a moment’s peace at his house. Add to that his four papas and Gran, his great uncle, Papa Joe’s physical therapist, Breezy, and the damn paparazzi who followed his older brothers around like a pack of hungry wolves, and this Sunday’s picnic would be one miniature pony and an emu short of a zoo.

  Working alone in the empty arena to get it ready for the upcoming 4-H event was the perfect escape, but so far, he hadn’t come up with a single plan to fix the mess he’d made with Chloe and Pryce. Nothing that would fill the hole in his chest, or dispel the incessant memories of the last time the three of them were together, half-naked and wrapped around each other like three strings of hot, sweet taffy.

  “Hurry or we’ll miss the fireworks.” The frantic tone of Chloe’s voice matched the pace of her hands as she worked his belt buckle loose and unzipped his jeans.

  “I can’t reach the snap,” Jonah grumbled, his hand trapped between the back of Chloe’s bra and his best friend Pryce’s bare chest.

  Good God, if they didn’t get her naked soon, he was going to pass out. The damn reporters and their long lenses trying to get a snapshot of his famous country singer twin brothers made it impossible to find a moment’s privacy anywhere except in his uncle Cade’s workshop, and the sweltering air inside was suffocating. Add in the heat between the three of them, and they were about to have their own fireworks show.

  “I’ve got it,” Pryce said between his open-mouth kisses to the side of Chloe’s neck. Her bra fell from her soft, plump breasts a moment later, revealing her pebbled, chocolaty nipples.

  “Sweet Jesus, you’re gorgeous.” Jonah dipped down to taste one, laving the hardened tip with the flat of his tongue before he sucked it between his lips. Her Native American heritage had tinted her skin the color of mocha and cream, and he’d swear he could taste the sweetness.

  “Ahh,” she sighed, her head falling back against Pryce’s chest, arching her back in a plea for more. He wanted more, too, but they were running out of time.

  Only seventeen, he and Pryce couldn’t buy alcohol for their Fourth of July bonfire, but a friend was lifting a case of beer from his brother’s pantry and they had a very narrow window of time in which to pick it up without getting caught.

  He pulled Chloe’s panties aside and ran his fingers along her hot slit, finding her soaking wet and ready for them. She gasped when he slipped a finger inside. Pryce stifled her cry with a hot kiss, their tongues sliding against one another in a slow, hypnotic dance. Jonah’s cock throbbed as he watched them, the sight so sensual and arousing he wanted to join them.

  Chloe’s fascination with his family’s lifestyle had spurred her to wonder what it would be like to be with two guys at the same time. Maybe because of his family’s unconventional dynamics—having three dads married to his mom—he’d had no reservati
ons about sharing Chloe. Pryce had been reluctant at first, given his conservative, religious upbringing, and his concern it would somehow screw up their friendship, but one kiss with Chloe and he’d been hooked, too.

  That one kiss had spiraled into something so erotic and powerful among the three of them, Jonah didn’t know if he could stop it even if he’d wanted to. But lately he’d been having fantasies he had no business having, dreams of Pryce that were so hot he’d come in his sleep more times than he could count.

  He closed his eyes, blocking out the disturbing, ludicrous images that had invaded his thoughts once again. “Come here.” He grabbed Chloe’s ass, hauling her up against him, crushing his mouth to hers, drowning himself in her taste in the hopes it would cleanse him of the insane desire to do the same with Pryce.

  No such luck. Pryce’s hard cock brushed against the back of his hand and his eyes flew open to find his best friend staring back at him. Jonah blinked, wondering if he hadn’t imagined it, but when he opened his eyes again, Pryce was still looking at him with a lusty gaze, his erection now firmly pressed against the back of his hand.

  Their gazes locked, Jonah watched with longing as Pryce leaned in and traced the shell of Chloe’s ear with the tip of his tongue. Holy fuck!

  They were so close. The desire to lean forward that one inch and lick his bottom lip—oh damn! Pryce shifted, pressing closer, with unmistakable intention, the zipper on his jeans cutting into the back of Jonah’s hand.

  Jonah’s heartbeat thundered in his eardrums. He stared at Pryce over Chloe’s shoulder. What was he doing? Could Pryce want this, too? If he didn’t, and Jonah made a move, it could screw up everything. He was insane for even thinking it!

  Pryce flexed his hips, pressing his cock harder against Jonah’s hand, his eyes begging for both permission and forgiveness. Jonah’s skin tingled with the sudden rush of adrenaline as he stared at his best friend.

  Every cell in his body came alive with the exhilarating mixture of need and fear. Sweat dripped down his back, tickling his already sensitive skin. His heart pounding inside his chest, hyperaware that he could be making the biggest mistake of his life, Jonah turned his hand and cupped the iron-hard bulge in Pryce’s jeans. When Pryce didn’t flinch away, he tightened his grip and caressed the straining length of his cock.

  Pryce’s eyes glazed over with pure bliss, his lips parting on a guttural moan. The lustful sight stole the air from Jonah’s lungs. He tore his mouth from Chloe’s and gulped for every breath, pressing his cock against her belly, searching for the same exquisite pleasure he was giving Pryce.

  Leaving a trail of kisses along Jonah’s chest, Chloe slipped her hand into his jeans and wrapped her fingers around his cock, completely unaware of what was happening between him and his best friend. When she tilted her head back to look up at him, Jonah closed his eyes and kissed her, lost in the whirlwind of both new and familiar sensations.

  Pryce thrust into his hand, sending a surge of blood rushing through his veins at lightning speed. Jonah broke away from Chloe’s kiss, once again struggling to breathe. Chloe continued to stroke him, and Jonah closed his eyes, imagining that it was Pryce’s hand on him instead of hers. Fuck! He was losing his damn mind! He could feel Pryce’s hot breath against his lips, their mouths so close. All he had to do was lean in and take what he wanted. He held his breath instead, waiting, wanting, but too afraid to ask.

  Pryce pressed his lips to his.

  Jonah’s world exploded. He devoured Pryce like a starving man, a growl ripping from his chest as their tongues met for the first time in a long, desperate duel.

  Light from outside flooded the small workshop, and Jonah tore himself away from them. “Shit, it’s Papa Daniel.” He hurried to pull up his jeans, struggling against the tangle of arms and hands grasping for discarded clothes.

  “Excuse me,” Daniel said and turned to leave.

  “Papa Daniel, wait!” Jonah zipped and buttoned his jeans and then chased his grandfather out the door, leaving Chloe and Pryce inside. “Papa Da—”

  “Is that the Jessop girl?”

  Jonah nodded, unsure of what to say.

  “Are you and Pryce using protection?”

  Jonah nodded again.

  “Both of you? Even when it’s only the two of you?”

  Jonah’s eyes widened and he shook his head. It wasn’t like that!

  “Remember who you’re talking to, Jonah,” Papa Daniel insisted, cutting off his explanation. “You’re not the first guy in the world to kiss another guy and you won’t be the last. Tell me you’re being safe. That’s all I care about.”

  “Yeah, we are.” Jonah cleared his throat. Papa Daniel—who was not related by blood, but his grandfather all the same—and his great-uncle, Cade, had been a couple since before Jonah was born. He didn’t have a problem with gay people, or any kind of people, but just because they were gay didn’t mean he was! He had to make him understand. “I know what that looked like, but—”

  “What you do and who you do it with is nobody’s business,” Daniel said, holding up a staying hand. “You’ve told me everything I need to know.”

  Jonah’s cheeks grew hot and his palms felt clammy. He stared at his feet, feeling like he was about to pass out. Of all the times someone could have walked in on them. This was not happening!

  “Do your mom and dads know?”

  “God no!” Oh shit, please don’t let him tell my parents! “I mean—we’re not—I haven’t—”

  “I won’t say a word,” Daniel assured him. “Just…”

  “Sorry we crashed your workshop,” Jonah offered as Daniel glanced back at the door. “It’s kind of crazy at our place with Con and Car being back, and all the reporters and stuff. It won’t happen again.”

  Daniel chuckled. “If you don’t tell Uncle Cade, I won’t,” he said. “And if her father or brothers catch either one of you, I’m denying everything.”

  The sound of a truck door slamming shut snapped Jonah from his erotic memories. He snatched his t-shirt from his head and was pulling it on to cover the bulge in his jeans when Pryce rounded the corner at the end of the stock chute.

  Jonah picked up the pitchfork, stabbing it into the pile of hay as Pryce approached. “Aren’t you grounded?” he asked, knowing Dirk Grunion had put him on lockdown for going to the bonfire.

  “I snuck out.”

  “Go home,” Jonah said with a sigh, not ready to have this conversation.

  “We need to talk.”

  “Nothing to talk about.” He tossed the hay over the gate with more force than he intended, half of it flying into the next stall.

  “It’s my fault,” Pryce insisted. “I shouldn’t have—”

  Jonah pinned him with a glare. He was so sick of Pryce apologizing. He’d sent what must have been a hundred text messages saying he was sorry and begging to let things go back to the way they were. How in the hell did he think they could do that? Jonah mumbled a curse. He’d kissed his best fucking friend, and worse, he’d liked it! There was no going back from that.

  “Then at least get back together with Chloe,” Pryce said, turning his hat in his hands, his eyes—those damn sad eyes—pleading with him for something he couldn’t give. “She’s a complete mess, Jonah. She doesn’t understand why you broke up with her, and I haven’t said a word. I’ll bow out and she’ll never know.”

  “Do you think she’s going to just let it go? Not ask a single question?” He tossed the pitchfork away and wiped the sweat from his face with the hem of his t-shirt.

  “I’ll tell her I found someone else,” Pryce argued.

  “And when she figures out it’s a lie? What then?” He marched toward Pryce. “Let’s go in the other direction. Say we tell her. Do you think she’ll be okay with it? Do you think she’ll understand?” he asked, knowing full well she wouldn’t. “Hell, I don’t even understand it!” He met Pryce’s gaze, but quickly looked away when he saw his own confusion mirrored in his best friend’s eyes. They’d screwe
d things up so royally. “I’ve thought about every possibility, believe me,” he said with a sigh. “She doesn’t deserve to be hurt like this, but if I don’t break it off now, it’s only going to get worse.” He licked his lips, the desire to kiss Pryce still strong, even as pissed as he was at himself for feeling the way he did. “I still love her, man, but this…this isn’t going away for me.”

  “It’s not for me either,” Pryce whispered.

  Jonah placed his hand on Pryce’s shoulder, cursing when he felt his friend’s body trembling beneath his palm. He was a second away from pulling him into his arms and kissing the hell out of him again when another truck pulled up at the end of the covered paddock.

  “Shit.” He pushed Pryce back down the aisle in the direction from which he’d come. “Go home,” he repeated as Chloe’s three brothers filed out of the truck, the oldest brandishing a baseball bat.

  They were bullies, all three of them. They’d given Pryce enough grief over the last year to last a lifetime, but Jonah had a feeling they weren’t there for Pryce or even Chloe. They didn’t know about their relationship with Chloe. No one did, except Papa Daniel. They’d been careful about that. Her brothers were there for him, revenge for punching Travis during a fight he’d had to break up at the Fourth of July bonfire. He’d had enough of their damn bullying.

  “I’m not leaving unless you do,” Pryce insisted, pushing back against him. “There’s three of them. They’ll kill you.”

  “Go, goddammit! I can handle them!” He shoved Pryce again and then turned to face the Jessop brothers.

  Pryce was no lightweight. Working his family’s ranch had made him lean and nice to look at, but he couldn’t throw a punch to save his life. He wouldn’t do anything but get in the way. This fight had been a long time coming and Jonah was glad to finally get the chance to make them eat their own bullshit for a change. There might be three of them, but he outweighed two of them put together. Thanks to his dads, and growing up with three brothers, he knew how to take care of himself.