Could've Said Yes Read online

  Could’ve Said Yes is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  A Loveswept Ebook Original

  Copyright © 2016 by Tracy March

  Excerpt from Hard to Fall by Marquita Valentine copyright © 2016 by Marquita Valentine

  All rights reserved.

  Published in the United States by Loveswept, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

  LOVESWEPT is a registered trademark and the LOVESWEPT colophon is a trademark of Penguin Random House LLC.

  Ebook ISBN 9781101885017

  Cover design: Georgia Morrissey

  Cover photograph: © Alex Volot/Shutterstock

  randomhousebooks.com

  v4.1

  ep

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  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

  Epilogue

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  By Tracy March

  About the Author

  Excerpt from Hard to Fall

  Chapter 1

  Collin Cooper dropped the kickstand of his custom Ducati motorcycle, pulled off his helmet, and sucked in a deep breath of cool, thin air. His heart raced from the heady mix of altitude and risk.

  Eleven thousand feet.

  His back-country riding skills were too rusty to be roughing it over the rugged terrain he’d just conquered to reach the remote overlook—but here he was on Stallion Ridge.

  Trial by fire…

  And he hadn’t gotten burned. A sly smile stretched across his face as he hung his helmet on one of the handgrips. His skills might not be in the best shape, but at least he was. Manhandling the bike was three-quarters of the battle.

  Collin got off the Ducati, swaggered over to the edge of the sharp drop-off, and checked out the killer view of the craggy Rocky Mountains.

  Ride and reward…

  Hell of a way to relax after a long day at the Big Star Mine site, where his view consisted of men in hard hats, heavy equipment, port-o-johns, and ugly tailing ponds.

  But it was far away from Durham, and that’s what mattered.

  Three weeks ago, Collin had been tapped by the brass at the EPA to lead an environmental response team that would determine whether the defunct Big Star Mine was leaking contaminated water.

  The timing couldn’t have been better.

  He’d broken off his dead-end engagement a few months ago, and he’d been restless ever since. Getting assigned to Thistle Bend, Colorado, for a while—and taking a long-overdue road trip on his bike—was just what he needed. Riding across the country had given him time to reprioritize and devise “rules from the road,” which he vowed to adhere to while he was there.

  Work hard.

  He was one successful assignment away from a major promotion. Nailing this one was a must.

  Bike often.

  There were plenty of kick-ass trails to tear up in the Rockies.

  Pick up women.

  After two and a half years of being faithful to his ex, it was time to exorcise her for good. A few hot hookups ought to do the trick.

  Collin clenched his teeth, biting back the frustration that remained over his ruined relationship with Megan Dowling. Most of it had turned to regret—and a crap ton of caution. But here, in a place where few people knew him and he didn’t plan to stay, he could give himself some latitude…As long as he didn’t break rule number four.

  Don’t get involved.

  Just.

  Don’t.

  He narrowed his eyes and scowled, annoyed that he had to caution himself—it proved how much Megan had gotten to him. He hated admitting that to anyone—even himself.

  Lesson learned.

  Collin blew out a long breath and glanced at his watch. The August sun would set in an hour, but he didn’t have to bolt down the mountain just yet. Probably wise to give his bike—and himself—time to recover from the climb. At thirty-one, he didn’t rebound as quickly as he had in his twenties, at altitude or sea level.

  He cupped his hand at the back of his head and stared at the blazing-blue sky, his buzz-cut hair pricking his palm. The complete silence was blissful—so rare he’d forgotten what it sounded like.

  But it didn’t last long.

  A faint click-and-hum had him glancing over his shoulder, scanning for its source.

  And man, did he find it.

  About twenty yards away, at the edge of the nearby spruce forest, stood a tallish, slim blond woman holding a camera in front of her face. Her long, sun-kissed hair hung in loose waves around her narrow shoulders. His pulse ticked a little faster as he checked her out, and waited for the big reveal. Dark leggings accentuated her slender legs, and her clingy blue long-sleeved sports top clued him in on her curves.

  Perfect C’s.

  He’d rarely guessed wrong—unless he was fooled by one of those false-advertising bras puffed up with two cup sizes’ worth of padding. The fine shape of things had him doubting that there was any deception going on with this woman. Parts of him started to hope he’d get the chance to prove himself right—especially if her face was anywhere near as captivating as the rest of her.

  She turned in his direction and fired off several more shots.

  Click-hum.

  Realizing he was probably right in the middle of them, he started to turn away. But then she lowered the camera, leaving it to hang from the leather strap around her neck.

  Whoa.

  Collin stared as she walked his way for several steps, and stopped, keeping about ten yards between them. Her golden hair framed her face—delicate nose, high cheekbones, and shimmery blue eyes. She rolled in her full lips, and rubbed them together, as if she couldn’t decide whether to say hello or flee.

  Narrowing her eyes, she tipped her head and studied him. “You look really familiar,” she said, her voice smooth and velvety. “This is kind of a strange thing to ask, but would you put your helmet back on for a second?”

  Of all the things he had hoped she’d ask him to do, putting on his helmet was nowhere on the list.

  Collin furrowed his brow, unsure where this was going, but willing to play along—she was too hot not to give it a chance. He stepped over to his bike, grabbed his helmet, and tugged it on, leaving the straps loose.

  She took another step closer, and nodded slowly. “You work up at the Big Star site, right? With Carl and Gary and Kevin.”

  Collin drew his head back. “You figured that out because of my helmet?” He took it off, hung it on the handgrip, and scrubbed his hand across the crown of his head.

  She lifted her narrow shoulders. “I’ve only seen you in a hard hat.” She gestured toward the Ducati. “And the bike looked like the one that’s been parked at the site for the last week or so.”

  “It is. I’m working on an assignment with the EPA,” he said. “But I haven’t seen you up there.�
�� He’d definitely remember if he had—she wasn’t the kind of girl he’d forget.

  She pinched the camera strap between her slender fingers, and smoothed them down its length. “I freelance for the Thistle Bend Times, so I’ve been up at the site taking pictures—mostly from the hiking trail that runs along the rise. I can get pretty good panoramas from there.”

  Collin drew his head back. “You recognized me from a panorama?”

  “I have a zoom lens.”

  And she zoomed in on me.

  Collin lifted his chin, liking his chances with her even more. “Are the pictures you just took for the newspaper?”

  She scrunched her nose. “I’m not sure they’re for anything. I didn’t get the shots I wanted.” Her lips curved up at the corners. “A man and a motorcycle were crashing the view.”

  He gave her a cocky grin. “You mean adding to its intrigue.”

  “Maybe.” Her eyes glinted playfully. “But it wasn’t the kind of intrigue I was after. I was trying to capture the view in the shifting light. You’d be amazed how it changes from moment to moment this time of day.”

  “Mind if I take a look?” Collin tipped his head toward the camera.

  She thought about it for a second, lifted the strap over her head, and cued up the pictures. “There’s a whole series—with you in lots of the shots.”

  “They can’t be all that bad, then.” He winked.

  She bunched her lips, shook her head, and stepped closer to him. Collin caught a tinge of her perfume—something fresh and citrusy. She turned the back of the camera toward him, and swept her finger across the display screen. “See how the purples, blues, and greens shift a little each time?”

  He checked out the photos as she clicked through them, surprised at the subtle color changes. “I never would’ve noticed the difference just standing here staring at the view.”

  “Pretty cool, huh?” She nodded slowly. “Looks like I can crop you out and still get the effect. I’ll lose part of the panorama, but these still might make an interesting collection.”

  Collin flattened his palm over his heart and winced. “You’re gonna crop me out? And here I was thinking that these are some killer pictures—ten times better than any selfie I could’ve taken up here.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Only ten?”

  “Did I cut you short?” he teased, liking that she hadn’t backed too far away after she showed him the pictures.

  “I am a professional,” she said with equal parts humility and sass, softened with a cute grin. “Freelancing is just a side thing for me. I specialize in hand-tinted alternative photography.”

  “Alternative?” His imagination had darted all over the place, and he wasn’t sure he should ask.

  “Yep. I use old photographic processes to develop tinted pictures, then I hand paint them.”

  “So you’re an artist.”

  Her eyes brightened. “I have a little gallery in Thistle Bend.”

  Now he knew where to find her in case he had to go looking. “How about selling me one of those pictures before you crop me out—alternative and hand tinted and all that?”

  “I don’t usually do pictures with people in them. I stick with landscapes and street scenes—sometimes animals.”

  “Maybe you could go outside your comfort zone and try something new and different.” Collin was all in on that idea right now, especially if that something new and different involved him.

  “Hmm. I guess I could give it a shot,” she said. “Depends on how long you’re sticking around. I’m working on a special order right now, so I wasn’t planning on getting to these right away.”

  “No hurry.” Collin could’ve sworn her expression brightened, as if she might like the idea that he wasn’t just passing through.

  “Want me to do anything special with the picture?” She clutched the camera, tilted it forward, and swiped through the pictures again. “Or would you rather just have a basic hand-tinted photo?”

  Collin wouldn’t begin to know what special things to ask for. He set his gaze on hers. “Surprise me.”

  She lowered her eyebrows. “But it’ll cost more if—”

  “Whatever is fine.” Collin had plenty of money saved, and extra to spend now that he wouldn’t be paying for the over-the-top honeymoon in the Maldives that Megan had insisted they plan.

  “It’s a deal, then.” She pressed her fingers to her lips, and furrowed her brow. “I can have it done in the next week or so.” She stepped past him, walked around the motorcycle, and checked it out, treating him to a sweet rear view.

  “Nice bike,” she said.

  “Rode it all the way from North Carolina.”

  “That explains the drawl.”

  “It rode all the way here with me, too,” he teased.

  She finally smiled, demure and dazzling. After a beat, she aimed her gaze toward the craggy peaks along the horizon. “I need to bolt so I can make it to the trailhead before dark. But since you’ve got me going outside my comfort zone with the people picture thing, think I could get a couple of shots of you on the bike before I go?” She lifted one shoulder. “In case the other ones don’t work out.”

  “Why wouldn’t they work out?”

  “You never know,” she said. “You want the picture to be good, don’t you?”

  He really just wanted a reason to see her again. He rubbed his forehead, and dragged his hand down his face. “I’m not big on posing.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “Why should I be the only one going outside of my comfort zone?”

  She had him there.

  “It’ll be painless,” she said. “Just hang out and look at the view.”

  Collin blew out a long breath, kicked one leg over the bike, and settled on the seat. She raised the camera, and backed away from him. He cut a look at her, and she snapped the first couple of shots, but he felt totally awkward staring at the camera. Shifting his gaze to the distant peaks, he narrowed his eyes against the glare of the sun.

  Click-hum. Click-hum.

  After several more shots, and a lot more awkwardness, he raised his hand, palm out. “Time’s up.”

  She lowered the camera, and rolled her eyes. “You’re never going to make it as a supermodel.” She stepped closer to the bike. “But I think I got what I need.”

  No doubt about that. The girl had what she needed, and more. From what he could tell, she was the perfect blend of beautiful, outdoorsy, and sexy—custom-made for rule number three.

  “What’s the name of your gallery?” he asked.

  She grinned. “Guess you need to know where to pick up your picture. It’s Ellie London Images. Just off Larkspur Avenue on Snowberry Street.”

  “Got it,” he said, and put on his helmet. “Good thing I crashed your view, Ellie.”

  She bunched her lips. “I plan to make the best of it.”

  “That makes two of us.” He winked.

  “What name should I put on the order?”

  “Collin Cooper.” He held out his hand, and she shook it firmly, her skin satiny smooth against his.

  “Got it,” she said.

  He held on an extra beat before he released her hand. “Do you need some kind of deposit or something?”

  “Nope. I’m going to trust you.”

  Trust…

  Something Collin wasn’t sure he could do anymore, especially when it came to women. He grabbed one of the handgrips and squeezed it tightly.

  “And if you don’t show up,” Ellie said, “I know where to find you.” She grinned, and glanced at the sky, the sinking sun setting it on fire with orange and yellow against the electric blue. “Sun’s going down fast. I’d better head down the trail.”

  “I’d offer you a ride, but—”

  “We’re short a helmet, and I’m not crazy,” she said. “That’s a sick trail you’ve got to take to get back to the road.”

  Collin grabbed a fistful of the front of his biking jersey, loosening it from around his neck. He definitely
had a rough ride ahead of him.

  “Maybe next time,” she said.

  He nodded and gave her a sly grin. “Then I have something to look forward to.”

  Ellie’s eyes glinted as she turned and headed toward the spruce forest. After covering several yards, she glanced over her shoulder and caught him staring. “I’d say we both do.”

  Chapter 2

  With her easel set up in the sunny bay window at the front of her gallery, Ellie put the finishing touches on a custom-ordered, hand-tinted streetscape. The picture was almost a mirror image of her view near the intersection of Snowberry Street and Larkspur Avenue, Thistle Bend’s main thoroughfare.

  Ellie had lived there most of her life, yet the artist in her never failed to appreciate the whimsical beauty of the restored Victorian mining town surrounded by majestic mountain peaks. Tourists and locals strolled along wide sidewalks lined with lovingly refurbished storybook buildings painted in bright hues of blue, yellow, orange, purple, and green—as if a Wild West set from the black-and-white-movie days had been vibrantly colorized and brought to real life. Deep green spruce trees and silvery aspens peeked from above and between the buildings. Planters overflowing with wildflowers bordered the streets, and billowing baskets of blooms hung at the doors of most businesses.

  Unquestionably picturesque.

  Ellie stepped back to examine her work and compare it to the view in the early evening light. She narrowed her eyes, tipped her head to each side, and smiled. Hopefully her customer would be just as pleased. But her smile was more than a reaction to what she saw on the easel. Business had picked up since she opened her gallery a month ago—both from foot traffic and online. Custom orders no longer came at the rate of lunar eclipses, and demand kept growing.

  Even from the sexy EPA guy I met at on Stallion Ridge.

  Collin had piqued Ellie’s interest enough for her to zoom in and snap a shot when she’d been at the Big Star site taking pictures for the newspaper. She had recognized most of the crew up there, and pegged Collin and a few others as temporary, which wasn’t at all unusual. Guys came from all over to work on defunct mines, staying days or months or years—but not many of them looked like Collin. After sneaking a snapshot of him, she would’ve never imagined him crashing her panoramas on a remote scenic overlook. But now that he had, her curiosity about him was even more piqued. There was something kind of mysterious about Collin Cooper, and maybe a little guarded—a perfect subject for her first “people picture.” She was totally up for the challenge of a new and different project, and its guaranteed sale definitely made the risk worth taking. Excitement swirled through her as she thought about the pictures of him she’d processed last night.