The Billionaire's Cowboy Groom (Sweet Billionaires Book 4)

by Lorana Hoopes

  “By the power vested to me by Elvis, God, and the great state of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride. Thank you very much.”

  Carrie smiled as she leaned forward and met Cal’s lips. She wasn’t sure exactly what the future would hold, but she was ready for whatever lay ahead in the next chapter as long as it included Cal.

  The End!

  It’s not quite the end!

  * * *

  Thank you so much for reading The Billionaire’s Cowboy Groom. So Carrie and Cal had their wedding, and we got to see all the other billionaires again. I thought this would be the end of the billionaire series, but as I was working on my new series, The Blushing Brides, my cover designer messed up and used the template from the Billionaires series. I was in a time crunch, so instead of having her redo everything, I decided there was at least one more billionaire story in me, and I just had her change the title. I think this one will be fun, and I’m planning a little sass!

  I hope you enjoyed the story as well. If you did, would you do me a favor? If you did, please leave a review. It really helps. It doesn’t have to be long - just a few words to help other readers know what they’re getting.

  I’d love to hear from you, not only about this story, but about the characters or stories you’d like read in the future. I’m always looking for new ideas and if I use one of your characters or stories, I’ll send you a free ebook and paperback of the book with a special dedication. Write to me at loranahoopes@gmail.com. And if you’d like to see what’s coming next, be sure to stop by authorloranahoopes.com

  I also have a weekly newsletter that contains many wonderful things like pictures of my adorable children, chances to win awesome prizes, new releases and sales I might be holding, great books from other authors, and anything else that strikes my fancy and that I think you would enjoy. I’ll even send you the first chapter of my newest (maybe not even released yet) book if you’d like to sign up.

  Even better, I solemnly swear to only send out one newsletter a week (usually on Tuesday unless life gets in the way which with three kids it usually does). I will not spam you, sell your email address to solicitors or anyone else, or any of those other terrible things.

  This series will be continued, but for now, would you like to meet some characters for a new series.

  Not ready to say Goodbye yet?

  * * *

  Have we seen the last of Carrie and Cal? I doubt it, but be sure to preorder your copy of The Cowboy Billionaire to meet Hunter Garrison and Daisy Keller. Two opposites forced to team up to help each other. Sparks will fly, but will love bloom?

  And while you’re waiting on that story, why not take a chance on The Cowboy’s Reality Bride.

  The Cowboy’s Reality Bride

  He just wants to marry and settle down…

  But all the women he’s dated want more than a small town and a simple ranch life which is why he allows himself to be talked into auditioning for a reality dating show. He never thought he’d actually get picked.

  She is trying to run from her past…

  When Laney gets fired from her job, she is free to help her friend out, but she thought she was just doing makeup.

  Who wants to play by the rules….

  Laney is instantly attracted to Tyler, and he might feel the same, but there’s just one problem. She’s not a contestant!

  Read on for a taste of The Cowboy’s Reality Bride….

  The Cowboy’s Reality Bride preview

  Laney Swann clutched her designer bag tighter as she weaved in and out of the crowded sidewalk. Why did the crowd have to be so thick today, on the one day she overslept? Normally, she was out the door by six am giving her plenty of time to get uptown, stop at the coffee shop, and make it to work by eight, but sleep had eluded her last night, and she’d slept through her alarm. Now, she was paying the price.

  She flipped her delicate silver watch around to read the face and quickened her pace. Time was not on her side today. She was going to be so late, and Victoria Bonavich detested tardiness. It was a fireable offense in her book if you stepped in the office even a minute late, and Laney couldn’t afford to lose this job. She’d moved to the city with big dreams but a small savings after college. Without this job, there would be no paying her rent, and she’d have to go home. A nervous spring coiled in her stomach. She couldn’t lose this job.

  “Watch it,” a man’s voice cried out as she squeezed between him and another man with a cell phone glued to his ear.

  “Sorry,” she called back, but her head never turned. Turning around would cost her precious seconds and she had none to spare. Her heart was thudding a constant drum of the precious seconds slipping away.

  A tendril of blond hair appeared in her vision and she blew it off her forehead. Great. Now, not only was she late, but her hair was eking out of its sprayed mold, another issue she would have to remedy before seeing Madame Bonavich or The Man-eater as they called her in the office.

  The woman was fearsome. With short grey hair, hawkish eyes, and thin lips which rarely smiled, she exuded a no-nonsense air wherever she went, but Laney enjoyed working for her. Mostly. She had learned so much in the six months she had been at this agency even though she was still just an unknown assistant to Madame Bonavich. Actually, she had learned so much more from Myra, the makeup artist she assisted before photo shoots, but Laney still hoped to become Madame Bonavich’s assistant one day. Then she would have a chance at becoming a well-known makeup artist herself. At least she had received the promotion to coffee gopher the last month. It gave her a chance to interact with The Man-eater if only for a minute.

  However, today, it could be her downfall. Only fifteen minutes remained to obtain the coffee and return to the office, and it wasn’t looking good. Laney stepped up her pace a little more. Not too fast though. The last thing she wanted to do was trip, and sadly, she was a bit of a klutz.

  “Excuse me,” she said as she pushed through another clump of pedestrians. Why did it seem as if people walked slower and in impenetrable groups whenever she was in a hurry? The busy city was always like this, she knew that, but her need to move at a faster pace exaggerated the normal bustling bog and edged her anxiety up another notch.

  At last the coffee shop came into view. Sweet relief flowed over her even though her feet ached already from the rigorous pace she had set the moment she stepped out of her door. The four-inch heels were a requirement in the agency - something that had taken Laney months to get used to - and though she agreed they added style to her outfit, her feet were not fans. They screamed for a nightly soak, and she had purchased so much Epsom Salt in the last few months she should buy stock in the company.

  A sigh billowed out of her lips as she pulled open the door, and the spring coiled tighter. At least four other people stood in line. Laney bit her lip and checked her watch again. Thirteen minutes remained. Her foot began a rhythmic cadence on the floor, the impatient tapping garnering a few irritated stares, but Laney didn’t care. She didn’t have time to care.

  The man in front of her turned around. “You appear to be in an awful hurry. Would you like to take my spot?”

  “Could I? That would be amazing.” Laney stepped in front of the man but remained facing him. He had the most arresting eyes. “My boss is a bit of a time manager, if you know what I mean. If I don’t get her coffee and get back to her in just over ten minutes,” she blew out a puff of air, “I don’t even know what will happen, but it won’t be good.”

  The man said nothing, just raised an eyebrow at her, but Laney couldn’t shut her mouth. Perhaps it was his beautiful blue eyes - she had always been a sucker for blue eyes.

  “Normally, it’s not an issue, but last night sleep evaded me. I just tossed and turned, so when my alarm clock rang, I guess I didn’t hear it. Though I must have turned it off because it wasn’t still going off when I did finally wake up. Sadly, by then, I was running late, and now I’m in danger of incurring her wrath.” Laney
paused as the man’s lips pulled into a smirk. “What?”

  He pointed behind her toward the register. “I believe it’s your turn to order.”

  “Oh, right, thank you.” A heated flush crawled up her face as she turned to face the woman behind the counter. She had made a fool of herself with the handsome man behind her. Why did her mouth always seem to run unchecked whenever she was nervous?

  “Can I help you?”

  “Yes, I uh...” Laney cleared her throat and forced her mind to focus. She could berate herself later. “I need a tall caramel macchiato and-” she shook her head. Even after a month, she didn’t have Madame Bonavich’s order memorized, but who could blame her? It had to be the longest order she had ever seen. “Sorry, just a second.” Her fingers rifled in her purse until they touched a folded piece of paper. She pulled it out and unfolded it. “A double ristretto venti half soy nonfat organic chocolate brownie iced vanilla double shot gingerbread Frappuccino extra hot with foam upside down double blended, one Sweet N Low and one NutraSweet.”

  The cashier blinked, and a momentary shell-shocked expression covered her face. Then composure set in and she rang up the order and picked up two cups. Laney felt sorry for the woman. She merely had to read off an order, but this woman had to put that nonsense on a cup in a way that the barista making the coffee would understand. Not for the first time, Laney wondered if Madame Bonavich ordered this drink because she enjoyed it or because she relished putting others through the ringer.

  With the bill paid, Laney continued down the line to stand at the other end where the barista placed completed drinks. She kept her eyes on the floor to avoid seeking the nice man again. He didn’t need another verbal diatribe from her.

  Nine more minutes. She was cutting it so close. The office was just around the corner, but her high heels kept her from running, so she’d have to opt for long strides and hope for the best.

  “Caramel Macchiato and gingerbread frap,” the barista called as she placed the two drinks down.

  “Thank you.” Laney flashed the woman an apologetic smile as she grabbed the drinks.

  As she pushed open the door, she realized she should have asked for a tray. A cup in each hand made it nearly impossible to adjust her purse strap which kept threatening to slip off her shoulder with every step. Unable to stop, Laney adjusted her body by throwing her right shoulder as high into the air as possible in hopes gravity would keep the purse strap there.

  She must look a sight, hunched over to one side. Madame Bonavich would blow her lid if she saw Laney, but it was this or arrive late with the woman’s coffee, and Laney honestly didn’t know which would be worse.

  A sigh of relief spilled from her mouth as the office came into view. She would not chance looking at her watch, but she figured she had a few minutes to spare. However, she also had a conundrum. How was she going to open the door? She hated taking the chance but stacking one cup on top of the other appeared to be the quickest option.

  Before her mind changed, she set the venti on top of her cup and secured it with her chin. Then she reached for the door handle, but as her fingertips brushed the cold metal, the door swung open.

  The force knocked her backwards. Her chin lifted from the lid of the cup, and without something to secure it, it teetered. Laney observed in slow-motion horror as the cup not only fell off its perch but onto her chest. The lid popped off and flew through the air as the contents of the drink spilled down Laney’s front.

  Her body finally unfroze when the searing hot liquid broached her skin. Laney jumped farther back sending the venti cup crashing to the pavement.

  “I’m so sorry. Can I help?”

  Anger flared in her stomach, and Laney flicked her eyes up to take in the perpetrator before she let loose her vitriol on him. However, the flame fizzled at the sight of the young man with glasses who stood gaping at her. His wide eyes held an apology and his baby face placed his age in his early twenties - probably a college intern. She swallowed the harsh words she wanted to bark at him. If she’d had Madame Bonavich’s coffee order written anywhere else, she would give him the paper and tell him to go replace the coffee. It would be late, but perhaps late was better than never, but she didn’t.

  “No, it’s fine. I’ll take care of it.” She didn’t know how exactly. The only option she had was giving Madame Bonavich her drink which probably wouldn’t sit well with the woman. She could only hope she was in a good mood.

  “Again, I’m so sorry.” The man ducked his head and scurried away looking like a scolded puppy with its tail between its legs.

  Laney spared one glance at her formerly white shirt now stained brown and sighed. She was late; she didn’t have the woman’s coffee; and she looked like a slob. These were not the makings of a good day.

  Continue reading The Cowboy’s Reality Bride…

  A Free Story For You

  * * *

  Enjoyed this story? Not ready to quit reading yet? If you sign up for my newsletter, you will receive The Billionaire’s Impromptu Bet right away as my thank you gift for choosing to hang out with me.

  The Billionaire’s Impromptu Bet

  A SWAT officer. A bored billionaire heiress. A bet that could change everything….

  Read on for a taste of The Billionaire’s Impromptu Bet….

  The Billionaire’s Impromptu Bet Preview

  Brie Carter fell back spread eagle on her queen-sized canopy bed sending her blond hair fanning out behind her. With a large sigh, she uttered, “I’m bored.”

  “How can you be bored? You have like millions of dollars.” Her friend, Ariel, plopped down in a seated position on the bed beside her and flicked her raven hair off her shoulder. “You want to go shopping? I hear Tiffany’s is having a special right now.”

  Brie rolled her eyes. Shopping? Where was the excitement in that? With her three platinum cards, she could go shopping whenever she wanted. “No, I’m bored with shopping too. I have everything. I want to do something exciting. Something we don’t normally do.”

  Brie enjoyed being rich. She loved the unlimited credit cards at her disposal, the constant apparel of new clothes, and of course the penthouse apartment her father paid for, but lately, she longed for something more fulfilling.

  Ariel’s hazel eyes widened. “I know. There’s a new bar down on Franklin Street. Why don’t we go play a little game?”

  Brie sat up, intrigued at the secrecy and the twinkle in Ariel’s eyes. “What kind of game?”

  “A betting game. You let me pick out any man in the place. Then you try to get him to propose to you.”

  Brie wrinkled her nose. “But I don’t want to get married.” She loved her freedom and didn’t want to share her penthouse with anyone, especially some man.

  “You don’t marry him, silly. You just get him to propose.”

  Brie bit her lip as she thought. It had been awhile since her last relationship and having a man dote on her for a month might be interesting, but…. “I don’t know. It doesn’t seem very nice.”

  “How about I sweeten the pot? If you win, I’ll set you up on a date with my brother.”

  Brie cocked her head. Was she serious? The only thing Brie couldn’t seem to buy in the world was the affection of Ariel’s very handsome, very wealthy, brother. He was a movie star, just the kind of person Brie could consider marrying in the future. She’d had a crush on him as long as she and Ariel had been friends, but he’d always seen her as just that, his little sister’s friend. “I thought you didn’t want me dating your brother.”

  “I don’t.” Ariel shrugged. “But he’s between girlfriends right now, and I know you’ve wanted it for ages. If you win this bet, I’ll set you up. I can’t guarantee any more than one date though. The rest will be up to you.”

  Brie wasn’t worried about that. Charm she possessed in abundance. She simply needed some alone time with him, and she was certain she’d be able to convince him they were meant to be together. “All right. You’ve got a deal.”

>   Ariel smiled. “Perfect. Let’s get you changed then and see who the lucky man will be.

  A tiny tug pulled on Brie’s heart that this still wasn’t right, but she dismissed it. This was simply a means to an end, and he’d never have to know.

  * * *

  Jesse Calhoun relaxed as the rhythmic thudding of the speed bag reached his ears. Though he loved his job, it was stressful being the SWAT sniper. He hated having to take human lives and today had been especially rough. The team had been called out to a drug bust, and Jesse was forced to return fire at three hostiles. He didn’t care that they fired at his team and himself first. Taking a life was always hard, and every one of them haunted his dreams.

  “You gonna bust that one too?” His co-worker Brendan appeared by his side. Brendan was the opposite of Jesse in nearly every way. Where Jesse’s hair was a dark copper, Brendan’s was nearly black. Jesse sported paler skin and a dusting of freckles across his nose, but Brendan’s skin was naturally dark and freckle free.

  Jesse flashed a crooked grin, but kept his eyes on the small, swinging black bag. The speed bag was his way to release, but a few times he had started hitting while still too keyed up and he had ruptured the bag. Okay, five times, but who was counting really? Besides, it was a better way to calm his nerves than other things he could choose. Drinking, fights, gambling, women.

  “Nah, I think this one will last a little longer.” His shoulders began to burn, and he gave the bag another few punches for good measure before dropping his arms and letting it swing to a stop. “See? It lives to be hit at least another day.” Every once in a while, Jesse missed training the way he used to. Before he joined the force, he had been an amateur boxer, on his way to being a pro, but a shoulder injury had delayed his training and forced him to consider something else. It had eventually healed, but by then he had lost his edge.