Cowboy Payback

by Donna Michaels

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Praise for Donna Michaels,

  Cowboy Payback

  Copyright

  Dedications

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Find out how Operation Payback started in Cowboy-Fiancé, also available from The Wild Rose Press:

  A word from the author…

  Thank you for purchasing this publication of The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

  “I promise I’ll stay out of your way. You won’t even know I’m here.”

  He threw his head back and laughed. The unexpected sound sent those darn goose bumps down her body again.

  “I highly doubt that, Corporal,” he said when he sobered. “I always know when you’re around.”

  Happy for the change in subject, and mood, she tipped her head and playfully punched his shoulder. “Hey, are you trying to say I talk too much, sir?”

  “Well…” His brows rose with his tone.

  “Because if you are…I’d have to agree.”

  His lips twitched. “Would you now?”

  “Yes.” She gave a slight nod. “You see, I have the gift of gab, and it’s not curable.” Although, she had to admit, today she’d been unusually quiet.

  “Now I have to disagree.”

  A sexy smile tugged at his lips, and she readily repeated his question. “Would you now?”

  “Yep.”

  She folded her arms across her chest and stared up at him. Knowing she shouldn’t take the bait didn’t stop her from asking the inevitable question. “So, you’re saying there’s a cure?”

  “Yep.” His gaze dropped to her lips then slowly rose back up, mischief and heat sparkling in his eyes.

  Her heart skipped a beat. Don’t say it. Don’t you dare say it.

  “A kiss.”

  He said it.

  Darn him.

  Ask a dangerous question, receive a dangerous answer.

  Praise for Donna Michaels,

  NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

  “A blend of military man and cowboy…ohh my. The connection between these two is electric. Despite the difficult topics tackled, the upbeat dialogue makes this a fun read. Readers will race through this story and then preorder the next book in the series to see what is in store for outrageous Brett.”

  ~RT Magazine, review for Cowboy-Fiancé (4 Stars)

  Cowboy Payback

  by

  Donna Michaels

  A Sequel to Cowboy-Fiancé

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  Cowboy Payback

  COPYRIGHT © 2015 by Donna Michaels

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  Contact Information: info@thewildrosepress.com

  Cover Art by Diana Carlile

  The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

  PO Box 708

  Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

  Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com

  Publishing History

  First Yellow Rose Edition, 2015

  Print ISBN 978-1-5092-0302-4

  Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-0303-1

  A Sequel to Cowboy-Fiancé

  Published in the United States of America

  Dedications

  To my husband

  for continuing to be my military hero inspiration.

  To my family and friends

  for their unending support.

  To my Street Team and readers,

  you rock!

  And to the men and women serving,

  and who have served,

  thank you so much for your sacrifice,

  and those of your families.

  God bless you.

  Chapter One

  “Smile, Captain…I mean, Brett,” the anxious redhead urged through her own fake smile. “My parents think we’re engaged, remember?”

  Remember? How the hell could he forget? The corporal had dropped that bomb on him only a minute ago. Right as her parents had walked in. And just before his twin brother, Finn, and brand new fiancée, Cammie, had deserted him out the friggin’ back of the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk.

  Brett Brennan twisted around, bouncing his gaze from his mother to his foreman, Terry Hawkins, standing near the long bar that nearly took the whole back wall of the Texas honky tonk. Judging by their matching grins, they were in on this charade and weren’t going to be any help. His mother gave him a thumbs up.

  Yeah, he was definitely on his own.

  “Payback’s a bitch, bro.” The smug words, uttered by his grinning brother as he’d left him to deal with Operation Payback, echoed in Brett’s head.

  Operation Payback.

  Over a decade in the marines had taught him discipline, patience, and tenacity, but there were times, like right now, when he was plumb out. He thrust a hand through his short, high-and-tight military haircut and blew out a breath while the corporal’s parents made their way through the bar. He shifted his gaze back to the closed kitchen door. Any second now. Yep. Any second. Surely, Finn and Cammie were going to come back out, triumphant expressions on their grinning faces.

  No movement. Nothing. Negatory.

  His mind faltered. Were they really so upset with him they’d planned retribution?

  So he’d forced Finn and Cammie into a fake engagement a few months back. Big deal. After thirty-two years, you’d think his brother would be used to his pranks.

  And why was Finn being such a pansy ass? It had been a joke.

  Okay, a joke that was pure genius.

  A sense of pride washed through him, relaxing a bit of the stiffness from his body and tugging his lips into a smile. Yes, sending his First Lieutenant to fill in for a recuperating ranch hand. Pure genius. Putting the bug in his mother’s ear that Cammie was Finn’s fiancée…okay, that part had just been for his own fun.

  How was he to know his mother would throw an engagement party and invite all their relatives?

  It was not his fault.

  Besides, their fake engagement just turned into a real one. Finn and Cammie should thank him, throw a ticker-tape parade, promise to name their first born after him…not punish him with a fake engagement of his own—to Corporal Trisha Jennings of all people.

  “Mom, Dad, you remember Brett,” the corporal was saying, rushing to meet her parents before drawing them toward him.

  He prided himself on being able to think on his feet. A real problem solver. A skill that had helped him gain rank and respect in the Marine Corps over the past decade. But for the life of him, he couldn’t come up with one damn plausible solution to get his problem-solving ass out of this predicament without screwing the corporal over.

  A spark of anger broke through and burned like a fireball between his shoulder blades.

  Why the hell should he even care?

  He shot his gaze to the redhead, determination ruling her delicate features. She was the one who had lied. She wa
s the one who threw him in the path of the proverbial tank he was currently unable to avoid.

  “Captain Brennan, so nice to see you again.”

  The scent of lilacs surrounded him as Mrs. Jennings pulled him into a hug.

  “I’m so glad you’re home safe and sound,” the soft-spoken, older woman added with a squeeze.

  He was far from sound at the moment. He shifted his gaze to the woman’s daughter currently pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. Or safe. His gut clenched and body heated as if it was his flesh she abused. Damn. He’d known the corporal for years. Had been her commanding officer for two tours. And her friend, as far as rank would allow. So, how come he’d never noticed her lush, full lips before?

  Suck it up, Marine. He gave himself a mental shake. Forget the corporal’s kissable lips and get your ass out of this engagement.

  With his thought process once again under his control, he returned the slight woman’s hug. “Thank you, Mrs. Jennings.” The corporal’s mother was a sweetheart. Sunshine and flowers. Much like the purple floral print splashed on her dress. No need to take his frustration out on the sweet lady.

  His brother? An entirely different story.

  He released the woman and turned in time to see Mr. Jennings step forward, hand out, his expression frank and no-nonsense like the tailored, three-piece suit covering his broad frame.

  “This is quite a surprise, Captain,” the former D.A. stated. “But don’t worry, your secret’s safe with us. We know it’s against regulations to get involved with your subordinates.”

  Brett’s stomach instantly re-knotted. Regulations? Damn. If this got out, he could lose his commission. Well, not quite, his mind reasoned as he shook the man’s hand. He was resigning his commission this week and, as of last month, Jennings was no longer in the Corps. But still. What the hell were his brother and the corporal thinking? He slammed his gaze into her wavering one.

  Wait a minute…

  A moment of clarity whispered through his agitated mind, and he glanced at the pass-through window of the kitchen. Still empty. No sign of Finn. Or Cammie.

  Oh…they were good.

  Real good.

  Realization instantly squashed every last ounce of annoyance from his body. They almost got him. Bravo. The tightness pinching between his shoulder blades eased, and the knot twisting his gut with merciless force disappeared.

  It was all a prank.

  A stupid, damn prank.

  He hid a smile. Smart asses. He’d give them two points for ingenuity. With everyone in on it, they almost had him believing the hoax.

  Almost.

  And of course, it was a prank. No way would his brother, Cammie, or the corporal risk jeopardizing anyone’s commission, even if they were technically in the clear.

  “Thank you, sir. We appreciate it.” He smiled and released her father’s hand, wondering how Corporal Jennings had gotten her parents involved. Never in a million years would he have guessed the strict, no-nonsense, former district attorney possessed a sense of humor.

  Adrenaline pumped through him in wave after fierce wave of heated energy. Damn, he loved a good prank. Loved them.

  He’d play along. See where they were going to take it, then…

  Call. Their. Bluff.

  One thing was abundantly clear. Every last one of them would be sorry they took on the master.

  He studied the striking couple as they inspected their daughter’s shiny new…ring?

  Jesus…where the hell had she gotten an engagement ring?

  Finn. That’s right. The corporal had snatched the ring from his palm a second after his brother had dropped the damn thing into his hand.

  Bastard was thorough.

  Brett tamped down begrudging admiration and focused on the corporal’s parents.

  Mr. Jennings’ tall, fierce, polished persona was in stark contrast to his wife’s petite, delicate, friendly demeanor. The corporal possessed a little bit from each. He’d seen her fierce, determined, and uncompromising in battle, despite her slight frame and the six inches she lacked to look him straight in the eyes. Like now, as she stared up at him, hope and wariness fighting to consume her deep blue gaze.

  Time to lay it on thick. The Corps had taught him to take the initiative, and he was ready to meet this battle head on.

  Wrapping an arm around his fiancée’s shoulders, he transferred his gaze to her father. “We’ve been friends for years, and despite what you might think, we didn’t reveal our true feelings for one another until her contract ran out, and she didn’t re-up.”

  A half-truth. Her contract did run out, and she hadn’t re-enlisted, but there certainly weren’t any feelings revealed. Mainly because there weren’t any feelings to reveal…other than annoyance and, well, okay, his recent fascination with her lower lip.

  He glanced down at her. Damn. With a slight quiver, her mouth looked positively delectable.

  “Ah, I see,” her father replied, regaining his attention. “Smart man. The sign of a good leader.”

  Brett nodded. “Thank you, sir.”

  He knew better than to get involved with the women in his unit, or any woman for that matter. His childhood sweetheart had ditched him as soon as he’d joined the marines when the towers fell. Plus, he’d seen what Finn had gone through with his first fiancée, Heather. She’d walked away after an explosion had sent his brother home a former SEAL with a busted leg and broken spirit.

  No. Thank. You.

  A relationship was not worth the risk. His affairs were always casual and non-military related. Mutually agreed upon. Mutually satisfying. Always brief. No more than two dates. Ever. Royal Pines, his family owned dude ranch resort, was his wife. He had no room in his life for a mistress.

  “William, Mary,” his mother greeted, having already met the corporal’s parents on two deployment sendoffs and one homecoming. “So good to see you again.”

  “You, too, Rose,” Mrs. Jennings replied, returning his mother’s hug. “I can’t tell you how happy I was when Trisha told us she was engaged to your son.”

  Brett eyed the unusually quiet redhead. Normally, you couldn’t get the corporal to shut up. That was why he’d put her in charge of morale in Iraq. She always had something nice and encouraging to say. Plus, the woman had a wicked sense of humor. Three positives every morale officer needed in their arsenal.

  “It’s a good thing you grabbed her when you did, Captain. There’s a junior lawyer or two in our firm who have had their eyes on my daughter,” Mr. Jennings stated. Pride shone in his steady gaze as he rocked back on his heels. “If you hadn’t, I’m positive she would’ve been engaged to one of them before the summer was through.”

  The corporal’s normally rosy complexion paled, and some of the light died from her eyes. Admiration shot through Brett. Damn. He never realized the marine was such a great actress. She nailed the scared-shitless expression like a pro.

  Suddenly, he could not wait to call her bluff…but not quite yet.

  Taking full advantage of his role, Brett squeezed her shoulder and drew her in tight against him. Hello. The swell of her full bust and rounded hip brushing against his side sent a wakeup call straight to his groin. It promptly twitched. Damn, the woman had curves. Great curves. Something else he’d never noticed before.

  Maybe this practical joke wasn’t such a bad spot to be in after all. Yeah, he was definitely up to playing along.

  He drew his fiancée even closer, forcing her to slide an arm around his waist and lean more of her supple body into his rapidly awakening one.

  Yeah, that worked for him.

  “Well,” he said, holding her father’s gaze. “You can tell them to look elsewhere, sir, because she’s taken.”

  Stiffness left the corporal’s body, and her rigid form turned soft, practically melting into him. Heat skittered down his spine. There was definitely something wrong with how right it felt. But at the moment, he didn’t care. It worked to their advantage.

  So, when he glan
ced down at her and found blue eyes bright with gratitude and an unrecognizable emotion sparkling in their depths, he shouldn’t have been surprised by his reaction. But he was. Something stirred inside him. Deep inside. The no-feel-zone. He blinked and really took in the woman plastered to his side. This was the first time he’d ever seen the officer out of uniform. Out of marine mode. Away from base, or anything to do with the Corps.

  Auburn hair, the color of rich cinnamon, was pulled back in a ponytail, not a regulation bun, and the swish of silken magnificence fueled an insane need to see her hair down.

  How would it look flowing freely?

  He gave himself another mental shake and continued his assessment. She wore jeans and a form-fitting T-shirt, the same deep shade of blue as her eyes.

  And those eyes.

  Damn, they were so bright and clear they could stop a man mid-sentence.

  Once again, he found himself asking the same question. Why hadn’t he ever noticed before?

  Because it had been your job not to.

  He wasn’t stupid. He was her superior. The United States was in a war. You get distracted by the women under your command, you get people killed. Not him. No way. No way in hell. So, he’d treated the females in his unit like one of the guys. This earned him their respect, and they earned his by doing their duty.

  That was why it was such a shock to look down at Corporal Jennings and see mouth-watering cleavage peeking out of her V-neck top.

  Ah hell. She was hot…and looking very lickable at the moment. His body dutifully heated. Surely, any red-blooded man would have the same reaction with a woman as stacked as the corporal brushing up against him.

  “I sure will, son,” her father was saying, slapping his shoulder, effectively drawing Brett’s gaze from his daughter’s chest. “There will be a few sorry Sams around the firm.”

  “Their loss is our gain,” his mother proclaimed before turning to introduce the silent, older man grinning next to her. “This is Terry Hawkins, our foreman at the ranch.”

  Brett watched as Terry shook Mr. and Mrs. Jennings’ hands, surprised the most by his part in the prank. The older cowboy usually remained neutral where he and Finn were concerned.