by Box Set
Chapter 10
Rayne lay with her head on Ty's chest, listening as his heart beat under her ear. It was such a strong, comforting sound, and she felt herself wanting to drift off in the euphoria after their night of love-making, but sunlight streamed through the windows, making sleep impossible. She squinted at the glare, wondering what time it was. Her clinic was normally closed on Mondays and, luckily, she didn't have any animals there that needed feeding. It was a rare free day, and she was looking forward to spending it in bed with Ty.
“I need to feed the horses.”
His voice was still husky with sleep as he ran his finger down her bare back, sending a shiver of desire rippling through her again. She wasn't sure how she could still want him after spending most of the night relishing their reunion, but it didn't make the yearning any less intense. Her fingers trailed over his skin, drawing random lines, inching down his body toward his thigh.
“Then we can talk about what happens next.”
Rayne’s hand froze. She knew this was a discussion they needed to have but she wasn’t sure she was ready for it yet. She wanted to put off reality as long as possible.
Lifting her gaze to meet his, her heart stopped. Ty held his finger and thumb in the air and a delicate diamond ring glittered in the light filtering into the room.
“Is that—”
Ty nodded and smiled down at her. “The very same.”
She stared at the engagement ring Ty had given her so long ago. She knew she’d left at John’s ranch. She hadn’t been able to bring herself to get rid of it, but it had disappeared while she was away at vet school, and she assumed she’d lost it. She’d been heartbroken, but hadn’t wanted to admit it.
“How did you…where?”
“John.” The dimple creased his cheek and his eyes shone. “About eight years ago, I pulled a muscle pretty bad and had to take a week off. I came back to see John.”
“You knew I went to school?” She pressed herself up to her elbow and looked down at him. “Then why did you act like—”
He shook his head in denial. “I knew you weren’t here. But when I asked, John wouldn’t tell me more than that, said I didn’t have any right to know but told me I should hang onto this.” Ty stared at the ring between his fingers. “It was almost like he knew I’d need it again someday.”
Tears burned in the back of her eyes. John had faith in their relationship even when she didn’t. He’d known that someday they would work this out and come together.
“You’re right, Rayne. We can’t go back, and I don’t really want to. I want us to move forward, toward a new future.” He reached for her hand, holding the ring over the tip of her finger. “Rayne, marry me. I promise to never let anything come between us again.”
Her gaze met his, the heated passion in them evident. “No more lies, even if you think it’s for a good reason?”
“No.” He slid the ring onto her finger with a broad smile. “And on that note, I should tell you something else I’ve been keeping from you.” Fear trickled into her chest, stilling her heart. “That mare I bought? She’s been for you all along.”
Relief flooded her, and she couldn’t help the laughter from slipping past her lips. She smacked her hand against his bare chest.
“What?” Ty laughed. “You told me to be honest about everything.”
“Well, if we’re being completely honest, I have to tell you that I love you, Ty.” She rose above him, straddling his waist and giving him a wicked smile. “And I think I’m going to love wherever this road leads us, as long as we’re together.” Rayne looked at the ring on her finger, catching the sunlight, and smiled.
“I’ll buy you another one.” He frowned as he stared at her hand. “It didn’t seem so small when I bought it.”
She pulled her hand away from his fingers. “Don’t you dare! This ring is special; it’s part of our history together. It’s a reminder of how far we’ve come, and I don’t want to ever forget that.”
Ty let his fingers tangle in her hair, drawing her forward to sear her with a kiss, as she sought the pleasure she’d only found in his arms. Together, they would forge a future that would shine brighter than any mistakes they’d made in the past.
Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank all of the other authors in this set for showing this rookie the ropes while putting this set together.
Codi, my sister-from-another-mister, thank you for the many, MANY conversations via message, phone, carrier pigeon and smoke signals. I could never survive without you.
Kristin, you are the smartest writer I know and I love our coffee “work” sessions, even if we talk more than we actually work. I’m so honored to be able to call you a friend, in the business and out of it.
Rebecca, thank you for turning what I see as a mess into a masterpiece!
For my family, the people who get to see the frantic, frazzled mess I become when on deadline – thank you! You will never know how much it means to me that you continue to love and support me in spite of all the craziness.
About the Author
T. J. Kline was raised competing in rodeos and Rodeo Queen competitions since the age of 14 and has thorough knowledge of the sport, as well as the culture involved. She writes contemporary romance for Avon, including the Rodeo series and the Healing Harts series. She loves feisty heroines and the sexy men who love them, and growing up in a small town, she loves writing about them. She also writes under the name Tina Klinesmith.
In her very limited spare time, T.J. can be found laughing hysterically with her husband, children, and their menagerie of maniacal pets in Northern California.
Stay up to date on all of T.J.’s fun by signing up for her monthly newsletter, joining her on Facebook or hanging out with her at www.WriterTJKline.com.
Also by TJ Kline
Change of Heart
Wild at Heart
Close to Heart
Make Mine a Heartbreaker
By Jodi Linton
Edited by Karen Grove
Make Mine a Heartbreaker
Hannah Lawson is desperate to put an embarrassing blow-up doll encounter behind her. Who in the world knew she’d run into her brother’s best friend Nate Fox of all people in an adult store? When she gets the invite to be at a wedding alone, she decides she needs a pretend fiancé to face her ex-boyfriend.
Nate is in deep PR problem—and having Hannah pose as his fiancée will help him smooth things out. But even though Hannah should be off-limits, the sizzling attraction between them proves to be a huge problem.
For a weekend, will they be able to keep their heads on the deal and hands off each other?
Rule # 8: Love should always be fun…
Chapter 1
If Hannah had known she would have been watching a rotating, naked cowgirl on the rooftop of a Texas adult novelty store she’d have said no to that last margarita at happy hour. But two hours ago reason seemed to fade along with her anxiety at her roommate’s suggestion to send her low-down cheating scum of an ex-boyfriend a blow-up doll. She could be brave for the sake of growing a backbone. It was just a damn sex toy inside an even bigger sex shop. Her cheeks flushed when the sign whipped around full-frontal again.
She might be a virgin sex-toy shopper, but her chastity belt snapped in two the night of her senior prom. With her ex. Her stomach dropped. Out of self-preservation, Hannah shot the stupid sign her middle finger. There. She could do pissy brave, too.
It was three months to the day since she walked in on Henry, her microbiologist ex- boyfriend, being spanked with a riding crop inside his lab office. Following Henry to Texas from L.A. so he could acquire his dream job had been a walk on the stupidity side. But that was the unimpressive, so-last-year Hannah. Today, Hannah was ready to prove she had goals. And once she crossed off her first item on her list toward righting her life by giving her ex a big F-U she’d feel so much damn better.
She popped her bubble gum and lifted her chin a notch before she stepp
ed inside the store. The bell jingled above the door, and she watched the clerk behind the glass counter puff on an e-cigarette as he nodded in her direction. “Welcome to Frisky Business. We can help you find your inner sex kitten.”
She tucked a red curl of hair behind an ear. "I'm looking for the novelties."
"Male fetishes are in this front room. Our female products are in the back room past the maroon curtain."
Hannah crossed her arms and watched his eyes drop to her red T-shirt as he read the text printed across her boobs, “I can’t adult today,” out loud. She dared the guy to say anything. Crack a smile, even. When he didn’t flinch, she took it as a good omen and asked her next question. “You wouldn’t happen to have a geeky blow-up doll of a guy who looks like a cross between Chris Hemsworth and PeeWee Herman. With glasses?”
He raised an eyebrow. “A what?”
The butterflies took up flight in her stomach again. She looked the guy in the face and reminded herself that there was nothing wrong with stepping out of her comfort zone to prove a point. “I want to tell my ex-boyfriend to go screw himself.”
“Uh-huh?” The clerk rested his hand on the bell next to the register, making her feel oddly uncomfortable. "I think you might be the strangest customer I've ever had."
Hannah winced. "Is this where I'm supposed to say thank you?"
“No, don't thank me. I just find you odd.”
That deflated her mojo balloon. She nodded and turned to walk back toward the porn accessory section. Once she found Henry’s new life-sized best friend, Hannah could mail it to him as a house-warming gift. And why not? He deserved the finest Frisky Business had to offer. Maybe she’d even put a riding crop in the blow-up doll’s hand for old-time’s sake.
Two rows of unmentionables stood between her and an uneventful night in her apartment eating Blue Bell ice cream and binge watching Breaking Bad. Hannah felt the tequila roll in her stomach, and her hands grew suddenly sweaty. All things considered, she was a grown woman who thoroughly enjoyed sex. Just not with additional perks. Like male pleasure devices. As she played eyeball ping-pong with butt plugs, cock rings, and things she had no clue what they were, the knot in her stomach tightened. She stared at a penis pump, feeling her throat clamp shut. The package claimed to produce a banana-sized erection. No effing way that thing could expand a guy’s junk as the plastic wrap boasted. She tilted her head to the side and sighed. Nope, the penis pump still looked miserable.
Hannah balled her fist at her side and took a fortified breath.
I can be adventurous. I hate vanilla. I'm a freaking chocolate-with-sprinkles girl, for crying out loud. Oh Jeez, Hannah. Just grab the freaking blow-up doll, and then you can head over home for some ice cream therapy.
Her hand shot out and picked the first inflatable companion on the rack that she touched. She took a peek at the box, and the air stilled in her lungs. She clamped a hand over her mouth to conceal her laughter as she read Peter Pecker will put the punch in bedtime and snorted. Just about the cheesiest tagline in slogan history. With that in mind, she tucked the packaged blow-up doll under her arm and went to make her purchase. But before she could even reach the register, someone shouted, “Everyone down on the floor!”
Hannah looked up and froze when she saw a gun in the hand of a man at the front of the store.
Fudge-O-Rama.
The deflated sex doll fell from her fingers. Panic settled in her chest, and her heart beat against her rib cage like an angry prisoner. She dropped to all fours and began to crawl toward the back room hidden behind some dingy curtains, putting as much distance as possible between her and the front counter.
***
Nate Fox hated bets.
Even more, he hated losing them.
Last night’s poker game, which he’d lost, by the way, had forced him into this crappy store to buy a vibrator to take to the next game. They must’ve drank more beer than he originally thought. But his poker buddies expected an adult pleasure product in hand—his penance for losing—so he cranked the volume up on his iPod and focused on the selection of tackiness in front of him. He wouldn’t have thought that women liked pink, sparkly monster cocks, but from the assortment of toys displayed on the wall it seemed they did.
Nate turned to check out another wall of products right when the curtains parted and spotted a redhead with curves to spare crawl backward into the secluded room. He stuffed his earbuds in his jacket, and suddenly felt his throat go dry. She had on butt-hugging denim shorts, but for some reason he found himself staring a stupidly long time at her heart-patterned socks. He liked their quirky appeal. A. Lot.
He cleared his throat and squatted so he could touch her shoulder. “I’m not sure you want to do that. That carpet might be infested."
"There's…" a breathy voice replied as the girl kept her back to him. “There's someone out there—”
"Ever consider the fact they might be buying a dirty movie?" he said, interrupting her husky plea.
The stunner in the denim hot pants whirled around, hitting her head at his crotch. Jesus H. Christ, he was being tested so fucking hard. Big, brown eyes looked up at him in wide-eyed confusion, and Nate swore he was experiencing a coronary. When her mouth pursed into an "oh shit" expression, he had to admit he was thinking the same thing.
Nate stared, his own confusion morphing into panic when the moment actually sunk in. Fuck me. Like a blast from the past, Hannah Lawson, old friend and a total no-fly zone, had somehow wound up inside the same porn shop. He’d met Hannah the day her brother became his roommate at the boys ranch for troubled teens they’d both been sent to in Montana. The ranch—and the ties he made there—was the reason he now stood next to a wall of sex toys. His counselor, John Stone, the only person to ever give a damn about him, was in a coma. And Nate had shored up the bad news with a round of poker and drinks last night. Avoiding conflicts was his M.O., that’s why he’d sent funds to help pay for Stone’s medical bills, not himself.
He could play it cool. He had to. Act like it was so freaking natural to chit-chat right in front of a wall of vibrators. Right, cool.
"Graham’s kid sister, Hannah right? Nate Fox,” he said. “God, it’s been a while. I didn’t know you moved to Texas.”
Try seven years to be exact. He’d moved back to Texas and started Chrome Motorcycles with his college roommate. And now his top-pick Ginger was kneeling before him in the flesh and dry humping his thigh.
Well, crap.
Hair swished past his zipper fly drawing his attention, and he heard Hannah mumble something.
"Yeah, well I'm up here, so could you please stop talking to my crotch?"
Her hands shot out, and she gripped his ass. Before he could react, she started to shake him. "I—I—I th—ink my hair is stuck in your zipper."
“Your what-what?”
“My hair,” she said.
“Hold still.” He stopped the body vibrations by cupping her face with his hands. “Let me see if I can work you free.”
"Ouch—ouch!" She slapped his ass. And he jumped. "You’re pulling my hair."
"We could use my pocket knife."
“My brother is going to hear how I was found dead stuck to Nate Fox’s crotch, and I won't be able to tell him I'm not an exhibitionist because I'll be in heaven." She yanked at her hair and released a panicky scream. "I'm going to die inside a porn shop!"
Nate rested one hand on her shoulder. “It could be worse. Like you could have your old buddy’s sister stuck to your fly.”
Hannah glared. “You shouldn’t have been standing in my escape route.”
He emitted a lengthy frustrated sigh. “Escape route? You’re inside a porn shop not a jailbreak.”
“Why does everyone keep reminding me where I am?”
Somewhere in the distance something went thud and they both jumped. Although Hannah was struggling with his crotch, which was funny about two seconds ago, he wanted nothing more than to figure out a way to cut her loose so they both co
uld say good-bye and put this embarrassing afternoon behind them.
Thud, thud, thud.
Nate brushed his knuckles against her chin and smiled down at her. “No one’s questioning you here, Hannah. Okay? We'll just leave here and have a funny story to tell."
Hannah gingerly wrapped her fingers around his waistband, and Nate sucked down the growl trying to escape from deep within his chest. "How about telling that to the guy with the gun pointed at the shop clerk?"
Alarm rippled through him. "What—what gun? Why didn’t you say something?"
"I did. I said there was someone out there.”
"Sorry. I had trouble understanding since you were talking to my cock."
Hannah stared at him.
"Don’t look at me like that.” He started to unzip his pants, and her eyes grew wide as saucers. “I'm trying to dislodge you from my jeans."
She leaned closer and parted her lips. "Just do it."
As he reached for the waistband of his jeans, the curtains flew back and in stepped three men wearing bullet-proof vests. Nate should've remembered that Hannah never reacted predictably, so when she turned at the intrusion it shouldn't have shocked him, but having his friend's sister stuck to his zipper inside a porn shop had thrown his game.
Before he could readjust their compromising position, he heard—
"Austin PD. Put your hands up. This is a drug bust."
Chapter 2
“A blow job? Are you telling me the bed isn’t adequate enough to get your freak on now?”
The wrench slipped to the garage floor as Nate pushed out from underneath the 1939 Vincent Rapide he’d been tinkering on and glared at his business partner.