Cowboys Last All Night

by Jennifer Ashley

  “Oh, my God,” Kenzie said on a long exhale when the horse came into view. One of the fences was knocked down, and sure enough, the horse had wandered down into the creek and was now stuck, the rushing water up to the underside of its belly.

  She had fully expected both men to tell her to stay put, but they didn’t, and she wasn’t sure what to make of that. But she didn’t have time to think about it, because when the truck came to a jerky stop, Lucas jumped out, and she was right behind him. It was obvious he knew what he was doing, so she didn’t bother to question him, just hoped he would tell her what to do when and if he needed her help. The rain was coming down heavily, but it wasn’t frozen as it had been yesterday. She wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing or not, but she did her best to ignore it, especially as she watched Lucas, who looked completely unfazed by the fact that he was getting drenched as he slipped and slid down the steep slope to get closer to the huge black horse.

  For the next hour, as the clouds continued to drizzle cold rain all over them, Kenzie watched in awe as Lucas spoke to the horse softly using the headlights from Ralph’s truck as his main source of light due to the thick foliage surrounding the area where the horse had gotten stuck. Somehow he managed to keep her calm while Ralph called someone over at a place called Dead Heat Ranch. From what Kenzie gathered, Lucas’s uncle and his five cousins — all girls — owned the place, and they had more than enough people to help.

  After the new arrivals showed up a short time later, with Lucas still completely in charge, they managed to get the horse freed from the mud and back up on higher ground. Once that task was completed, Lucas ordered a couple of the ranch hands to put a temporary fix on the fence being that it was closing in on lunchtime, informing Ralph he’d be back out tomorrow to get it fixed properly once they could get the necessary materials.

  Kenzie wasn’t sure what she would’ve done had Lucas not been there. Not only had he been extremely cool under tremendous pressure, he’d never once acted as though he were put out by helping. She had heard Ralph thank one of the guys from Dead Heat Ranch, and the only response Ralph had received was, “That’s what we do in small towns. We help each other.”

  It was then that Kenzie realized that Embers Ridge was exactly where she was supposed to be. Whether her grandfather had known it or not when he’d left the place to her, he had sealed her fate. Not only had he given her purpose and something to look forward to each and every day, he’d inadvertently brought her Lucas.

  Although they’d only spent one day and one night together, she knew, without a doubt, that he’d been brought into her life for a reason. Now she just needed to make him understand how she felt, and she hoped like hell he didn’t freak out for a third time in two days.

  Once they were back at her house, Kenzie was completely soaked and shivering from the cold rain that had drenched her. Lucas seemed to know exactly what to do to fix that problem, too. After he turned up the heat, he led her back to her bathroom, where they took their second shower of the day. Together.

  This time, they didn’t linger past a few heated kisses, which worked wonders to heat her up from the inside out, finally thawing her out completely. Once they were finished, Kenzie made her way to the kitchen, once again wearing only her robe. While he finished up, she doctored her knee, which was doing significantly better than it had been the day before. She was surprised, considering all the things they’d done…

  Her wandering thoughts made her blush.

  “What are you thinkin’ about?” Lucas asked when he walked into the kitchen.

  “Nothin’,” she told him, trying not to smile.

  “Right. And I believe you based on how pink your cheeks are right now.” Lucas came right over to her and pressed his lips to hers. “You’re thinkin’ about yesterday, aren’t ya?”

  “Are you a mind reader?” she asked teasingly.

  “Maybe.”

  “Well, then what am I thinkin’ right this minute?”

  Lucas pulled back and looked at her. His expression went from lighthearted to serious in the blink of an eye, and Kenzie suddenly worried that he was going to figure out just where her thoughts had drifted.

  “You’re thinkin’ the same thing I am,” he finally said, his voice firm, lacking the humor it’d held just a few minutes ago.

  “Yeah? And what are you thinking?” she questioned, suddenly hesitant to tell him what was on her mind.

  Lucas cupped her face gently, his thumbs sliding over her cheeks, his eyes locked with hers. “I’m thinking that I want to see where this goes. Whatever this is… It just feels right.”

  “I agree,” she said more confidently.

  “I never believed…”

  Lucas didn’t finish his statement, and Kenzie wasn’t sure where he had intended to go with it, but she picked up where his thoughts had gone. Figuring she might as well just get it out there. “Never believed in what? Love at first sight?”

  “No, I never believed in love at first sight. Part of me doubted I’d ever believe in love again.”

  Her heart took on an entirely different beat in her chest as his thumbs continued to caress her cheeks. This strong, handsome, hesitant cowboy had just used the L word, and she wasn’t sure what to do with that.

  “But you’re sayin’ you do believe in love?” she asked, wanting to ensure she understood him correctly.

  “That’s what I’m sayin’.”

  “So, what if we don’t think of it is as love at first sight?” Kenzie asked.

  “What do we think of it as then?” Lucas asked, a small smile creeping up on his beautiful mouth.

  Kenzie thought about that for a moment, and then it came to her. “Overnight love.”

  Lucas’s smile grew bigger, making him even more handsome than before. Kenzie loved when he smiled.

  “I like it,” he told her.

  “Well, then it’s settled. Overnight love.”

  Lucas stared at her for a few seconds, his smile slipping. “It’s forever with me, Kenzie. Do you think you can handle that?”

  Kenzie pretended to consider that for a second. She didn’t need to. Forever sounded pretty damn perfect for her. Especially if forever included him in it. “I can handle it, cowboy. Under one condition.”

  “What’s that?” Lucas’s face grew more serious.

  Kenzie leaned up and pressed her lips to his gently. “I can handle it just as long as you can handle me.”

  “Darlin’, I’m certainly up for the challenge.”

  Epilogue

  Eighteen months later…

  Lucas was sweating like a whore in church.

  He was so damn nervous, and he had no fucking idea why. It wasn’t like he hadn’t known this day was coming. Hell, he’d had nine whole months to prepare for it, yet here he was, shaking like a leaf, willing his legs to hold him up while the doctor encouraged Kenzie to push.

  “Lucas.” The agony in Kenzie’s voice tore at him, made him want to do whatever he could to take away her pain, but he knew there wasn’t a damn thing he could do. He wasn’t even able to remember any of those damn breathing techniques they’d learned in that class he’d gone to with her. The best he could offer his wife was his hand, and she was currently squeezing it until he was pretty sure the bones were rubbing together.

  “One more time, Kenzie. You’re doing great,” the gray-haired doctor with the glasses told her. “Take a deep breath.”

  Kenzie didn’t respond, but her grip tightened on his hand, and she groaned, doing just what the doctor told her while Lucas stood there like a dumbass.

  “Good girl,” the doctor said. “Almost there. Keep pushing.”

  There was a moment of silence, and Lucas watched the doctor. He could only see the top of his head because he was currently leaning over between Kenzie’s spread thighs — which, had he not been a professional, would’ve gotten his teeth knocked in.

  When the doctor looked up briefly, Lucas met his gaze. “Congratulations, you two,” he sai
d. “You’ve got a beautiful little girl.”

  And then … the entire world took on an entirely different hue.

  Lucas could hardly breathe, could hardly hear past the roaring in his ears as he watched the doctor turn, handing off a slimy little bundle to a nurse who was standing directly beside him. She took the baby with care, doing whatever it was that nurses did when babies came out of their mothers. And then there was the most beautiful sound in the world, and the roaring dissipated, leaving Lucas listening to the sound of his daughter’s cry.

  “She’s got your temper,” Kenzie said, squeezing his hand, this time more gently than before.

  Lucas smiled down at her, and when the nurse brought their daughter over and placed her in Kenzie’s arms, he did the one thing he’d sworn he wouldn’t do.

  He cried.

  “She’s beautiful,” Kenzie said softly. “Look at her, Lucas. She’s got your nose.”

  Lucas looked at their daughter’s tiny little nose, then up at Kenzie’s face. He wasn’t going to agree with her, because in his opinion, their daughter looked just like Kenzie. Just as beautiful, just as perfect.

  His life was officially complete. Kenzie had walked into his life, setting his world to rights, making him a husband and now a father. She was truly a blessing he still wondered whether he deserved.

  What had started out as an overnight love had morphed into something much greater.

  Forever love.

  Yes, that was what this was.

  Forever.

  About the author

  New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Nicole Edwards lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, their three kids, and four rambunctious dogs. When she’s not writing about sexy alpha males, Nicole can often be found with her Kindle in hand or making an attempt to keep the dogs happy. You can find her hanging out on Facebook and interacting with her readers - even when she’s supposed to be writing.

  Website: www.NicoleEdwardsAuthor.com

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/Author.Nicole.Edwards

  Twitter: www.twitter.com/NicoleEAuthor

  Nicole also writes contemporary/new adult romance as Timberlyn Scott.

  Website: www.TimberlynScott.com

  Dear reader,

  I hope you enjoyed Kenzie and Lucas in Overnight Love. I had so much fun with this short, sweet romance that is tied into my Dead Heat Ranch series.

  If you’re interested in more sexy cowboys and the sweet, independent women that tame them, you can check out my other series: Alluring Indulgence, Dead Heat Ranch and Devil’s Bend. In between the cowboy romances, you can also check out my Club Destiny series (erotic romance) and my upcoming Sniper 1 Security series (romantic suspense). I also write new adult/contemporary romance as Timberlyn Scott.

  One thing to note… I’m known for my erotic elements (translated: may cause your ereader to melt), which you’ll find in most of my books.

  You can keep up to date by signing up for my newsletter here. And if you want text updates about events that I attend and book releases, you can sign up for text alerts here.

  ~*~*~

  New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Nicole Edwards lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, their three kids, and four rambunctious dogs. When she’s not writing about sexy alpha males, Nicole can often be found with her Kindle in hand or making an attempt to keep the dogs happy. You can find her hanging out on Facebook and interacting with her readers - even when she’s supposed to be writing.

  Website: www.NicoleEdwardsAuthor.com

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/Author.Nicole.Edwards

  Twitter: www.twitter.com/NicoleEAuthor

  Nicole also writes contemporary/new adult romance as Timberlyn Scott.

  Website: www.TimberlynScott.com

  ~*~*~

  Head on down to DEVIL’S BEND with the first book, CHASING DREAMS

  Cooper Krenshaw knows what it’s like to feel the bright lights upon him, the sound of the crowd roaring when he walks on stage; after all, he happens to be one of the biggest names in country music at the moment. And he has knowingly just dropped off the grid. The first decision he has made on his own in quite some time. Cooper only thought he was looking for a challenge when he walked off of that concert stage in Chicago. After finding himself in Devil’s Bend, Texas, he soon realizes that the dream he’s been chasing might not be the one he was after all along.

  Now he’s found himself not only starting over in a new town, but he’s pretty sure he’s met the toughest challenge of his life... she just happens to be an angel in blue jeans.

  Tessa Donovan hasn’t been the best of friends with Fate for quite some time now. Owning and operating The Rusty Nail, a small bar in her hometown of Devil’s Bend, has been enough to keep her going through the motions of her life. But it’s the only thing she’s got. After losing her husband fifteen short months after they were married, Tessa has spent the last four years chasing dreams in order to maintain her sanity. Only those dreams are soon ripped right out of her grasp by a sexy country music star who claims he descended on her small town by accident.

  Coincidence? Or has Fate stepped in once again? Whatever the case, Tessa knows the handsome cowboy might get to overtake her dreams, but she’s bound and determined that he won’t take her heart.

  Read on for an excerpt…

  “Tessa.”

  At the sound of her name, Tessa Donovan glanced up from the beer she was pouring. Not that she needed to. She knew exactly which man owned that sexy country drawl.

  “Awww, hell!” she exclaimed, glancing down to see a mess of foam as it poured over the edge of the glass she was filling.

  “Well, don’t get too excited that I’m here,” Eric Lancaster, the only other bartender that The Rusty Nail employed, said with a cocky grin as he headed her way.

  “I blame you, Mr. Lancaster.” She grinned sheepishly as she grabbed a towel and wiped the overflow off her hands.

  “You can drop that mister shit right here and now,” Eric teased. “Keep it up and I’ll start callin’ you ma’am.”

  “Okay, buddy. No need to start with the threats,” Tessa joked, returning her focus to the new glass she grabbed, paying attention this time as the foam lifted to the top. Once full, she slid it over to the man at the end of the counter as she called out to him, “Hey, Tex, put your hands on the beer, not the lady. You know she’s married, right?”

  The stranger who’d bellied up to the bar half an hour ago had the decency to blush. Didn’t stop him from hitting on the bar bunny though. The very same bar bunny with a wedding band on. Tessa glanced down at his hand. Great. He had one on too, and it wasn’t from a matching set. Lovely.

  As Eric made his way behind the bar, Tessa grabbed another glass, filled another beer, and passed it over to another waiting customer. Story of her life.

  “Ow!” Tessa hollered when Eric swatted her on the ass, as was his usual greeting. “Don’t let your ol’ lady see you doin’ that.”

  “She might just be jealous that I got to touch your ass, you know that, right?” Eric’s sexy rumble echoed around the bar.

  Glancing over at him, Tessa smiled. If it weren’t for the fact that Eric was more like her brother than her own brothers sometimes, she might just get excited. Okay, no. That wasn’t true either. She’d grown up with Eric, and since he was actually married to her best friend, Isabelle, Tessa knew more about him than she cared to. Probably no attraction to be had, no matter the case.

  He was a decent guy though.

  “You’re probably right on that one,” she said, making Eric laugh.

  The sexy rumble that followed caused more than one head to turn at the bar. Eric had that effect on women … er, other women. He turned heads. In fact, Tessa was pretty sure he was almost personally responsible for the sheer volume of ladies who flocked to The Rusty Nail on a nightly basis. It was just a good thing that Izzy — Eric’s lovely bride — was one of the most confident women she knew. Had Eric belonged to Tessa, sh
e couldn’t guarantee there wouldn’t be at least one cat fight each and every night.

  “You see Adam yet?” Tessa hadn’t seen her older brother all day, and that was unusual, especially for a Friday night.

  Since Adam was in charge of the entertainment, he generally stopped in early to ensure there weren’t any problems with arrival, setup, that sort of thing. Considering the band wasn’t there yet, and they were closing in on seven o’clock, Tessa figured it was safe to say there were problems. If not, then this was one band that could use a course in time management. She would not be responsible for the chaos that would ensue if the main attraction did not show up on time.

  “He texted me earlier. Said he had to run an errand,” Eric explained as he grabbed a bottle of vodka and began rolling shots out as they were ordered.

  The bar was quickly filling up, and Tessa knew it was because of the night’s entertainment. She personally hadn’t believed Adam when he’d said he’d booked Cooper Krenshaw, but from what her brother told her, he was actually excited to play there.

  Right.

  Why one of the biggest names in country music wanted to play her bar, she had no idea, but she wasn’t in charge of the music selection, so she didn’t ask. She wasn’t the swoon-worthy type, which meant she wouldn’t be swept off her feet by his overwhelming presence either. From the looks of it, she might be the only one though.

  The Cowboy Inherits a Bride

  By Cora Seton

  Chapter One

  Sunshine Patterson strode down a cracked and pitted sidewalk on the wrong side of a very small town. In fact, she wasn’t sure Chance Creek, Montana, even deserved that designation. It was the kind of place you passed on the freeway from one city to the next—a grid of streets surrounded by miles and miles of pastures, rivers and far off mountains. If she was honest, its rural location made her downright nervous, but there was no turning back now.