by Susan Stoker
“I am as brave as I have to be.” He winked at her. “Protecting you was the easy part. Coming to this college and facing you was a hell of a lot more difficult.”
Mina watched his face. “You were brave to make the first move. I don’t know that I could have done the same thing. I thought about camping out on your back porch until you forgave me, but…” She shrugged. “You know.” Her lack of courage embarrassed her.
“My crazy-ass neighbor?” Rex grinned.
“No.” She patted his chest. “My crazy-ass detective. When you realized I’d lied to you, it was like watching a wall go up between us. I didn’t think you’d listen to me, so I made that cryptic speech yesterday.” She closed her eyes, remembering how desperate she’d been. Maybe more desperate than when she’d been on the run.
He tipped up her chin. “It was those special powers of yours that brought out the superhero in me. Had me taking time off work to come and see you.”
“I’m very happy you did.” Emotion choked her throat, and words couldn’t make their way past it.
They lay for a while, quiet, not sleeping, though. Was he thinking about the same things she was? Where did they go now? How much could they expect from this? Was it just a once-in-a-while thing?
“So, okay.” His voice sounded unsure. “Stop me if I’m going too fast.”
She waited, but he just breathed, as if he didn’t know how to start. “I like fast. Slow’s good, too. What’s on your mind, Detective?”
“Doc, I think I’m going nuts, but I keep seeing…us getting together once in a while.”
He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “Like I said, stop me if I’m going in the wrong direction.”
She shook her head, happiness turning her lips up into a smile. “Right direction so far.”
“Good.” He took a deep breath. “So, what do you think of us meeting on the ranch when we can both get away?”
On the ranch? Halfway between Austin and Fort Worth, just like she’d daydreamed that day they’d ridden out on Merle. “I like the idea. But…where on the ranch?” She didn’t care for staying in the house he’d shared with his ex-wife.
“Bennet says he likes the foreman’s house. Better view, easier to get around in.”
“He wants to live there?”
“Yep. And with the insurance money I’ll be getting, I can fix and remodel the old place.”
She could imagine a fresh coat of paint on that lovely old house. “Bring it back to its old glory? I’d really like to see that.”
He grinned and stroked her short hair. “Aw, Mina. I’m glad you said that. I love that house.” His hand gently gripped her butt. “I’ve been thinking about turning part of the upstairs into a master suite. Put in a big bathroom, with a large tub where we could laze away the weekends.”
“It sounds perfect.” She rubbed her palm on his ribs. “Like a getaway.”
“If I put a deck off the bedroom, you could…have a telescope.”
Another burst of tears flooded her eyes. “Damn, Rex. How did you ever get to be so sweet?”
He laughed. “Sweet? Doc, if you think I’m sweet all the time, you’re going to be in for an unhappy surprise.”
“No, I’m not. You are sweet, and brave, and kind of funny in a snarky sort of way.”
“Uh, sure. If you say so.”
“In fact, I have the perfect test of your bravery.” He was not going to like this.
He just lifted an eyebrow.
“Tonight’s the night I meet my dad for supper every week.” After she said it, she wished she hadn’t. She was moving too fast. She opened her mouth to give him an easy out.
He shrugged. “Sure. I’m up for that.” His eyes shifted a little. “As long as he knows I’m the guy who kept you safe.”
“Oh, he knows.” Of course, it had taken her a while to convince him that Rex had good reason for not allowing her to call her dad to let him know she was all right.
“Just so I’m prepared, what does he teach?”
She pulled a face. “Law. Specifically, defense law.”
He jerked back. “Are you kidding?”
Mina shook her head slowly. “No. This should make for an interesting dinner, huh?”
“Huh.” He pulled her close and rubbed his jaw on her hair. “I knew you were gonna be trouble the minute I saw you on my back porch.”
She let herself relax into his arms, knowing he held her future—their future—in his big, beautiful heart. “Funny, I saw your face and thought, this guy is going to make me very, very happy.”
“I can do that, Doc. Just hang on and trust me.”
“I do, Rex. I trusted you with my life. Now, I’m ready to trust you with my heart.”
He pulled back and looked into her eyes.
She saw no fear in his gaze, only the twinkle of a silent promise made between two desperately searching souls.
The End
Ready for the third book in the Heroes in the Saddle Series? Clint’s book is next, so be sure to join my newsletter mailing list so you will be the first to know when his story is available.
Do you want to know more about Treven and Delta? You had a little hint of how they met in Badge and a Saddle, and now you can read the entire book! Hot in the Saddle is available now. Find out where you can get your copy at my Website.
Here’s a sneak peek:
Treven and Delta’s Story:
Hot in the Saddle
Chapter One
Treven Arnett pulled his white straw cowboy hat down tighter on his head as a breeze blew across the infield of Wild Oak Speedway. The roar of the super stock cars’ engines surrounded him as drivers jockeyed for the lead in the race’s final laps. Dirt track racing had become his favorite live sport now that this part of Texas had installed its very own oval.
He’d volunteered to serve on the firefighting crew today, and had put in his hours during the morning race. Despite all the work he needed to get done at his ranch, here he sat, sipping a beer with another off-duty firefighter, watching the end of the race.
“One more, buddy?” Treven’s friend Clint reached into his cooler and pulled out a can of brew, water dripping from both the beer and Clint’s hand.
Treven could almost taste another ice cold pilsner slipping down his throat, but he shook his head. He needed to get home and get some work done. “Thanks, but I should get moving. The horses don’t breed themselves.”
Clint laughed as he opened the beer then ran his wet fingers through his short blond hair. “Not in this day and age, they don’t.”
The dozen thoroughbreds Treven owned and/or stabled on his property three miles away kept him busy and in property-tax and vet-bill money, but he had to work his ass off twelve to sixteen hours a day, most days.
“Ms. Delta Pennington.” The announcer’s voice blared from the speakers. “Our southern belle in the number thirteen car has taken third place from Randy Vinter, and is moving up fast to challenge Beau Trudeaux for second.”
Treven had gotten a peek at the lovely Ms. Delta as she’d inspected her car before the race. With her sunglasses on, he couldn’t see her trademark eyes, but her brown hair touched her shoulders in thick layers, and those sexy bangs blew around her forehead. She’d looked at him for long moments, nodded, then moved on.
Delta being the first woman to compete on this new track, Treven hoped she’d take first, or at least one of the top positions. He liked that she went after her passion in a male-centered world like stock car racing.
Treven stood. “I’m gonna make my way out.” He needed to cross the oval to get to the parking lot where emergency responders left their vehicles. “See you next weekend.”
“Next weekend, not before.” Clint responded, his blue eyes going serious.
Treven got moving, his boots kicking up dust as he strode across the newly-planted grass. The Wild Oak volunteer firefighters kept good karma coming their way by never admitting there might be another chance to see each other—like a
fire at a local home or business.
The race cars circled the track for the second-from-last lap. As he walked, Treven rolled down the sleeves on his blue denim shirt and buttoned them, figuring he’d stop and pick up a few dozen bales of hay on his way home.
Nearing the oval, he slowed and waited, not stupid enough to cross the track until the race was over.
“Oh, lordy, look at that!” The announcer’s voice squeaked.
Treven swiveled his head as a car spun into the infield about fifty yards from him. He prepared to bolt one way or the other, but the dark blue car with yellow lettering slid to a stop.
Then exploded.
*
Connect With Me
I hope you enjoyed Rex and Mina’s story. The shootout at the end was a lot of fun to write, and I enjoyed weaving in a little mystery throughout the book. Be sure to pick up Treven and Delta’s story, Hot in the Saddle, and connect with me so you know when the next book in the Heroes in the Saddle Series, Clint’s story, comes out.
I’d love to hear from you. I’ve listed all the places I hang out, and I hope you’ll connect with me at one or more of them.
All my best,
Randi
“Rode Hard and Put Up Satisfied”
RandiAlexander.com
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Blind Sided
Lindsay McKenna
Dear Reader,
Being an Indie is fun! I get to create novellas like Blind Sided for Cowboy Justice, a 12-pack bundle of novellas from twelve authors. The set includes TWELVE COWBOY LAWMEN who are so hot it should be criminal. The authors include me and eleven of my fabulous friends: Becky McGraw, Elle James, Donna Michaels, Lexi Post, Cynthia D’Alba, Susan Stoker, Delilah Devlin, Sable Hunter, Sabrina York, Randi Alexander, and Beth Williamson! I’m delighted to be with these eleven cowgirls who are some of the BEST storytellers in the business!
My addition is a Delos Series novella I created just for this 12-pack! Blind Sided is about a Texas deputy sheriff, Cade Patterson, who has loved Kara Knight from afar. Kara runs the Delos Home School in Clayton, Texas. Born into a wealthy family, she has been controlled by her father until she was eighteen. Now, at twenty-six, when Cade walks back into her life, everything changes. Her father called him trash from the wrong side of the tracks when they were teenagers but her heart knows different. The past collides with the present. Can their unrequited love blossom? Or will shadowy family secrets destroy any hope of a future that Kara desperately wants with this heroic Texas deputy?
Praise for Lindsay McKenna
“A treasure of a book . . . highly recommended reading that everyone will enjoy and learn from.”
—Chief Michael Jaco, US Navy SEAL, retired, on Breaking Point
“Readers will root for this complex heroine, scarred both inside and out, and hope she finds peace with her steadfast and loving hero. Rife with realistic conflict and spiced with danger, this is a worthy page-turner.”
—BookPage.com on Taking Fire
March 2015 Top Pick in Romance
“. . . is fast-paced romantic suspense that renders a beautiful love story, start to finish. McKenna’s writing is flawless, and her story line fully absorbing. More, please.”
—Annalisa Pesek, Library Journal on Taking Fire
“Ms. McKenna masterfully blends the two different paces to convey a beautiful saga about love, trust, patience and having faith in each other.”
—Fresh Fiction on Never Surrender
“Genuine and moving, this romantic story set in the complex world of military ops grabs at the heart.”
—RT Book Reviews on Risk Taker
“McKenna does a beautiful job of illustrating difficult topics through the development of well-formed, sympathetic characters.”
—Publisher’s Weekly (starred review) on Wolf Haven
One of the Best Books of 2014, Publisher’s Weekly
“McKenna delivers a story that is raw and heartfelt. The relationship between Kell and Leah is both passionate and tender. Kell is the hero every woman wants, and McKenna employs skill and s empathy to craft a physically and emotionally abused character in Leah. Using tension and steady pacing, McKenna is adept at expressing growing, tender love in the midst of high stakes danger.”
—RT Book Reviews on Taking Fire
“Her military background lends authenticity to this outstanding tale, and readers will fall in love with the upstanding hero and his fierce determination to save the woman he loves.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Never Surrender
One of the Best Books of 2014, Publisher’s Weekly
“Readers will find this addition to the Shadow Warriors series full of intensity and action-packed romance. There is great chemistry between the characters and tremendous realism, making Breaking Point a great read.”
—RT Book Reviews
“This sequel to Risk Taker is an action-packed, compelling story, and the sizzling chemistry between Ethan and Sarah makes this a good read.”
—RT Book Reviews on Degree of Risk
“McKenna elicits tears, laughter, fist-pumping triumph, and most all, a desire for the next tale in this powerful series.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Running Fire
“McKenna’s military experience shines through in this moving tale . . . McKenna (High Country Rebel) skillfully takes readers on an emotional journey into modern warfare and two people’s hearts.”
—Publisher’s Weekly on Down Range
“Lindsay McKenna has proven that she knows what she’s doing when it comes to these military action/romance books.”
—Terry Lynn, Amazon on Zone of Fire.
“At no time do you want to put your book down and come back to it later! Last Chance is a well written, fast paced, short (remember that) story that will please any military romance reader!”
—LBDDiaries, Amazon on Last Chance.
Also available from
Lindsay McKenna
Blue Turtle Publishing
DELOS Series
Last Chance (free eBook), prologue to Nowhere to Hide
Nowhere To Hide, Book 1
Tangled Pursuit, Book 2
Forged in Fire, Book 3
Broken Dreams, Book 4
Saved by a Seal, 3-book bundle, 1st in series, Nowhere to Hide
Cowboy Justice, 12-pack bundle, Blind Sided
Coming soon…
Secret Dream, 1B novella, epilogue to Nowhere to Hide
Unbound Pursuit, 2B novella, epilogue to Tangled Pursuit
Never Enough, 3B novella, epilogue to Forged in Fire
Dream of Me, 4B novella, epilogue to Broken Dreams
Hold On, Book 5
Harlequin/HQN/Harlequin Romantic Suspense
SHADOW WARRIORS
Running Fire
On Fire—eBook
Taking Fire
Zone of Fire—eBook
Never Surrender
Breaking Point
Degree of Risk
Risk Taker
Down Range
Danger Close—eBook
THE WYOMING SERIES HQN, Harlequin
Night Hawk
Wolf Haven
High Country Rebel
The Loner
The Defender
The Wrangler
The Last Cowboy
Deadly Silence
Deadly Identity
Shadows From The Past
Coming soon…
Out Rider
WIND RIVER VALLEY SERIES, Kensington
Coming soon…
Wind River Wrangler
Blind Sided
Copyright © 2016 by Nauman Living Trust
Excerpt from Secret Dream, Novella 1B
Copyri
ght © 2015 by Nauman Living Trust
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Blue Turtle Publishing, PO Box 2513, Cottonwood, AZ 86326 USA
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.
This edition published by arrangement with Blue Turtle Publishing
www.lindsaymckenna.com
Dedication
To Rae Nobel, a wonderful, long-time reader of mine. She started reading my very first books in the early 1980’s. Sadly, she passed in December 2015, but I wanted to dedicate this story to her because I know she’s up there, reading them! Bless you, Rae. You are the best!
Chapter One
‡
Kara Knight felt the cinderblock Delos Home School vibrate beneath the rumble of a late Friday afternoon South Texas thunderstorm and grinned. She loved thunderstorms! She hurried from one classroom to another, making sure the windows were closed and locked. The winds gusted, pounding against the windows as Kara quickly shut each one. The July thunderstorm had met nothing but flat land with some rolling bumps, picking up energy and power from the nearby Gulf.
Loving the sound of the thunder, but hating the damage these storms could cause, Kara raced through the five classrooms and out into the kitchen and maintenance areas. There, she grabbed a huge dust mop. Her charity school was only one-story high. Since she had built it near economically deprived Clayton, it had flourished.