(= 8 U's. woo hoo!)
The Outlaw’s Bride by Renee Rose
Mabelle Lawson had been managing her dead sister’s ranch
without help for three months. The last thing she needs is a band of outlaws
showing up and pushing her around. The Curly James gang members have no
patience for her sass, and when their leader attempts to strike her with his
fist, one of his men volunteers to spank her instead. She wants to hate the
good-looking outlaw, but he seems to have her well-being at heart, even risking
his life to protect her from the other men.
Unjustly accused of murder, Sam Pride is on the run and his
luck worsens when he tangles with the Curly James gang. The only bright spot is
the little spitfire rancher who steals his heart with her courage and spunk.
When the two set off together for Cheyenne and then Denver, sparks fly and
their magnetic connection grows.
Still, Mabelle is not sure if Sam will commit and even if he
does, can he clear his name before a bounty hunter shoots him or brings him in?
Excerpt:
Padding softly to the living room, she blinked in the
darkness and located his large frame stretched out on the floor. She listened
to the sound of his breath, deepened in sleep. Kneeling beside him, she grasped
one of the guns at his side and began to slowly draw it out of the holster.
In a flash, he sat up, gun drawn and pointing in her face.
She gave a little scream of surprise, falling back. “Don’t
shoot!” she begged, realizing how foolish her plan had been.
He stood up, lifting her to her feet with a firm grip on her
arm. “What did you think you were doing?” he demanded, his voice icy. “You want
the bounty on my head, too?”
“No,” she protested, and tried to step back, but he held her
fast.
“Seven fifty is not enough for you? You want it all? Fine,”
he said, turning his pistol around and handing it to her by the handle. “Go
ahead and take it.”
She shook her head. “No, I—”
“Take it.”
She grasped the gun to appease him, her hands shaking so
badly it wobbled in her grip.
“Go on, shoot me. I won’t draw on you. Here, take both my
guns,” he said, lifting his arm to give her access to the other gun at his hip.
She shook her head. “That’s not—”
“Shoot me, Mabelle. It is not hard. You just pull the
trigger and it’s done. Go on.”
Her chin trembled, the tears coming close to expulsion.
“No!” she said.
He snatched the gun back with a look of disgust and
holstered it. “It is hard to take a life, isn’t it?”
“I wasn’t going to—”
“Go and get me a wooden spoon.”
She obeyed without thinking, relieved to be released from
his dark gaze, but when she reached the wash tub and grasped the spoon, she
stopped, guessing his intentions for it.
She heard the scrape of a chair and turned to see him
settling in it, looking at her expectantly.
“You could light a lamp, too, but I don’t mind spanking you
in the dark.”
“You are not spanking me!” she insisted, her voice shrill.
He said nothing, simply looked at her from across the dark
room.
Her heart thundered in her chest. She realized she had
little choice but to accept his punishment. Fighting him would be fruitless,
and only make him angrier. He thought she meant to kill him and he intended to
exact retribution.
Well, if his retribution for murder was a spanking with a
wooden spoon, she could take it. She drew her shoulders back and marched over
to stand before him, offering the spoon.
“Thank you, Mabelle,” he said, his voice even. “Do you want
to light the lamp?”
Did she want him to have a brighter view of her backside
splayed across his knees? Hell, no.
“No,” she mumbled, her glower focusing on the collar of his
shirt.
“No, sir,” he corrected.
Now for a little retro Q&A:
Q: If you time traveled back to 1872 which modern convenience or invention would you missed most? TP, A/C, birth control, automobile, cell phone (or any phone for that matter- it wasn't invented yet). Rank and tell us why...
Renee's A: Hmm, as a resident of Arizona, I guess I'd have to say A/C
The Sons of Johnny Hastings
Five illegitimate sons of a profligate gambler; these half-brothers learn of their father's death, some learning for the first time that their brothers exist. These rugged, handsome men, despite their unfortunate beginnings, grow to become strong, upstanding men (for the most part) in their own right, no thanks to their father. Still, from across the country they embark on a journey. Along with their sassy and sometimes mischievous brides, they travel to Denver for the reading of the will. For most, the will is the least of their concerns. Instead, they have a burning curiosity to meet the other sons of Johnny Hastings.
Available for individual sale or as a boxed set which include five brand new stories by some of your favorite authors: Patty Devlin, Patricia Green, Renee Rose, Maddie Taylor (yours truly), and Mary Wehr.
Available for individual sale or as a boxed set which include five brand new stories by some of your favorite authors: Patty Devlin, Patricia Green, Renee Rose, Maddie Taylor (yours truly), and Mary Wehr.
No comments:
Post a Comment