AUTHOR NAME: Parker Kincade
BOOK TITLE: Cowboy Redeemed
SERIES:
Shadow Maverick Ranch , #3
BOOK GENRE: Western Romance
PUBLISHER: Parker Kincade
PUBLICATION DATE: September 30, 2014
PRINT LENGTH: ___135__ pages (est)
AVAILABLE FORMATS: ePub, mobi
Unlike his brothers, Clayton Mathis isn’t looking for the woman of his dreams. He works hard, plays harder, and enjoys every minute of it. And with his family preparing to expand Shadow Maverick Ranch, settling down is the last thing on his mind—until a sexy blonde makes him an offer he can’t refuse.
Of all the men in the bar, Ainsley Russell has to go and proposition the one man who will cause her nothing but trouble. The Mathis family has been persistent in their bid to buy her property. Inheriting her uncle’s ranch has given her the first home she’s ever known … along with a mountain of debt that threatens to take it all away.
After learning Clay’s identity, Ainsley can’t run fast enough. Or far enough … since the gorgeous cowboy shows up on her doorstep the next morning, looking to pick up where they left off the night before…
Cowboy Redeemed by Parker Kincade
Excerpt:
“Most people call me Clay. If I can coerce you to put the gun down, I thought we could talk.”
Ainsley
cursed under her breath. He was what she’d spent all night thinking
about—and what she’d do if she saw him again. Those fantasies had
nothing to do with kicking him off her property and everything to do
with getting him naked. “I’m not doing any more talking until I have at
least one cup of coffee. Come in if you want, but watch your step.”
He studied the porch as though trying to decide the best route to her front door.
“Step
wide here.” She demonstrated by stepping over two boards to plant her
foot on the threshold. “Avoid those and you’ll be fine.”
She
didn’t wait to see if he would follow. His nearness renewed the ache to
have him between her thighs. Part of her wished he’d turn tail and
leave her alone. The other, more insistent part of her wanted him to
drag her to bed and keep her there all day.
Clay’s
boots clomped against the worn hardwoods. “How long has the porch been
like that?” He propped a hip against the doorway to the kitchen, arms
crossed over his chest. His short sleeves allowed her a view of the
tattoo she’d been fascinated with last night. Black ink decorated his
forearm, an intricate design starting just above his wrist and ending at
his elbow. She itched to get a closer look.
“I
suspect a long time. It hasn’t gotten any worse since I’ve been here.”
She reached into the cabinet and pulled out a coffee mug. “Want some
coffee?”
“Sure.”
“Sugar? I don’t have cream, but I’ve got milk if you want.”
“Black is fine, thanks.”
She
grabbed a second mug and filled both as he pulled out a chair and took a
seat as though he belonged there. Ainsley set his mug in front of him
and leaned against the counter, facing him.
“So, talk.” She blew over the rim of her mug before taking a sip.
“Lemme guess. Not a morning person?”
“I
like mornings fine. I’m actually quite cheerful when my mornings aren’t
rudely interrupted by strangers before my first cup of coffee.”
He
chuckled. “Fair enough.” He tested the coffee with a small sip before
tipping his mug for a deeper drink. “That guy hasn’t been out here
before?”
“Not him, no.”
“Someone else?” he prompted.
“Seems there’s a never ending supply of people around here who think I’m incapable of running this ranch.”
One thick, dark brow rose. “You’ve got experience running ranches, then?”
Ainsley
drew in a breath and set her coffee aside. “That’s really not your
concern, is it? It’s not anyone’s concern. Whether people around here
like it or not, Mr. Nelson left this ranch to me. To me.” For reasons he
took to the grave. “I’ll bet no one is interested in the mountain of
debt the bastard left along with it, are they?”
Her
temper mounted, as did her need to vent to someone, anyone. “Fuck
experience. I’m smart. I’m a fast learner. I taught myself how to cook
when I was eight. I lied about my age and got my first job when I turned
twelve. I taught myself how to saddle and ride a freaking horse for
crying out loud. There’s not a goddamned thing I can’t do, you hear me?
I’ve managed to keep things going here without any major disasters and
without any outside help. And I’ll keep right on doing it.”
Clay
spoke, unfazed by her diatribe. “You can’t expect to do this all on
your own, Ainsley. No one could. Not even me, and I’ve been a rancher
all my life. There’s no shame in asking for help.”
“And you’re here out of the goodness of your heart? To help me?” A disgusted noise slipped from her lips.
His jaw tightened. “Something like that.”
Enough. She had chores to get done.
“You didn’t come all the way out here just to have coffee with me. Why are you here?”
He
unfolded from the chair and stood in front of her, hunger in his gaze.
She suppressed a shudder as his hands gripped the counter on either side
of her, caging her in.
“I want more from you than
just coffee, Ainsley, as I made clear last night. You were pretty clear
in what you wanted from me, too. And before you go insulting me again,
this is about you and me. Nothing else.”
You and me.
Oh, shit. She liked the sound of that a little too much.
“You’re
only here because I ditched you.” She palmed his chest as he leaned
into her space. His masculine scent filled her nose, made her want to
bury her face in his neck and breathe him in.
“Ah.”
Clay teased his lips along the line of her jaw. “And I’d still be here
if you hadn’t ditched me last night. The difference being we missed the
pleasure in the middle.”
Good lord. Her pussy
throbbed, begging for the attention he promised. “Don’t blame me if
you’re hard up. There were plenty of women waiting to go home with you
last night.”
He chuckled against her neck. When had she tilted her head to give him such access?
“And that bothers you.”
Not a question—arrogant ass.
His
heated breath caressed her skin. She shivered. “Not at all.” Her
fingers dug into his biceps as he found the sensitive spot behind her
ear. “I hardly know you. I don’t care who you fuck.”
Yes,
she did. It made no sense at all, but she hated the idea of him
touching another woman. It was an irrational thought, surely brought on
by his talented lips.
“Such a pretty little liar.” He licked the seam of her mouth. “I’ve been up all night thinking about you. Thinking about this.”
You’re not the only one.
His
fingers twisted in her hair and tugged her head back. Ainsley gasped
and his mouth covered hers. He wasted no time. His tongue slipped past
her lips, seeking, demanding. Coffee and sweet mint exploded on her
tongue—an intoxicating combination she couldn’t resist.
Desire
overwhelmed her senses as he devoured her, exploring her mouth with a
thoroughness she’d never experienced before. She met his tongue, matched
him lap for lap until her head spun and her body burned with need.
His
hands skimmed her body. God, it felt so good to be touched. She didn’t
stop him when one hand molded her ass to bring her closer while the
other hand snaked under her shirt to caress her spine. She didn’t stop
him when he cupped a naked breast. Hot and possessive, he squeezed. He
flicked a wicked finger over her sensitive nipple, sending sparks of
sensation down to her core.
Ainsley wrapped her arms
around his neck and tried to get closer. His mouth broke from hers and
worked down her neck, nipping and sucking, causing her pulse to race.
The
hand holding her ass slipped lower, cupping her curves with ease.
Ainsley’s breath caught. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized how
close his fingers were to the wet folds of her sex. Another inch and
he’d realize for himself she wasn’t wearing panties under her sleep
shorts.
One. Tiny. Inch.
A phone
rang, a shrill sound that broke through the lust-fog surrounding her
brain. Ainsley jumped, jerking away from him as though they’d been
caught doing something they shouldn’t.
“Fuck. Ainsley.”
They
were both flushed and panting. Clay had a white-knuckled grip on the
edge of the counter, as if it were the only thing keeping him from
reaching for her again.
“Sorry.” She laughed and
clamped a hand over her heaving chest, trying to slow her racing heart.
“I didn’t mean to … you should probably get that.” Since her cell phone
wasn’t turned on and her house phone never rang, she knew it wasn’t
hers.
Ainsley moved to the other side of the table.
Space. She needed space to catch her breath. Not an easy thing to do
with Clay’s rock hard body sucking up all the oxygen in the room.
The
man devastated her senses. One touch and her control had gone out the
window, replaced by her body’s demands of more and now.
Clay cursed as he pulled the phone from his pocket. His molten stare fixed on her, he answered. “Yeah?”
He ran a hand through his hair, his palm coming to rest on the back of his neck. “Yeah, I forgot. Sorry.”
Pause.
He closed his eyes and his chest rose, as though he purposely sought
patience. Or a way to relieve the impressive erection straining against
his jeans. Ainsley groaned softly and forced her gaze away from his
crotch.
She didn’t care who he was or what name he carried. She wanted to fan the sparks between them until they burned.
“Christ,
Erin. I said I was sorry. I’ll be there in less than twenty minutes,
but y’all go on and eat. Don’t wait on me. Yeah, yeah. Okay. Bye.”
He
shoved the phone back into his pocket, his expression a mixture of
hunger and apology. “I’m sorry, Ainsley. I’ve gotta go. I’m supposed to
meet my family for breakfast.”
Ainsley felt a twinge
in her chest. She glanced toward her empty table, wondering what it
would be like to have people she loved surrounding it. Call her
old-fashioned, but the thought of preparing a meal and taking care of
those imaginary people made her happier than she cared to admit.
Clay
came to her, his hand sliding up to cradle her face. “Looks like we’ll
have to wait a little longer to explore this thing between us.”
“Looks
like,” she agreed, suddenly fascinated by the hard line of his jaw. She
talked herself out of touching him last night. Who knew when, or if,
she’d get the chance to do so again. She traced the curve from his ear
to his chin.
“You gonna object if I come back?”
“Nope.”
Ainsley continued her exploration. She slid her finger down the line of
his throat and followed the edge of his T-shirt from collarbone to
collarbone. She’d count the minutes, if he wanted to know the truth.
Clay snagged her wrist, stopping her exploration. He brought her hand to his mouth and he kissed her fingers, one by one.
“Soon, Ainsley.” He nibbled the inside of her wrist, followed by a gentle kiss. “Very soon.”
Not soon enough for her.
AUTHOR BIO:
National Bestselling Author, Parker Kincade, writes edge-of-your-seat-sexy romantic suspense, hot and steamy sports romance, and erotic western romance. Her first novel, One Night Stand, won the 2013 Reader’s Crown Award for Best First Book, the category of Best Erotic Romance in the Celtic Hearts Romance Writers Golden Claddagh contest, and was named finalist in the Romance Writers of America/Passionate Ink Stroke of Midnight contest.
Parker lives in the southern United States. She loves to read, play golf, spend time with her family and friends, snuggle with her beloved boxer, ice cream from the ice cream truck, and watching old musicals.
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Hannah Howell is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 30 Zebra historical romances. Howell, twice awarded the Golden Leaf Award, has been a Romance Writers of America RITA Finalist and received RT Book Reviews’ Career Achievement Award for Historical Storyteller of the Year. She lives West Newbury, Massachusetts with her family. Visit her website at hannahhowell.com. 
