Series: Texas
Heroes, #2
ISBN: 9781492646471
Pub Date: February
6, 2018
He’ll do what it takes
To win
Her heart
Glory Day may
be losing her vision, but that doesn’t mean she’ll ever stop fighting. Determined
to provide for her struggling family, she confronts an outlaw with a price on
his head. But when a mysterious cowboy gets between her and her target, Glory
accidentally shoots him instead. Flustered, she has no option but to take the handsome stranger home to treat his wounds.
Former Texas
Ranger Luke McClain didn’t plan to fall in love, but there’s no denying the
strength of Glory’s will or the sweetness of her heart. But Glory’s been burned
before, and Luke will have to reach into the depths of his own battered soul to
convince her to take a chance...
And trust that
love is worth fighting for.
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EXCERPT...
The wind shifted to a more southerly tack and hand-carried the scent
of wild honeysuckle, bringing to mind the fresh smell of Glory’s hair. Did she
miss him? Or did she breathe a sigh of relief to finally be rid of the bother?
More likely the latter.
It surprised Luke to realize Glory Day had the power to make him
forget Jessie. Or at least dull the memory.
Suddenly, a covey of quail took flight from a cluster of sumac and
wild thistle. Soldier pricked his ears, stomping the ground nervously. The hair
bristled on the nape of his neck.
Someone lurked out there. He’d faced danger too many times to ignore
the warning. The Colt slid easily into the palm of his hand. Quickly, he
rolled, stealing into the thick brush.
The fingernail sliver of moonlight suited his purpose fine. Hidden
by dark shadows, he waited for the skulking varmint.
Coarse fabric rustled. Luke pivoted his attention back to the
campsite in time to see a black figure creep into view. It was too dark to see
the face. The extra light of a fire would have helped him. But he hadn’t wanted
to announce his position with Perkins in the vicinity.
The intruder poked at the vacant bedroll with the tip of a rifle.
Luke crouched, biding his time.
At the right moment, when the culprit turned away, he jumped. They
went down in a heap, jarred by the unforgiving ground. Off flew the intruder’s
hat and a cloud of sweet-smelling hair blocked his view. No hard muscles—just
soft, womanly curves.
“McClain!”
“Glory?” He blew away the tendrils of hair that swarmed up his nose.
The fresh fragrance attacked his jangled nerves.
“What are you doing? Get off me.”
“Me? You’re the one who skulked in here like a common thief.”
No, he took that back. There was nothing common about Glory Day.
Stretched out firmly atop her, he felt her racing heart. His toes curled from
the sizzling current. Her heaving breasts cozied up against the hardness of his
chest like a saloon girl looking to make a bit of change. Have mercy!
“Get off me, you lousy double-crosser!” She beat against his chest
Christmas could’ve come and gone in the length of time it took to
pry his fingers loose and lift himself. He battled with the need to hold her
close. The bold way her body fit against his made him long for her.
With the deepest regret, he rose, letting her up.
She brushed off her clothes in a huff. Her withering glare might’ve
killed a less hardy soul. For him, it would take more than that. Nothing short
of death could wipe the grin off his face.
The evil eye she shot him when he didn’t cower under the glare
assured him she’d most certainly oblige if given half a chance.
He quickly plucked her Winchester from the dirt where it’d fallen in
the scuffle. He wasn’t taking any chances.
“Miss me, huh? Couldn’t stand not having me around?”
“You’re a cheat and a low-down liar.”
“Whoa, there. I’m wounded.” He’d reckoned she’d be mad enough to
swallow a horned toad backward, but to come chasing surprised the hell out of
him. Didn’t she possess any sense to keep out of harm’s way?
“I don’t suppose you remember we had a deal? It simply slipped your
mind that you agreed I’d come with you?”
The rise and fall of her shirt set his imagination ablaze. All that
velvety skin lay beneath there. Soft swells he ached to touch. Nipples that
begged for attention.
Damn! The honeysuckle still swimming
up his nose must’ve pickled his brain.
How could a man fight against something he so desperately wanted? He
struggled to pull his stare from her beckoning mouth and lost.
“If I recall, you promised you’d do anything I wanted if I brought
you along.” He meant his softly spoken reminder as a warning. The lady trod on
his territory now.
She crossed her arms, gifting him with more of those looks that
could hard-boil an egg in nothing flat.
“Foolish drivel. Doesn’t matter now. You broke your word.”
He edged closer. He wanted to bother her
as much as she did him. And fire and damnation, did she ever!
“Are you quite certain?”
“I’m not bound—”
“Ahhhh, but that’s where you’re mistaken.” His velvet words belied
the havoc inside. The attraction between them was far more binding than any
hastily spoken agreement.
Panic colored her stone-washed gaze. “I declare our agreement null
and void.” She stepped back.
The rifle dropped from Luke’s hand. He barely heard the thump of it
hitting the ground over the racket inside his head.
“Too late,” he murmured.
A soft gasp came when he brushed her arm with light fingertips. It
didn’t take tugging or cajoling to pull her against him. Her surrender spoke of
a need that equaled his.
Anything to oblige a pretty lady.
Tenderly, he caressed her lips with his tongue before he allowed
himself to partake of all she gave. He paid no heed to the fact that however
much that was, it would never be enough. He’d learned a long time ago to
collect each drop of rain. Sooner or later, it’d fill your bucket.
At a young age, LINDA
BRODAY discovered a love for storytelling, history, and anything pertaining
to the Old West. After years of writing romance, it’s still tall rugged cowboys
that spark her imagination. A New York
Times and USA Today bestselling
author, Linda has won many awards, including the prestigious National Readers’
Choice Award and the Texas Gold. She resides in the Texas Panhandle where she’s
inspired every day.
Find Linda Online:
Website: https://www.lindabroday.com/
Twitter: @LBroday
Giveaway
Enter to win a copy
of the first book in Linda Broday’s Texas Heroes series, Knight on the Texas Plains
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