Bare Naked: Naked Cowboys, Book 4 (13 page)

Bitterness flooded him. “Glad I could be of some help. Now you really need to leave.”

“But Georgie—”

Anger rose in him, quick and hot. “Leave Georgie out of this. Don’t even say her name.”

“She needs you, Cade. I really think she loves you. And apparently you need her too.” She looked down at her feet, pushing her toe at the loose gravel.

Cade ground his teeth. Why wouldn’t she go away?

“Well, you made damn sure she and the entire town know I’m not good enough for her. Did I deserve it? Absolutely. But Georgie didn’t. The damage is done, so get in your truck and head on home.”

“I… She… That is, I guess you’re good for each other.”

“She’ll find someone else. Someone more acceptable to all of you.”

“Please,” Amy said again. “Just listen. I’m trying to make this right and it isn’t easy for me. Her grand opening is a week from Sunday. I know how much it would mean to her if you were there.” She looked down at her feet. “We’ll all be there too. To make sure everything goes, you know, smoothly. And show our support.”

“I’m sure she’ll appreciate it. Are you done?”

“Oh, Cade.” She wrung her hands. “I’ve made such a mess out of this. Buck told me how hard you’ve been working and Jinx said Georgie gave her an earful. Not all of us can get second chances, but it seems you did and you’re not wasting it. So if you’re really the man people tell me you are now, if Georgie really means something to you, then a week from Sunday get yourself cleaned up and go to her grand opening. I promise she wants you there.”

He stared at her for a long time. “I’ll think about it.”

Then he turned and walked back to the barn, images of Georgie dancing in his brain and emotions swamping him until he felt he might choke.

Georgie looked around at the people swarming everywhere. Thank goodness, the weather had turned really nice so she was able to utilize the yard. Every picnic table the caterer had brought was filled with people laughing and talking. More crowds were walking through the rooms of the Butterfly B&B. She’d chosen the name when Cade was still here, thinking how significant it was since she, Cade and the house were all emerging from a chrysalis as brand new butterflies.

Cade.

Unconsciously, she rubbed her heart when she thought of him. The ache hadn’t diminished. Not even a little. She knew Amy’s words had stung, but she wanted to tell him she didn’t believe the woman. That the Cade Hannigan she knew was a lot better than that. Especially the new one. If only he’d given her just five minutes.

The triumvirate, as she’d taken to calling them, had gone out of their way to make amends. Jinx had refused to charge her for either the ad or the printing of the folders. Reenie had designed a gorgeous web site and hooked her into a national network. She didn’t want money either, but Georgie had insisted. And Amy had organized a telephone tree, reaching out to everyone in the Cattlemen’s Association to show up today and bring their friends.

Several people had made reservations for family members for holiday weekends and her phone had been ringing steadily since the web site had gone live. At least she didn’t have to worry if her business was going to be a success. But it was a hollow victory without the man she loved to share it with.

Yes, loved. She’d finally said the words out loud to herself. If only she’d found a way to tell him before everything had gone to hell.

Sighing, she took advantage of a lull in questions to head for the kitchen and get a glass of iced tea and a few minutes alone. As she opened a cupboard door to reach for a glass, a hard wall of male chest pressed against her back and a familiar hand closed over hers.

“I’ll get it for you.”

The familiar low, deep voice made her shiver. She turned and found herself pressed so closely to another body that she felt everything from the buttons on his shirt to the zipper on his fly.

“C-Cade?”

One corner of his mouth quirked up in a half smile. “Have I been gone so long you forgot what I look like? Out of sight, out of mind?”

Her breath came out in a whoosh. “As if.” She studied his face. “I hear you’re doing good at the Silver Spur.”

“Yeah? And who told you that?”

“Amy and Buck. They both came to see me.”

He gave a short laugh. “I’ll bet that was some visit.”

“Not so much. I wouldn’t let them in the house. Not even when Amy apologized over and over.” She touched his cheek with a hand not quite steady. “You know what bothered me the most?”

“What?”

“That you wouldn’t stop and let us talk it through. I don’t care what those people think. Or anyone else in the county. I told you I’d even be happy to move someplace else.”

He closed his fingers around her hand. “I didn’t want to put you in that position.” He looked around. “Seems despite everything your grand opening is a success.”

“I have to tell you, those three women did everything possible to make up for the fiasco. Not that anything can make up for what they did. What
Amy
did. But they’re trying.” She cocked her head. “How did you know about today, anyway? What brought you here?”

“You won’t believe it, but Amy came to see me. If I didn’t know her better, I’d think she was actually groveling. She gave me a lot to think about.”

She decided the B&B was aptly named because butterflies had taken roost in her stomach and their wings were doing the quick step.

“And did you? Think about what she said?” She tried her best to keep the hopeful tone from her voice.

“Yeah.” He sighed. “One thing I have to get out here. Amy may have overstated her case at the restaurant, but she has plenty of reason to hate me.”

“W-We talked about that,” she reminded him. “All of that’s in the past. This was supposed to be us going forward. Together.”

He cradled her cheeks in his hands.

“She also told me you love me. Is she right, Georgie? Do you?”

“I do. I can’t hide it, I guess. B-But what about you? How do you feel?”

“The same.” A wealth of emotion danced in his dark-chocolate eyes. “I guess I had to admit it to myself before I could say it to you. I love you, Georgie. Not just for giving me a chance at life, but also at love. Do you think we can start over again?”

“No, I don’t.” She saw hurt flash across his face. “I think we should go forward from here.” She waved at the throngs of people laughing and drinking and talking. “The phone’s been ringing off the hook too. It looks like I’m going to be pretty busy here, running this place.”

“Think you might have need of a handyman?”

She finally managed a smile. “Only if you’re the one who’s handy.”

“For you? Any time. All the time.”

He brought his mouth down to hers, his lips gently rubbing hers before his tongue delved inside. Automatically, she lifted her arms and wound them around his neck. Passion shot through her, and with it, an emotional firestorm that consumed her. Everything around them faded away as he plundered her mouth and his warm hands held her tightly to his body.

When at last he lifted his head, leaving her lips swollen and her mind dazed, she realized noise of some kind surrounded them. Cade was the first to look, his arms tightening around her. But then his mouth curved in a tentative smile as he saw what was happening. The kitchen was filled with people all smiling and clapping.

And standing in front of them all was Amy, her big husband’s arms around her, her hand raised in a thumbs-up gesture.

“I guess I need to get back to business,” Georgie told him, breathless.

“You do,” he agreed. “And later we’ll attend to our own private business. Count on it.”

“I do.” She grinned. “And on you too.”

About the Author

Desiree Holt’s writing is flavored with the rich experiences of her life, including a long stretch in the music business representing every kind of artist from country singer to heavy-metal rock bands. For several years she also ran her own public relations agency handling any client that interested her, many of whom might recognize themselves in the pages of her stories. She is twice a finalist for an EPIC E-Book Award, a nominee for a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, winner of the first 5 Heart Sweetheart of the Year Award at The Romance Studio as well as twice a CAPA Award for best BDSM book of the year, winner of two Holt Medallion Awards of Merit, and is published by five different houses.
Romance Junkies
said of her work: “Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last.”

You can find her at
www.desireeholt.com
and
www.desiremeonly.com
.

Look for these titles by Desiree Holt

Now Available:

Naked Cowboys

Stark Naked

Buck Naked

Stripped Naked

Coming Soon:

Naked Desire

She didn’t shoot the sheriff…but she’d sure like to strip him down.

Stripped Naked

© 2014 Desiree Holt

Naked Cowboys, Book 3

Taking over as publisher of
The Hill Country Herald
was supposed to help Jinx Malone put her personal and professional disasters in New York behind her. Instead, she’s barely settled at her desk when news of a murder hits the police scanner.

Who knew Rowan County could be this exciting? And who knew her first story would bring her into head-butting, hormone-pumping contact with something that’s an even bigger pain in her ass than a cheating ex—a know-it-all cop?

Sheriff Dillon Cross thought retreating to Rowan Country would help him get over a bad case of burnout. But only a few weeks into his job, he’s standing over a dead body in a ditch, arguing with his least favorite thing: a sexy, in-your-face reporter.

Before they’re through buzzing around each other like angry hornets, the last thing either expected happens. They’re in bed, burning up the sheets. But is it a new beginning, or just a bad rerun of past mistakes?

Warning: This book contains a nekkid cowboy and enough graphic sex to singe your eye balls. Cool compresses recommended.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Stripped Naked:

The new sheriff’s SUV as well as two deputy cars were parked at angles, blocking one lane. Neil Guthrie and another deputy were doing their best to direct traffic around the mess and desperately trying to move along the people who wanted to stop and stare.

Orange cones marked off the area where the body had been found and yellow crime-scene tape was strung as a barricade. The body itself was barely visible, mostly concealed by the people surrounding it. She recognized Ric Nevada crouched down with what she assumed to be his crime-scene kit open next to him. On the other side of him, she spotted Don Obregon, a doctor who doubled as the head of the family clinic that served the county and the medical examiner if and when they needed one.

But it was the man standing behind Ric who caught her attention. She guessed his height at six feet. His broad shoulders strained at the seams of the sport jacket he wore with an open-collared shirt and jeans that clung to long legs that ended in western boots. She’d heard the new sheriff didn’t like wearing the tan uniform that came with the office.

“Informed the commissioner that people should respect the law no matter what he wore,” her father had told her.

Jinx guessed he was right. His presence fairly shimmered with a quiet air of obvious authority and control.

Just as she reached the scene, he turned in her direction and a shock sizzled through her as if electrodes had been attached to her skin. Everything in her body tightened and throbbed and unwanted heat warmed her skin. Instantly, her nipples hardened and her thong became soaked, her body responding to the sight of him with an unexpectedly visceral reaction.

Holy shit!

After the disaster with Max she had so sworn off men, especially hot ones like this one. So why didn’t her body get the message?

His gaze connected with hers and heat flared in his eyes for a quick second. Apparently the same electricity had zapped him too. Then the professional mask was back in place. He placed his hands on his hips, which brushed back the lapels of the jacket just enough for her to catch a glimpse of the gun he wore in a shoulder holster.

“Sorry.” His voice was deep and slightly raspy. “This is a restricted area. My deputies should have stopped you from coming so close.”

She swallowed, hard, and hoped her reaction to him didn’t show.

“Your deputies know who I am.” She held out her hand. “Jinx Malone. I’m the publisher of
The Hill Country Herald.
I believe you met my father when you first arrived in town.”

“Sheriff Dillon Cross.” He shook hands briefly. “Yes, I did. I thought he ran the paper.”

“Only until this morning.”

“Oh, yeah. That’s right. I think he mentioned he was thinking of retiring.”