Vivian Arend's Blog, page 38

New Release: Rocky Mountain Shelter

Send to Kindle

Today is the release day for book 8 in the Six Pack Ranch series, ROCKY MOUNTAIN SHELTER. I’m so excited for you to met Becky, and see Trevor become the hero he’s always meant to be.

 

 

Innocence and passion are an addictive mix…

The dark-haired stranger next door triggers every protective instinct Trevor Coleman never knew he had. From the moment Becky Hall literally falls into his arms, the last man standing of the Moonshine clan doesn’t even attempt to resist sweet temptation. Becky is beautiful, mysterious and heartbreakingly vulnerable…and he’s a goner.

To escape the hell she was trapped in, Becky left everything behind but her courage. And for once in her life, good people step up to make a difference. A helping hand, a new job…a very attentive and libido-stroking neighbour. Now a new future awaits, one that shockingly includes sexual pleasure instead of icy pain, and a sexy cowboy who’s more than eager to show her the ropes.

Becky’s sweet smiles and seductive innocence draw him in like nectar, and Trevor knows one taste will never be enough. But with secrets thicker than a bumper crop, changing a life will take more than a new ID and a cowboy’s good intentions.

It’s gonna take sacrifice to break these chains.

Warning: boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl–all hell breaks loose. We’ve got a hero whose hands are tied in more ways than one. A heroine who wants to experience everything she’s ever missed, and a family that needs to discover if its roots go deep enough to weather any storm.

Purchase Links:

Digital: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | All Romance eBooks  | GooglePlay

Print: Amazon

Excerpt:

They were in the eye of the storm. Everything she’d shared in the past moments had turned their relationship upside down and sideways, and they still had more to talk about in the days to come. It wasn’t as if her world had been swept clean in under thirty minutes.

But right now there was only them. Only this intimate, strangely peaceful togetherness.

And like she’d been doing for the past couple months, she ignored the past and looked to the future. Taking life by both hands and riding it as hard as she could.

Although not quite riding it. More like barely containing it. Molding power and strength and iron-will under her fingertips like she was harnessing a wild stallion.

Trevor stood stock still while she touched him, and slowly the tension in his body changed. Sliding from fury to raw passion. His eyes no longer held the urge to kill, but desire and arousal.

She trailed her fingertips down the faint trail of hair leading towards the open button on his jeans. Under her caress his muscles formed a grid, and she laughed.

It came out rather breathlessly.

“Six pack, right?”

He curled his hand around the back of her neck and tugged her close again, his hot breath pressing over her cheek. “Kiss me,” he demanded.

She was more than willing to oblige. His mouth settled over hers like a benediction—a blessing for what was about to happen between them. Like her history was scrubbed clean and this was all that remained. Passionate need. Fierce want.

Heat dragged up her spine, melting it rapidly as his tongue stroked into her mouth and he owned her completely.

Purchase Links:

Digital: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | All Romance eBooks  | GooglePlay

Print: Amazon

ROCKY RETREAT Feature

Send to KindleWe’re closing in on the next book in the Six Pack Ranch series, and to make sure you’re caught up, we’re going to go through the books that lead up to the new story. Rocky Mountain Shelter can be read alone, but it’s better for being a part of the whole!

This week: ROCKY RETREAT

Finding white-hot love in a white-out…

Eight months ago, Lee Coleman met the woman of his dreams…then lost her to another man. He buried his disappointment by throwing himself into work on the family ranch, but when a winter storm leaves him stranded, Lee finds more than shelter in the rustic safety of a hunter’s cabin—he finds a second shot at love.

Rachel Malone’s heart has been broken and stomped on by her cheating ex, and she’s determined to never fall in love again. But a rebound fling? Doesn’t sound like such a bad idea, especially when she’s snowed-in with a gorgeous, sweet-talking Coleman.

Despite their off-the-charts chemistry, Lee makes it clear he wants more than a temporary romp. In fact, he’s made it his mission to put a smile back on her face, even if it means taking it slow and resisting the scorching heat between them. This time around, he wants forever, while Rachel is positive that forever is a fool’s dream.

Lee can’t wait to prove her wrong…

Excerpt

Rachel turned again, bumping into his solid chest, and Lee caught her before she could bounce back and hit the floor. She tilted her head up to thank him—both for now and for the support he’d shown—when she caught a glimpse of his eyes.

The unsettled sensation in her belly shifted two steps to the right and twisted until she would have sworn there were butterflies twirling inside her. Lee slid his hand upward from where he’d grabbed her arms, moving ever so slowly until one big hand cupped her cheek. He swept his thumb in a gentle caress over her skin as something very much not sympathy but far more flammable rose between them.

She should say something. She should pull away.

Both options were impossible. Her feet were pinned to the floor as her gaze dropped so she could admire his lips, his jaw, his everything.

“It’s good to hear you laugh,” he whispered.

“I haven’t had much to laugh about,” she replied.

He didn’t carry on, and that was what caused her final defeat. If he would’ve kept talking, she could have focused on what a shit her ex-husband had been. Instead silence fell, or such silence that was possible in the cabin with the storm raging outside, a fire raging in, and all kinds of emotions raging through her. All of them combined into a bank of noise and confusion, and Rachel couldn’t decide what to do.

What she should do next, that is. What she wanted to do? Lean forward until their bodies connected. Wrap her arms around him, hell, wrap her legs around him. For one night she wanted to let go of the emotion she’d locked down tight—for one night she would love to set it free. Just like the storm dumping everything it had in twenty-four hours, in one hour she could rid herself of so many things.

That’s when she realized they were touching. She’d shifted and brought them in contact, her breasts pressed against a wall of muscle.

His fingers shook against her skin. “Rachel, honey, you don’t want to do this.”

Oh, no, she really did. “Why not?”

His eyes flashed hotter, and the subtle change in his body stance proved her suggestion had made an impact.

“There’s only one bed,” she pointed out.

His lips twitched. “If you think I’m going to fuck you simply because there’s only one bed and we have to share it, you need to know I have a little more willpower than that.”

“Don’t you want me?”

Lee dragged in a deep breath as Rachel wished she could smack herself in the head for being so forward. And then she didn’t give a damn because this was what she wanted.

“No one is twisting my arm. No one is making me proposition you. I’ve been so cold inside,” she confessed, “and this is the first time in a long time I’ve felt anything. Anything other than pain.”

Lee shook his head. “You know I care about you, and giving Gary hell for what he did to you is high on my agenda, but—”

“But, what?” she demanded. “You think you’re in charge of what I want? Thanks, but I had someone try that with me, and it didn’t turn out so good.”

She tossed caution to the wind and slid her palms up his chest, feeling his hardness sink against her belly, and a flash of fire turned the pain inside to passion. She really didn’t want to miss a chance to erase some of what she’d felt at Gary’s betrayal.

“Rach—”

She didn’t let him finish, just pressed their lips together. If she had to be the aggressor, so be it.

Not three seconds after they made contact, she was no longer in charge. He’d lifted her in the air so he could kiss her better, that hand at the back of her head holding her exactly right so he could ravish her mouth. Teeth, tongue, lips. He used them all with devastating effectiveness as he kissed her, and kissed her, and kissed her some more until she was lightheaded and not caring one single bit.

When he pulled back, she paused, lingering in the moment between her need to gasp for air and the urgent desire to dive back in for another round. Time stood still as she stared into his face and tried to analyze what he felt.

Desire was there—that much was powerfully clear. He didn’t attempt to hide his sexual attraction.

Yet with a level of control far from how he’d kissed her, he placed her back on the ground, stepping away after she caught her balance. His eyes had gone dark, his breathing unsteady. “Make no mistake, Rachel, I want you. I’ve wanted you for a long time, and I don’t just mean in bed. But this isn’t how we’re going to start anything.”

 

Purchase
Digital: Amazon US | Amazon UK |Amazon CA | Barnes & Noble |Kobo | iBooks US | iBooks UK |iBooks CA | All Romance eBooks |GooglePlay | Scribd | Oyster
Print:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Booksamillion |CreateSpace

Feature Friday – Turn It On

Send to Kindle

This week we are featuring TURN IT ON.

 

Purchase Links

Digital: Amazon US | Amazon UK |Amazon CA | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Samhain | iBooks US | iBooks UK | iBooks CA| GooglePlay | Scribd

Print: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Booksamillion | Powells | Samhain

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ROMANCE Feature

Send to KindleWe’re closing in on the next book in the Six Pack Ranch series, and to make sure you’re caught up, we’re going to go through the books that lead up to the new story. Rocky Mountain Shelter can be read alone, but it’s better for being a part of the whole!

This week: ROCKY MOUNTAIN ROMANCE

Second chances are the sweetest—and the hottest.

It took a spectacularly embarrassing break-up to knock Steve Moonshine Coleman off his lazy butt. In the ten months since that night, he’s changed his ways. Now that Melody’s back in town, it’s time for this sweet-talking cowboy to convince her to get back in the saddle with him.

A return to her veterinary position in Rocky Mountain House was always in the cards for Melody Langley. Getting back together with Steve? Never part of the plan. He had lots of potential but zero ambition, and there’s no way she’ll accept anything less than a man who can keep up with her, in and out of bed.

But the new-and-improved cowboy is impossible to resist, so Melody issues a challenge. Three months to prove he’s reformed. Three months of Steve orchestrating one sexual indulgence after another—wicked distractions from the old boys’ club Melody faces at work and Steve’s growing responsibilities.

He’s got one shot to prove with more than words what’s in his heart and soul.

Warning: Fifty percent less angst, twice as much filthy-talking, dirty-daring cowboy. Get ready for a whole lot of make-your-knees-weak wooing from a man intent on proving he’s got what it takes, and the woman ready to push him way past his limits.

Excerpt

“I want to see you again,” he blurted out.

Maybe if she’d never imagined hearing those words this would’ve been more awkward, but she’d had enough time to think it over. She’d prepared for every possibility when she’d decided to return to Rocky Mountain House, even this one.

Prepared, and planned to enjoy it.

She kept walking. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t think we had an actual relationship, not one that I’m interested in rekindling.”

“I get that. I told you I was a fool, but I’ve changed. I want a chance to prove it.”

“Prove it?” A burst of laughter escaped before she could stop it. “Steve, when we were dating, half the time you didn’t know what day it was. And I don’t even know that I want to call it dating. More like conveniently seeing each other when it worked out. That part wasn’t just your fault. I’ll take some of the blame, because I was damn busy with my job.”

“We were both busy, but that doesn’t give me an excuse for being a shit. It also doesn’t have anything to do with what I’m talking about right now.”

Melody jerked to a halt so she could toss him her most disdainful expression. “What happened between us a year ago, and more? How does that have nothing to do with the fact you want to see me again? You’re not making any sense.”

His lips twitched upward as his gaze drifted over her, his attraction apparent. “Let’s start with a clean slate. Hi, you must be the new vet in town. I’m Steve Coleman, and you’re going to be seeing a lot of me.”

Unbelievable. And yet…interesting. The old Steve would have joked around, but never with that intense focus as if he was prepared to actually do something if she argued with him. “Well, it appears you’ve grown some balls since the last time we met, but I don’t know that it’s enough.”

“Trust me, I’ve got the balls, for many things.”

She shook her head, clicking her tongue as if in disbelief. “If that was some sly reference toward your sexual prowess? There’s another place you’re mistaken. I’ll give you points for knowing where to find a woman’s clit, and I had more than a few orgasms with you—thanks for them, by the way.”

His grin broadened, and she was almost reluctant to deliver the killing blow.

“But, Steve? I’m afraid you’re just too vanilla for me.”

Melody spun on her heel and marched away, her own grin breaking free as he stood frozen on the spot behind her, sputtering in response. She kept walking, catching hold of her door and quickly crawling into the borrowed beast.

She got the door shut before he caught up with her, but there was no way she could ignore him. Steve stood inches from her closed door, his expression folded into a frown until she relented and rolled down her window.

He started in right away before she could speak, his utter shock apparent. “Too vanilla for you?”

Melody answered briskly. “I found out a few things about myself while I was away at school this year. So, I’m glad we’re going to be friends, and I look forward to working with the Colemans now that I’m back, but that’s pretty much all us time is going to be. Have a nice day.”

She put the truck in drive and left him standing in the dirt, containing her laughter until she was on the main highway and headed for home.

This was where the Steve she’d known would saunter back to the party and forget about her. Oh, maybe he’d give a few moments’ thought to challenging her comments, but then something would distract him, and the next time they met? It would be as if this conversation had never happened. He’d ask her out again, she’d turn him down.

Eventually he’d get bored and move on. It was sad, but inevitable.

Except…the flash of fire she’d seen in his eyes in her rearview mirror as she drove away wasn’t familiar. Something fluttered in her belly, and she wondered if maybe she’d poked a little too hard.

 Purchase

Digital: Amazon US | Amazon UK |Amazon CA | Barnes & Noble |Kobo | iBooks US | iBooks UK |iBooks CA | All Romance eBooks |GooglePlay | Scribd | Oyster

Print: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Booksamillion |CreateSpace

Rocky Mountain Shelter is coming soon!

Send to Kindle

Two more weeks!

 

 

Purchase Links

Digital: Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | iBooks US | iBooks UK | iBooks CA| Barnes & Noble | Kobo | GooglePlay

Print: Amazon

Audiobook Giveaway!

Send to Kindle

Want to try an audiobook, or trying to fill in a series? We’d like to give a few away to readers! Here’s your chance to try.

 

 

This is open to US listeners, as well as international readers (where Audible is available).

To enter, leave a comment here on the blog and let us know which audiobook you would want to win! Giveaway is open for one week only.

Titles available:

Six Pack Ranch Series

– Rocky Mountain Freedom, Rocky Retreat, Rocky Mountain Romance

Thompson & Sons Series

– Rocky Ride, One Sexy Ride, Let It Ride

Takhini Shifters

– Copper Kind, Laird Wolf

 (Comments closed Nov 7. We’ll do this again in the future!)

Audiobook Giveaway

Send to Kindle

I have another audiobook to give away today!

Leave a comment to be entered to win. The question:

What are you reading this weekend, and please share the first line of the book!

 

Winner announced next week.

————————–

(Winner gets to pick from the available titles below. Codes are available for US, as well as international readers (where Audible is available) If you win, we’d really appreciate if you’d post a review on Audible once you’re done!)

Titles available:

~~**Six Pack Ranch Series**~~

– Rocky Mountain Freedom, Rocky Retreat, Rocky Mountain Romance

~~**Thompson & Sons Series**~~

– Rocky Ride, One Sexy Ride, Let It Ride

~~**Takhini Shifters**~~

– Copper King, Laird Wolf

New Release: ALPHAS Box Set

Send to Kindle

Hey everyone!

I jumped into a box set with some friends that I thought I’d let you know about. If you’ve read COPPER KING before, my story won’t be new to you, but there are five other paranormal serials or stories in the box if you’d like to test out some other authors series for a great price.

If you haven’t read COPPER KING yet, here’s a change to get it and five other things to read for just $0.99!

If you enjoyed COPPER KING and know others who you think would like to try it, you can tell them FYI!! Spread the word! (Oh, you could also post a review at Amazon or elsewhere–that’s a huge help as well!)

ALPHAS: On Sale for $0.99

Purchase Links: Amazon | Kobo | iBooks | GooglePlay | Barnes & Noble

 

Alpha is a collection of series firsts from your favorite NYTimes and USA Today bestselling authors. The bears are strong, the wolves are sexy and these heroes do more than win over their true mates with a bond for life.

Copper King – Vivian Arend

Billionaire Jim Halcyon’s a grizzly shifter who likes to stay in charge. Once a year he and his best friend gamble to possess an ancient copper coin, and this year Jim’s not going to let anything, or anyone, distract him from winning. Not even the mesmerizing woman he spots in the middle of the Vegas casino. The one with the shimmering hair and enormous green eyes… Hmmmm.

Lillie’s only got five days to soak in new experiences, and while Vegas is too shiny and loud for her shy bear self, she’s eager to enjoy one last chance to let her hair down. Until his challenge begins, Jim decides to oblige Lillie’s wish for a final fling. Only Lady Luck has some twists of fate planned for them both…

Curse of the Alpha 1&2 – Tasha Black

Ainsley Connor is determined to turn her back on her shifterpast.

Until the wolves of Tarker’s Hollow call on her to choose the next alpha, and Ainsley becomes the object of desire for every eligible wolf in the quiet college town.

And the shifters aren’t even the strangest part of Tarker’s Hollow.

As she struggles to come to terms with her true nature, Ainsley is thrust into the center of a steamy web of shifters, ghosts, witches and warlocks, caught up in a life-and-death struggle for control of the pack she tried to abandon.

But for Ainsley Connor, the toughest wolf she must face might just be the one inside herself.

Claiming His Fate – Ellis Leigh

As a den President of The Feral Breed MC, Alpha Rebel has a responsibility to his breed and the team he leads. One glance at waitress Charlotte and Rebel knows she’s his fated mate. But a wolf shifter is attacking women, threatening Charlotte’s life, and putting the entire shifter community at risk of exposure. If Rebel can’t uncover the threat in their midst–and rein in his protective instincts–his future with Charlotte will be dead on arrival.

Found: Mate of the Cave Bear – Harmony Raines

Curvy girl Jenna has been chosen to go back in time to save the human race. What scares her, is to carry out her mission, she has to mate with a Neanderthal man.

Attached by a tether, once she is pregnant she will be pulled back through the wormhole and must give her child to science. Her mission is soon in jeopardy when a Neanderthal, called Haran, rescues her andshe finds herself falling for her saviour and this new exciting world.

Only when she learns of Haran’s other side, does she realize the danger she is in. Can their love survive?

Her Two Bears – Catherine Vale

Sadie doesn’t ever think she’ll find love, so when her best friend Peyton offers to set her up on a blind date she refuses. Peyton knows that Sadie needs to try something very unconventional if she ever stands a chance at letting go of her insecurities and finally opening up her heart once again.

Dane and Jackson have been the best of friends ever since they were young cubs so when they are both made alpha of their clan, they agree to share more than leadership: they want to share a mate. For the two sexy were-bears, it’s quite simple: convince the plus-size beauty that they can make all of her wildest dreams come true. Except Sadie doesn’t realize just how wild it’s about to get!

Called by the Bear 1 – V. Vaughn

I’m Carly and my dreams predict the future. And I’m dreaming about a sexy beast of a guy, a bear, and a paw print design. A force I can’t fight wants me to find out, and I’m leaving the only life I’ve ever known. With a fresh tattoo and my best friend by my side, I’m on a quest to find a man I’ve never met.

Sierra here – We’ve been chosen. The moment I saw Carly’s first tattoo, I felt the undeniable attraction of the guy I’ve been dreaming about. Something’s calling us, and I’m certain it is our destiny.

 

 ~~~~~~

Purchase Links: Amazon | Kobo | iBooks | GooglePlay | Barnes & Noble

ROCKY RIDE Feature

Send to KindleWe’re closing in on the next book in the Six Pack Ranch series, and to make sure you’re caught up, we’re going to go through the books that lead up to the new story. Rocky Mountain Shelter can be read alone, but it’s better for being a part of the whole!

This week: ROCKY RIDE

He’s got a touch that’s hotter than hot

It took a hell of a lot of fast-talking and more than a few speeding tickets before Mitch Thompson convinced Constable Anna Coleman to take him for a ride. Only now that she’s loosened off her stiff RCMP uniform, it’s not nearly enough. Their secret sexual escapades are mind-blowing, but Mitch wants more than her body—he wants her heart.

Her world could go up in flames

It’s a dangerous road to walk, and Anna doesn’t know how far she can safely tread. Bad boy Mitch may have lured her wild side out to play, but giving in to their increasingly passionate desires could endanger her very civilized career. Somewhere between yearning and obsession there has to be a balance point.

Or they’re both going to get burned.

Excerpt

Mitch slid everything on the table between them to one side. “Ready for some fun?”

The way her gaze bounced off the cleared table space warned him she was thinking far dirtier than he was. At least right now.

When he tossed her a notepad, her face fell.

Mitch snickered. “You were expecting me to lean you over and fuck you for dessert?”

Her eyes flashed. “Are you taking requests?”

“Maybe.” Except, now started the next step. “We’ve been fooling around for months, and I promised to make all your fantasies come true. I need to know what else you want.”

“I could just tell you.” Anna shook the notepad in the air. “I feel like I’m back in an endless efficiency lecture at work.”

A rude noise escaped Mitch. “Stop bullshitting. Just write down the things that come to mind we haven’t tried that you’d really like to do.”

“With you?”

“Hell, yeah.”

“How dirty can I get?”

He grinned.

Anna’s smile bloomed. “You win. This is much better than a staff meeting.”

No hesitation. Just like she had done since they’d started this relationship, Anna dove in. Pen to paper, writing rapidly.

He’d jotted down his items beforehand, which meant he had the time to observe her. Call it cheating if you want, but he’d figured he had to have his plan fully in place to have a chance for it to work, and besides, he loved to watch her move. Even if it was just rocking in her chair while wearing a determined expression.

The moments when her naughty smile broke through were too brilliant to miss.

Her pen paused, and Mitch straightened instantly. “What?”

She wrinkled her nose. “The concept turns me on, but the logistics…”

Now she had his curiosity tweaked. “Put it down anyway, we’ll see what we can do.”

They both went back to their notepads, but Mitch was ready. Within the next fifteen minutes he’d know if he was going to have his feet kicked out from under him.

As long as he ended up with her on top, he was fine with that.

 

Purchase
Digital: Amazon US | Amazon UK |Amazon CA | Barnes & Noble| Kobo | iBooks US | iBooks UK |iBooks CA | All Romance eBooks |GooglePlay | Scribd | Oyster
Print: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Booksamillion | CreateSpace

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SHELTER Chapter One

Send to Kindle

Today I have the first chapter of ROCKY MOUNTAIN SHELTER to share with you!

 

Chapter One

May, Rocky Mountain House

A metallic shriek filled the air as Trevor Coleman stomped on the brakes, gravel flying as his oversized pickup skidded to a halt. On the ridgeline of the run-down rental house he’d been stalking for days, a dark silhouette teetered precariously, and he swore under his breath.

He shoved the truck back in gear and hurried onto the pothole-ridden private road. It took a minute to manoeuver the narrow driveway, his approach hidden behind a line of thick, overgrown pine trees. Barely into the main yard, he jolted to a halt, rushing out the door toward the house. He didn’t want to scare whoever was on the roof into taking a fall, but no way could he turn a blind eye to what looked like a teenaged kid trespassing.

“Hey,” he shouted. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

His feet carried him forward as the youth spun to face him, arms flapping upward. The kid’s feet slipped on the worn shingles, his body smacking down on the rooftop then sliding rapidly toward the edge. Trevor put on an extra burst of speed, aiming at where the kid would fall off the roof and plummet to the ground.

He was greeted by silence instead of a jet-propelled body.

Trevor stepped back a couple of paces to discover the kid sprawled belly down, arms spread wide as he clutched a hammer. The prongs had dug into the roof like an ice axe.

“Jeez, you’ve got horseshoes up your ass.” Trevor whipped off his hat as he stared upward, trying to figure out the easiest way to get the kid down so he could kill him with his bare hands. “Stay put. I’ll get the ladder.”

“There isn’t one.”

Trevor jerked in surprise. That was no teenaged boy. That was a female voice.

He eased away another foot and examined her more carefully. “How’d you get up there?”

“I climbed. Do you mind? Go away.”

Like hell he would. Trevor stayed alert as she got her feet under her, twisting to vertical to stare down like a disapproving angel.

Now that he was closer, it was very clear she was a woman—there was no disguising the way she filled out the flannel shirt and well-worn jeans. Dark brown curls stuck out from under the brim of her baseball cap, the rest of her hair tucked away, and he had the sudden hope the wind would gust and send the cap flying so he could see it all.

She was far enough away some details were lost. Like her eyes—definitely dark, but he wasn’t sure if they were deep brown or dusted with lighter tones. Her lips were drawn tightly together into damn near a pout, which gave him all sorts of ideas about how to turn her frown into a smile, not the least of which would be planting a kiss on them.

Because the stubborn glare she was giving him was a challenge and a half, and Trevor liked challenges. Especially when they were delivered by mysterious, good-looking women, although he didn’t know about the standing-on-the-neighbour’s-roof part.

She wavered for a moment, arms shooting out again to catch her balance. She didn’t make a sound, though, probably in an attempt to seem less frightened than she was.

If she wanted to pretend everything was cool, he could play that game as well. “You want a hand?” he drawled.

Her nose twitched. “Is this when you start clapping?”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He glanced along the roofline. The house had a higher section to the left of where she stood, the second-storey windows like wide eyes staring at him. “Seems a strange place to be taking a walk, that’s all I’m saying.”

“There’s a leak,” she offered finally as an explanation.

Now they were getting somewhere. Something to fix. He could deal with that. Not to mention, it would give him a chance to possibly pick up some information—details he’d been searching a long time to find. “Why don’t I—”

Her feet slipped again, the sharp incline too much to control.

This time Trevor knew she couldn’t recover, and he shot forward, keeping a wary eye out for the hammer. It flew off the edge barely a second before she rolled after it.

He expected to hear her shriek on the way down, but deep silence hung on the air in the seconds before he caught her against his body and momentum drove them both to the ground.

She was soft in all the right places, and warm—

—and gone. Vanished before he had a chance to truly appreciate a bit of bodily contact as a reward for his heroic rescue.

She’d scrambled to her feet, backing up until there was ample space between them. “Thank you.”

Then damn if she didn’t turn and walk away, snatching up her hammer as she passed it, headed straight for the front door.

“That’s all you got to say? Thank you?” Trevor raced after her, incredulous. “Really?”

She laid a hand on the door, pausing to look him up and down. For a second he thought she was considering using the hammer on him. “What do you want?”

“I don’t want anything. I mean, I want—” He fell silent, looking at her for inspiration.

What the hell did he want? She had him so muddled he sounded like an idiot. Come on, brain in gear.

He folded his arms over his chest and put on his most flirtatious smile. “Just wanted to say hello, and welcome to the neighbourhood. I heard you’ve got a leak in your roof. I’ve come to give you a hand.”

There. That should get some kind of positive reaction from her. A smile, a nod, maybe a bit of flirting in return.

Nothing.

Instead, she tugged open the screen door and slipped through, offering one final comment over her shoulder before swinging the solid wood door shut. “Thanks, but I got it under control.”

The door clicked. The sound of a deadbolt being turned followed.

Trevor stared in confusion.

The rental house was no longer empty, he’d just rescued a woman falling off the roof, and yet he was no further ahead than he’d been five minutes ago. This was all sorts of fucked up, and not very useful. He didn’t know her name, didn’t know how she’d gotten there…

A sharp creak sounded, and he jumped off the porch, glancing around cautiously. A second squeaking bang followed, and this time he looked upward in time to see one of the shutters on the second floor move, and a jean-clad leg extending over the sill.

Incredible. Damn woman was crawling out on the roof again.

He stepped back into her line of vision. “Are you trying to break your fool neck? You’re going to fall.”

“If you go away and stop distracting me, I won’t.”

Trevor couldn’t believe it. “You’ve got some kind of a death wish, honey.”

Silence in response.

And that was enough to push him over the edge. Trevor wasn’t used to being ignored. Especially not by pretty girls.

He took a quick peek to make sure she was solid on her feet before he did anything. She seemed all right. She had an X-Acto blade out and was patiently trimming away the shingles from the lower section of roof.

Sending up a prayer she wouldn’t lose her balance while she had the knife in hand, he hurried around the edge of the house to where a giant apple tree sat conveniently located. Convenient at least for his purposes. He shimmied up the trunk and into the first crook before he’d had time to consider what he was doing. But even pausing to wipe his hands before tackling the more difficult part of the climb didn’t change his mind.

No way was she leaving him on the ground without any information. He was just being neighbourly, he reasoned, as he stepped from branch to branch, going higher than the eaves trough.

His dad would give him hell if he didn’t offer a lady a hand.

Trevor propelled himself from the tree to the roof, tipping forward to land on his hands and knees to catch his balance before scrambling upward, the old, worn tiles warm under his fingers. He moved in silence, not wanting to startle her again, especially when there was no one to catch her if she did fall.

He waited until her hands were empty, watching from barely over the ridge as she cleared away a section of what was clearly water-damaged roofing. She rose and moved cautiously back to the second storey windows, grabbing hold of the windowsill and leaning in for something.

Trevor took advantage of the moment and ran the lower ridgeline to her side. He caught hold of the window and her waist at the same moment he offered a warning.

“Don’t panic.”

She stiffened but otherwise didn’t move. Didn’t scream, didn’t shout, didn’t do anything except cautiously pivot her head toward him. His hopes he’d avoid getting reamed out faded when their gazes met, her eyes blazing.

Shit.

“I didn’t want you to fall,” he hurried to explain, withdrawing his hand from her waist reluctantly. She was a good-looking woman, and he had zero objections to having her in his arms.

But she wasn’t only mad, she was white knuckling the windowsill. “How’d you get up here?” she demanded.

Trevor tilted his head toward the corner. “Apple tree. A lot of these old homes have big enough trees you can get upstairs pretty easily.” The anger in her eyes flashed momentarily to an entirely different emotion. Double shit. “Don’t worry, not many people around here have a habit of climbing onto roofs.”

“I’m lucky you came over, is that what you’re telling me?”

The snarky comment offered a tiny crack in the ice, and Trevor leapt on it with everything he had. He thrust his hand forward. “Can we try this again? I’m Trevor Coleman. You never did tell me your name.”

She offered her hand slowly, her grip strong as her fingers wrapped briefly around his. “Becky Hall. I’d really prefer you not be on this roof with me.”

“I’d really prefer you not be on the roof, period,” Trevor confessed. “But you said you’ve got a leak. Maybe can we can work out a compromise.”

She eyed him up and down, one hand still clutching the edge of the windowsill. It was obvious she was scared to death, but he wasn’t sure if it was of him or their height above the ground.

Her pulse was visible at the base of her throat, and he watched it, fascinated, drawn to the soft texture of her skin. If they’d been at Traders Pub, or somewhere in town, he would have leaned in as he flirted, maybe even casually stroked a finger along her neck, just to see how she’d react.

Not the time. Definitely not the place. And something warned him to go a hell of a lot slower than usual. Something more than the panic hovering in her eyes.

“How about we discuss a trade?” he offered.

“What kind of trade?”

“I’ll fix your roof, and you help me get in touch with your landlord.”

She stared at him long and hard, and then without a word, threw a leg over the windowsill and crawled inside.

He waited, hope rising. Maybe she was going to get some paper and give him the phone number.

Instead, she lowered the window between them with a snap and turned the old-fashioned latch firmly before meeting his gaze. “That’s okay. I’ll take care of the repairs myself.” Her voice muffled behind the glass barrier. “I trust you can get down the way you came up.”

She disappeared into the darkness as Trevor leaned his face against the window and peered in like some crazy peeping Tom.

Well, shit. That hadn’t worked out at all the way he’d hoped.

 ~**~

He pulled into the parking space outside the Coleman bachelor pad. Two of his cousins still lived there, and from the trucks parked in the yard, both were home. He hurried into the house to find the back screen door open and Raphael and Jesse sitting on the porch with long necks in their hands.

“Look what the cat drug in.” Jesse held out a beer. “I thought you were going to be here half an hour ago. We started without you.”

Trevor twisted the cap off his bottle as he dropped into one of the sturdy lawn chairs, taking a long drink of the cold liquid as he looked his cousins over.

In spite of their differences, he was pretty sure most strangers could tell at a glance the three of them were related. Rafe’s hair was the blondest. Jesse’s a touch darker and then his—a deep brown. His cousins had blue eyes; his were an unremarkable brown. They stood over six feet, solidly built from years of working the land. All of them got their share of female attention without much trouble.

They’d been teased before about their “cowboy uniforms”—jeans, boots and hats, and an unshaved jaw from nights spent tying one on a little too hard.

Trevor laughed. If he showed up looking worse for wear, it was far more likely he’d spent all night chasing down part of the herd or dealing with a ranching emergency. It wasn’t easy trying to beat a living from land that seemed hell-bent against being tamed.

The three of them were the last of the Coleman men left unhitched, which was fine by Trevor. He liked playing the field, although he usually had far more luck with the ladies than he’d had that afternoon with Becky.

Rafe eased forward in his chair, curiosity in his eyes. “I met your brother on the road this afternoon. Lee said he was doing late chores, so you should’ve been done a while ago.”

“I was. I headed into town to hit the library.”

For some weird reason, Rafe stiffened before demanding, “What were you doing there?”

“Yeah,” Jesse teased, “I didn’t know you could read.”

Trevor rolled his eyes. Jesse being an asshole outweighed poking at Rafe’s strange behaviour. “Oh, a cutting blow. You’re such a bastard, Jesse.”

His cousin smirked harder.

“I can’t go on. I’m going to curl up right here and cry in my beer.”

“Asshole.” Jesse laughed the word. “So…what? Why were you in town? Don’t make us pull it out of you, because I’m sure it’s not that interesting.”

Trevor’s amusement faded as frustration rushed in. He’d wanted to do this on his own, but after getting stuck without any forward progress, maybe it was time to call in reinforcements. “Trying to find out who owns the parcel of land that butts up to the west of the Moonshine property line. You’d think someone in town would know, especially if there’s gossip involved, but everyone is surprisingly tight-lipped, and so far I haven’t found anything on file in land records.”

“You guys need extra pastureland?” Rafe asked.

“Maybe. Pasture some, hay the rest, but there’s no use in making any plans until I know who to contact.”

His lack of progress was more than annoying; it was becoming a personal taunt. Like a fuck you that he couldn’t do as much for his family as the rest of his siblings. “My dad’s still not feeling well, so we’re all trying to take up the slack until he’s back on his feet.”

“And even short-handed, you want more land?” Rafe shook his head. “I wish we had your troubles.”

“I thought the Angel clan was doing okay,” Jesse said. “With going organic, and all that shit.”

Rafe made a rude noise. “It’s going better than it was, but we’re still a long way off making it a complete success. I don’t have to tell you why.”

Trevor sympathized without saying anything.

They all knew that of the older generation of Coleman brothers to settle in the Rocky Mountain House area, Rafe’s father Ben had proven to have the shittiest attitude and the least sense. Trevor would take his father—or Jesse’s dad, Uncle Mike—any day of the week over Ben, but it wasn’t the kind of sentiment you straight up said to another person. Gee, yeah, it sucks that your dad is an asshole.

Might be true, but it just wasn’t said.

Rafe tipped his chair back on two legs, staring into space as he absently picked at the label on his bottle. “You know, I’ve never heard the story either. Seems like that land should belong to someone in the family, but I’ve only heard it called the rental.”

Which was what Trevor knew as well.

“We’re the youngest, except for Lee, and nobody tells us shit,” Jesse complained.

“There’s never been a reason to tell us,” Raphael pointed out. He finished his bottle and stood. “I’m starving. I’ll get supper going.”

Trevor lingered over his drink. He’d struck out for the past couple of months, but Becky moving in changed things. Maybe he’d be able to finally get ahead. “There’s someone new renting it now,” he said. “The house on the southwest quarter.”

Jesse raised a brow. “What? The old-timers are gone?” He snapped his fingers. “Hey, you’re right. I heard somebody say they decided it was too much work to take care of, so they moved into town. That was back a month or so ago.”

“Well, someone else moved in already, so I might be able to find out who owns it from her.”

Jesse’s eyes widened. “Her? Tell me we’ve got new blood in the neighbourhood.”

Something tightened in Trevor’s gut. He had absolutely no reason to feel possessive, or protective, but damn if that wasn’t what whipped through his veins the instant interest lit up Jesse’s expression. “Yeah. Must be an old schoolteacher come to retire, or something,” he lied.

Anticipation faded from Jesse’s blue eyes. “Well, damn it all.” He threw his beer bottle across the deck into the open garbage can, the glass ringing loudly off the metal frame. “I swear Rocky is where people come to die. Makes it difficult to find anybody to spend time with.”

The utter dejection in his cousin’s voice made Trevor laugh out loud. “What makes it difficult is the fact you’ve already dated all the women in the area and pissed off most of them, in this county and the next three over.”

Jesse held his hands up in surrender, flashing a grin. “I can’t help it if I’m too much for any one woman to handle.”

Rafe made a gagging noise from the doorway. “If anyone has any appetite left after that load of crap got delivered, get your asses in here and help. Trevor, I take it you’re staying for supper?”

Trevor had his own place down the road, but he liked company too much to spend his evenings alone. “I’ll cook the vegetables and save your taste buds from Jesse’s slam-bam-thank-you-ma’am cooking methods.”

Jesse snorted as he rose to join them in the kitchen. “You two have no idea what culinary marvels I’m capable of. I keep my talent on the down-low, kind of like Superman in the kitchen.”

“No argument here—you’ve got a stomach of steel. We’re far too redneck for your class of cooking.” Rafe shoved a dirty plate into Jesse’s hands. “That’s why you get to wash. And get a move on, ’cause there’s nothing to eat off.”

Trevor forgot his worries in the complaining and joking that followed. But one thing he didn’t forget was the pair of light-brown eyes that had burned into him with all the fire he liked in a woman.

Intriguing. That’s what she was. Not only did Becky Hall have the answers he needed, she was easy on the eyes, and he wanted to find out what made her tick. It was a good combination—one that made him eager to return to the old rental house.

Becky was going to find out just how determined he was to be neighbourly…

 

Pre-Order Today!

Digital: Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | iBooks US | iBooks UK | iBooks CA| Barnes & Noble | Kobo | GooglePlay

Print:  Amazon