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Siren in Waiting
Texas Sirens Book 5
By Lexi Blake writing as Sophie Oak
Coming September 4, 2018
Click here to purchase.
Re-released in a second edition with new content.
Bethany “Mouse” Hobbes spent her entire life waiting, especially for the love of Bo O’Malley. But for the first time in her life, she is ready to start living, with or without him. She has found her dream, restoring a rustic farmhouse on the outskirts of town.
Trev McNamara left Deer Run a high school hero and has returned, his football career in ruins. When Trev meets Mouse, he discovers a passion strong enough to overcome his past. But can she accept his need for control?
Bo O’Malley has lived his whole life in the shadow of his brother, never committing to anything or anyone. When the woman he secretly loved all his life begins an affair with the man who betrayed his trust, Bo will do anything to claim her as his own.
Transformed by their love, will Mouse be enough woman for both of them?
* * * *
Bo turned back to his whiskey. It looked like he was going to need it after all. He reached for it, but Trev’s hand whisked it away. He shoved it down the bar where Leo handed it back to the bartender.
“I think you can consider Mr. O’Malley’s tab closed until further notice,” Leo informed the bartender.
“Hey, I was drinking that,” he protested.
“Not anymore you aren’t.” Trev sat down on the stool next to him. His face had softened.
“You don’t have any right to tell a man what he can and can’t do.” What the hell was Trev doing here?
“I’m exactly the person to listen to about this. That whiskey isn’t going to fix your problem. Let’s get out of here. We can talk about Beth.”
Fuck. Trev had obviously heard his message to Mouse. “I’m not going to talk about this with you. I’m not going to try to kiss her again if that’s what you’re worried about. She picked you. You win. I lose. Now leave me be.”
“What if neither one of us had to lose?”
Bo stopped. What was Trev saying? Fuck. He knew exactly what Trev was saying. It wasn’t anything he hadn’t thought of himself in the hours since he’d realized Mouse wasn’t going to leave Trev for him. How could he not think about it? He had living, laughing, loving proof paraded in front of him every day that a relationship like that could work.
“I don’t like men.” That was why it couldn’t work. He wasn’t bisexual. No matter what his father said. He didn’t begrudge his brother and Lucas. Hell, Bo loved Lucas like a brother himself. Lucas was part of his family, but he didn’t view other men as sexual objects.
Trev sighed. “I don’t have sex with men, either. I know it seems like I’ve done just about everything decadent the universe has to offer, but I haven’t done another dude. I don’t have a problem with it. I’m simply not intrigued. Rest assured, I’m not after your dick.”
Bo finally looked at Trev. “Fine. I don’t like you.”
Trev seemed nonplussed about that fact. “We got along once. We could get along again. For Beth’s sake.”
Crap. His cock twitched at the thought. Hadn’t he had enough to drink that his cock should be asleep now? He had a sudden vision of Mouse, her gorgeous pale form surrounded by their tanned skin. She would be so fucking small in between them. They could turn her from one to the other, kissing her at will. She would be a pretty doll between them. They could lavish her with pleasure in a way one man alone couldn’t.
“I don’t think Mouse would go for that.” No way was this going to happen. And even if she did want it, would he be able to do it? After what Trev had done? What had Trev truly done? He’d closed a door in Bo’s face. And Bo had walked away. That was what he always did. He always walked away. And he never really tried. He expected that it would all go bad. He expected that if he fought, he would lose.
Wasn’t that what he’d done with Mouse?
His head was swimming with alcohol and possibilities.
“You are going to call her Beth. I won’t allow you to call her by that nickname anymore,” Trev said, his tone stern. “Her name is Beth. That’s one of the rules.”
Rules? There were rules now? “I think I’ll call her whatever I like.”
He tensed as a big hand went around his neck, and he was hauled off of his barstool.
Trev looked down at him, his eyes narrow and his face as hard as a rock. “You will show her some goddamn respect. Whether you end up accepting my proposal or not, if I ever hear you call her by that demeaning name again, I will beat the fuck out of you. You can’t take care of her while you’re putting her down. And you sure as fuck can’t take care of her until you start taking care of yourself.”
Bo put a hand on the barstool, trying to regain his balance. The whole world felt like it had tilted, and he wasn’t sure where he was going to land.
Lost in Bliss
Nights in Bliss, Colorado Book 4
By Lexi Blake writing as Sophie Oak
Coming September 25, 2018
Click here for more information.
Laura Niles walked out the door and never looked back. As she left Washington, DC, her career was in ruins and her love life decimated. Her desperate flight eventually led her to Bliss, Colorado, where she managed to find a new home and a little peace. That will have to be enough because Laura cannot imagine finding happiness without the men she left behind.
For five years, Rafe Kincaid and Cameron Briggs have searched for the only woman they ever loved. When she disappeared, everything became crystal clear. For one night, everything had been perfect and instead of embracing what they had found, they let it all slip away. They had let worries about their FBI careers and what others might think destroy the most precious gift they had ever been given. Now they have finally tracked her down, and they want answers.
Laura is shocked when her former loves show up in her new home. When the full force of the FBI arrives with them, Laura knows that the quirky little town is in for a rough ride. The killer that ruined her life has been watching and waiting for the opportunity to strike again. For Rafe, Cam, and Laura it’s time for second chances — to stop a monster, and to reclaim everything they lost.
* * * *
Rafe didn’t miss the way Laura’s body went still, her muscles stiffening where a moment before she’d been laughing with her friends. She changed the second she became aware of them. It wasn’t the greeting he would prefer. Back when they were friends, when she would see him coming, her whole body would go soft and a welcoming smile would transform her face from something professional to an intimate visage, one only meant for someone close to her. He’d taken great pride in the fact that he’d only ever seen that look on her face for one other person.
“Hello, bella.”
She frowned at him. Even with her lips turned down, she was stunning. She looked only slightly out of place in her yellow heels. The rest of her outfit was charmingly Western. She had on a full cotton skirt, a yellow tank top, and a light denim jacket. It wasn’t far off from what many of the other women were wearing, yet Laura made it seem elegant. Everything she did had an air of grace to it, even when she was bitching at him.
“I thought I asked you to stop calling me that.”
He wasn’t going to let her push him. He gave her what he hoped was an easy smile. “And I asked you to stop calling me asshole. I doubt you’ve done that. Dance with me.”
Her eyes widened, a look of horror crossing her face. “No.”
“Come on, baby. Don’t say no.” Cam crowded her, but she held her ground. Those heels were p
lanted firmly in the grass beneath her. “I can’t dance with you until you dance with him. I lost the coin flip.”
“Oh, that’s romantic.” Her hands found her hips, and those gorgeously full lips pursed. “Every woman in the world wants to be won by the flip of a coin.”
“We didn’t have time to play cards,” Rafe admitted. He was well aware that people were listening in. Oh, they were pretending to be doing other things, but they leaned over and then talked behind their hands. The citizens of Bliss seemed to be enjoying the drama. Damn, he couldn’t get used to it. In DC, no one paid a bit of attention to what was going on around them. He tried to ignore it. “We weren’t sure how else to handle it, bella. You have to teach us.”
Her lips rose in a sarcastic grin. “See, that’s easy. Let me teach you how to handle a situation like this. You both turn around and walk out the way you came in. You get in your car and drive to Alamosa and get on a plane back to DC.”
Cam sighed. “That’s not going to happen.”
Cam ran a hand up her arm, and Rafe was satisfied with the way she shivered. She still responded to Cam. Would she respond to him? He reached out and took her hand, studying it. Her hand was small in his, her skin fair against his olive tone. Her nails weren’t as long as she used to keep them, but they were still manicured and painted a pretty pink. “Come on and dance with me. We came all this way. We’ve looked for so long. Can’t you spare a moment of your time? I promise to behave.”
He wouldn’t behave. He had every intention of reminding her of the chemistry they’d had, but he wasn’t going to announce it.
“Fine.” She pushed off of the picnic table she’d been leaning against. “One dance and that’s all.”
“With both of us,” Cam added quickly, pushing the advantage. “It’s only fair. Otherwise, we’ll both dance with you here and now.”
There it was. Rafe’s heart soared. Her eyes had flared momentarily, and it wasn’t with disgust. When they had checked into the odd motel at the edge of town, they had decided it would be best to come at her together. She’d been turned on by sex with both of them. They needed to remind her of what they had to offer.
Cowboy Cross My Heart
Heart of Texas Book 1
By Donna Grant
Coming August 28, 2018
Click here to purchase.
New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant takes you deep inside the Texas rodeo scene in the second book in her Heart of Texas series, Cowboy, Cross My Heart, where danger and desire ride side by side...
Naomi Pierce isn’t the type to let a cowboy sweep her off feet. It’s not her first rodeo, after all. But when she returns to her Texas hometown, she can’t help but be swept up again in the rough-and-tumble world of hard-riding, bronco-busting good-ol’-boys she loved as a girl. She might be here to photograph her Rodeo Queen best friend. But it’s one fine-looking cowboy who really captures her eye…
Brice Harper is all man, all muscle, and all heart. From the moment he rides into the stadium, he can’t help but notice the beautiful stranger with a camera watching him from the stands. It doesn’t take a zoom lens to see the sparks of instant attraction. But things really heat up when he meets Naomi up-close―and he discovers that someone is stalking her friend. Brice wouldn’t be any kind of cowboy if he didn’t offer to help the ladies out. But can the rough rider keep this spirited shutterbug out of danger―without risking his heart?
* * * *
Chapter One
March
Excitement rushed through everyone as the lights suddenly cut out in the arena. Naomi slid to the edge of the metal bench in the darkness, her heart kicking up a notch as silence fell over the crowd of several thousand. The only sound was the occasional stamp of a hoof from the animals or the jingle of a bridle.
A spotlight came on and swung to the gates. It had been years since Naomi had been to a rodeo, but it took just a few seconds for the memories of that splendid time in her life to fill her.
Seemingly, as one, everyone rose to their feet and put their hands over their hearts. Her mind halted at the first strings of the national anthem that played loudly over the speakers. The first horse came walking out of the gates, with the American flag being held by none other than Naomi’s best friend, Whitney Nolan.
Behind Whitney was another woman with the Texas flag. The two made their way around the edge of the arena several times, the horses moving from a walk to a trot to a gallop, and then a full-out run with the flags rippling in the wind. As Whitney neared her, Naomi flashed her a smile, the tears gathering.
Naomi blinked through them as her mind went back to high school and the third member of their group, Suellen, who had dreamed of being exactly where Whitney was. It was one reason Naomi had returned now.
Besides, it had been too long since she had done more than talk to her best friend over the phone or visit her mother.
Whitney and the other woman halted in the middle of the arena at the crescendo of music. The spotlight caught on the rhinestones of her friend’s white chaps with writing claiming Whitney the Rodeo Queen of Baxter County.
Naomi grinned at the large crown fitted on the white Stetson hat atop Whitney’s long, golden waves. When the anthem concluded, applause erupted as the lights came back on.
After a tribute to the military and a prayer had commenced, Naomi discreetly took pictures of everything. She resumed her seat and watched Whitney return through the gates as the event began.
Naomi laughed when the rodeo clowns rushed into the arena to get the crowd going. She snapped photos while enjoying the show. Part of her wished she had made it in time for the day rodeo when she could have seen the youngsters doing the steer racing.
It wasn’t long before she was once more sucked back into a world she had left behind. She lost track of time as she cheered the events from calf roping, steer wrestling, and bareback riding.
When it came time for the barrel racers, Naomi’s heart missed a beat. This had been her event. And she had loved every second of it.
With every rider that rushed through the gates and worked their horse around the barrels, she held her breath until they crossed over the finish line. When the final rider finished, the scoreboard went up, and her camera nearly slipped through her fingers.
Her time had yet to be beaten. There were some that came close, but somehow, she was still the rider to beat. Even after all these years.
She nearly forgot to raise her camera when the event shifted to team roping. Naomi paid no attention to the announcer as he spouted off the names of the first contestants while the clowns hurried to remove the barrels.
Naomi lifted her camera and looked through the viewfinder. She took rapid shots to get everything from the moment the gate was pulled and the steer rushed from the header box, to when the lead roper—called a header—got the rope around the steer’s horns. Once the header had the steer turned, the heeler would rope its back legs.
It was a timed event, so it was always fun to watch who was the quickest. Naomi loved that women competed in the teams, as well. Some duos were mixed, some not.
Naomi swung her camera to the next two up for the event and snapped a couple of pictures.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the announcer said over the speaker. “The winners of the past three years are once more in the arena. Let’s give a warm welcome to Brice and Caleb Harper.”
The applause was deafening. Naomi looked down at her camera and pulled up the picture she’d just taken. She stared at the guy in a tan Stetson and a red and orange plaid button-down who looked at the arena as if it were his battlefield, while the other wore a mischievous grin that had obviously broken many hearts, along with a brown Stetson and a chambray shirt.
“These brothers are the ones to beat,” the announcer finished.
Naomi had to admit, both were handsome, but there was something about the serious one that kept drawing her gaze. For the first time, she pulled her head away from her camera to the gates and wa
tched as the cowboy maneuvered his horse into the header slot.
Somehow, she wasn’t surprised that he was in that position. Was he the eldest? She imagined he might be.
She lifted her camera again and took picture after picture, shocked at how skilled—and quick—the brothers were. No one seemed surprised when they won the first round of the event.
When she lowered her camera, her gaze remained on the serious one and strayed to his ass. Because there was just something about a man in Wranglers that she couldn’t resist.
As he wound his rope, his eyes lifted and looked right at her.
Naomi’s heart missed a beat. She smiled nervously. Right before he grabbed the reins, he tipped his hat at her and rode off.
At least she thought he’d been looking at her, but the women behind her giggled loudly, each wondering if she had been the object of his greeting.
Naomi laughed at herself and readied for the first round of bull riding, which was the main event at any rodeo. She’d once dated a bull rider. Briefly. She had been too young for their wild, reckless ways and how they eagerly put their lives in danger each time they climbed on a bull, hoping to hear the buzzer on that eight-second ride.
But people lived for the event. The crazier the bull, the louder the crowd cheered. Naomi took more pictures, her heart in her throat each time a cowboy was bucked off, and the bull went after them.
One of her pictures captured how close the bull’s horns had been to gorging the cowboy. Yet, with each near-death experience, the crowd gasped then cheered both the rider for getting away and the rodeo clowns for coming between the bull and the contestant.
