Before The Night Is Over

by Sandy Sullivan

  Before The Night Is Over

  Montana Cowboys 2

  Sandy Sullivan

  EROTIC ROMANCE

  Secret Cravings Publishing

  www.secretcravingspublishing.com

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  Secret Cravings Publishing Book

  Erotic Romance

  Before The Night Is Over

  Montana Cowboys 2

  Copyright © 2010 by Sandy Sullivan

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-936653-62-1

  First E-book Publication: May 2011

  Cover design by Beth Walker

  Edited by Stephanie Ballestiri

  Proofread by Mahalia Levey

  All cover art and logo copyright © 2010 by Secret Cravings Publishing

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  Secret Cravings Publishing

  www.secretcravingspublishing.com

  Dedication

  This installment of Montana Cowboys is dedicated to

  Debbie Uher Laurie.

  Thanks for being such a great fan of my cowboys.

  BEFORE THE NIGHT IS OVER

  Montana Cowboys 2

  Sandy Sullivan

  Copyright © 2011

  Chapter One

  Kale Dunn watched with amusement and then admiration, as the red-haired woman stomped through the throng of people inside the Saddle Club and headed straight for the unsuspecting guy standing next to the pool table. Kale’s mouth flopped open when she pulled back her fist and decked the guy, dropping him to the floor.

  “Holy shit! Did you see that?” he asked the guy sitting next to him at the bar.

  “What?”

  “The red head over there just decked Jeff Cox.”

  “Really? Where?”

  “By the pool table,” he replied before he grabbed his beer bottle from the bar and moved toward the ruckus.

  The woman struggled against the arms holding her as she let out a string of cuss words with enough color to make a sailor blush. “You son of a bitch! Get up, Jeff. You fucking coward!” she yelled. Her intended target still sat on the floor rubbing his chin.

  “Calm down, Laurel,” Jeff said.

  “Calm down my ass!” She pulled one arm free. “If you are such a man, why the hell don’t you face me? You beat up on my little sister until she’s black and blue, and then you come down here and pick up some other chick. You’re nothing but a fucking pussy!”

  “It’s none of your business what Elizabeth and I do at home.”

  “Bullshit! She’s my sister and you will not lay a hand on her again. I’ll kill you myself before I let you hurt her anymore.”

  Kale’s admiration grew by leaps and bounds when he heard her words. Only a coward of a man would hit a woman. Unfortunately, he knew the guy and he had to get involved.

  Red curls framed her face and spilled down her back in a cascading wave of fire. Black jeans hugged her hips and a white tank top curled around her breasts like a lover’s hand. Shit kicker boots sliced through the air as she tried to worm her way free of the two men holding her. Long legs outlined by the tight jeans and a taut butt ripe as two perfectly formed cantaloupes, had his palms itching to cup the mounds just to see if they felt good in his hands.

  Kale controlled his laughter, but he couldn't stop the twitching of his lips. One petite five-foot-three woman took down a six-foot man with one punch. Her knuckles probably throbbed and burned from the impact, but she didn’t seem to notice.

  “What seems to be the trouble here?” Kale asked, coming to stand between the woman and Jeff, who had just picked himself up off the floor.

  “Who the hell are you?” she asked, irritation clear in her tone.

  Sapphire blue eyes spit fire at him and he wondered if he really should get in the middle of this, but he couldn’t help it. She intrigued him beyond her dazzling looks and take-no-shit attitude.

  “Kale Dunn. You?”

  “Laurel Hayes,” she snarled, her gaze focused on the man behind him. “You don’t need to get involved in this, Mr. Dunn. This is between me and ass-wipe there.”

  “I disagree. You see, Mr. Cox is my employee.”

  “You own the Bar KD?” Her gaze fixed on him finally and his heart slammed against his ribs. Damn, she’s got pretty eyes to go along with the knock-out body.

  “Yes, ma’am. I can’t let you go around beatin’ up my guys. I need him to ride tomorrow,” Kale replied as he tried to hide his amusement. He nodded to the guys holding her to release her. Wrong move. She immediately lunged at Jeff again, so Kale grabbed her around the waist and hauled her up against his chest. With a sharp jab, her elbow connected with his jaw and they both tumbled to the floor. The air left his lungs in a whoosh when all one hundred twenty pounds of her landed on top of him.

  “Let go,” she spat, twisting and turning in his arms. Her butt rubbed against his groin, immediately bringing his dick to attention.

  “Sorry, babe. No can do. But if you don’t stop squirming like that, we’ll be doin’ our own little dance in the front seat of my truck.”

  A cold shower wouldn’t have brought such a quick response as she immediately stopped moving. Air rushed from between her lips in rapid, panting puffs, making her chest heave and push against his arm.

  “Are you gonna behave, Red?”

  “Fine,” she ground out between clenched teeth. “And don’t call me Red. I hate it.”

  Releasing a low grunt, he rolled over so she lay beneath him and then brought them both to their feet without letting her out of his arms. His job of wrestling cattle all day came in handy some times.

  Kale faced Jeff and said, “I do believe you should be goin’ home, Jeff, before Red here gets loose and takes you down again. I expect to see you in my office first thing tomorrow morning. Pack your gear before you come.”

  “Pack my gear?”

  “Yep. You’re done at the Bar KD. Find another outfit to work for. I’ll have your check ready.”

  “You’ll pay for this, Laurel,” Jeff snarled as he snatched his hat off the floor and moved toward the door.

  Kale watched his employee stomp through the crowd and bang the door hard against the wall as he left. The crowd around them dissipated now that the fun had waned.

  Laurel stood in
the circle of his arms with the curve of her ass cradling his erection. The faint smell of sweet pea wrapped around his senses and he fought the urge to bury his nose in the slope of her neck.

  “You can let go now,” she said. “There isn’t anyone else here I want to kill.”

  He eased his arm from around her just in case she decided to hit someone else and she stepped out of his embrace, leaving a cold, empty space. When she turned to face him, the sight of her hair in wild disarray, her eyes sparkling with anger, and her lips pursed in a pout, made his heart pound and blood rush to his ears. It had been a while since any woman turned him on like this so fast.

  “Can I buy you a beer?”

  “No thanks. I need to take care of my sister.” She turned to leave, but glanced back over her shoulder. “Thank you for firing him. I’m sure my sister won’t be happy about him being unemployed. It will probably cause more issues, but I’m glad to see there’s a man willing to take a stand on spousal abuse.”

  Not willing to let her go quite so quickly, he said, “You need to take care of those knuckles, too. Put some ice on them at least.” He lifted her hand and inspected the torn skin, fighting the urge to kiss them. “Has he been doin’ it for a while?”

  “I don’t know. I haven’t been here very long,” she replied, pulling her hand out of his grasp.

  “I didn’t think you looked familiar. I know pretty much everyone in this town.” And I sure would have remembered you.

  “Homeboy, huh?”

  “Yep. Born and raised right here in Red Rock. Is your sister the only reason you’re here?”

  “Yeah. For the most part.” Her lips pressed together in a firm line like she had already said too much. “Well, good night.” She tipped her head and walked toward the door.

  The sway of her hips beneath her jeans made his dick jump to attention again and he stifled the groan rumbling in his chest. He downed the rest of his beer and set the bottle on the bar. The night came to a screeching halt with her departure and he figured he might as well go on home.

  “This is pathetic. A Saturday night and I’m going home alone,” he grumbled out loud. Warm Montana air hit his face when he stepped outside. June in this neck of the woods meant heat, mosquitoes, and lots of hard work on his place. Relaxation came with a price for the owner of a cattle ranch and since he didn’t have a woman to go home to, he had hoped to find a willing lady at the bar. One red-haired spitfire took care of taking anyone else home. The mood was gone.

  His truck sat parked near the back of the lot like so many others in this area. If you didn't own a truck, you weren't a real cowboy. With a turn of the key, the diesel engine growled to life like a panther stalking his prey. Sweat stuck his hair to his head when he took off his hat and tossed it onto the seat next to him.

  Several trucks and cars cruised the main street into town and he pulled right in with them. Going home didn’t feel right. The darkness of the night, the brightness of the stars overhead, and the warmth of the June evening made him restless. I could go out and visit Cade and Natalie, I guess. He glanced at the clock. Ten o’clock. Nah. It’s too late to be buggin’ them. They’ve got the new baby and all.

  The bright lights of the local diner called to him. His shoulder lifted in a shrug and he pulled his truck into an open parking spot. Maybe a couple of his buddies would be hanging around and he could shoot the shit for a little while.

  A bell tinkled when he pulled on the glass panel, announcing his arrival to everyone in the place. At least a half-dozen people lifted their hands in greeting as he made his way down the linoleum path to a booth. He stopped and chatted with a few, slapped a few more on the back and then slid onto the bench seat.

  “I can’t believe you got him fired,” a female voice said.

  “I didn’t do it, Elizabeth. Jeff’s boss happened to be at the bar.”

  His keen hearing tuned into the conversation and he realized the women sitting behind him probably included Red.

  “How could you have hit him, Laurel?”

  “After he hit you? I’d say it was pretty damned easy.”

  The sniffing sound coming from the other booth told him Jeff’s wife was crying on her sister’s shoulder.

  “He has no right to hit you. Only a lowlife coward hits women.”

  “You know nothing about our life, Laurel. You moved here what? Two weeks ago?”

  “What is your point, Elizabeth? I’m not going to sit back and watch while he beats the hell out of you until one day he takes it too far.”

  The waitress approached his table, distracting him for a moment. “Hey, Kale. What’s it gonna be?”

  “Coffee and how about a piece of apple pie?”

  “Ice cream?”

  “Of course. Is there any other way?” he asked with a chuckle.

  “Nope,” she replied and smiled. “I’ll be right back.”

  The conversation behind him caught his attention again.

  “You should go on back to Los Angeles, Laurel. I don’t think Red Rock is the place for you. This is a small backward town. We have our own way of handling things and a woman punching out a man in the bar isn’t it.”

  “Are you telling me to leave?”

  “No, but you need to butt out.”

  “I’m a cop. I can’t turn my back on domestic abuse whether it involves someone I know or not.”

  A cop? That would explain her taking Jeff down with one punch. He sipped from the coffee cup in front of him and listened.

  “Why don’t you come with me back to L.A., Elizabeth? You know I only moved here to be near you with all the stuff he’s been doing, but I’ll forget my job and stuff here if it means keeping you safe.”

  “I’m not leaving my husband. I love him.”

  Red’s voice rose in anger. “Even after he beat the shit out of you? Wake up, sister. This type of relationship isn’t normal.”

  “It is what it is.”

  “You are driving me nuts!” Red exclaimed, drawing attention from a few of the diner patrons when several sets of eyes turned in their direction.

  “I’m going home.”

  The booth wiggled against his back with the movement from the woman behind him.

  “Elizabeth, please. At least stay with me tonight.”

  “No. I need to see my husband.”

  The blonde woman rushed past him and he heard Red yell her name.

  “Here’s your pie, Kale.”

  “Thanks, Jen.”

  The woman in the next booth sighed and he debated on whether to let her know he sat nearby. Deciding it would be best to make his presence known, he turned around.

  “Hi, Red.”

  One perfectly arched eyebrow shot up and her eyes narrowed. “Are you purposely trying to annoy me?”

  “Mind if I join you?” he asked, sliding out of the booth with coffee cup in one hand and pie plate in the other.

  “Yes.”

  “Too bad,” he replied, sitting down at the table with her. “You really need to learn to curb your temper.”

  Her lips pressed together in a firm line and he had the insane urge to kiss the daylights out of her until she moaned and molded those perfect breasts against his chest.

  “What business is it of yours?”

  A forkful of pie reached his lips and when he opened his mouth, her gaze focused on his lips. Hers parted and he figured she had no idea her breathing had sped up, but the rapid rise and fall of her chest told him.

  Interesting. Maybe this won’t be such a bad night after all.

  “I would hate to see you get into trouble. Being a cop, I’m sure you carry handcuffs and a gun.”

  “Yeah.”

  “And I’m sure you know exactly how to use them.”

  “I would hope so.”

  “There are other ways to get back at your brother-in-law.”

  “Go on.”

  “I can’t go into detail here. Too many ears.”

  “What do you suggest?”

&nbs
p; “We could go somewhere more private.”

  A hearty laugh left her lips and she tossed a silky strand of gorgeous hair over her shoulder. “Do I look stupid? I don’t even know you. Why would I go anywhere with you?”

  “You can trust me.”

  “I wasn’t born yesterday, Mr. Dunn.”

  “Kale.”

  “All right, Kale.” She leaned against the back of the booth and rested one elbow on the seat. The nonchalant posture did nothing to calm his libido when her shirt pulled tight over those incredible breasts and her nipples puckered enough he could clearly see them through her shirt and bra. “Let me assure you, being a cop in Los Angeles comes with a certain amount of common sense and going anywhere with a stranger is at the bottom of the common sense list.”

  “Anyone in this diner would vouch for me,” he replied with a wave of his hand to indicate the patrons.

  “I’m sure they would since you told me at the bar, you were born and raised here.”

  “It’s not like I plan on taking advantage of you without your permission.”

  “So you plan on taking advantage of me with my permission?”

  “It wouldn’t hurt my feelin’s, darlin’. You are a beautiful woman, after all.”

  One half of her lips lifted in a smile and his dick jumped to attention. God, she can turn me inside out with nothing more than a grin.

  “Don’t beat around the bush, Kale. If you want to take me home and fuck my brains out, just say it.”

  He crooked a finger and she leaned close. “I want to take you home and fuck your brains out, Red.”

  She grabbed the digit in front of her and sucked it between her lips. Her tongue wrapped around the end and he’d never felt anything like it before. White hot desire zinged from the end of his finger straight to his dick. Her pupils dilated, almost encompassing the blue of her irises. His breathing sped up and he panted like a steam locomotive. She dipped her finger into the ice cream on his plate and lifted it to his lips. Unable to fight the urges rushing through him, he sucked it between his lips and nibbled on the tip. Ice cream melted on his tongue and mixed with the salt of her skin—sweet and potent enough to draw his balls up tight against his groin and make his dick strain for release.