by Stacy Gail
“It’s calving season.”
“Oh gee, really? I hadn’t noticed.” She had to bite her lips together to keep from asking what that had to do with his ranch, but it would’ve been one hell of a good question. Green Rock Ranch was known as one of the greatest Black Angus stud ranches in the world. Their three award-winning bulls—and their precious, purebred seed—was what made the Brodys one of the wealthiest families in the state, if not all of North America. They were all about making babies of the bovine variety, at least from the artificial insemination standpoint.
The calving part, though... The ranch had a savvy ranch manager in Gus Anders, who oversaw whatever births there were at Green Rock. But for as long as Lilah had been alive, calving had never been a huge part of Green Rock Ranch’s operation.
Until now, apparently.
But as curious as she was, she’d be damned if she was going to ask him about it.
Fin slid his hands into the back pockets of his well-worn jeans. “Look at you. You have no idea what I’m talking about, do you? Your mom and your brother Lawrence haven’t told you what’s been going on at the ranch, have they?”
Her mother, Dottie was the Green Rock Ranch’s office manager, and her brother had become a ranch hand right out of high school, and was now their heavy machinery equipment manager. “Nope.”
“And you haven’t asked about what’s going on at Green Rock?”
“Nope again.”
“Why not?”
She stared at him. Was he serious? “Why would I?”
“Why wouldn’t you?”
Ugh. “News flash, pal. I don’t waste my time asking about things I’m not interested in. But I am interested in getting on with my day, so—”
“You used to be interested.” Without warning he stepped into her space. Like that, the option of moving forward vanished, unless she wanted a full-body collision. Which she didn’t. Nope. Definitely not. “Wasn’t too long ago that I couldn’t turn around without bumping into you.”
Pain twisted in her chest, and her eyes snapped to his. Was he trying to remind her of how much of a fool she’d made of herself? Was he really that much of a dick? “Wow, you’re in the mood for ancient history today, aren’t you? First our so-called wedding, and now this—rehashing how much I annoyed you by being your faithful little shadow. Feeling nostalgic in our old age, are we?”
“I’m not that old, and when did I ever say you were an annoyance?”
“I’m not sure I can’t count that high.”
“I never said it, because you weren’t, so don’t go putting words in my mouth. I’ll allow you to put a lot of things in my mouth, sunshine, but words aren’t on that list. I can speak for my own damn self.”
Her skin sizzled from the top of her head all the way down to the juncture of her thighs. But if he was looking for her to react, he was doomed to disappointment. “Why the hell are you here?”
“Finally, the real Lilah appears.” He smiled a slow, lazy smile that started at one corner of his mouth and ended at the other. “Ry’s decided to run a small organic Black Angus beef operation called Pure Angus. Ever heard of it?”
“No.” And she didn’t want to.
A brow lifted, and for a second she could have sworn he’d read her thoughts. “Yeah, well, he’s trying to grow his organic herd as fast as possible. Unfortunately that asshole went and got married a week ago. You were invited to the wedding, by the way.”
That was news to her. “Even if I’d known about it, I wouldn’t have gone.”
His eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, even if you’d known about it? Didn’t your mother tell you? It was a quick ceremony, no time to send out invites, but I told your mom I wanted you there.”
Her mother. Of course. “Guess it slipped her mind.”
That didn’t un-narrow his eyes one bit. “Ry getting married was great and all, but he could’ve picked a better time for it. That asshole’s happily run off on his honeymoon at the worst time of year, leaving the rest of us to deal with his shit. This includes dozens and dozens of cows and heifers about to pop, or in the process of popping. I came into the clinic today to get Green Rock on Doc Petrosian’s radar to try to get out ahead of the rush. Before you know it, the whole damn ranch is going to be balls-deep in calves and complications. Our regular operation can’t handle that kind of distraction, so from now until the end of calving season we’re going to pay top-dollar to have the Petrosian clinic pretty much live out at the ranch to make sure our first year of being in the beef business is a successful one.”
The thought froze her in place, along with the blood in her veins. Then she realized he wasn’t specifically referring to her. “Okay.” She offered a totally fake smile she knew he’d see right through, but whatever. She didn’t give a damn what he saw or didn’t see in her. Not anymore. “Sounds like you’ve got everything taken care of, so yay for you. As Green Rock Ranch is one of the biggest working ranches in Texas, I’m sure Dr. Petrosian will accommodate your needs.”
“Oh, my needs are definitely going to be accommodated,” he assured her. “And you’re going to play a big part on that score.”
Look for Braced by Stacy Gail
Available Fall 2018
Wherever Carina Press eBooks are sold.
Copyright © 2018 by Stacy Gail Shoeman
Acknowledgments
Thanks so much to Angela James and all the crew at Carina Press. If they hadn’t done an open call for contemporary cowboy romances, I might never have taken the time to bring Ry and Celia’s story to life.
About the Author
A competitive figure skater from the age of eight, Stacy Gail began writing stories in between events to pass the time. By the age of fourteen, she told her parents she was either going to be a figure skating coach who was also a published romance writer, or a romance writer who was also a skating pro. Now with a day job of playing on the ice with her students, and writing everything from steampunk to cyberpunk, contemporary to paranormal at night, both dreams have come true.
Connect with Stacy Gail:
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/RmNxH
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1rU3qmY
Twitter: https://Twitter.com/Stacy_Gail_
Instagram: https://Instagram.com/stacygailsworld/
Blog: http://stacygail.blogspot.com/
Also available from Stacy Gail and Carina Press
Bitterthorn, Texas series
Ugly Ducklings Finish First
Starting from Scratch (novella)
One Hot Second
Where There’s a Will
The Earth Angels
Nobody’s Angel (novella)
Savage Angel
Wounded Angel
Dangerous Angel
Novellas
Crime Wave in a Corset (Part of the steampunk holiday anthology A Clockwork Christmas)
How the Glitch Saved Christmas (Part of the sci-fi holiday anthology A Galactic Holiday)
And watch for the next book in the Brody Brothers series, Braced, coming soon!
Also available from Stacy Gail
House of Payne: Payne
House of Payne: Scout
House of Payne: Twist
House of Payne: Rude
House of Payne: Steele
House of Payne: Max
Year of the Scorpio: Part One
Year of the Scorpio: Part Two
Boom
Watch for the next book in the House of Payne series, Tag, coming soon!
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ISBN-13: 9781488099533
Branded
Copyright © 2018 by Stacy Gail Shoeman
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All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
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