If you’ve enjoyed my bounty hunters in the past, I can guarantee you’ll love Cyrus. It is action-packed and features two characters you will fall in love with. You can “meet” Cyrus in the opening scene of the book here: Cyrus Excerpt. He’s grumpy, likes his space, and thinks he doesn’t really need anybody—until he meets Milly. He thinks she’s not his type but is quickly intrigued because she surprises him at every turn. All I can say is they were fun to write, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
Anyway, the book is out! I hope you get your copy! This is the start of a new series! — Oh! And it’s currently FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
Cyrus
The first new hire of the Montana Bounty Hunters: West Yellowstone, MT, isn’t much of a team player and isn’t sure he’s ready to stick around until he meets a pretty park ranger as independent and stubborn as he is.
Former Army Ranger Cyrus Walsh signs on with the competition when he sees the handwriting on the wall. The Montana Bounty Hunters are moving into his territory, and he can either join them or move on. So, he’ll give them a try but soon discovers he doesn’t mind so much riding with a new partner or working within the confines of an agency that respects their hunters’ strengths.
While chasing a skip in the nearby national park, he and his new partner encounter the skip and a park ranger, facing down a grizzly bear. The park ranger’s actions save the day, and he finds himself intrigued by the woman, who under normal circumstances, he’d never give a second glance. It’s not like he’s looking for a relationship; he’s not an easy man to be around. But her understated beauty and fiercely independent nature draw him closer, and he finds himself, reluctantly, asking her out.
Milly Bauer knows she’s not in the same league as the burly, handsome bounty hunter, but she’s eager to let things play out between them. There’s something she wants from him, experiences she’s denied herself. Something tells her Cyrus is just the man to provide what’s been lacking in her life, if only for a while.
While they get to know each other and find themselves inextricably drawn closer, their dangerous jobs make them wonder whether they can share a future together.
Meet Milly…
The hunters have apprehended their skip, but he suffered some injuries while running away from them in the woods in Yellowstone park where our heroine is a park ranger. I just love her. She’s not your usual heroine and because she’s unexpected the hero can’t help but notice her…
Milly Bauer followed the two burly bounty hunters back to the trailhead as they carried Tate Smith between them. They made it look easy, although both men were coated in sweat by the time they arrived back at their vehicle. When she mentioned loading Tate into her Tahoe, she’d gotten another of the bigger guy’s scowls. He acted like she was trying to horn in on his takedown. She didn’t give a rat’s ass who got the credit. However, they were operating inside the park, so it was her duty to make sure rules were followed.
Once at the clinic, the nicer one followed Tate Smith to the imaging center to get X-rays of his right foot and shoulder. It looked like he had indeed broken his ankle and several smaller bones in his foot, as well as dislocated his shoulder.
“They’ll be a while,” she warned the bigger guy. “I’m Milly Bauer, by the way,” she said, holding out her hand and hoping he’d give her a name because “nicer guy” and “bigger guy” would likely blurt from her mouth if she didn’t have a proper name to assign the two hunters.
She guessed his eyes remained permanently narrowed—maybe it was genetic—because his eyes didn’t widen when he reached slowly to shake her hand.
“Cyrus Walsh.”
“And your friend?”
“Mike Meakin. He’s a police officer with the West Yellowstone PD.”
“So, he’s got a real job when he’s not hanging with bounty hunters?” She meant it as a joke, but the chilly look he gave her said he didn’t appreciate her humor. She held up her hands. “Didn’t mean to offend.”
He grunted and turned in his seat to stare down the hallway where his friend had disappeared. “You don’t have to wait around with us. We’ve got this handled.”
“My boss wants me to stick with you and escort you out of the park after your prisoner is fixed up. He really doesn’t like bounty hunters.”
Again, he grunted, and she found she rather liked the rude sound. Most men weren’t as honest about their disinterest in her.
“So, have you ever faced a grizzly before?” she asked.
“Have you?” he asked, his head swiveling toward her.
She unclipped her can of bear spray from her utility belt. “Nope, but I did come prepared.” She sniffed the fingers that had held down the nozzle when she’d sprayed. “Can’t believe soap and water worked so well.”
“I was curious why you didn’t go straight for your gun,” he said.
“I didn’t want to kill the bear if I didn’t need to.”
“He was charging you and Tate.”
“I was in his territory.”
He rolled his eyes.
“I’d have pulled my Sig,” she said, patting the weapon in her holster, “but that was a grizzly, and if I’d shot him, I might have only pissed him off. Who says I’d have had a chance to take a second shot.”
His jaw rotated, and then he clamped it tight.
“Seeing as you’re so gun-ho,” she said, wincing at her own pun, “why’d you decide to make noise and charge the bear instead of shooting?”
“I wasn’t close enough to be in any danger.” His mouth curved into a slight smirking smile.
She narrowed her eyes. “But I was.”
He shrugged. “You looked like you had things handled with your can of bear piss.”
Was he trying to piss her off? “It’s not bear piss; bear repellent is made of hot peppers, capsaicin to be specific.” She laughed and shook her head. “Are you always such an asshole?”
He sighed and wiped a hand over his face. “I’m not good with people.”
“No kidding.” Still, she grinned—and noted that his gaze dropped to her mouth before darting back up to her eyes.
His scowl deepened, his eyebrows drawing together.
Milly rather liked earning those frowny faces. At least he wasn’t ignoring her.
He cleared his throat. “Seeing as how Mike’s going to be a bit, you want to get some coffee?”
She hid her surprise and shrugged. “We can get fast food, or there’s Wylie’s Canteen in Lake Lodge. We can get coffee and some sandwiches there if you like. Maybe bring something back for your friend and Tate, too…?”
Cyrus rose to his feet. “I’ll text him and see if he needs to visit the facilities before I leave.”
He pulled his phone from his pocket and quickly typed a message. “He says he’s good. He’ll eat anything but hates mayo.”
“I’ll drive since I know where we’re going. The canteen, right?” At his nod, she pulled her keys from her pocket. “It’s not far.”
The short drive was made in silence. The cafeteria wasn’t too busy, so they quickly queued up their trays and pushed them along the rail. Such a domestic thing to do, and she knew they looked absurd—her in her uniform, standing beside a big brute of a handsome man. Everyone was craning their necks to watch as they plucked pre-made sandwiches from refrigerated displays, adding chips and drinks before sliding their stacked trays toward the register.
“I got this,” Cyrus said.
“I’ll get my own food.”
“Already have my wallet out.”
She raised both eyebrows and slowly nodded because she figured he was determined to win. “I appreciate it. Thank you. Do you want to eat here or back at the clinic waiting room?”
He glanced at his phone. “They’re still waiting on imaging. Let’s eat here.”
They took seats at a small table overlooking the parking lot and began unwrapping and opening their food and drinks.
“You live in the park?” he asked.
She was surprised he was making an effort at polite conversation. She lifted a crisp potato chip. “I don’t. Actually, I live in West Yellowstone. I was born and raised there.” She chomped on the chip while he gave her another hard-to-read frown.
“Well, hell,” he said under his breath.
She laughed, although she knew she should’ve felt insulted by his lack of enthusiasm for what she’d shared. “Thought you’d never bump into me again, didn’t you?”
