UPDATE: The winner of the free download is Lynne Rivet!
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“It’s all about that badge, ’bout that badge, no trouble…” That isn’t how that song goes? And now it’s in your head…
You’re welcome! But isn’t it true? Don’t you love the thought of a man with a badge—sworn to protect—and all you want is for that man to prove he’s a hero? Well, my hero in Sweeter Than Honey is a lot like Colt Triplehorn. A man torn between duty and his heart. And since this is a romance, we know which way he’ll swing, right?
Post a comment and you’ll be entered to win a free
download from among myTriple Horn Brandstories! And don’t forget to enter yesterday’s drawing too. I won’t be
picking any prizes until release day, tomorrow!
“With amazing suspense, and hot, dominant lovin’ this cowboy and his high school sweetheart take the reader on an amazing emotional journey… Once again, thank you, Ms. Devlin, for stealing my heart with complex and witty characters, hot sex and riveting suspense!”5/5 Books, Reviews by Molly
“Devlin has done it again! I pretty much gobble up anything she writes and “Laying Down the Law” is another hit…”The Brunette Librarian Seeking sanctuary could be the hottest mistake she ever made.
The TripleHorn Brand, Book 1
A lifetime ago, Zuri Prescott kicked the dirt off her boots and ditched her small-time small town for the glam city life—and lived to regret it. When she’s framed for a bank job, she lights out for home, seeking refuge with her old high school sweetheart while she figures out her next steps. Only she discovers that the boy she left behind is the last man she should trust.
Sheriff Colt Triplehorn knows trouble when he sees it, especially when it comes in the form of a familiar trespasser, caught naked between an angry bull and her underwear. Sure she’s up to her usual no good, he grants her sanctuary at his ranch—the better to keep an eye on her, and purge her from his system once and for all.
Reconnection is sweet and hot, but the heat can’t hide the truth. When Colt inevitably finds out what Zuri’s running from, it’s too late to put the fire out, and he’s got a career-compromising choice on his hands. Follow the letter of the law, or follow his heart.
Product Warnings: When a sheriff captures the girl who got away, expect revenge so hot it leaves brands on two lonely hearts…
Zuri looked up, her hands pulling the belt tighter around her waist, grateful that this time she was covered neck to mid-calf. Still, she was hyper-aware she was naked underneath it and only one knot away from making another big mistake.
“You find everything you needed?” he asked, his tone impersonal.
Oddly, she thought she might actually prefer that ragged edge of anger he’d blistered her with by the river. “Yes, thanks.” She dropped the ties and smoothed her hands down her sides, nervous beneath his unblinking stare. “I don’t suppose you have anything I might wear, besides this robe, that is.” She flushed at how awkward this felt, how ridiculous her situation was. A closet full of clothes hung waiting for her six hundred miles away.
“You’re pretty skinny. I might have some sweatpants and a T-shirt, but you’ll have to cinch in the pants at the waist to keep ’em from fallin’ off.”
Skinny? Once he’d likened her slender frame to a filly’s, and she’d taken it as the highest compliment. She lifted her chin. “That’d be fine.”
She jerked when he strode for her, but he edged around the bed, headed to his dresser and pulled out a pair of gray sweat pants and a navy tee. He tossed both on the bed, and then stood with his hands fisted on his hips.
Zuri bit back a complaint, wishing he’d quit hovering because he was keeping her on edge. But when he didn’t budge, she dragged her feet to the bed, scooped up the wash-softened cotton and turned toward the bathroom.
Yesterday, I slept late. Today, I was up at 5:30. I guess my subconscious wasn’t going to let me rest because I lost work-time yesterday futzing with my printer. Darn thing burned up. Add that to the computer going to the “blue screen of death” and I think technology was just reminding me not to take it for granted.
Anyway, I have a book coming out on Tuesday and I’m doing this little countdown, hoping to tempt you into pre-ordering my funny-sexy, historical western, Sweeter Than Honey. Yesterday, I reminded you I can write humor. Today, I’m proving I can write cowboys. You can pre-order your copy at Samhain, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo.
Post a comment and you’ll be entered to win a free download of True Heart.And don’t forget to enter yesterday’s drawing too. I won’t be picking any prizes until release day, February 10th (Tuesday, for those of us who can’t keep track of the date!).
“I have a definite soft spot in my heart for the strong silent type and True in this story…that’s my kind of guy. A little rough around the edges that loves as hard as he works. Can I PLEASE have a True? Man alive.” Taryn Elliott on on TRUE HEART
“I thought the story behind True was fascinating; he is a captivating character. A delightful read.” Sensual Reads
Two men plus one woman equals three bodies on fire…
True Wyatt’s hands are going to be full enough keeping the herd alive through the dead of winter. The last thing he needs to hear is that his brother Lonny has rented out their isolated hunting cabin to a reclusive writer—especially a sassy, disaster-prone brunette. Who has the time to babysit a city girl until Spring?
With a deadline looming, erotica writer Honey Cahill is looking forward to six distraction-free weeks to finish her next book. However, between Lonny’s flirty sensuality and True’s hard-edged intensity, the Wyatt brothers set the stage of her imagination for a winter of wicked delights.
The fire that destroys the cabin, though, is as real as it gets. Forced to seek a bed under True and Lonny’s roof, the temptation to experiment—all in the name of research, of course—is overpowering. One night in their arms doesn’t feel like enough; it feels like more. Particularly with one cowboy who fires all her cylinders…
Warning: It’s a Devlin ménage—expect men with stamina and not an ounce of mercy to behave like sex gods, and the lucky woman to love every minute of it. A little domination goes a long, long way…
True Wyatt prided himself on control—control over the multitude of responsibilities that came with riding herd over a successful ranch; control over his brother, who thought life should be enjoyed rather than conquered; and control over the desires he’d kept in rein since the demise of his marriage. And yet, the sight that greeted him this cold winter day told him he’d only been fooling himself.
From his perch high atop the ridge overlooking the lonely cabin, True Wyatt watched the shapely brunette as she made another trip to her car to pull boxes and suitcases from her backseat, one after the other. Grumpily, he wondered how she’d managed to stuff so much inside a Corolla. The trunk had held a similar assortment of printer-paper-sized boxes, which she’d manhandled into the house, her face growing rosy with exertion.
Despite the biting wind, she’d dispensed with her down coat and wore only a sweater with a crew neck, the sleeves pushed off her wrists. The dark blue knit hugged her upper torso, defining a lovely bosom and narrow waist. Every time she bent to pull out another box her designer jeans hugged her small rounded bottom, and his loins tightened.
Which annoyed the hell out of him. Fact was, he wished he could turn his horse away and pretend he hadn’t noticed trouble had arrived on his mountain. He knew exactly who to blame. His anger smoldered like hot coals ready to erupt into a full blaze. The clop of hooves approaching behind him carried just the fuel to add to the fire.
“Did you know?” True barked without glancing back.
“Know what?” his brother asked, humor underlying his slow drawl as he pulled up alongside him.
UPDATE: The winner of the free download is…Maggie!
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I slept in! That’s why this is late. It’s 8 AM and I’m still yawning, but it’s the good kind, like after you’ve had a very restful night and your body doesn’t quite want to let go… I’ll find a cup of coffee in a minute.
I have a new release coming from Samhain coming next Tuesday, February 10. Actually, it’s a new old release. Sweeter Than Honey was formerly A Taste of Honey and was published in Wild, Wild Women of the West years ago. I spiffed up the tale and sent it off to my editor. And I can’t wait for new readers to find it. It’s a very funny story. If I can laugh through sections I’ve read a million times, you know it’s funny. And it’s sexy. The poor sheriff of an old West Texas town is knocked sideways by a pretty, force-of-nature redhead. You can pre-order your copy at Samhain, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo. Did I mention it is set in the town of Two Mule where my Lone Star Lovers live?
Maybe I should remind you I can write funny.
I’m sharing an excerpt from Bad, Bad Girlfriend today, and I’ll give away a free download from that book to one lucky commenter.
“Ms. Devlin will have readers laughing one minute and screaming the next… Bad, Bad Girlfriend is a witty, heart pounding smoking hot read that is a must have.” 5 Angels, Fallen Angels
“Bad, Bad Girlfriend is just plain fun!…” 5 Stars, Just Erotic Romance
“My emotions ran wild while reading Bad, Bad Girlfriend… Don’t miss this mischievous woman’s attempts to secure her man’s love. I had a fantastic time reading Jolie and Gabe’s story.” 5 Silver Dragons, Veiled Secrets Reviews
Expect magic when one determined woman dons a legendary pair of red stilettos and bares body and heart to get her man’s attention…
Jolene’s a big, beautiful woman with an even bigger heart. But she’s become her police officer boyfriend’s favorite doormat and that’s so not working for her. It’s time for a little conversation, time to tell Mr. Happy Pants to “pee or get off the pot”.
Gabriel has seen what his profession does to marriages. He’s not willing to risk that kind of heartbreak. Besides, he likes what he has with Jolene. The woman is sex personified. So when Jolie tells him she won’t see him anymore if he’s not willing to commit, he’s shocked and angry.
With a girlfriend’s encouragement and the added confidence a certain pair of red stilettos gives her, Jolene arranges a special show at a strip club to prove to Gabe once and for all that she’s more woman than any man can handle, and if he doesn’t want the job, then she’ll find another lover who does.
Jolie heard the music, tried to catch the beat, but she’d never been so scared, so embarrassed in her life.
She knew she’d made a huge mistake the minute she’d entered the stripper’s dressing room. Lexie had ushered her in after Guppy, the skinny, bespectacled manager of the strip club, let them in the back door and showed them to the women’s dressing room. She already wore her costume under a tightly belted trench coat, but getting her first up-close look at the other women awaiting their turns on the stage made her lose her nerve.
She turned back toward the exit.
Lexie stood behind her, her arms crossed over her chest. “No you don’t. Not after I paid him a hundred dollars to let you do this!”
“You paid him?”
Lexie shrugged. “He prefers professionals, but he’s not above a bribe.”
“Great. You had to pay him to let me take off my clothes. Get out of my way.”
Lexie’s chin firmed, and her eyes narrowed into the meanest look her friend could manage. “You talked me into this. You convinced me this was a good idea. No way are you going to chicken out now.”
“They’ll laugh at me,” Jolie whispered furiously.
The other women, even the curvier ones, weren’t as well-padded.
One the women nearest them, eyed Jolie in the glass as she applied a wide streak of eyeliner. “We’ve had big girls before. Some of the men prefer ’em. Give it a go, hon.”
Jolie didn’t appreciate the advice and straightened her spine, ready to walk right through Lexie if she didn’t get the hell out of her way.
Lexie lifted her chin. “You want a ring, remember? A commitment. You want him to notice you, know you’re desirable for more than your cupcakes.” Read the rest of this entry »
Tom Hiddleston’s smirk has nothing to do with my werewolves…
Really.
When I began researching werewolves in January 2010, the movie Thor hadn’t yet been released and wouldn’t be for over a full year. As a would-be paranormal romance and fantasy author, wolves interested me for their extraordinary beauty, intelligence, and grace. I wanted to find some way to put my own unique spin on wolf shifters… Optimistically, that take would produce something fresh and original.
“No story is original.”
As authors, we hear this all the time. Until we’re sick of it. Whether it’s true or not. Yeah, sure, it’s a valid statement but only to a point. Writers struggle to put words on the page in a way that conjures images. Following years of frustration and tears, one of two things happens.
You go mad.
IT suddenly happens.
What is IT? It is the magic of storytelling. Transcendent moments when words become images become scenes become movies playing out in the reader’s mind.
Am I off topic? Allow me to return to my quest to breathe life into my werewolves. I’ve always had an interest in legends and lore, so it was a natural development when my muse turned to Norse mythology.
Nordic oral tradition tells of a monstrous wolf named Fenrir. He is the son of the Trickster god, Loki, and in turn he is also the sire of the wolves that devour the sun and moon. Fenrir, imprisoned for all time, will break free of his bindings and rise up to swallow Odin whole.
During the tumultuous years that comprise Ragnarök, many tragic events play out. There are many players including Norse gods, monsters, and giants. Wolves happen to play a huge and vital role in the story. So far as epiphanies go, Loki’s Wolves crept up on me gradually until one day I perceive the whole, wonderful vision. And I knew then–that was my story to tell.
Now, I’m struggling to put the stories to paper one word at a time.
My heroine, Victoria Storm, sprung fully formed into my head. She is a priestess of Freya and a Valkyrie to Odin. She’s also a wolf shifter and the head of a pack on the verge of extinction due to a violent conflict with a group of hunters. Her story begins a couple weeks following the violent murder of her lover…
#0 Loki’s Wolves Series
A thirty-year alliance that aligned wolves and hunters has shattered.
Victoria Storm leads a few surviving members of her pack in a desperate flight. As the only surviving child of their leaders, the she-wolf inherited the role of Alpha. The violent deaths of her parents and the man she loved left her devastated, and the lives of her followers depend on her decisions. Simple survival often conflicts with the demands of preserving her Norse heritage, so she must struggle to balance her duties as Freya’s priestess and Odin’s Valkyrie. When innocent children are abducted, she must set aside her differences and work with her worst enemy to rescue them.
ISBN 978-1-942193-05-0 ASIN: B00BWBOQNI Published: Jan. 23, 2015
Genre: Urban Fantasy/ Norse & Viking Folklore 99 cents on Amazon
Subscribe to Melissa Snark’s newsletter for new releases, prizes, and lots of fun. https://eepurl.com/LteNP (Just copy & paste the link into your browser.) You’ll get a free ebook just for signing up! Author Melissa Snark lives in the San Francisco bay area with her husband, three children, and a glaring of litigious felines. She reads and writes fantasy and romance, and is published with The Wild Rose Press & Nordic Lights Press. She is a coffeeoholic, chocoholic, and a serious geek girl. Her Loki’s Wolves series stems from her fascination with wolves and mythology.
Last week the Book Binge linked to this piece from Twitter: “Romance for Non-Romance Readers.” The piece claims, “I’m going to examine the common reasons that readers bypass the romance section, and then suggest some titles that can ease the transition into enjoying the romance genre.” Seems straightforward enough! I scrolled down to the list. Wait a minute…Jane Eyre? Rebecca? Silence of the freaking Lambs?
With the exception of one or two books, this list is not made up of romance novels at all. They may be stories about love, but that’s not the same thing. And if a reader scorns romance and discovers she likes Jane Eyre, that’s highly unlikely to convince her she should check out the latest Tessa Dare.
I’ve tried to hook many non-romance-readers on romance, and I’ve found that there are some books that work well and some that don’t. That information is hardwon, and useful to share! So I’ve put together a shortlist here of (mostly historical) books that have worked for me, and I’ve also compiled at my blog all the suggestions I received on Twitter, organized by genre.
There’s an art to recommending books and I suspect many of you are skilled at it already. But if you’re not sure where to start, here are a few guidelines:
1. What does your friend already like to read? If they’re a devoted thriller reader, try romantic suspense. If they love fantasy or horror, start with paranormal.
2. Respect their preferences. If they just watched the Twilight movie and were bowled over by how much they loved it, don’t try to use that as a segue to push Jennifer Crusie at them. Give them a vampire romance even if that’s not your favorite. If they tell you they hate scary stuff, don’t say, “Oh, but this romantic suspense book is amazing, just give it a shot!”
You don’t have to believe them when they say, “Oh, I wouldn’t like romance,” because pfft. They’ve never read a romance, or they skimmed a bad one that they picked up at random in a waiting room. They’ve been brainwashed by how romance is used as an easy punchline in our culture. Probably the only romance writer whose name they know is Danielle Steel. (Nothing against Danielle Steel! But even accounting for her phenomenal popularity, she’s one writer in a huge genre.)
But they still know what they like in a story even if they don’t understand the ways romance can give it to them.
3. Some books make better intros than others. That cozy snowed-in book you love might be incredible, Pregnesia might be hilarious, but do they work best if you’re already affectionately familiar with romance tropes? Will they strike someone as special who’s pre-disposed to dismiss romance? Maybe! Just give it some thought first. I have had a lot of litsnob friends in my life, so my tendency is to give romance haters books that decisively smash their preconceptions about what the genre can be. I’ve found that once they’re sold on the exceptional book, they can ease into the everyday delights or cracktastic deliciousness on their own. YMMV. Be thoughtful and use your best judgment!
4. Give trigger warnings. For example, you may have read so many awesome abduction stories that it doesn’t register anymore, but it may take your friend completely by surprise. Let them know that there is sex without consent in the book and they can decide from there.
And now, my list:
1. The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer. Heyer was a favorite author in college and I was constantly trying to hook my friends. But The Grand Sophy was the only one my friends consistently liked as an introduction to her. Hardly anyone could get through The Black Moth, my personal favorite, if they weren’t already feeling the Heyer love.
A note: there is a very anti-Semitic scene partway through the book. Check if that’s a deal-breaker for your friend. Sylvester has been suggested as another good starter Heyer (although for that one, warn for ableism!).
2. Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie. This book is quirky, fun, different…and oh, the sex scenes! Back in the day, I used this book to hook friends who liked fanfiction but told me the sex in romances was boring. Luckily, with the growth of erotic romance the sex scenes in mainstream stories have really leveled up, but Welcome to Temptation is still perfection. (Bet Me is another great starter book, and someone told me that Tell Me Lies and Crazy for You worked well for them as a mystery reader coming into the genre.)
My BFF was impervious to the charms of Crusie. But I didn’t give up. She loves Westerns, so when I read this next book, I was pretty sure I had her–and I did!
3. Fall From Grace by Megan Chance. An amazing, daring Western that opens with the heroine running away from the hero–who is also her estranged husband–and when he catches her, she shoots him. This book is intense, emotional, and hard-bitten. The very first review on Amazon says “This is ‘the’ book I hand to romance detractors, male and female, and say ‘I dare you to learn otherwise’. Everyone I’ve given it to has been pleasantly surprised, including a male friend who stayed up until 2 in the morning because he ‘had to know how it ended’.”
4. Loretta Chase. For me, Lord of Scoundrels delivers the most intense emotional experience and I’ve had a lot of friends fall in love with it, but Miss Wonderful is the one that finally got my dad. He’d read other romances before, but after Miss Wonderful, he was addicted. He told me it was the best book he’d ever read about relationships. Mr. Impossible also got a lot of Twitter votes.
5. A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant. The heroine pays the hero to sleep with her every day for a month (she’s a widow who needs to get pregnant with a child that could plausibly be her late husband’s, because otherwise her horrible brother-in-law will inherit). The heroine refuses to enjoy herself at first, so the sex is awkward and excruciating (which just makes it hotter!), and the prose…the beauty of the prose is astonishing. This book is particularly effective for anyone who uses the words “generic,” “badly written,” or “cheesy” while explaining why they don’t read romance.
6. My above-mentioned BFF told me she’s seen a lot of people read and love The Suffragette Scandal by Courtney Milan as their first romance. I agree, this would be a great choice, especially for someone who tells you that romance is a sexist or unprogressive genre.
I discovered Georgette Heyer when I was thirteen, and wrote my first historical romance a few years later. My writing has improved since then, but my fascination with all things Regency hasn’t changed. When not reading, writing, or researching, I enjoy cooking and marathoning old TV shows. I live in Seattle with my best friend.
My novel, Drawing the Devil, was released yesterday and I’m so excited. It’s set in the rodeo circuit with all it’s flash, and problems. I’ve always loved rodeos since I was a little kid, especially the bull riding. As I got older I still loved the rough and tumble aspects of the sport, but also appreciated the scenery more and more. There’s nothing quite like a guy in a nice pair of Wranglers.
For a while team rodeo’s existed and I’m probably one of the few people in the world who experienced one of those events. Funny enough, it was some of the less spectacular events that became more interesting when it was a team event. Calf roping was great as a team event. They ran the competitors at the same time, from opposite ends of the arena. Loved it!
But even without the now defunct team rodeos, I love rodeo. The advice authors heard all the time is for us to write what we want to read. Well, Drawing the Devil certainly falls into that category. I hope everyone else enjoys it as much as I do.
Ever since his father caught him with another boy and threw him out at the tender age of sixteen, Dustin Lewis has been fighting his way up the national bull-riding rankings. He’s on the brink of qualifying for the National Finals when he draws Diablo, a notoriously rank bull—and the ride goes bad.
When bullfighter Shane Rees frees Dustin from the rigging of the same bull that nearly destroyed his face, he comes dangerously close to dropping his guard. Shane knows the potential consequences of being gay in a sport loaded with testosterone-overdosed cowboys, and the resulting scars of mind and body have left him with little self-worth.
Their near-death-by-bull first meeting sparks an attraction that awakens every last one of their personal demons. Yet as the National Finals draws closer, so do they. But they’ll have to overcome emotional highs, near-tragic lows, and bone-crushing danger before love can bust out of the chute.
Nothing made Dustin feel more alive than sitting on a ton of beef and balls that ate cowboys for lunch. The rush was almost as good as sex. Almost. He was going to get a hell of a buzz from the bull he drew today.
“Get him in there, boys!” yelled Dustin.
His pulse raced as the bull slammed into the gate, never slowing from his headlong race down the alleyway. It tried to climb over the chute, hooves banging against the enclosure. Dustin waited for a still moment and then dropped onto the brindle hide below him. The metal chute was tight against Dustin as his legs wrapped around the bull with no room to spare. His body flooded with adrenaline. He yanked the rope around his rosin-coated glove as Diablo fought with the metal chute, then drew his crotch snug against his hand. He rammed his cowboy hat down tight. There was a second when everything aligned. Dustin gave the gateman a quick flip of his head, the signal for all hell to be let loose.
The side of the chute flew open with the force of two thousand pounds of muscle ramming against it, ending with the crash of metal against metal. The bull jumped sideways to clear the gate, then dropped into a spin.
With a snap of his hindquarters, the bull sprinted a few yards, then contracted like the devil’s slinky. It uncoiled violently, slashing the air with all four hooves in a gravity-defying move. As he anticipated each twist of the bull, Dustin tightened his jaw in determination. The bull finished his move by slamming against the ground, jarring Dustin to the bone.
Fuck! I see why this bastard’s named Diablo.
Diablo dropped into another spin. His body swapped ends with each thump of Dustin’s heart. As the bull hit his stride, Dustin struggled to regain control. No! You aren’t tossing me. Seeming to sense Dustin’s effort, the bull flipped back on itself and reversed the spin. The forces pummeled Dustin even as his muscular legs fought to regain their grip. Forces outside his control overwhelmed him. His battle against animal and time ended as he fell into the hellish vortex the bull created.
Shane’s gut twisted when the gate exploded outward and a familiar tiger-striped bull jumped into the arena. It had to be this motherfucker? His thoughts flashed to the thick scar bisecting his face. A souvenir from the last time he’d dealt with this bull. The crash of metal against metal signaled the start of Shane’s job. He focused his entire being on the cowboy who might need his help.
Shane tracked everyone as he positioned himself: rider, bullfighters and bull. There was a reason this bull won the vote for rankest bull at most of the rodeos he was at. Diablo liked to hurt cowboys and bullfighters. Shane gathered up the tattered legs of his costume as he read the beast’s moves and adjusted his position constantly so he could rush in if needed.
He studied the rider and how he handled the bull through the first jumps. Shane could imagine the painful jar reverberating through the cowboy each time the bull moved from one maneuver to another. Then it happened—the break in rhythm marking the loss of control from the rider. Damn it. Shane ran toward the bull. This bull rider needed help getting out of the arena in one piece. When he lost his seat and fell inside Diablo’s spin, Shane shifted to a frantic sprint.
He ran across the bull’s path, waved his hands and hoped the loose flags of clothing flapping in front of him would distract the bull from the cowboy under his hooves. A split second later, the situation became worse. The guy was hung in his bull rope. The slender rider bounced against the enraged animal like a rat in a terrier’s mouth.
Shit!
Shane ran across the path of the rampant bull, hoping he would give the other bullfighter enough time to get to there. “Come on, you worthless piece of hamburger meat. Chase me!”
The bull spun toward Shane, responding to the rag streamers that flapped from his arms. Diablo pawed the arena floor, tossed dirt high in the air and charged Shane. As he cut in to avoid the bull, the other bullfighter yanked on the kid’s arm. He popped loose from the rigging, and they landed on the arena floor in a heap. Shane dodged the end of Diablo’s blunt horn by a hair as he danced away, leading the bull from the pair, who struggled to get across the expanse of arena.
Shane raced for the barrelman, who dropped inside at his approach. As his painted face disappeared, Shane spun the barrel and positioned it between himself and the bull. Not a heartbeat later, the bull charged and a dull thud sounded as a cockeyed horn struck the barrel’s aluminum wall. Diablo paused, then tossed a spire of dust before charging Shane again.
Shit! Get that cowboy out of here!
Shane gauged the progress of the other two as he worked to keep the barrel between himself and the angry animal. After a brief test of wills, the bull left Shane and ran along the wall in search of an easier victim. Shane used the time to catch his breath. The bull circled back, and Shane’s heart jumped into his throat when Diablo’s head snapped up, his nostrils flared, and he spun toward the fleeing pair.
God damn it!
The bull thundered toward them as they ran for the fence. Shane realized only a slim chance of intercepting the ton of beef existed. He ran at Diablo, who whirled toward him again. The two ran a collision course, with Shane certain to be the loser. A gasp erupted from the crowd when, at the last second, Shane jumped toward the bull.
Diablo slammed to a stop. Shane sailed over his head and planted a foot on his thick neck. His momentum carried him forward to complete the jump. The crowd erupted into thunderous applause as he landed on the packed arena floor. He spun in time to see the cowboy pulled over the fence. The other bullfighter ran back into the arena as the bull shot out the gate.
Shane walked to the barrelman and slapped him on the back. “Did you get a nice nap in there? Ready for another bull?”
The crowd erupted into thunderous applause. Shane threw up his arms in a triumphant gesture…and curtseyed.
Shane sat in a dark corner of the bar, the intermittent flashes of flickering neon the only illumination. There was a tap on his shoulder, and he turned to see the handsome kid who’d tried to ride Diablo.
“Hey, man. I’m Dustin. You saved my ass today. Your drinks are on me. They said you jumped the damn bull to give them time to drag me out.”
Shane lifted his longneck and filled his mouth with the cool amber liquid, then let it slide down his dry throat as their eyes met. “Name’s Shane. Glad I could help. Your ride was a little crazier than usual, but with the amount of beer I plan to drink tonight, it’ll cost you.” Shane leaned back into the shadows, trying to further hide his scarred face.
A dimple appeared in Dustin’s cheeks when he grinned. “I ended up winning today, so I can cover it.”
“You won? I thought you fell before the buzzer?”
Dustin lifted his bottle of beer and chugged down its contents, his prominent Adam’s apple dancing as he swallowed. He emptied the longneck and lowered it with a sigh. “Everyone had shitty rides today, but my other go-rounds kicked ass, so I ended up high score.”
Another cocky, good-looking bull rider.
“Hey, fag, how’s it goin’?”
Shane bristled and started to stand to defend himself, but realized the crack was directed at Dustin.
“Yeah, fuckwad. Look whose tiny little dick is talking for him again,” said Dustin.
The interloper tipped his hat backward with a friendly wink. “Yeah, pussy. We’ll see who has the biggest dick. Just wait.”
“Hey, asshole, meet Shane. He’s the bullfighter who saved my butt today. We were just talkin’ about how much beer he’d have to drink before we’re even.” Dustin turned to Shane. “Todd puts out for me whenever I whistle.”
“Yeah, whatever. Dustin loves my dork up his honey hole.”
“Honey hole? You’re such a dumb shit.”
“Yeah, whatever. I need to find some hot tail to slip my nine inches into.”
“Go for it. Maybe there’s some drunk chick here who’ll think your four inches is nine.”
Todd flipped Dustin off as he walked to a huddle of girls whose drinks all had little umbrellas.
Dustin twisted back to Shane. “Sorry about Todd. He’s an ass, but he’s my best friend.” Dustin signaled the bartender and drank from the ice-cold bottle he brought, his second. “Also my closest competition.”
“Yeah, I saw you were really high in the earnings. Taking a run at Finals?”
Dustin nodded and set down his beer. “Yup, I’ve got a good shot at making the short list. If I don’t get too many more repeats of today.”
Shane’s hand drifted to the deep scar. “Yeah, he’s a bad son of a bitch.”
“It’s all about that badge, ’bout that badge, no trouble…” That isn’t how that song goes? And now it’s in your head…
Subscribe to Melissa Snark’s newsletter for new releases, prizes, and lots of fun. https://eepurl.com/LteNP (Just copy & paste the link into your browser.) You’ll get a free ebook just for signing up! Author Melissa Snark lives in the San Francisco bay area with her husband, three children, and a glaring of litigious felines. She reads and writes fantasy and romance, and is published with The Wild Rose Press & Nordic Lights Press. She is a coffeeoholic, chocoholic, and a serious geek girl. Her Loki’s Wolves series stems from her fascination with wolves and mythology.
Last week the Book Binge linked to this piece from Twitter: “
