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TAKE ME AGAIN |
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Now
Available
SAMHAIN
PUBLISHING, LTD.
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Read an
blurb and excerpt of TAKE ME:
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BLURB
Marking one’s territory was never so
naughty…
Wild Oats,
Book 2
Dolan Crane would love to hate the
beautiful new veterinarian who’s horning in
on his territory. It’s tough when the
flame-haired fantasy come true makes his
body burn with just a smile. The smart thing
to do is forget about her, so perhaps a
threesome arranged by his old college buddy
is just what he needs to get her out of his
head.
Divorcee Tracy Marx has followed her
restless feet to Santa Ysabel to start a new
practice—and maybe find someone to take her
outside the boundaries of vanilla sex.
Instead she finds trouble in the form of a
cowboy whose dark, sexy gaze lights her
up—and could also destroy any chance of
success. The best thing to do is stay far,
far away from him.
When Dolan shows up for the promised
night of fantasy, he’s shocked to find Tracy
has traded her medical bag for a leather
bustier and bondage gear. Tracy would like
nothing better than to slap that smirk right
off Dolan’s face, but the prospect of being
sandwiched between two men is impossible to
resist—even if one of them is her adversary.
Besides…no one calls her chicken.
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EXCERPT
The fresh
scent of soap and woodsy aftershave tickled
Tracy’s nose. She fought the sneeze
threatening to interrupt Travis Wood Senior
as he pointed out the features of his
stables.
“Twelve stalls. We’re not very large in
comparison to the others here in town, but
we’re clean.” She could see pride in his
serious eyes as well as the confident way he
held himself. Head high, shoulders back,
each step taken with determination behind
it. He stroked his large hand down his
handlebar mustache. Late forties, he wasn’t
a bad looking man, honed by hard work. One
thing she knew without a doubt, he was a
no-nonsense man.
Every stainless steel rail was polished
until it shined. The walkway was swept and
probably mopped instead of sprayed because
there was no standing water. Half of the
stalls were occupied with horses happily
munching on hay and oats. A sorrel with
three white socks neighed. Another horse
answered back clawing the ground.
“Our stock is healthy and of acceptable
lineage,” he stated matter-of-factly.
She flashed him a genuine smile. “I can see
that.”
Her Uncle Carl had called in a favor. Wood
hadn’t warmly welcomed her, but she would
take what she could. Winning him over would
be easy. Not because she had long legs and a
voice that seemed to mesmerize men, but she
was good at her job—damn good.
“Easy girl.” The soft voice of a young man
rose from a stall ten feet away.
“My son, Travis Junior,” Wood announced. A
gleam sparked, replacing his seriousness.
That was, until the teenager stepped out of
the stall. He wore no hat like his father’s
expensive Stetson and that wasn’t the only
difference. Where Wood Senior’s clothes were
clean and pressed, down to the front seam of
his jeans, his son looked in disarray. Straw
and dirt dotted his wrinkled shirt half
tucked in and half out of his jeans. His
boots were scuffed and there was weariness
on his taut features that seemed to grow
even tighter when his gaze met his father’s.
Wood Senior frowned. “What the hell—” He
glanced sheepishly at Tracy. “Sorry ma’am.”
His expression hardened as he turned back to
his son. “What’s going on here, boy? Looks
like you slept in those clothes.”
Travis immediately started to brush off his
jeans. “Uh… I did.” He fidgeted, clearly
looking for an answer. “I—I mean, yeah, I
fell asleep out here last night.”
The look on Wood’s face said he wasn’t
buying his son’s lie, but he held his
tongue. Instead he said, “Come meet our new
vet.”
“Vet?” Travis’s voice cracked as he stared
at the stethoscope around her neck and the
black bag she carried. He stole a quick
glance toward the mare in the stall. The
telltale sign that something was afoot
caught Tracy’s interest. The straw had been
beaten down and the mare seemed lethargic.
“What about Crane?”
Ahhh… The infamous Dolan Crane.
Her young cousin had given her the scoop on
the other vets in the area, including the
one that made all the women in town lust
after him. Laurie had sighed as she
described the man’s handsomeness and his
reputation as a playboy.
Tracy had almost swallowed her tongue when
her cousin cupped a hand over her mouth and
whispered, “Rumors are he likes ménages.”
Flush faced, the girl had giggled while
Tracy had felt a spark of interest, one she
had extinguished immediately.
She wasn’t looking forward to meeting this
playboy vet. He wouldn’t be receptive to her
encroaching on his territory, she was sure
of that. The Woods had been his customers
until now.
“Tracy Marx,” Wood Senior introduced. “I’ll
deal with Crane.”
Travis jutted his hand out. “Pleasure to
meet you, ma’am.” He shot another look
toward the mare and then wiped his palms on
his jeans.
Not if your troubled expression means what I
think it does. She didn’t speak her mind but
thought it better to check the mare as soon
as possible. “The pleasure is mine.”
“Deal with me, how?” came a deep smooth
voice from behind her.
Color drained from Travis’s face and Wood
Senior’s expression grew taut.
She pivoted on the toe of her boot, almost
toppling over when her breath caught.
The dark stranger from last night stood
approximately twenty feet away. Their eyes
met. Sparks flew between them thickening the
air so that the next breath was difficult to
inhale. Her pulse leaped and warmth sizzled
through her veins.
For a moment, he appeared overtaken as well.
That was until the sexy grin he wore faded.
His brows furrowed as if he struggled to
understand the situation. Then his gaze
dropped to her chest.
Now that was embarrassing. Heat flashed
across her cheeks. She looked down to see if
the buttons of her cotton shirt were open,
but only saw the stethoscope hanging between
her breasts. She glanced back up at him.
That’s when Tracy saw the stethoscope around
his neck and the matching black bag in his
hand.
Oh shit! Every ounce of confidence fled from
her body. Her mystery man was her
competition.
Dolan Crane.
She swallowed hard. Fate must be having a
fuckin’ good laugh at her. The first man who
had ever made her body react with such
unadulterated lust was the one she hoped to
squeeze out of business.
With determination in his step he marched up
to her and extended his hand. “Dolan Crane.”
Their palms met. Electricity zinged through
her. “Tracy Marx,” she mumbled, trying to
retract her hand, but he held on.
“What’s going on here?” She knew his
question was targeted toward Wood even
though his dark eyes seem to burn a hole
through her.
“Had plans to call you today,” Wood said
while his son flashed Crane a helpless look.
Tracy jerked her hand in vain as his fingers
tighten around hers. Controlled strength
surrounded her like a glove.
He stepped closer.
If he was trying to intimidate her, it was
working. It felt like an army of ants
crawled across her flesh to raise goose
bumps. She almost jumped out of her skin
when his tone deepened. “What about?” There
was a growl in his voice. Amazingly, she was
aware of the heat of his body, the way his
spicy cologne grew stronger as the fire in
his eyes flamed brighter. His cock filled
out the front of those jeans in a way that
clouded her senses. The T-shirt stretched
tight over strained muscles didn’t help.
“Miss Marx is a vet,” Travis’s voice
strained before his father could respond.
“Kind of drew that assumption on my own.” He
focused his full attention on Wood, while
keeping her within his grasp. “Wood?”
Travis Senior tore off his hat and ran his
fingers through his hair. “Well it’s like
this, Crane. Doc Zimmerman is due to retire
soon—”
“Yes.”
“You can’t blame a man for looking out for
his investments.” A hint of frustration rose
in Wood’s voice.
“Any problem with my work? Any cause to look
elsewhere?” Clearly Crane wasn’t backing
down without a fight.
“My hand.” Tracy finally spoke up. Crane
faced her once again. She raised a single
brow. “Could I have my hand back? I need to
get to work.”
His nostrils flared. He seemed to hold on to
her longer before letting go just to show
her that he was in control.
Her heart lunged into her throat. Damned if
she didn’t find that sexy as well. Still she
had to stand her ground. She wouldn’t let
Crane chase her out of California. This was
her opportunity for a new start.
“Look I know this is awkward, but we’re
professionals. It’s the way things are.”
Well, bravo to her for speaking up and not
really saying anything of real value. She
wiped her now sweaty palm on her jeans. “I
mean this town is big enough for the two of
us.”
Oh God. I can’t believe I said that. Her
words painted an image of a showdown in an
old Western movie. By the simmering heat in
his eyes he might just pull a six-gun and
blow her away.
He gave her one of those
you’ve-got-to-be-kidding looks and then
turned to the two men beside her. “Travis.
Wood.” A nod followed the brisk run of his
fingers along the brim of his hat. “Miss
Marx.” Without another word he turned and
walked away.
Whoosh, she mentally brushed her brow.
Dodged that bullet, but she still had to win
over Wood who was frowning, which told her
that Crane was a decent vet he hated to
lose. Tracy knew she’d get past that issue.
Of course, there was that other problem.
The attraction she felt for one hot cowboy
who despised her.
Hey wait—
Anger began to rise. It crawled up her neck
stinging her ears. Crane had referred to her
as Miss Marx—not Dr. Marx. Was it a faux pas
or an intentional act of disrespect? Either
way his lack of acknowledgement stung and it
made her madder than hell.
“So it begins,” she hissed beneath her
breath.
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