Thursday, December 14, 2017

Guest Author Sable Hunter

Kingston Ramsay needs a good woman, even if he doesn’t know it yet.
Building a life in the wild west can get mighty lonely for a man who has vowed to never fall in love again.
Lonely days. Lonely nights. Lonely bed.
Lucky for him, he has friends who are determined to help him out. While King agrees to hire a housekeeper, his compadres decide he deserves more - a beautiful wife, ready and able to fill those lonely hours with all the excitement he can handle.
Not telling King about his surprise…might have been a mistake, for when Fancy arrives, she isn’t exactly what they bargained for when they arranged for a mail-order bride for their friend.
Half-starved and homeless, Fancy Grace is ecstatic for a chance at a family of her own. In her estimation, Kingston Ramsay, the man who has chosen her, is the epitome of perfection. She can’t believe her good fortune and is determined to make him the happiest of men…until she learns the truth.
Kingston didn’t choose her, he thinks she is there to make his bed, not warm it.
Determined to make the best of her bad situation, Fancy sets out to prove she can be exactly what King needs. She might not be a beauty, but she has plenty to offer the right man. Sparks fly in this battle of the sexes when these two strong-willed individuals clash. King is forced to reevaluate his definition of perfect when he learns a valuable truth - sometimes true beauty can only be discerned when looking through the eyes of love.
***
Hotter than Hell Yeah!, Sable Hunter’s Wild West is a series where cowboys are king, yet their women can bring them to their knees. Full of adventure and heart-tugging emotion, these books have enough sensual heat to start a Texas wildfire. Holding out for a hero? Look no further, meet seven men you’ll never forget: King, Boone, Clay, Gentry, Domino, Jericho, Reno, and Joss.

  
EXCERPT

… “If you’ll just go away, I’ll make sure you get a nice juicy steak. I’ll bring it out here to you myself.” She whacked the cougar’s paw again. Fancy got the feeling that she was no more than a toy. Not a challenge, just something to amuse the monster. She was tiring, though, and the cat seemed to exert very little effort into the game. He had her trapped like a rat and was in no hurry for his next meal. “Do we have a deal?”
The cougar’s roar made her jump, and she took it as a resounding ‘no’. The albino animal didn’t seem in the mood to make a bargain. Fancy had always heard when a person faces death that the events of their life passes before their eyes. She was glad that did not seem to be case with her. The life she’d led didn’t bear reviewing, much less repeating. No, she didn’t think about what had gone before, she grieved over what would never be. Of course, she had no assurance that the rest of her life would be any better than what had gone before, but if she were alive, she had hope.
At the moment, unfortunately, her situation seemed pretty hopeless.

      … As King’s horse picked its way down the canyon path, he kept his eyes peeled. There’d been nothing by the river. What was the likelihood that she’d traveled into this winding maze? He was just about to turn around when he heard it – the ear-splitting scream of a cougar. He reined in his horse and looked all around. Sound traveled in the canyon, echoes bounced over the tall, stone walls. It was hard to tell from which way the noise was coming from. His heart started pounding with the realization that Fancy could be in danger.
When the next swipe came a little closer, Fancy knew it was over. This wouldn’t go on very much longer. The cat wasn’t going anywhere, and neither was she. There was really only one foregone conclusion. Shutting her eyes, she just waited…
“Fancy! Fancy! Can you hear me?”
Her eyes blinked open. “King! King! I’m here! I’m here!”
The cougar reacted to her exclamation, lashing out. In her excitement, she’d moved just close enough that his sharp claws caught her arm, ripping her skin.
When King heard her answering cry, an ocean of gratitude swamped him. He was so weak with relief, he swayed in the saddle. Urging his horse forward, he went further into the canyon. “Talk to me, Fancy! Where are you?”
Grabbing her arm, she plastered herself against the back wall. Suddenly, she wanted to live very, very badly. “King! I’m in a cave! Here!”
Hearing her voice once more, he pinpointed her location. Jumping from the horse, he winced when the full weight of his body landed on his leg. Grabbing his horse by the mane, he steadied himself and pulled his gun. Climbing up the side of the cliff, he made his way to a narrow opening, where he thought her voice and the cat’s roar came from. “Fancy! Keep talking!”
Tears ran down Fancy’s cheek as she let herself believe she was going to be rescued. “Here, King! There’s a cougar! Be careful!” Making eye contact with the cougar, she warned him. “You’d better run. Kingston Ramsay’s coming after me.”
Nearing the entrance to the cave, he lifted his gun in the air and fired off a shot.
Hearing the gunfire, the cougar sprang back and bounded from the cave, almost on top of King.
Outside, King jumped back, dropping his rifle, amazed at the sight of the unusual, but deadly animal.
“Fancy!”
Weak from fright, Fancy held on to the wall as she made her way out of the cave. The sun was still high in the sky and she blinked her eyes, trying to see King’s beloved face. “You came!” she spoke in abject wonder.
“Yes, I came,” he said, stepping forward to sweep her up in his arms. “Are you hurt?”
“Just a scratch,” she whispered. “And my ankle, I twisted it, but not too bad. I can walk.”
“Let me see.”
She removed her hand from where the cat clawed her. “My new dress is ruined.”
“I’ll buy you a new one.”
He looked at the place. “Not too deep. We’ll clean it and when Domino returns from town, he’ll fix you right up.”
“Let me wrap it.” She went to bend over. “I’ll just tear a strip of material off my shift.”
“Nope, you’re not using your new shift.” King pulled his shirt hem from his pants and proceeded to rip a strip off it.”
Fancy gasped. “You shouldn’t have, King!”
“Nonsense.” He worked to wrap the cloth around her arm, kissing her soft skin just above the wound.
Fancy shivered. “Careful, I might get blood on you.” The fact that he was holding her was too wonderful to process. Part of her mind wanted to think this amazing rescue was another of her daydreams. Very possibly, she was still in the cave and the cougar was inching closer.
“I don’t give a damn.” Taking her in his arms, he sought out her mouth with his, covering her lips and kissing her with complete abandon.
When his mouth slid from her lips to her neck, she cupped the side of his beautiful face. “Are you real?”
“I’m a jackass, but I’m real.” He kissed her again for good measure. “I’m so sorry, Fancy. So damn sorry.”
If this is what happened when she got cornered by a cougar, Fancy planned on putting the big cat on retainer.


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1 comment:

Emily's Romance Hangout said...

This story is amazing! I love all of Sable Hunter's work.