Boots and Buckles (18 page)

Just as Grant freed his hand, the buckskin kicked the horse beside him, pivoted and launched himself in the other direction.

Grant flew into the air.

Mona slapped a hand to her mouth to smother her scream as Grant hit the ground hard on his back and lay motionless.

Cowboys rushed forward, the bucking horse was herded into a chute, and the crowd grew silent waiting for Grant to get up.

Sam shoved the red bandana into her hands and left her alone in the stands, racing down the steps. He hurdled himself over the fencing around the arena, landing in the soft dirt.

Mona didn’t breathe as she pushed her way to the railing.

When she reached the metal barrier she waited, her heart missing beats, her hand pressed to her aching chest.

“Be okay. Please be okay,” she whispered.

After a full two minutes had passed, Grant stirred. He reached up to Sam who took his hand and said something Mona couldn’t hear.

Grant nodded and Sam pulled him slowly to his feet.

The people in the stands leaped to their feet, clapping and stomping their feet.

Tears streamed from Mona’s eyes as relief washed over her.

“Folks, it’s just like Grant to put on a show that will leave you on the edge of your seats,” the announcer said. “Wait, I believe he’d like to say something to the crowd.”

Grant waved a hand toward a man who brought out a wireless microphone, switched it on and handed it to him.

“Ladies and gentlemen. There’s a special woman in the crowd I’d like you all to meet. Mona? Where are you?”

For a moment she didn’t comprehend his words, then she raised the red bandana. She squealed as a couple of cowboys converged on her, lifted her up and over the railing. Two more cowboys reached up to catch her and set her on her feet in the dirt and led her to the center of the ring.

Grant stood before her, alive, a little battered, but beautiful to Mona.

“What are you doing?” she asked, afraid to breathe, terrified this was all a dream.

“Mona Daley, I haven’t always been a good man, and you have every right to hate me, but you make me want to be better. I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather spend my retirement with than you.”

Sam leaned over and said, “On your knee, cowboy. Good grief, can’t even get your dismount right.” He shoved something into Grant’s hand.

Grant dropped to his knee and took Mona’s hand. “Mona, I’m done with the rodeo. I’m not going anywhere else in the world without you. I want to own a ranch and raise horses, cows and…a passel of kids that look just like you. Will you marry me?” He handed the mic to her and took her left hand, holding up a shiny diamond engagement ring.

Mona’s eyes filled with tears and she spoke clearly into the mic, “Yes.”

Grant slid the ring onto her ring finger, Mona handed the mic to Sam and she threw herself at Grant, knocking him over into the dirt.

He landed with an oomph. “Careful, I think one of my ribs is broken.”

“And that, folks is how a cowboy leaves the rodeo!” the announcer said.

Mona eased off him, her face split in a grin she couldn’t hide for a million dollars.

The crowd was on their feet cheering as Sam and Mona helped Grant out of the arena and to a waiting ambulance.

Medics checked Grant over while Sam stood with Mona.

“You knew about this?” she asked.

Sam’s chest puffed out. “It was Grant’s idea. I just helped it along.”

“How did you get my appointments to cancel?”

“Bunny.” Sam grinned. “She’s got a devilish streak in her.”

“Tell me about it.” Mona turned to Sam. “And you’re okay with this?”

“More than okay.”

The tall, slender woman Mona had seen Grant leave the Ugly Stick Saloon with two nights before stepped up to Sam.

Mona’s hackles rose.

“Hi, I’m Tacey. And you must be Mona, the woman who captured Grant’s heart. Just to set the record straight, he refused to go to bed with me because he was still in love with you.”

Grant limped across to them. “And believe me, she tried everything to seduce me.”

Sam slid an arm around Tacey’s waist and brought her forward. “I’m considering Tacey as my new ropin’ partner.”

Grant nodded. “You’ll have your hands full if you take her on.” He reached out for Mona. “And I’ll have my hands full with the prettiest beautician in Texas.”

Mona melted into his arms. Happier than she’d ever been in her life.

“When are you going to marry me?” Grant asked.

“How soon can we get a license? I’m afraid if I wait, you’ll run off to another rodeo or something.”

He shook his head. “The only rough riding I’m gonna be doin’ is in bed with you.”

Mona raised her hat and said, “Yee-haw!” Then she kissed her very own cowboy.

About the Author

Twenty years of livin’ and lovin’ on a South Texas ranch raising horses, cattle, ostriches and emus left an indelible impression on Myla Jackson, one she likes to instill in her red-hot stories. Myla pens wildly sexy, fun adventures of all kinds including historical westerns, medieval, romantic suspense, contemporary and paranormals with beasties of all shapes and sexy sizes. When she’s not wrangling words from her computer she’s snow-skiing, boating, riding her ATV or spending time with family. She lives in the tree-covered hills of Northwest Arkansas with her husband of twenty-plus years and her muses—human-wanna-be canines—Chewy and Sweetpea.

To learn more about Myla Jackson and her stories visit her website at
www.mylajackson.com
.

Look for these titles by Myla Jackson

Now Available:

Ugly Stick Saloon

Boots and Chaps

Boots and Leather

Boots and Bareback

Boots and Lace

Boots and Roses

Bound and Tied

Honor Bound

Duty Bound

River Bound

Coming once, coming twice…SOLD!

Boots and Roses

© 2013 Myla Jackson

Ugly Stick Saloon
,
Book 5

Bunny Leigh really shouldn’t care that her ex is days away from getting remarried. Yet the fact he’s getting hitched to the woman he cheated on her with stings more than she cares to admit.

It’s that sting that drives her to impulsively throw a bid in the annual Ugly Stick Saloon Cowboy Auction. To her surprise, she lands not only one of the best-looking men in the tri-county area, but two. The prospect of keeping up with two younger men has the shy florist quaking in her flower pots.

Little does she know, best friends Cory McBride and Jack Monahan made doubly sure their favorite florist won them both. But now they have their work cut out for them, convincing her they want more than one steamy night. They want a chance at forever.

Warning: A cop, a cowboy and a flower shop owner make the petals fly! And look what happens when the Ferris wheel stops at the top. Bring a fan, the heat’s rising at the Ugly Stick Saloon.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Boots and Roses:
 

For forty-five minutes, Bunny left the paddle on the bar, refusing to give in to her loneliness and bid on a paid-for pity date. One by one the men paraded around the stage, women bid and the gavel banged. One by one the chance for a date passed and Bunny slipped deeper into a blue funk.

Her lips still tingled from the contact with Cory’s and Jack’s, and she raised her hand to touch her mouth. No vibrator had affected her as much as those earth-shaking kisses. Once again, Bunny considered Audrey’s words. Maybe it was time for her to get out in the dating pool again and give love a second chance.

“Hold on to your belt buckles, ladies,” Charli said with a flourish. “Here to introduce the final act, the woman who made the Cowboy Auction possible, Audrey Anderson.”

Audrey stepped up on the stage with Deputy Monahan holding her arm. The owner of the Ugly Stick Saloon took the microphone from Charli and faced the crowd, her face straight, serious. “Ladies, it’s been brought to my attention that we’ve had several instances of sexual misconduct against our own Deputy Jack Monahan. I ask you to please keep your hands to yourself and respect the man who was brought here to keep the peace.”

One woman yelled, “Boo!”

The room full of women joined her, all shouting, “Boo!”

Bunny smiled. If she wasn’t mistaken, Audrey had something up her sleeve and she was playing the audience.

Audrey winked. “Oh, so you like playing dirty?”

As one, the women yelled, “Hell, yeah!”

“Then let’s raise the stakes. For the first time in Cowboy Auction history, we’re offering up a two-fer.”

The ladies roared their approval.

Despite her resolve to remain unaffected by the goings on in the saloon, Bunny leaned forward, a tingle of anticipation rippling through her body. Cory hadn’t been offered up for auction yet and he’d hinted at a surprise. Was this it?

“All our cowboys have been fabulous sports about this auction, but the last bidding opportunity we’re offering tonight is special and near and dear to my heart. Please welcome the two-fer deal of Cory ‘The stripper so hot you’ll singe your fingers’ McBride…”

Cory danced out on the stage, wearing a vest, boots and leather chaps over a black G-string. The only thing not showing was his package, and it was swelled enough to give every woman enough information to go on. The man was hung.

Bunny sucked in a breath and held it while her pulse pounded so loud she could barely hear herself think. Her deliveryman had been in her sex dreams and fantasies more and more often lately. Now this… Holy smokin’ cowboys!

Audrey continued, “The other half of this dynamic duo is our very own man of peace, Deputy ‘Pull over and let me frisk you’ Jack Monahan!” Audrey handed the microphone back to Charli.

Deputy Monahan joined Cory center stage, slipping his uniform shirt off, exposing shoulders as broad as Cory’s and equally tanned and gleaming with a fine layer of oil.

Holy rock stars!
Between the Adonis blond beauty that was Cory and the dark, rugged sex appeal of Jack, Bunny could barely breathe.

The crowd exploded in a frenzy, all the paddles raising in the air as the bidding started.

Bunny perched on the edge of her stool, her body trembling.

The two men danced around the stage in sync to bump-and-grind music barely audible over the cacophony of women yelling and whistling.

Bidding started at five hundred dollars and shot up from there.

Not that I’m interested in bidding
. Bunny mentally calculated what she had in her bank account.

Audrey handed the numbered paddle to Bunny. “I’ll match you dollar for dollar.” She shrugged. “I won’t keep one of them, but I want to contribute to the cause. This way I can, and Jackson won’t have heartburn about it.”

“I can’t bid on those two. I wouldn’t know what to do with one man, much less two!”

Audrey’s brows rose. “Seriously? Oh, honey, you really do need to get out more often. Did I ever tell you about the day I danced for Jackson, Mark and Luke on Jackson’s thirtieth birthday?” She tugged at the front of her shirt. “And I don’t mean two-stepping.” Audrey fanned herself. “Making me hot just thinkin’ about it.”

“Audrey, you’re much more free-spirited. I’m…I’m…” Bunny glanced down at the paddle in her hand. “Not.”

A soft hand rested on Bunny’s shoulder and Audrey leaned close. “How do you know if you’ve never tried to be?”

Bunny shrugged. “I’ve always focused on getting my business going, getting my finances straight—”

“Puttin’ your lousy ex-husband through school. Yeah, I can see where that gotcha.” Audrey shook her head. “That’s all well and good when it comes to running a business, but what about givin’ yourself a second chance at love?”

“I don’t need a second chance. Once was bad enough. I don’t think I’m ready to float that boat again.” Although the two men on the stage could more than set her sails. Holy hell, they were built like brick houses, all muscle—hard, finely chiseled muscle.

“If not for love, then date for fun or a release from stress.” Audrey threw her hand in the air. “Why not satisfy your sexual fantasies? Anything to get you out of your shell, girlfriend.”

“One thousand dollars!” Charli shouted into the microphone. “Ladies, this is twice the spice for the money. Don’t stop now.” She nodded toward the throng. “One thousand one hundred from number forty-one.”

“A thousand dollars?” Bunny did the math in her head. “I’d have to sell a lot of roses to afford those two.”

“Raise your paddle. Remember, I’ll double whatever you can afford.”

Even as Bunny shook her head, her fingers tightened around the paddle’s wooden stick. “I can’t.”

“Yes. You can. It’s just a date,” Audrey insisted. “Think about what Cory can do with that whip. And Jack has handcuffs.”