Cowboy Country (23 page)

A huge tow truck sat in front of the house and she could see her mother frantically talking with her hands to a guy in a cowboy hat. The side of the truck said
Black Towing and Repossessions
.

"No way. They wouldn't repo my truck. Would they?" she said out loud as she turned off the engine and set the brake.

She popped the door open and climbed out, ready for battle.
Damn it! They are not taking my truck.

Running as fast as she could, she rounded the front end and ran smack into a solid wall of muscle.

Two hands grabbed her upper arms to steady her and her head came up so fast, she banged it on the man's chin. His teeth snapped together with an almost sickening sound as one hand released her arm.

"Damn fine way to say hello, Jacie."

"Tucker?" she asked, meeting the baby blues of the one man she thought she'd never see again. "What are you doing here? Wait, I need to deal with the tow truck. They’ll get my rig over my dead body."

"Hello to you too. No need to worry about them. It came with me. The car I rented from the airport broke down on the freeway and I paid this guy to bring me here."

"But, I left you in Oklahoma."

"I know, but I forgot to tell you I had another job for you. It's very important and no one else can do it for me."

"Job?" Anger flared and irritation sent shivers down her arms. "You fucking came here to ask me to do another job for you?" She yanked her arm out of his grasp. "I don't believe you!"

He grabbed her arms and forced her back against the bumper of her truck. One of his powerful thighs slipped between hers and she fought the rush of desire only his touch could bring. "Will you listen for a minute instead of going all hot-headed on me?"

"Fine. What kind of job did you come all the way from Austin to offer me?"

"The job as my wife."

"Your wi—"
It can’t be. His wife?
Her stomach flipped over.

"I love you, Jacie. Watching you get in your truck and drive away from me in Littleton drove the fact home. I don't want to live without you. I've never been happier than I was in Vegas. You made my life complete. I know it means giving me your independence and having to rely on a man for a change, but I want to be that man."

A lone tear escaped her eye and streaked down her cheek. "You love me?"

"Yes. I should have told you sooner. I know, but I—"

She threw her arms around his shoulders and plastered her lips against his. His hands buried themselves in her hair and fit her mouth harder against his, deepening the kiss to almost impossible proportions, but she didn't care. He was here and he loved her.

His hot panting breath caressed her cheek when he broke the kiss. "Jacie, please say yes."

She peppered his face with kisses, punctuating each one with a, "Yes, yes, yes. I love you, Tucker."

EPILOGUE

Five hundred people filled rows and rows of chairs outside her parent’s home. The wedding of Jacie Margaret Hawkins and Tucker Alan Marshall made all the local newspapers and friends and family came from miles around to witness.

She never thought she would ever get to this day. The day she finally gave her heart and soul to a man, but here she was standing at the altar with the man of her dreams. His blue eyes sparkled with love and the smile curving his lips spoke of untold pleasures to come.

During their first dance as husband and wife, he nuzzled her ear and said, "I love you, Mrs. Marshall."

"I love you too Mr. Marshall. You know after those few times in Vegas, I never thought anyone would ever call me Mrs. Marshall for real."

"I told you I might get used to calling you that and now you'll be Jacie Margaret Marshall until we both grow too old to do much more than make it to the rocking chairs on the front porch."

"I like the sound of that," she whispered.

"Me too darlin'."

"When does the truck stop open in Littleton?" she asked as they twirled around the dance floor during their reception.

"Next month," he replied, pressing a delicious kiss to her favorite spot for his mouth—just below her earlobe. "Did I tell you Kyle has already closed up his shop?"

"No, you didn't."

"Well, he has and no one around there seems to know where he slithered off to."

"I didn't want to completely ruin him, you know," she whispered, shivers gliding over her skin with every brush of his lips.

"Why not? He tried to ruin me," Tucker answered, lifting his head.

"I know, but your love has softened my temper. I don't feel near as vindictive anymore."

"How about adventurous?"

"What do you have in mind, husband?"

"You'll see."

*THE END*

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sandy Sullivan is a romance author, who, when not writing, spends her time with her husband Shaun on their farm in middle Tennessee. She loves to ride her horses, play with their dogs and relax on the porch, enjoying the rolling hills of her home south of Nashville. Country music is a passion of hers and she loves to listen to it while she writes.

She is an avid reader of romance novels and enjoys reading Nora Roberts, Jude Deveraux and Susan Wiggs. Finding new authors and delving into something different helps feed the need for literature. A registered nurse by education, she loves to help people and spread the enjoyment of romance to those around her with her novels. She loves cowboys so you'll find many of her novels have sexy men in tight jeans and cowboy boots.

Contact Sandy at:

www.romancestorytime.com

Twitter-@sandys37

https://www.facebook.com/Sandy-Sullivan-120827420748/

The Bronco Boys: Sterling

Deb Julienne

Other Books by Deb Julienne

The Twisted Sisters Club Series:

Sex, Lies, and Beauty Aids

Sex, Secrets, & Happily Ever Afters

Love, Lies, & Alibis

Other books:

A Splash of Love in the Crashing into Love box set

All I Want For Christmas

Coming soon:

The Ride of His Life in the Cowboys, Bulls, and Buckles Anthology

Other books coming soon in the Bronco Boys Series:

Blake

Dane

Clayton

Quinton

Virgil

Wyatt

Logan

Darcy

The Bronco Boys: Sterling

Copyright © 2016 Deb Julienne

All rights reserved.

The Bronco Boys: Sterling

By Deb Julienne

Sterling Bronco is the best of the best at everything, but when the Army Ranger is injured and sent home, he encounters fears bigger than any war. How could he marry his beloved Regina when he considered himself less of a man?

Regina Whitaker has loved Sterling with all her heart since she was nine and he was twelve. But would he love her when he found out she had his child and neglected to tell him while he was off living his dream.

Can Sterling forgive her for not telling him about the baby? Can Regina forgive him for staying away so long? For the love of their child, they'll do anything.

DEDICATION

To D’Ann Linscott-Durham: Thank you for inviting me to participate in this anthology and introducing me to such a wonderful group of authors. Bless you, my friend.

To all the authors in Cowboy Country: It’s been a blessing to work with you.

To the Military: Those who left their family for the love of country and came home.

And to those who never made it back: You will never be forgotten.

CHAPTER 1

After four and a half years in the Army Rangers, Sterling Bronco was home. Not of his own volition. Medically discharged, honorably of course, but still he was no longer of use to the Army or what was left of his men.

And Studdland, Texas wasn’t the same as when he left. There had been far too many changes.

Not to mention, instead of coming home to an excited family, everyone was acting so strange, especially his younger brother, Virgil.

Everyone seemed—mad.

The mood was definitely strained, leaving him to feel as if he wasn’t welcome. Nothing was the way he imagined it would be.

They were all hem-hawing around him. At first he thought it was about his injuries. As if they were afraid to talk to him about the patch he wore over the eye he lost. He also had minor hearing loss, but was still able to hear enough to know something was up and it had to do with him. Sure, he had a limp and his shoulder was still giving him grief, but it wasn’t like he was an invalid.

The way they were acting made him want to head back to the Gulf. At least things there were normal. Bat shit crazy, but normal.

Virgil yanked the screen door open and marched straight up to him. “Why the hell haven’t you gone to see Gigi? You’ve been home for almost three weeks now.” Virgil shouted at him, then stopped, closed his eyes and swallowed, and was off on his tangent again. “Why? What the hell is wrong with you?”

Sterling blinked, opened his eye wider, and cocked his head.

Virgil started to pace. He was so angry he didn’t watch where he was and tripped on the worn oval area rug. Cursing, he kicked  the ancient thing back into place.

If things hadn’t been so strange at home Sterling would have laughed, instead he was blown away. What the hell was going on? “You forget your place little brother.
Regina
is none of your concern.” When had his brother had grown balls? The kid continued to pace the room, clearly something on his mind.

“That’s right, she’s not, but you sure are.” Virgil stopped in front of him. He stood nose to nose, nostrils flared, chest heaving, anger vibrating off his whole body.

When had Virgil become so tall? The kid was barely chin height when Sterling left for basic.

Virgil rolled his shoulders back and took a breath, then lowered his head and closed his eyes.

Sterling shook his head. His little brother’s muscles had increased as well, at least forty pounds heavier.

Virgil straightened, poked his finger into Sterling’s chest. “I have always looked up to you. You were my hero. But right now, you’re nothing more than a pompous ass. Using her then tossing her away like yesterday’s garbage.” Virgil turned away. “You don’t deserve a woman like her.”

Why couldn’t people just stay the hell out of his business? “Again—not your problem!”

“Ignoring her is just plain wrong, not to mention rude. We weren’t raised that way. You owe it to Gigi to go see her.” Virgil’s hands were flexing at his sides.

“What would you know about it?” Why was his family getting so pushy?

The kid was seething, his nostrils flared.

Sterling looked him up and down, head to toe—lean and muscular, not an ounce of fat on him.

“I’ve been spending time with her and helping her with Sil—stuff.”

“And what, you think just because you spend some time with her, entitles you to call the shots in her life—or mine for that matter? Yeah, I don’t think so.”