Read Cowboy Jackpot: Valentine's Day Online
Authors: Randi Alexander
Cowboy Jackpot: Valentine's Day (13 page)
His beer came and he focused on his machine, pressing the
maximum button as he took a sip. Three aces with a king and queen. Now this was
getting interesting.
"Jayden!" A female voice called from a distance.
He glanced around. A buckle bunny? "Oh man." It
was her, the unlucky lady from February. Her parents were bucking horse
breeders. Did they have horses in the rodeo? He waved, hoping she'd just keep
going. She walked closer.
Stormie was a beauty. Long, straight, strawberry blonde
hair, freckles, and green eyes. Her tank top and shorts bared her toned arms
and legs. Muscles developed from working horses on their ranch in Oklahoma.
She plopped down on his lap, spilling half his beer. "I
had a hard time finding you. I saw your ride. Kira invited me, and I told her
not to tell you I was coming 'cause I wanted to surprise you."
Her sexy curves pressed against him and a hot flood of
desire swamped his groin. Now he remembered why he'd chased her so hard. They'd
never had sex, despite his best efforts, but their kisses were steamy and
powerpacked.
"How've you been, cutie?"
She tipped her head and cupped his cheek. "I love it
when you call me that." Then she slapped him, kinda hard. "Why
haven't you returned any of my calls?"
Fire and ice.
He kissed the palm that had smacked him. "I'm just a
no-account bronc rider. Can't even make a living at it." He half believed
his excuse, especially after today's ride. "You deserve better."
"I don't want better." She made a face. "That
didn't make sense." She laughed. "What I meant was, you're more than
good enough. And you know…" Glancing around, she leaned in closer.
"We do have a connection."
"Wait, what?" They hadn't had sex, they had kissed
a couple times, he'd felt her tight, round ass, and she'd felt his, but that
was all. Wasn't it? A blurry memory of a drunken cab ride, flowers, a vow…
"We didn't really do it, did we?"
Her eyebrows lifted. "I'm afraid we did. I have the
thing right here." She pulled her purse onto her lap and started rummaging.
"Jayden Hancock to the poker room." A voice came
over the speakers. "Jayden Hancock, your seat at the seven card stud table
is waiting."
He didn't want to deal with Stormie right now. Didn't want
to see what he knew she was going to pull out of her purse. He'd been ignoring
it, and her, for a month, and if things got any worse for him right now, he
might just hitch a ride back to Reno.
"I've gotta go, Stormie, but I'll call you as soon as
I'm done playing poker."
She frowned at him. "You may think I'm a ditzy blonde,
but I know when I'm being tossed aside." With a sigh, she slung her purse
back over her shoulder. "You don't want me, Jayden, and that's okay."
She poked a finger into his chest. "You just have to be man enough to tell
me that."
He felt like a complete jackass. "Is that why you're
here? Why you just showed up?"
"We have to take care of
you know what
."
She touched her purse. "Okay? That's all I ask."
"Last call for Jayden Hancock." The speaker
blurted. "Jayden Hancock to the poker room.
"I'm sorry, Stormie. I'll call you." He held up
his hand in an oath. "Promise."
She shrugged. "Sure." She turned to the poker
machine. "I love this poker." She hit the draw button.
"Aw Storm, I had three aces." Damn. He could have
walked away with a few bucks. When he saw the cards that popped up, Jayden's
mood swung from defeated to ecstatic. "A royal flush! Oh man, you got us a
royal flush!" Bells rang and lights flashed.
Stormie giggled, hugged him, then looked down at the payout
line. "Royal flush is…" She turned toward him, her eyes bright and
her smile sunny. "Four thousand dollars."
"Woo-hoo! Cutie, we're gonna have us some fun
tonight."
She stood and did a little dance.
Getting to his feet, he pulled her into his arms. He swung
her around a couple times. When they were both dizzy, he planted a quick kiss
on her. "You're my lucky charm."
"Oh, I know." She smirked. "Let's get the
payout ticket and cash in." She moved toward the machine, but he stopped
her. "Um, Storm, I gotta tell you something first."
Her smile left her face. "Okay."
He leaned close to her ear. "I'm not twenty-one. I have
a fake ID, but just to be safe, you'll have to—"
She jerked back, a look of horror in her eyes. "How old
are you?" she mouthed silently, her gaze scanning his face.
He liked how worked up she got about everything.
"Fourteen, but I'm mature for my age."
"Oh. My. God. No." She shook her head but stopped
when she saw his grin. "You jackass." She stepped closer. "How
old, really?" she whispered.
"Twenty. So if you do the tax paperwork…" From
behind her, an army of smiling casino employees approached. "What the
hay?"
Stormie turned. "Oooh, it's just like when Kira and
Dallas won their jackpot. We get champagne and maybe a room."
"For four thousand? Seems like overkill." Something
wasn't adding up.
A young man in a white suit grinned widely. "I'm your
casino host, Aaron, and I want to congratulate you on your win, and offer you a
glass of complimentary champagne."
"Yummy." Stormie did her usually sparkly thing.
"Thank you."
They were handed glasses of bubbly as a photographer stepped
forward.
Aaron shooed Stormie and Jayden backward toward the machine.
"Pictures okay?"
"You must not give away many jackpots, huh?"
Jayden lifted a brow. "If you make this much ruckus over four thousand
bucks."
Aaron seemed to choke. "Four thousand?" He stepped
toward them, grasped their arms, and turned them to face the machine. He
pointed to the screen. "See how these cards are lined up? Ace. Pow."
He made a gun with his hand and shot the card. "King. Pow. Queen. Pow.
Jack. Pow. Ten. Pow."
"Wow." Jayden held back laughter. "So, what
do all those pows add up to?"
Aaron pointed his gun hand up above the machine.
"Bang!"
Jayden was almost afraid to look.
Stormie squealed. "Jayden, we're rich!" She jumped
up and down in circles.
He felt dizzy. He hung onto the chair and looked up. Three
hundred sixty two thousand and some loose change. "Oh man. Is this for
real?"
"It is." Aaron seemed to catch Stormie's
bounciness and started giggling. When the outburst ended, he arranged the two
of them in front of the machine again and the photographer started snapping
pictures.
"Hey, can you smile, cowboy?" Aaron pointed his
finger-gun at Jayden.
Jayden had to look like a scared rabbit. Turning to look at
Stormie, he saw her happy grin.
Another man, older and lacking Aaron's giggliness, walked up
to them. "So, who's the lucky winner?"
Jayden opened his mouth to say something about splitting it,
but quickly closed it. He wasn't legal to win it. His stomach roiled. This might
be a problem.
"It's both of ours." Stormie smooched Jayden on
the cheek. "'Cause we're married!" She laughed joyfully.
He was going to throw up.
####
Did you enjoy meeting Boone and Gigi in this book?
Would you like to read their story? The first book in the series, Cowboy
Jackpot: Christmas, is available now. Read the book blurb
HERE
and purchase it
HERE
.
Here's a sneak peek:
Boone and Gigi's story:
Cowboy Jackpot: Christmas
"Buckle bunnies to your left."
Boone Hancock turned his head at Dallas's alert.
Two cuties stood at one of the giant slot machines. They
both smiled and waved.
Dallas tipped back his cowboy hat. "I'm puttin' dibs on
the redhead."
Boone glanced at her, but his gaze shot back to the angel
with the long black hair and pale skin. Her curves, packed into a petite little
body, captured his complete focus. Her slinky purple dress and black
spike-heeled sandals shouted she was ready to party.
"Look at those legs." Dallas raised his hand in a
return greeting.
The redhead wore a green dress that showed off her nice
breasts and skimmed her thin body. Boone smiled. "You like the tall, leggy
ones, buddy. I'm likin' her girlfriend. She's a hot little bundle."
"Let's get 'em." Dallas took a step forward.
"Wait." Boone stopped him with a hand on his
shoulder. "Remember, one night. Two at the most."
"Yeah, yeah."
"You say that like you mean it, but we promised to keep
each other out of the deep shit."
Dallas looked him square in the eyes. "I learned my
lesson the hard way. You don't have to babysit me."
Boone had watched Dallas going through hell two months ago
with the girl he thought was the one for him. It had affected his buddy's
performance in the arena, and his ability to stay sober.
Boone's little brother, Jayden, caught up to them and busted
in between them. "What's going on?"
Dallas nodded toward the two girls. "Couple ladies
recognized us and want us to come and say howdy." He flicked the brim of
Jaden's cowboy hat. "Now get lost. They're both spoken for."
"Mmm, I'm liking that redhead." Jayden grinned at
her.
Boone looked back at the women. The shorter one—his—waved
them over.
"Called dibs." Dallas hitched up his jeans and
headed toward the girls.
Jayden caught up to him. "We'll see, won't we."
Boone quick-stepped and lined up next to his brother. As
they got closer, he saw his cutie's eyes watching him. Hazel. Damn. Beautiful
eyes, beautiful face, a body that he needed tight against his. It didn't take
any effort to slide into charming cowboy mode. His body warmed, primed and
ready to sweet-talk this little honey 'till her toes curled.
****
Gieselle Colberg-Staub leaned against the Birthday Baby slot
machine, her knees wobbly and her stomach jittering as she watched Boone
Hancock walk toward her. "I can't believe it. They're actually coming over
here."
Kira twirled a lock of hair around one finger and made a shy
smile at the cowboys. "Of course they're coming over here. How could they
resist?"
Gieselle sucked in a calming breath. She'd watched Boone win
the bull riding competition this afternoon, and now he—and his big, shiny belt
buckle—headed her way. "God, he's cute." Shaggy blonde hair touched
his collar at the back of his black cowboy hat. A purple and black print
western shirt and the sexiest jeans she'd ever seen on a man.
"That big, dark haired hunk is fucking gorgeous."
Kira sipped her vodka tonic.
"That's Dallas Burns. He came in third in bareback
riding today." She glanced at her friend. "Weren't you watching?'
Kira sniffed. "You saw that sexy cowboy sitting right
behind us. He was worth watching."
Gieselle had picked up a love of rodeo from her college
roommate, but this was the first live event she'd attended. Now the sexy stars
she'd drooled over headed straight toward her. She held back a nervous giggle.
"Dallas is definitely your type with those dark eyes."
"Oh yes, my heart is thumping." Kira stirred the
ice in her drink with the straw. "So, we agree? Dallas for me and Boone
for you?"
Gieselle licked her lips. She would let herself go a little
crazy this holiday break, because what happens in Vegas, hopefully stays in
Vegas. "Agreed." She squinted. "What about the third one?"
Kira laughed. "Oh, now you're getting kinky?"
Gieselle sent her a look. "That's your specialty,
girl."
The cowboys reached them, sauntering up with wicked grins on
their faces, like they expected Kira and her to peel down naked and let them
have a quickie right here on the casino floor.
Gieselle liked the cockiness.
####
Thank you for reading the second Cowboy Jackpot story. I
loved creating two such different characters in Kira and Dallas. Opposites do
attract! I'd love to hear from you. I've listed all the places I hang out, and
I hope you'll connect with me at one or more of them.
All my best,
Randi
"Rode Hard and Put Up Satisfied"
Randi Alexander is published with The Wild Rose Press Cowboy
Kink line and with Cleis Press. When she’s not dreaming of, or writing about,
kinky cowboys, she’s biking trails along remote rivers, snorkeling the Gulf of
Mexico, or practicing her drumming in hopes of someday forming a tropical-rock
band.
Available Now:
Chase
and Seduction
- Country music superstar/actor Chase Tanner has yet to
be denied anything—and he’s never wanted anything or anyone more than gorgeous
screenplay writer Reno Linden. So when the film they are working on is finally
finished, Chase decides to turn up the volume on seducing Reno.
Reno Linden lived a quiet, rural life until she was thrust
into the Hollywood scene when her book was adapted to film. Chase Tanner is
larger than life, sinfully sexy and hell-bent on getting her into bed. Skittish
after a failed wedding engagement, Reno risks the plunge into Chase’s arms, and
is surprised that her good girl self can keep up with bad boy Chase.
Though Chase returns to his cowboy roots often, and Reno
cherishes the time spent with him on his ranch, the two find their careers
pulling them in different directions. Will their attraction survive the glitz
and stress of fame?
Read
the first chapter
Her
Cowboy Stud
- Trace McGonagall’s quiet life on his Houston stud ranch
is shaken up when gorgeous Macy Veralta arrives to claim an inheritance left to
her in his uncle’s will. Trace sees her as just another gold digger, but he
also can’t resist her curvy body. When she hints at being the perfect
submissive to his Dom, he has to have her.
