Raising Kane (34 page)

up in his house surrounded by his family—that I did. His life wouldn’t be the same without you in it every day, Dash. Neither would Ginger’s. And I don’t want you cheatin’ this baby out of the same chance to know you because you have some misguided sense of pride. Please. Swallow it and come back home with us where you belong.”

Silence floated between them. Kane stood and gazed out the window, allowing Dash time to compose himself. He needed time to get a handle on his emotions too. He hadn’t realized how strongly he felt about this until he’d said it out loud.

Finally, Dash spoke. “All right, McKay, you made a very convincing argument. I’ll agree to live there, as before, on one condition.”

“Damn lawyers and their conditions,” Kane muttered. “What’s the condition?”

“I’m never getting out of this wheelchair. My body will eventually fail me. The time will come when I’ll require fulltime care and I won’t put that burden on my daughter, on my grandson, or now, on you. So promise me when that day arrives, you’ll back me, despite whatever claim my daughter makes that she’ll be happy caring for me in perpetuity. She’ll need to let me go. You’ll have to side with me, Kane. Against her. It won’t be easy, but I deserve to leave the situation with a little dignity.”

Kane whirled around and faced him. “Dammit, Dash. I don’t even wanna think about that.”

“You have to.”

“Can’t we wait to make that decision until that time comes?”

Dash shook his head. “I need the promise now.”

198

www.samhainpublishing.com

Raising Kane

“Why?”

“Because you’re a man of your word. To be honest, this has been weighing on me for a while. I knew I’d never get Ginger to stick to it. But you? You will.”

He opened his mouth. Found the words stuck in his throat. He swallowed a couple of times. “Okay.

You have my word.”

Dash was visibly relieved. “Good.”

“Now can I tell your daughter you had a change of heart?”

“Absolutely.”

Kane skirted the recliner and stopped to place his hand on Dash’s shoulder. “Thank you. I mean that.”

“I know you do, son.” He covered Kane’s hand with his. “I look forward to whipping your butt in poker for many years to come, McKay.”

“Bring it. And don’t cry foul when I end up with a whole pile of your money.”

Dash’s laughter followed Kane out of the room.

He’d cleared the doorjamb when Ginger launched herself at him. She squeezed him so tightly he could barely breathe.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “I thought maybe you’d need backup, so I hung out here, but you did fine on your own. Better than fine actually.”

“Good to know,” he murmured.

“You’d make a damn good lawyer,” she said.

“Bite your tongue,” Kane shot back.

Ginger smirked. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”

“Not in the last hour.”

She peppered his face with kisses. “I love love love you, Kane McKay.”

“I love love love you too, Red.”

“I’m feeling much better. How about if we pick Hayden up from school and go out for an early family dinner?”

Kane brushed the curls from her face, wondering if he’d ever get used to the idea that this beautiful, perfect, smart, sexy woman had picked him. “Sounds good. Glad to see you’ve got your appetite back.”

“That’s not the only appetite I’ve got back,” she purred.

He chuckled and untangled her arms from his neck. “Hold that thought.” He walked the twenty steps back to Dash’s room and yelled inside. “Hey, Gramps? Think you can make yourself presentable before I come back to get you in an hour or so? We’re all goin’ out for supper.”

“Does that offer include beer?”

“Yep.”

“Then I’ll be ready.”

www.samhainpublishing.com

199

Lorelei James

Ginger looped his arm through his as they walked past the front desk. “Why an hour? Why don’t we just load him up now?”

“Because it’s my job as your baby daddy to sate all your appetites. And guess which one will always get priority?”

She blushed. And giggled.

He so was going to love being married to this woman for the rest of his life. “We have an hour, an empty house, and it’d be a damn cryin’ shame to let it go to waste.”

“Effective time management. Just another thing I love about you, cowboy.”

“What can I say? My mama raised me right.”

200

www.samhainpublishing.com

About the Author

To learn more about Lorelei James, please visit
www.loreleijames.com.
Send an email to

[email protected]
or join her Yahoo! group to join in the fun with other readers as well as Lorelei:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoreleiJamesGang

Look for these titles by Lorelei James

Now Available:

Rough Riders

Long Hard Ride

Rode Hard, Put Up Wet

Cowgirl Up and Ride

Tied Up, Tied Down

Rough, Raw and Ready

Branded As Trouble

Shoulda Been A Cowboy

All Jacked Up

Wild West Boys

Mistress Christmas

Miss Firecracker

Wild Ride Anthology

Strong, Silent Type (Rough Rider novella)

Three’s Company Anthology

Wicked Garden

Beginnings Anthology

Babe in the Woods

Running With the Devil

Dirty Deeds

Coming Soon:

Rough Riders

Cowgirls Don’t Cry

Pulling off the ultimate con…if they can keep from pulling off their clothes.

All Jacked Up

© 2009 Lorelei James

Rough Riders, Book 8

Keely McKay knows Jack—and Jack Donohue is a certified pain in her Wranglers. The lone girl in the prolific McKay family, Keely needs another man giving her orders like she needs a hole in her boot.

What she does need is a restoration specialist so she can open her physical therapy clinic—and prove she’s left her wild-child days behind. That means dealing with buttoned-down, uptight Jack.

Jack is this close to securing a career make-or-break project, until he learns his lack of marital status puts him out of contention. When the notoriously hot-tempered and hot-bodied Keely begs him for help, he proposes a crazy idea. He’ll oversee her project—if she acts the part of his loving fiancée.

Their sizzling lust makes it all too easy to go from butting heads to knocking boots—but outside the bedroom they’re as mismatched as ever. The McKays remind Jack of the humble upbringing he left behind, and cowgirl Keely feels she doesn’t measure up to Jack’s big-city lifestyle.

When the dust settles, Jack and Keely must face the fact they’re not fooling anyone but themselves—or they’ll risk losing the real deal.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
All Jacked Up:

Keely considered changing her work clothes, but Jack would think she’d gussied herself up for him, so no dice. In Dewey’s, she spotted him in the far corner booth. He stood, waiting to reseat himself until after she’d sat. Okay. That gentlemanly courtesy was impressive. And sweet. And unexpected.

Nervous, because this felt like an actual date, she flipped through the menu even when she’d memorized it ages ago. “What are you having?”

“Chicken fried steak.”

“Sounds good. Been a while since I’ve had it.”

“Careful, we’re actually agreeing on something.”

“Maybe it’s a full moon.”

His answering bad boy grin had her heart doing the two-step.

After the waitress took their order, Jack stared at her with unabashed interest. “What?” she said testily.

“I don’t even know when your birthday is.”

“It’s not like you’ll be around to shower me with expensive presents.”

“We need to know some of that stuff about each other before the engagement party.”

True. Especially in light of suspicions all wasn’t right with said engagement. “May twenty-third. I’m twenty-seven. You?”

“April fourth. I’m thirty-four.”

“You’re an old timer, eh?”

A slight scowl. “I’d say experienced.”

“So, Mr. Experienced, what other secrets do we need to share?”

“Start with the basic first date stuff. What’s your favorite food?”

“Steak. Followed closely by bacon. Followed closely by chocolate.” She picked up a straw and rolled it between her fingers. “I’ll bet I can guess yours.”

“No, you won’t.”

“Yes, I will.”

There was that wicked grin again. “I dare you to try.”

Keely considered him. “This is way too easy, Jack.”

“So stun me with your insight, cowgirl.”

“Poached salmon. Wild rice pilaf. Brussel sprouts. Plain cheesecake.”

A stricken look crossed his face.

She smirked. “I totally nailed you didn’t I?”

Jack angled across the table. “Not. Even. Close. But I am intrigued by the thought of you nailing me.”

Oh. Hello lust. “The thought of nailing you has me equally intrigued.” She offered him a coquettish look. “Are you a breast or a thigh guy?”

That caught him off guard enough his gaze actually dropped to her chest. “Ummm. What?”

“Or chicken?” she taunted softly.

His hot eyes returned to hers. “My favorite food is not chicken. It’s not a nice juicy rump…roast, although I admit to being more of a butt man than a breast man.”

Keely blinked. She was quickly losing control of this conversation.

“I’ll give you one more chance to nail me,” Jack said with a sexy rasp.

“Only one?” she cooed back.

Jack’s hungry gaze zeroed in on her mouth. “Playing fast and loose will only encourage me to play the same. Be certain you’re prepared for what that entails.”

Yikes. “Speaking of favorite foods, I’m betting yours is some kind of wild game that fits with your personality. Boar?”

His lips lifted. “Wrong. This round goes to me. My favorite food is homemade meatloaf. Followed closely by mashed potatoes and gravy. Followed closely by corn on the cob.”

“Holy crap. That’s so…Midwestern of you, GQ.”

“Surprised?”

“Very.” Down home cooking appealed to Jack more than haute cuisine? Man. He’d surprised her like four times today. “Your turn to guess. What’s my favorite movie?”

“Easy.
The Princess Bride
.” He grinned. “What’s mine?”

“
The Jerk
,” she shot back.

Jack laughed. A deep, rumbly, sexy sound and she caught herself wanting to smile and sigh at the same time.

“Try again.”

“
Jackass
?” she tossed out.

More laughter.

“Okay. I give.”

“
True Lies,
” he said.

“That seems appropriate.”

Silence.

Keely fiddled with the straw, rolling it back and forth in the condensation.

Jack snatched her hand, stopping the fidgety movement.

Talk about big hands. Not soft, girly hands either, but rough. Manly. His fingers were long and thick, sprinkled with just enough dark hair to be masculine, not apelike. God. It’d been forever since she’d had a real man’s hands stroking her bare skin. Would Jack be gentle? Teasing? Or forceful?

“Keely?”

She shifted her gaze up. The curiosity or guilt he saw in her eyes caused a spark of heat to flare in his.

Jack stretched across the table until their mouths were a kiss apart. “We’re fucking kidding ourselves that we can keep this platonic for much longer.”

The growly timbre of his voice destroyed any smartass comment she might’ve conjured. She wanted to hear that growling noise against her throat, in her ear, on her belly, on the insides of her thighs.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she breathed.

“Like what?”

“Like you want to—”

“Isn’t this sweet, you two lovebirds holding hands and whispering naughty nothings to each other.”

Keely looked up at India with murder in her eyes.

The truth could make their one perfect night crumble into dust.

A Little White Lie

© 2010 Mackenzie McKade

It’s Friday night and advertising agent Stella Sinclair’s plan to catch the red-eye back to New York is fading with the Montana sunset. She’ll do anything to land this western-wear company’s account, but what’s she going to do all weekend in this Podunk town?

On the way back to the hotel to watch paint peel from the walls, she makes a quick stop in a local bar to answer the call of nature. One slippery spot later, her stiletto heels are flying—and her fall is broken by the most delicious cowboy she’s ever laid eyes on.

Heaven just dropped into JD Foster’s arms. City girls—and city life—aren’t his style, which made it easy to skip out on his grandfather’s business meeting earlier today. For this classical beauty, though, he just might make an exception.

A drink, a dance, and their chemistry takes the reins. Then JD remembers why Stella’s name seems familiar. She’s courting the family business. JD wants her sighing in pleasure tonight, but for the right reasons. And he’s not above withholding a vital detail or two in order to seal the deal…

Warning: This book contains lies, explicit sex, and betrayal. All necessary elements to light a fire
between two people and lay the foundation for some really hot makeup sex.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
A Little White Lie: Seconds after the hotel door opened to Stella’s suite she found herself locked in the dark-haired cowboy’s warm embrace. JD’s large frame folded around her, consuming her thoughts as his lips caressed her bare shoulder. She traced her palms along bulging biceps wrapped in a cotton T-shirt. Curling her fingers, she pulled his shirttail from his jeans. The growl that came from deep in his throat thrilled her.

There was something untamed and rugged about this man as he stared down at her with a predatory glint in his eyes. Without a doubt she knew this night would be one for the memory books. She skimmed her hand up the best six-pack she had ever felt.

Mmmm… Solid. Defined. And oh so sexy. She inhaled JD’s musky scent along with the disinfectant used to cleanse the room.