Trial by Fire (21 page)
These rough and tumble men, falling over themselves to walk Miss Chloe from the barn or to sing to her or read her a story.
It tickled his husband to death.
Lachlan still gloried in those words.
His husband
. Christ, how had he earned this life?
“I miss you, Ades,” he murmured. “Every day. But I have you to thank for all this.”
“Oy, Lachlan!” Holden headed across the yard, his littlie cowboy all smiles and sounding like a native. Well, not really. “What are you doin’, honey? Being lazy? Keep your heels down, girl.”
“Yes, Daddy! Daddy, watch me!” Chloe waved like one of those trick riding girls, back straight and chin level. She was the queen of the station, no doubt.
Lachlan chuckled, making room for Holden to sit next to him under his shade canopy. “I’ll have you know I’m planning your oldies’ next trip here.”
“Oh, Jesus. The last time they were here Momma taught your people about jalapeno poppers and I thought we’d have to hear about your dad’s fiery ass for a week.”
“Yeah, and then your dad told him to shit fire and save matches.”
“Yes, well, we were just lucky no one caught her smuggling jalapeños in her luggage.”
Lachlan hooted. “Too true, Holden. What’s on your plate today?”
“I’m going to take a ride and see some horseflesh. Wanna come?” Holden had taken to the station like a duck to water, running two huge setups on two continents, leaving him to do other business, up to and including his silent partnership in AusTex Security.
“Chloe! You should be wearing your helmet, baby girl!” That came from Darriell, the six-foot-four ex-Army Ranger Dez had hired to be Chloe’s ninja pirate nanny. The man had faced down Afghans and Iraqis without blinking, but with Chloe he was a marshmallow.
“Darriell! I’m riding! Do you see?”
“I see you, baby girl. You squeeze with your knees and look where you steer.” Darriell nodded to them, but his focus was on Chloe.
“We’re heading to buy horses, man. Are you…?”
Darriell just waved one huge hand at Holden. “We’re good.”
“Thanks, mate. Call us if you need us to pick up anything.” If they were taking the helo, they might as well get some supplies.
“Will do.”
Holden leapt the fence like it wasn’t there, and then headed to Chloe. “Kiss me, baby girl. What color horses should I get today?”
“Brown! With spots!” Her pony wandered right up to Holden, nibbling his pockets, and Chloe squealed.
“Yes, ma’am. I’m on it. You be good for Darriell, okay? We’ll see you in the morning.”
“Night, Daddy!” She waved, supremely confident that he and Holden would be back when they said.
Lachlan climbed over to go and kiss her pretty face too. “Love you, bug.”
“Love you, Dad, more than dresses and Santa!”
Holden chuckled softly, and he heard a soft whisper. “Totally. I totally love you more than dresses and Santa.”
He swatted his husband’s arse as they headed into the house to get ready to go.
Time to go buy some horses and fill another barn.
BA TORTUGA
, Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy’s Girl, spends her days with her basset hounds, getting tattooed, texting her sisters, and eating Mexican food. When she’s not doing that, she’s writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting, and surfing Pinterest in the name of research. BA’s personal saviors include her wife, Julia Talbot, her best friend, Sean Michael, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.
Having written everything from fist fighting rednecks to hard-core cowboys to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which was raised in Northeast Texas, but has heard the call of the high desert and lives in the Sandias. With books ranging from hard-hitting GLBT romance, to fiery ménages, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head.
Website: www.batortuga.com
Blog: batortuga.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/batortuga
Twitter: @batortuga
#7
Forgive and Forget
by Charlie Cochet
He’s hot. He’s dangerous. And he can’t remember anything.
As the owner of Apple ’N Pies, Joe Applin leads a quiet, uneventful life, content to spend his days serving customers who come from all over to eat his delicious homemade pies. Along with his motley crew—Bea, Elsie, and Donnie—Joe couldn’t be happier in his little kingdom of baked goods and java.
Experience has taught Joe that love is overrated—and at times dangerous. He has no intention of repeating past mistakes. But then he meets the mysterious, handsome man with no name and no memories, and Joe can’t deny something sweet is in the works. He isn’t one to take risks, not with his heart and certainly not with his life, but the more time he spends with “Tom,” the closer he is to losing both.
#8
Unstable Stud
by Ariel Tachna
Horses were his passion, until he laid eyes on his boss.
Eighteen months ago, tragedy struck Bywater Farm when a riding accident killed Clay Hunter’s lover and traumatized his prize horse, King of Hearts. Clay and King lingered in limbo, surviving but not really living, until a breath of fresh air in the form of Luke Davis, a new groom in the stud barn, revives them both.
When a fall from King’s back sends Luke to the emergency room, Clay watches the shaky foundation of their budding relationship tumble down. Can Clay really love a jockey again, or will his fear of losing another man he loves keep them apart for good?
Love Always Finds a Way
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Published by
DREAMSPINNER PRESS
5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279,
Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Trial by Fire © 2016 BA Tortuga.
Cover Design © 2016 Paul Richmond
paulrichmondstudio.com
Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.
All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or www.dreamspinnerpress.com/.
ISBN: 978-1-63476-981-5
Digital ISBN: 978-1-63476-982-2
Library of Congress Control Number: 2015917562
Published March 2016
v. 1.0
Printed in the United States of America
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