Cowboy-Sexy

By Donna Michaels
Honky Tonk Hearts Series
The Wild Rose Press
Novella ““ 139 pages
Hot

Blurb

Finn Brennan was used to his brother playing practical jokes, but this time he’d gone too far–sending him a woman as a ranch hand, and not just a woman, but a Marine.

When Lt. Camilla Walker’s CO asks her to help out at his family’s dude ranch until he returns from deployment, she never expected to be thrust into a mistaken engagement to his sexy, cowboy twin–a former Navy SEAL who hates the Corps.

The Corps took Finn’s father, his girlfriend and threatened his naval career. He’s worked hard for another shot at getting back to active duty and won’t let his brother’s prank interfere. The last thing he needs is the temptation of a headstrong, unyielding, hot Marine getting in the way.

Excerpt

Cammie cleared her throat. “Yes, I”¦I wasn’t sure which room was mine.”

“Oh.” This time Rose blinked. “I’m sorry. I thought Finn would’ve shown you.”

She could hardly tell her hostess the last thing he had shown her was the tail lights of his truck.

“Go up the stairs and down the left wing. It’s the last door on the right.”

“Thanks.” Cammie headed to the second floor, cursing both Brennan brothers. Today had been one hell of a day and it wasn’t over. She still had to break that poor woman’s heart.

How could Brett do this to me? Worse yet, how could he treat his mother like that? He was so lucky to have her. And Cammie couldn’t in good conscience go along with her C.O.’s charade.

Her heart was heavy as she entered the last room on the right, then it shot straight to her throat when Finn emerged from an adjoining bathroom.

“What the hell are you doing in my room,” he demanded, wearing nothing but a towel.

Lucky towel.

Her suspicions had been correct. Cowboy-Sexy had a great body. An incredible body. Dang. He was all muscles and ridges.

She’d seen his twin shirtless many times. Her whole unit had worked out together in the dessert gym set up to kill time between missions. Where Brett was broad and somewhat pumped, Finn was lean and hard, not just from a machine, but by a working man’s routine.

Unable to stop herself, Cammie let her gaze travel over the towel and down his leg, noting purplish brown scars shooting up just above the towel near his right hip and jutting out below the towel to his right knee.

She recalled her C.O.’s stricken expression when he had gotten the call about his brother and an explosion in Baghdad.

“Well? I asked what you’re doing in my room.”

Despite knowing Cowboy-Sexy was waiting for a reply, Cammie felt she owed it to the female population of the world to take another ten seconds and run her gaze back up his incredibly fit form.

“Stupid, Marine,” he muttered.

That brought her back to earth.

“There’s nothing wrong with my hearing, Navy.” She folded her arms across her chest. “I was just admiring your”¦tattoo.”

He glanced at his right arm then back to her, eyes narrowed. “How can you see it from there?”

He had a point. She couldn’t. Damn. “It’s not easy from this angle. That’s what’s taking so long.”

“Well, here, let me help.”

Great. Now the nearly naked, hot cowboy was walking toward her. Move, stupid feet! Move! When they finally listened, she started to back up and her heel hit the door, shutting it firmly behind her.

“Is that better?”

His breath warmed her face, but she refused to meet his gaze. She was too busy counting the ridges in his abdomen, duly noting he had a seven pack. One more than his brother. Wonder if Brett knew?

Cammie swallowed and tried to hang on to reality, every fiber in her being crying out for her to touch the man so well displayed and so close. She jammed both hands in her back pockets and forced her gaze to his tattoo.

It was larger than she had expected, the blue ink taking up his whole bicep. The bold detailing in the trident and subtle shading between the eagle’s feathers instantly grabbed her attention. The artist had been no amateur.

“What a beautiful piece of work. You had it done after you retired, didn’t you?”  She looked up, catching the briefest glimpse of mischief before his gaze hardened and he moved away.

“You mean before I was forced out.”

Her heart constricted. The man really loved the SEALs.  “I’m sorry, Finn. I know what it’s like to want to be with your unit and not being able to.”

He studied her intently. “I believe you do”¦and yes, I got the tattoo after I was discharged. SEALs aren’t allowed to wear any symbol that could identify them as such.”

“Because it could put the mission or their life in jeopardy,” she finished for him.

“I take it you’ve known a few SEALs?”

Pain and a smattering of guilt jolted her from the hazy prison his sexy body had induced. “Yes. You’ve known a few Marines”¦I’ve met a few Navy guys. You know how it goes.” She played it nonchalant.

“True.” A spark of mischief returned to his eyes as he surveyed her body. “I also know since you’ve seen my tattoo, it’s only fair you show me yours.”
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