Her Indulgent Cowboy (Harland County Series Book 7), page 1
“Did you chase my date away?”
A broad shoulder lifted. “He forgot he had something to do.”
“Are you kidding me?” She jammed her hands on her hips, white hot anger momentarily making the room fade. That was two. “You chased away two cowboys tonight. Why? You got something against me getting laid?”
“That’s why.” His head jerked back with disapproval darkening his gaze. “You’re being reckless.”
“Reckless?” She tossed her hands in the air and blinked. “Are you serious? I go out dancing one night in over a year and I’m being reckless?”
“Yes. And lower your voice.”
Oh. My. God. Now he was trying to control her tone? She sucked in a breath, held it two beats then slowly released it. “Fine. Is there a cowboy in here that meets with your approval?”
“No.”
“You didn’t even look.”
“Don’t have to.” He shrugged. “You’re not taking any damn cowboy back to your brother’s place.”
She cocked her head and curved her lips into a slow grin. “How about a cowgirl?”
At that, he blinked, and a brief flash of heat skitter through his gaze before dissipating. “Quit jerking around.”
“I haven’t started. You won’t let me.” That flash of heat gave her and idea. She sauntered close and ran her finger down his chest and abs to linger near his belt buckle. “Since you won’t let me bring a cowboy to Jace’s place, how about I take you? Then you can take me.”
What they’re saying…
About Her Uniform Cowboy:
“Ms. Michaels pens a tale with pure heart and true grit! This story will hit so many readers close to home there is not one part of the plot that will feel foreign. No super models here, just true, down to earth servicemen and woman getting back to their place in the world. The characters and plot have a wonderful arc and the laughter, tears and emotional ride readers get to take on this journey will not disappoint.”
—InD’tale Magazine, Crowned Heart of Excellence 4.5 Stars
--Voted BEST COWBOY in a Book/Reader’s Choice-LRC
--1st Place BTS eMag Book Award/Reader’s Choice-Best Romance
--2nd Place BTS eMag Book Awards for Best Book
About Wyne and Dine:
“It was a steamy, sexy, and fun read that also had its serious moments and also had its sweet and tender moments as well. They were an absolute delightful hoot and were truly enjoyable. So if you get a chance, pick up a copy.”
—Reviewer- Cassandra Graham, BTS eMagazine
—1 st Place BTS eMag Book Awards/Best Contemporary
About Her Forever Cowboy:
“Ms. Michaels has done it again! Book four in this series is another great success. The author knows how to lure her readers in by telling them a wonderful story that’s wrapped around characters we get to know and love as if they’re real people. This book was no exception. I highly recommend this book and this author!”
—Night Owl Reviews, Reviewer Top Pick
--July Read of the Month—SSYL
2nd Pl. Honorable Mention 2015 Rone Awards
--2nd Place BTS Magazine Red Carpet Book Awards
Dear Reader,
Thank you for purchasing Her Indulgent Cowboy. This is the seventh book in my Harland County Series. Unruly cowboys and the women who tame them.
Jesse Briscoe is a guardsman with Tanner, Jace, Harper and Kade. He lives on his grandfather’s ranch, and together they own Briscoe Leather. He’s stoic and trustworthy, that’s why his buddy Jace asked him to keep an eye on his ranch, and mother and sister while he’s away. Not an easy task, considering the younger woman is as unstable as wet dynamite, and just as hot.
Lacey Turner is full of sass and grit. She knows what she wants. Jesse Briscoe. Her brother’s absence puts her in daily contact with the cowboy, but it’s not his supervision she desires and she’s determined to make him see they’d be good together.
Once they give in to the attraction, they discover a few truths about themselves and each other. Another hot, heartfelt, sexy read, this story also includes some of the other characters in the series. Their participation rounds out this book and sets the stage for the next.
Thanks for reading,
~Donna
www.donnamichaelsauthor.com
Also by Donna Michaels
~Harland County Series~
Harland County Christmas (Prequel)
Her Fated Cowboy (#1)
Her Unbridled Cowboy (#2)
Her Uniform Cowboy (#3) (Award Winning)
Her Forever Cowboy (#4) (Award Winning)
Her Healing Cowboy (#5)
Her Volunteer Cowboy (#6)
Her Indulgent Cowboy (#7)
Her Hell Yeah Cowboy (7.5) (Sable Hunter Hell Yeah Kindle Worlds Crossover Novella—rel. Aug/2016)
Her Troubled Cowboy (#8) (Citizen Soldier Crossover Novel—Keiffer—Rel. Nov/2016)
~Citizen Soldier Series~
(Harland County Spinoff Series)
Wyne and Dine (#1)
Wyne and Chocolate (#2)
Wyne and Song (#3)
Wine and Her New Year Cowboy (#4) (Harland County Crossover Novella)
Whine and Rescue (#5) (Dallas Fire and Rescue Kindle Worlds Rel. Oct/2016)
~Dangerous Curves Series~
Knight’s SEAL –KW (#1) (Hot SEALs Kindle Worlds)
Locke and Load (#2)
A DAYE with a SEAL—KW (#3) (Hot SEALs Kindle Worlds)
Cowboy LAWE (#4)
~Time-shift Heroes Series~
Captive Hero (#1)
Future Cowboy Hero (#2) (tba)
~Related~
Cowboy-Fiancé (formerly Cowboy-Sexy)(being hand drawn into a MANGA, avail. 10/16)
Cowboy Payback (sequel)
~Do-Over Series~
Valentine’s Day Do-Over (#1)
Valentine’s Day Do-Over Part II: The Siblings (#2)
~Novels~
She Does Know Jack
Royally Unleashed
The Spy Who Fanged Me
~Novellas~
Thanks for Giving
Ten Things I’d Do for a Cowboy
Vampire Kristmas
DonnaMichaelsAuthor.com
HerIndulgent
Cowboy
Harland County Series
Book Seven: Jesse
By
NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author
Donna Michaels
HER INDULGENT COWBOY
Harland County Series/Book Seven: Jesse
Copyright © 2016 Donna Michaels
Cover Art by Donna Michaels © 2016
Donna Michaels
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without written permission from the author—except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine, newspaper, or on the web. For information, please contact the author via email at Donna_Michaels@msn.com
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
ISBN-13:
ISBN-10:
Print edition June 2016
Book Seven in Harland County Series
Dedication
To the fans of Harland County. I hope you enjoy Lacey’s and Jesse’s story and their rocky journey!
To my husband Michael, my family, the HOODS, and my wonderful street team. This one’s for you!
Table of Contents
What they’re saying…
Dear Reader
Also by Donna Michaels
Print edition June 2016
Book Seven in Harland County Series
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
For announcements about upcoming releases and exclusive contests:
About the Author
Chapter One
Lacey Jane Turner carried a bridle through the stable, and a chip on her shoulder the size of Texas. She didn’t give a damn how others saw her. If anyone had a problem with her they could piss off. Years of teasing and ridicule had cemented her backbone in place better than the pin in her from a bad fall off her horse last year. She’d learned long ago not to count on anyone outside of family for compassion and love.
Growing up with a father who contracted the AIDs virus through a blood transfusion two weeks after she’d started kindergarten had pretty much guaranteed a friendless future. At five-years-old, she had two options. Snivel and cry all throughout her school years, or suck it up and show the jerks she didn’t care.
She chose the latter.
A smile tugged her lips. Her trademark. Hell, she’d smiled until her face had nearly fallen off, only showing the world what she wanted it to see. Back then, she’d taken great delight in keeping people guessing. It hadn’t won her any popularity contests, but she’d learned to become self-sufficient and strong. If the kids had slung words at her, she’d sling right back. Stupid threats were meaningless. The tough-talking bullies were too afraid to touch her, fearing they’d catch AIDs. By the time she entered sixth grade, the fear had gotten so bad several parents had approached the school board with that very concern. Her parents decided it was better—healthier—for her to be homeschooled.
Luckily, by that time, her older brother Jace had graduated and wasn’t subjected to that crap. Although, unlike hers, his friends hadn’t given in to the bullshit. Lacey only had one friend who’d stood by her, but the summer she’d turned twelve, her friend had moved away.
No more friends.
No sweat off Lacey’s nose.
As she strode down the middle of the stable toward her horse’s stall, her smile widened. Now she had several friends. One was a former supermodel, another worked with her at The Creamery where they served ice cream. Then there was Beckham, her mustang. Her pride and joy, and the only thing keeping her from going insane and stir crazy. Animals always had a calming effect on her. Ever since Lacey could remember, she had a whole ranch full of animals to call friends. Some were still around, and those that had passed were laid to rest in a special place out back…next to her dad. He’d died of pneumonia and AIDs related complications five years ago.
A lot had happened since then. Her favorite thing? Losing her virginity.
Of course, that had taken place outside of Harland County, since most of the local guys were ignorant and wouldn’t touch Lacey with a ten foot pole. Nope. It’d happened during her barrel racing days. A couple of hot rodeo cowboys had taught her a few moves outside of the saddle. But, after she fell off her horse and fractured her back last year, she hadn’t ventured out of the county, too busy learning to walk again. Although, recovery hadn’t been too bad. One surgery and a back brace for eight weeks. She’d had to retrain her body a little, but overall, she’d been lucky. And, hell, her brother had practically had her under lock and key since the accident. Wouldn’t even let her exercise her own damn horse. Hence, the chip on her shoulder.
She stopped at Beckham’s stall to stroke his magnificent broad nose. “Hey there, handsome. Miss me?”
Unusually tall for a mustang at seventeen hands, the warmblooded horse had a black mane, tail and hooves, and a shiny brown coat covering a fit form that lent credence to his name. Her horse and the soccer player namesake both sported a finely muscled body. And like her, Beckham had a wild, untamed spirit, the reason they’d bonded so quickly. She never let anyone push her around and didn’t take orders well, either. Not from her brother Jace, and certainly not from the warden he’d assigned to watch over her.
Jesse Briscoe.
He was one of those childhood buddies who’d stuck with her brother through thick and thin. While Jace was in Africa or some third-world country playing Doctors Without Borders with his fiancé right now, the warden stopped by the ranch to handle chores, and flood her body with awareness. Those damn denim shirts of his, unbuttoned and with the sleeves rolled up, showing off muscled forearms, a lean, broad chest, and six-pack abs drove her stark raving mad. Then there was the hint at that freaking, sexy V, starting below his hips that turned her stupid when he peeled his shirt off.
She hated being stupid.
It had been a whole damn year since her brother had left the states and put his guard buddy in charge. Panty-melting, hot guard buddy. Until he opened his damn mouth. Jesse was a pain in her ass, and the subject of many a girl’s fantasies, including hers. She’d never met anyone who could rub her the wrong way or arouse her as fast as that hard-headed cowboy.
He took his responsibility seriously, too, showing up every morning at nine a.m. sharp, unless it was drill weekend. Then he’d drop by afterward, still wearing his National Guard uniform, upping the lust factor already biting her ass.
Bastard.
It wasn’t fair. Why did he have to be so damn hot? And so uninterested in her?
“Whoa. Where the hell did that come from?” she asked Beckham as she opened his stall, his ears twitching at her words. “His disinterest is a good thing. The man’s too aggravating. He’s too…” Leading her horse down the aisle, she let out a frustrated breath and the mustang snorted. “Exactly.”
And the jerk wasn’t as uninterested as he let on. Hell no. That unexpected, hot-as-hell kiss he’d initiated last spring had proven it. Since then, the two of them walked on eggshells. She avoided the guy as much as possible.
Jesse acted like she was a spoiled brat who did nothing all day, which, of course, was complete bullshit. Even with a fractured back, she’d opened an online store to sell quilted purses she’d made, as well as her mother’s homemade quilts. Last year, she’d also gotten that job at The Creamery. Standing idle wasn’t her thing. But did the infuriating jerk see any of that? No. He only saw what he wanted. Guess he forgot that after the accident she wasn’t allowed to do anything. Doctor’s orders. Her mother’s orders. Her damn brother’s orders.
But, enough was enough. That was last year. The doctor had cleared her to ride months ago. Would Jesse let her? No. Not until your brother tells me different. She was sick to damn death of him throwing her brother and his orders in her face. It had to stop. And it would.
Today.
It was spring again. Spring! Pleading with her brother numerous times on the phone and Skype had fallen on deaf ears. She had yet to ride her horse since the damn accident.
Well, the waiting was over.
Right now.
Her mother had gone with her aunt to some big outdoor flea market in the next county, giving Lacey the perfect opportunity to end her year-long riding drought. She felt great. With the doctor warning her to be cautious, she opted to ride bareback, instead of heaving her saddle from the tack room. It was time. Past time.
Placing her right arm between Beckham’s ears, she encouraged him to lower his head and grabbed the crown of the bridle before she stuck her left thumb into his interdental space, the area between his front and back teeth. He immediately opened, so she quickly guided the bit to the space, careful not to bump his teeth while she moved the curb strap behind his chin and slid the crown over his ears, one at a time.
God, just that simple act in itself felt amazing.
Once finished, she stood back to make sure there weren’t any tangled hairs or buckles or cheek pieces too close to his eyes. Satisfied, she fastened the throatlatch, her heartbeat picking up speed by the second. She could hardly believe it. She was finally going to ride her freaking horse.
Beckham tossed his head back and neighed.
“I know boy. Finally.”
Warden hottie wasn’t due for an hour yet. A quick ride before he arrived was her plan, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it once she was done. Better to seek forgiveness than ask permission. Grinning, she inhaled as adrenaline started to flow faster and faster. The sweet smell of hay and barn and horse added to her joy. Home. She was almost home. And riding Beckham was home to Lacey. The one place she felt complete joy and freedom without judgement. Just peace. Blessed peace.
It’d been so damn long.
Grabbing a handful of mane above the withers, she deployed her hop-step-push maneuver, as she had many times to mount Beckham bareback, when a deep, angry bellow bounced through the stable from behind.
“Lacey! What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Jesse?
Of all the damn timing…
Startled, Beckham reared on his hind legs. Lacey immediately released her hold and pushed back, hoping to land far enough away to avoid his hooves. She stumbled backwards and began to fall, but instead of hitting the ground hard, she crashed into a different form of hard.
