Blurb:
A
stubborn Cowboy. A feisty Showgirl. One mobster determined to kill them both.
When showgirl Ava Demassi
witnesses a mob hit, she has only one thought—get away. She runs for
her life,
straight into the pickup of saddle-bronc champ, Levi Callahan.
The last thing Levi expects is
another rodeo devotee to jump into his truck, let alone one so desperate. But
when a killer gives chase, he realizes she isn’t his run of the mill fan.
Unable to save his fiancé from being murdered years ago, he won’t make the same
mistake twice.
Even when the odds seem stacked
against them, will Ava and Levi find the one thing in life they’ve been
missing, or will a hired killer cost them everything?
*****
The last set of team ropers cleared the arena and the announcer said, “Okay, folks. Get ready for some rough-stock action. We’ve got the saddle bronc boys coming up next. This event is an original rodeo event…”
Levi tuned it out. He’d heard the same spiel since he’d been a kid starting out in Little Britches. Or maybe it had all soaked in when he’d tagged along after Clyde Callahan. Hell, he’d probably heard it all in the womb. His mother had been a barrel racer and she could still rope anything with hair. Rodeo was in his blood like oxygen. He couldn’t live without it.
Drew was up first on Wizard.
The announcer called his name, and Drew slid into the saddle. The gray mare lunged forward, slamming her chest into the chute. When she calmed, Drew nodded and the arena guys opened the gate. Wizard lunged high and fast, her bucks wild and twisty. In an instant, Levi saw Drew was in trouble. The tricky little mare pulled him forward, out of the saddle and over her head. He hit the ground with a resounding thud.
The arena went still, then broke out in applause when Drew stood and waved.
“That’s a no score for Drew Kemper, folks. Give him a round of applause, because that’s all he’s going home with tonight,” the announcer said.
Dutifully, the crowd clapped.
Two more riders went. Then Levi’s turn came.
The announcer said, “Fresh off his National Finals win just a few days ago, welcome world champ, Levi Callahan. He rides Shoot Straight.”
Levi stepped across the top of the gate and onto the big bay. The gelding had to be at least part draft—he was huge, with a heavy black mane. Levi placed his feet in the stirrups and grabbed the thick halter rope. He shortened it and took a death grip on it. With a deep breath, he nodded.
The gate swung open and Shoot Straight reared in the air, then jumped sky high. Levi rocked with the giant horse, spurring as required. The horse grunted with his mighty effort to unseat Levi. Eight seconds passed in a flurry of bone-jarring, teeth-rattling jumps and landings.
The buzzer went off, signaling the end of his ride. Levi spotted the pickup man to his left. He dropped the halter rope, grabbed hold of the rider’s waist, and swung off Shoot Straight onto the ground.
The crowd went wild, cheering and stomping.
Authors Bio:
Falling
in love with romance novels the summer before sixth grade, D’Ann Lindun never
thought about writing one until many years later when she took a how-to class
at her local college. She was hooked! She began writing and never looked back.
Romance appeals to her because there's just something so satisfying about
writing a book guaranteed to have a happy ending. D’Ann’s particular favorites
usually feature cowboys and the women who love them. This is probably because
she draws inspiration from the area where she lives, Western Colorado, her
husband of twenty-nine years and their daughter. Composites of their small
farm, herd of horses, five Australian shepherds, a Queensland heeler, two ducks
and cats of every shape and color often show up in her stories!
D’Ann loves to hear from readers! Please contact her
at
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