Hard Candy
Authors: Jade Buchanan
Hard Candy
A Bandit Creek Erotic Romance
by
Jade Buchanan
PRAISE FOR JADE BUCHANAN
"The talented Jade Buchanan delivers yet another laugh out loud funny and very sensual story." – Rosemary, Joyfully Reviewed
“
Jade Buchanan is a natural at creating believable characters and stories that reach out to the reader." – Scandalous Minx, Literary Nymphs
“
Jade Buchanan has proven time and again that she is a gifted author...” – Kimberley Spinney, Sensual Reads
"Jade Buchanan has created a whimsical, funny, short summer read." – JC Dreamer, The Romance Studio
"Yet another steamy and captivating story from Jade Buchanan....” – Christina, Romance Junkies
“
The sexual tension and the sexual culminations were so hot I was wiping the fog off my ebook reader’s screen." – Hayley, Fallen Angel Reviews
“
Jade Buchanan has created a marvelous saga packed with emotional dilemma, breathtaking intimacy and humor.” – Chocolate Minx, Literary Nymphs
“
With an erotic edge that keeps me coming back for more, this book will knock you off your feet.” – Tara Renee, TwoLips Reviews
“
Ms. Buchanan built a rich world for her characters to inhabit that is fascinating.” – Isabella, Fallen Angel Reviews
"Passion, humor, tender exchanges and denim ripping sex, Zula’s Stand is filled with action guaranteed to satisfy." –Lori Ann, RRT Erotic
Hard Candy
A Bandit Creek Erotic Romance
by
Jade Buchanan
Copyright 2011 Jade Buchanan
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Table of Contents
Devil Unknown - Next Bandit Creek Release
In life, one choice can lead you in vastly different directions. Penny Anderson is about to discover this for herself, in Penny Candy and Hard Candy. Two parallel stories, two very different endings.
Hard Candy
Penny Anderson is sick of the questions that keep running around inside her head. Coming home to Bandit Creek is her opportunity to find out the truth of her mother’s death, as well as to discover if the flame still burns brightly for her high school sweetheart. Only, she never reckoned on the unexpected lust for not one, but two men. Craig Baxter and Douglas McKenzie have their sights set on Penny and they aren't about to let her go.
Warning: contains ménage, male on male action and gratuitous sex involving hard candies and cherry pie filling...
She’d flown a thousand miles to confront the lies death had revealed. They left a bitter taste in Penny’s mouth even as she breathed deeply of the clean northern air coming in through her open car window.
She had missed this. She hadn’t even realized that until she’d gotten off the plane in Missoula. Now she was almost home and she’d honestly never thought she’d be saying that again.
Bandit Creek hadn’t been her home in over a decade.
The cold finally got to her and she reluctantly raised the window before turning her attention back to the poorly illuminated mountain road. For a girl used to the bright lights of Houston, it was going to take her a while to get back into the feel of things.
It was a good thing Craig was willing to help her out.
As if on cue, the tinny sound of a man sing-songing “phone call, phone call.” erupted inside the small car.
Jumping, Penny laughed at herself. She fished her cell out of her purse. “Hey, Craig.”
“
Are you here, yet?”
“
I’m already in the rental car and about twenty minutes away.”
“
Are you regretting not letting me pick you up?”
She could practically taste the mirth in his voice. “I’m fine, but it’s so dark I’m close to freaking out here.”
She breathed deeply, studying the road in front of her carefully. She probably shouldn’t be talking on the phone right now, but she wasn’t going all that fast. And besides, there was absolutely no one out here.
“
You want me to talk to you for a bit?”
“
My cell phone bill will probably hate me, but yeah, I need the company. There’s nothing out here but rocks and trees and water.”
“
Seen any wildlife?”
Penny snorted. “Besides the man I saw at the airport?”
A sharp crack of laughter burst in her ear, exactly the reaction she’d been hoping for.
“
He was a beast, was he? Did you rip his shirt off?”
“
Craig Baxter!”
“
That’s a no?” Craig’s voice was filled with mischief.
“
Yes, I mean no, I didn’t rip his shirt off.”
“
Why not?”
She shook her head. “I’m not answering that question.”
It was silent for a minute. She was content not to talk. It was comforting just having him on the line. Penny was grateful for the company, so to speak.
Craig cleared his throat. “So, just to let you know… Your Aunt Gertie phoned here yesterday. I swear I’m getting caller ID. The old biddy was in fine form.”
She wanted to slam her head down on the steering wheel. “I’m sorry.”
“
Yeah, you’ll be paying me back for that one, Pens.”
“
She’s still mad?” She sighed, fed up with her aunt’s interference.
“
Mad doesn’t even begin to describe it. She’s threatening to erase your name from the family bible.”
“
She can choke on that bible for all I care. Both her and my dad lied to me for years. I’m sorry she’s upset, but I had a right to know.”
“
I’m not sorry. I told her right on the phone where she could put her precious bible. I don’t think she’s talking to either one of us now.”
She sighed gustily. “I’m sorry, Craig. I didn’t mean to drag you into this.”
“
Stop that right now,” Craig said, firmly. “We stick together, you and me. To the end, you got that?”
“
I got it.” It was surprising how much she wanted to rely on Craig. This wasn’t even his family causing him drama, but he never complained. Never backed down. She loved him for it.
Maybe, just maybe, she could finally figure out whether that love would be enough.
She’d once thought Craig was the one for her. Of course, that had been back in high school and a lot had changed since then. She’d moved away and they’d lost touch, but thanks to the modern miracle of social media they’d been talking for the past year almost non-stop. Every time she talked to him it was as if the years had faded and nothing else mattered. Then her dad had died. And all of
this
had happened. The first person she’d turned to had been Craig. What did that mean?
She lived in Houston, so she wasn’t even sure anything could happen. He’d been hinting that she should come for a visit for a while now. She’d finally gotten up the nerve two months ago when she’d read the journal that had changed so much in her life. Craig had always been there for her. Maybe it was time to figure out what that meant for them.
Up ahead she saw the familiar turn-off for Bandit Creek. “I’ll let you go now. I’m almost there.”
“
See you in a few.”
She wasn’t sure how she felt driving through Bandit Creek. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same apparently. All the old hangouts were still there. She took a drive down Main Street and there was Ma’s Kitchen, The Candy Store, and the Powderhorn Saloon. Was that a law office beside the saloon? Wow. She hadn’t seen that one coming.
Turning around, Penny drove back down Main and onto Walnut to Washington.
The school looked exactly the same as always and the nearby football field brought a lump to her throat.
So many memories. Tainted, now. Would she be able to look at anything here without wondering what really happened twelve years ago?
Driving over the bridge and approaching the edge of town, she squinted at the construction going on beside Craig’s place. What was that going to be?
She finally pulled into the drive and stopped before a long, stretched-out bungalow.
Craig had bought his parent’s home when they moved to Missoula a few years back and, judging from the outside, he hadn’t changed a thing. It was the same as it had always been, and the feeling of coming home nearly brought tears to her eyes. A rectangular log cabin that faced the road, it had been the site of many late-night movie marathons when she’d been a teenager.
She inhaled deeply as she stepped out of the low-slung rental car. The front door banged open, and a man was silhouetted in the opening.
“
Well, as I live and breathe. Pissy pants Penny has finally come home.”
Penny sent a mock-glare toward Craig. She didn’t even have to see his face to know he wore a shit-eating grin. His achingly familiar lope had Craig standing in front of her within seconds. Damn, he looked good.
Finally letting loose a chuckle, Penny shook her head. “You’re cruising for a bruising.”
“
Geez. What are we? Back in high school?” Craig engulfed her in his arms, holding her close.