Taming Angelina: The Temptation Saga: Book Four (14 page)

“
Y
ou want
me to come to a baby shower? Are you kiddin’ me?” Harper Bay paced the length of his father’s—now
his
—office in his mother’s—now
his
—ranch house.

His little sister’s sigh cut right through the phone. “Couples showers are the new thing now, Harp. Amber says—”

“Sheesh, Catie.” Harper Bay rolled his eyes, thankful his sister couldn’t see him through the phone. He was damn sick of hearing what Amber Cross had to say. That bleached blond manicurist who had become Catie’s new soul sister spouted off all kinds of newfangled ideas, and he didn’t like a one of them. “Dallas and Annie just had the twins a month ago, and none of us guys had to go to a shower. And you forget one important little detail.”

“What’s that?”

“Last time I checked, I’m not a ‘couple.’”

“Co-ed shower, then. We’re talking semantics here.” Catie’s tone softened. “Don’t you want to welcome little Violet?”

How in hell does she do that
? Her petal-soft voice never failed to make him wilt. He was a sucker for his baby sister, and he’d be just as much of a sucker for his new niece. Violet was a beauty even at a week old, with a mop of black hair and eyes the darkest sapphire blue. They’d probably turn big and brown like Catie’s. She’d be a heartbreaker for sure.

But a baby shower? He was a man, for God’s sake. A damned cowboy. Cowboys did not go to baby showers. That had to be in a rulebook somewhere.

He shook his head. “What’s Chad think of this nonsense?”

“Chad says ‘whatever makes me happy.’”

Christ.

Whipped.

Harper had known Chad McCray most of his life. A bigger womanizer hadn’t existed on the planet…until Catie reeled him in. Now Chad was the epitome of whipped. His face was probably next to “whipped” in the damned dictionary. Harper couldn’t prevent a chuckle.

“What are you laughing at?” Catie demanded.

Why not be honest?
“Just your whipped hubby, that’s all.”

“For your information, Chad is
not
whipped.”

“Give me a break, Catie-bug. You have the cowboy wrapped around your little finger, and it won’t be long till that pretty little daughter of yours has him twisted around hers, too.”

Catie’s soft laugh gave her away. She knew her husband was whipped. Heck, she was whipped, too. Those two were crazy about each other. Crazy in a way his and Catie’s parents had never been. Crazy in a way Harper had never been and probably never would be. He had a ranch to run now. When his father passed away several months ago, Harper had become sole owner of Cha Cha Ranch outside of Bakersville, Colorado. His mother, who’d inherited the ranch when Harper was a boy and transferred it to her husband, still lived in the big ranch house and would for as long as she wished. His uncle, Jefferson Bay, also lived there. Jeff had been estranged from the family for the last three decades, and they were slowly—very slowly—rebuilding their relationship.

Nope, no “whipped” for Harper. He had too much to do. Too many responsibilities. He wasn’t sure when he’d last had a date.

How long had it been since he’d had sex?

Too damn long. Had they changed it?

“Harp?”

Reality.
Catie. Sometimes the magnitude of owning a whole beef ranch overwhelmed him. “Sorry, just thinking.” He sat down in his father’s—
his
—chair. “I really think I’ll pass on the shower thing, Sis.”

“Please? Rafe is coming with Angie. They’re coming in from the western slope just to attend.”

“They haven’t seen Violet yet. They’re coming to see her, not for the shower.”

“So they’ll kill two birds with one stone.”

“I suppose they will. I, however, have already seen my beautiful niece, and I plan to see her a lot. Just not during some girly shower.”

“It’s not going to be a girly shower.”

“Oh yeah? You getting a stripper?”

Another sigh from Catie. “Geez, Harp.”

“Sorry.” Though he wouldn’t mind seeing Amber Cross strut her stuff naked. Damn, she had the body of a stripper. Lithe long legs curled around a silver pole, platinum locks falling over rosy-skinned shoulders…pink nipples peeking through…

His groin tightened.

Christ.
His body betrayed him. Amber was so not his type. Though she was a Texas native and the reigning Bakersville Rodeo Queen, she was about as far from the girls Harper had grown up with as Maine was from California. Cute Colorado farm girl?
Hell, no.
Nearly white tresses, long red fingernails, leather miniskirts, and sequined tube tops…

Damn, the woman was hot.

Hot, and a major pain in the ass with her couples shower. She’d had Catie doing all kinds of weird crap in the last year. Thursday night happy hour at The Bullfrog had become a tradition for his baby sister. She never missed it, even when she’d been big as a house with Violet. Virgin drinks, yes, but still out on the dance floor shakin’ her booty with her new BFF.

He couldn’t believe Chad allowed it. Heck, of course he did. The man was so whipped.

“So are you coming or not?”

“You know I love you and I love Violet.” He sighed. “But no. I’m sorry.”

“Have it your way, then. Everybody else in town will be here.”

“Tell everybody else I said hi.”

“Fine.” Her voice cracked. “Goodbye.” Catie’s phone clicked.

He didn’t want to hurt her, but a baby shower? Sorry, this cowboy wasn’t turning in his man card.

D
ear Reader
,

Thank you for reading
Taming Angelina
. If you want to find out about my current backlist and future releases, please like my Facebook page:
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If you enjoyed the story, please take the time to leave a review on a site like Amazon or Goodreads. I welcome all feedback.

I wish you all the best, and keep reading!

Helen

T
aming Angelina
sees
Angie go from a spoiled brat to a strong woman who realizes what is truly important in life. I hope you enjoyed the story of her and Rafe.

So many people helped along the way in bringing this book to you. Celina Summers, Michele Hamner Moore, Jenny Rarden, Coreen Montagna, Kelly Shorten, David Grishman, Meredith Wild, Jonathan Mac, Kurt Vachon, Yvonne Ellis, Shayla Fereshetian—thank you all for your expertise and guidance. Eternal thanks to Waterhouse Press for the expert rebranding of the series.

And thanks most of all to you, the readers. Up next, Angie and Catie’s brother, Harper, finally gets a story of his own, and his heroine? None other than the striking Texan, Amber Cross. Enjoy their story,
Treasuring Amber
.

H
elen Hardt’s
passion for the written word began with the books her mother read to her at bedtime. She wrote her first story at age six and hasn’t stopped since. In addition to being an award-winning author of contemporary and historical romance and erotica, she’s a mother, a black belt in Taekwondo, a grammar geek, an appreciator of fine red wine, and a lover of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. She writes from her home in Colorado, where she lives with her family. Helen loves to hear from readers.

http://www.helenhardt.com

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