The Reluctant Rancher~Badlands (Contemporary Western Romantic Suspense) (33 page)

E.J. laughed just picturing Celeste in this role. “Better not. There are many more worthy women around here.”
He sobered up and tried to frame his next question carefully. “So, it won’t bother you to be married to someone who was raised by a man capable of murder and many other crimes?”

“Not an issue. You are who you are, and I love you. You more than proved your love for me when you were willing to give up a million dollars for me…and you put your life on the line to rescue me.”

He felt a warm glow spread through his chest. He swallowed hard. “I know you’d love me if I didn’t have a dime.” He reached out a hand to stroke Rufus on the head. “As far as I’m concerned, I’m starting all over with a new family and a new heritage for the Kincaids.

Later that evening, dressed in starched Wranglers and polished boots, E.J. paid for the
ir entry into the Eagle’s Hall.

Jenna gazed a
bout the room at the tables surrounding the edge of the dance floor. “Everyone must love this band as much as I do. So many people are already here.”

E.J. turned and swept the room in a glance.
“Lots of people, all right.”

Breck stood up and waved them over to a table
jutting out from the far wall.

E.J. motioned to Jenna and she nodded, leading the way to their table, but not letting go of his hand. He felt remarkably good, consideri
ng the events of the past week.

Breck leaned across the table to shake his hand. “We lived through it.”

“Damned straight!” E.J. replied. Somehow, being accepted by Breck was like passing a major milestone. He pulled out a chair for Jenna and when she was seated, one for himself.

“How’s your wrist?” Cami asked.

He rotated it in a circling motion. “Seems to be fine.”

“And your shoulder?”

“Healing. Thanks for asking.” He winked at her then turned his attention to the man sitting across from him. “Hey, Breck. Thanks for standing by me when we went after Jenna.”

Breck shrugged modestly. “No big deal. I’m just glad we got it taken care of.”

“Since we both made it through alive, I have a very important question to ask you.” E.J. looked at him earnestly.

“Shoot!”

“How about standing up for me when I marry this lovely woman? Will you be my best man?

Breck stood up and tossed his Stetson in the air, catching it deftly.
“Wa-hoo! I’d be proud to.” He leaned across the table to give E.J. a man-hug and a thorough pounding on the uninjured shoulder. “When’s the date?”

E.J. grinned at Jenna. “We have to talk to the preacher about that, but soon.”

Jenna’s grin went wall-to-wall. “I was hoping you’d be my Matron of Honor, Cami.”

“Oh, Jenna.
I’d be honored.” Cami got up and so did Jenna. They met at the end of the table and hugged each other.

E.J. could see both women shedding tears, but grinning all the while.
Yes, everything is falling into place as it should.
My crappy life is getting so much better.

The band arrived and began setting up their instruments and tuning up. More people poured into the hall.

Breck stood up again and waved his Stetson to someone in the crowd.

E.J. turned to see who he was hailing. The ranch hand who worked for the Ryans came toward the table, his arm around a pretty young woman, and he had a baby carrier hooked on his other arm.
The woman was the one who ran the consignment store in town.

“It’s Sara Beth and Frank,” Cami said. She waved both hands and indicated that she wanted them to sit by her. She got up as they neared and gave the young woman a hug. Fra
nk leaned in for a hug as well.

When everyone was settled to Cami’s satisfaction, the young woman
named Sara Beth, seated beside her near the end of the table.

Frank placed the baby in the plastic
carrier on the table between them. He shook Breck’s hand and then reached for E.J.’s. “Frank Wilson,” he said.

“E.J. Kincaid.”

Frank gestured across to the pretty young woman. “And that’s my girlfriend, Sara Beth Jessup.”

Sara Beth colored prettily and then grinned at Cami who was ab
solutely beaming with pleasure.

“I’m so glad you two got together,” Cami said.

Sara Beth blushed even redder. “We went to dinner. We had a real date.”

Frank then leaned down and gave Jenna a kiss on the ch
eek, and she squeezed his neck.

A little stirring of jealousy tingled in E.J.’s gut.
Get your lips off of my fiancée.
Then he sucked in a deep breath and let it out.
Be cool.

Breck hailed th
e waitress and ordered a round.

When the waitress returned, E.J. noticed she set a bottle of water in front of Cami. She never was much of a drinker.
Always into healthy living. He raised his longneck and clinked it against Jenna’s and then Breck’s. Everyone at the table joined in.

Breck stood and cleared his throat. “I want to propose a toast to my beautiful wife, Mrs.
Doctor Camryn Carmichael-Ryan.”

Everyone
clinked their respective drink containers again.

“And I would like to announce the expected birth of our first child.”

This proclamation was followed by a chorus of squeals from the women and lower toned congratulations from the men.

E.J. nodded and caught Jenna’s eye. She winked at him as though to say, “Get ready, Buster.”

The band started to play and Jenna pushed her chair back.

“The lady wants to dance,” E.J. said. He stood and followed her onto the floor. It was a waltz. An old Anne Murray song he remembered from long ago. The dance floor filled with couples whirling
to the music as the singer sang the first stanza.

When
the singer got to the chorus, Jenna joined in. “Could I have this dance, for the rest of my life?” She gazed up at him, her face aglow with the trust and love she felt.

E.J. picked it up and sang the next line with her. “Will you be my partner every night? When we’re together it feels so right. Could I have this dance for the rest of my
life?”

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About the author:

J.D. Faver lives near Houston, Texas with three spoiled, rotten cats and a rescue dog, affectionately called Heart of Darkness, Horrible/Adorable, or Minx for short. She writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense, both seasoned with plenty of steamy passion. Even the darkest murder/suspense is riddled with numerous snarky sentiments. She is actively involved in several writer’s organizations, including National RWA and two of its local chapters, West Houston RWA, and Northwest Houston RWA. She loves to spend time with family and friends. She writes daily but has time for other interests including painting, cooking and gardening.

She loves to hear from readers.
Contact her through her website~
http://www.jdfaver.com

Twitter~
http://twitter.com/#!/JDFaverauthor

FaceBook
~
https://www.facebook.com/pages/JD-Faver-Author/

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You might also enjoy Book One in the BADLANDS series:

The Doctor’s Choice~BADLANDS: Book One

Will she choose love or money?
The Cowboy or the City?

The murder of her only relative forces Camryn Carmichael, a lonely young doctor, to choose between her dream career in a Houston research hospital and a rural practice close to rancher,
Breckenridge T. Ryan the infuriating man she loses her heart to.
Cowboys, murder and romance. Oh, my!

When her suspicions about her great-aunt’s death prove to be true, she resolves to uncover the villain herself. Breck tries to convince her that the community needs her just as much as he does, but when she uncovers a decades-old crime, she puts her own life is in danger.

Threatened by the diabolical killer and a ‘blue norther’, will she survive long enough to tell the tale?

http://amzn.com/B005341WX2

Other books by J.D. Faver

The Edge of Texas Series:

~BAD MEDICINE~

“You’re too stupid to live, Rafael Solis!” Chloe Palmer’s words still echoed in Rafael’s memory. The last words she said before she shot him and left town…
 

Unable to escape her past, Chloe returns to the Texas coast for her murdered father’s funeral and to face Rafael, the man she left behind. Rafael never gave up her.
Rafael’s passion breaks down her emotional barriers, but her impetuous nature draws her into a cruel vortex where she runs afoul of old and new enemies.
Previous rivalries emerge, pitting Rafael against the heir-apparent to a crime dynasty. With the body count rising, Rafael and Chloe battle an infatuated but vicious drug lord, kidnappers, and a twisted curandero (Mexican healer). Will they survive the violence and be able to forge a life together?
5***** Review~ “The suspense story line was perfectly done. I never knew from one moment to another how the story was going to turn. It kept me guessing and COMPLETELY involved with the story. It was ALL so good...both the romance and the suspense. It was just a superbly written book. I stayed on the edge of my seat and with my nose buried in the book until I got it finished...and then I was sad that it was over.”

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H5IUQ2

~BAD KARMA~

Next time, he’d be more careful. Next time, he’d make sure he killed the right woman...Next time...BAD KARMA ~ 93k word mystery/suspense/steamy romance.

5***** Review ~ “Not one but TWO romances in ONE story, sexy men, sexy women, love, lust.. then add a bad guy trying to kill the heroine, nearly killing others in the midst of his anger and you have one helluva storyline!! Great suspense and a story that was truly believable.”
With a vengeful stalker on her trail and a hurricane in the Gulf, Skyler Danforth relocates to South Padre Island only to find a new danger when her neighbor, Zach Bailey takes her heart by storm. Sky tries to fit in and be patient when she realizes that she is falling fast for Zach, but he's on the rebound and cautious. Sky is a nurse and after two attempts on her life, moves to South Padre to live with her baby sister in hopes of eluding her stalker.
Cassie, a brilliant prodigy, is in over her brainy head when a local heart-breaker and fire fighter, Javier Rios pursues her. He is attracted to her natural innocence and beauty, but thinks she is only a restaurant delivery girl. He falls hard for the geeky, Master’s degree wielding Marine Biologist.
When the storm comes ashore and the island is evacuated, Sky and Cassie are trapped in the fortress-like hospital with a woman in labor, a heart attack victim and the stalker. Locked out, Zach and Javi use their own unique talents to breach the impenetrable medical facility, each sacrificing something of great personal value in the process. The easy going Zach is forced to step way outside his comfort zone and fight to protect the woman he loves.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0081SGPZW

~BAD VIBES~

5 ***** Review~ “J.D. creates two characters in Mike and Darla that you'll be rooting for while simultaneously ratcheting up the suspense to the breaking point. The Texas Coast will *never* be the same by the time these two get done…”
 

Darla came on deck clad in black body armor, her copper top hidden under a black Sheriff’s Department cap with the bill turned backwards. She had her M-14 slung over her shoulder and a pack of extra magazines.
Damn! She looks so hot! Like Badass Barbie…
When government agent Mike “The Iceman” Burke invades her South Padre Island turf, Deputy Darla Calhoun is assigned as liaison officer to his team. Her skills as a sniper come in handy when a gang of human traffickers strikes close to home, kidnapping local women including her best friend.
Darla is recovering from her husband’s suicide and trying to be a good parent to her twin sons. The ICE assignment takes her out of her misery and plunges her into a dangerous mission and a steamy affair.
Mike and Darla tear up and down the Intracoastal Waterway in search of the kidnappers and the captive women while Rafael and Javier conduct their own investigation. Will they rescue the captive women or will the kidnappers slaughter them as they have done in the past? Two teams race to find the answers before it's too late.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009LYM3ZQ

~*~   ~*~   ~*~

~ON ICE~

5***** review “This was a brilliant story and I got so involved in the characters, I couldn't put it down. Loved the rich descriptions and the story telling was excellent.”
A terrified woman erases her past to escape her abusive husband. Taking her children, she disappears from Texas only to reinvent herself as a teacher in a remote Alaskan village. She fights to survive the harsh environment, while ever mindful of the danger stalking her.
A complication emerges in the form of her new boss who is unaware of her entanglement and pursues her with a passion. Hungry for a father figure, her young children immediately take to him, but she is haunted by the cruel man who battered her. Can a good man heal her scars and gain her trust?
As she evolves in her new role, she becomes stronger as a person. Back in Texas, her sister draws the abuser's fury and becomes his new victim. When her past catches up with her, she is not the same woman who ran away. She puts her life on the line to protect her children, but will she survive the wrath of a sociopath bent on revenge?