CEO Vanessa Lockhart has had her fill of controlling men. So when she decides to take a few days off in the Lone Star State to kick up her booted heels with a little shopping and a night on the town, she doesn’t count on meeting Carson, getting ruthlessly kissed, or ending up in bed with the cute cowboy. A two-day Texas fling? Why not? A girl only lives once. After all, she’ll have something for her memoirs—until she goes back to work in Nevada to meet her new CFO…and in walks her Texas cowboy. Vanessa’s divorcing one man and doesn’t need another—too bad Carson has other ideas.
Carson Cutes didn’t plan to pick up Vanessa at the bar or spend two fun days and two hotter nights with the beauty. But it isn’t an issue since she blows out of town without a goodbye. When his godfather asks for help with his new hotel venture—he never expected to end up in Las Vegas or for the CEO to be the one woman he can’t get out of his mind. What’s a cowboy to do? He doesn’t believe in love at first sight—but now has doubts. How can he convince a girl under neon lights that she holds his Texan heart?
Excerpt
Carson woke to a slight heaviness around his waist and the faint scent of expensive perfume blending with sweat. Sun peered in through the window and his brain kicked into thought process.
The weight around him was a tanned slender arm.
Vanessa!
He glanced down to the toss of dark ringlets against the pillow case and the woman he’d shared hours of hot, incredible sex with wearing his button down shirt. She lifted her head and met his gaze. Her lashes were naturally long and her eyes so dark, he swore he could get lost in them. His stomach fluttered from the sweet smile dusted across her full lips.
“Good morning,” he whispered.
“I thought you’d be gone.” Surprise registered on her pretty face.
“I probably should’ve, considering I should be back at work.” He tightened his hold at her waist. “I have to admit I’m pretty comfortable right where I am.”
She giggled softly. “You realize that’s not very one night stand of you.”
In all his years, Carson had never stayed the night with a woman he had no intentions seeing again. Then again, unlike his cousin Dillon who was notorious for one night stands and two week relationships, one night stands weren’t something Carson normally participated in—he was too busy working. His grin broadened and he lifted his brows.
“True. So since we’ve established that, would you consider me taking you to breakfast?”
She went to open her mouth to answer when a loud ringing filled the room and echoed around them. “Hold that thought,” she whispered.
Vanessa slipped from underneath the covers and climbed out of bed. She glanced at her wearing his denim shirt then around the room before walking over to the three drawer dresser which sat along one wall. Her fingers reached for the silver phone on the smooth oak top and glanced at the number.
“Oh, God,” she whispered then rolled her eyes and swiped a finger across the screen of her phone. “Good morning, Antoine.”
Antoine?
Out of everything he’d learned about her last night, ironically he’d never asked if she was married or involved with anyone. Considering his past, and his dreadful mistake with Sheila it should have been one of the first things he asked. However, her lack of ring and…
“I was just getting out of bed.” She told the man on the other end of the phone. “Why are you calling so early?” There was a momentary pause and again she rolled her eyes. “I should have known Hailey and Arianna were behind this.” A heavy sigh escaped her and she glanced over to where Carson had sat up in bed. “What do you mean you booked me the works?” An unhappy expression worked across her features. “Antoine I have better things to do then to park my ass at the spa for the day, I should be—”
Her expression shifted from unhappy to defeat. So many questions ran through Carson’s mind—the big one being if she was involved with someone. He wanted to believe she wasn’t but doubt filled his mind. One of the reasons he rarely dated—he didn’t trust his judgment where women were concerned.
“What the hell happened to David?” Panic coated each and every syllable, her long lashes blinked before her eyes widened.
Who’s David?
He never even bothered to find out if she had kids. What did it matter? This was a one night stand, well an extended one at least.
Vanessa groaned and covered her face with her hand. “Well its David’s own fault. He knows Shakespeare hangs out on the bookcase and tosses books. He didn’t get a concussion did he?” Again, she sighed heavy. “Usually, Mischief takes care of the plants, I’m surprised Shakespeare got his plump rump up that high.” She shook her head. “Listen, give my love to everyone, and tell our fearless leader I’m relaxing and enjoying my vacation time, hell, tell him whatever you want so he doesn’t end up calling my cell phone and giving me one of his hour long lectures.”
Carson couldn’t help but wonder if he’d overstayed, yet a small part of him, knew that he hadn’t. He tossed back the covers and decided now was as good of time as any to get dressed.
“Yes, I will be there for eleven and I love you too.” She ended the call and her shoulders sagged as Carson did up the front of his jeans.
He wasn’t sure what to say, so started with the obvious. “Is everything okay?”
She nodded rather unconvincingly that it was. “That was my overly flamboyant personal assistant on the phone, letting me know about my all day spa session. Apparently, my boss, who is a good man with a good heart, though eccentric at best, insisted I be pampered.”
Not her husband.
“And he informed me that David, one of my colleagues and friends who is staying with my kids while I’m away got knocked out by Shakespeare knocking a plant pot off the bookcase and hitting him in the head with it.”
Kids, as in plural.
He ended up with more questions running through his mind. “How many kids do you have?”
Her head tilted to the side and a quizzical expression crossed her face. “Oh, technically none.” She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. “Persnickety I got from a rescue charity that was having adoptions outside the food store one day when I went in to do groceries. She had been in foster care for six months and didn’t get adopted because she doesn’t show well, due to being shy. Mischief, I got shortly after I moved into my condo because I was busy with work and didn’t want persnickety to be lonely while I put in long hours at my job. Shakespeare, he loves napping on my bookcase and shortly after I moved into my condo, my neighbors moved out and left him behind. I figured I already had two fur babies what was one more.”
Fur babies? Not actually children. Interesting.
“So here I am, not even thirty-five, live by myself and I’m already becoming a crazy cat lady.”
His mouth dropped open as he absorbed the new information. The more he got to know her, the more he found himself curious about her and liked her—a lot. “Before your phone rang I asked if you wanted to go to breakfast. Would you still be interested?”
She giggled and nodded. “I’d really enjoy that, especially since you know I’m a cat lady in the making and it hasn’t scared you off.”
He grinned broadly. “I’m used to cats, and my younger sister Gloria has a pet pig named Bacon Bits, who actually thinks he’s a dog—so I’m used to strange.”
“Me too—if you only knew my friends.”
“I’m guessing the Hailey and Arianna you mentioned to your assistant?”
“Yeah,” she paused and studied him a minute. “It’s nice you paid attention.” There was something in her tone he couldn’t quite pinpoint, but he knew her words to be sincere.”
He thought a moment and glanced out the window to the Texas sky then turned back and met her gaze. “So an all day spa appointment, I’m guessing you will be staying another night?”
“Yes,” she replied with a smile.
“I have a couple things I need to do, but would like to see if you will keep me company later on tonight for dinner.”
Vanessa threw her head back and laughed. “We haven’t had breakfast yet, are you sure you want to invite me to dinner?”
“I do, in fact, I’ll take whatever time I can spend with you.” He shrugged. “What can I say, I’m a man who knows what he wants, and right now you’re what I want.”
Her surprise wasn’t hard to miss and she pursed her full lips. “Well, since you put it like that, what did you have in mind for breakfast?”
Be a gentleman. A voice warned in his head. And don’t say you.
“Funny you should ask.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, I still call Sin City home. I’ve always been a sucker for romance novels and movies, especially romantic comedies. Writing is more than just words to me it’s captivating slices of characters’ lives and sharing them with the reader. I’m a firm believer that heroes and heroines had a life before page one of any story and their past as well as life experiences, made them who they are.
Coming from the southwest I have a major soft spot for cowboys, but also love suspense, a bit of intrigue and kick-ass heroines. Of course, there is always the time to slip in a good paranormal. I try to keep my writing diverse and always on the naughty side.
Happy reading!
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