Rodeo cowboy Teagan has inherited his father’s ranch, and it’s in a bad way. To pay his bills, he’ll have to work the rodeo circuit hard, and for that he needs a partner. Team roper Cash is just the ticket. He’s not the friendliest sort, but he has a good seat and a better roping arm, so Teagan takes Cash on and things heat up fast. Maybe too fast.
When Teagan finds out he’s not the only one Cash has in the saddle, he thinks they’re over for good. But then Cash has an accident, and Teagan cares too much about Cash to abandon him. How will he deal with a new Cash, one with no memory of being a bit of an asshole—or of a relationship with Teagan? And how will Cash react when he realizes Teagan has been less than forthcoming about their past?
Like any good rodeo ride, Teagan and Cash have ups and downs, crashing and burning as often as they blaze bright. But to make their love work as smoothly as their roping, they’ll have to push past deception and stubborn pride.
First Edition published as Tabula Rasa by Torquere Press, 2007.
Buy links: Dreamspinner | Amazon
Cat gives this one 3 Meows with a 5 Purr heat index (lots of explicit sex)...
Pretty much the blurb tells us well what the story is about.
Teagen has inherited his father's ranch and it was in a bad way. He has to work the rodeo circuit to pay the bills and is trying hard to get the ranch back up to the way it used to be or better. While he works rodeo his stepmother Lori and three hands take care of the ranch. Teagan's heeler has gotten hurt and he needs a new one. Not having much luck, he goes out to rodeo days to find one and meets Cash.
Cash is a real (how can I say it without a cuss word?) Butthead? Anyway, he isn't very nice. He is selfish and in a lot of fights and always with a different man or woman. When Lori hears who Teagan hires as a heeler she is upset knowing him already. Once I found out why she hates him, I liked him less than I did before.
The characters were good they just needed a bit more something as I never bonded with either of them. The only character I really liked a lot and did bond with was Lori. I wish there had been more of Cash and his backstory and a little less sex. I felt the threesome with Teagen, Dusty and Devin was not needed. It was very hot I will admit
I will say the ending was pretty sweet and an HFN. Perhaps we will see more of Cash and Teagan in the future and see if it lasts! So if a lot of steamy hot man sex, threesomes, and some good rodeo is your thing I think you will enjoy this book!
Excerpt...
THE ROPE whipped through the air and landed almost exactly where it was supposed to. Teagan held his breath and tightened his fingers on the fence while he watched it slide up the back legs of the calf.
“He’s got it! Fuck, no, he don’t.” Bram rolled his eyes and snorted with disgust. “How in holy fuck is it so fucking hard to find a decent heeler? Jesus.” He pushed away from the fence that surrounded the practice ring. “I’m gonna go smoke.”
Teagan sighed and watched the cowboy in the ring leap off his horse. He had only gotten one of the calf’s rear legs, not both, and it took the man about four seconds to figure it out once he was down in the dirt with the animal.
Joe threw Teagan a look from under the brim of his hat and dismounted. He strolled to the steer and lifted the rope he’d tossed around the animal’s front horns. Teagan watched Joe spit a stream of tobacco juice into the dirt as he coiled his rope. “Five-second penalty,” Joe said to the cowboy, who was examining his own rope as if it were to blame for his mistake. “Can’t afford that.”
“Lemme try again?” The cowboy squinted up at Joe, a hopeful note in his voice.
Joe glanced at Teagan. Teagan shook his head. “Nope,” Joe said, walking back to Stormy and mounting up again. “That was your third time, boy. Close is only good in horseshoes, sorry.” He waited until the steer was back on its feet before wheeling Stormy around and heading for the barn.
The cowboy still sat there in the dust, discouraged. Teagan had a momentary flash of sympathy. He’d been there once. Fifteen years ago, to be sure, but still. He didn’t have time for this shit now, not when qualifying rounds were in two weeks.
“Sorry.” Teagan sighed and waited, hoping the kid would get to his feet.
The boy shrugged and got up, slapping at his jeans. “I fucked up. Ain’t no call for you to be sorry.” He mounted his horse and looked down at Teagan. “Hope you find your heeler.”
Teagan scrubbed a hand over his face as the young cowboy left the ring. It sounded so damn easy. He tried not to curse Stubby again, but the man couldn’t have broken his ankle at a more inconvenient time. It wasn’t that uncommon for a team roper to also participate in solo rodeo events such as calf roping or steer wrestling, but Stubby liked the saddle broncs. The last one hadn’t liked him, however, and had promptly stepped on Stubby’s ankle three days ago during practice.
Now, Teagan was stuck trying to find a heeler who he could team with in the upcoming rodeo season. It was harder than it sounded. He lifted his head and watched the young cowboy ride off down the lane, tiny puffs of dust kicking up under his horse’s feet. Fuck. He’d come highly recommended too. Chet Dawson had given Teagan the kid’s name.
Reminding himself to call Chet and ask him what the fuck he’d been thinking, Teagan pushed off from the wooden fence and headed toward the house. It was looking like rain, in any case. Good enough excuse to stop for the day.
The smell of Lori’s beef stew wafted over him as soon as he walked in the door. Teagan followed the succulent smell of onions and meat to the kitchen, stomach rumbling. “Loribeth,” he said as soon as he stepped into the room, “might as well just set two bowls down in front of me to start off, ’cause you know I’m gonna want seconds.”
“Hat,” Lori answered absently, chopping parsley and throwing it into the pot.
Teagan concealed his eye roll and hung his Stetson on the hat rack. No use telling her he was reaching for it anyway; she’d just give her long-suffering sigh and not believe him. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Any luck, baby?” Lori peered into her pot as Teagan washed up at the sink.
He shook his head and grimaced. “Sorriest excuses for ropers you ever did see. What the fu—the heck was Chet thinking, sending that kid over this way? And he was the best of the bunch too.” Teagan sat down heavily in a chair and pulled up to the table. He rested his forehead on the heels of his hands and closed his eyes. “We’re screwed.”
Lori clucked at his choice of language but didn’t disagree. “You’ll find someone, sweetheart. Plenty of cowboys in Wyoming.”
“True. But it seems there’s a shortage of heelers.” Teagan groaned. “We need the money, Lor. Could try it solo, but that’s just chasing clouds, you know? Ain’t so good when I go it alone. More money if I find a good partner.”
“I know, baby.” She sat in her usual place across from Teagan and began eating her stew.
Tory Temple lives and works in southern California where she happens to spend a lot of time around firefighters. It makes for excellent storytelling, so Tory definitely uses that to her advantage! She is guardian to three pit bulls who only attack with kisses, two snobby cats, as well as other assorted friends from the animal kingdom. (Husband included.) Her fondest wish is to be a stay-at-home dog mom. You can tempt her with promises of cheese and/or Mexican food. On Saturday nights, she is usually watching Netflix and thinking about how to get the newest firemen in her head to hook up. Tory loves reader e-mails and looks forward to hearing from anyone who wants to drop her a line.
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The review was interesting and so is the book. I think I Would try it.
ReplyDeletedebby236 at gmail dot com
great excerpt
ReplyDeletejmarinich33@aol.com