By
Rhonda Lee Carver

A Cowboy and a new beginning

Urban Jericho has hit a snag. He should be loving his life as a rodeo star but his passion for riding bulls, and getting knocked around, has fizzled. When he sees the opportunity for a new beginning, he’s ready to rope the chance of a lifetime. Problem is, it requires a wife…

An Ultimatum

Presley Dean has life by the reins until she’s given an ultimatum to get married or lose everything she’s worked for, everything she loves. So, when Urban comes up with a ridiculous plan that’ll get them both what they want, she considers marrying him. Up until now she’s stayed clear of the cowboy who has done nothing but rile her every chance he got…and conjured feelings she’d like to ignore. After being shot with a horse tranquilizer, she sees another side to Urban…

Nothing like being given an ultimatum by your father, marry in six months or I’m selling it all. Presley has no prospects, and quite frankly doesn’t want any. She knows her father is serious and won’t back down either, he never has and never will.

Urban is coming to the end of his Rodeo career and even as he prepares for what he hopes is his last, very profitable ride, he is thinking of Presley. She’s hated him ever since he cut off her braid in grade school. That was forever ago, plus she had also dated his brother Hugh, which made her hands off. Of course she also had the reputation of Ice Queen, which really doesn’t appeal.

When he loses the ride and the pot, Urban finds the the flyer his rival Chase had handed him. Fifty thousand dollars for a documentary on a married Rodeo Cowboy. That would allow him to retire but first he needs a wife, and he knows just the woman.

This is a favorite scene as Urban begins his quest to get Presley to agree to do the documentary with him.

She sighed. “Don’t you get tired of being a pest?”

“No, I mean…I’m not here to pester you. I wanted to wait until morning to speak to you, but I couldn’t help myself. When I see something I want, I can’t control myself.”

She practically swallowed her tongue. “What?”

He reached into his back pocket and dragged out a crumpled piece of paper that looked as if it had been washed with his jeans. He dropped it into her lap. “Take a look.”

Hesitantly, she picked up the folded paper, unfolded it and pressed out the wrinkles. She read the information, then looked at him over the top of the flyer. “Okay. I’m not sure how this has anything to do with me, or you for that matter, and it definitely doesn’t require you to show up here and make up a lie.”

“I’m sorry about that, but on the way here I kept pondering what I’d say to you. How I’d ask…”

“Ask what?” She placed the flyer on the table.

“To do this with me.” He stabbed the middle of the paper with his forefinger

She squinted. “A documentary? On a married couple? I think you are drunk.”

“Fifty grand, Presley. They’re giving the couple fifty grand just to do some twinky-dink minute documentary. This is too good to pass up.”

“Again, how do I fit into this?”

“You need a husband. I heard you, remember?”

She stood, needing space. “That was a private conversation.” She clicked on another lamp.

“Doesn’t matter. I’m here to offer you a proposition.”

Swiveling on her heels, she tried wrapping her brain around what he was saying, ready for the cast of Punk’d to pop out any second. “Proposition?”

“Yeah. You need a husband and I need a wife.”

Her knees wobbled. “You? My husband?” She laughed. “Hilarious.”

“Not the reaction I was hoping for.” He swiped his palm down his cheek.

“Probably not, but I’m confused. You want a wife to get the fifty thousand? Wow. That doesn’t seem enough to marry someone.”

“The money isn’t the only thing, but that’s another story. Anyway, you’re willing to marry some stranger to have the clinic and this land. What’s so different? At least I’m not a stranger.”

Presley got it. He was drunker than he realized and, come tomorrow, he wouldn’t remember any of this. In the meantime, she’d play along. “Because the beer anesthetized your brain cells, I’ll explain. First, I wasn’t evaluating Bart as a husband. We were on a date. That’s all. Two, you and I…well…how can I put this nicely. We would do better in a sparring competition against each other than as husband and wife.”

He slid to the edge of the cushion, leaning his elbows on his knees. He appeared completely serious. “You see, you’re wrong. We’d make the perfect partners because we’d go into this without any expectations…outside of the money for me and the business for you. There would be no chance for us falling in love. After all, you can’t stand me and I like my women a little warmer.”

She blinked, feeling his words burrowing deep in the marrow of her bones. “Warmer?” she pushed through tight lips.

“Toward me.”

“I didn’t see you offering Rena this proposition. She seemed ready…and warm.” She rolled her eyes.

“She’s not…”

“Available?”

“No, she’s not you and she’s not looking for a husband.”
Carver, Rhonda Lee. Urban’s Rush (Saddles & Second Chances Book 4) (Kindle Locations 897-934). Kindle Edition.

These two have so much in common and are so clueless. Well more Urban than Presley, since she tends to fantasize about him.

I giggled a lot as they plan their wedding and the camera crew and others have an annoying habit of interrupting them at the most inopportune moments.

Sexy, romantic and a whole lot of fun!

5 Contented Purrs for Rhonda!

Rhonda Lee Carver

Rhonda Lee Carver is a published book writer with a collection of print and eBooks under her wing. She is also a freelance editor. Her first book was published with Wild Rose Press in 2010.

She writes everything from contemporary to steamy to paranormal to suspense…you name it, she’s written it. Her specialty is writing men who love to get their hands dirty—hardworking, blue collar, heroes in everyday life.

When Rhonda isn’t crafting edge-of-your-seat, sizzling novels, you’ll find her with her children and husband watching soccer, watching a breathtaking movie, traveling to exotic places (with Bora Bora on her bucket list), doing (or trying) yoga, saving cats and dogs, and finding new ways to keep life interesting.

Rhonda thrives on making her readers happy. She believes life can be a challenge, but reading is a place where fantasy comes to life. Her motto: “Everyone deserves romance—one page at a time.“