Sharp Shootin’ Cowboy
By Victoria Vane
Hot Cowboy Nights, Book 3
June 2, 2015
Contemporary Western Romance
ISBN: 9781492601180
$7.99 paperback
TAKE YOUR BEST
SHOT, COWBOY…
Weary warrior…
After eight years as a Marine sniper, war-scarred Reid Everett is back in his
native Wyoming. He knows and loves this rugged land, so working for wildlife
services to reduce the booming wolf population suits him to a T.
Caring crusader…
Wildlife biologist Haley Cooper is desperate to make a difference. Leaving the
world of academia behind, she accepts a position as a wolf advocate to protect
the animals she loves.
Raw attraction…
Their jobs set them on a collision course, but chemistry sparks like wildfire
between Reid and Haley. They’ll have to brave some rough territory if they hope
to reconcile their polarizing views with a passion that won’t be denied.
********
SHARP SHOOTIN’ COWBOY is not a typical romance. Reid
Everett and Haley Cooper are two very different personalities. They are like
opposite poles of a magnet and just as powerfully attracted to one another even
though they are constantly at odds. This was a risky book for me because I knew
many readers would tend to side with one character over the other based on who
is more closely aligned with the reader’s own socio-political views, but I had
to write it anyway.
To quote my hero Reid Everett, “Being on different sides doesn’t
necessarily make us enemies. Good people are allowed to disagree. Some of the
best solutions to the hardest problems result from differing minds coming
together, meeting in the middle.”
That’s what SHARP SHOOTIN’ COWBOY is really all about-
meeting half way and finding compromise, even when the odds are against it. I
hope readers will enjoy getting to know and like both Reid and Haley.
Warmest regards,
Victoria Vane
What’s the best
advice you’ve ever gotten?
Haley – “My grandmother shared many pearls of wisdom
about life and love. She encouraged me to give Reid a chance.”
Reid – “Never
quit. Perseverance pays.”
What is something
about Reid/Haley that surprised you?
Haley – “Reid’s willingness to listen to other’s points
of view even when he disagreed.”
Reid – “Her tenacity surprised the hell out of me. Haley
can do anything she sets her mind
on.”
Excerpt:
He could see
her getting more worked up by the minute, and damned if he wasn’t also—just not
in the same way. She’d been baiting him from the start, spewing arguments that
usually just pissed him off, but in this case, it was turning him on.
His gaze
locked on her mouth. Her tongue darted out as if she read his thoughts. She
drew a breath as if to formulate another rebuttal, but he’d had enough. Before
her lips could spout off anymore of the Pacifist Tree Hugger’s Manifesto, he
pulled her into his arms and silenced her with his.
***
The kiss
came without warning, and Haley was too stunned at first to react. He began
gently enough, his lips sliding over hers, hands cupping her face, thumbs
stroking her jaw, and then he grew more insistent, his tongue probing the seal
of her lips. His callused hands were simultaneously firm and gentle, and his
lips paradoxically soft and commanding.
Mere seconds
had her head spinning and stomach fluttering. She was slipping fast and not
about to let him pull her in any deeper. Part of her wanted to give into it, to
see where it might lead, but the other half resented his audacity. Her pride
won out. She resisted the urge to soften, to open to him, then stiffened,
pressing her hands against his chest.
He released
her instantly.
She stepped
back, knees weak and pulse racing. “I didn’t come here looking to hook up.”
“Neither did
I. But sometimes unexpected things happen.” His gaze locked with hers, a look
of speculation gleaming in his eyes. “When they do, it’s best to just go with
your gut instinct.”
“That so?
Well all my instincts scream ‘no marines,’ so don’t let it happen
again.”
Suddenly
remembering the cue in her hand, Haley turned back to the table. It took all of
her will to focus back on the game. She could hardly believe how he’d nearly
unraveled her with a single kiss. Then again, no one had ever kissed
her like that. She made her break, pocketing the one, and then moved
methodically around the table, calling each shot as she sank every solid. Only
the eight ball remained, but it was trapped behind two stripes.
Reid’s lips
curved with smug certainty. “Looks like I’ll get my turn after all.”
“Don’t count
your chickens, cowboy.” She laid down her cue and searched the wall behind her
for a shorter one. “Jump cue,” she answered his silent question.
“You’re
kidding right?”
“Nope.”
Approaching the table, she angled for her shot. She could almost feel his eyes
on her ass. She glanced over her shoulder. Sure enough. He was leaning against
the wall with both arms crossed over his broad chest, his gaze zeroed in on her
behind.
“Enjoying
the view?”
“Sure am,”
he confessed, unabashed.
He was sadly
mistaken if he thought he’d unnerve her. Keeping him in her peripheral vision,
she widened her stance and stretched out over the table. All sign of smugness
evaporated from his face. He tugged on his jeans.
Haley
grinned, reveling in her small victory, and then prepared for a bigger one.
“Eight ball, side pocket,” she declared with confidence. On a three count she
took the shot, jumping the stripes to pocket the eight. “Yeah baby!” She threw
down the cue and fisted the air, gloating in her triumph.
Reid gaped
at the table. “I’ll be goddamned. How did you learn to do that?”
“My grandpa
was a regional pool champion.”
“That bit of
information was mighty sneaky to withhold.”
She
shrugged. “You didn’t ask. Loser buys. I’ll take a mojito.”
********
Praise for Rough Rider by Victoria Vane:
“Victoria Vane
continually surprises the reader in her latest western romance Rough Rider as
she plunges audiences into the world of bull riders and cattle ranchers.”
– The Examiner
“Ms. Vane
entertained me... had me at the edge of my seat with twists and turns, and even
had me scream at Dirk's stupidity, so she completely EARNS my top score of 5
fingers up & 10 toes.”
– Avon Romance
“I honestly loved
this book! This is an unconventional love story about second chances. The
characters were great on their own, but it was the unique way that the plot
unfolded that sold the book for me... The romance was passionate, and the road
to a happy ending was bumpy with some detours along the way.” – The Romance Reviews
“Another winner.
It was a really good tale in the rough and tumbled world of cowboys and bull
riding... if you get a chance, check it
out and also, check out [Victoria Vane’s] other books. You won’t be
disappointed.” – BTS Magazine
About the Author:
Victoria Vane
is a multiple award-winning romance novelist and history junkie whose
collective works of fiction range from wildly comedic romps to emotionally
compelling erotic romance. Victoria also writes historical fiction as Emery Lee
and is the founder of Goodreads Romantic Historical Fiction Lovers and the
Romantic Historical Lovers book review blog.
Giveaway:
(open 4/22 – 7/1)
Hot Cowboy Nights Book Bundle! (3 books)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you so very much for the book spotlight! XO Victoria
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