Title: One Night Scandal
Series: The McNeill Magnates #9
Author: Joanne Rock
Publisher: Harlequin Desire
Publisher: Harlequin Desire
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 1, 2018
Release Date: September 1, 2018
Blurb
One night to remember with the perfect cowboy…
Or one step
toward the perfect revenge?
toward the perfect revenge?
Nothing in Hannah Ryder's plot included a
scorchin'-hot fling with a drop-dead sexy cowboy. Especially when her cowboy
turns out to be Brock McNeill—a potential enemy with ties to the man Hannah
wants to destroy. When an accident claims Brock's memory, Hannah is caught in
an intricate web of scandal. Falling dangerously for the one man she shouldn't
trust...
scorchin'-hot fling with a drop-dead sexy cowboy. Especially when her cowboy
turns out to be Brock McNeill—a potential enemy with ties to the man Hannah
wants to destroy. When an accident claims Brock's memory, Hannah is caught in
an intricate web of scandal. Falling dangerously for the one man she shouldn't
trust...
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Excerpt
The
cowboy’s voice smoked through her, heating her insides and sending a shiver of
awareness over Hannah’s skin.
cowboy’s voice smoked through her, heating her insides and sending a shiver of
awareness over Hannah’s skin.
Did she
want a ride?
want a ride?
Her
subconscious was going to have way too much fun tormenting her with that image
in her dreams tonight. For now, she needed to stop fantasizing about sexy
Brock, the rancher who turned her inside out with just a handful of words and a
smoldering gaze.
subconscious was going to have way too much fun tormenting her with that image
in her dreams tonight. For now, she needed to stop fantasizing about sexy
Brock, the rancher who turned her inside out with just a handful of words and a
smoldering gaze.
Her legs
were still unsteady after whatever it was that had passed between them inside
the barn. She’d had meaningful relationships in her past. Men she’d loved. And
yet no one had ever given her the sizzling shock to the system that she felt
from being around this stranger. Swallowing hard, she braced herself as she
turned around to refuse his offer.
were still unsteady after whatever it was that had passed between them inside
the barn. She’d had meaningful relationships in her past. Men she’d loved. And
yet no one had ever given her the sizzling shock to the system that she felt
from being around this stranger. Swallowing hard, she braced herself as she
turned around to refuse his offer.
“That’s
okay. I don’t mind walking.” Her voice was soft and breathless when she needed
it to be firm and sure. “I, um, could use the fresh air.”
okay. I don’t mind walking.” Her voice was soft and breathless when she needed
it to be firm and sure. “I, um, could use the fresh air.”
She could
also use a new libido. One that wasn’t quite so susceptible to tall, muscular
cowboys. It must be because of all the stress she was under with her sister.
She’d latched onto a pleasurable distraction and now she couldn’t quite let go.
also use a new libido. One that wasn’t quite so susceptible to tall, muscular
cowboys. It must be because of all the stress she was under with her sister.
She’d latched onto a pleasurable distraction and now she couldn’t quite let go.
Brock
folded his arms across his impressive chest. God, his arms were amazing, too.
She wanted to skim her hands up the triceps and over his shoulders. Instead,
she jammed her restless fingers in the back pockets of her jeans along with her
phone.
folded his arms across his impressive chest. God, his arms were amazing, too.
She wanted to skim her hands up the triceps and over his shoulders. Instead,
she jammed her restless fingers in the back pockets of her jeans along with her
phone.
“You’d
probably be fine,” he acknowledged. “You must have walked over here in the dark
in the first place, although the moon was higher at that hour, making the path
a lot easier to follow than it will be now.”
probably be fine,” he acknowledged. “You must have walked over here in the dark
in the first place, although the moon was higher at that hour, making the path
a lot easier to follow than it will be now.”
She had been
thinking the same thing since she didn’t remember exactly where she’d broken
through the brush to find the cabin. Nightfall in this part of Wyoming was
nothing like it was in Southern California. Here, there was no ambient light of
any kind. Just deep blackness and stars.
thinking the same thing since she didn’t remember exactly where she’d broken
through the brush to find the cabin. Nightfall in this part of Wyoming was
nothing like it was in Southern California. Here, there was no ambient light of
any kind. Just deep blackness and stars.
“I’ve got
my phone,” she argued, although she was beginning to wonder what else might be
out there in the wilderness surrounding the ranch lands. She’d heard wolves—or
some kind of wild dogs—baying in the distance on the walk over here. “The cabin
I’m staying in is just through there.”
my phone,” she argued, although she was beginning to wonder what else might be
out there in the wilderness surrounding the ranch lands. She’d heard wolves—or
some kind of wild dogs—baying in the distance on the walk over here. “The cabin
I’m staying in is just through there.”
She pointed
vaguely, trying to see any kind of trail.
vaguely, trying to see any kind of trail.
“I’m not
sure calling someone will do you any good if you meet up with a bear. Or an
elk. Or some other wild animal that wasn’t expecting company at this hour.”
sure calling someone will do you any good if you meet up with a bear. Or an
elk. Or some other wild animal that wasn’t expecting company at this hour.”
She didn’t
want to be foolish. So, in spite of the out-of-control attraction, she figured
the best thing to do would be accept the ride and get home as fast as possible.
want to be foolish. So, in spite of the out-of-control attraction, she figured
the best thing to do would be accept the ride and get home as fast as possible.
And put
this encounter out of her mind.
this encounter out of her mind.
“Is your
truck nearby?” she asked, peering around the barn. During the shoot, there’d
been a couple of golf carts and two trucks parked there.
truck nearby?” she asked, peering around the barn. During the shoot, there’d
been a couple of golf carts and two trucks parked there.
A smile
curved that hard mouth of his. Nodding, he relaxed his arms and walked past
her, close enough for her to feel the warmth of his body, close enough for his
sleeve to brush hers.
curved that hard mouth of his. Nodding, he relaxed his arms and walked past
her, close enough for her to feel the warmth of his body, close enough for his
sleeve to brush hers.
“My horse
is right this way.”
is right this way.”
“Horse?”
Her belly flipped.
Her belly flipped.
Not because
she minded riding a horse. Only because it implied a proximity that…
she minded riding a horse. Only because it implied a proximity that…
A shiver
stole over her skin. Her nerve endings danced in anticipation of touching him.
Something her brain knew was a very, very bad idea.
stole over her skin. Her nerve endings danced in anticipation of touching him.
Something her brain knew was a very, very bad idea.
“I—” Her
voice wasn’t even there. She licked her lips. Tried again. “I’m not sure—”
voice wasn’t even there. She licked her lips. Tried again. “I’m not sure—”
“You’ll be
fine,” he assured her, holding a hand out for her while he stood next to a dark
horse with a glossy coat. “I’ll help you up.” He flipped the ring for her foot
so it was easier for her to see. “Step into the stirrup and you’ll be home in
no time.”
fine,” he assured her, holding a hand out for her while he stood next to a dark
horse with a glossy coat. “I’ll help you up.” He flipped the ring for her foot
so it was easier for her to see. “Step into the stirrup and you’ll be home in
no time.”
Her heart
pounded a chaotic, fast beat. But stalling wasn’t going to get her home any
faster. She understood that much. Willing herself to remain calm, she stabbed
the toe of her tennis shoe through the foothold.
pounded a chaotic, fast beat. But stalling wasn’t going to get her home any
faster. She understood that much. Willing herself to remain calm, she stabbed
the toe of her tennis shoe through the foothold.
Brock’s
hands were quick and efficient as he boosted her up onto the saddle. He didn’t
linger. But he might as well have been massaging her naked body for how her
skin reacted under her clothes. Her thigh tingled. Her waist…
hands were quick and efficient as he boosted her up onto the saddle. He didn’t
linger. But he might as well have been massaging her naked body for how her
skin reacted under her clothes. Her thigh tingled. Her waist…
She wanted
his hands there again. Before she could gather herself or prepare for more,
Brock swung up onto the animal behind her. His chest was against her back. Her
hips tucked into the cradle of his lap, his strong thighs bracketing hers.
his hands there again. Before she could gather herself or prepare for more,
Brock swung up onto the animal behind her. His chest was against her back. Her
hips tucked into the cradle of his lap, his strong thighs bracketing hers.
There was
no space. No distance. And it felt so good she couldn’t have spoken if she’d
tried. The only thing she didn’t like about it was that she shouldn’t like it
so damn much…
no space. No distance. And it felt so good she couldn’t have spoken if she’d
tried. The only thing she didn’t like about it was that she shouldn’t like it
so damn much…
Four-time RITA
nominee Joanne Rock has never met a romance sub-genre she didn't like. The author
of over eighty books enjoys writing a wide range of stories, most recently
focusing on sexy contemporaries and small town family sagas. An optimist by
nature and perpetual seeker of silver linings, Joanne finds romance fits her
life outlook perfectly--love is worth fighting for. A frequent speaker at
regional and national writing conferences she enjoys giving back to the writing
community that nurtured and inspired her early career. She has a Masters degree
in Literature from the University of Louisville but credits her fiction writing
skills to her intensive study with friend and fellow author Catherine Mann.
When she's not writing, Joanne enjoys travel, especially to see her favorite
sports teams play with her former sports editor husband and three athletic-minded
sons.
nominee Joanne Rock has never met a romance sub-genre she didn't like. The author
of over eighty books enjoys writing a wide range of stories, most recently
focusing on sexy contemporaries and small town family sagas. An optimist by
nature and perpetual seeker of silver linings, Joanne finds romance fits her
life outlook perfectly--love is worth fighting for. A frequent speaker at
regional and national writing conferences she enjoys giving back to the writing
community that nurtured and inspired her early career. She has a Masters degree
in Literature from the University of Louisville but credits her fiction writing
skills to her intensive study with friend and fellow author Catherine Mann.
When she's not writing, Joanne enjoys travel, especially to see her favorite
sports teams play with her former sports editor husband and three athletic-minded
sons.
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