Fugitive Heart - By Bonnie Dee Page 0,69

it was more of a visceral reaction than a mental one, all warm and tingly and a bit like he was about to be strapped to a chair and given intense dental work without Novocaine.

“So I was right?” he asked, ignoring the feeling. “About the distress?”

“This place was hard to find,” she agreed, setting down the red jug. “But I hate to disappoint you…I don’t need anyone to rescue me.”

Perfection takes time, but desire waits for no man. Or woman…

Hotter than Texas

© 2013 Tina Leonard

Pecan Creek, Book 1

With more than one skeleton rattling in her closet, Sugar Cassevechia hopes “The Most Honest Town in Texas” will be the perfect place to start an online business. As soon as her mother remembers the family recipe that’ll get hotterthanhellnuts.com off the ground.

In the meantime, no way is Sugar letting their new landlord get away with renting them a run-down house that’s decorated like a rich widow’s orgasm. Even if he’s the biggest hunk of hot she’s ever laid eyes on.

Jake Bentley would love to do nothing but sit back and be amused as the Cassevechia women unwittingly stir up trouble in his uptight town. But something about them thaws out his frozen rescue complex. Especially Sugar’s long, chestnut hair and sassy mouth.

Right about the time Sugar figures one steamy night in Jake’s bed won’t hurt, another skeleton joins the party in the form of a dead body in the “Belle Watling” room. And Sugar must decide if her family’s reputation—and her own heart—are safe with Jake.

Warning: No sex in this book. Nope. None. Nada. Honest. Now, if you believe that, the author has an iceberg in Texas to sell you. Better hurry before there’s none left to cool the fevered dreams generated by this book.

Enjoy the following excerpt for Hotter than Texas:

They all put in their orders for burgers and sodas, and then Lucy knocked her water glass over on Jake. He jumped, Lucy said, “Oh, I’m so sorry,” in a tone that Sugar knew was less than contrite, and Maggie handed him her napkin.

“Lucy,” Sugar said, taking the napkin and wiping water off Jake’s arm and the front of his denim shirt. Holy Christmas, he had a hard body. Hard as a rock. She rubbed a little harder than necessary on the soaked fabric, feeling tight muscles and a surge of desire that stunned her.

“It’s all right,” Jake said, taking the napkin from her. “In this heat, I’ll dry in less than five minutes.”

Lucy blew a big pink gum bubble, then collapsed it with a sucking sound. “I’m not usually so clumsy.”

“Lucy, it’s okay. It’s so okay that I’m going to tell Kel to comp your meals tonight.”

“Do you manage the restaurant?” Sugar asked.

“Not exactly,” Jake said. “I wouldn’t be caught managing much of anything.”

“That’s why you’re trying to stick our mother with the mayor gig, because you don’t want it,” Lucy said benignly.

“True,” Jake said easily. “Excuse me, ladies.” He gave Maggie a last fond hug, Lucy a level look and Sugar a devil-may-care grin. “Do you have a minute? I’d like to discuss something with you in private. Nothing I couldn’t say in front of you ladies, but I don’t want anybody overhearing.” He gestured to the people packed around them, laughing and chatting as they ate burgers and drank tall, frosty sodas.

“Sure.” Sugar slid off the stool.

“We’ll be right back,” Jake said, tipping his hat to Maggie and Lucy.

Lucy rolled her eyes, and Maggie waved them off. Jake took Sugar over to an open window area. Light country western music played, though not loud enough to drown out the conversational babble.

“So what’s up?” Sugar asked.

“First, about the other night.” Jake looked apologetic. “I didn’t think my mother and her friends would be so—”

“Stuck-up? Witchy?” Sugar leveled a stare at him that could have wilted lettuce before it ever hit a hamburger. “I think my sister is right. I think you did set Maggie up just because you don’t want to be the mayor. What is it you do exactly, besides rent houses that are nothing like their advertised descriptions to unsuspecting out-of-towners?”

He shook his head. “I’ll show you my deep, dark secret. Come on.”

Sugar followed him around to the back, and then down some wooden stairs that went deep underneath the rocking burger joint. “Wow, a dungeon.”

“Now you sound like Lucy.” Jake laughed. “Your sister does not like me at all.”

“Lucy warms up slowly.” Sugar felt compelled to defend her sister. “She’s protective of Mom.”

“And you. Obviously you.”