Her Forever Cowboy (Harland County Series Book 4) Read online

  “Why are you always on the defensive around me?” he asked. “You’re not like that with Kade or Cole or Connor.”

  She opened her mouth to protest, then stilled. He was right. Shoot. “I…don’t know.”

  Frowning, he cocked his head. “Do you have something against having fun?”

  “No.” She laughed. “Fun is a good thing.”

  “And yet, you don’t like me because I have fun.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “Liar.”

  “I’m not lying.” She shook her head, doing her best to be truthful without revealing too much. “I don’t like you because you’re dangerous.”

  He reeled back and stared at her. “Me, dangerous? No, darlin’. I’m a lover, not a fighter.”

  She blew out a breath. “And that’s exactly why you’re dangerous.”

  His brows disappeared under his hat. “Oh, now I’m really curious,” he said. “Does that make me irresponsible, or irresistible?”

  Tempting as hell.

  “Both.”

  Heaven help her, a wicked gleam entered his eyes and turned them positively electric.

  “So this is probably a bad idea.” Placing his hands on either side of her head, he leaned in and inhaled near her ear.

  What they’re saying…

  ~About Her Uniform Cowboy~

  “Ms. Michaels pens a tale with pure heart and true grit! This story will hit so many readers close to home there is not one part of the plot that will feel foreign. No super models here, just true, down to earth servicemen and woman getting back to their place in the world. The characters and plot have a wonderful arc and the laughter, tears and emotional ride readers get to take on this journey will not disappoint.”

  —InD’tale Magazine, Crowned Heart of Excellence 4.5 Stars

  --Voted BEST COWBOY in a Book/Reader’s Choice-LRC

  --1st Place BTS eMag Book Award/Reader’s Choice-Best Romance

  --2nd Place BTS eMag Book Awards for Best Book

  ~About Wyne and Dine~

  “It was a steamy, sexy, and fun read that also had its serious moments and also had its sweet and tender moments as well. They were an absolute delightful hoot and were truly enjoyable. So if you get a chance, pick up a copy.”

  —Reviewer- Cassandra Graham, BTS eMagazine

  —Winner BTS eMag Book Awards/Best Contemporary

  ~About Locke and Load~

  “The second book in the Dangerous Curves series, is guaranteed to keep you turning pages, and wondering what will happen next. The characters in this book seem so real and down to earth and I could not help but feel that I was right there with them, as their story unfolds. I am a huge fan of Donna Micheals, Harland County cowboys and now she has me addicted to the men and women who work for the Knight Agency. If you love a romance with twists and turns, hot alpha men and strong willed women, a book that will pull you in from the very first page then I strongly recommend this series, a five star read all the way!!”

  —Reviewer-Debbie Collins

  —3rd Place InD’tale eMag RONE Cops, Jocks & Cowboys

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for purchasing Her Forever Cowboy. This is the fourth book in my Harland County Series. Unruly cowboys and the women who tame them.

  In this story, I’ve finally tackled Cole’s good buddy and vice president, the charismatic ladies man.

  Computer programmer, Kevin Dalton is as good-looking as he is smart. Extremely. The fun-loving cowboy loves women, but avoids relationships, and bottles up his feelings behind a joke and a smile. It takes a resilient ‘cowboy tamer’ to solve his code.

  Shayla Ryan is the perfect fit for the puzzle-loving cowboy. On the run from her ex-con father, she’s doing her best to keep her sister and daughter safe, and her body under control whenever the Casanova cowboy is around.

  When they own up to the fact they have combustible chemistry, Kevin and Shayla attempt a ‘just right now’ arrangement that leads to a relationship. As they learn to open up, they learn to trust create a strong foundation for forever.

  Another hot, heartfelt, sexy read, this story also includes some of the other characters in the series. I’m also creating a spin-off series-Citizen Soldier Novels-set in the Poconos of Pennsylvania, featuring Brandi’s National Guard brothers briefly introduced in Her Uniform Cowboy.

  Thanks for reading,

  ~Donna

  www.donnamichaelsauthor.com

  ALSO BY DONNA MICHAELS

  Amazon.com/author.donna-michaels

  All of Donna’s novels are written as stand alones and can be read out of order

  ~Harland County Series~

  Harland County Christmas (Prequel)

  Her Fated Cowboy (#1)

  Her Unbridled Cowboy (#2)

  Her Uniform Cowboy (#3) (Award Winning)

  Her Forever Cowboy (#4) (Award Winning)

  Her Healing Cowboy (#5)

  Her Volunteer Cowboy (#6)

  Her Indulgent Cowboy (#7)

  Her Hell Yeah Cowboy (#8) (KW)

  Her Troubled Cowboy (#9) (Citizen Soldier Crossover)

  Her Hell No Cowboy (#10) (KW rel. 02/2017)

  ~Citizen Soldier Novels~

  (Harland County Spinoff Series)

  Wyne and Dine (#1) (Award Winning)

  Wyne and Chocolate (#2)

  Wyne and Song (#3)

  Wine and Her New Year Cowboy (#4)

  Whine and Rescue (#5) (KW)

  Wine and Reminiscence (#6)

  ~Dangerous Curves Series~

  Knight’s SEAL –KW (#1)

  Locke and Load (#2) (Award Winning)

  A DAYE with a SEAL—KW (#3)

  Cowboy LAWE (#4)

  A SEAL for Paige (#5) tba

  ~Entangled Lovestruck~

  ~The Men of At Ease Ranch Series~

  In A Ranger’s Arms (#1)

  Her Secret Ranger (#2) (tba)

  ~Time-shift Heroes Series~

  Captive Hero (#1)

  Future Cowboy Hero (#2) (tba)

  ~Related~

  Cowboy-Fiancé (formerly Cowboy-Sexy) (Hand drawn Japanese Translation now avail!)

  Cowboy Payback (sequel) (Award Winning)

  ~Do-Over Series~

  Valentine’s Day Do-Over (#1)

  Valentine’s Day Do-Over Part II: The Siblings (#2)

  ~Novels~

  She Does Know Jack

  Royally Unleashed

  The Spy Who Fanged Me

  ~Novellas~

  Thanks for Giving

  Ten Things I’d Do for a Cowboy

  Vampire Kristmas

  DonnaMichaelsAuthor.com

  Her Forever Cowboy

  Harland County Series

  Book Four: Kevin

  Winner BTS eMag. Best Contemporary Book

  2nd Pl. Honorable Mention 2015 Rone Awards

  By

  Donna Michaels

  NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author

  HER FOREVER COWBOY

  Harland County Series/Book FOUR: Kevin

  Copyright © 2014 Donna Michaels

  Cover Art by Donna Michaels © 2014

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without written permission from the author—except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine, newspaper, or on the web. For information, please contact the author via email at [email protected]

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by a
ny individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

  ISBN-13: 978-1499767414

  ISBN-10: 1499767412

  Print edition June 2014

  Book Four in Harland County Series

  Table of Contents

  What they’re saying…

  Dear Reader

  ALSO BY DONNA MICHAELS

  Print edition June 2014

  Book Four in Harland County Series

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Epilogue

  For announcements about upcoming releases and exclusive contests:

  About the Author

  Dedication

  To my street team, Donna Michaels’ Minions, thank you for your continued support! To Harland County fans, I hope you enjoy the story of Cole’s best friend Kevin, the brilliant, gorgeous Casanova cowboy who’d rather laugh and joke then open up and feel.

  To my husband Michael, my family, and the HOODS. And to my cp JT Schultz, my mother, and my editor, Stacy, for their help and appreciation for this series.

  Chapter One

  Come to the pub, they said.

  It’ll be fun, they said.

  “Fun my ass,” Kevin Dalton grumbled, none too happy his friends failed to mention the sexy, redheaded she-devil would be at the Texas Republic with her killer lips and elbow to match.

  When he’d first met the single mother a few months ago, he’d been fixated on her cute little girl smiling at him from over her mother’s shoulder, and made the mistake of approaching from behind. He’d paid the price. The woman’s elbow had been far from friendly to his lower extremities.

  Swallowing a few choice words, and they were juicy, he slumped farther into the booth at the restaurant/bar owned by the Masters sisters. Or should he start referring to them as the McCall sisters? After all, Jordan and Kerri had married the McCall brothers this past year—Jordan to his good friend and boss, Cole, head of McCall Enterprises where Kevin was vice president and lead software engineer, and Kerri to the older, giant-sized cattle rancher, Connor.

  Christmas this past week had been quite Merry with both McCall brothers married and his cousin Kade newly engaged. He was glad to see them all happy, he really was, but their perpetual smiles, coupled with the matchmaking glint now aimed at him from Mr. and Mrs. McCall and Mr. and Mrs. Masters were enough to sour his gut.

  “What’s with the face,” Cole asked from across the table, brown gaze twinkling with undisguised joy. “Forget to wear your cup?”

  Make that ex-good friend.

  “Very funny.” He didn’t laugh, but he did groan as his buddy’s older brother decided to settle into the booth next to him.

  “Nah, he probably forgot to put on his big-boy underwear. Ain’t that right, Dalton?” A lop-sided grin accompanied Connor McCall’s jab to the ribs. “Quit being such a girl.”

  “Up yours, Moose.” He didn’t bother with the finger. A guy that big required a verbal reprimand if there was any hope of it sinking into the giant’s thick skull.

  “All right. Give my cousin a break.” Kade Dalton, dressed in his Harland County Sheriff’s uniform, sat next to Cole, gray eyes full of compassion and…ah hell, mirth. “You know Kevin doesn’t have his Man Card yet.”

  “Bite me,” he replied, tone sounding more aggravated than he actually felt.

  He hardly ever got mad. Not his style. More of a lover not a fighter. His minor annoyance over the presence of the redhead in the bar had already passed. He was just having some fun with the guys. They loved attitude. And he had plenty.

  He also loved his cousin. Although, he’d never admit anything sappy like that to the guys. That would constitute weeks of ribbing. Yeah, no thanks. Still, he was thrilled to see the weekend warrior so upbeat and positive.

  For a while there, Kade had been just the opposite. His older cousin had needed an intervention to seek professional help regarding issues from a recent deployment with the Texas National Guard. It was truly great to see the guy happy. Of course, he knew the transformation wasn’t all attributed to therapy. Hell no. Most of the credit went to his cousin’s angel of a fiancée, Brandi Wyne. Too bad the beautiful designer from the north didn’t have a sister.

  Or two.

  “Yeah, you’re right.” Connor nodded, eyeing him up. “He needs to earn it. Maybe once he takes off the girlie pants.”

  Kevin forced his lips to curve into a smile, and even managed a chuckle. Who was he trying to kid? It was funny. “You’re just jealous because I’m better looking.”

  The cattle rancher’s head jerked back with his smirk. “Yeah, right.”

  “Actually,” his boss spoke up, lifting his beer. “We have to give ‘ole blue eyes credit for those triplets I told you about from our Japan trip last year.”

  The Nakamura sisters...

  Satisfaction spread warmth throughout Kevin’s body and a matching smile across his lips. Triplets. Japanese beauties. Two items he’d crossed off his bucket list when he met them at the Software Development Expo where he represented McCall Enterprises. There to demonstrated his software design, he’d met the sisters later that night and had given them a private demonstration of his hardware.

  Kade nodded. “True. He does deserve credit.”

  “Yeah, I have to admit, that was very ambitious. Don’t know how you managed that one, Kevin.” Connor shook his head, small smile tugging a dimple to life.

  “Nearly killed me,” he admitted. Truth be told, he’d pulled a muscle in his groin. But hot damn, it had been so worth it. “Cowboys everywhere were relying on me to deliver. So I did.”

  “Three times?” Connor raised a brow.

  He nodded. “I made damn sure each girl was satisfied before I crawled back to my room and passed out.” Literally. With an icepack on his abused…muscle.

  Laughter filled their booth and lightened the mood.

  Kade lifted his beer and smiled. “To Kevin. Looks like he did earn that Man Card, after all.”

  The three laughing chuckleheads clinked mugs, but he didn’t care. Hell no. Because he had the memory and the satisfaction of knowing he’d actually pleased the amorous sisters. A genuine smile crossed his lips and he sat a little taller. Yeah, he’d represented well. Real well.

  “So, what seems to be the trouble with this one?” Cole nodded toward the line dancers tearing up the floor in front of a large, ten-foot spruce decorated in little cowboy boots, sea shells and twinkling lights.

  Trouble? He frowned. “With what one?”

  “You know exactly which one.”

  Yeah, he knew. They were referring to the spitfire with long auburn waves bouncing down her back as she kicked up her booted heels alongside Brandi. She was a natural. Perfect rhythm. Perfect sway. Perfect bounce. Too bad the perfect dancer was a perfect pain. Sure, he’d felt a connection, a damn strong connection, but he’d also felt her wrath. No thank you. Plenty of willing females out there. He did not need, nor want, to coax.

  He took a pull on his beer, then nodded to the dancers. “Let’s just say I know better than to bark at a dead tree.”

  Dark brows rose as his buddy turned to face the crowd. “She doesn’t look all that dead to me. In fact, I’d say she looks quite…energetic.”

  She’d tasted even better.

  Damn her.

  “You’ve been avoiding the dead tree like the plague,” his friend stated.

  His head
jerked back. “Bullshit. You’re such an exaggerator, McCall.”

  “Not about this.” Cole laughed. “You’ve avoided her here. Around town. My mom’s Christmas party. Seriously, Kevin, what gives?”

  A grinning Connor leaned close. “He’s got an aversion to her elbow.”

  Damn straight. Kevin readily agreed with a nod. “Can you blame me? An elbow to the groin is not exactly a wonderful first meet.”

  He still couldn’t believe she’d poled him. Poled him. And for no reason.

  He’d been innocently walking toward Cole’s wife Jordan, her sister, Kerri, and Brandi. The women were sitting at a picnic table eating ice cream at The Creamery, along with a redhead who was holding the cutest little baby girl he’d ever seen, when wham! The spitfire had elbowed his favorite body part and dropped him like a sack of cement.

  “Sure left an impression, though.” Cole snickered.

  “Hell, yeah.” He grimaced. “The fellas about-face whenever that woman’s around. They cower and run for safety.”

  “You didn’t seem all that put out when you two were strawberry-sharing a few weeks back,” his buddy Cole reminded, grin widening, along with his death wish.

  “Yeah, damn, that was some kiss.” Connor nodded, dimple still glaring. “I thought the pub was going to catch fire.”

  “True, cuz.” Kade scratched the bridge of his nose, a small smile tugging his lips. “You were kind of burning up the place.”

  The place?

  Hell, he’d been ready to self combust. Burst into flames. Explode. One touch, one taste, and bam…his hunger for the prickly beauty intensified full throttle. A rarity. He’d pulled her close, and with their bodies lined up in perfect symmetry, which only intensified the damn heat, he’d proceeded to share the dessert and one hell of a memorable kiss. Delicious. Succulent. And it had nothing to do with the fruit. Absolutely nothing.