In a Ranger’s Arms
by Donna Michaels
The Men of At Ease Ranch, #1
Publication Date: November 28, 2016
Genres: Adult, Entangled: Lovestruck, Contemporary Romance
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Synopsis:
Former Army Ranger Stone Mitchum doesn’t have time for sex. Since starting a company with his brother and two buddies, he’s had more important things on his mind. Like transitioning veterans back into society. But when his curvy new tenant falls into his arms—literally—his libido snaps to attention. Jovy Larson has four weeks to prove she’s worthy of taking over the family business. Her challenge? Sell gluten-free, vegan food—in the middle of cattle country, Texas. It’s a tough task, but not half as tough as fighting her attraction to her sexy, surly landlord.
Before she knows it, Jovy’s tangling sheets with the hot cowboy, stalked by a jealous cow, and strategizing ways to help Stone’s ranch. But by the time her lease runs out and the test is over, she’s faced with a new challenge…competing against Stone’s sense of duty to win his heart.
EXCERPT
IN A RANGER’S ARMS by Donna Michaels
CHAPTER ONE
Could the day get any worse?
Shutting down his computer,
Stone Mitchum silently cursed his stupidity. After a decade as an Army Ranger,
he knew better than to tempt fate with such a blatant thought. Too many times
he’d witnessed others throw caution to the wind and invariably pay for the
mistake in the end. Not him. Caution was his middle name. Until lately. Jackass
seemed more fitting. Like now, thanks to that wayward thought, he just
invited more shit to rain down on his sorry ass today.
Way to go, Stone Jackass
Mitchum.
With a grunt, he closed his
laptop and stood, unsure if the creaking sound came from his knees or the old
oak desk barely noticeable under a mound of papers and receipts. He glanced
around the small office, just big enough to house the desk, chair, filing
cabinet, and worn sofa…covered in more paperwork and receipts. At least the
holes in the green plaid cushions were no longer visible.
Organizing the ranch office
was on Stone’s to-do list, but not a top priority at the moment. Today was rent
day, and for a change, he was the collector, not the payee. And
after the last two emails he’d just read, he had some serious scrambling to do.
The first was from the bank
reminding him the loan payment on the ranch was overdue. Again. The second was
from a new tenant, insisting she’d already paid her first payment. His bank
account said otherwise. Was this what he had to look forward to with her for
the next few weeks? If he hadn’t been so damn desperate for money to keep the
ranch and business afloat, he never would’ve signed a tenant who wanted to rent
one of his storefronts in town for only one month. Good thing he insisted she
start her lease early. Too bad the woman was tough to pin down for payment. He
was right tired of dealing with the northerner through emails. It was time to
have a face-to-face with this Jovy person.
He came around his desk and
grimaced. What kind of a name was Jovy, anyway? The pain was probably one of
those eternally happy people who constantly smiled, chewed gum, and drew hearts
in her signature.
A few more curses rumbled in
his throat as the door to the office swung open and his older brother Brick
strode in, smudges of grease clinging to his jeans and chiseled face, while a
troubled gaze mirrored Stone’s discontent. Great. Looked like he wasn’t the
only one having a bad day.
The two of them, along with
their buddies Vince and Cord, had been working nonstop for weeks on end to get
their construction business off the ground. Requests for estimates from word of
mouth started to trickle in. If they kept up the pace—provided nothing broke
down—they’d be operating in the black by the end of next week. That meant they
could hire more veterans.
The very goal of Foxtrot
Construction—to give returning veterans a purpose, a reason to exist, and a
place to stay on their ranch, if needed.
“Damn backhoe’s broken
again.” The scowling giant tossed his large frame on the sofa, sending papers
and receipts cascading onto the worn wooden floor.
One more thing to add to
Stone’s never ending to-do list. Stripping and staining the oak planks. The
chore fell right below organizing the office. Damn list was getting bigger
every day.
“Yo! Did you hear me, little
brother?” A brow quirked over a set of dark eyes and tired expression Stone
knew too well. It mirrored his, except Stone had gray eyes and a slimmer face.
“The backhoe’s broken, again.”
He sighed. So much for
avoiding broken equipment. But considering nothing they owned was brand-new, breakdowns
were expected. Good thing Cord was an ace mechanic.
“I heard you.” Twelve months
younger and shorter by one inch, although the way his brother teased you’d
swear it was a whole damn foot, Stone leaned his six-foot-two-inch frame
against the front of the desk. It creaked in protest again. He sympathized.
The ranch he purchased from
his dad eight months ago with his brother and their two former Army Ranger
buddies seemed like a great deal at the time. The large homestead, built by his
grandfather, had been the perfect size and location to give returning veterans
a safe place to stay while readjusting to civilian life. Or so they thought.
Thousands of dollars and man-hours later, he wasn’t so sure. The repairs seemed
endless, and he had the added burden of knowing his brother wanted to leave but
wouldn’t until the ranch was fixed and the business was making a profit. Stone
felt old and worn out like his desk. And their bank account.
He blew out a breath.
“What’s wrong with it now?”
“Starter’s gone.”
He stiffened. “Gone? Or
broken?”
“Does it matter?”
“Hell yeah, it matters. Is
someone stealing stuff or is the damn thing broken?”
Frowning, Brick slowly rose
to his feet, never breaking eye contact. “Relax. No one is stealing anything.
It’s broken. Like your patience. Jeez, bro, you need to get laid.”
He resisted flipping the
jerk the bird. Barely. “Forget about my fucking sex life and worry about the
damn backhoe.”
Amusement sparkled in his
brother’s eyes. “But your sex life is more interesting. Or lack thereof.”
Stone snorted. “Then you
need a new hobby.”
“No.” Brick stepped forward
and gripped Stone’s shoulders. “You need a new sex life. You haven’t been out
on a date in nearly nine months.”
A fierce, sudden urge to
smash something ripped through Stone, but he remained rigid and still. Nine
months ago, their friend Leo attempted suicide and almost died. A fact that
never failed to crush Stone’s chest with an invisible force. Would the anger
and self-loathing ever go away? Probably not. Still, Brick didn’t deserve his
wrath.
As if sensing the inner
battle, his astute brother tightened his hold. “We all blame ourselves. But you
need to snap out of it.”
If it weren’t for the
concern darkening the guy’s already-weary gaze, Stone could’ve been persuaded
to release a little of that anger. But his brother’s anxiety neutralized the
aggression surging through Stone’s veins.
Damn. He hadn’t meant to
worry anyone. Hell, he hadn’t even realized others had been keeping track of
his lack of liaisons.
“I’m fine.”
Brick released him and
grinned. “Then prove it. Come with us to the Beer and Steer later. You haven’t
gone out with me and the guys in months.”
“Because I’ve been too busy
trying to run things,” he countered. “And there’s always something that needs
fixing on the ranch.”
Besides, he didn’t deserve
to have fun.
“Try again, shorty.”
His brother smirked. “We’ve done a damn good job of turning the stables into
quarters, fixing the barn for the horses, and tackling some repairs on this old
ranch house.”
True.
“And with the exception of
the dead starter, Cord has brought all the other equipment back to life,” his
brother added.
Also true. Their buddy was
very useful with any kind of tool you shoved in his hands.
Brick folded his arms over
his broad chest and stared him down. “I’m aware you take care of the business
side of things, for which I’m eternally grateful, but you know what they say:
all business and no play makes Stone a very dull rock.”
A grin twitched his lips. He
punched his brother’s shoulder as he straightened from the desk. “You’re a
goof, and I need to go collect the rent, unless you happen to be heading into
town for that starter?”
“No. Sorry, bro.” Brick
shook his head. “I already called old Skeeter. He doesn’t have one in stock. I
came in here to use the laptop to order one online. You’re going to have to go
collect the rent yourself.” A mischievous gleam entered his brother’s eyes.
“You know, I heard the new tenant is pretty. Curvy, too. She could be just what
you need to get back into the game. Help you clean the lead out of your pipes.”
Ah hell, not that again.
“Give it a rest, Brick.” He scoffed. “I don’t care what she looks like. I’m not
interested.”
“Ha!” His brother’s bark of
laughter bounced off the walls. “You say that now, but one day, some pretty
girl is going to come along and your deprived body is going to overrule your
stubborn-ass mind.”
Not bothering to reply,
Stone headed for the door. He wasn’t stubborn. His brother was stubborn.
Trying to change that mule-head’s mind once it was made was like talking to a
brick wall. Smiling at his poor joke, he grabbed his Stetson off the hook by
the door and shoved it on his head.
“Don’t forget to meet us at
the Beer and Steer later.”
Yep, damn brick wall.
He lifted his hand in a mock
salute before pivoting around on his old Justins and marching out the door to
go saddle his horse. The ranch was only three miles from town, and Stone was
always looking for ways to cut costs. Plenty of folks saved gas money by riding
their horses instead of driving vehicles. Hell, old Skeeter rode his tractor
around town.
Using a horse was smart.
Besides, they enjoyed the exercise. Especially his colt. Galahad was two, and
taller and bigger than most stock horses. The white-and-brown paint was always
the talk of the town whenever Stone rode in on him.
With the fence to his right,
he traveled past several properties and stopped to feed some of the livestock
grazing near the fence by the road. Their eagerness and wholehearted acceptance
made this Stone’s favorite part of heading to town. He always shoved cut-up
carrots into his pockets before leaving the ranch.
Joyful, Texas, had a
population of only fifteen hundred and three, yet the unexpected tended to
happen. He prided himself on being prepared for anything—
“Hi, Stone,” a female voice
called from behind.
He turned toward the sound
of hoofbeats to see the neighbor’s daughter riding toward him on the other side
of the fence, her ample breasts doing their best to give the petite woman a
black eye. Stifling a sigh, he smiled and nodded at the recent college grad.
“Hi, Abby.”
She was a nice girl, and
cute, and once upon a time he would’ve been pleased to see interest lighting
her pretty blue eyes. But, ever since Leo’s…attempt, Stone had sworn off women.
Hell, there was no need. None ever got a rise out of him. His body remained
dead below the belt, even in Abby’s presence. Could be because his tastes
tended to go for a more mature woman who was well past legal drinking age and
not prone to giggling, but he was fairly certain it was because of that night.
“It’s awfully hot. I was
just heading to the swimming hole for an afternoon dip. Care to join me?” Her
pink-coated lips curved into a coy smile while she batted her lashes.
A blatant invitation. One
his buddies at the ranch would think he’d lost his mind to turn down.
“Thanks for the invite.” He
shook his head. “But I have business I need to tend to in town.”
So, he’d lost his mind, and
his sex drive. Whatever. He had work to do.
Without waiting for a reply,
he picked up the pace and didn’t slow until the last property before town came
into view. There was only one girl in his life right now. She was big and
sweet, with the warmest chocolate-brown eyes that melted his heart. Lula Belle.
The cute black-and-white cow he always stopped to feed. Catching his scent, the
old girl stopped grazing and turned toward him.
He halted his horse. “Hey,
sweetheart. I have something for you.”
She let out a moo and
rushed to the fence, her bell clanging out a funny tune that never ceased to
bring a smile to his face.
After dismounting, he fished
out the remaining carrot pieces, then reached over the fence. “Here you go,
girl.” He opened his palm, marveling at how an animal so big could be so
gentle, never once nicking his hand.
Stone stroked her head and
talked to her as she ate, knowing not to get on his horse until she was done.
The old girl always ran after him, and he didn’t want her to choke. So he
waited for her to finish before he climbed back onto Galahad. “I have to go,
sweetheart. You stay here,” he told her before he resumed his gallop to town,
the echo of the cowbell growing fainter as he passed Skeeter’s and neared the
second building.
The Beer and Steer.
He rode by a handful of
pickups, cars, horses, and a tractor in the parking lot, while he eyed the
front door. His stomach tightened. No. That was a step he wasn’t ready to take.
A damn good excuse was needed to get out of joining his brother and the guys
later.
One he was still
contemplating as he removed his hat and swiped the sweat from his brow after he
secured Galahad on a horse post tucked safely out of the way at the end of the
street. Last month, rent day had been twenty degrees cooler. He knew better
than to complain, though. Next month started “oven” season. Although compared
to some of his deployments to the hellhole across the pond—in full gear—a Texas
summer would be cake.
With his Stetson back in
place, he spent the next half hour walking down one side of the street,
collecting rent from a few tenants in the L-shaped row of quaint little shops
and businesses he and some of Foxtrot’s crew had painted a light blue last
month. Amazing what a coat of paint could do. The buildings looked fresh and
cheerful. Hell, even the foot traffic appeared to have increased. He nodded to
several passersby and stopped to shoot the shit with a few others.
A sliver of satisfaction
shot through him at the knowledge that not only had the veterans he employed
benefited from three days’ work, his tenants had also reaped a reward. A good
reminder of why he did what he did.
Still trying to devise a
reason to keep his ass out of the Beer and Steer, Stone headed down the wooden
sidewalk on the other side of the street to his final stop.
Jovy. The northerner who was
trying to get out of her first payment. What was her problem? He’d been more
than lenient, signing her on for only one month. Jesus, he’d even agreed to let
her make weekly payments. Weekly. Who does that?
Apparently, he did. Because
he was an idiot. And desperate.
A desperate idiot.
But he wasn’t a hard-ass.
Hell, he knew how damn tough it was to pay bills, and if he hadn’t needed every
cent from the shops he and his brother had inherited when their grandparents
passed, Stone wouldn’t be out in the damn midday Texas heat pestering good folks
for their rent. But he needed it. The vets needed it. And dammit, this new
tenant was just as bound as the rest.
Setting his shoulders, he
rounded the corner, ready to do battle with the pain in the ass from Philly,
then stopped dead, his heart rocking the shit out of his chest.
A stunning woman with a dark
ponytail swishing past her shoulders stood on a ladder in a white tank top and
shorts, struggling to affix a metal sign to two hooks in the wood ceiling above
the shop door.
Long, bare, supple legs—with
the right amount of delectable curves—disappeared under a pair of denim cutoffs
barely covering the sweetest ass he’d ever seen. His pulse kicked up speed then
broke into a full-blown gallop. Not only were those curves sweet, they were so
awe-inspiring they breathed life into his neglected body part. The one he
didn’t want inspired. His damn dick twitched for the first time in nearly a
year.
Son of a bitch.
That was not good.
Still, try as he might,
Stone couldn’t tear his gaze away. He was seeing some cheeks here.
Mouthwatering, upside-down heart-shaped cheeks he wanted to grab with both
hands while he buried his…
A sharp burst of longing
spiked almost painfully through his groin. Did he look away? Hell no. His
resurrected libido was calling the shots. He swallowed, never taking his gaze
off the shorts that were so short, he could see a light purple thong, and the
bottom of…ah hell…
A green tattoo?
The urge to step close and
run his hands up those gorgeous legs and cup the equally gorgeous ass caused
him to hear bells. By the time the flash of black and white registered in his
muddled brain, Stone realized the ringing he was hearing was real. Very real.
And it came from the bell around the approaching cow’s neck.
Lula Belle.
Shit. How’d
she get lose?
At the moment, that didn’t
matter, because the cow was charging straight toward him, apparently uncaring
there was a ladder with a sexy, unsuspecting, barely-dressed woman in the way.
…
When Jovy Larson’s
grandfather had sent her to the middle of cattle country USA to open a
gluten-free, vegan café in a contest to test her business skills against her
cousin, she knew she would have to deal with some tough, and often unexpected,
situations. Becoming a hit-and-moo victim of a rampaging cow had never
made the list. Bovines weren’t exactly a common fixture in the City of
Brotherly Love, despite the fact that Pennsylvania was one of the top five U.S.
dairy farm states with over eight thousand farms. She’d never seen one up
close. The clanging of the bell grew louder.
That was about to change.
And fast. Mad-cow-charging fast.
With a startled gasp, she
tried to scramble down the ladder, but it teetered under her feet and her hands
ended up windmilling instead. Jovy’s last thought as she flew backward toward
the large plate-glass storefront window was if she didn’t die, her cranky
landlord was going to kill her.
Fully expecting to smash
through the glass, she was shocked to hear a deep, sexy, panty-melting baritone
claim, “I’ve got you,” a second before a tall cowboy appeared out of thin air
to catch her with his rock-hard body. Two strong, muscular arms clamped around
her before the momentum knocked them both to the ground.
Her mind was processing the
fact that she was uncut and still alive, sprawled over the sexiest man she’d
ever seen, when the stranger rolled them over to shield her from the falling
ladder. The impact vibrated through his stiff frame.
Holy cow.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” Warm breath rushed
over her neck and shoulders as he drew back to stare down at her. During the
tussle, his hat fell off to reveal short black hair that didn’t quite reach his
collar. “What about you? Are you all right?” Gray eyes, the color of a child’s
prized marble, blinked at her in a worried frown.
Increasingly aware that she was
now underneath the tall, sexy stranger, whose big, warm, firm hand was
cupping her ass—and she liked it—Jovy cleared her throat. “Define ‘all right.’”
“Are you hurt?” He removed
his palm from inside her shorts, the warm, tingling feeling dissipated along
with his touch, until he shoved the ladder aside, sat up, and began to run both
hands efficiently over the rest of her body.
Her sorely neglected body. A
body doing an all hail Mr. Gray Eyes tremor. Lord have mercy, her good
parts hadn’t been in contact with a male like this in over a year. Not since…
“Hey, miss? Answer me. Are
you hurt?”
Hurt? She stifled a
hysterical giggle. “No.”
Aroused? Oh, yeah. Big-time.
And completely embarrassed by her reaction to the total stranger. She could
explain away the tremors racking her body as shock, but not the beaded nipples
plainly visible through her bra and tank top.
If he noticed them, he
didn’t let on as his hands skimmed over her chest, neck, and shoulders.
She gritted her teeth,
enjoying the scrape of his callus-roughened hands on her skin, doing her
damnedest not to embarrass herself further by moaning.
Dumb body.
“You feel okay to me.”
Sitting up, she snickered.
“Thanks, but…shouldn’t you buy me dinner first?” The stupid words were out of
her mouth before she had the chance to swallow them down.
He stilled and met her gaze
for a beat, then his head tipped back and a bark of laughter echoed down the
covered walkway. The deep, sexy sound did nothing to lessen her arousal, but
the sight of the cow, pushing her way past the fallen ladder to moo in his
startled face, sparked her amusement.
Jovy giggled. “Looks like
you have yourself an admirer there, cowboy.”
“Nah.” He shrugged, lifting
a hand to stroke the cow’s neck. “Lula Belle is just a little overzealous.”
And bold, or maybe not. Jovy
didn’t possess a wealth of bovine knowledge. But she did know it was plumb
dangerous for livestock to be roaming free in town. “You should probably keep
your cow at home.”
A smile tugged his mouth.
“She’s not my cow.”
At this, Lula Belle bent
down to lick his face.
Jovy quirked a brow. “Does
the cow know that?”
Amusement danced in the
stranger’s eyes, and the smile that had threatened claimed a set of kissable
lips she had the sudden urge to taste. Her heart rolled in her chest. Dammit.
He needed to stop doing that or she was never going to catch her breath. An
instant later, his gaze dropped to her mouth, and what little air was left in
Jovy’s lungs took a hike, leaving her with a racing pulse and fluttering
stomach. No man had ever affected her this way, especially a stranger. But at
the moment, she didn’t care. An odd, new, tangible current coursed between
them.
If the heat entering his
gaze was any indication, the stranger felt it, too. Good. She’d hate to be the
only one stuck in this crazy-ass haze. The good-looking Texan was hard.
Deliciously hard. And dead sexy. Heaven help her, it took all of Jovy’s
willpower to fight the impulse to press him onto his back and check his
body for injuries…with slow and very thorough precision. That would be foolish.
So damn foolish. Need trembled through her like a rampaging cow, but she
continued to resist. The urges were so far out of her character she remained
stunned.
And completely at his mercy.
All the cowboy had to do was make a move, one little move, and she would lean
forward and accidentally catch his lips with her mouth.
“Is everyone all right?” An
older man approached, rope dangling from his hand…on a tractor?
She wasn’t in Pennsylvania
anymore.
He was a welcome
interruption. Her heated, sensitized, need-filled body wholeheartedly
disagreed.
The cowboy blinked the
desire from his eyes before he turned his attention to the newcomer. “Yeah.” He
gently pushed the cow back so he could stand. “We’re okay, Skeeter.”
Skeeter? There was a name
she didn’t hear every day, but it fit the senior citizen’s friendly, weathered
face. Her sexy rescuer turned and held a hand out to help her up, but before
she could grab on, Lula Belle rushed forward to shove between them.
“Possessive much?” She
scooted backward on her butt.
Skeeter chuckled and passed
the rope to the cowboy, who quickly fashioned a loop and harnessed the cow.
“Don’t mind Lula Belle. The old gal is sweet on Stone.”
She smirked. “Never would’ve
guessed.”
Nor would she have guessed
the cowboy’s name was Stone. Although whether it was his first, last, or
nickname, it was 100 percent fitting, considering the rock-hard body that had
just covered hers on the sidewalk.
Still chuckling, the older
man held out his hand, and this time, the cow didn’t interfere as he helped
Jovy to her feet.
“Thank you, Skeeter. I’m
Jovy.”
“Welcome to Texas, Jovy.” He
smiled and released her hand.
She glanced up and down the
street. “Are there any other rampaging cows or livestock I need to worry
about?”
“Not unless you count
cowboys as livestock.” He winked, then grabbed the rope from Stone. “Come on,
Lula Belle. Let’s get you home. I bet Mr. Rawlins isn’t even aware you’re
gone.” With a nod and a few hard tugs on the harness, Skeeter led the
protesting cow away.
She was definitely not in
Pennsylvania anymore.
Jovy turned, intending to
thank the stranger for saving her, but he was busy affixing her dangling sign
to the hooks above the door. Without the use of the ladder.
Jeez. Just how tall was the
guy?
“Small” was not a word used
to describe Jovy’s five-foot-nine-inch frame. Tall. Sturdy. Curvy. Heck,
despite her dark hair, she’d even been nicknamed Marilyn by several guys back
in her college days. But tiny, delicate, and small were all antonyms.
Until now. Compared to this
man. He had almost a good half a foot on her, with broad shoulders and muscles
bulging under the rolled-up sleeves of his denim shirt. The lean Texan made her
feel delicate…and feminine. Not an easy feat.
He finished hanging the
sign, stepped back, and frowned. “V-Spot Café?”
For a small, stupid moment
her mind heard G-spot and her body responded with another damn tremor. Bet
he knew where a woman’s…
Stiffening, she gave her
head a small shake to get her mind back on track before thrusting out her hand.
“Thank you for catching me.”
Warm and strong, his fingers
curled around hers and tiny tingles of heat skittered up her arm. She glanced
from their hands to his bewildered gaze.
That was new.
He cleared his throat and
released her. “It was nothing.”
Unsure if he was referring
to his heroic act or the current flowing between, she pushed both thoughts
aside. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t staying in Texas any longer than necessary.
This crazy, weird attraction was best ignored.
“Well, I appreciate what you
did. Thanks for your help.” She glanced at the shop and shuddered. “Man, my
jackass of a landlord would’ve had a cow if that window had smashed. I’m sure
he never would’ve believed the cause. Heck, I’m beginning to wonder if he’s
even real. He won’t give me a phone number. I have to do all my dealing with
him through emails. He even made me come down here a few days early or he
threatened to give the place to someone else. Talk about difficult. And
strange.” She turned back to face him, noting that the amusement had
disappeared from his eyes. “Oh, wow. I take it by your sour expression you’ve
had dealings with S.B. Mitchum, too. I bet the S stands for ‘stubborn.’ Or
maybe it stands for ‘strange.’”
Again, she was alone in her
merriment. The cowboy didn’t crack a smile. Nothing. Zilch. In fact, his
expression turned as hard as stone. Ah, crap. This was a small town. He
probably knew the guy. She sighed. Great. Now she had to backpedal.
“Well, we’ve all been called
stubborn and strange. Even me.” She shrugged. “Speaking of called…we haven’t
been officially introduced. I’m Jovy Larson. And you are…?”
His chin rose a tick, and he leveled her
with a cold gray gaze. “Stone Mitchum. Your jackass of a landlord.”
~My Review~
5 Stars
I Was Provided A ARC For The Tour
(Possible Spoilers)
Jovy Larson has come to the small town of Joyful, Texas to open and successfully run a restaurant in a short amount of time. This a test, set up by her grandfather in an effort for her to prove to him that she is capable of running the family business. The catch, it's a vegan restaurant, in Texas surrounded by meat lovers. But Jovy is a tough cookie, determined to make this work. She made a promise to her father, one she wants to badly keep. She's a competitor, and she won't loose. Now if only she could get her stubborn landlord to work with her she'd be set. A ladder, a lovesick cow and the delicious arms of her landlord set in motion the start of her time in Joyful, and the closer she gets to Stone Mitchum, the harder it is to think about leaving this cowboy at the end of her stay. And the plans for her future she though she wanted so badly, start to change the more time she spends in Stone's arms, and around the men of "At Ease Ranch".
Stone Mitchum is a hard working man, he feels the need to save everyone, carrying around a load of guilt has kept his mind focused, and doesn't leave time for distractions. Along with his brother and two best friends, they own and operate Foxtrot construction. They are working on building a safe place for veterans. At Ease Ranch provides a home & jobs, to men he has fought beside. As an former Army Ranger, he knows the ups and downs these men face and is happy, determined to make this place work for them all. With everything ruining slowly but smoothly, Stone just needs his new tenant to work with him. Jovy Larson stirs up feelings he long ago pushed aside. This beautiful, curvy woman has broken through his walls, and he's finding himself wanting to hold on tight and never let go. But can he let go of the guilt he carries and find happiness with Jovy.
Curvy, sweet, sassy, down to earth, real, Jovy is a refreshing and lovable character to get to know, I loved her big heart, her go with the flow attitude, and they way she embraces anything put in front of her. Broody, sexy, sweet, swoon-worthy alpha cowboy, Stone is a selfless, strong, fighter with a big heart and lots of love to give. I loved this hero! A sexy, fun, gives you butterfly's kind of romance. I loved the realness, the compelling characters, and the beauty of this sweet, quick paced love story so much. I would so love to read more about The Men of At Ease Ranch!
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ABOUT DONNA MICHAELS
It’s all my mother’s fault. She read to me when I was little and sparked my imagination. Now, my mind is the limit, and believe me, there’s no limit to my mind. Hello, I’m Donna Michaels, NYT & USA Today Bestselling Award winning author of Romaginative fiction. I write romance through the H’s—Hot, Humorous, Heartwarming reads with strong alpha cowboys and military men who are equally matched by their heroines. With a husband in the military fulltime, and a household of nine, and several rescued cats, I never run out of material. From short to epic, my books entertain readers across a variety of sub-genres, and one has even been hand drawn into a Japanese Translation.
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