In Benevolence, New Mexico, the west isn’t the only thing that’s wild…
Sheriff Jeremiah Stone is a man with a secret—and if the good folks of Benevolence discover he’s a coyote shifter, he just might end up on the wrong end of a noose. He works alone and is careful to cover his tracks, there’s just one problem. The new doctor in town is his intended mate, and he can’t claim her without divulging who, and what, he is.
Dr. Katherine Cooper knew moving to the small, border town of Benevolence would be difficult, but she never counted on dodging gunfights or falling for the town’s sheriff who’s got a body to match his name. Kate’s been doing everything she can to get the handsome lawman to notice her, but he seems determined to keep her at arms’ length. But when she unwillingly becomes a target of the area’s most notorious gang, her only salvation is the one man who holds both her life and her heart in his hands.
And a quick look at the pages...
Kate muttered to herself as she marched down the street, working to stay ahead of Hank. The quicker she got back to the clinic, the better. Though Billy’s injuries were far from life threatening, the less time she had to fantasize about Jeremiah, the less time she’d spend pining for him. And there was nothing like pure exhaustion to temper foolish desires.
Hank scuffled after her, coughing at the dust. He said something that sounded like “hold on” but she didn’t stop to figure it out. She’d already covered half the distance, and she could see the men carrying Billy into the clinic not far ahead.
She picked up her pace when a chorus of shouts broke out across the street. She stopped, watching as two horses reared against their reins, billowing up a thick cloud of dust. Kate covered her mouth and took a step back just as two shadowy figures emerged through the blowing dirt, mounted the horses in one, smooth movement and kicked them into motion. The animals reared again but took off, racing toward the end of town. The men sneered at her as they rode by, their faces twisted in anger. One of the men pointed something at her, but before she had time to register what it was, a set of strong arms wrapped around her waist and bowled her to the ground.
Sharp stones bit into her chest as her breath left her on a grunt, the force of the impact blacking out her vision and knocking her bag from her hands. Three loud explosions echoed over her, the vibrations ringing through her ears. She tried to roll, but the heavy weight on top of her held her captive, and she had no other choice but to lie on the ground as the beat of the horses’ hooves finally drifted into silence.
Kate coughed on a lungful of dust, wondering why the buffoon pinning her down hadn’t moved yet, when one large hand seized her shoulder and flipped her over. She gasped as her back hit the rough dirt, sending more black dots across the landscape. She blinked to clear the images only to feel her breath leave her chest again as she stared into a pair of gleaming amber eyes.
“Jeremiah.”
The name sprang from her lips before she had the chance to crush it, his unwavering stare stealing any semblance of reasonable thought. Though she’d seen her share of handsome men, there was something about his eyes that turned her insides to mush. It was like staring at the sun, wondering if you were going to get burned.
Jeremiah flashed her one of his devastating smiles but didn’t move. Instead, he shifted ever so slightly until the entire length of his body pressed against hers. She could feel every long, hard inch of him, but it was the distinct ridge jabbing against her groin that held her attention. It felt like steel, and she barely held back the urge to arch against it.
Kate cringed as the words poised on her tongue morphed into a low, throaty moan that sounded even more desperate than she felt. She held Jeremiah’s gaze, acutely aware of how his eyes narrowed as he inhaled deeply. The motion rubbed his chest against hers, the increased pressure beading her nipples into hard buds that raked across his shirt when he inhaled again.
Heat exploded inside her, spiraling outwards before settling uncomfortably between her legs. A spike of need rippled through her stomach, and she had to clench her teeth together to keep from taking his luscious lips with hers. They hovered mere inches from her face as he continued to stare at her.
“Goldangit, Doc, are you okay?” Hank’s voice broke the tension as his feet shuffled into view beside her shoulder.
Kate clenched her teeth harder, certain her back molars would crack from the pressure as Jeremiah chuckled and flashed her another devilish smile. He eased back, giving her body a long, slow sweep before pushing to his feet and offering her his hand. She accepted, ignoring the instant jolt of desire as her fingers wrapped around his and she was pulled forcefully to her feet. The motion jerked her hard against his chest. She uttered a startled gasp, but it was instantly muffled by his smooth leather vest as her head caught in the crook of his shoulder. Her free hand went instinctively to his chest in an effort to regain her balance as she teetered on the toes of her boots. Firm, sinewy muscles bunched beneath her fingers, and she bit back another moan before she’d made a complete fool of herself.
Jeremiah’s warm breath coasted over the shell of her ear, followed by a raspy “easy darlin’,” just loud enough for her to hear. The soft endearment stole any words she’d been prepared to speak, and it wasn’t until he’d gently eased her away and taken one step back that some of her senses returned.
Kate smoothed the front of her blouse and tugged at her riding skirt, straightening the panels so the split was less noticeable. Though most of the ladies this far west had adopted the more sensible design, she’d discovered the men out here still liked the appearance of traditional fashion. She gave Hank a sharp nod as he handed her the medical bag she’d dropped. The black leather was covered in a layer of dust, and she muttered to herself as she brushed it off, thankful the buckle hadn’t given way and scattered the contents across the dirty street. She heard Jeremiah chuckle again, and she speared him with a glare.
His face sobered, and he held up his hands, firing Hank a quick smile. “Now take it easy, Dr. Kate. I was only trying to keep you safe.”
“Safe?” She stomped one foot on the ground, cursing the decision when more dust billowed into the air. She waved the cloud away, her irritation mounting. “Since when is bowling me over in the middle of the street keeping me safe, Sheriff?”
He didn’t miss her emphasis and his lips split into another stunning smile. Damn, but the man was breathtaking when he smiled.
Jeremiah motioned behind her. “Since one of those men decided to take a shot at you.”
“Shot?” She turned, a tumbling feeling rolling through her stomach when she noticed a small hole in the water trough a few feet away. A steady trickle of liquid bubbled out of the opening, dispelling any doubt. A dizzy feeling hummed in her head, and she wasn’t sure if it was fear or leftover arousal making her heart pound in her ears.
She swallowed past the dry feeling in her throat and turned back. Jeremiah’s smile was gone, replaced by an emotion she didn’t recognize.
“I reckon you didn’t see his gun,” said Jeremiah.
Kate drew herself up and held the bag tighter against her waist. “Of course not. If I’d seen the gun I wouldn’t have needed you to take me to the ground, now would I? Besides, I’d been informed that you had the situation under control.”
Jeremiah shook his head, shifting his gaze to Hank then back again. “I was still in the process of tying up the loose ends. I’d managed to dispose of two of them, but the odds were in their favor.”
She glanced back at where the two men had disappeared. If Jeremiah had already taken care of two bandits, that meant he’d faced four by himself. Shock wove through her body and she snapped her head around, pointing a shaky finger at him. “You took on four armed men by yourself?”
He shrugged, slowly grabbing her hand and lowering it to her side. “I did have Billy’s help.”
“Billy?” She practically yelled the name, but she didn’t care. “That boy couldn’t hit a horse let alone a man. And Hank told me you pushed him aside before he’d even gotten a round off.”
The smile returned, highlighting the dimples in his cheeks. “The boy tried.”
“No, he got himself into trouble and had to have you bail him out.” She exhaled a soothing breath. “Thankfully, his injuries are fairly mild.”
“Well heck, we all know there ain’t much that you can’t fix, Doc.” He tipped his hat. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to track down a couple of wayward men.”
Fear gripped her low in the belly and she lunged forward, grabbing his sleeve. “You aren’t going after them alone, are you? It’ll still be two against one.”
Jeremiah glanced down at her hand. “Sounds like my luck’s getting better.” He shushed her with a gentle finger on her lips. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. You be extra careful while I’m away. No telling if those Rankin brothers have any other gang members hanging around these parts.”
Hank sucked in a loud breath and stepped forward. “Rankin brothers? You mean those men that just rode out of here were the Rankin boys?”
Jeremiah nodded, slowly removing his hand from Kate’s face. “I recognized them from the posters the Marshalls had delivered. Seems they’re wanted for the murder of several lawmen.”
“All the more reason to take a few deputized men with you,” she added.
He raised an eyebrow and moved closer, pushing his body against her medicine bag. She stood her ground, amazed at how his massive stature filled her field of vision. The scenery beyond him disappeared, replaced by a set of broad shoulders, tanned skin and a buckskin hat. She licked her bottom lip, her throat parched, as he tilted his head, shading her face from the setting sun. Her breathing increased, spurred on the scent of bay rum cologne and hot man. Though others wore the spicy offering, Jeremiah made it his own.
One side of his mouth twitched as he watched her through narrowed eyes, the golden color vivid against the dark shadows. His gaze dropped down to her chest as it rose and fell in rapid succession, the swell of her breasts grazing against him with every frenzied inhalation. Something flashed in his eyes, but it was gone before she could decipher it.
He returned his attention to her face. “You aren’t worried for me, are you, Dr. Kate?”
She didn’t miss the raspy tone of his voice. But now was hardly the time to flirt, not with Hank staring at them as if they’d been standing out in the heat for too long.
She cleared her throat and fought to calm the pounding of her heart. “I’m merely thinking of the town,” she lied. “What would the good folks of Benevolence do without a Sheriff of your caliber?” She shifted restlessly on her feet, more than aware of how he watched her every move. “Besides, I’ve got enough to do without having to stitch you up as well. Like I told Hank. Bullets tend to do a lot of damage.”
Jeremiah chuckled and stepped back, nodding at her and Hank. “I’ll keep that in mind. I wouldn’t want to…inconvenience you.”
Kate cursed to herself at the indifferent edge to his voice. Did the man not have any sense at all? She’d all but thrown herself at him these past two years, yet he picked now to show the minutest bit of interest? Anger and frustration rolled inside her, and she had to clench her fists together to keep from hitting someone. Jeremiah’s playful smile returned. Dear God, but the man seemed to enjoy riling her.
She huffed and straightened her back, brushing her skirt off again. “A truly wise man would know when to seek help.”
“I got Hank to fetch you to take care of Billy, didn’t I?”
He turned toward the saloon and whistled. The echo of horse hooves bled into the silence as his mount rounded the far corner and trotted to his side. It shook its head as he grabbed the reins and seemingly flowed into the saddle. Though he was an impressive man on his feet, mounted on his horse, he resembled a figure out of her childhood storybooks. Hair flowing about his face, his chin held high, he looked as immortal as he perceived to be.
Fear reared again and she lunged forward. “Jeremiah, please.”
He bent over her, brushing a single finger down one cheek. “I’ll be fine. Besides, I prefer to work alone.”
Then he was gone, dust filling the empty street as his horse galloped away, the steady thunder slowly fading into a numbing silence. Kate watched until his silhouette disappeared around a bend before taking a deep breath and continuing toward the clinic, his words still ringing in her head. She could take a hint. If the man wanted to work alone, she’d stay well clear of him. Now all she had to do was get her heart, and her body, to listen.
Thanks for dropping by. I hope you enjoy the new book.
