Cathryn Fox's Summer Heat story

I’ve known Cathryn for years, and have always loved her. However, I love her hero’s even more. This lady knows how to give readers a man worth drooling over. For example…. Cowboys’ Way.
Tired of the bachelor lifestyle, sports medicine doctor, and weekend cowboy, Chase Cooper, is ready to settle down. Late one night over a few drinks, he and his buddies come up with a plan. Invite the girls from their past-the ones that got away-to a weekend of fun at the ranch and see what happens next.
When lawyer, Julia Blair finds herself on a dude ranch half way across the country, only to discover the invitation was meant for her vivacious twin sister, she knows she has two choices. Go home alone, or walk a day in her sister’s shoes. When she sets eyes on sexy cowboy Chase Cooper, the choice becomes easy.
Coop can’t believe the mix up, but when he discovers Julia wants to play he decides to go for it. Except playtime leads to so much more and when he realizes she just might be the girl who got away he sets out to show her how good they can be together. And he’s not above using a set of leather horse reins and a few tricks of the trade to prevent her from fleeing again.
 
 
Continue on to read the Excerpt:

As Julia watched Coop’s retreating back, her stomach plummeted and she wondered what the hell had just happened. One minute they were talking, the next he was walking away, looking like a little lost puppy-one that she’d just kicked. His Houdini act was becoming something of a habit, except this time it wasn’t Tessa who’d come along to drag him away. No, it was Julia herself who’d sent him fleeing in the opposite direction.
What the heck had she been thinking?
While everything inside her wanted to say yes to his proposition, God knows her body was urging her to invite him in to experience his brand of lovemaking, the sobering reality was that it was Mari he really wanted which had her blurting out, “I think you’ve got the wrong girl.”
The second the words left her mouth, Coop backed off, but she didn’t miss the dark, tortured look in his eyes. Her sharp words had confused him. Hurt him. And why wouldn’t they? It was clear to anyone within a fifty-mile radius that her entire body had reacted with urgent need when she first caught him watching her.
Then, as he continued to stand over her, shirtless no less, looking like sex incarnate in his low-riding jeans, it was all she could do to drag in air, let alone engage in intelligent conversation. The mere sight of him distracted her, aroused her, and had her conjuring up sexy images of the two of them coming together. Over and over again. Those delicious visions had her body burning up from the inside out and not even the cool water lapping at her hot flesh could put out that kind of fire. In fact, she was pretty damn certain the pond had started to bubble up around her.
There was no denying that Coop was a perceptive man, and that he’d picked up on her interest in him. Since they were both consenting adults, he’d simply been responding to the want he’d read in her eyes, the way any red-blooded male would.
And she’d turned him away.
God, I am such an idiot!
Especially considering the fact that he’d given her the perfect opportunity to live a day in her sister’s life. Was she really going to pass that up?
She took a good long minute to mull that over. Okay, so Julia might not have been the one Coop had been expecting to get off that plane, but maybe this wasn’t about him anymore. Maybe this moment was about her and what she wanted.
With that last thought urging her on, Julia climbed from the pond, quickly towel dried her body and pulled on a borrowed pair of denim shorts and a pretty pink T-shirt that was a little too snug around her breasts. Once dressed, she followed the path Coop had taken and soon found him alone inside the barn, the warm morning light drifting in through the open doors and falling over his hard body.
With his back to her she watched him for a moment, watched the way he quietly talked to his horse, the way he stroked the gelding with care. While Coop might be tough and rugged on the outside, there was a reflective side of him, a side that was both sweet and caring. A side that made him so easy to be with. And it was that side that drew her in and had her aching to place herself in his hands.
Okay, so she couldn’t deny that she wanted to indulge in him physically, wanted to step out of her comfort zone and throw caution to the wind. Just once.
“Coop,” she said, trying not to sound breathless as she imagined those capable hands of his on her body, taking her to places she’d never before been.
He spun around to face her and when his glance met hers, he raked shaky hands through his hair. “Julia,” he began. “Jesus, I’m sorry. I misread-”
She took a deep breath and blurted out, “You’re not the one at fault here.”
He cast his eyes downward. “It’s my fault-”
“No, the only one at fault here is me.”
His gaze flew back to hers and he drove his hands deep into his pocket. She tried not to react when the hard muscles along his arms flexed and relaxed again. “What are you talking about? I shouldn’t have-”
“Yes, you should have.”
He gave a slow shake of his head. “Julia, I don’t understand.”
“Tell me something Coop. What would Mari have done?”
He glanced past her shoulder for a minute, and she caught the far-off look in his eyes. Julia briefly wondered if he was relieving the night he spent with Mari at Hubbard’s Cove. Although her sister wasn’t one to kiss and tell, Julia had heard all the salacious rumors the next day at school.
“What would Mari have done?” she asked again, bringing his attention back.
His head came back with a start and his brow furrowed. “What?
“What would Mari have done?” she repeated.
A moment of silence and then, “Why do you want to know that?”
“I just do.”
While she waited for him to answer, they exchanged a long, heated look, one that could undoubtedly set the hayloft on fire. He rocked back on his heels, and everything in the way he was studying her made her feel exposed, vulnerable, like he was privy to her deepest darkest desires and knew exactly what she was up to.
He took a step toward her, the lines around his eyes deepening. “Julia—”
She lifted her hand to stop him before she lost her nerve. “I’m serious, Coop. Just tell me what she would have done?”
Another few steps brought him closer, and his warm masculine scent seeped under her skin and elicited a shiver from deep within. The hard planes of his face softened, and he looked so warm, so honest. So damn handsome.
“Do you really want to know?”
Julia swallowed and her voice was barely a whisper when she answered, “I really want to know.”
Another long pause and then he finally said, “She would have invited me in.” His rough palm closed over her cheek. “But she wouldn’t—”
“The answer is yes, Coop.”
She watched his throat work as he swallowed. “Yes?”
“Yes, I would like some company.” She stepped into him, and when she aligned her body with his, positioning her pussy against his cock, he slid his arm around her waist, tugging her against him.
His glance moved over her face, assessing her and she could feel the heat in his body, as well as the hardness between his legs. It excited her. It aroused her. It made her feel bold and adventurous.
Blue eyes darkened as they locked on hers. “Are you sure, Julia? Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
No. She had no idea what she was doing, but she appreciated his concern, nonetheless. All she knew was that he was easy to trust, easy to be with and she wanted to spend the next few hours doing it the cowboy’s way.
“I want this,” she answered honestly.
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