And the prince wore spurs
A bourbon-tinged evening turns into a night of spur-jangling passion. And wrapped in the arms of hunky cowboy Zane Phillips, Lucy Campbell feels like her dreams have come true all at once! But she knows Zane needs a chance to let their move from friends to lovers sink in. That is, until reality knocks...and Lucy discovers sheâs pregnant.
This wasnât how Zane imagined daddyhood would happen. And with pretty Lucy...his best friendâs little sister! He wants to do right by her and the baby, but Lucy wants the fairy tale, not a marriage of obligation. And while this simple cowboy isnât sure he can measure up as her Prince Charming, the real magic is that heâs had her heart all along...
âDo you like bourbon? Itâs all I have right now. Bourbon or water. Or bourbon and water.â
âItâs fine,â she said. When Zane picked up the bottle and poured them each about two fingersâ worth of the amber liquid, she accepted the glass.
âI didnât know you were a bourbon drinker.â
She wasnât. She didnât drink much, and the strong taste of bourbon wasnât her favorite, but tonight it would do.
âThereâs a lot you donât know about me.â
This time his right brow arched. A challenge. He didnât quite smile, but his eyes lingered on hers long enough to be suggestive. He made a harrumph noise that seemed as if he was considering the possibility of them or sizing her up. It was thrilling and frightening, electric and grounding.
Flirting with Zane was like a wild roller-coaster ride that twisted her every which way. Sometimes it made her feel as if she was about to tumble out of herself, or shoot straight off the edge of the universe. But when the car that was his attention finally delivered her to the station with a buzzing rush, she was always well aware sheâd never been in any real danger of falling. Scratch thatâsheâd fallen a long time ago...
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Celebration, Tx: Love is just a celebration away...
Chapter One
May 2017
âI know I shouldâve called first,â Lucy Campbell said when Zane Phillips opened his front door, âbut I come bearing gifts.â
Standing in the doorway, looking cranky, his big frame taking up a lot of space, Zane silently eyed her offerings.
âI brought The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, St. Elmoâs Fire and Say Anything... and a few others.â She handed the DVDs to him one by one as she read off each title. He frowned as he looked at them, and then he held up the one on top.
âThis is a problem,â he said, looking at the movie as if he didnât know what to do with it. âIâm not in the mood to say anything.â
âThatâs why I brought over a selection.â Lucy reached into his personal space and tapped the DVD case. âIf youâre not in the mood for that movie, you can choose another one.â
He shook his head. âNo. Luce, youâre not understanding me. Iâm not in the mood for talking. Period. I donât feel like company tonight.â
âI understand you better than you think I do. Hence the movies.â And the reason she hadnât called before showing up. âYou donât have to talk. All you have to do is watch. And eat Chinese food.â
She held up a brown paper sack.
âAre you going to let me in? The kung pao beef is getting cold.â
Storm clouds were rolling in and the fragrance of rain hung in the humid air.
âYou brought kung pao?â His tone was lighter.
She nodded. âAnd General Tsoâs chicken, fried rice and egg rolls.â
Sheâd known it wouldnât be easy getting past his front door. That was why sheâd brought the food. She thrust the large brown sack at him, and he almost dropped the stack of movies. He shifted the DVDs into one hand and accepted the bag. Pushing past him, Lucy stepped onto the beige carpet into the living room of Zaneâs Bridgemont Farms house and squinted into the dim light. The curtains were drawn. The only light on was the one in the kitchen. It cast enough of a golden glow to illuminate the mess in the front room. An empty pizza box, spent beer cans, a couple pairs of socks, some wadded-up jeans and a pair of mud-caked boots lying askew on the carpet. It all looked as if he had left it where he had dropped it, amid the stacks of cardboard boxes and piles of things heâd been sorting.