THE BULL RIDER HEADS HOME
Sergeant Amber Chapman didnât come all the way to Oklahoma City for Luke Beaumontâs autograph. His family ranch, a major tourist attraction, is on the auction block. Sheâd drag the star bull rider back in handcuffs if it meant saving her hometown! But the biggest attraction is Luke himself...even if heâs always been out of reach for the girl from the wrong side of town.
Luke canât help himselfâheâs drawn to the quick-witted and sassy sheriff, even as they track down the cattle rustlers targeting his ranch. Unless he can make Amber see theyâre perfect for each other, Luke might lose her. If he has his way, theyâll be together foreverâthis cowboyâs betting the ranch on it!
âWhatâs wrong, Amber? Did I say something to hurt you?â
âOf course not.â She shook her head. âLetâs go.â
Luke held on to her upper arms and searched her face as if her reason for her meltdown was inked on her face.
It would be so easy to step into his arms, just to lay her head on his chest for a while or get a warm hug.
Instead, Luke gently held her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. It was so tender, she almost cried again.
âI hate it when women cry, especially you, Amber. Youâre such a strong womanâsomething must be really bothering you.â
âI canât tell you. Not right now, Luke. I will someday if the occasion presents itself.â
He bent his head and kissed her lipsâsoftly, lightly. âIâll wait until youâre ready.â
When he stopped, she wanted to scream. Then his lips closed over hers again, and it was just like her dreams, only much, much better. With each kiss, she knew that sheâd never be the same again.
Dear Reader,
Welcome to Beaumont, Oklahoma, the home of the three bull-riding Beaumont brothers: Luke, Reed and Jesse. They are all Gold Buckle Cowboys.
Luke Beaumontâs story begins my âbull-riding Beaumont brothersâ trilogy, which I hope youâll enjoy.
Of course, Luke is a sexy bull rider (is there any other kind?) who ignored Sergeant Amber Chapman throughout high school. But then she arrives at a public autograph session and gives him a piece of her mind. A big piece. Luke is a prize-winning cowboy who has some personal items to deal with, including Amber Chapman. Lots of luck, Luke!
Life is also good in Central New York, where I live, but Iâm writing this in sunny Florida in our new motor home. We plan on driving to some PBR events as well as visiting some rodeos.
See you there!
Chris Wenger
CHRISTINE WENGER has worked in the criminal justice field for more years than she cares to remember, but now spends her time reading, writing and seeing the sights in our beautiful world. A native Central New Yorker, she loves watching professional bull riding and rodeo with her favorite cowboy, her husband, Jim. You can reach Chris at PO Box 1823, Cicero, NY 13039, or through her website at christinewenger.com.
To all cowboys and cops,
Be careful out there!
And to Michele Goldstein, new friend, who keeps smiling through every challenge. Chocolate will help!
Chapter One
What am I doing here? I feel like a buckle bunny.
Several times Amber Chapman thought of leaving the Professional Bull Riders autograph session in the huge Oklahoma City arena. Sheâd stood in bull rider Luke Beaumontâs line way too long so she could give him a piece of her mind.
I have a million things to do back home.
Maybe she should just let the three Beaumont brothers find out on their own that they were going to lose the ranch that had been in their family for generations, but she just couldnât do that to the brothers, not even Luke, no matter how much she disliked him. Besides, their town would suffer the most, since the Beaumont Ranch employed many of the locals...or at least it used to.
Not anymore. Not in its present state.
Luke barely looked up at her when Amber finally stood in front of him. Robotically he slid over a glossy eight-by-ten picture of himself.
âWho would you like me to sign it to?â he said, a black felt-tip pen poised over a large photo of him riding a huge bull.
âSergeant Amber Chapman of Beaumont, Oklahoma, but actually you can skip the autograph and the photo.â
Luke looked up from his place at the long table of bull riders signing and posing for pictures with their fans.
He grinned. âAmber? Amber Chapman. Hey, itâs been a long time. I didnât know you were a fan.â
She had forgotten that he had the brightest blue eyesâmore like turquoise. The lights of the arena made them even bluer.
Amber noticed, of course, but she didnât care. She wasnât there to look at his eyes or at how his muscles stretched out his chambray shirt, or how good he smelled. Like leather and pine.