Please Welcome Rita Thedford/Regina Carlysle!!!!!

Okay. I drop by Wendi’s blog quite a bit…just can’t resist her cowboy eye-candy. This time I’m here for other reasons (oops...pardon me while I wipe the drool from my keyboard). Wendi and I have lots in common. Must be why we’re the BEST OF FRIENDS. We both have a THANG for smokin’ hot cowboys so we’re taking some time to honor/drool over/lust over those smooth-talking, slow-walking men in the best way we know how. Like Wendi, I write cowboy stories too.


Hot Night at the Blue Bug Saloon and One Dependable Man (both available at The Wild Rose Press, feature those steamy, southern men we live to adore. Matt and Nash, my hot cowboy heroes, are hunky dreams in denim…much like Wendi’s Gavin from her upcoming release Cowboy Games (coming MONDAY from Siren Publishing). Can’t wait to get my hands on THAT one.

Wendi was also nice enough to help me celebrate the yesterday's release of Tempting Tess from Ellora’s Cave. This one is written under my pen name, Regina Carlysle.

I want to share an excerpt from One Dependable Man which will be available in paperback in July. And after that I'll give you a little sneaky peek of Tempting Tess, if Wendi will let me.


One Dependable Man
Rita Thedford

Shaking himself out of his rage, Matt turned to gaze at the assortment of diners who applauded him. He smiled back in response and executed a short nod as Sunny disappeared through the kitchen doors. Once the furor began to die down, he followed her.

Matt McBride, unlike the rest of the McBride clan, had never possessed a raw, unbridled temper. He was easy-going to a fault. It took a hell of a lot to anger him to violence but he hated creeps who messed with women. The harassment of this particular woman sent him over the edge.

Happy had once saved his life. Could he do anything less than help his sister? Yeah, keep telling yourself that, dumb ass.

Over the past few weeks everything had begun to change. It wasn't just about paying a debt to a dead friend anymore. It was about the dead friend's sister. Hell, maybe it had always been about her and he just hadn't realized it until now. He wanted her so bad he ached.

Damn! What a mess.

Pushing through the swinging doors, Matt stopped just inside the kitchen and watched Sunny slowly flip four hamburgers on the grill. Knitting his brows at the stiffness of her posture, he glanced at Buck who grinned slightly, shook his head, and shrugged.

Turning away from the heat of the cooktop, Buck spoke in a gravely voice to no one in particular. "Guess I'll get on out there and see if there's anything to be done." On his way out, he glanced up at Matt with what could've been a spark of pity. He clucked his tongue a couple of times and stepped out.

Matt cleared his throat, whether from nervousness or the need to wrap Sunny up in his arms, he wasn't sure. She was stiff and unyielding and he wondered briefly if it was because she'd been scared.

He should've known better.

"Did he hurt you, sweetheart? Are you-?" Further questions went unanswered as Sunny spun around and pointed her spatula at his belly.

He found himself staring into the blazing blue eyes of one hundred and ten pounds of pissed off woman.

"How dare you interfere?" she snapped. Her face was red and she was mad as a hornet. "This was none of your affair, McBride. I was handling everything just fine on my own before you stuck your nose in my business."

She flung his gallantry right back in his face. Matt's temper ignited. "You were, were you?" he sneered as he bore down on her. "Just how much manhandling were you gonna let yourself take before you booted his ass out of here, huh?" He moved in closer and Sunny took a step backward and then another. He scowled at her as
she bumped up against the nearest wall. Her breathing quickened and her breasts grazed the front of his shirt.

Damn.

Lust whipped him like a lash. "Didn't you realize those men were drooling at the sight of you all bent over the table like that? Your cute ass in those tight jeans is pure enticement and you know it. Did you ever once think maybe it's dangerous for you to work this shift?"

Sunny gasped. "Are you calling me a tease?"

"No. I'm calling you stupid."

She blinked up at him and Matt realized he was gripping her arms.
Instantly, he gentled his hold and saw hurt flare to life in her
eyes.

Her expression deflated Matt's anger instantly. He cursed his own
ability to act like a horse's behind. What had he expected?
Gratitude? Yeah, that's what he'd wanted. Maybe he'd wanted her to
throw herself into his arms like a weeping damsel and plant sweet
kisses all over his face in gratitude.

He should've known that wasn't Sunny's style. "Ah, hell. I'm sorry, darlin'. You're strong and tough, but even you have your limits and you were out of your league tonight. They rattled you. Look at you. You're shaking like a leaf. You're tired
and stressed out, and the prettiest damn thing I've ever seen."

Sunny gasped and looked up at him with those bluebonnet eyes and he just lost it. With a low growl, he caught her in his arms and dove for her parted lips. Nipping at the lush fullness, he teased with his teeth, his tongue. He drank her sigh and plunged his tongue into the dark, sweetness of her mouth. The subtle scent of her rose up to tease him and he changed the angle of the kiss, breathing her in.

Her breasts, full and lush, teased through the thin barrier of his shirt and unable to stop, he rubbed his chest against her, desperate for a firmer touch. His erection throbbed against the fly of his jeans. He pressed it against the curve of her belly and rotated against her softness. She made a tiny, whimpering sound as he slowly
drew away and stared down at her startled face.

Muttering a curse, he raked his fingers through his hair. He was moving too fast but he couldn't help himself. "You're not stupid. I didn't mean what I said but I'm not sorry I kicked that guy's butt."

Making a tiny choked sound, Sunny drew away but Matt put his hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Yeah, I'm big enough to apologize but I'll be damned if I'm going to say I'm sorry for kissing you."

Sunny looked at him, long and hard, and he returned the gaze without flinching. He wasn't a bit surprised when she turned without a word, opened the back door, and stepped out into the night.

*****



Thank you Rita!!! I love that scene, and I don't think I'll ever forget Matt. He's one of my favorite heroes.

Yesterday was a big day. Rita's (Regina Carlysle's) Tempting Tess went on sale at Ellora's Cave and I'm beyond thrilled for her. I would love to have Rita post an excerpt here, but I think Blogger would smack a content warning on me. Trust me when I say it's a HOTTTT older woman/younger man story!!!

Here's a blurb:
Tempting Tess - Regina Carlysle

When forty-five-year-old widow Tess Garrity decides it’s time to reevaluate her stale life, she rents a charming cabin in the mountains, little expecting her entire life is about to take a drastic turn. She’s very drawn and more than a little sexually turned on by the sinfully handsome man next door.

Daniel Rios is captivated by the stunning older woman. She is sweet, funny and sexy enough to make him yearn to fuck her. He wants her more than his next breath but his first order of business is getting rid of an unwanted houseguest. Then Daniel moves in on Tess, tempting her to take another chance on love—with him. It’s a naughty, edgy, seductive challenge he is fully prepared to take.

Click here to BUY TEMPTING TESS!

Since Thursday's prize was a Double Feature, I decided to have two winners! acdaisy95 and Irwirum, congratulations you both won! Please email me at wendi@wendidarlin.com with your mailing addresses.

Today's prize is Dr. Sadie Allison's book, Ride 'em Cowgirl! - Sex positions for better bucking. I love that title! For your chance to win, leave a comment and tell us one of your favorite cowboy names. If you can't think of one, leave a comment anyway. I'm easy! Your name will also go in the drawing for Monday's Grand Prize! YOU MUST BE 18 TO PLAY!

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Countdown to Yummy Sunday - 2 days!