Nearest Thing to Heaven (Maverick Junction) (28 page)

She hadn’t given him a last name. What was that beautiful thing hiding? Or, maybe, she really, truly hadn’t wanted to sit with him. Didn’t want to exchange names.

Her voice held a hint of an accent. New England definitely, despite what she’d said. Maybe Boston? Well, whatever. The voice was hot. Silk. And though she had started off sounding totally teed off, he’d heard amusement and a sense of humor creep in.

He tossed the now nearly empty sack of groceries into the trunk. When he looked up, he saw Annelise at the counter, paying for her lunch. Might as well run the ad over to Mel in time for tomorrow’s edition. Looked like he’d struck out with the tempting Ms. Cool Eyes. Time to pack up his bat and ball. Game over.

No doubt she planned to hop on that hog and ride out of Maverick Junction without a backward glance. Too bad. He’d have liked more time with her. Time to dig a little deeper. Unless he was mistaken, and he rarely was, there was more to Annelise than met the eye. She might ride a Harley and wear leather, but everything else about her screamed class and money, pampering and top-notch schooling.

Her hands were manicured to within an inch of their lives. The diamonds that winked at her ears could feed a small third-world country. Yeah, the lady had been indulged.

Maybe he had been, too, but to a far lesser degree.

His gaze landed on the Caddy, and he ran a hand over the hood. God, he loved this thing. He had a lot to thank the old man for. And one very good reason—no, make that two—for being royally irritated with his grandpa. But he wasn’t about to travel that road right now.

Reaching under the front seat, he found the folder with the newspaper ad he’d put together last night. Time to hire some help. As much as the old guy would fight him about it, Hank, whom he’d more or less inherited from Gramps along with the Caddy, couldn’t handle the responsibility of the barn area alone anymore.

“Come on, Staubach.” The dog’s ears perked up, and he came to heel. Cash took another look at the dusty black-and-chrome Harley, and his stomach knotted in lust. Both the bike and its rider were double-take worthy.

Black bike, black helmet, black shades, black leathers and shirt. One cool lady. One heck of an attitude.

And that mouth. Oh, yeah. He’d give up a Monday-night football game or two for a taste of that.

Somebody Like You

“Lynnette Austin’s stories are filled with rich characters and compelling plots. I love everything she writes!”

—Tina Wainscott, bestselling author of
Unforgivable

“She’s lace and champagne flutes, he’s blue jeans and cowboy boots; neither one is looking for love. But when cupid takes dead aim, they can’t fight the mutual attraction. Don’t miss the heat that singes these two opposites and burns bright in Maverick Junction, Texas.”

—Joyce Henderson

Stuck in this dead-beat town for too long, Candy Jameson is itching for some action. And the magnetically sexy Sterling Dey might just be her chance to get back in the game…at least for a night. Soon the sparks flying between Candy and Sterling ignite into a fiery encounter that scorches the lanes. But when Sterling wants more than just one night with Candy, she’s not sure she’s ready to bet her heart on a one-night stand.

Former professional bowling champion Sterling Dey wants to reclaim his title. This sleepy alley in a small Texas town with no distractions is the perfect place to practice, until Sterling lays his eyes—and more—on the joint’s sultry night manager.

As attraction becomes more than desire and the pins start stacking up against them, Candy and Sterling’s future may just come down to the roll of the ball.

It wouldn’t be summer without the Watermelon Festival, and single mom Amanda Wright is looking forward to a carefree day eating funnel cakes and sipping sweet tea. But with her inquisitive son and elderly grandmother in tow, she’s not in the mood for carnival rides or the kissing booth, until she hears a charming, funny voice over the loudspeaker.

Grant Trumbull is the new DJ at the local radio station, and his deep, booming cadence has all the ladies of the church auxiliary atwitter. Even without seeing his face, Amanda can’t help wondering if he’s the one for her. When she finally comes face to face with the man behind the mic, summer is about to get a whole lot hotter in little Last Chance, South Carolina.

Cash Hardeman thought he’d have all the time in the world to find the right woman…until he discovered that his gold-digging step-grandmother will inherit the family ranch if he’s not married by his thirtieth birthday. With the deadline just around the corner and no prospects in sight, Cash knows it’s only a matter of time before he loses everything. But when Boston beauty Annelise blows into his life, Cash can’t help wondering if she’s what he’s been looking for all along.

Giving her bodyguards and the paparazzi the slip, heiress Annelise Montjoy has come to Maverick Junction on a life-or-death mission. But living incognito in the small Texas town is nothing like she expected, and she’s finding it difficult to keep her identity a secret—especially with a rough-and-tumble cowboy like Cash tempting her. It’s not long before Annelise starts to wonder if she’s finally found the man who can love her for herself rather than her money. But will Annelise’s secrets catch up with her before she and Cash can ride off into the Texas sunset?

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Title Page
Welcome
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
About the Author
An Excerpt from
Somebody Like You
Also by Lynnette Austin
Praise for Lynnette Austin
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