Shameless Book Plug!

She’s a rancher with a heartbreaking secret.
He’s Hollywood royalty,
poised to take a chance that risks his reputation and his career.
Now that they’ve found each other, can he win her heart?

ANNA’S HEART is out now!

The last book in the Redheads & Ranchers is finally available!

ANNA’S HEART joins JENNY’S VOICE and HUNTER’S PRIDE in this collection of contemporary stand-alone erotic romance novels featuring sexy ranchers and the redheads who turn their worlds upside down. Since they’re all stand-alone, you can read them in any order.

The third book in the Redheads & Ranchers series, ANNA’S HEART, came out Tuesday.

It’s the story of rancher Anna Graves, a young woman who helps run her family’s Wyoming guest ranch. Since the tragic loss of her firefighter fiance some years earlier, she’s content to teach horseback riding to tourists by and read smutty romance novels by night.

When Hollywood royalty Angus McGregor books a month at Sweetwater Ranch, Anna’s world is turned upside down. He’s there to learn the basics of horsemanship and to prepare for the new Western film he’ll be shooting at the end of summer.

Neither counted on a romantic entanglement, but somehow, love always finds a way.

Here’s a teaser from ANNA’S HEART.

As the last of the stragglers left the dining room, Anna left her mother and Simone to finish breakfast cleanup. A huge stockpot of hearty beef stew simmering on the stove would be ready for lunch in a few hours. Simone and Mrs. Graves would eventually make their way upstairs to join Lana in freshening up the handful of guestrooms located in the main lodge.

Anna would see to the cabins by herself, a job she’d insisted on as Simone and her baby bump had grown more and more unwieldy. Sweetwater Ranch wasn’t a hotel, really, so the day-to-day housekeeping was fairly light. While fresh sheets were available upon request, staff didn’t make beds or change the sheets on a daily basis.

On the other hand, between riding horses, working with cattle, and practicing outdoors skills, guests tended to get grubby as they participated in ranch activities, so daily fresh towels were a must. Anna also preferred to spot-clean the bathrooms and kitchens, straighten anything out of place, and remove the trash each day.

It was definitely easier when she split the duties with Simone, but over the past few months, Anna had worked out a routine that allowed her to finish her housekeeping duties in about an hour. And that left her plenty of time to make sure she was ready for her afternoon riding session before she headed back to the kitchen to help with lunch.

As usual, she started with Cabin 1 and worked her way back. The first five cabins, the newest of the bunch, were nearly always occupied for every session, summer and winter alike. When they had a larger-than-normal group of guests, the older cabins were used, beginning with number 6.

She herself occupied number 7, then numbers 8 and 9 were available to guests. Ross lived alone in Cabin 10. Andy and Simone had an apartment on the top floor of the main lodge, while Anna’s parents remained in the family quarters just off the lodge kitchen. It was where Anna and her brothers had grown up, and their father before them.

The newer cabins had been built when Anna was in high school. They were nicer than the older ones, but they were smaller. As she drove the golf cart from Cabin 5 to Cabin 6, she wondered what movie star Angus McGregor thought of his rustic accommodations. On the one hand, his cabin was larger than the others. But on the other hand, it was older. The amenities weren’t as new and the bathroom and kitchen hadn’t been updated.

Fresh towels folded over her arm, Anna snorted as she walked up the front steps of Cabin 6. Angus McGregor, cooking for himself in the little cabin kitchen!

Right! I’m still surprised he deigns to show up at mealtime, she thought to herself. Figured he’d call the front desk expecting room service.

Pausing at the door, she knocked lightly. “Housekeeping!” She knew that at that time of the morning, he was in Andy’s riding group. It was why she did these chores right after breakfast. Everyone had someplace to be, and it was a rare instance when someone was actually in their cabin.

Still, it was better to be on the safe side. She knocked again, then unlocked the door and let herself in. A quick scan showed the open living room/kitchen combination to be neat and tidy, save for a bunch of index cards spread all over the kitchen table.

She craned her neck to look at them briefly as she made her way to the kitchen trash can. Quickly, she removed the bag and replaced it with a fresh one, placing the old bag beside the front door. Everything else in the kitchen looked in order so she carried the fresh towels down the short hallway to the bathroom. Still envisioning the famous actor trying to cook something on the older-model gas stove, she smirked as she opened the bathroom door.

Clouds of steam rolled over her as a very naked Angus McGregor, towel in hand, froze stock-still.

“Anna?” Eyes wide, he moved the towel down to his waist, but not before Anna got an eyeful of a most impressive cock.

“Holy shit!” she gasped, stumbling backward into the hallway wall.

As she turned and rushed down the hallway, she heard his bare feet padding along behind her.

“I’m so sorry,” she offered without bothering to turn around. “You’re supposed to be riding right now.”

“Aye, about that,” he answered, “I switched to a different session.”

“I knocked, I swear I did.” Clutching the towels, she still faced the door. “I didn’t mean to just barge in on you.”

“I’m just back from a run. I didn’t hear ye over the shower. Anna?” His tone was soft.

Slowly, she turned around, willing her eyes to stay away from the bulge beneath the towel around his waist. She allowed her gaze to skim up his rippled abs to his muscular chest and wide shoulders. Water still dripped from his hair and he swiped a hand across his face.

Oh, yeah, that’s definitely better than staring at his package.

“It’s okay, really. Just a miscommunication is all. No worries.”

Utterly humiliated, Anna nodded mutely and turned back toward the door.

“Anna? Can I have the fresh towels?”

She rolled her eyes and turned back, handing over the towels. “Oh, yeah, of course. I just…well, I usually exchange them for the old towels.”

“Do ye want this one?” His grin was wry.

“No! Holy shit, no keep that on,” she squeezed her eyes shut and waved her hand. “I’ll get it tomorrow.”

She opened the door and let herself out onto the cabin’s covered porch, then stopped.

“Wait a second! You switched to what different riding session?” Turning back around, she placed her hands on her hips.

Lips pursed as though he were suppressing another grin, he leaned his shoulder on the doorway. “I’ve never ridden a horse before. I requested tae be placed in the Beginners’ group.”

“But that’s my group.”

“So I was told. I didn’t think ye’d mind.”

Anna worked her mouth, unable to come up with the proper words.

Blue eyes sparkling, he watched as though to see what she’d come up with.

Finally, her articulation skills gained traction. “But it’s a kids’ group. They’re all kids.”

He nodded. “Aye, I was told that, too. And they’re beginners, just like me.” He tilted his head thoughtfully. “If ye don’t want me in the group, just say so.”

“No, it’s not that, it’s just…” Anna’s heart pounded and she felt her head spinning. She willed herself to be anywhere except where she was. “Fine. It’s just fine. If you don’t mind riding with the kids, I’m sure they won’t mind.”

She hurried down the steps and got into the golf cart. “Well, again, sorry for…” She trailed off, feeling sheepish. The amusement sparkling in his eyes didn’t help at all.

“I’ll see ye at lunch,” Angus said, chuckling.

“See you,” Anna nodded, pressing the accelerator and speeding off down the trail.

ANNA’S HEART by Pandora Spocks

ANNA’S HEART is available in both digital and paperback formats.
books2read.com/AnnasHeart

Weekend Excerpt–HUNTER’S PRIDE

HUNTER’S PRIDE is OUT!

Redheads & Ranchers Book 2 is the story of corporate lawyer Poppy Chastain. Sent by her New York real estate development firm to Idaho, her mission is to convince fifth-generation cattle rancher Hunter McFall to sell a parcel of his ranch so Slade & Howell can put in an access road to the mountain property they plan on turning into a luxury resort.

Hunter will never agree to sell his land, but when he meets Poppy, he wants to show her exactly why he won’t. Somewhere along the way, they discover an explosive chemistry they never expected.

But behind the scenes, Slade & Howell is making plans to gain Hunter’s land by any means necessary. Can Hunter and Poppy’s love survive?

Here’s a teaser from HUNTER’S PRIDE:

Back at the ranch, Poppy took advantage of the huge master shower while Hunter saw to a few ranch matters that needed his attention.  Afterward, while he cleaned up for dinner, Poppy took care of some emails that had come in during their ride in the mountains. 

When they were both ready, Poppy insisted on stopping at the barn to see how the mother and calf were getting along.  Which was swimmingly.  Hunter commented that they’d be ready to join the rest of the herd in the next day or so.  Poppy snapped a few pictures then took Hunter’s hand and the pair headed for his big black Expedition. 

Country music played quietly in the background on the half-hour ride into McFall.  By the time they drove into town, the sun had set.  The parking lot at the North Star was about half-full.  Hunter managed to find a spot near the end of the first row.

“Hang on,” he said as he turned off the ignition.  “I’ll get your door.”

Poppy smiled to herself as she watched him walk around the SUV.  Hunter was always handsome.  Whether he was rain-soaked or working in the barn or naked by the fire, he was undeniably hot.  But tonight, in his dark jeans and white dress shirt, he was sex on legs.  She was suddenly ready to be back at the ranch.

As he opened her door, he smirked at her knowingly and briefly, she wondered if he could read her thoughts.

“You look amazing,” he said, holding her hand and helping her step out of the truck.

Poppy laughed lightly.  “You’ve seen this skirt and blouse before.  I wore it the first day I was here.”

“I’ve seen everything,” he murmured, his voice low and sexy.  “It’s still amazing.”

She rolled her eyes and blushed.  “Well, you look pretty hot yourself.”

He grinned at her.  “Do you think so?  I clean up okay?”

He held open the door, and she walked into the bar.  The place was fairly busy for a Thursday, and heads swiveled as Hunter followed closely behind her, directing her to the same booth they’d sat in her first night in town.  Starla nodded at them from her post behind the bar.  Classic rock served as a background for the buzz of conversation, occasionally punctuated by the clack of billiard balls on the other side of the room.

A young brunette approached them with a pair of menus.  “Hey, Hunter.”

He smiled at her.  “Hey, Lynnette.  How’s school?”

“Aw, you know.  I’m glad to be home for the summer.  Can I get you something to drink?”

“Let’s start with a couple of Jamesons, neat.  We’ll figure out what else we want.”

The server nodded.  “You’ve got it.”

“Jamesons?” Poppy asked as the girl walked away.

Hunter’s grin was boyish.  “Thought I might get you all liquored up so I can have my way with you later.”

“No liquor required for that. And I was figuring on having my way with you.”  She arched an eyebrow in challenge.

“Hot damn,” he breathed. 

Grinning, Poppy tried to ignore the curious stares of the good citizens of McFall as she perused the menu. 

Hunter, however, commented on it.  “Ever feel like you were in a damn fishbowl?”

“I wasn’t going to say anything, but, yeah, it’s a little uncomfortable.”

Hunter pursed his lips and shrugged slightly.  “I haven’t really brought a date here before. Not since Tara died, anyway.  I suppose folks are just curious.”

Poppy’s heart skipped a beat as she remembered her morning in Hunter’s office.  “That reminds me–”

The server’s voice startled her.  “Here you go.  Two Jamesons, neat.”  She placed the glasses in front of them.  “Are you ready to order?” 

Hunter looked to Poppy.  “Do you know what you want?”

She nodded.  “I’ll have the cheeseburger, medium-well, with swiss.”

“And for you?” the girl turned to Hunter.

He nodded.  “I’ll have the same.”

Feeling slightly shaky, Poppy sipped her whiskey, appreciating the burn as it trickled down the inside of her chest.

“You started to say something when Lynnette interrupted.”  He leaned forward on his forearms and watched her steadily.

“I almost forgot.  I meant to tell you something.”  She glanced up at him, breathing deeply as she tried to quell a slight tremble of nerves in her stomach.

“This morning, I opened your desk drawer looking for a notepad, and I found your wedding photo.  I didn’t mean to snoop, honestly, I didn’t.  I’m very sorry for invading your space like that.”

Hunter shrugged lightly.  “I told you to think of my office as your own.  You’re welcome to use anything you like.  Including anything you need out of the desk.  You don’t have to apologize.”

“I feel like I intruded, and I’m sorry.”  She risked a look in his direction.  “It was a beautiful photograph.”

He sipped his whiskey and stared down at the table.  “It was a beautiful day.”  He looked back up at her.  “That was almost ten years ago.”

Curiosity overwhelming her, Poppy decided to press forward.  “How did you two meet?”

Hunter gazed out across the room and sighed.  “We met at a bar.  Which isn’t as lame as it sounds.  I was dating a friend of hers, and a group of us had gotten together to hear a band down in Ketchum.  She was visiting from California.  We just clicked.”

Now that the door was open, Poppy had to walk through.  “And she was a redhead.”

“She was.”

When he didn’t say anything more, she fidgeted with the edge of her napkin.  She had so many more questions, but the topic seemed to have dead-ended.  She sighed softly.  “Well, anyway, I’m sorry for getting into your personal business.”

“Hey.”  His voice was soft as he reached across the table.  She took his hand and squeezed it affectionately.   “My life is an open book.  Ask me about anything you like.  And I mean it when I say consider the ranch your home.  Use anything you need.  Open any drawers you like.”

Wide-eyed, Poppy regarded him for a moment.  “When she died, you must have been devastated.”

Briefly, Hunter squeezed his eyes shut.  “I was.  I was a mess.  Losing Tara, losing the baby…”  He shook his head.  “I was useless for a while.  But then I realized that I wasn’t doing anybody any good wallowing in self-pity.  I sure as hell wasn’t honoring their memory.” 

He chuckled lightly.  “Could be it was Rolly’s boot up my ass that finally got me moving again.”

“You loved her.”  Poppy’s voice was soft.

He nodded.  “I did. With all my heart.  I didn’t think anybody would ever be able to fill that emptiness in me.” 

He smiled across the table at her.  “Then this prissy little big-city lawyer showed up in her fancy clothes and her designer shoes.”

Poppy frowned slightly and leaned forward.  “Prissy?  Who are you calling prissy?”

“You, Ms. P.K. Chastain.  If the cow poo shoe fits…”  He gave her a wink. 

She had to smile.  Elbow on the table, she rested her chin on her hand before she risked her most burning question.  “I look a little bit like her.  Is that weird?”

His sigh was deep.  “It’s true, you both have red hair.  But Tara’s eyes were light brown.  Yours are much darker.  And you have a completely different spirit, which to me makes you different as night and day.”

“How is my spirit different?”

He shrugged slightly.  “Tara was kind of…quiet.  She was calm, practical.  Predictable, maybe.” 

He met her gaze, his eyes sparkling with emotion.  “You’re bold and audacious and passionate.  You are your own unique self.”

Her brow furrowed.  “Is that good?

“I wouldn’t change a thing about you.”

Poppy flushed with pleasure.  “Well…good!  Because what you see is what you get.”

The thump of upbeat seventies rock shifted to a slower country song and Hunter slid out of the booth.  “Come on,” he said, holding out his hand to Poppy.

She glanced up at him.

He quirked an eyebrow.  “If they’re going to be talking about us anyway, might as well give’em something to say.  Dance with me.”

HUNTER’S PRIDE by Pandora Spocks

HUNTER’S PRIDE
is on sale now at your favorite online bookseller.
It’s even available in paperback.
books2read.com/HuntersPride

Weekend Excerpt–HUNTER’S PRIDE

Coming July 2!

HUNTER’S PRIDE, the second stand-alone novel in the Redheads & Ranchers Series, comes out Tuesday, July 2.

In the book, Poppy P.K. Chastain is a young, ambitious corporate attorney. She’s sent by her international real estate development company in New York to broker a deal with an Idaho cattle rancher for a small parcel of his property.

For Poppy, this is her chance to solidify her career with Slade & Howell. No more grunt work–she’s finally in the big leagues. All she has to do is convince Hunter McFall to sell a couple thousand acres so S&H can put in an access road to the luxury mountain resort they’re planning to build.

Hunter is having none of it. He doesn’t want a fancy resort trashing up the peaceful town named for his great-great grandfather. And he damn sure doesn’t want a road across his property. He’s prepared to say a flat NO when the development company’s lawyer comes out to the ranch to talk to him. He didn’t count on the pretty, spunky redhead.

Neither Poppy nor Hunter planned on falling in love, but their chemistry is undeniable. What they don’t know is that behind the scenes, there’s a scheme unfolding that will tear them apart. Is their passion real, or did Poppy play Hunter all along?

Here’s a new snippet from HUNTER’S PRIDE.

Golden sunlight streamed through the windows of the cabin, creating a brilliant space in stark contrast to the dark box from the previous night.  Hunter sighed to himself as he watched Poppy spoon another bite of oatmeal past her perfect lips.  She looked across the table at him and smiled softly.

 They were dressed in their clothes from the previous day, now dry thanks to the fire.  The only difference was that Poppy had added the flannel shirt over her white t-shirt, wearing it like an oversized jacket.

 Throughout the morning as they’d restored order to the cabin and made breakfast, they’d worked quietly, occasionally exchanging knowing glances and subdued smiles.

 Hunter sipped his coffee, and his mind drifted to the previous night.  After the blowjob that had to have registered on the Richter scale, they’d gone to bed, where they’d ended up making love twice more before finally succumbing to exhaustion.

 Mentally, he shook his head.  Five orgasms in one night.  That was far and away his all-time personal record.  And he’d seen to it that Poppy had enjoyed a few more than that.

 She met his eyes again and smiled.  A thought had been swirling around in his head since they’d lain breathless after that last time.  It was still there when he’d awakened, Poppy curled into him with her red hair framing her sleeping face.

 He hesitated, though.  Maybe she does this all the time, he thought.  The idea bothered him, but then, who was he to judge?  He had no kind of claim on her.  Three days ago, he’d assumed P.K. Chastain was a man.

 When she tilted her head curiously, he realized he’d been staring.

 “What’s up?” she smiled.

 He shook his head slightly.  “Nothing really.”

 Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully.  “You just seem to have something on your mind.”

 Stalling, he swiped a hand across his mouth and leaned forward on his elbows.  “I was just thinking…”  He frowned slightly.  “How much longer are you in Idaho?”

“I fly back to New York on Sunday.”

 He shifted his jaw.  Nothing ventured… 

“I was just thinking that maybe you might stay with me, at the ranch, rather than at the motel in town.”  He watched her closely.  “There’s a lot more I’d like to show you around here, and my house is a hell of a lot nicer than the Deer Creek Motor Lodge.  Plus…”  He trailed off.

 “Plus?”  Amusement twinkled in her eyes.

 He exhaled sharply.  “Plus, I think we’ve got an incredible connection.  I mean, I don’t know about you, but I don’t do this on a regular basis.”  He gestured toward the bed. 

Her eyes widened.  “I don’t do this on a regular basis,” she said.  “Are you asking if I do?”

 “No, God, no!  I didn’t mean to imply…  Shit.”  He ran a restless hand through his hair.  “I just mean that I feel like we have something here.  And for the first time in a long time, I’d like to explore it and see where it leads.”

 Feeling like he’d overstepped, he backtracked.  “Maybe you’re more comfortable in town.  I get it.  And I imagine you have work to do.  Don’t worry about it, it was just a random thought.”

 Wordlessly, Poppy pushed back from the table and came around to him.  She straddled his lap and took his hands in hers.

 “Hunter, I like you.  A lot.  All this,” she nodded her head toward the bed.  “That’s all you.  I’ve never had a night like last night.  Obviously, we have physical chemistry going on here, but I agree with you.”  She smiled up at him.  “I think it’s more than that.  And I’d love to see where it goes.”

 She kissed his cheek and slid off his lap.  “I didn’t want to complain, but the motel is a pit.  I’d lots rather stay with you.”

 He felt his lips curl in a guarded smile.  “Really?”

 Poppy nodded, a slight frown wrinkling her brow.  “I mean, it’s a little complicated, isn’t it?  I’m supposed to be negotiating an offer from my company.  But I suppose we’re still discussing it, right?  It wouldn’t do for the office to know that I’m staying with you, though.  It wouldn’t look very professional.”

 “Will it be a problem?”  For the first time, Hunter tried to factor Slade & Howell into the situation.

 She grinned mischievously.  “Not if they don’t know about it.”

 Suddenly, Hunter wanted nothing more than for Poppy to be with him at the ranch for the rest of her time in Idaho. 

“So, does that mean you’re staying with me?”  He stood and walked toward her.

“That’s exactly what that means,” she smiled.

 He released the breath he’d been holding as a smile spread across his face.  “Great!  Fantastic!”  He rested his hands on her hips and leaned down to press a kiss to her lips.  Reaching around his neck, Poppy steadied herself, tangling her fingers in his hair.

 Reluctantly, he ended the kiss, resting his forehead against hers.  “I’d better stop before we end up back in bed.  I’m already having a hard time walking today.”

 Poppy giggled.  “I’d never complain about being sore, as long as it’s for all the right reasons.”

HUNTER’S PRIDE by Pandora Spocks

Watch the official book trailer for HUNTER’S PRIDE.

HUNTER’S PRIDE
is out Tuesday, July 2.
Reserve your copy now: books2read.com/HuntersPride