Riding Double Author:Anne Regan (Editor) The romantic allure of the cowboy is unparalleled. These sweaty, dusty icons of the West, past and present, still melt hearts and raise pulse rates, whether the man's wearing a ten-gallon hat, chaps and spurs, or nothing at all. In these stories of romance with a Western flair, love softens the most hardened range rider and passion fires the... more » most stoic ramrod's blood. Fate may throw a few twists in their path, but at the end of the day, these men will be riding double into the sunset. Stories inside include:
Trial By Fire by Lacey-Anne Frye: Four years have passed since Cord McCroskey last saw Russell Welch, and they didn't exactly part on the best of terms. When Cord finds his former lover hiding out in his barn, claiming to need a place to stay, Cord wants to hate Russell, maybe even kill him. Of course, things are never that easy. Cord doesn't want to be twice a fool, but he's finding it harder and harder to resist the man he loves.
Rode Hard and Put Away Wet by Kate Sherwood: D.C. Cooper is working his way down the competitive bull rider standings, while Tyson Dean, a young rodeo-star-in-the-making, is working his way up. They meet in the middle for stolen nights of rough, secret sex. But how much longer do they have before Cooper finally gives in to the reality of his battered body and Tyson's star rises so high that he can no longer risk being caught?
Courtin' Trouble by Rowan McAllister: Life in the Old West is hard. No one knows that better than Peter, a half-Chinese orphan working for pennies in a laundry in Cheyenne, Wyoming. When he saves an old man's life one summer night, he doesn't realize that one act of kindness will change his life forever --until he meets the old man's son, rancher Owen Flannagan.
Mr. August by K. R. Foster: Colby Fremont, owner of Ghost Creek Ranch, has learned everything he needs to know about city boys. They're only good at one thing -- leaving. But famous photographer Ethan Walker won't get off Colby's property, no matter how many times Colby tells the damned boy that he isn't interested in being in Ethan's cowboy calendar.
Surviving the Crossing by Maria Albert: Thrown from his mare during a cattle drive and swept miles downriver, trail boss Grady D’Angelo's only goal is to make it back ashore alive so he can rejoin his brothers and his men. The last thing he expects to find on the bank of the swollen river is his heart’s desire. Grady is rescued by Wade Wheeler, who’s on the run from the abusive father who nearly beat him to death for kissing a man. Will the skittish young man and his temperamental mount, Luce, learn to trust Grady’s gentle touch?
Cowboys and IT-ians by Xara X. Xanakas: Rancher Vidar Stendahl -- known affectionately as "Whiner" -- has a way of dealing with animals, but technology doesn't cooperate with him. When his office computer crashes, a call to the "Dork Squad" brings Constantine Bagnoli -- "Connie" to his friends -- to Stendahl's Stand, and a case of mistaken identity leads to a showdown they'd never have seen in the Old West.
Facing Up by J.M. McLaughlin: Kyle Anderson learned everything he knows about sheriffing from Charlie Hardwicke, so when he gets word of his mentor's death, nothing will keep him from seeing Charlie laid to rest. Not even if returning means he has to face Donovan Marshall, the lover he left behind.
The Real Thing by B.G. Thomas: Bryan has fantasized about cowboys all his life. He even dresses in what his roommate calls "cowboy drag" when he visits his favorite club in hope of attracting the attentions of a genuine cowboy. Then Curtis buys him a beer, and Bryan has no doubt this is the real thing. But can they move beyond a night of incredible sex once Bryan admits to Curtis that the only horse he's ever ridden was a birthday party pony?
In Temperance by Jane Seville: Temperance is little more than a wide spot in the road just off the Chisholm Trail that only cattle drives looking to avoid the law ever pass through. Saloon-keeper Seth Corcoran drifted there years ago, when he realized he preferred the company of men. Since then he's mostly done without, until a drover called Boss reawakens his need and Seth has to decide whether he can walk that path again.
Deluge by Zahra Owens: It's raining cats and dogs, and Toby is stuck inside with their two children while his partner Arne retrieves several horses that broke free from their ranch. But as the weather worsens and there's no word from Arne, a very worried Toby is determined to brave the deluge and bring his husband back home safely.
Hitting the Trail by Maggie Lee: Caleb Logan and his best friend, Tyler Clayborn, sign on with the Goodnight-Loving outfit to help trail 2000 head of Texas Longhorns to Sedalia, Missouri. Only months after the end of the Civil War, the two former Union soldiers find that hostilities are still running high. But dealing with a disgruntled cowhand who can't put the past behind him may be easier than figuring out where their own relationship is heading.
Out on the Range by Ariel Tachna: All his life, Neil Hardy has wanted to work on the Lazy S ranch. When that wish finally comes true, he discovers not only the job of his dreams, but the man of his dreams as well -- fellow ranch hand Joe Rodriguez. Now he has to decide if it's worth risking the job he loves in order to pursue the man he loves.« less