Careless
Authors: Cheryl Douglas
Careless
Book
Eight in the Nashville Nights Series
Cheryl
Douglas
Copyright by Cheryl Douglas
All rights reserved. No part of this book
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brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Persons, places and other entities
represented in this book are deemed to be fictitious. They are not intended to
represent actual places or entities currently or previously in existence or any
person living or dead. This work is the product of the author’s imagination.
Any and all inquiries to the author of this
book should be directed to
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Careless
copyright 2012 Cheryl Douglas
Careless – Book Eight
Detective,
Mike Cooper, loves a challenge. So when his father, Josh, ask him to consult on
a tough case, he can’t resist the temptation. He agrees to take a brief leave
of absence from the police force to accompany country singer, Tori Warner, on
tour. His objective? To find the crazed fan who’s been stalking her. If only
Tori wasn’t so determined to play hard and fast with the rules.
Tori
is tired of living in a bubble. She’s been allowing this stalker to control her
life for months, and she’s sick of it. So when some hotshot detective decides
to become her self-appointed bodyguard, she’s determined to show him that she’s
the one calling the shots.
Tori
is the most infuriating woman Mike has ever met. She refuses to take orders,
even when her life is at stake. He’s tempted to let her fend for herself, but
Mike can’t walk away knowing some maniac is out to get her. Especially not
after one explosive night makes him lose his objectivity. Suddenly, this case
is personal, and Mike can’t rest until he knows Tori is safe.
Read What the Reviewers Are Saying About Nashville Nights…
“
Shameless
has wonderfully flawed characters that have to fight to get back what they
lost, but when they get it right, it is absolutely fantastic.”
Cocktails and Books
“This series is very emotional and I can’t wait to
pick up a new book after its release.”
Book Travels
“I read the whole series and let me tell you, I love
it. I read all four books in two days. I couldn’t put them down.”
My Eclectic Bookshelf
“
Shameless
is a sensual story packed full of passion, temptation, and forbidden love.”
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“
Shameless
drew me in heart and soul from the very first page to the satisfying conclusion
after the final page was turned. Those wanting an emotional roller coaster
ride, climb on board and add this one to your bookshelf.”
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“There were times throughout
Shameless
where I was actually overcome with
emotion. It made me cry and smile, and sometimes gasp or laugh out loud; a
piece of art that couldn’t have come at a better time. Simply a must read. I
give this book a solid five stars!”
Read2Review
“The flow of this story
(Fearless)
was perfect. I cannot wait for the 3
rd
installment.”
Insightful Minds Reviews
“I really adore all of the characters in this series.”
Autumn Review
Two Years Earlier
Detective Lieutenant Mike Cooper didn’t know what possessed him to
accept a ride from the little hellion in heels, but he was wedged in the cab of
her big custom truck nonetheless. Must have been all those shots he knocked
back messing with his mind. Making him want things he had no business wanting
from a girl he didn’t even like… much.
Tori Warner, country music’s favorite rough-around-the-edges bad
girl, rocked out to an old Bob Seger tune as though she didn’t have a care in
the world. She rolled the window down and the wind whipped through her long
blond hair, tangling it, making it look unkempt, the way it might if he’d been
running his fingers through it all night.
He cursed the direction of his thoughts. Five minutes in a room
together and he and Tori were taking cheap shots at each other, so why did the
mere sight of her always illicit images of hot, dark bedrooms and deep guttural
moans that echoed in his mind at the most inopportune times? He knew why; the
woman oozed sex from every pore. The way she looked, dressed, danced, and sang.
It was all part of her image, and according to her publicist, Avery McCall, if
she wanted to compete in the big leagues, she’d have to use every weapon in her
arsenal.
Mike glanced at the cleavage spilling out of her sparkly black tank
top and shifted in his seat. He cracked his own window, barely resisting the
urge to stick his head out, like a golden retriever who’d been cooped up in the
house too long.
Tori laughed. “Is it gettin’ too hot for ya, Lieutenant?”
She enjoyed mocking his rank with Nashville’s finest, knowing how
much it irked him that she was one of the few people who didn’t show him the
respect he felt he’d earned the hard way.
Mike allowed his eyes to roam over her body while she was busy
making a lane change. She was a tiny little thing, but she had lush curves in
all the right places.
“See somethin’ ya like?” she asked, shifting gears as she pulled up
to a stoplight.
Even watching her maneuver that stick shift was turning him on. “Why
don’t we quit playin’ games?”
She licked her lips as she shifted gears and stomped on the gas. “I
love playin’ games, so long as I win.”
His head snapped back and he knew he should lecture her about the
speed limit, but he couldn’t get her out of this truck and upstairs fast
enough. “I think we can both come out winners if we play our cards right.”
Tori turned the music down and shot him a sidelong glance. “You
flirtin’ with me, Coop?”
The nickname was one his buddies on the police force favored instead
of his given name, but a woman had never called him that before. Of course,
Tori was more like one of the guys downtown than any of the high-maintenance
women he usually dated. She liked to drink beer from the bottle, go line
dancing at crowded honky-tonks on Saturday night, and hustle the old boys
around the pool table while her friends were chatting up the handsome cowboys.
“How’d you get to be such a tomboy?” he asked, anxious to learn more
about the woman who’d stolen viewers’ hearts when she won a televised singing
competition almost five years ago. Mike wasn’t big on TV, and he didn’t read
tabloid gossip, so he didn’t know a lot about her, outside of what he’d
observed at the social gatherings they’d both attended.
The two things he did know about her: she had an incredible voice,
and men, young and old, seemed to love her.
“I grew up on a ranch with four older brothers.” She chuckled.
“Believe me, bein’ a girly-girl wasn’t gonna fly in our house.”
Mike smiled. He could picture her growing up in that environment,
giving as good as she got. “You still close with your family?”
“Hell yeah! Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I don’t know. I’ve heard fame changes people.”
“You know a lot of famous people: Trey, Ty, Nikki… has fame changed
any of them?”
“No, but I’ve known them all my life.”
She turned down his street and hit her signal without having to ask
for directions. “Listen, winnin’ that competition just meant I get to do what I
love up on a stage instead of in a dive bar, see a bit of the world, and the
creditors don’t call askin’ for the minimum payment on my credit cards anymore.
Other than that, not much has changed.”
“How’d you know where I live?” he asked when she turned into the
parking lot and pulled up to the main doors of his luxury condo building.
“Me and Jay have gone out for dinner and beers a bunch a times.
Sometimes he drives, sometimes I do. He mentioned you guys live in the same
building.”
“You and my brother?” Mike didn’t know why the thought of Tori
dating his twin brother should piss him off, but it did.
She rolled her eyes. “It’s not like that. We’re just friends.”
He unfastened his seatbelt and shifted to face her. “With benefits?”
“What the hell’s it to you?”
He moved in closer. “I want you, but not if my brother’s already had
you.”
She hit him hard enough to make his head snap back. “I suggest you
get out before I kick you out and back this thing up over your sorry ass.”
Mike tried to hide his smile as he rubbed his cheek. “You know,
assaulting a police officer could get you in a mess of trouble.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “You think you scare me, Lieutenant?”
“If you were smart, you’d take it as a friendly warnin’.”
Tori threw her head back and laughed, not a lady-like giggle, but a
gasping for breath fit of hysteria.
Mike scowled. He was getting tired of this game. If she wasn’t going
to let him pass
go,
he was going to have to resort to a cold shower
instead. “What the hell’s so funny?”
“You… talkin’… to me… about bein’… smart.” She wiped the tears from
her eyes. “God, that’s funny. The last few women I’ve seen you with couldn’t
have shared a brain between them.”
Mike loved beautiful women, but he couldn’t deny she was right; they
were often sorely lacking in the I.Q. department. “Shut the hell up.” He
couldn’t help joining in her laughter; it was infectious.
The laughter died when she raised her head and their eyes locked.
“Ah hell,” she whispered. “Why do you have to be so damn good lookin’?”
His hands were in her hair, his mouth on hers, before she could take
her next breath. He was pressing her into the seat, damn near climbing on top
of her, when they finally came up for air. “You better pull this into the lot,
sweetheart. This may take a good long while.”
She bit her lip, her tongue flicking out to soothe the mark her
teeth had left. “This is a bad idea.”
“You’re right.” He knew if he had to wait one more minute, he’d have
her tank top over her head before she could think to object. “Does that mean
you wanna leave?”