Cowboy Country (77 page)

“Miss Gordon, can you tell us the relationship between you and Mr. Grayson?”

She smiled at them, patting Othello’s neck. “Yes, you can. This is my partner for our ranch, Gray Mountain Ranch, where Othello is our stud, available for limited bookings.”

The young, male reporter turned to Luke and moved the mike in front of Luke’s face. “Is this true, Mr. Grayson?”

Luke pulled Rebecca in for a lingering kiss, taking his time to revel in the taste of her before he pulled away. “Yes, we’re partners, and engaged, if she’ll have me.”

Rebecca felt her jaw drop, stunned at the fact that Luke had just proposed to her in the presence of thousands of people. She reached down to pull the card from her boot and remembering the comfort and support his words had given her, knew she had the only answer she ever needed.

“Yes, I’ll have you, Mr. Luke Grayson. After all this is truly love everlasting.”

The End

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Thank you for reading Love's Everlasting Song! I hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a review on Amazon or the wonderful store you purchased this from. Reviews are so important to authors and it helps get our names recognized.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I'm an accidental author as I began writing my first story, Mechanics of Murder, after I had been fired for taking maternity leave. I took a 3rd shift job and trying to keep myself awake, I used my imagination and started creating a story of a female mechanic, which I was, finding a dead body underneath the truck she was working on. My father absolutely loved the story and encouraged me to complete it and get it published. I was almost finished with the first draft when my father had a stroke. Encouraging him to get better, I rushed the book to Lulu Publishing without it being edited. My father was able to hold my first novel but was never able to read it, he passed away 2 days later. But it began a passion for me that has not dwindled! I have continued writing and my list has now grown. With Love; Now & Forever and Shadows, both paranormal romances though with different personalities and twists. The sequel to Mechanics of Murder, A Wrench in the Plan, was completed in January of 2011 and was released in the spring of 2012.I know my Dad would be proud. My contemporary romance, Love's Everlasting Song, is a sweet tale where hopes, dreams and occasionally fairy tales do come true. I usually have 5-7 novels in the works and plan on writing for many more years! My stories are not sexually graphic because I believe each readers experience and imagination are usually more erotic and more sensual than what I will put into words and I ALWAYS have to have a happy ending! Life is meant to be fun, enjoy the journey!!!

Contact RaeAnne:

https://www.facebook.com/raeanne.hadley

www.raeannehadley.wix.com/author

Ride A Falling Star

D’Ann Lindun

Other Titles by D’Ann Lindun

The Cowboys of Black Mountain:

A Cowboy To Keep

Promise Me Eden

Ladies Love Cowboys: the daughters of Clem Jamieson

*

Mississippi Blues

Vaquero

*

Anthologies:

Cowboys Forever

Cowboy, Mine

Cowboy Up

Cowboy Up 2

Crashing Into Love

Dead On

Hotshot Heroes

Ride a Falling Star

Copyright © 2013 D’Ann Lindun

All rights reserved.

Ride a falling Star

By D’Ann Lindun

A stubborn Cowboy. A feisty Showgirl. One mobster determined to kill them both.

When showgirl Ava Demassi witnesses a mob hit, she has only one thought—get away. She runs for her life, straight into the pickup of saddle-bronc champ, Levi Callahan.

The last thing Levi expects is another rodeo devotee to jump into his truck, let alone one so desperate. But when a killer gives chase, he realizes she isn’t his run of the mill fan. Unable to save his fiancé from being murdered years ago, he won’t make the same mistake twice.

Even when the odds seem stacked against them, will Ava and Levi find the one thing in life they’ve been missing, or will a hired killer cost them everything?

DEDICATION

For my sister Suzan and my cousin Jamie~

For the road trips!

A special thank you to Rhonda Duffy and D’Ann’s Country Girls for all you do for me!

CHAPTER ONE

Ava Demassi closed her dressing room door behind her with a firm click that echoed eerily in the empty hallway. All the other girls had cleared out after the last show. A few had dates; a handful had husbands waiting. Even a child for one or two. The public believed the life of a showgirl to be glamorous—dates with movie stars or millionaires every night. Maybe some of them had a sensational life fit for the tabloids. Not her. All she had was an empty apartment with a few wilted plants. Not even a cat waited for her.

The hair on her arms stood up and she rubbed her hands up and down her arms. She wasn’t sure exactly what unnerved her. Because she was always slow to undress, she’d been the last one to leave many times before, but never been this jittery. Maybe she ought to call Bill, head of security, to accompany her. No, that was silly. She’d just cut through the casino; there’d be people all over the place.

Never mind that going on the floor was against rules. Penny, the director, constantly reminded them they weren’t to mingle with customers. Doing so could cost you your job. Ava doubted anyone would notice her in a long brown sweater and black leggings. Her stage makeup might give her away, though. Not worth the risk.

Ava tugged her messenger bag’s strap tighter and hurried forward.

The rumble of a man’s low voice reached her and she paused. The voice was too deep for Don the stage manager. Besides, he’d shot out of there the minute the girls cleared the stage. He’d mentioned something about a hot date with a martini.

Why did the corridor seem so long tonight? And the lighting so dim? She bit her bottom lip. Her dressing room was the last one on the right. The exit was locked. If she opened that door, it would sound alarms all over the casino. No, she didn’t want that kind of attention.    

The voices, two now, grew closer.

And angry.

Maybe she could slip by unnoticed. Probably just a couple of drunken tourists who’d wandered into the wrong place.

Tucking her chin into her collar, she hurried forward. When she turned the corner, she froze. A tall, slim man held another by the shirt, brandishing a gun. The smaller man held his hands up in a defensive gesture. He cried, “I didn’t do it, boss. I swear.”

“Right. And I’m the Pope.”

Dario Abruzzo threatening someone? A guy she’d gone out with a few times?

She didn’t take time to analyze what he was doing as he pushed the pistol against the other man’s head. And pulled the trigger. Blood and brain matter exploded every direction. The man slid down the wall in slow motion, smearing his blood as he went.

Ava screamed, turned and fled. She ran like a jackrabbit from a starving coyote. Behind her, the sound of pounding feet echoed off the concrete walls. Her pursuer was gaining ground. Her breathing came in harsh pants.

The locked exit door refused to open, and she bounced off it.

She rushed forward again and slammed the release bar. For a second, she didn’t think it would open. Her heart pounded like a one-armed bandit giving up its loot. With an extra burst of adrenaline, she pushed with all her might.

The bar gave and she fell through the door.

She didn’t stop to figure out why the alarms didn’t sound off.

Frigid December air hit her in the face and she gasped against the cold of the Blue Valentine’s east parking garage. Her car was clear around the building, on the far side. In front of her was every kind of vehicle imaginable. But not a soul in sight.

Ducking down, she raced along the first line of closely parked vehicles. Heavy footsteps dogged her like a shadow. “I’m going to get you, Ava. There’s nowhere to hide.”

She swallowed a scream as a ping ricocheted off the license plate of the Lexus next to her. A bullet hit the tire of the Ford on her other side. A third whizzed overhead. Where were the hordes of tourists usually coming and going at all hours? Security? Right now, she’d gladly take an old lady with a cane.

Taking a sharp left turn around the front of an SUV, she raced between rows of vehicles.

Bright lights suddenly blinded her. Raising her hand to shield her eyes, she made out the silhouette of a big pickup. In a split-second decision, she raced to the passenger door. With the agility of a lifelong dancer, she opened the door and swung into the truck.

She caught a glimpse of a cowboy hat and dark eyes. He stared at her. “What the hell, lady?”

“Drive, just drive,” she gasped.

Still he hesitated. “Is this some crazy fan thing? Cause I gotta tell you, honey, there are easier ways to get my attention. I really wasn’t looking for company tonight…” Clearly, he wanted her out of his truck.

“Somebody’s shooting at me! Just go!” Ava ducked down as a bullet smashed into the passenger-side mirror.

“Son of a—”

“Go, go, go!” Ava waved frantically. “Drive.”

He stomped on the gas and the big truck roared forward. He tore around the corner of the building and dove into the flow of fast moving traffic. Even at three a.m., Las Vegas Boulevard stayed busy. The flashing lights of the casinos never dimmed and movement never ceased.

From her vantage point, lying across the seat, Ava couldn’t see much but a hard thigh cased in blue jeans. Booted feet. Some country tune she didn’t recognize blasted from the speakers. She’d been rescued by a cowboy. “Is he still after me?”

“I don’t think so. You want to sit up and tell me who the hell I’m running from?” Her unwilling hero’s voice sounded deep, husky and more than a little irritated.

Ava pushed off the seat and angled her body toward him. “Thanks for saving me.”

“You didn’t give me much choice.” For the first time, she caught a good look at his profile. Under a black Stetson, he had a strong nose, jaw and mouth.

“Sorry.” Ava swiped clammy hands down her leggings. “I just saw a murder—”

“What?” He turned toward her and his stark male beauty sent her racing heart up another notch. “Are you kidding me?”

“I wish I were,” Ava muttered.

He looked in the mirror and changed lanes. “You watched somebody get killed? Where?”

She took a deep, shuddering breath. “Backstage at the Blue Valentine. Some guy shot another man in the head. I saw it all.” She shivered. “The shooter came after me.” It seemed wise not to tell him she knew the killer. She’d save that tidbit for the police.

“What were you doing backstage anyway? What are you, a waitress or something?”

“Or something.” She looked in her smashed side mirror. The distorted image of a black Town Car appeared. “Oh, God. I think he’s after us.”

“What?” The cowboy shot a glance in his own side mirror. “I don’t see anything.”