Heather Rainier
Divine Creek Ranch 12
His Tattooed Virgin
Jayne Sheridan intended to wait until her wedding night to give up “the goods.” One life threatening illness and a decade later, she’s wondering if she’ll ever get married and if she shouldn’t just “go for it” now that she’s cancer-free. Her undeniable attraction to the town tattoo artist has her contemplating getting more than a tattoo.
Seth Carter has crammed a lot of living into his years and had his heart broken in a way that he believes is irrevocable. Jayne confuses and intrigues him but he doesn’t want her to look back with regrets, so he turns down her offer. He doesn’t count on the onslaught of jealousy when Jayne decides to take matters into her own hands. Jayne is his.
When the past treads on his doorstep, can Seth handle unexpected blessings and protect the ones he holds dearest to him?
Genre:
Contemporary, Western/Cowboys
Length:
89,173 words
Divine Creek Ranch 12
Heather Rainier
EVERLASTING CLASSIC
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Everlasting Classic
HIS TATTOOED VIRGIN
E-book ISBN:
978-1-62241-782-7
First E-book Publication: November 2012
Cover design by Les Byerley
All art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED:
This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
Dear Readers,
If you have purchased this copy of
His Tattooed Virgin
by Heather Rainier from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.
Regarding E-book Piracy
This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.
The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment.
This is Heather Rainier’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Rainier’s right to earn a living from her work.
Amanda Hilton, Publisher
To my precious husband, who has held my hand and encouraged me, no matter what. Because of his support and help, I’ve been able to chase my dreams. He’s stretched and grown right along with me and become an even bigger inspiration to me in the process.
To my sweet friend Morgan Ashbury, also known as Cara Covington, author of the Lusty, Texas series. Since we conceived the crossovers between our series last spring, I’ve enjoyed getting to know you and have discovered that not only are you a consummate professional, you’re also a helluva lot of fun! I’ve enjoyed every moment spent hammering out details, comparing notes, giggling over late night e-mails, and sharing characters with you. I’m happy to say the road between Divine and Lusty turned out to be a short one!
On the train from Chicago to Dallas, we met a man who inspired part of the storyline for this novel. A complete stranger, heavily tattooed, he and his young son were shown to our table. I’m a writer, and have an active imagination, but his gaze challenged me to judge him, to ask for a different table. Good thing I love a challenge. He told us his story, and how he came to be a single dad. His words still resonate in my memory. “I took one look and he owned my heart. How could I say no?” From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Troy.
A reader who is a breast cancer survivor contacted me to let me know that reading
Lydia’s Twin Temptation
got her through a day spent in chemo treatments. While I was doing research for
His Tattooed Virgin
, she shared her experiences with a tattoo artist. Tattoos aren’t just about decorating the body. Sometimes they’re part of feeling whole again. Thank you, Kendis.
Words can never express how much I appreciate Corinne Davies’s friendship, encouragement, and levelheadedness. Whether we’re brainstorming or sprinting on Skype, chatting over a glass of wine, or laughing over the “‘unimind’ connection,” the miles between us never seem to matter. And if any reader thinks I have great taste in wine, I owe that all to you, babe.
Another person crucial to my creative process is my beta, Stormy, who provides a fresh pair of eyes and another perspective, helping me to insure that I bring readers an error-free, well-rounded story. Her sense of humor and her sharp eyes are a blessing to me.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank the poet who wrote “For Jayne,” as well as several other poems the Divine Creek series has inspired him to write. Richard Taylor, it’s my pleasure to share “For Jayne” with readers.
Normally a shy person, I stayed away from all social media until my career made it a necessity. How different my life would be if I hadn’t met and interacted with all the lovely people who have become my online friends on Facebook, Twitter, and in e-mails. Hearing how much a book means to a reader is like comfort food to an author.
I’ve been blessed with an editor who has helped in one way or another to shape every book in this series. Her ability to draw the story I intended to tell out of the manuscript I submit, and to constantly challenge me through her input to be better and do better, is an amazing gift to me. Thank you so much, Caroline Acebo.
In the process of bringing a book to readers, I’m fortunate to deal with a team of consummate professionals at Siren Publishing. From the day I submit it to the day the download link goes live, I know my stories are in capable hands. Thank you, Lena, Kristen, Kathryn, Kelley, Erin, and all the staff at Siren-BookStrand.
If I’ve had any luck as an author, it was the day I decided to submit my first manuscript to Siren Publishing. Thank you to my publisher, Diana DeBalko, for her guidance and for believing in me. You were right.
Thank you to my family for their love, patience, and encouragement. And of course, thanks to my girls, Christi, Tonya, and Jennifer for being my cheerleaders. The margaritas are on me.
HIS TATTOOED VIRGIN
Divine Creek Ranch 12
HEATHER RAINIER
Copyright © 2012
Seth Carter held the tattoo consent form in his hand, and gazed at Jayne Sheridan. The afternoon sunlight outside his downtown Divine studio windows shone through the reddish-brown strands of her long, wavy hair. She brushed a lock of it behind her ear and fiddled with a ring she wore on her index finger. He wondered at the cause of her agitation as she fidgeted self-consciously on the other side of his reception counter at Divine Ink, biting her lower lip. The nervous habit had a way of making the blood in his brain settle south of his waist, because he knew firsthand how soft her lips were.
He’d kissed her when he’d taken her home the evening of July 4
th
and had wanted to do it again each time he’d seen her since. She’d come into the studio a couple of times to discuss getting a tattoo, and each time there had been others around. Jayne was reserved and so he’d controlled the urge.
She’d walked in five minutes before, in heels, skirt, and blouse, looking like a typical librarian should, but it didn’t matter what she wore. She had a luscious body built for sin. The way she bit her lip enticed him to pull her into his arms. He wanted to kiss her but he kept his libido in check as he focused on answering her question.
“What I think would look good on you may be very different from what you have in mind. The design needs to be something you’re sure
you
can live with.”
She sincerely wants to know what design you’d tattoo her with. Show her the design. She won’t think it’s silly.
“Do you know why you want the tattoo?”
She’d surprised him when she’d brought up the subject of getting a tattoo two weeks before at Grace Warner’s July 4
th
get-together. Jayne had hardly seemed the type on the surface but he’d quickly understood that where the reserved librarian was concerned, a book shouldn’t be judged by its cover. That event hadn’t been his first encounter with the Jayne, though. He’d stopped by the Divine Memorial Library, searching for inspiration the day he’d actually met her. He’d been perusing a volume on Japanese art and had sat down on one of the carpeted aisles when she’d rushed around a corner, putting books away, and tripped over his legs. The books had wound up all over the floor and she’d injured her hands and her knees.
A light blush stained her cheeks, but she stood her ground and answered his question. “I’m tired of watching everyone else live their lives to the fullest. I’m ready…” She let out a slow breath and rested her forearms in front of her on the counter, seeming resolute. “Do you remember me telling you that I’d been sick?”
“Of course.” He recalled that she’d mentioned having suffered from a long-term illness when they’d gotten to know each other on July 4
th
. There was no way he could forget. The thought of this gentle woman battling a serious illness didn’t sit well with him.
“I was sick off and on from my midtwenties, until last year. That’s over a decade that I can’t get back. I don’t want to bore you with all the details but I have some lost time to make up for.”