Vibrant Heart: Book 1 in the Great Plains Romance Series (10 page)

“Excuse me.”

The deep voice startled her, and Trish focused on the tall man standing a few feet in front of her. How had someone so tall, so imposing, sneaked up on her without her noticing? She suppressed a shudder and dropped her hands to her lap, affecting the polite pose her mother had taught her was appropriate for ladies. “Yes?”

“I’m looking for Jake Monroe.”

“Just through there. Follow the hallway until the end. The front desk will know where he’s at.”

“Thanks.” The man reached for the door, then glanced back at her. “You okay, miss?”

“Oh, no need to be dusting off your white hat.” She shooed him toward the door.

“Well, you certainly don’t look like a damsel in distress, it’s just...”

Trish watched him, curious about what he would say.

He shoved his hands in the pockets of his faded jeans and pursed his lips. “It’s just, you look like you need a friend right about now.”

She crossed her arms in mock indignity. “I’m pretty sure eavesdropping on ladies’ thoughts will get you kicked out of the White Hat Club.”

He shrugged. “Their meetings are pretty boring.”

“I know, right? It’s all ‘I saved this damsel, I saved that kitten’—we’ve heard it all before. Where’s the excitement?”

“In the Black Hat Club, naturally.”

Trish raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you’re one of those.”

“Gotta be true to who I am.” He reached out a hand. “Dalton, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you, Dalton By The Way. I’m Trish On The Bench.”

His handshake was firm but relaxed. Still, Trish could feel an intense power pulsing just beneath the surface.

“So, Trish On The Bench, can you help a fellow out?” Dalton sat down next to her. “I’m kinda overdue for my White Hat badge this month.”

“Fine.” She rolled her eyes in an exaggerated fashion. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you. This is pretty boring stuff.”

Dalton cleared his throat and turned to focus all his attention on her. He reminded her of a little boy trying to prove what a grown-up he was. Trish couldn’t help but smile.

“Oh a smile! One point for me.”

Trish applauded. “Nicely done. Now try this one on for size: My jerk of a boyfriend—make that ex-boyfriend—just punched out my boss, so I am pretty sure I’m gonna lose my job.”

Dalton laughed a deep, throaty laugh that Trish felt rumble through her core.

She rolled her eyes. “Great. At least I can still entertain a handsome stranger.”

He placed his large tanned hand over hers on the bench. “Jake’s not going to fire you for what your ex does.”

“It’s not the first time he’s caused trouble.” Trish pulled her hand out from under his, pretending to check her fingernails as she wiped away invisible dirt. In reality she’d been disturbed by the surprising heat his hand had generated in her, sending shocking warmth reeling up her arm.

“So why have you stayed with him?” His caramel-brown eyes studied her face.

She shrugged. “Nobody else needs me, I guess.”

He frowned.

“Plus, he owns my apartment complex.” She nudged his shoulder with hers. “Not smart to piss off both the landlord and the boss in one day, but that’s how I roll.”

Trish glanced up when the service door opened. Jake stepped outside and looked around until he spotted them on the bench. “Hey, Dalton. Sorry man. It’s been a crazy day.”

“Yeah, I was just hearing about it.” He didn’t take his eyes from Trish.

Jake clapped him on the shoulder, then motioned for Dalton to follow him inside. “Oh, hey Trish, go talk to Mrs. Jackson in the front office.”

Trish gave Dalton a “told you” look as Jake led him inside. Only after he disappeared through the door did she realize she’d been holding her breath.

The Great Plains Romance Series

Vibrant Heart

When the ever-organized Melanie Olson returns to her small Nebraska hometown to prove to the commitment-phobe Raymond what a mistake he made, a flat tire threatens to ruin all her plans. Luckily, cowboy-turned-entrepreneur Jake Monroe stops to help the woman stranded by the side of the road, unaware that his world is about to be turned on end. Realizing that she’s traveling to the same wedding he is, he decides fate has dealt him a winning hand—until he discovers that she only has eyes for the town womanizer. Jake is determined to get the beautiful spitfire to look his way, but her intensity might be too much for even him to handle.

A Heart’s Promise

Trish Cassidy is an easygoing woman with a goal: to manage her own ranch. But after her parents’ death, she finds herself stuck with a dominating boyfriend who has probably just ruined her last chance to connect with the local ranchers. Just when she thinks she must give up on her dream, the enigmatic Dalton James steps into her life, offering an opportunity to build a ranch from the ground up. What she doesn’t expect is her powerful attraction to her new boss—or how controlling he starts to become.

When Dalton James decided to build his horse ranch, the last thing he anticipated was saving a damsel in distress. Then again, Trish Cassidy isn’t someone who needs saving. So why is he so protective of her? More importantly, why does he feel like he has to do the right thing around her, even when she doesn’t want him to?

Heart So Sweet

With four older brothers, rancher Susannah Clark is used to dealing with men and getting them out of trouble. But when her childhood crush Tate Trudell returns as sheriff of Harrington County, Susannah must decide whether to save her brothers yet again, even if means losing the man she loves.

Tate Trudell never expected to move back to Harrington, especially after how he left things with his best friend, Lucas Clark, just before Lucas left for the war in Afghanistan. But a lot has changed in ten years, including Susannah, Lucas’ little sister. When Tate discovers that her passion matches his own, he’s determined to be with her. To get the woman of his dreams, he must work through his bad blood with the Clark family—if Lucas doesn’t kill him first.

About the Author

Corrissa James was not always a country girl. In fact, she fought it all her life, traveling the world to live in far-flung cities like St. Petersburg, Russia, Caracas, Venezuela, Varanasi, India, and Guadalajara, Mexico. She didn’t realize she was meant to live in the country until she returned to her roots in Nebraska, where she discovered the beauty of the fields around her (even if she was allergic to them) and the intensity of Mother Nature (who sure packs a wallop!).

Corrissa wrote her first romance stories in junior high, although at the time she didn’t really know what happened after kissing, so she improvised with lots of ellipses (...). Her professional writing career initially took her away from romance—but never far away as Corrissa could always be found with a romance book at hand.

Today she focuses on western romance novellas, offering afternoon reads focused on strong women and the men they choose (never without some struggles along the way).

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Check out more works by Corrissa James and see what’s coming next by visiting
www.corrissajames.com