Cowboy Seduction [Bear County 6] (Siren Publishing: The Lynn Hagen ManLove Collection) Read online

  Bear County 6

  Cowboy Seduction

  Taylor fled Nebraska with his best friend, running from a monster that trapped Taylor into a life he wouldn’t wish on his worst enemy. After settling down in Bear County, Taylor meets a man who is charming, his sense of humor something Taylor has never experienced before. When Sam invites Taylor over to watch a movie, Taylor isn't sure he's ready to get back into the dating pool.

  Sam spots a sexy little goth angel in the grocery store. He's taken with Taylor at once. The more time they spend together, the more Sam knows that Taylor is his mate. But winning Taylor's heart isn’t easy. Not when the man has been obviously hurt.

  When Sam has to go off on an assignment, Taylor goes missing. Can he help save Taylor from his worst nightmare? Can Sam help Taylor heal his wounded soul and bring the man back into the light, or has Taylor's experiences broken the man beyond repair?

  Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Contemporary, Paranormal, Shape-shifter, Western/Cowboys

  Length: 28,894 words

  COWBOY SEDUCTION

  Bear County 6

  Lynn Hagen

  THE LYNN HAGEN

  MANLOVE COLLECTION

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  ABOUT THE E-BOOK YOU HAVE PURCHASED: Your non-refundable purchase of this e-book allows you to only ONE LEGAL copy for your own personal reading on your own personal computer or device. You do not have resell or distribution rights without the prior written permission of both the publisher and the copyright owner of this book. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file sharing peer to peer program, for free or for a fee, or as a prize in any contest. Such action is illegal and in violation of the U.S. Copyright Law. Distribution of this e-book, in whole or in part, online, offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently known or yet to be invented, is forbidden. If you do not want this book anymore, you must delete it from your computer.

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  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  IMPRINT: The Lynn Hagen ManLove Collection

  COWBOY SEDUCTION

  Copyright © 2014 by Lynn Hagen

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-63258-305-5

  First E-book Publication: September 2014

  Cover design by Emma Nicole

  All art and logo copyright © 2014 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 Cowboy Seduction by Lynn Hagen 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 Lynn Hagen’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Lynn Hagen’s right to earn a living from her work.

  Amanda Hilton, Publisher

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  www.BookStrand.com

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  About the Author

  COWBOY SEDUCTION

  Bear County 6

  LYNN HAGEN

  Copyright © 2014

  Chapter One

  “Dude, it’s been so long since I got laid that I’m considering committing a crime just to go to prison,” Taylor said as he stood behind his register. He stared at his friend who was one register over, completing some elderly woman’s checkout.

  After ringing her out, Cameron chuckled as he leaned against his register, arms crossed over his slim chest. “And how will that get you laid?”

  Taylor laughed as he rested his arms on his conveyor belt. “Everybody knows that finding a hot, horny guy in prison is like shooting fish in a barrel.”

  “That’s pretty desperate, my friend.”

  It was. And although Taylor wasn’t serious, he was desperate. He’d never had a dry spell that lasted this long. He was so horny that a stiff wind turned him on. If he didn’t get laid soon, his balls were going to turn into tiny little raisins.

  “Okay then, maybe I’ll just jaywalk and let one of the deputies frisk me…thoroughly.” He winked at Cameron. “That’ll be some kind of thrill.”

  “Let me know how that works out for you.” Cameron turned and took care of his next customer.

  Taylor knew why he hadn’t gotten laid in a while. Cameron knew why as well, but the two still loved to joke about the strangest things. They had very morbid senses of humor. It had taken months for Taylor’s to return, but thankfully it had.

  He grabbed some disinfectant spray and some paper towels, and was in the process of wiping his station down, when he spotted a delectable man walk through the sliding glass doors. Taylor paused and watched as the man grabbed a shopping cart and headed down an aisle.

  Had he ever seen anyone that good looking before? He craned his neck and tried to catch another glimpse, but the stranger had disappeared down aisle three.

  Taylor had been working at Piggly Wiggly for a few months now and he’d seen his fair share of cute guys, but none had flipped his trigger the way this hottie had. He was ready to toss his cleaning supplies aside and chase the man down.

  And end up with another Todd? Taylor grimaced at the thought and went back to wiping things down. No thanks. One asshole was enough to last him a lifetime. He’d let his dick lead him once before and now he had the scars to remind him that just because a guy looked good, didn’t mean he was nice.

  He jerked when a pen hit his head and then dropped onto the belt in front of him. Taylor glanced up to see Cameron staring at him. “What’s with the scowl?”

  Taylor snuffed Todd from his mind and smiled, tossing the pen back at Cameron. “I was thinking about dinner. I’m starving.”

  Cameron shook his head as he smirked at Taylor. “You are not a very good liar, but I’ll forgive you.”

  Mr. Dresel walked with a clipped pace toward them and came to a stop at Taylor’s register. “Mr. Crumb. Have we not discussed your…attire?”

  The man’s question made Taylor glance down at his clothes.
“I’m not wearing the chains.”

  Mr. Dresel made a weird nose in the back of his throat. Taylor looked up. The man’s features were pinched. “But your hair is blue and you’re wearing that god-awful color on your nails and lips. Go wash your face.”

  Cameron was standing behind Mr. Dresel, mocking the man as he spoke, and Taylor had a hard time keeping a straight face. He had to curl his nails into the palm of his hands and dig them deep in order not to laugh. He was going to kill Cameron. “What’s wrong with me wearing makeup?”

  The store manager turned to look at Cameron, but Cameron had picked up a small stack of coupons by his register and had begun to leaf through them. When Mr. Dresel turned back around, Cameron flipped the man off.

  “Store policy dictates that you are to be in uniform and appear professional at all times.” He waved his thick hand toward the office and employee lounge that were located at the back of the store. “Now go clean up.”

  A few customers had stopped to watch Mr. Dresel’s melodrama as Taylor locked his register and headed toward the back of the store.

  Taylor hated authoritarians. He wasn’t a rebel and he respected the chain of command, but not when it was abused. Not when assholes like Mr. Dresel used that power to humiliate others.

  And Taylor was embarrassed that Mr. Dresel had confronted him in front of customers.

  He hated the fact that he allowed people like his store manager to embarrass him, but Taylor had always been what his mother referred to as sensitive. And he hated that fact even more. There were times when he wished he was tough as nails and didn’t let everything get to him.

  “Excuse me.”

  When Taylor turned to see who was talking to him, he stilled. His lips parted and Taylor found himself staring into the most handsome eyes he’d ever seen. They were green with streaks of deep, warm brown. Hazel. So pretty. So mesmerizing. He couldn’t concentrate on anything but the man’s eyes. It was as if he was falling into them, being sucked under by their spellbinding allure.

  “Can you tell me where I can find the seafood? I’m kinda new around here and still learning the layout of the store.”

  It was the guy who Taylor had seen coming through the door not ten minutes ago. The good-looking one with the dark-blond hair and amazing body. “Sure.” Taylor pointed to his left. “I get off at five.”

  He froze.

  Had he really said that?

  The man smiled and a spectacular set of pearly-white teeth were revealed to Taylor. They were straight and perfect, and complemented by two deep dimples. “Is that right?”

  Taylor’s entire body heated to volcanic level before he slapped a hand over his face. Could his day get any worse? “I meant it’s on aisle five.”

  The guy leaned his arms on the handle of his cart. “I think I like the first answer better. I’m Sam.”

  “I’m an idiot,” Taylor replied. “But most people call me Taylor.”

  Sam nodded toward Taylor’s chest. His pretty eyes were shining with mirth. “That’s what your name tag says.”

  This was not going well. Was Sam really flirting with him? Hot guys like this one never flirted with Taylor. They sneered at him. They poked fun at him. They had even picked on him in high school because he was goth and gay. A deadly combination according to the jocks at Crescent High.

  But they never flirted.

  Taylor didn’t have height going for him. At five four, he had heard every short joke imaginable. Most of the cheerleaders had been taller than him. Two years out of high school and Taylor still carried a height complex. Sam had to be well over six feet tall. Taylor cursed his small-statured lineage.

  He touched his name tag and nodded. “I guess it does. But you had no way of knowing that was my real name.” Taylor wasn’t sure why he was flirting back. It wasn’t like his past had proven he could win a guy like Sam or that he made the best choices in men.

  “And what would your real name be?” One of Sam’s dark-blond brows arched. It was the sexiest thing ever. “Billy the Kid? The Duke? Or maybe Neo.”

  Taylor ground his teeth. “You don’t have to make fun of me.”

  “Actually,” Sam said. “I was naming some of my favorite characters.”

  “Who’s Neo?” Taylor asked.

  Sam’s eyes widened as he pressed a hand to his chest. “Have you never watched The Matrix?”

  Taylor couldn’t help the smile that appeared. “No.”

  “Have you lived under a rock?” Sam asked. “It was one of the most badass movies of the late nineties. But if you add in parts two and three, then that would be the early two thousands as well.”

  Taylor was being…charmed.

  “I still haven’t seen any of them.”

  Sam shook his head, his hand still resting on his chest. “No man can go through life being so deprived. It’s…it’s…sacrilege.”

  That made Taylor chuckle. “What can I say? Call me Mr. Deprived.”

  Sam moved closer and Taylor’s heart beat into his throat. The man leaned in as if he were a double agent giving away a secret. His warm, mint-scented breath skimmed over Taylor’s cheek. “Don’t worry. We can remedy that problem and no one will be the wiser. Meet me at my place around eight and whatever you do, don’t swallow the red pill. At least not until I can take one with you. And then I’ll show you just how deep the rabbit hole goes.”

  Taylor was totally lost and undeniably infatuated with Sam. He had an urge to lean into Sam, to soak up the man’s heat. Was it wrong that Taylor wanted the guy to turn his head and kiss him? “I promise not to.”

  Sam plucked the pen from Taylor’s shirt pocket, grabbed Taylor’s hand, and wrote something on his palm. He held up the pen. “And I’ll return this when you show up. If you don’t come, I’ll have to ransom it back to you.”

  As Sam walked away, Taylor stared into the palm of his hand to see an address.

  What in the hell had just happened?

  * * * *

  With nothing more than a towel wrapped around his waist, Taylor sat on his bed and stared at his bare feet. Everything had happened so fast in the store and Taylor had been so damn charmed by Sam that he hadn’t had time to absorb what was happening. His skin began to tingle as Taylor tried to breathe, but the thought of starting over, of getting to know someone else made him dizzy.

  Just breathe.

  Was he really going over there? He didn’t even know Sam. What if the guy turned out to be like Todd? What if Taylor was making the second biggest mistake of his life?

  “Stop stalling,” Cameron called through the bedroom door. “Man up and go get you some.”

  Taylor swallowed as he balled his shaky hands into fists and rested them on his lap. Cameron was right. Why should he worry? He was only going over to a stranger’s house to swallow some pills. He was adventurous. Although he would have to turn down the drugs. Taylor didn’t roll like that.

  “Do you know anything about The Matrix?” he called to Cameron through his bedroom door.

  “Greatest movie ever,” Cameron called out and then walked into Taylor’s room.

  Taylor threw his towel at Cameron’s head. His roommate needed to learn what the word boundary meant. “You have your own room for a reason.”

  “Like I haven’t seen swinging beans and wieners before.” Cameron dropped onto Taylor’s bed. Taylor could smell the cigarette smoke coming off of his friend and wished the guy would give up the nasty habit. “What about The Matrix?”

  Taylor had already told Cameron about his plans with Sam. And just to be on the safe side, he’d given Sam’s address to Cameron. One could never be too careful. “He said something about red pills. But Sam didn’t look like a pillhead.”

  Cameron fell back on Taylor’s bed, laughing so hard that tears were streaking down his face. Taylor was clueless. Why did Cameron find that funny?

  “You are too adorable.” Cameron wiped at his eyes. “The pills were a reference to the movie. I’m not going to explain anything else bec
ause I don’t want to spoil it for you. But Sam wasn’t inviting you to do drugs with him.”

  That was a relief. Taylor stuffed his head into his shirt. Although Cameron had seen the scars that littered his back, had been there when Taylor had nearly died, he still didn’t like anyone looking at them. “I shouldn’t go.”

  Cameron sat up and his dark-brown eyes softened. “Don’t let Todd ruin your life, Taylor. You have to be willing to move on, grab whatever opportunity comes your way. If you don’t, then he is still winning.”

  Taylor’s stomach tightened into a knot at the idea of getting back into the dating game. It had only been seven months since he’d fully recovered, fled town, and settled down in Bear County. He wasn’t sure he was ready.

  He pulled his boxers on and then sat down next to Cameron. “But what if—”

  Cameron held up his hand. “If you start to feel uncomfortable, then leave. It’s just that simple. But don’t throw in the towel, Taylor. You’re a great-looking guy and any man would be lucky to have you.”

  Taylor wished he was confident and brave like Cameron. But being screwed over in the worst sort of way tended to make a person hesitant to hand his trust to anyone. Taylor wasn’t as naïve as he used to be. That was a damn good thing. But he still didn’t trust his judgment when it came to men.

  He brushed his fingers over the long scar on the back of his left hand. He could still clearly picture the events that had led to the long, thin mark. Cameron was right. If Taylor didn’t start dating again, he never would. Fortifying his resolve, Taylor nodded. “I’ll go.”

  “That’s the spirit.” Cameron hopped up from the bed and held out a condom and a travel pack of lube.