Tina Leonard - The Twins' Rodeo Rider

“I’ve got nothing,” Squint agreed.

Suz blew in on a gust of cold air, warming Cisco. She looked fresh and invigorated from their lesson: hair dry and spiky, foxy smile on her face, roses in her cheeks to match the pink scarf around her neck. He was definitely warm for this woman, in all the right places.

“I brought pumpkin chocolate chip muffins,” Suz said, and the men cheered.

“Just the thing to go with whiskey.” Ever the dog, Sam hopped up to help himself first to what Cisco considered his spoils.

“My work, my prize,” Cisco said, snatching the cute basket with the blue-and-white patterned napkin away from Sam. “Sit down and stay a second,” he said to Suz, guiding her to a seat far away from Sam and Squint.

“Yes, do.” Sam gazed at Suz, waiting his turn at the basket, which Cisco now passed around grudgingly. “We’ve been hearing about your lesson this morning.”

Suz glanced with some annoyance at Cisco, which he felt was ill-deserved. “That should be a private topic.”

“Yeah, well,” Squint said, pawing the basket with his big hand. “Daisy came by to throw a hissy about Cisco cheating. She’s filing a complaint, or squawking to someone.”

Suz frowned. “Let her complain. We did nothing wrong.”

Cisco perked at the sound of “we” on Suz’s sweet lips, very much liking the “we’re in this together” medley. “Besides which, I have a plan to completely neutralize our town tattletale.”

“Watch it,” Squint reminded him, “again, that’s my girl we’re talking about.”

“Precisely. And I have a thunderbolt of inspiration about your girl,” Cisco said. “Squint, Mr. Leg Cramp Extraordinaire, is going to take my place on Saturday.”

The room went dead silent as everyone stared at him.

“To what end?” Squint demanded.

“If Daisy needs to win someone, then it should be you. That will undo the curse—”

“Charm!” everyone reminded him.

“And Squint will then be the object of this matchmaker-created charm.”

“How do you know that’s how we got the charm?” Suz asked. “It’s top secret. Only a few people know.”

Cisco looked at Suz. “What’s top secret?”

“Never mind,” Suz said. “Continue with your idea.”

“His explosion of brain cells is top secret,” Sam said.

“His deviation from the norm,” Squint said. “I don’t like how you’re trying to cheat my lady out of her win.” He wagged a finger at Cisco. “I know when you’re trying to think up an outside-the-box strategy, watched you do it many times in Afghanistan. And this feels like that.”

“It always worked, didn’t it?” His friends nodded. Cisco took great pride in his ability to strategize when things look bleak—and right now, they were bleak. “Daisy will win Squint, because he, not I, will be at the finish line. The charm will ricochet on to Squint, and he will get the woman of his dreams, and I’ll be free. Happy ending for all,” he said cheerily, settling back with a pumpkin chocolate chip muffin clutched in one hand and his whiskey in the other. “Let the applause begin.”

Suz hopped to her feet, not applauding. “You don’t think I can win.”

Cisco hesitated. “Now, I didn’t say that—”

“Yeah, you did,” Sam said. “Pretty much you did.”

“It’s implied,” Squint said, “and it’s a bit sad, if you ask me.”

He wasn’t about to bring up Suz’s lack of swimming prowess, but wasn’t it obvious he was trying to save her from embarrassment? And holy hell, he didn’t want anywhere near this top-secret whatchamagig charm thing, just in case it did work. He was not winding up at an altar with Daisy Donovan, thus losing the woman of his dreams, and taking Squint’s, which would mean losing a good buddy.

This called for clear digestion of cold, hard facts. “Suz, beautiful, you really don’t swim. It’s more of a dog paddle that goes sort of circular. It keeps you from drowning, but that’s its main utilitarian function.”

His buddies drew in sharp breaths, gave him the no-no-no slashing signs to signal him to silence himself before it was too late.

It was too late.

Suz went to the door. “Fine. We’ll do it your way. Squint, be at the finish line. Be sure you have a warm blanket waiting for me, and get your pucker ready.”

She went out as cold gushed in the door, slamming it behind her.

“Smooth,” Sam observed.

“Oh, boy,” Squint said, “you’ve stepped in a big ol’ pile of steamy trouble you are never getting off your boot.”

Cisco ate his muffin in silence, dreading Saturday even more, now that his sweet ’n’ petite dollface had mentioned puckering to Squint. She’d talked about a pucker once to him, saying kissing him would force her to pucker like she’d bit into a grapefruit.

But she hadn’t said that to Squint. In fact, she’d sounded like the pucker she had waiting for him was going to be served up with a smile.

Chapter Four Contents Cover Introduction “If I kiss you, I probably won’t like it.” Suz winked. “And then what motivation do I have to win the race? I’d just toss you back into the pond for Daisy.” Cisco drew back, startled. “That wouldn’t be good.” Suz nodded. “It could be horrible. You could be a wet kisser. Eww.” “I really don’t think I am.” His ego took a small dent. “You could be a licky kisser.” “Pretty sure I’m just right, like Goldilock’s bed,” he said, his ego somewhere down around his boots and flailing like a leaf on the ground in the breeze. “I don’t know,” Suz said thoughtfully. “Friends don’t let friends kiss friends.” “I’m not that good of a friend.” “You really want a kiss, don’t you?” He perked up at these heartening words that seemed to portend a softening in her stance. “I sure do.” “Hope you get someone to kiss you one day, then. See you around, Cisco.” Title Page The Twins’ Rodeo Rider Tina Leonard www.millsandboon.co.uk About the Author TINA LEONARD is a USA TODAY bestselling and award-winning author of more than fifty projects, including several popular mini-series. Known for bad-boy heroes and smart, adventurous heroines, her books have made the USA TODAY , Waldenbooks, Ingram and Nielsen BookScan bestseller lists. Born on a military base, Tina lived in many states before eventually marrying the boy who did her crayon printing for her in the first grade. You can visit her at tinaleonard.com , and follow her on Facebook and Twitter. Dedication Many thanks to the many wonderful readers who so faithfully support my work. I appreciate you more than I can ever say! Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Epilogue Extract Copyright

In the end, Suz won the race handily, due to Daisy coming up with a leg cramp in the last fifty yards—a Squint-styled leg cramp, Cisco presumed, realizing now that the fix had been in, thanks to his dumb bright idea. With a couple hundred people posted along the banks of Bridesmaids Creek with hot cocoa, pompons and enthusiastic yells for both wet-suit-wearing women, Daisy must have calculated enough effort to put in a great show, then pulled up—because she didn’t want Squint.

She wanted Cisco.

Surprised by how many folks turned out for this event—both in-towners and out-of-towners, Cisco realized BC had their charmed ways, which made them money and made them special. It didn’t matter whether the charms were real or not, but what did matter was Suz giving Squint the kiss Cisco wanted.

Realizing he was now double-cursed—double-charmed, call it how you saw it—Cisco knew he had one option left to him. So he packed up his stuff, turned his notice in to Justin Morant, Suz’s sister Mackenzie’s husband, tossed his duffel into his truck and headed to the rodeo circuit.