S.E.X. Review~ Cowboy's Law by BA Tortuga

When rodeo cowboy Seth’s best friend dies unexpectedly from cancer, he finds himself taking on a ranch and a bunch of his friend’s younger siblings, because they have nowhere else to turn. Seth loves those kids like they’re his own, and he settles in well to his new life, which is why he’s pretty wary when his buddy’s older brother finally makes it home from a long stint in the military.

Law knows he might get a chilly reception at his brother Pistol’s old ranch, even if the kids living there are his half-siblings. He didn’t make it to his brother’s funeral, after all, but to his credit, he was blown up trying to come home to do just that. He’s fighting injuries and insecurity, but when Seth welcomes him to the family ranch, Law knows he’s pretty much in love. Even if he thinks Seth was his brother’s lover. Can these two find a way to let their emotions out before tragedy strikes their family again?

BA Tortuga is usually an auto-read for me, and I am so glad I read Cowboy’s Law, combining some of my favorite things- sexy men, cowboys, and adorable children.

Seth jumped in when his best friend Pistol passed away- Pistol raised his siblings from the time their parents died. Now Seth has the responsibility of two ranches and five very energetic children.

Law was the eldest sibling the kids rarely saw, but upon sustaining injuries in the military, he was discharged and returned to the New Mexico ranch. Even though the reception was tentative and chilly, soon things thawed, and a rhythm formed into a new life.

Ms. Tortuga has a way of bringing her cowboys to life- the scenery, mannerisms, and colloquialisms- all lent themselves to a believable book of life on a ranch. The main characters were exuberant and large presences, each man feeding off the vibes of the other. I fell for both of them hard, so it is no wonder they fell for each other.

The kids were fantastically written. So many times, an author interjects children into a story and they way they act or speak is completely unbelievable- not in this story. In my minds eye I saw each child and what made him or her special.

The secondary characters of cowboys and ex-military enhanced the overall storyline adding to the angst and love. And, I hope there are more books to come because I already saw the writing on the wall for a few relationships.

Worth the read and purchase.

Definite S.E.X.

A five handcuff review

~~~~~

2020 ©Evelise Archer All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. No portion of this work may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the author.

S.E.X. Spotlight~ Barbed Wire by Renee Stevens

Buy Now:

Amazon
Smashwords

Blurb: 

After having been kicked off the family ranch by his father, Marc Poulson has made a new home for himself as the foreman of the Double R Ranch. His fellow ranch hands are his family, but he’s still not complete without Casey Morgan, his counterpart at the neighboring Del Rio Ranch. In the middle of a feud with his one-time best friend, Marc struggles to understand why Casey would rather take a swing at him than talk to him. He wants to put the past behind them and rebuild what they once had and make their relationship stronger than ever, but Casey is having none of it.

Casey has his own demons to deal with, and Marc serves as a reminder to things he’d rather forget. Casey can’t see beyond the past and continues to make mistakes that put both him and Marc in harms way. After one close call too many, Casey must decide whether his past is more important than his future, or if he can live with Marc walking out of his life—possibly forever.

Excerpt:

“EARTH TO Marc, come in, Marc.” Rick made a show of waving his hand in front of Marc’s face. He waited until he had Marc’s attention. “Did you hear anything I said?”

“Sorry.” Marc glanced at him, but the lure of Casey Morgan was too strong to ignore. He returned his gaze to linger on the blond who had walked through the doors of the bar a moment earlier. “I was distracted.” Half of the bar separated them, but he knew from experience that the chances of avoiding a confrontation were slim to nil.

“Obviously.” Their companion, and coworker, Jason snickered.

“What is it with you and him?” Rick’s gaze danced between the two men. “You two can’t be in the same room together without going for the jugular.”

“It has nothing to do with you.” Marc didn’t want to get into it and was desperate to stop the barrage of questions before they could start. “You concentrate on yourself and let me handle my own problems.”

Marc tracked Casey’s progress through the bar until he sat at a table with two of the hired hands from the Del Rio Ranch. As the foreman for the Del Rio, Casey was the direct counterpart of Marc’s position at the Double R. The owners of the two ranches were close friends, and up until a few months earlier, so were Casey and Marc. It was amazing how one thing could cause friends to become bitter enemies, and it was nothing more than a misunderstanding.

“We lost him again.” Jason needed to wipe the smirk off his face.

“Knock it off.” Marc forced his attention away from Casey and back to Rick and Jason. “What were you asking?”

“Never mind.” Rick shook his head. “Since we have tomorrow off it can wait until Monday. No sense in talking ranch work if we don’t have to.”

“Sounds good to me.” Jason finished off the beer in front of him.

Marc swallowed the last of his own drink and headed toward the bar for the next round. Despite being the sole bar in town, it wasn’t busy, and within a couple of minutes he was turning to head back to his table with three fresh beers. As he turned, his shoulder brushed against a newcomer, and Marc turned to apologize, but the words stuck in his throat when he found himself face-to-face with Casey. If he’d realized Casey had the same idea, he would have stayed in his seat and let one of the other two go.

“Poulson.” Casey’s greeting dripped with hostility.

“Morgan.” Fuck the apology. Marc pushed past him but stopped when Casey mumbled something under his breath. His entire body went stiff, and he struggled to breathe through the anger. He should have ignored it and walked away, but it built inside him until he was seething with every breath he took. “What the hell did you say to me?”

“You heard me.” Casey leaned against the bar and tried to stare him down.

“That’s bullshit and you know it.” Marc took a determined step forward. He had a couple of inches on his former friend and wasn’t above trying to intimidate him. Not anymore.

“It’s not bullshit if it’s the truth.” Instead of backing down, Casey straightened up, anger flashing in his eyes.

“I’ve had it with this crap.” Marc clenched his jaw. He’d tried to keep his cool, but if Casey was itching for a fight that bad, Marc was ready and willing to oblige. He ignored the little voice in his head telling him it was a bad idea. Marc plunked the bottles he was holding onto the bar, flexed his hands at his side, and waited. He wouldn’t throw the first punch, but if Casey did, he wouldn’t walk away. “I wasn’t the only one there, and you damn well know it.”

“You may as well have been.” Casey sneered and grabbed the beer the bartender set down. He tried to shoulder his way past, but Marc refused to move.

Marc reached out and grabbed ahold of Casey’s arm to keep him there. “Oh, I don’t know about that. When are you going to admit you liked it?” 

With a wrench of his arm he whirled Casey back around. The bottle clutched in Casey’s grasp slipped free, shattering on the floor, and beer splashed up onto their boots. Their gazes collided, and Marc could see the fury simmering in Casey’s eyes. Determined to use his height advantage, he took a step forward until there were a mere couple of inches separating them, forcing Casey to look up to meet his eyes. When Marc didn’t release his hold on him, Casey knocked his hand away.

“Don’t.” As cliched as it sounded, if looks could kill, Marc would drop dead on the spot. “You have no fucking right to touch me.”

“Like this?” Marc reached out with one hand and shoved Casey’s shoulder.

“Bastard,” Casey replied.

“Point being?” Marc repeated his earlier action, this time putting enough force behind it to cause the infuriating man to stagger into the table behind him.

“Go to hell.” Casey growled and turned toward his table.

“I’ll meet you there.” Marc laughed and moved to grab the beers from the bar. He heard one of the Del Rio hands yell and turned a second too late. Casey’s fist connected with his jaw and sent him stumbling back into the bar.

“Fucker!” Marc launched himself toward Casey and placed a couple of well-aimed blows to Casey’s stomach and ribs. It didn’t bring near the satisfaction he’d expected. Instead, regret trickled through him and was enough to throw off his concentration. Casey didn’t hesitate to take advantage, but Marc managed to deflect the blow with his shoulder. He grunted in pain as the next one connected with his ribs. Thank god Casey hadn’t managed to land a shot to his liver. That would have had him writhing in agony.

Shelving his feelings of remorse to study later, Marc shoved Casey hard enough to send him careening into a nearby chair. Taking advantage of gaining the upper hand, he pressed on and within moments Marc was rolling on the floor with Casey as they each tried to gain domination over the other. Marc managed to land a few more punches, but then someone grabbed his arms and pulled him away. His entire body hurt, but he ignored the pain and struggled to get free.

“Fuckers. Let me go.” The more he fought, the tighter he was held. Despite his attempts, Marc was no match for the men intent on dragging him away. Through the haze of anger he saw two men pull Casey to his feet and resumed his struggles, but there was no freeing himself.

The adrenaline drained out of him, and, as his vision cleared, he recognized the two men holding Casey back as the two hired hands from the Del Rio Ranch. He turned his head to see who had him and met Rick’s gaze. A groan slithered from his throat as he looked on his other side and found Jason regarding him as if he was a snake about to strike.

“You can let me go now.” Marc tried to jerk his arms free.

“Sorry, boss man, can’t do that.” Rick’s grip tightened to the point Marc was sure he’d have bruises. On top of the ones he’d have from Casey.

“You’ll fucking pay for this.” Casey struggled against the two men holding him, blood flowing unimpeded from his nose.

Marc glanced at his hands and winced at the blood coating his split knuckles. With his quarry now out of his reach, he allowed Rick and Jason to lead him toward the exit. He couldn’t believe he’d been goaded into yet another fight. Though, if he was honest, he’d egged Casey on as well. Now he had to figure out how he was going to explain the night’s events to his boss, once word got around, and it would. That should be fun. Rick and Jason almost had him to the door when it opened and revealed the lean body of the sheriff blocking their escape.

Author Bio:

Renee Stevens first started writing in her teens but didn’t get serious about being an author until her mid-twenties. Since then she’s written a number of contemporary stories, as well as delved into the paranormal. When not writing, or spending time in the outdoors, Renee can usually be found working on GayAuthors.org in her capacity of Admin, Blog Coordinator, and Anthology Coordinator.

Renee resides in Wyoming with her wonderfully supportive husband and a menagerie of four-legged critters. Making the most of the nearly constant negative temperatures and mounds of snow, Renee spends much of the winter months in hibernation with her laptop, the voices in her head keeping her company while her husband works.

When she needs a break from writing, Renee takes to the sewing machine to design, and make, beautiful quilts. When the snow finally disappears, usually around May or June, Renee can be found in the great-outdoors. She spends her time on the mountain, at the lake, and just anywhere that she can do some camping, take some photos, and ride the four-wheelers with her hubby. Once back at home, it’s back to writing.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Google+ * Gay Authors * Goodreads
Dreamspinner Press Author Page * Amazon Author Page

~~~~~

2017 ©Evelise Archer All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. No portion of this work may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the author.

S.E.X. Spotlight~ The Vampire's Coqui by Evelise Archer

Diablo loves his ranch, his horses, and the men he works with. He also has certain proclivities which the C & L Ranch caters to. Diablo is a Dominant and a one hundred and fifty year old vampire who desperately desires a mate and permanent sub.

Newly graduated from Veterinary School, Kristoph Karlisle answers the Vet Needed ad for the C & L Ranch. The little coquí shifter is better suited for the warmer climate and eagerly heads south towards a new job—and his fated mate.

Diablo hopes his mate is as open-minded as the other residents of the C & L Ranch, where hog tying takes on a whole new meaning.

A Siren Erotic Romance

ADULT EXCERPT

“One of us is a tad bit overdressed.” Kristoph sat transfixed at the beacon—Diablo’s dick—that led the way to the bed. Brought out of his trance, Kristoph found himself yanked to the foot of the bed by his ankles. A sharp claw protruded from Diablo’s finger and swept up one side of his khakis and down the other, underwear included. Clothes ripped off and naked from the waist down, Kristoph suddenly felt very vulnerable.

“Diablo?”

“I’m sorry, cariño, but I couldn’t wait any longer. I promise to replace the pants.” The bed dipped, Diablo’s body surrounding his as he crab-crawled to the head of the bed.

“Shirt, please, unless you want to lose that, too.” Kristoph whipped the polo over his head and unceremoniously tossed it on the floor. Naked, his tan skin was a contrast to his pale lover.

“Beautiful.” Kristoph smiled at Diablo’s compliment.

Kristoph’s flesh goose bumped as Diablo’s wicked tongue grazed across each nipple and down his sternum to his belly button. An unmanly giggle escaped as that tongue dipped into his belly button and swirled. Oh, to have that killer tongue on his cock.

He was soon pleasantly surprised when Diablo lapped at the pre-cum pooled on the tip of his dick.

“Oh fuck, Diablo. Please, Sir.” The honorific slipped from his lips so easily. To have a master as special and sexy as Diablo made his heart soar.

Kristoph wanted to scream the slower Diablo licked him, suckling his balls and then dipping his tongue into the slit of his bulbous head. Diablo repeated the action and Kristoph searched for all the patience he could muster. He scrunched his eyes shut and tightly grasped the sheets. Movement made him open his eyes and he peered up, face to face with Diablo’s green eyes.

“Let’s take the edge off, or I can guarantee once I get into your tight ass, I won’t last long.” Kristoph shuddered, the feel of his mate’s body aligned next to his, combining their sweat and masculinity. Moving to his side and sliding down slightly, he lined his cock next to Diablo’s. The vampire’s large callused hand wrapped around both their dicks. The pre-cum, which oozed from the two slits, eased the way for the man to stroke them effortlessly—up and down, twisting the knobs ever so slightly, catching more of the drippings.

Kristoph panted, his breath ragged and mouth agape. Moans of pleasure emanated from him as the hunky vampire brought them close to completion.

Timing the movement of his hips with the slide of Diablo’s hand, his cock skimmed along the velvety steel of Diablo’s dick.

“Close, Diablo, so close.” As if the man knew just what he needed, Diablo’s pinky pressed into his slit, creating a volcanic eruption of cum. The vampire continued to milk both of them, Diablo’s orgasm mere seconds behind. Their combined scents and spent seed covered their bellies. Diablo’s rhythmic circling of their cum on Kristoph’s stomach brought forth a faint smile and chuckle.

“That was…nice.” Kristoph turned his head into the crook of Diablo’s neck and kissed him lightly. “I don’t think I’ve ever come so hard.” He felt safe in the strong sinewy arms wrapped around him like a protective covering.

“You know, I do need pants, though, before we go downstairs to eat.”

* * * *

Diablo was a happy vampire. Light snores and wispy breaths came from the man presently relaxed and asleep in his arms. His mate. The only thing that would make this moment better would be if Diablo had fucked and bitten Kristoph, sealing them together forever. Soon enough.

Diablo nuzzled the top of his mate’s head. The tendrils soft against his face, his hair smelled like coconut with the underlying scent of sunshine.

His little coquí had a beautiful body, sleek and compact. The man couldn’t be taller than five feet seven inches. Only a slight hint of his island ancestry, his skin radiated peaches and cream. He twirled his finger in the long shoulder-length shaggy blond hair—streaks of chocolate brown sporadically placed.

“Hey.” Kristoph’s sleep-ridden voice whispered across Diablo’s collarbone. “I must have dozed off.”

“No worries, cariño, I’ll never balk at the chance to have you in my arms. How about we wash the dried cum off and go eat. Then we can discuss our true mating.”

“Perfect.” A quick shower, a change of clothes, and now the forgotten dinner.

Diablo reheated each of their plates, and they ate side by side in companionable silence. The last plátano eaten, Diablo pushed his dish aside and reached for Kristoph’s hand.

“When we mate, I’ll bite you in the neck and suck your life’s blood—just enough until I can feel you in my system, as my seed spills into you. Then I’ll bite my wrist, and let you drink from me. We’ll feel our beings, our souls melding into one, and then our mating is complete. My parents are life mates, and they’ve always told me it’s an intensely satisfying and erotic experience. We’ll feel each other wherever we are, together or apart. We’ll be able to communicate mentally.” Diablo waited for a few seconds to allow Kristoph to take in all he said. “Are you sure this is something you want?”

Diablo noticed the intensity in Kristoph’s eyes as he spoke. “Yes, Diablo, I want to be mated to you for life. With all that it brings.”

Book Strand Buy Link



2016 ©Evelise Archer All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. No portion of this work may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the author.

S.E.X. Review~ And a Smile by B.A. Tortuga

All Coke Pharris wants is for his cowboys to be safe—all of them. When rodeo clown, Dillon, sets to prove that there’s more to the bullfighter, people could get hurt.

It’s Coke Pharris’ job to save bull riders from bulls, and he takes his work very seriously. Which is why he’s devastated when one of his favorite riders gets hurt, and he’s determined to help the young man ride again. Dillon Walsh is the arena entertainer for the bull riding tour, and he wants to help. He also wants Coke, has been admiring the man for a long time. He hasn’t made a move on Coke for fear of messing up their friendship, but when he finds out Coke might feel the same way, Dillon has to try to win Coke over.

Coke thinks he’s too old for Dillon, too beat up and scarred, but he can’t resist when Dillon finally makes a play for him. Dillon is like a wet dream for Coke, and the two of them have a great time getting to know each other better, at least until the danger of their job threatens to come between them. Will Dillon and Coke be able to help their friend and weather the problems that blow their way?

Publisher's Note: This book was previously released elsewhere. It has been re-edited for re-release with Pride Publishing.

And a Smile by B.A. Tortuga was a down-home book of cowboys, bull riders and the men that kept them safe. The second book in Ms. Tortuga’s Roughstock series kept me enthralled and enamored.

Rodeo clown, Dillon has finally snared his cowboy, Coke and has no intention of letting the man go. Coke, on the other hand needed a bit of convincing, always claiming he’s too old for Dillon, (yet he was only three years his senior~ something which perplexed me).

I loved the chemistry between the two men and was glad that Coke received his own book after being introduced to him in Blind Ride. Dillon and Coke were perfect for each other and melded in personality and desire.

The synergy created by Ms. Tortuga radiated through the pages as she delivered true cowboy dialogue with attitude and flair.

Ms. Tortuga wrote of the unflappable bond between the men on the circuit and the feelings they have for each other~ always looking out for the next man with care and love.

 And a Smile was more than a” book two” in a series. It was the continuation of a difficult life for the rodeo troupe; all the characters intertwining throughout the stories. Jason’s blindness, Blind Ride, was furthered discussed with possible resolution for getting him back in the ring, thus leaving the door open for further books to follow his story.

All the men of the Roughstock series have hutzpah and guts, making them endearing and charming. Tough stock with a dose of love and sexy~ the men of the Roughstock series are enough to make any red-blooded American swoon.

Book provided by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review

Definite S.E.X.

A five handcuff review

Pride Publishing Buy Link




2015 ©Evelise Archer All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. No portion of this work may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the author.

S.E.X Review~ Bulls & Blood~ T.A.Chase

Breaking the rules has never been Wesley’s way…until he meets Mino.

Rule Number Two that the Thorn brothers live by is that employees of the ranch are off-limits. Wesley has always followed that rule, never stepping out of his comfort zone to do more than talk to one of the cowhands that help run his family’s ranch. Being a vampire makes it easier, since he doesn’t go out during the day.

Mino’s been interested in the youngest Thorn brother since he began working at The Blood & Thorn Ranch. It’s those stupid rules that hold him back from making the first move. Well, those and the fact that Wesley could kill him in a blink of his eye. Being human in a world of supernatural creatures makes living difficult, since he’s considered prey.

These two males, from different species and societies, must find a way to meet in the middle of their worlds if they have a chance at love. 

A very interesting take on vampires, shifters and humans; T.A. Chase delivered an enigma of characters that left me with more questions than answers. Bulls and Blood is the first book in the new vampire-cowboys series, The Blood and Thorn Ranch. Six vampire brothers—by choice— the men run the ranch; one where rules are to be adhered to and if they’re not, the punishment is swift and deadly.

Wesley, the youngest Thorn is the most rules conscious and slightly introverted. Never truly mingling with the help—those he considers beneath him—he is the behind the scenes brother, yet the most deadly.

Mino is a human ranch hand and has had his eyes on Wesley for some time-which breaks rule number two.

Ms. Chase’s spin on the vampires was ingenious and refreshing. The brothers were holier than though creatures that looked at everyone—shifters included—as subpar. This attitude resonated throughout the story and Ms. Chase’s writing. Although the Thorn brothers took care of their own, the callousness in which they regarded others blurred the lines of my like and dislike for them. I never truly connected with the characters yet I felt Ms. Chase hit the mark in creating a new world.

Wesley was deadly and overbearing and Mino bold, for a human, especially in a world where I gathered humans are considered mere fodder.

If Ms. Chase’s idea was to keep us guessing and coming back for more, then sign this reader up. The author peeked my curiosity with many more unanswered questions and the need to know about each brother and this new spin on the vampire world.

Kudos to T.A. Chase for developing and delivering something totally different. An HEA with room to grow, Bulls and Blood ended abruptly with the knowledge I’ll be back for book number two.

Book provided by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review

Sexy and Sizzling

A four handcuff review

Pride Publishing Buy Link





2015 ©Evelise Archer All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. No portion of this work may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the author.

S.E.X. Spotlight & Review~ Blind Ride by B.A. Tortuga

Jason Scott has everything a bull rider wants—success, money and traveling partner Andy Baxter. When he loses his sight in an accident, he stands to lose it all.

Jason Scott is at the top of the bull riding game, on his way to a winning season. Along with his traveling partner, Andy Baxter, he’s riding hard on the circuit, working around the country with all of the other bull riders and bullfighters, living the good life. The only thing he wishes he had is Bax, but he’s afraid to take the step that would make them more than friends, worried that it will ruin everything.

When a terrible accident leaves Jason unable to see, his whole life goes south. Jason decides to chuck it all, determined to go home and hide at his momma’s ranch. Bax has other ideas. He wants to make sure his best friend doesn’t give up, and he hatches a plan that stuns Jason and makes their friends and family think he’s crazy.

With the help of the other bull riders and a very persistent bull fighter named Coke, Bax convinces Jason to give life one more try. With Jason cautiously learning to hope, and his relationship with Bax going to the next level, life gets pretty complicated. Everyone gets in on the project, from Jason’s strong-willed mother to an entire ranch full of children, all of them working to help Jason do what he loves.

Publisher's Note: This book was previously released elsewhere. It has been re-edited for re-release with Pride Publishing.

Blind Ride by B.A. Tortuga was a beautifully written story of friendship, love and tenacity. Jason and Bax, friends and rodeo co-workers for many years, travel the dusty roads bull riding and supporting each other as only best of friends could. Along the way each man fell in love with the other but never acted on their desires. Tragedy brings their friendship to the forefront and soon their lives take a very different turn.

There were so many things I loved about Blind Ride. Ms. Tortuga delivered camaraderie between lovers and friends that created a bond which no one could break.

The cowboy speak catapulted me from my suburban home to the laid back hills where ranches and cowboys reside, making me an integral part of the scene. The authenticity was as genuine as the people Ms. Tortuga wrote about.

Each supporting character played an integral part of the story and was not simply thrown in for the sake of a moment. No fluff in this tale, pure substance.

A love story with men who lead hard and dangerous lives, but somewhere in the midst of it all found friendship and love along with an extended family that would weather any storm.

Book provided by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review

Definite S.E.X.

A five handcuff review

Food and Texas

One of the things that folks say about my books all the time is that they make them hungry. I get it. Totally.

I swear to God, I have eaten all over the country, and in a couple of others, and there’s nothing like food back home in Texas.

What? You don’t believe me?

Tex-Mex. Chicken fried steak. Pintos. Peach cobbler. Texas Sheet Cake.

Brisket.

Oh, God.

Brisket.

Juicy, delicious, crunchy on outside, tender on the inside glorious juicy meat.

Uh. Where was I?

Right.

Texas cooking.

It’s an obsession. We have the Poteet strawberry festival. The Spam festival in Austin. There are county fairs with funnel cakes and deep fried everything and…

Oh.

Corny dogs!

Those were invented at the Texas State Fair.

When I left home (deep east Texas) for Monterey, California (many, many, many, MANY years ago), one of the things I took was a list of all my favorite recipes from my momma. Yeast rolls, layer salad, biscuits, banana bread, potato salad, enchiladas, chicken fried steak.

Cornbread.

I still have those little pieces of paper. I don’t need them anymore; all those recipes are memorized. But I have the originals. The pencil marks are faded, the folds… well, let’s just say that when I unfold it once every few years to tell me wife the story of when I wrote them (she’s a patient woman), you have to not breathe too hard on it.

When I write Texans, which Bax and Jason truly are, there’s always a momma that shows up, someone to take care and cook and love on her sons, both born and adopted. Cowboys have appetites, you know, and sometimes a Texas momma is the one doing the feeding.

Recipe for Cornbread:

1 c. flour

1 c. corn meal

1 T baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

2 T. sugar

¼ c. oil

1 c. milk

1 egg

Put a cast iron skillet in a hot oven (425 is best) with a quarter stick of butter. In a big old bowl, mix dry ingredients, then add wet and stir. When the butter in the pan is melted and bubbly, remove from oven and add batter to skillet. Bake for 16 minutes.

Excerpt from Blind Ride:

Damn, life was good.

Bax liked riding fence. Well, all right, if he was honest, he liked riding fence with Jason. Somewhere after the first hour, Jason would take that starched shirt off and tie it to the back of the saddle, leaving him in just a tight, white undershirt, and damn. Oh, damn, Bax loved that.

Licking sweat off his upper lip, Bax leaned down to check a post joint, grinning when it wasn’t as dry rotted as he’d thought. “You think your momma’s baking right now?”

“Yup. She’s making a pie and one of them cakes you like. I saw beans on the back of the stove, so it’ll be brisket and cornbread for dinner.” Mini’s momma was as predictable as the day was long and, lord, that woman loved to cook.

“Oh, you know I like that.” Damn, his knee was throbbing. He pulled his bad leg up, leaning back in the saddle and stretching it out.

“You need to walk some, man?” Jason rode up closer, horses touching noses as Mini reached out, touched his knee. “It’s pretty swolled.”

The feel of that hand on him made him jump, even through work glove and jeans. “Nah. I’m good. I just need to remember not to lean so hard on the stirrup.

“‘kay.” He was given one more stroke—the crookedy thumb on Jason’s riding hand rubbing the inside a bit.

His cheeks heated up, and he was damned glad of the sun. Long as they’d been riding together, Bax’d never told Jason a bit what the man could do to him with just a touch.

“Anyway, we ain’t got much more to do today.”

“Nope. You want to ride to the river? Swim?” That straw hat was pushed back, the collar of Jason’s T-shirt wet with sweat.

“Shit, yes.” That water would be like bathwater, but it would be so damned nice to get wet. Bax approved. “Come on, slowpoke.”

“Slow… Oh, you old bastard!” Jason whomped Heidi, the two going tearing across the pasture, ass tight as a boar’s backside in that saddle.

Like the sound of Blind Ride? Buy it here.

About BA Tortuga:

Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy's Girl, BA spends her days with her basset hounds, getting tattooed, texting her sisters, and eating Mexican food. When she's not doing that, she's writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting and surfing Pinterest in the name of research. BA's personal saviors include her wife, Julia, her best friend, Sean, and coffee. Lots of good coffee.

You can check out BA's website and blog or find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Enter Pride Publishing’s August blog tour competition for the chance to win an eBook of your choice (not including boxsets or anthologies).

Competition Link








2015 ©Evelise Archer All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. No portion of this work may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the author.