Boots and the Heartbreaker: Ugly Stick Saloon, Book 11 Read Free Page A

uncle.”
    “Your what?”
    “Well, technically, he’s my half-uncle. His dad and my mom’s dad are the same person. They had different mothers. It’s one of those family secrets that was amazingly well-kept.”
    “You’re kidding.”
    She shook her head. “Nope.”
    “The situation is unacceptable. We need to talk.” He grabbed her hand and led her toward the bar. “Come on.”
    “I’m not thirsty.”
    “I’m not getting you a drink.” He hauled her past the bar, glanced around for Greta Sue, the bouncer who was standing at the entrance of the saloon carding everyone walking in.
    “Then where are you taking me?” She tugged her arm to free it of his grip. “What if I don’t want to go there?”
    “We can’t stand by and do nothing.” Colin strode down the hallway behind the bar and threw open the first door he came to. “In here.”
    Fancy was practically flung into a storeroom filled with cases of booze.
    Colin entered and shut the door behind him.
    Alone with the man she was supposed to be getting off her mind or out of her heart, Fancy’s pulse hammered against her eardrums and her palms grew moist. What was he going to do? Kiss her? Declare his undying love for her? Sweep her off her feet and tell her he couldn’t live another day without her?
    All those thoughts flitted through her mind as her breathing became rapid and ragged. She waited for him to turn, to show her the love still evident in his eyes.
    When Colin faced her, it wasn’t with love shining out of his eyes, but an angry glare. “We have to break those two up.”

Chapter Two
    “Break them up?” Fancy’s gaze went from confused to flashing anger in one heartbeat.
    Colin loved the animation in her expressions. He’d been watching her all night, his frustration building with each passing minute she spent in another man’s arms. Unable to do anything about Fancy and Dusty Cramer’s connection, when he had no claim on Fancy, he channeled all his anger into confronting his mother and Carl.
    “I can’t believe he’s your uncle.” Colin spun away, unable to look at her without succumbing to the urge of dragging her against him, and kissing her to make up for the last eight years.
    “Sorry. We don’t get to choose our parents and family, or make their decisions for them.” She planted a fist on one hip and raised her brows. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I was here with Dusty.”
    Colin closed the distance between them and gripped her arms. “About that… Why Cramer?”
    “What?” She shook off his hands, stepped back and stared at him as if he’d lost his marbles. “First you want to break up my uncle and your mother, now you’re going to dictate who I can see?” She shook her head. “For someone I haven’t even heard from in the past eight years, you have some nerve.”
    “Okay, you have a point. I have no right to tell you who you can date.” Colin shoved a hand through his thick dark hair. “But Cramer is all wrong for you.”
    “Why?” Her fists found her hips again and she pushed her shoulders back, as if preparing for battle.
    Colin’s cock hardened. Why did she have to be so damned sexy? “Does he make you hot just being around him?” He moved closer.
    The sassy, determined look faded and her eyes rounded. “That’s none of your business.”
    “Does he make you want to strip your clothes off and get naked in the back of a pickup truck, or anywhere else you happen to be?” He cupped the back of her head, his fingers lacing into her hair. He tugged, tilting her head up, forcing her to look him in the eyes.
    She didn’t answer.
    Her tongue darting out to moisten her lips was almost Colin’s undoing. “Does he?”
    “Maybe.”
    Colin leaned close, his mouth hovering over hers. “Have you even kissed yet?”
    “We’re taking it slow,” she said, her voice barely a whisper, the puff of air tingling against his lips.
    He waited. The distance between his mouth and hers was separated by a mere