Page 1 of Stranded with a Very-Kissable Cowboy

CHAPTER 1

GIANNA

I haveto laugh to keep from crying because this trip has tested me like nothing else. With my hands on my hips, I turn around in a circle, trying to figure out which way would be the closest place to walk to, and there’s nothing but ranch land in every direction. I kick my foot along the dust and gravel road before leaning into my car and pulling the lever to pop the hood.

I walk to the front of the car like I know what I’m doing, but I don’t really have a clue what I’m looking for. As I raise the hood, I hold my breath, looking inside. Well, it looks exactly like it should, I guess. There’s no smoke billowing out, and it doesn’t smell overheated. That’s about the extent of my knowledge. I probably should have listened to my dad better when he tried to teach me things about car maintenance and all that.

I leave the hood up and then walk around to the passenger side and grab the bottle of water. Surely someone will be along soon enough. I chug the water, pulling the already wet shirt away from my skin as the sun blazes down on me.

I lean against the car and watch the cattle in the distance as I weigh my options. I could easily go live on my profile. I have overfive hundred thousand followers, and I have no doubt someone would come to my aid, but just as quickly as the thought comes, I squash it. I’m not going to do that because there’s no guarantee exactly who that help would be.

I grab my phone out of the car and go to the maps app to determine my location before looking for nearby automobile repair shops. I call the only one that is within fifty miles and let it ring and ring before finally hanging up.

I then look up the nearest tow truck company and call them, but it just rings and rings too. I lean my head back against my car and let out a frustrated groan. I’m stranded with no help in sight. Dammit!

I look up and down the road. Surely someone will come along. I’ll wait an hour, and if not, I’ll start walking. I definitely don’t want to be stuck out here in the dark, but that’s at least another four hours away.

I get into the driver’s side, open the social media app on my phone, set it on the dashboard, and start talking. I rest my elbow on the window of my car and smile into the camera. “Well, guys, I have some free time, so I thought I’d come on. Hit me with your best stranded romance. Maybe where a curvy woman is broken down on the side of a road and a sexy mechanic happens to drive by and saves the day. Give me all your suggestions.”

I sign off and then drop my phone in my purse before digging out my e-reader. It seems I have some time, so I’d better catch up on some reading. I have a romance conference that I’m driving to, and I had planned to get there a few days early, catch some sights, and get some reading done before it starts.

Someone will be along soon. I just know it.

CHAPTER 2

DALTON

I presson the gas to get home a little faster, and my first thought is that it’s a good thing the twins are not with me. They’d give me crap about speeding for sure. Well, Evan would. Ethan would give me that disappointed look of his, and I know I would slow down just because of it. It’s been three years since I’ve heard his voice, and I’d do about anything to hear him giving me hell for driving too fast.

I’m about five miles from the house when I see the car on the side of the road in the distance. Fuck. I can’t just leave them. There’s nothing out here except Rhett and Maddie’s ranch, Elliott and Camille’s ranch, and then mine. No one else will be coming out this way today. I bang my hand against the steering wheel and slow down to stop behind them. As I get out, I put my cowboy hat on and walk up to the compact car. As I get closer, the driver’s side door opens, and I practically stumble on my boots when I see the woman that gets out. Her hair is up in a ponytail on the top of her head. She has wide blue eyes that look me up and down as I approach, and she has curves that make my mouth water. The instant attraction is not something I’m ready for—or even happy about—and my sour mood gets even worse.With a frown, I walk past her to the front of the car. “What’s it doing?”

She comes to stand next to me, and even though I’m not looking at her—hell, I can't because sure enough she’d know what I’m thinking—so I keep my eyes on the engine and see her shrug in my peripheral vision. “It did some sputtering and then just died.”

“You have gas?”

She answers quickly. “I filled up around thirty minutes ago.”

I check the oil level and battery terminal and play with the valve next to the power steering reservoir at the top of the engine. “Turn the car on.”

She gets in and turns the key, and I push the valve to see if any fuel comes out. It doesn’t. I shut the hood, and she gets back out. “It’s the fuel pump.”

She blinks up at me, and I force myself to look into her eyes. It’s better that than to gaze down her body like some kind of perv. “It will have to be towed in and fixed. Probably run you around $1500 with parts and labor.”

She nods, and I cross my arms over my chest. “You don’t say much, do you?”

And then she smiles at me. It’s not just any smile, it’s like the fuckin’ sun is coming out when her full lips turn up and she bares her pearly whites at me. She’s a fuckin’ bombshell, and I take a step back from her.

She looks me up and down and then matches my stance. “I’m sorry. I’ve never met a cowboy in person. I mean, I’ve read plentyof books about them, but wow, I mean, I get it now. I never got it before, but I get it now.”

I’m totally not following where this conversation is going. “Huh?”

She laughs, and her cheeks turn a pretty pink. “Uh, sorry, occupational hazard.” She holds her hand out to me. “I’m Gianna Baker.”

On instinct, I wrap my hand around hers, and as soon as I touch her soft skin, I know I made a mistake. I have no business touching her because touching her, even just her hand, is putting all kinds of thoughts in my head. Damn, maybe the celibacy of the last three years has gone to my head, but I know that’s not it. I see women in town all the time, and I’ve never had this reaction to any of them. I hold her hand a little tighter. “I’m Dalton. Dalton Gray.”

I stand here, staring at her, holding her hand in mine for way longer than I should. I force myself to let go, and needing something else to do, I grab my phone from my pocket. “I’ll call Hank.”

She points at my phone. “I called the Hank’s Repair shop that’s supposed to be somewhat close to here, and it just rang and rang. I also called the tow truck place, but it just rang too.”

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