Romancing the Cowboy
Prologue
CASSIA
"What the fudge?"I mutter, glaring at the email on my laptop screen.It's so rude!
Ms.Murphy,
My sister left a copy of your book, A Cowboy for Christmas, at my place.I regret to inform you that I made the mistake of giving it a read.You paint a pretty picture with words, but you haven't ever seen a real cowboy a day in your life, have you?
Declan was about as realistic as my prize bull's hopes of escaping this fine establishment for greener pastures.The bastard has been trying for years.Sad to say, he isn't going anywhere but to the butcher if he keeps it up.
A real cowboy would have shot that abusive, lying SOB, Bromley, on sight.And then hid his body where no one would find it.And don't even get me started on having relations in the barn.Hay itches like a son of a bitch.
You should spend some time on a ranch before you try writing about them.
A REAL Cowboy,
Cord Decker
"Of all the nerve," I growl to my cat, Sisyphus."I bet he's not even a real cowboy.He's probably a middle-aged man who lives in his mom's basement and plays video games all day.He's a troll, that's what he is."
Sisyphus meows his agreement and then goes back to licking his junk.At least I assume it's agreement.With him, it's hard to tell.He's very chill for a cat.
I blow my hair out of my face and scan Cord Decker's email again, my irritation growing with every word.My leg bounces up and down, my foot thumping against the side of the chair.Normally, I ignore critical emails like authors are taught to do.Responding never leads anywhere good, and the last thing we want to do is attack a reader for having an opinion.It just makes us look gross.But something about this one…thenerveof this man!
I hit reply, my fingers flying across the keyboard.
Mr.Decker,
I regret to inform you that I made the mistake of reading your email.You string sentences together quite well, but you haven't ever read a work of fiction a day in your life, have you?
Declan is a romantic hero.He's not supposed to be entirely believable.Also, he didn't kill Bromley because he wasn't worth killing.
I'm rooting for your bull and his future freedom.
My condolences to whomever you're having relations with.I hope she finds your performance more satisfactory than I found your email.
Cassia Murphy
"I can't send this," I say, reading over it again.Writing it filled me with satisfaction, but the last thing I need is for the world to think I'm a crazy pants.I mean, Iama crazy pants.But sending this off into the world only confirms it.
I quickly delete the email before I change my mind, and then close the browser.Stretching my arms over my head, I roll my neck on my shoulders and then climb out of my desk chair.I've been working my butt off all day to finish my new book.
I need food.Maybe that'll make me less grumpy.
Before I even make it out of the office, my phone dings with an incoming email.My inbox is always a nightmare.Mostly because it scares me so I ignore it.It's a blackhole at this point.I'm never going to get it cleaned out.Making a New Year's Resolution to stay on top of it was not my best idea.Now I feel obligated to check it just so I don't break the stupid resolution even though I'm ninety-nine percent positive breaking resolutions is the only reason we make them in the first place.
I groan and pull the phone out of my pocket.
"What the heck?"I stop in the middle of the room when I see Cord Decker's name at the top of the list of unread emails.I quickly scroll to it.
Ms.Murphy,
I'll pass along your support to the bull.He'll be overjoyed to hear of it, I'm sure.
"Oh no," I whisper, scrolling down in horror."Oh no, oh no, oh no."I sent him the email instead of deleting it!He's probably furious.I gulp audibly and scroll back to his response.
