A Cowboy Kind of Thing--An Opposites Attract Western Romance


 
 
 
 “Why do you care what I think of Royal or you, Tripp?”
 “Because your opinion matters to me, Dee. So what you think of the place that made me who I am matters to me, too.”
 “Why?” Dee’s voice was barely more than a whisper. There was a hunger in her gaze that Tripp knew well. One he’d promised himself he wouldn’t give in to.
 “Because I like you, Dionna. A lot.” The words scraped at Tripp’s throat like tiny shards of glass.
 “What if I said I like you, too, Tripp?”
 Tripp’s gaze dropped to her full lips. His brain was suddenly overwhelmed with imagining the taste and feel of those lush lips.
 Tripp closed the space between them, his lips crashing into Dee’s. One arm glided around her waist, tugging her against him, his body now pressed to hers. The other hand cradled her cheek, angling Dee’s head as his lips glided over hers.
 * * *
 A Cowboy Kind of Thing by Reese Ryan is part of the Texas Cattleman’s Club: The Wedding series.
 
 
 Dear Reader,
 When I was first invited to participate in the long-running Texas Cattleman’s Club series, I was honored yet apprehensive about joining the list of fabulous authors who’ve made TCC a reader favorite. But writing Tessa Noble and Ryan Bateman’s steamy friends-to-lovers story was pure joy.
 I pushed the envelope a bit in His Until Midnight. Readers still talk about that standing desk scene in the barn. LOL! Tessa’s brother, Tripp, also made an impression. Readers wanted his story, and I wanted to write it. And because reader Kim Matlock kept asking for it, in this book we finally get Tripp Noble’s story.
 I loved writing the push and pull between Tripp and Dionna, and watching their mutual attraction blossom into something deeper. Collaborating with LaQuette, Karen Booth, Joanne Rock, Nadine Gonzalez and Jessica Lemmon—authors whose work I adore—made this project even more fun.
 Thank you for joining us for the passion and drama of The Wedding. For book news, giveaways and more, visit ReeseRyan.com/DesireReaders and join my VIP Readers newsletter list and private VIP Reader group.
 Until our next adventure!
 Reese Ryan
 
 
 Reese Ryan
 A Cowboy Kind of Thing
 
 
 
 Reese Ryan writes sexy, emotional love stories with family drama, career dilemmas and a cast of complicated characters.
 Connect with Reese, award-winning author of the fan-favorite Bourbon Brothers series, @ReeseRyanWrites via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or TikTok, or at ReeseRyan.com. Join her VIP Readers Lounge at http://bit.ly/VIPReadersLounge. Check out her YouTube show where she chats with fellow authors at https://bit.ly/ReeseRyanChannel.
 Books by Reese Ryan
 Harlequin Desire
 The Bourbon Brothers
 Savannah’s SecretsThe Billionaire’s LegacyEngaging the EnemyA Reunion of RivalsWaking Up MarriedThe Bad Boy Experiment
 Valentine Vineyards
 A Valentine for Christmas
 Texas Cattleman’s Club: The Wedding
 A Cowboy Kind of Thing
 Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.
 You can also find Reese Ryan on Facebook, along with other Harlequin Desire authors, at Facebook.com/HarlequinDesireAuthors!
 
 
 To Kim Matlock, whose quiet determination birthed this miniseries. And to K. Sterling—thank you for your continued support and generous spirit.
 
 
 Contents
 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
 Excerpt from Rodeo Rebel by Joanne Rock
 
 
 One
 “What do you mean you aren’t coming?”
 Dionna Reed paced the floor of her hotel room at The Bellamy resort in Royal, Texas, where she’d arrived little more than an hour ago. She’d been expecting her best friend, actress Ariana Ramos, to arrive at the hotel any minute. Instead, her friend video called her to break the news that she wouldn’t be coming to Royal after all.
 “But this is your wedding, Ari. How can you not be here?” Dionna realized that her voice had risen higher than necessary. She didn’t care. This was a full-out emergency.
 “I’ve been dreaming about my wedding since I was five years old. Do you really think I’d prefer to be stuck here on set in Peru for another four weeks?” There was a slight tremble in Ari’s voice, and instantly Dee felt guilty.
 Yes, she’d sacrificed four days of her busy life to come to Royal—the hometown of Ari’s fiancé, bestselling author Xavier Noble. But she was supposed to be there to lend moral support and her honest opinion as Ariana and her fiancé worked with their wedding planner to make arrangements for their nuptials.
 Forget about yourself for a minute. Think of how devastating this must be for her.
 “I’m sorry, Ari. I know how much you were looking forward to this.” Dionna settled onto the brown leather sofa as she surveyed the luxury two-bedroom hotel suite her friend had probably laid out a small mint for. “What happened exactly?”
 “We were four hours away from the film wrap-up party when the bomb dropped,” Ari said, anger rising in her voice. “You know how I said my costar, Nicholas Rainey, gives me the creeps because of the way he’s always looking at me when the camera isn’t rolling... Well, apparently my spider-senses are on point. It seems Nick’s eye isn’t the only thing that has been roaming.”
 “Don’t tell me...”
 “Yes!” Ari hissed. “Multiple women have made harassment claims against the creep. Since the first woman filed a suit against him five days ago, at least ten other women have come forward—including his sister-in-law!”
 “Oh no. Isn’t his wife pregnant with their third or fourth kid right now?” Dionna asked.
 “Their fifth!” Ari practically screeched.
 “Wow. This dude is absolute trash,” Dionna said. “But the studio has already wrapped up filming. What do they plan to do? Shelve the film and hope the fury dies down?”
 “They’re taking these claims seriously, and they should. Nick’s agent and PR firm have already dropped him like a radioactive rock, and the studio is