Love Me, I Dare You! (Hell Yeah!)

  LOVE ME,

  I DARE YOU

  Hell Yeah!

  By

  Sable Hunter

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Love Me, I Dare You!

  All rights reserved.

  Copyright 2016 © Sable Hunter

  Cover by JRA Stevens

  Down Write Nuts Book Services

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author / publisher.

  A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  The heroine in this novel is a blind bartender. Now, before you question the possibility and decide it’s too farfetched to be real, let me tell you that it isn’t. I know of one. A very strong, determined woman who refused to let the circumstances of her life change her dreams. The human spirit is an indomitable thing, desire and determination can conquer almost anything. Happy Reading!

  Joshua Long, World Champion Cowboy, is known wide and far as the ‘cowgirl whisperer’. His looks are fallen-angel handsome and his talents in the bedroom are legendary. Josh prides himself on being able to give a woman sheet-clawing, back-arching, toe-curling multiple orgasms. But at the peak of his career, Josh loses it all when his knee is shattered by a one-ton bull and his reputation is shredded by a scorned woman. After investing blood, sweat, and years into the rodeo, he has lost his career and the lucrative sponsorships that went with it. Returning to his hometown of Kerrville, a place he hasn’t always felt welcome, Josh is uncertain of the direction his life will take. But sometimes fate is kind and the lifeline that we need to hang onto our hopes and dreams appears just within our grasp. Josh has such a moment when he walks into Isaac McCoy’s HARDBODIES bar. There, surrounded by old friends who offer him a second chance, Josh’s gaze lands on a beautiful, blue-eyed redhead who draws him like a moth to a flame.

  Emma Zachary has lived life on a dare. There is nothing she won’t try, she grabs onto happiness with both hands, embracing every moment of joy she can find. Unwilling to accept the hand that life has dealt her, Emma refuses to let her blindness hold her back. She intends to make all of her dreams come true, especially the ones that include a certain cowboy who seems to always be there when she needs him. Emma longs to know what it’s like to be loved, so she takes a dare and bids on a date with rodeo Romeo, Josh Long. What she discovers is that one night in Josh’s arms will never be enough.

  Josh is tired of his reputation. He wants to be more than his father’s son; he wants to be more than just a buckle-bunnies fantasy man. Joshua wants a woman who sees him for who he really is, failures and all, and loves him anyway.

  Emma is tired of being alone. She needs someone who will look beyond her faults and want her in spite of the challenge she faces.

  Their journey together is filled with laughter, tears, danger, and sex hot enough to set the Hill Country of Texas on fire. Join Emma and Josh as they learn the true meaning of love.

  I dare you.

  CHAPTER ONE

  PROLOGUE

  “You can do it, Emma. Just try.”

  Emmalyn Zachary rose from the comfortable chintz chair and took the white cane from her father’s shaking hand. “I’ll try for fifteen minutes. Time me on your pocket-watch and if I can’t do it, I’m quitting.”

  “No daughter of mine is a quitter. Come on, Emma, I dare you.”

  “All right.” Emma sighed, exasperated. “You win.”

  “No, you’ll be the winner. When you learn to use this cane, you’ll have taken the first steps toward independence.”

  James Zachary’s voice gave her strength. He’d always been Emma’s rock, pushing her to do her best, to never give up. His familiar challenge, I dare you, was their special thing. From her earliest memories she could recall her father appealing to her competitive spirit, inspiring her to grow, learn, and expand her horizons.

  What would she do without him?

  He’d been with her every step of the way, never letting her give up as her sight slowly faded. Even though he was weak from his own unwinnable battle, he captained her struggle to make a life for herself, refusing to allow Emma to define herself by her limitations.

  And so they began.

  James showed her how to grip the cane, holding it at the center of her body with the tip pointing downward at a forty-five-degree angle. Before she was set to move, her father laid one hand on her shoulder and used the other to cover her own hand, showing Emma the correct arc to let the cane swing.

  With his help, Emma took her first steps into a dark world. Even though he was weak, James walked back and forth across the room, time after time, teaching and encouraging her every move. “Watch your step,” he said.

  “I’m blind, Dad. I can’t watch anything.” Emma’s lame attempt at humor made her dad laugh.

  “You need to find your rhythm.” James patiently explained how she should take a step forward with her right foot and tap the cane to the left side. “Now stop. You just tapped your cane where your next footfall will land. As long as there are no obstacles, you know there’s nothing in your way. Now, do it again.”

  And so Emma did. Over and over again, she moved back and forth. Each pass found her gaining more confidence. Soon they left their small apartment to traverse the hallway.

  “Go left.” James instructed.

  “All right.” Taking a deep breath, she took off with a smile. For the first time since the curtain of blackness had descended over her world, Emma was able to walk independently.

  “Keep going,” he directed her.

  With a smile, Emma stayed on course, swinging her cane and staying in step.

  Wham!

  She jumped, then froze when the tip collided with something.

  “Good girl, you just found the wall!”

  Emma laughed, amazed at how free she felt. “It worked!” She stood still, listening to her father’s footsteps as he came to her, giving her a hug. “You did that on purpose, Dad.”

  “Yes, I wanted you to realize that coming to a seeming dead-end doesn’t mean the journey is over. Turn around, find a new way to go.”

  With measured steps, they retraced their path. “How can I ever thank you for all you’ve done for me?”

  James Zachary kissed his only child. “By being happy, Em. I dare you.”

  * * *

  “Man, listen to that crowd.” Joshua Long pulled on his gloves and pushed his Stetson down tighter on his head. “I love this life.”

  “Yea, me too.” Roland agreed. “The lights, the energy…the women.” He grinned, adjusting his chaps on his hips. “If the rodeo don’t get your fire going, your wood is wet.”

  Josh snorted. “Well, I get my wood wet – regularly.”

  Roland punched him. “Quit bragging. Not all of us can be the ‘cowgirl whisperer’. You’re the only cowboy I know who has his own buckle bunny fan club. What do they call themselves?”

  Josh waved off his friend’s banter. “I don’t know.”

  “I do. The All-Night-Long Club. They even have their own Facebook page; your exploits are legendary.”

  “Don’t believe everything you read, Roland.” Keira Fisher’s one-woman campaign to ruin his r
ep on social media was garnering too much attention. He was mighty afraid his sponsors were going to notice and distance themselves from him. Winning was one thing, but the chunk of change he garnered from the products he endorsed was the real prize. And that was why what Keira was doing to him was a disaster. The more lies she posted on JoshuaLongsucks.com, the quicker his sponsors were going to get wind of the scandal. No matter the sexy hype that surrounded the sport, rodeo was still billed as family-friendly and if he wanted to stay on top, he couldn’t afford to let one spurned woman ruin his career. “If I did everything and everyone they say I did, I wouldn’t have time to eat, sleep or ride. All I’d do is fuck.”

  “Nothing wrong with that. If I was the heartthrob of the PBR, I’d take full advantage of every perk and eager pussy.”

  The announcer’s voice cut through their conversation. “Next up, riding Army Tank, is Josh Long. Josh is a three-time World Champion Cowboy. Give him a winner’s welcome!”

  “That’s you, bud. Good luck.”

  Josh gave him a one-finger salute. “Thanks, I’m gonna need it.”

  Pushing everything aside but the task at hand, Josh made his way through the congregated cowboys. He nodded, acknowledging greetings and well-wishers. Climbing into the six-foot deep, coffin-shaped chute, Josh settled onto the back of a big red one-ton bull. Wrapping his custom-made rope around his left hand in a suicide wrap, he ran the strands between his ring finger and his pinkie. Tightening his legs around the bull, he yelled that he was ready. “Now!”

  The chute gate popped open and out they came, a charging force of incredible power.

  As always, Josh found his way into the zone. This was what he lived for, becoming one with a living tornado of muscle, sinew, hoof, and horn. Ropes of saliva were slung from the bull’s nostrils as he pitched and bucked, spun and kicked. Above the jarring thud of the bull pounding the ground, Josh was barely aware of the ten-thousand strong crowd who’d gathered in the stadium for the PBR World Finals. All he could see, hear, feel, or smell was the battle he was waging with a worthy opponent, who was using every ounce of his brute strength to dislodge the cowboy from his back. Lunging forward, the bull shook his massive head, then whirled into a spiral, kicking high and cutting hard to the right.

  With raised hand, he did what he did best. He laid his life on the line. This was more than a sport, more than a ballet of man-vs-beast. This was him proving his worth to a world that judged him for sins that weren’t his own.

  Eight seconds could be an eternity.

  When the horn sounded, Josh felt triumphant. He loosened the grip of his knees and jumped off.

  That was when the world upended itself.

  As soon as Josh swung his leg over the back of the railcar-sized bull to bail off, he realized he was hung. He tumbled from Army Tank’s side with his right hand caught in the bull rope. Even the animal knew something was wrong and acted accordingly. Twisting and spinning, Army Tank slung Josh around like a rag doll.

  All around him, people were reacting. The bull-fighters were dancing around the arena, waiting for an opening to help Josh. Cowboys were coming onto the field, EMT’s were standing by. In the stands, the crowd was on its feet.

  For Josh, the whole world was a blur.

  From the constant bucking, Josh’s hand finally ripped free and he fell, the bull slinging his head around to knock him face-first to the ground. In a pain-filled daze, Josh did his best to crawl away, pushing up and staggering to his feet. The clowns rushed in, but not in time. Army Tank refused to back-off, he snorted, pawed and charged, knocking Josh to the ground. With angry intent, he trampled the cowboy, pinning him down with horns to his back, stepping and stomping on Josh’s legs.

  To be unconscious would have been merciful, but Joshua stayed painfully aware. And when the bones of his knee snapped, he not only felt it – he understood.

  In that split second, everything changed.

  It was over.

  All of it was over.

  CHAPTER TWO

  “Hey, Josh.” A short brunette from high school, whose name he couldn’t remember, gave Joshua a sultry wink as she sashayed by, wiggling her ass expressly for his benefit.

  “Oh, Josh, you’re looking good, baby.” A tall blonde in skin tight jeans tipped her hat at him, even though she was on the arm of another man.

  “Ladies.” He acknowledged their greeting with a raised glass and his signature smirk. The only reason they didn’t stop at Joshua Long’s table was because every chair was already occupied by a woman. Sandra. Alexa. Beverly. All of them beautiful, all of them staring at him with lust in their eyes.

  “Anybody need anything?” He raised his hand for the waitress, wanting to keep his admirers occupied. Since he wouldn’t be giving them what they wanted tonight, Josh settled for placating them with liquor.

  As a long-legged, bleached blonde came to take orders for refills, his eyes glazed over. The pain in his knee was a son-of-a-bitch. Even if he wanted to, there was no way he could fuck anyone tonight without taking a handful of pain pills. And since satisfying his partner was his greatest joy – he didn’t intend to go off half-cocked. Giving the woman he craved pleasure was his specialty. Sheet-clawing, back-arching, toe-curling multiple orgasms. And he was damned good at it too.

  To Josh, sex was sacred. Not that he thought he had to be married to a woman to enjoy her in bed – not at all. But he hadn’t slept indiscriminately with as many women as Keira broadcast that he had. A good number? Yes. He sure as hell wasn’t celibate. What he was - was careful, respectful, and discrete. The crux of the matter was that he loved women. All sorts of women. Just the thought of his weakness for the fairer sex made his mouth water. And making them feel good? Well, Josh would rather do that than breathe or eat. He was addicted to how they looked during orgasm, how they raked their nails down his back – how their sweet sex clutched his dick, massaging it in a flutter of desperate contractions. Despite the nagging pain in his leg, he moaned under his breath.

  “Why, Josh Long, I didn’t know you were back in town! I thought you were still riding the rodeo circuit.”

  The sexy female voice pulled him out of his daze. Jessica Reid, a woman he’d dated about a year ago draped her arms over his shoulders, her soft lips kissing his neck as she plopped down into his lap. The pressure even her slight weight put on his knee nearly caused him to black out.

  “Shit!” he muttered. “I…needed a break from traveling.” His voice cracked and he eased her to her feet, rising to take himself out of harm’s way. “If you all would excuse me.” Putting a fake smile on his face, he grabbed his crutches, adjusting them under his arms before starting to slowly meander through the crowd, dodging grasping fingers and ignoring fetching smiles. “Excuse me, pardon me.”

  Damn his leg! Damn that sorry-ass bull.

  Josh hated the crutches he was forced to use. He hated to appear weak. His career might be over, but he sure as hell didn’t want anybody feeling sorry for him.

  “Looking good, Josh.” A whisper tickled his ear, about the time someone pinched his butt. He looked over his shoulder but there were several women there all capable of the flirtatious move. Apparently his bum leg wasn’t enough to put the ladies off. Everywhere he went, women were drawn to him like honey-bees to sweet-clover. And usually he didn’t mind at all. Making a woman cum so hard she was hoarse from screaming his name was almost his favorite sport – only rodeo had come first.

  Hell.

  He had some money saved, but not enough to give him time to be lazy. What the hell was he going to do? Wait tables? Sling hash? All of those things required being on his leg. The doctor said he needed rehab, which he couldn’t afford if he lost his insurance. And even then there was no guarantee. How the hell was he supposed to make a living? His money was long gone, spent attempting to stop an evil, scorned woman from slandering his name beyond repair. And there’d be no more sponsorship money – what Keira hadn’t killed, Army Tank had taken care of.

  Trying
not to grimace or notice the disappointed female faces watching him like a hawk, Joshua made his painstaking way to the bar.

  “Josh, grab a stool!”

  A familiar voice from the past met his ears. When Josh drew closer he smiled, recognizing a friend from his past. “Joseph McCoy. Good to see you.” He shook the offered hand and sank down, leaning the detested crutches onto the black varnished counter.

  Joseph nodded at his leg. “Sorry to hear about your injury. You were up for Bull Rider of the Year again, weren’t you?”

  Hell, he didn’t need reminding. “Yea, I rode Army Tank for the full eight seconds, then he got his revenge and stomped the fuck out of me.”

  “Can I get you anything, sir?”

  Like a heat-seeking missile, the husky female voice engaged Josh’s ears and his cock. Joseph McCoy could wait. Turning, he found an angel with auburn hair and blue eyes speaking to him through a pair of plush kissable lips. What he could see of her body was smoking hot, the white scoop-neck T-shirt she was wearing molded a pair of breasts that looked just the right size to fit his hands, Satiny pink straps on her freckled shoulders hinted at lacy lingerie. Lord, he loved women! “Another beer, please,” he answered, enjoying the view.

  “You got it. How about you, Mr. McCoy?” she asked Joseph.

  “I’m good, thanks, Emma.”

  “No problem, just yell if you change your mind. Isaac will be back shortly if you’re waiting for him. He took Avery for her checkup. We’ve got everything ready for the auction tomorrow night. All we need is a few more warm bodies. If any of those handsome cowhands of yours would like to do their part for charity, we sure could use their help. The money we raise is for a good cause, Kerr County Emergency Services.”

  “Well, I don’t know. How about this guy next to me here? Josh Long is a celebrity, a champion rodeo cowboy.” Joseph tapped Josh on the shoulder.