Welcome to author Julia Talbot, who’s dropping in today with an exclusive excerpt from her newest release, Riding the Circuit, book three in the Riding Cowboy Flats series and coming June 7th from Dreamspinner Press.
Hey y’all!
Julia Talbot here with an exclusive excerpt from my upcoming release, Riding the Circuit! It’s the brand new third installment of the Riding Cowboy Flats series, and I love Matt and Frost so much!
I hope y’all do, too!
XXOO
Julia
About the Book
Rodeo cowboy Frost Barton spends most of his time on tour, and that’s the way he likes it. But when his dad dies suddenly, Frost returns to southern New Mexico to attend the funeral and help his mom decide what to do with their small family ranch. Frost is already considering retiring from bull riding and planting his itchy feet in the ground. Meeting horse trainer Matt Morales just adds another pull in that direction, though Frost still isn’t sure he’s ready to give up the circuit—even if Matt makes settling down look mighty tempting.
Matt is old enough to know better, but he falls for Frost anyway. They only have so much time to spend together before Frost goes back on tour, but Matt believes they might have something special. He keeps the home fires burning while Frost earns his living, but Matt hopes he can convince Frost to come home—to stay.
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The Excerpt
The food laid out, he slipped away again, his head beginning to throb. Outside, the air was clean, the sun was out, and the world was still turning. He rolled his shoulders and his neck just like he did when he was fixin’ to ride. Loosen up, get your head in the game. Frost told himself that all the time. Why should today be any different?
He sat on the back porch and put his head in his hand. Jesus. Jesus, his pop was gone. His strong, stubborn asshole of a pop who he loved more than life. “I’d have come home, you old bastard. I woulda done anything to make it okay, if I’d just known.” Frost pounded his fist on the step next to him, so damned mad he couldn’t hold it in.
The screen door slammed behind him, and he looked up to see his momma, hands on her hips. “Take it to the barn.”
“Momma.”
“I mean it. Right now.” Her expression softened when he only stared at her. “I understand, son. I do. But I got guests in there, and they’re starting to look a little worried. Go get your head on right, ride the ride, and come back and help me.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He climbed to his feet, then headed out to the barn, which was cool and shaded, almost dark. Most of the horses roamed their acreage, but there were always a few in the barn thanks to injury or illness, and today there were a bay mare and a little gray donkey in a stall together.
The mare stuck her head out of the stall door, whickering at him. The donkey chewed gently on some hay, his disposition totally un-donkey.
“Where did you come from, little dude?” Frost asked. “Pop wasn’t exactly a donkey lover.”
“He got it when he knew he was going to die,” said a voice from behind him. “He was afraid when the rapture came, he was such a sinner that his mortal form would never rise, or something, and he would need transportation.”
Frost turned to find a cowboy standing there, hat in hand. He looked part Mexican, at least, with a wavy cap of black hair, gray just at the temples. Strong, sturdy, he had the broad shoulders and barrel chest of a Hispanic man, but the lean hips and long legs of an Anglo like him. Bright gray eyes completed the picture, shockingly light in the man’s tanned face.
“You can’t be serious,” Frost said.
“I am, though.” The guy smiled, little lines crinkling up around his eyes. “He also said if he didn’t need it, you would.”
“Now, that sounds like him.” Hell, he would bet the silly thing was in the will, left to him.
“Yeah.”
“I don’t know you,” Frost murmured. “Frost Barton.”
“Matt Morales. Nice to meet you.” Matt Morales shook his hand. “I’m actually a fan.”
“Of what?” He asked it before he thought it, but when Matt barked out a laugh, he shook his head. “Shit, you mean of mine.”
“Yep. Seen you ride more than a few times.”
“Thanks.” He burned to ask what Matt was doing here at his parents’ house, but he figured that would be rude.
“Patricia is my cousin. I came down over from Silver City last year.”
“Ah. So, have you been helping out here at the ranch?”
“Some, yeah. Your dad really wanted to keep it running for you.”
Frost grimaced. “Look, man, no offense, but I just got an earful of guilt and I’m beating myself up. I don’t need it from you too.”
“No, I bet not.” Matt held up both hands in a placating gesture. “I didn’t mean it that way at all. Sorry.”
About the Author
Stories that leave a mark. Julia Talbot loves romance across all the genders and genres, and loves to write about people working to see past the skin they’re in to love what lies beneath. Julia Talbot lives in the great mountain and high desert Southwest, where there is hot and cold running rodeo, cowboys, and everything from meat and potatoes to the best Tex-Mex. A full time author, Julia has been published by Dreamspinner and Changeling Press among many others. She believes that everyone deserves a happy ending, so she writes about love without limits, where boys love boys, girls love girls, and boys and girls get together to get wild, especially when her crazy paranormal characters are involved. She also writes BDSM and erotic romance as Minerva Howe. Find Julia at @juliatalbot on Twitter, on Facebook or at www.juliatalbot.com “The mountains are calling, and I must go”
