Jasper (Cloves County Cowboys Book 2) Read online

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  Published by The Hartwood Publishing Group, LLC,

  Hartwood Publishing, Phoenix, Arizona

  www.hartwoodpublishing.com

  Jasper

  Copyright © 2018 by Amelia Shea

  Digital Release: January 2018

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  Jasper by Amelia Shea

  Six years ago, he had his life planned out. Rancher Jasper Fords was going to live the dream. He’d continue to work on his family’s successful ranch, marry his high school sweetheart, and spend the rest of his days on the land he loved. It was a plan he had banked on and expected, and one that completely shattered him when it fell apart. Left with a scarred, broken heart, Jasper kept his focus on what was most important, the land and ranching at the Triple R. Love may not have been in his future, but his desire was definitely sparking for Cloves County’s most talked about resident. Jasper had been able to deny his attraction to the green-eyed beauty as long as he could keep her at a safe distance.

  When it came to scandalous reputations, Kellie Mitchell was the reigning queen in Cloves County. Town tramp, promiscuous, easy, loose, she had heard them all and been called much worse. But while most people would fall from grace running and hiding, Kellie chose to ignore all the whispers and rumors. While her wild girl status had given her a fair share of male attention, there was one who seemed immune. The only man she wanted. Kellie could barely hide her attraction for the handsome, straitlaced rancher. Unfortunately, wanting him from afar was all she seemed destined to have.

  When forces of nature strand them together, the reserved rancher and the salacious waitress have their desire and control put to the test.

  Dedication

  For Scarlet, the kindest soul I know

  Chapter One

  “Damn, boys, look at that ass!”

  A hand slammed down on the wooden table with a roar of laughter. “I was too busy checking out her tits. Hell, I’m thinking D’s, maybe double.”

  Jasper Fords gripped his beer so tightly it threatened to shatter in his hand. He slowly glanced up but not at the ass or tits in question. His sight was set on the assholes making the lewd comments. The table next to him was occupied by three men he didn’t recognize. Jasper knew everyone in Cloves County, which meant these men were not locals. They were a bit younger than him but clearly old enough to know better.

  His scowl was obviously felt, and one of the guys looked up. He lifted his chin in greeting when he met Jasper’s stare. Jasper’s jaw tensed as he glared back until the man looked away.

  “If you kick their asses, I’m videoing it so I can watch it over and over.”

  The corner of his mouth curled up, cracking his heated stare. He turned his head to the pretty blonde next to him. Britt, his soon to be sister-in-law, winked and angled her chin at the rowdy bunch at the next table over. He chuckled as he took a swig of beer. His anger faded. Slightly.

  Britt and his oldest brother, Greyson, had talked him into joining them and the rest of the group for beers and darts at Steers. He’d tried to get out of it, but Britt was very persistent. He begrudgingly joined them and had planned on staying for only a short bit, but she was working.

  She, the owner of the ass being talked about, slid past their table with a short wave to Britt and a smile set on Jasper. Kellie Mitchell. Steers’ most infamous waitress, with the county’s most scandalous reputation. He acknowledged her with a nod and veered his attention to the dance floor. Staring too long at the waitress took a certain control he wasn’t sure he had tonight. Kellie was the opposite of most women in Cloves County. From her low-cut tight tees to her curvaceous form-fitting jeans, there was little left to any man’s imagination, including his own. He had spent too many nights wondering what she would look like completely stripped down. According to rumors, he was one of the few who actually needed to use their imagination.

  Grey pointed at Britt with a heavy sigh. “Don’t encourage a bar fight, darlin’.”

  “Why not? Those assholes need to be slapped into gentlemen, and if Jasper isn’t going to do it, I think I just might.” Britt slid off her stool. Jasper snickered as she walked around Grey’s seat. Britt wasn’t much bigger than a twelve-year-old boy, but she had the spirit of a fighter. She straightened her shoulders and set her scowl on the table to the left. She didn’t get very far. His brother hooked his arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap. She wiggled slightly in protest. Grey leaned into her neck, whispering something Jasper couldn’t hear.

  Britt was a fireball, but whatever his brother said calmed her and she giggled, turning her head and meeting his lips for a kiss. Seeing his oldest brother finally settle down, especially with a woman like Britt, gave him an unspoken hope for himself. Jasper looked away and caught sight of a tight pair of jeans curving around the sexiest ass he’d ever seen. He felt his own jeans tightening and shifted in his seat. She skittered through the large crowd, bending over to talk to a customer, leaving her ass level in his sight. He clamped his lips and turned away.

  Kellie had lived in Cloves County all her life, same as Jasper. He didn’t pay too much attention to her when they were younger. He was three years older than her, and their crowds never crossed paths. Besides, even as beautiful as Kellie was, his heart had belonged to someone else back then.

  A squealing laugh drew his attention back to her. She spun around, giving him the glimpse of her profile. He drew in a deep breath as his gaze trailed down to her chest. She bounced on her feet, her hands moving around rapidly, giving her breasts a jiggle. It wasn’t intentional; she seemed to talk with her hands a lot. The table of three men seemed enthralled by whatever she was saying. Most men were. He jerked his gaze away from the table.

  He needed a distraction. Jasper grabbed the bottle in front of him, chugging down the remainder of the beer. They were next in line for the darts, and it seemed the guys currently playing were wrapping it up. He got up from the stool.

  “I’ll be back.” He continued around the tables, making his way past the bar down the back hallway to the men’s room. He made a point of keeping his focus in front of him.

  A few minutes later he was walking back to the table. He rounded the hall and stopped in mid-step. Kellie was a few feet away, clearing bottles from a table. Her tray was full. She grabbed the neck of two more in her hand and turned quickly. At the same time, a female patron who obviously had too much to drink stumbled backward in Kellie’s direction. Jasper rushed forward, blocking the woman from falling into Kellie. The woman knocked into his back, jutting him forward. Kellie looked up and gasped.

  Her green eyes searched his face, and a slow smile crept up her full pink lips. The blush across her cheeks lingered down her neck and onto her chest. Her ample chest. Jasper usually made a point of not blatantly staring at a woman’s cleavage, especially
with Kellie. It was a particularly hard task since the shirt she wore at the bar propped her breasts up on display.

  With a quick glance, his heart sped up. Having several inches on her, his view down her shirt was inevitable, and his body was having a tough time controlling his reaction. He focused on her face, but it didn’t seem to help matters. While she wore too much unnecessary makeup, behind the bright colors over her lids and the black lining of her eyes a piercing set of green eyes glimmered.

  “Hi, Jasper.” Her voice was soft and sexy.

  He nodded, keeping his eyes on her face, resisting the urge for another glance at her breasts. “Kellie.” He moved to let her pass, but she stood in her spot.

  “You playing darts tonight?”

  Even a simple, innocent question was almost too much for him. In the past year, Kellie had become part of the same circle due to her relationship with Britt. She became fast friends with Britt, which meant he saw Kellie a lot more than he had in the past. Her friendly nature made her almost impossible to ignore. Although he never outright said it to anyone, he liked her there. Close, but not too close.

  “Just waiting on the guys.”

  She glanced over his shoulder and grinned. “They just walked in. Perfect timing, huh?”

  He gulped. She had a gorgeous smile. Sweet, and a complete contrast from her body, which was sexy and did things in his mind that might be banned in some states.

  “Yeah, I suppose so.” He lowered his chin and turned to walk away.

  “Good luck,” she shouted at his back. He didn’t turn around. He couldn’t. He didn’t trust himself with this woman.

  He made his way to the group and greeted the guys. He had been friends with Nick and Travis since grammar school. They’d always been tight. Nick had stayed local, working on his family’s ranch, while Travis had left for the bull riding circuit. He was pretty good but had been sidelined for the past few months due to an injury. Travis was staying with Lucas at Britt’s old house at her ranch. Lucas was a ranch hand who ran her ranch, Whisper Point. When she moved in with Greyson, Lucas moved into her old place. He wasn’t as close to Lucas as the others, though in the past few months their relationship had shifted. All due to Britt’s insistence. There had been bad blood between Lucas and the Fords dating years back. Not with Jasper directly, but with his family in general.

  He reached out for Lucas’ hand. “How’s it going?”

  Lucas extended his. “Good, how ’bout you?”

  Jasper shrugged. “Just hoping we don’t get hit by the storm.”

  Lucas took a swig of his beer and nodded. “I hear ya. Heard they’re calling for three feet.”

  “That’s what they’re saying. Give us a shout if you need anything. We can spare a few hands if you need it.”

  Lucas nodded and raised his brows. “You do the same.”

  It was very unlikely his family’s ranch, The Triple R, would be asking for help from Whisper Point. They were a mere quarter of the size of the Fords’ ranch, but the kind gesture and slight dig were taken.

  “Stop all the talking, let’s play darts!” Britt cheered, making the guys around her laugh. They set up two teams—Britt, Grey, and Nick on one, Travis, Lucas, and Jasper on the other.

  They had been playing about twenty minutes when Jasper finished off his beer and placed it on the table. He watched from the corner of his eye as Kellie headed their way. She had come over once before, refilling their beers. He did his best to keep his eyes where they belonged and off her tits and ass. It was a hard task.

  “Another one, Jasper?”

  He glanced over his shoulder. She stood on the other side of the table, her hair pulled into a high ponytail, wispy tendrils hanging to frame her face. She had changed her hair from blonde to brown, and it suited her perfectly. It made her softer if that was even possible.

  “Please.”

  She grinned, twirling around, and knocked into a man twice her size.

  “Sorry!” She shouted over the music.

  “No apologies necessary, you can bump me anytime, Kell.”

  Larson gripped her waist, and Jasper clenched his fists. He’d known Larson since he was two. He was his younger brother Tripp’s best friend. Usually, Jasper liked him, but right now he was ready to rip his hands off Kellie. She giggled and slithered out of his hold. Jasper kept his glare on Larson and his buddy who watched Kellie, mainly her ass, as she walked back to the bar.

  “I need to get a piece of that.” Larson turned to Jasper. “Hey, man, you see Tripp? He’s supposed to meet us here.”

  “No.” Jasper looked away. Britt walked over to the table and smiled at Larson, but it was anything but friendly.

  “Larson.” The way she said his name had Jasper choking back a laugh. It didn’t take a genius to see Britt was not a fan of Larson’s.

  Larson seemed clueless. “Hey Britt, think you could hook me up with Kellie?”

  Jasper balled his fists and stared at the guys shooting darts. The idea of Larson with Kellie had his blood heating and his chest pounding. Larson wasn’t a bad guy, but he certainly was not worthy of being with Kellie.

  “Hell no,” she spewed in disgust. Her face twisted as if she had just sucked on a lemon.

  He wasn’t surprised by Britt’s reaction, but it made him laugh all the same. Kellie had been Britt’s closest friend in Cloves County.

  “Why not?”

  “Because I don’t like you, Larson, and you bang everything with legs or a pulse.”

  Larson’s friend slapped his back, pushing him forward, and laughed. “As far as I hear, you don’t need any help hooking up with Kellie. I mean, seriously, who hasn’t had a ride?”

  Jasper jerked his head at Leland, another friend of his little brother’s, although he never liked him. His lips tightened in a straight line, grinding down on his teeth. Jasper could feel his temple pulse. He had a protective urge to defend Kellie. However, Britt beat him to it.

  Britt stepped forward, and her hands gripped her waist. “Is that so?”

  Leland backed away slightly. Jasper couldn’t blame him. Britt might be small, but she was a fierce fireball when she was angry, and right now, she was pissed.

  Leland cleared his throat and took another step back. “It’s just what I heard, Britt.”

  Jasper scowled, glaring at the man. Through the years, he’d heard the same of Kellie. However, Jasper didn’t pass judgment or buy into everything he heard, unlike the two men standing in front of him.

  “Really? Well, I heard you have a small dick and can set a world’s record for coming in less than thirty seconds. Must be true, right?” Britt leaned forward, sneering at both guys. “I mean, after all, that’s what I heard.”

  Larson held up a hand. “Relax, Britt, he’s not trying to be mean or anything.”

  “Really? ’Cause it sounds like he is, Larson. Neither one of you knows anything about Kellie besides bullshit locker room talk from a bunch of dickless pricks. Gimme one name of a guy you know who has been with her.” She held up her finger. “One, give me one.”

  Leland smirked. “My brother’s friend banged her in the stadium after prom.”

  Larson laughed. “And I heard, Carter Mason and Troy Dolan had a threesome with her in their truck down by the lake after homecoming.”

  Jasper’s jaw clenched, and his body tightened. He had heard the rumors, too. He knew Carter and Troy from school, and their own reputations didn’t hold much merit of the truth.

  “And you guys saw this, right?”

  Larson glanced over at Leland and then back at Britt. “Well, no.”

  “Then shut your mouths about Kellie, you hear me? I’m so sick of this town’s gossip mill. You sound like a bunch of old biddies spreading rumors that hold not one ounce of fact.” Britt crossed her arms and scowled. “Let me ask you something. If she’s so easy and gets with anyone and everyone, why haven’t you two been with her, huh?”

  Jasper smirked, watching Larson and Leland squirm. Watching these
two guys get shut down by Britt was more entertaining than anything he’d seen in a long time. Britt stormed back to Grey’s side, and Jasper eyed the mutes across the table. At least they had the decency to look embarrassed.

  His gaze lifted to Kellie, leaning over the bar and laughing. She had to know people talked, but it didn’t seem to bother her. Or if it did, she hid it well.

  He watched Kellie as she loaded up her tray with drinks. A small figure next to her got his attention. When his eyes shifted, they locked with another waitress who wore a smirk on her face. He didn’t know Cara well, but one thing was for sure, he’d just been caught staring at Kellie. Cara’s brows lifted in confirmation.

  His view was obstructed when Larson stepped in front of him. “So, you good, man?”

  Jasper furrowed his eyes at Larson’s concerned stare. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  He shrugged and greeted Grey when he walked over and took a seat next to Jasper. “Just thought, with Abby back and all…”

  Jasper’s face tensed. Abby’s back? A chill ran through his blood, hardening every muscle in his body. He sucked in a deep breath, trying to balance his breathing with his pulsing heart.

  “She’s back?” Grey asked, his tone riddled with disdain. Of course, he’d be angry. Abby Cartwright had singlehandedly ruined Jasper and broken his heart. Now she was back.

  “Yeah, my momma and hers are friends. Turns out, she got a divorce from that guy.” His eyes slanted and he glanced over at Jasper. There was no need to use his name—everyone knew who that guy was. That guy was the man she was with when Jasper surprised her at her apartment six years ago. That guy was naked in her bed.

  “Oh, fucking hell,” Grey sneered.

  Jasper had been in love with Abby Cartwright since he was a teenager. High school sweethearts destined to be together forever. The perfect couple. He had bought into all of it. She had been his first for everything. He had planned his whole life around Abby. After graduation, she headed off to college with a promise she’d be back.