My new book Thanksgiving Secrets [EBOOK] is out at Beautiful Trouble Publishing, LLC

**EXCERPT**
Will looked over to the grill directly across from his into the slanted brown eyes of the sexiest woman he’d ever seen. She was wearing a tight red shirt, blue jean cut-off shorts and a red baseball cap. Her hair was long, dark brown with light highlights. She had it pulled through the loop of her hat in a ponytail down her back. Her skin was a golden brown like toffee and she was a big girl. She had to be at least five feet nine because in platform sandals she was nearly at eye level with him. Not many girls had ever come close to looking him in the eye. He’d seen her before but didn’t know who she was or at least he hadn’t until just before the cook-off. That’s when she’d strutted up to him and stood before him with her arms crossed.

“I want you to know that this ass-whupping you’re about to get isn’t personal.”
He looked at her in disbelief with a smirk on his face. She was standing so close he could see the sparkly flecks in her pink lip gloss. Her lips looked yummy and so did every part of her.

“Excuse me?” was all he could get out.
“It’s about me being a woman and the fact that no woman has ever won this grill off. It has nothing to do with our family history.”

“Wait, what history?”
“You mean to say you don’t know who I am?”
Her southern drawl was like butter melting on a warm biscuit. Hell, he didn’t know her, but he was going to.

“No, I can’t say I’ve had the pleasure, miss…”
“McCall. You might know my daddy, Riley.”
That’s when his world crashed to his feet. Leigh McCall was actually Raleigh McCall, the daughter of his family’s sworn enemy. Next to Big Billie Bob’s Bar-B-Que, there was only one other competitor in Columbia and that was Riley’s Ribs and Chicken. He’d heard his father more than once rant about how the McCalls had tried to steal the Shannessey’s barbecue recipe and call it their own. There was more to it but the name “McCall” was often preceded or followed by the words “no good.”

Will looked her up and down, taking her all in. She was as cool and confident as they came. Her look held no malice so he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.

“Well, Leigh McCall, if you don’t mind, I’ll let the judges decide the winner. However, I wouldn’t be opposed to a little side bet, just to make things…interesting.”

The look she’d given him said she was interested. Her long, impeccably manicured finger came to her chin and tapped where a sexy cleft lay.

“Although I’ve heard you Shannesseys are poor losers and don’t honor your bets, I suppose I’d be willing to go along.”

He gritted his teeth at her slander of his family, but held his tongue. She had a saucy smirk on her face which told him she was ready for any comment he would make. This was going to be interesting.

“Well, if your barbecue’s as dry as your wit, this should be pretty easy,” he chuckled.

“Very funny, Goliath; just don’t forget to yell timber when you fall.”
With that, she made a move to walk away. He was mesmerized by her. Everything on her body moved when she walked: breast, hip, butt, and thighs. Damn. There was a sensual power in her stride that was attention-grabbing and by the looks she was getting, he wasn’t the only one who noticed.

“Excuse me; I believe we were making a wager.” He rushed on catching up to her in three strides. She stopped and turned back to him with one fist on her curvy hip. She narrowed her eyes.

“All right, Behemoth, what did you have in mind?”
“First of all, my name is WILL and I was thinking of something along the lines of dinner. You win, I’ll cook for you, and if I win, you’ll cook for me.”

She seemed to consider the idea.“ All right, it’s a deal.” She stuck out her hand and he took it.

The shock of their touch surprised him. Her hand was soft, yet firm. Before he knew what he was doing, he had her hand raised it to his mouth and he was kissing the back of it.

Their eyes locked; she blinked a few times and bit her lip. Was that a tremor he felt go up her arm? He looked at her shirt and noticed the evidence of her desire as her hardened nipples pressed against the fabric, like full-on headlights. Lord have mercy. There were cat calls and whistles from his friends at their exchange. He noticed her cheeks redden a bit before she pulled away and quickly went to her grill.


Thanksgiving Secrets [EBOOK] :: All eBooks :: Beautiful Trouble Publishing, LLC