Rodeo Daddy: Book 3 in the Stubborn Texas Siblings Trilogy Read online

  About the author

  Faith is a full time author and stay at home wife and mother. She fell in love with the romance genre at a very early age and she’s been addicted to it ever since. She published her first book in 2006 and is proud to have published over 50 since then.

  She loves to hear from her readers and can be emailed at [email protected] or you can add her on Facebook. Her books can all be found at

  www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com or at www.faithloveright.wordpress.com

  Her titles include

  Having It All, Mr. Perfect, Sweet Seduction, The Right Sister’s Bed, Her Sister’s Roommate, Faith & Trust, Coming Home, Accidental Bride, A Forever Kind Of Love, Love Of A Lifetime, Baby Makes Three, Run Away Princess, Her Hero, Amazing Grace, Stubborn Love, A Little Something More, Pregnant By The Prince, Summer Heat, Latin Lover, Hope Springs, Love At First Sight, Answered Prayers, Serendipity: The CEO Meets His Match, Oh Baby!, Staking His Claim, His Brother’s Widow, Smokin’ Hot, Passion Inflames, Redemption, Finding Her Way Home, Finding Hope, Sexy As Sin, Falling For The Cowboy, Forbidden Love, Wish Granted, Sweet Seduction, From Revenge To Romance, Family Ties, Destiny, The Simple Life, Unexpected Bliss, True Love Never Dies, For Better Or Worse, The Gift, Married For All The Wrong Reasons, Their Heart’s Desire, Double The Pleasure, Starting Over, Taken By The Cowboy, Second Chances: Learning To Trust, Baby Mine and Texas Heat

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to my dear friends Dana Apling and Mandy Gold. I consider you both family and am proud to name my two main female characters in the book after the two of you. I love you!

  Mandy is on the left, Dana is on the right

  Stubborn Texas Siblings Trilogy

  Book one in the trilogy you meet the oldest brother Eric Schmidt – “Baby Mine”- available now.

  Book two is Laurie Schmidt’s story. She is the middle child and only girl in the family – “Texas Heat” - available now.

  Book three is Jeff Schmidt’s story. He’s the youngest of the siblings and the most stubborn among them - “Rodeo Daddy”

  Prelude

  “You’re up, Schmidt,” a cowboy called from the other side of the crowded arena where Jeff had been flirting with every pretty girl who would pay attention to him. The buckle bunnies were his favorite part of being a famous prize winning bull rider. When he’d first set out to join the rodeo, he’d thought about the possibility of having women throw themselves at him, but he hadn’t actually considered that it might happen.

  The better he’d gotten and the more awards he’d won, the more beauties he had to choose from. Today he had twelve of them practically ripping each other’s hair out trying to get to him first. He gave them one of his heart-stopping grins and tipped his Stetson to them. “Sorry ladies… That’s my signal to alert me that I’m up next. Get yourselves a good seat and wish me all the luck in the world. Yell nice and loud for me… I might just win this one for ya’ll.”

  There was no doubt in Jeff’s mind that he’d be able to ride out his full eight seconds. The bull he’d drawn was one he’d ridden his time out on twice before in his lucrative rodeo career. The only thing in doubt was if he could put on a show good enough to rack up the points necessary to beat the cowboy that currently had the lead.

  The fact that he was in his own home town and his brother and his family were all sitting in the stands watching made it that much more important to Jeff that he win this one. Eric had said he was going to try to convince their sister, Laurie to come out as well, but Jeff seriously doubted it. She had just gotten back from a trip… with a surprise husband in tow.

  They’d known that Laurie was serious about Travis, and the word marriage had come up, but both Jeff and Eric had assumed that the engagement would be a long one after they’d both pointed out how ludicrous it was for a woman to marry a man she’d only known for a month. After the argument that the three of them had gotten into, Jeff seriously doubted their sister would be caught dead anywhere near the arena today. It was probably just as well. It was going to take some time for all of them to cool off where the others were concerned.

  He was next to the chute getting ready to jump onto the surly bull when he spotted two women standing in the VIP box. One was blonde sitting on the edge of her seat, looking around at all of the sights, but the other was staring at him with so much heat in her eyes, he could practically feel it all the way where he was standing. She had long flowing red hair… the color of a flame. Her body was slim but with curves in all the right places. She was absolutely ravishing. His hope for a meeting after a successful ride grew and he jumped up to his spot on top of the bull, wrapping the rope around his wrist and tying it down before the beast leapt out of the gates.

  Holding his other arm in the air, Jeff spurred the bull in the sides to give the audience a good show. His attention was focused on the bull that wanted him off his back until he heard the sweet sound that signaled a complete ride, then he untied his hand and leapt free, allowing a rodeo clown to distract the bull while he made his exit from the arena.

  Behind the gate, Jeff waited to hear his score and grinned widely when he heard that it was high enough to land him squarely in first place for the event. With determination in his step, he turned and made a beeline for the sexy woman he’d spotted in the stands. If he was reading her right, there was a promise there for a very good time that night. No other woman would do, because next to her, they were all ugly ducklings.

  Dana watched the sexy cowboy making his way over to her and her breath got caught in her throat, threatening to choke her. She looked over at her sister who had basically had to guilt her into coming to the rodeo in the first place to see if she’d noticed.

  “Mandy…” she said nervously. Her sister turned her head and smiled. “Don’t tell me you’re still not happy about me dragging you out here,” she said grumpily.

  “No… I was just going to tell you I’m going to go to the bathroom and then take a walk. I’ll find my own way home later.”

  “Are you feeling alright?” Mandy asked, putting her hand on her forehead as if checking for a fever.

  “I’m fine,” Dana said, knocking her hand away and looking over the cowboy who was pushing his way through the crowd very quickly. If she didn’t get away from her sister pretty fast, Mandy would catch on to what she had decided to do. If that happened, she’d never hear the end of it.

  Dana was far from an impulsive woman and she’d never seduced a man in her life, but one look at the incredible hunk of a bull riding champion and she’d known she had to have him. It surprised her, so it would shock the socks right off her big sister if she found out.

  “I gotta go…” she said quickly and ran towards the bathrooms, hoping the cowboy would follow her. When she got there, she spotted the trailers off to the side where the cowboys that participated in the rodeo camped out and headed that direction instead. She looked at the names on the sides until she found the one she was looking for.

  She traced the letters of his name on the side of the trailer with the pad of her forefinger. “Jeff Schmidt” she said sighing dreamily.

  “That’s my name,” he said, walking up behind her and leaning over her back, pushing her body tightly up against the side of his trailer. “You have me at a bit of a loss, beautiful… what’s your name?”

  Her voice came out shaky when she finally found it a few moments later. “Dana…” was all she could seem to say as he bent his head and blew out a hot breath on the curve of her neck.

  “Can I take your presence at my trailer as a good sign, baby?” he asked hu
skily before boldly licking the length of that gorgeous swan like neck.

  “Yes,” she whimpered as he pressed a very long erection up against her rump and kissed the dip between her shoulder and her neck.

  “No regrets?” he asked, nudging her legs apart with his knee so he could settle between them. Unable to speak, Dana nodded her head and felt like she was going to faint when he spun her around and picked her up, hauling her into his trailer as if she weighed no more than a sack of potatoes.

  The sex was hot, fast and intense. By the time it was over, Dana was addicted to Jeff’s brand of lovemaking and knew she’d be back for more. After he’d fallen asleep, she swore she’d look up his schedule and go to his next stop to see if she could convince him to take her to his trailer again. Then, she carefully climbed out of his bed; put her clothes back on and crept out of his trailer without saying a word.

  Chapter 1

  Jeff was at his next stop and he found himself searching the crowd looking for a particular red-head. He was climbing off another bull after another successful ride when he spotted her sitting on the sidelines, watching him. She was wearing a soft looking pine green turtleneck sweater and tight blue jeans. Given the light dusting of snow on the ground, the look was sexy as well as practical.

  He offered her his trademark smile and nodded his head towards the trailers. She grinned back at him and pushed her way past the people around her and made a beeline towards his trailer, managing to beat him there somehow.

  “Dana… It’s good to see you here,” he said huskily. She offered him a sexy smile and stepped boldly towards him, running her fingers down his chest towards his waistline. “Are we really going to waste time with niceties?” she asked leaning in so that her face was well within kissing distance.

  Jeff grinned wickedly, shook his head negatively, swept her up into his arms and carried her into his trailer and straight to his bed where he wasted no time whatsoever taking things where he knew they both wanted them to go. When it was over Dana looked at Jeff, “so, are we on again the same time next stop?” Jeff grinned at her wickedly and nodded his head in the agreement. “I can hardly wait.”

  “I’m not being too pushy am I?” The nerves in Dana’s voice showed and Jeff was well aware of how much this meant to her. This was usually the point in a relationship when he would cut and run, but there was something about Dana that got to him in a way that no other woman ever had. He was nervous and he wasn’t sure that he should be doing what he was but unable to help himself he answered her anyway. “No, you’re not too pushy. I happen to be pretty crazy about how addicted you are to me. It helps me feel better about the way I feel about you. I don’t do commitment; I’m putting that out there right now. But as long as you’re willing to play I’ll be happy to be with only you.”

  “Just so I’m not confused, what am I to you?” Dana asked nervously chewing on her lip.

  “A buckle bunny,” Jeff answered honestly. “That is what you are, isn’t it?” A deep sigh of regret came out of Dana’s mouth and she nodded her head sadly. “I suppose I am,” she answered quietly. “I never imagined I’d be involved with a rodeo cowboy. Until I saw you riding that bull, I thought the whole idea was nothing but a joke. But one look at you up there holding on for dear life to an animal that wanted nothing more than to kill you, I saw the power in you and I couldn’t seem to help myself. You must know I’m not the sort of woman who normally does this kind of thing... But if it’s all you’ve got to give I’m greedy enough to take it.”

  The smile that covered Jeff’s face said it all. Dana knew she’d never be able to hold onto him and that made her sad; but in that moment, she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she didn’t have it in her to just walk away, not yet. So what she did next was the only thing she could do. She snuggled in to his side, laid her head on his chest, closed her eyes and faded off to sleep. Come morning, she would leave before he awoke just like she had the time before, and for as long as he would have her she would keep coming back and doing it again and again. The cycle would not stop until he no longer wanted her, and that would just have to be enough.

  *********************************************** It had been well over a year since that first time they been together and by this time Jeff was hooked. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d looked at another woman. Instead every single event he went to, his eyes eagerly scanned the stands looking for that one beautiful face with the gorgeous ginger hair. Every time he saw her his day brightened. There was no way he was going to ever admit the things that she made him feel; everything about it was wrong. He was determined to stay single. He wasn’t supposed to get serious about anyone and Dana was no exception. Still that didn’t stop him from looking for her at every stop, or of taking advantage of her desire for him.

  He was finished with his ride and eagerly scanning the stands just as he had every single event for so long he’d forgotten just how long it had been. A frown covered his face and his eyebrows puckered as he realized she wasn’t in the stands. His feet moved quickly as he ran for his trailer hoping she was there. He’d become addicted to her and couldn’t imagine the idea of sleeping with any other buckle bunny. How had that happened? He didn’t know nor did he care. All he knew was he needed to find her, and fast. His body was already primed and ready for her, the idea that she might not have come was ridiculous; she’d not failed him yet and the last time he’d seen her she’d promised to be there.

  Dana had to be there somewhere; he just had to find her. Sure there was a good explanation for why she wasn’t where she normally was, Jeff ran the rest of the way to his trailer. Once inside panic ensued, she wasn’t there either.

  Months had gone by with his eyes eagerly scanning the stands, in search for Dana… Every time when he couldn’t find her there, he’d search the grounds and his trailer in vein. It was one such day yet again and he sunk to his knees in the middle of his trailer, sobbing so hard, it physically hurt.

  “Where are you?” Jeff asked sadly. “Why aren’t you here? Was it something I did, something I said? I’m supposed to be the one that gets tired of things and shuts down or ends it… Not you; it was never supposed to be you.” Realizing just how upset he really was Jeff took his hat off and threw it at the bed running his hands nervously over his head in agitation.

  “I can’t lose her… When did this happen?… What the hell am I going to do?” They were all very good questions; it was just too bad Jeff had no answers to any of them. All he knew was that he was sad, angry, hurt, confused and lost without her. Maybe it was a good thing she’d decided for whatever reason to end things with him. Somehow along the way he’d gotten attached. Much more attached than he’d ever intended or anticipated. As hard as letting go would be, Jeff knew he had no alternative.

  They’d agreed not to exchange phone numbers, addresses or anything else… Their relationship was never supposed to be serious enough to warrant having them. Even if that weren’t the case, Jeff knew it was time to let go. His emotions were already ten times more involved than he was comfortable with. The fact that his heart physically hurt was something he would just have to find a way to get over.

  Chapter 2

  It had been two and a half long years since he’d last seen Dana. Not a single day had gone by when Jeff hadn’t wondered what it was that he had said or done that had scared her away. As into him as she had been from very moment she’d seen him, he knew that there was no way there was any other reason for her absence.

  Sure he’d been with his fair share of other buckle bunn ies over the years, but none of them compared to Dana. It drove him around the bend that with every woman he looked at he found himself thinking of her… Picturing her beautiful face thinking how much more lovely she was than the woman he was currently with. Remembering the way her long red hair spread out over his pillow, or her soft womanly curves felt pressed against his hard body; no other woman was good enough for him.

  With a little over a full month between his ro
deo events Jeff was spending some much-needed time at home. The previous morning, he had been visiting with his oldest brother Eric and his family. It had been a horrifying moment for him when Jeff realized that part of him longed for that mysterious thing that his brother had found with his wife Madeline.

  Frustration at himself and the situation at large filled Jeff. He had no intention of letting himself get involved emotionally. He’d seen firsthand the pain that a man has to go through when he loses the woman he loves and he didn’t want that for himself. He still remembered the day that his mother had died like it was yesterday. He’d found his father standing in the middle of the wheat field surrounded by cattle; they had gotten loose but his dad hadn’t cared nor had he noticed. He was too deep in his own grief.

  Jeff had never seen his father cry before. His Pa was the strongest man that Jeff had ever seen. Days, weeks, months, even years had gone by and still his father had been a mess. He’d been useless at work, with the animals, their crops, and even worse with his own children. For all intents and purposes, Eric had had to step up even then to help raise his two younger siblings, because their father hadn’t been able to do it.

  Eventually the guilt and shame combined with the sorrow and loss had ended up killing their old man as well. Then still wet behind the ears Eric had fallen in love and hard. He was still in high school when he proposed to his first wife Victoria. They’d been blissfully happy and married weeks after graduation. For a while Jeff that allowed himself to hope, but then death had come calling to Eric’s loving home; taking away his happiness as well. Victoria had died a horrifying death and Jeff had to look on and listen as his brother sobbed hysterically.

  If he lived to be a hundred he would never forget the look on Eric’s face when Madeline called him from the car to tell him the good news that her doctor had let her know she was ready for the in-vitro procedure they had been eagerly awaiting. A reckless teenager out for a joyride in his dad’s car had run her off the road while she was in the middle of that phone call and both men had heard her horrifying screams along with the screech of her tires as she tried in vain to bring the car under control.