Wound Tight: A Rough Riders/Blacktop Cowboys Crossover Read online

  Wound Tight

  A Rough Riders/Blacktop Cowboys® Crossover

  By Lorelei James

  1001 Dark Nights

  Wound Tight

  A Rough Riders/Blacktop Cowboys® Crossover

  By Lorelei James

  1001 Dark Nights

  Copyright 2018 LJLA, LLC

  ISBN: 978-1-948050-30-2

  Foreword: Copyright 2014 M. J. Rose

  Published by Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is solely coincidental.

  Book Description

  Wound Tight

  A Rough Riders/Blacktop Cowboys® Crossover

  By Lorelei James

  From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lorelei James comes a new story in her Rough Riders/Blacktop Cowboys® series…

  A May-December romance hotter than the 4th of July…

  Bull rider Justin Donohue spent his youth hell-bent on winning world championships. After hitting the big 4-0, Justin takes a job at the Grade A Ranch and Rodeo School, where he immediately locks horns (and lips) with the sexy, sassy Callie—a 22-year-old cowgirl set on seducing him. Discovering their age difference doesn’t deter Callie; neither does Justin’s warning that she deserves more than a busted-up former rodeo cowboy.

  From the moment Callie Morgan encounters the hot-as-fire new ranch hand, she knows his gruff manner is an attempt to mask his attraction to her. But she’s never backed down from a challenge, especially not when Justin’s actions speak louder than his denials. Callie doesn’t give a damn that he’s older than her or what others might think of their relationship. The uptight cowboy needs to relax and she’ll do whatever it takes to loosen him up, proving there are no age restrictions when it comes to lust…or to falling in love.

  **Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

  About Lorelei James

  Lorelei James is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary erotic romances in the Rough Riders, Blacktop Cowboys, Mastered, Rough Riders Legacy and Need You series. She also writes dark, gritty mysteries under the name Lori Armstrong and her books have won the Shamus Award and the Willa Cather Literary Award. She lives in western South Dakota.

  Connect with Lorelei in the following places:

  Website

  Facebook

  Twitter

  Instagram

  Facebook Reader Discussion Group

  Newsletter

  Also From Lorelei James

  Click to purchase

  Rough Riders Series – Erotic Western Romance

  LONG HARD RIDE

  RODE HARD

  COWGIRL UP AND RIDE

  TIED UP, TIED DOWN

  ROUGH, RAW AND READY

  STRONG SILENT TYPE (free novella)

  BRANDED AS TROUBLE

  SHOULDA BEEN A COWBOY

  ALL JACKED UP

  RAISING KANE

  SLOW RIDE (short story)

  COWGIRLS DON’T CRY

  CHASIN’ EIGHT

  COWBOY CASANOVA

  KISSIN’ TELL

  GONE COUNTRY

  SHORT RIDES (anthology)

  REDNECK ROMEO

  COWBOY TAKE ME AWAY

  LONG TIME GONE (novella)

  Rough Riders Legacy Series – Contemporary New Adult Romance

  UNBREAK MY HEART

  PIECE OF MY HEART (FALL 2018)

  Blacktop Cowboys® Series – Western Romance

  CORRALLED

  SADDLED AND SPURRED

  WRANGLED AND TANGLED

  ONE NIGHT RODEO

  TURN AND BURN

  HILLBILLY ROCKSTAR

  ROPED IN (novella)

  STRIPPED DOWN (novella)

  WRAPPED AND STRAPPED

  HANG TOUGH

  TRIPPED OUT (novella)

  RACKED AND STACKED

  WOUND TIGHT (novella)

  SPUN OUT (AUGUST 2019)

  Want You Series – Contemporary Romance

  I WANT YOU BACK (APRIL 2019)

  Mastered Series – Erotic Romance

  BOUND

  UNWOUND

  SCHOOLED (digital only novella)

  UNRAVELED

  CAGED

  Need You Series – Contemporary Romance

  WHAT YOU NEED

  JUST WHAT I NEEDED

  ALL YOU NEED

  WHEN I NEED YOU

  Single Title Novels

  RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL – Erotic Suspense

  DIRTY DEEDS – Contemporary Romance

  Wild West Boys Series – Contemporary Romance

  MISTRESS CHRISTMAS (novella)

  MISS FIRECRACKER (novella)

  Single Title Novellas

  LOST IN YOU (short novella) – Contemporary Romance

  WICKED GARDEN – Erotic Romance

  BALLROOM BLITZ – Contemporary Romance

  Mystery Novels Written As Lori Armstrong

  Julie Collins Series – Private Eye Mystery

  BLOOD TIES

  HALLOWED GROUND

  SHALLOW GRAVE

  SNOW BLIND

  DEAD FLOWERS (novella)

  BAITED (novella)

  Mercy Gunderson Series –Mystery/Thriller

  NO MERCY

  MERCY KILL

  MERCILESS

  DOUBLE SHOT OF MERCY – Short Stories coming fall 2018

  Acknowledgments from the Author

  This book is dedicated to my BFF/PA/Cheerleader for team LJ and author whisperer, Kim O’Connor – Happy Birthday!! (and I’m not dedicating this to you just because I haven’t sent your birthday gift yet). There’d be no love story for Callie and Justin if not for your brainstorming help last year when you said…whatever happened to Justin Donohue? Doesn’t he deserve a happily-ever-after? Add in Callie Morgan, a much younger, very feisty character we last saw at age four, and BOOM—this May-December romance was born. Thank you, Kim, not just for helping me with this idea, but for the love and support you give me personally and professionally every single day. I hope I never have to do without it…XOXO

  To the always fabulous, amazing, stupendous Liz Berry – thanks for your patience and friendship during what’s been a rough year for me. Your generosity continues to astound me and I’m still blown away that I get to call you a friend and that I’m a beach babe for life!

  To the 1001 Dark Nights/Evil Eye team—MJ Rose, Kim G., Jillian Stein—another one in the books! Happy to be part of this amazing project!

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection One

  Click here to explore

  FOREVER WICKED by Shayla Black

  CRIMSON TWILIGHT by Heather Graham

  CAPTURED IN SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  SILENT BITE: A SCANGUARDS WEDDING by Tina Folsom

  DUNGEON GAMES by Lexi Blake

  AZAGOTH by Larissa Ione

  NEED YOU NOW by Lisa Renee Jones

  SHOW ME, BABY by Cherise Sinclair

  ROPED IN by Lorelei James

  TEMPTED BY MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian

  THE FLAME by Ch
ristopher Rice

  CARESS OF DARKNESS by Julie Kenner

  Also from 1001 Dark Nights

  TAME ME by J. Kenner

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Two

  Click here to explore

  WICKED WOLF by Carrie Ann Ryan

  WHEN IRISH EYES ARE HAUNTING by Heather Graham

  EASY WITH YOU by Kristen Proby

  MASTER OF FREEDOM by Cherise Sinclair

  CARESS OF PLEASURE by Julie Kenner

  ADORED by Lexi Blake

  HADES by Larissa Ione

  RAVAGED by Elisabeth Naughton

  DREAM OF YOU by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  STRIPPED DOWN by Lorelei James

  RAGE/KILLIAN by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright

  DRAGON KING by Donna Grant

  PURE WICKED by Shayla Black

  HARD AS STEEL by Laura Kaye

  STROKE OF MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian

  ALL HALLOWS EVE by Heather Graham

  KISS THE FLAME by Christopher Rice

  DARING HER LOVE by Melissa Foster

  TEASED by Rebecca Zanetti

  THE PROMISE OF SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  Also from 1001 Dark Nights

  THE SURRENDER GATE By Christopher Rice

  SERVICING THE TARGET By Cherise Sinclair

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Three

  Click here to explore

  HIDDEN INK by Carrie Ann Ryan

  BLOOD ON THE BAYOU by Heather Graham

  SEARCHING FOR MINE by Jennifer Probst

  DANCE OF DESIRE by Christopher Rice

  ROUGH RHYTHM by Tessa Bailey

  DEVOTED by Lexi Blake

  Z by Larissa Ione

  FALLING UNDER YOU by Laurelin Paige

  EASY FOR KEEPS by Kristen Proby

  UNCHAINED by Elisabeth Naughton

  HARD TO SERVE by Laura Kaye

  DRAGON FEVER by Donna Grant

  KAYDEN/SIMON by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright

  STRUNG UP by Lorelei James

  MIDNIGHT UNTAMED by Lara Adrian

  TRICKED by Rebecca Zanetti

  DIRTY WICKED by Shayla Black

  THE ONLY ONE by Lauren Blakely

  SWEET SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Four

  Click here to explore

  ROCK CHICK REAWAKENING by Kristen Ashley

  ADORING INK by Carrie Ann Ryan

  SWEET RIVALRY by K. Bromberg

  SHADE'S LADY by Joanna Wylde

  RAZR by Larissa Ione

  ARRANGED by Lexi Blake

  TANGLED by Rebecca Zanetti

  HOLD ME by J. Kenner

  SOMEHOW, SOME WAY by Jennifer Probst

  TOO CLOSE TO CALL by Tessa Bailey

  HUNTED by Elisabeth Naughton

  EYES ON YOU by Laura Kaye

  BLADE by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright

  DRAGON BURN by Donna Grant

  TRIPPED OUT by Lorelei James

  STUD FINDER by Lauren Blakely

  MIDNIGHT UNLEASHED by Lara Adrian

  HALLOW BE THE HAUNT by Heather Graham

  DIRTY FILTHY FIX by Laurelin Paige

  THE BED MATE by Kendall Ryan

  PRINCE ROMAN by CD Reiss

  NO RESERVATIONS by Kristen Proby

  DAWN OF SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  Also from 1001 Dark Nights

  TEMPT ME by J. Kenner

  Sign up for the 1001 Dark Nights Newsletter

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  As a bonus, all subscribers will receive a free copy of

  Discovery Bundle Three

  Featuring stories by

  Sidney Bristol, Darcy Burke, T. Gephart

  Stacey Kennedy, Adriana Locke

  JB Salsbury, and Erika Wilde

  Table of Contents

  Book Description

  About Lorelei James

  Also from Lorelei James

  Acknowledgments from the Author

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection One

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Two

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Three

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Four

  Foreword

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Epilogue

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Five

  Discover the World of 1001 Dark Nights

  Discover More Lorelei James

  An excerpt from Racked and Stacked by Lorelei James

  Special Thanks

  One Thousand and One Dark Nights

  Once upon a time, in the future…

  I was a student fascinated with stories and learning.

  I studied philosophy, poetry, history, the occult, and

  the art and science of love and magic. I had a vast

  library at my father’s home and collected thousands

  of volumes of fantastic tales.

  I learned all about ancient races and bygone

  times. About myths and legends and dreams of all

  people through the millennium. And the more I read

  the stronger my imagination grew until I discovered

  that I was able to travel into the stories... to actually

  become part of them.

  I wish I could say that I listened to my teacher

  and respected my gift, as I ought to have. If I had, I

  would not be telling you this tale now.

  But I was foolhardy and confused, showing off

  with bravery.

  One afternoon, curious about the myth of the

  Arabian Nights, I traveled back to ancient Persia to

  see for myself if it was true that every day Shahryar

  (Persian: شهريار, “king”) married a new virgin, and then

  sent yesterday's wife to be beheaded. It was written

  and I had read, that by the time he met Scheherazade,

  the vizier's daughter, he’d killed one thousand

  women.

  Something went wrong with my efforts. I arrived

  in the midst of the story and somehow exchanged

  places with Scheherazade – a phenomena that had

  never occurred before and that still to this day, I

  cannot explain.

  Now I am trapped in that ancient past. I have

  taken on Scheherazade’s life and the only way I can

  protect myself and stay alive is to do what she did to

  protect herself and stay alive.

  Every night the King calls for me and listens as I spin tales.

  And when the evening ends and dawn breaks, I stop at a

  point that leaves him breathless and yearning for more.

  And so the King spares my life for one more day, so that

  he might hear the rest of my dark tale.

  As soon as I finish a story... I begin a new

  one... like the one that you, dear reader, have before

  you now.

  Prologue

  From that first deep thrust, Justin Donohue knew he was a goner.

  A goner.

  Totally gone for this girl.

  If he kept going…he’d never want to leave the tight, wet heat of her body.

  That’s what she wants. She’ll get her hooks in you and never let go.

  The warning too soon, too young got louder and louder, drowning out everything else.

  A burning sensation squeezed his lungs, expanding until he feared it’d tear him apart.

  I can’t breathe. Why the fuck can’t I breathe?

  Then he made the mistake of looking into Callie’s eyes.r />
  Something more than lust shone back at him.

  Hope.

  He blinked, trying to erase the expression he’d seen on her face, praying he’d misread it.

  But at second glance, it hadn’t changed.

  It’d intensified.

  Not that. Give me any look but that one. I’m not the man you think I am.

  “Justin,” she said softly. “Don’t.”

  “I can’t do this.”

  “Wait—”

  But he didn’t. He pulled out of her abruptly and scrambled off the bed.

  Immediately the heat and urgency that had driven him to this point morphed into a cold sweat and he started to shake.

  He found his clothes and dressed quickly, silently begging her to let him escape without discussing what a spectacular fuck-up this was.

  It doesn’t have to be. You can fix it.

  Don’t second-guess yourself. Just go.

  When he heard her inhale, he braced himself.

  “You’re leaving?”

  Justin gave her a curt nod and reached for his hat.

  “Fucking me was that much of a disappointment?” she demanded.

  “One thrust isn’t fucking, Callie.”

  “What we were doing before that one non-fucking thrust…doesn’t count?”

  Justin lifted his chin. “All of it counts—”

  “Don’t say it,” she warned.

  “—as one big mistake,” he finished.

  “You don’t mean that.”

  He didn’t know what the fuck he meant. Or what he wanted…except to get out of here so he could breathe. So he could think. Maybe then he could silence the voices warring inside his head.