The Twins' Rodeo Rider Read online

  BREAKING ALL THE RULES

  Suz Hawthorne was always a rebel. But falling for Navy SEAL Cisco Grant—when Bridesmaids Creek legend already chose him as destined for another woman—borders on sedition. For a small Texas town that depends on its romantic reputation, flouting local lore is disastrous. Now, Suz’s renegade heart could cost her the family ranch, and the town its livelihood.

  Cisco knows he and Suz are meant for each other, and the twin babies they’re expecting are the only kind of magic he cares about. No one ever tried to cheat the Bridesmaids Creek charm before, but Cisco believes in doing things the old-fashioned way...his way. Can he preserve the town’s fabled tradition and still win the woman he loves?

  “If I kiss you, I probably won’t like it.”

  Suz winked. “And then what motivation do I have to win the race? I’d just toss you back into the pond for Daisy.”

  Cisco drew back, startled. “That wouldn’t be good.”

  Suz nodded. “It could be horrible. You could be a wet kisser. Eww.”

  “I really don’t think I am.” His ego took a small dent.

  “You could be a licky kisser.”

  “Pretty sure I’m just right, like Goldilock’s bed,” he said, his ego somewhere down around his boots and flailing like a leaf on the ground in the breeze.

  “I don’t know,” Suz said thoughtfully. “Friends don’t let friends kiss friends.”

  “I’m not that good of a friend.”

  “You really want a kiss, don’t you?”

  He perked up at these heartening words that seemed to portend a softening in her stance. “I sure do.”

  “Hope you get someone to kiss you one day, then. See you around, Cisco.”

  Dear Reader,

  Our visit to Bridesmaids Creek continues! In The Twins’ Rodeo Rider, Cisco Grant (Frog to his fellow SEALs) is determined to win Suz Hawthorne, but the town’s magic seems determined to pair him with wild child Daisy Donovan. Yet Suz is just far too tempting for this red-blooded cowboy, and there’s not enough magic in the world to convince him that his heart should feel otherwise. In the small town that was made for matchmaking, there’s always a few turns on the journey to love—which Cisco learns along the way!

  I hope you enjoy Suz and Cisco’s story, and I hope you’ll plan on visiting for the last book in the Bridesmaids Creek series, The Cowboy SEAL’s Triplets.

  Best wishes always,

  Tina Leonard

  THE TWINS’

  RODEO RIDER

  Tina Leonard

  Tina Leonard is a USA TODAY bestselling and award-winning author of more than fifty projects, including several popular miniseries for the Harlequin American Romance line. Known for bad-boy heroes and smart, adventurous heroines, her books have made the USA TODAY, Waldenbooks, Ingram and Nielsen BookScan bestseller lists. Born on a military base, Tina lived in many states before eventually marrying the boy who did her crayon printing for her in the first grade. You can visit her at tinaleonard.com, and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

  Books by Tina Leonard

  Harlequin American Romance

  Bridesmaids Creek

  The Rebel Cowboy’s Quadruplets

  The Seal’s Holiday Babies

  Callahan Cowboys

  A Callhan Wedding

  The Renegade Cowboy Returns

  The Cowboy Soldier’s Sons

  Christmas in Texas

  “Christmas Baby Blessings”

  A Callahan’s Outlaw’s Twins

  His Callahan Bride’s Baby

  Branded by Callahan

  Callahan Cowboy Triplets

  A Callahan Christmas Miracle

  Her Callahan Family Man

  Sweet Callahan Homecoming

  Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.

  Many thanks to the many wonderful readers who so faithfully support my work. I appreciate you more than I can ever say!

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Epilogue

  Excerpt

  Chapter One

  Francisco Rodriguez Olivier Grant stared at the very petite, very darling woman dressing him down. Suz Hawthorne giving a man hell was an impressive sight despite her five foot two and a half inch size, due to the streaky blue-in-blond hair, strategically placed cheek studs, a tiny diamond stud in her nose and a miniscule silver loop in her right eyebrow. Though they were small and delicately designed, her tats spoke loudly of her rebel status—a fragile red rose on one wrist, and a beautiful, delicate Celtic cross on the other. When a man adored a woman like he adored Suz, being in her line of fire was enough to nail a man’s boots to the ground—and his boots were nailed down good.

  “Here’s the deal, so pay attention.” Suz put her hands on her rounded, feminine hips, guiding his eyes farther down her oh-so-delicious body. Well, he just knew her body would feel delicious—if he could get his hands on it.

  “I’m paying close attention.”

  “All right. I can’t bring myself to call you Frog like everybody else does. I’ve never seen a man look less frog-like or toadly in my life. There’s nothing amphibious about you, beyond your ability to swim.”

  He started to say, “I don’t care what you call me as long as you call me,” then realized that would sound desperate. Or something. “Thanks.”

  “Good. I’m glad that’s settled.”

  Suz’s brain was a wonder to contemplate, and right now, operating about two gears faster than his. Mainly because he was sidelined by what he belatedly recognized as surefire, 100 percent lust. “What’s settled?”

  “Your name.”

  He grinned at the sweet-’n’-sassy bombshell, who was disarming him completely. “You’re going to call me Francisco Rodriguez Olivier Grant every time you speak to me?”

  “No. From now on, you’re just Cisco.”

  He took that in.

  “Perhaps your silence means you’re not crazy about that. But Frog just isn’t working for me.”

  “Fine. I don’t care. Address me as Santa Claus if you want.” He got his swagger back and then some, kind of impressed that she wanted to call him Cisco. There were probably any number of legendary hanging, swinging badasses that had been called Cisco over time.

  Not so many named Frog. He’d been named Frog courtesy of his SEAL brothers, because he could outswim just about every man around.

  “Frog” was fine under certain conditions. But when a man wanted a woman thinking about him—and a dynamite package like Suz most particularly—it was probably better to be a Cisco.

  “Now that we have that settled, you’re going to escort me to the upcoming Bridesmaids Creek swim.”

  “The newly christened Cisco feels like he’s missing a bit of info. We just had a swim for Jade Harper and Ty Spurlock, which is why they’re married, according to the tenets of the fabled charm, right? As I recall, I swam that race pretty quickly.”
And he was none too pleased, because the way the rumor mill worked in Bridesmaids Creek, the prize for winning the swim was the woman waiting on the banks at the finish line.

  The woman at the finish line that day had been Daisy Donovan, and a more annoying wild woman he’d never had the bad luck to come across.

  He wanted Suz. Not Daisy.

  But supposedly the legend, charm, magic—whatever you wanted to call it—of Bridesmaids Creek had never, ever misfired. Daisy definitely thought she was his—and was convinced enough of that fact that lately he’d been considering taking himself to parts very far away from the small, family-centered town.

  “Yes, your swim was impressive. But another one is scheduled. I’ve decided to challenge Daisy for you.”

  This was news he could use. “Really?”

  Suz nodded. “Yes.”

  “Does the charm work that way?” He scarcely dared to hope.

  “We don’t know. In your case, we’re calling it an evil spell. You might say we’re messing with our own potion here in BC.” Suz looked thoughtful. “It’s very experimental. Frankly, we don’t know what could happen if we sidestep the legend.”

  “Well, I won’t be going off with Daisy,” he said cheerfully.

  “Or you could fall head over heels in love with her. As I mentioned, we’ve never tinkered with our town mysteries before.”

  He felt some hope. “So, you want to win me, huh?” He resisted the urge to stick out his chest, show off his pecs, showcase himself a little.

  “Not really, but I drew short straw.” Suz got into her truck, completely unaware she’d just flattened his ego. “Ladies don’t swim the race. It’s the man’s job to win his female. Or so we’ve always assumed. It’s been this way dating back to the early days of Bridesmaids Creek.”

  He gulped. “You mean I’ll be standing on the banks waiting for the winner to win me?”

  “Exactly.”

  That scared the hell out of him. Suz was diminutive, while Daisy was more...well, Daisy was mean and beautiful and hotheaded. Looked pretty athletic, too, as she raced up and down the main drag on her motorcycle.

  “Can’t I just say I don’t believe in voodoo and ghosts and crap, and it’ll blow over?” The thought gave him hope. “I could just ignore it and it might go away. Or Daisy might find another guy.”

  “She’s got her sights set right on you. And just so you know, we don’t do voodoo in BC. We have magic.” Suz started the engine. “I learned to swim in the sixth grade, and though I really haven’t done more than dog-paddle in years, it’s got to be like falling off a bike, right?”

  Oh, boy. “Cisco” smiled, felt a bit pained and wondered how he’d come to land in a town that was, as his friend Ty said—that same Ty who’d convinced him to come to Bridesmaids Creek—a town full of carneys and soothsayers all selling the BC shtick.

  Yet if he hadn’t come to BC to help the locals breathe new life into BC, he would have never met the amazing, gifted, full-lipped, daunting Suz Hawthorne. And that would’ve been a shame. Even if she didn’t seem to reciprocate his feelings, he was certain this radioactive doll had his name all over her. Reserved especially for him. “Do me a favor. Since I’m agreeing to escort you.”

  “Name it.”

  “Kiss me.” He leaned close to the window to give her prime access.

  “Why would I want to do that?” Suz’s blue eyes widened.

  “Because I have nice lips. Or so I’ve been told. Pucker up, dollface.”

  “I don’t pucker for anyone who calls me ‘dollface,’ unless you want me to look like I bit into a grapefruit. Now that kind of pucker may be available to you.”

  He laughed. “So much sass, so little honesty.”

  She sniffed. “I’m trying to save you, cowboy, not romance you. Don’t confuse this.”

  “No kiss? I really feel like I need to know if you’re the woman of my dreams, if you’re determined to win me. And a kiss tells all.”

  “Oh, wow.” Suz looked incredulous. “You really let that line out of your mouth?”

  “Slid out easily. Come on, cupcake.” He closed some distance between her face and his in case she changed her mind. Strike while the branding iron was hot was a very worthwhile strategy. It was in fact his favorite strategy.

  “If I kiss you, I probably won’t like it. And then what motivation do I have to win the race? I’d just toss you back into the pond for Daisy.”

  He drew back, startled. “That wouldn’t be good.”

  Suz nodded. “It could be horrible. You could be a wet kisser. Eww.”

  “I really don’t think I am.” His ego took a small dent.

  “You could be a licky-kisser.”

  “Pretty sure I’m just right, like Goldilock’s bed,” he said, his ego somewhere down around his boots and flailing like a leaf in the breeze.

  “I don’t know,” Suz said thoughtfully. “Friends don’t let friends kiss friends.”

  “I’m not that good of a friend.”

  “You really want a kiss, don’t you?”

  He perked up at these heartening words that seemed to portend a softening in her stance. “I sure do.”

  “Hope you get someone to kiss you one day, then. See you around, Cisco. And don’t forget, one week until the swim!”

  “Hey!” He stopped her from driving off. “How am I supposed to get you in shape in a week?”

  Suz raised a brow. “In shape for what?”

  “Winning me?”

  She winked. “I’m off to The Wedding Diner to eat a piece of four-layer chocolate cake Jane Chatham promised to hold back for me. I guess you’ll have to cross today off your list for training.”

  She drove away, her angelic smile doing nothing to ease his trauma. Suz wasn’t trying very hard, as far as he could tell. Somehow she’d gotten roped into this race—short straw indeed—and obviously had no plans to seriously go for the win.

  Which meant his Daisy problem was still alive and well. Frog—no, Cisco, because that’s who Suz decreed he was, and he was fine with whatever she wanted—decided he was going to have to make sure that he was absolutely, 100 percent, the gold buckle of bachelors she just couldn’t live without winning.

  * * *

  CISCO WAS BUSILY plotting how to best tempt Suz into putting some real effort into winning him—as much effort as she’d put into going off for chocolate cake—when the familiar roar of Daisy Donovan’s motorcycle disrupted him. The siren brunette with long chocolate locks pulled up beside him and slipped off her helmet. Daisy was a heart attack on wheels and she knew it. The thing was, she had a very dark side, courtesy of her old man, Robert Donovan, who’d haunted this town for years trying to run it into the ground so he could take over the real estate.

  Ty Spurlock had brought Cisco, Justin Morant, Squint Mathison and Sam Barr to town on a bride hunt, to help repopulate the town and fortify it against Robert’s manipulations. Justin had fallen first, for Mackenzie Hawthorne, becoming a father to her four darling quadruplet sweethearts. Then Ty had fallen into his own trap—and no one much saw him these days between his deployments and loving on Jade Harper Spurlock and their twin tiny dolls.

  The real kicker was that their buddy Squint had a thing for Daisy. He was just positive her brand of wild child needed him for taming. For some reason, Daisy never looked his way. She preferred instead to cast her lure for a frog—well, a Cisco. He looked at the long-legged brunette with the sexy-devil smile cautiously.

  “Hi, Daisy.”

  “Hello, lover boy.”

  He winced. “Nice January day, huh?”

  Daisy laughed. “You’re cute when you’re nervous.”

  “I’m not nervous.” He drew himself up. A navy SEAL did not get nervous over brunettes who ripped up the road on motorcycles and tried to
tie you down.

  Okay, maybe a little nervous. Just because of the tying down thing.

  “If you’re not nervous, kiss me.”

  She gave him a sultry look that singed his toes. He felt his boots smoking. “I’d better not. It’s probably bad luck to kiss before the big swim,” he said.

  “If you don’t want to get lucky, fine by me.”

  His throat dried out. He could practically feel sweat pouring out from underneath his hat, when it was a perfectly frigid twenty degrees Fahrenheit outside. “I’m late to meet Squint and Sam. See you, Daisy.”

  “Hey.”

  He stopped and, looking at her, his heart wadded into a knot. “Yes?”

  “If you change your mind about getting lucky, I’ll be around.”

  He tipped his hat, hurried off. Her motorcycle roared, and she headed in the opposite direction. Relief ran all over him as he went to find Sam and Squint.

  His buddies were parked in Sheriff Dennis McAdams’s office, kicking back, having a good jaw with the sheriff. Sam and Dennis grinned hugely at him, while Squint glared.

  “We saw you accosting Daisy out there,” Sam said. “Squint’s jealous.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I was doing.” Cisco tossed himself into a chair. “Did you also see me chatting up Suz?”

  “No, we didn’t see that.” Dennis looked pleased, lounging behind his wide wood desk that had seen many, many years of boot heels resting on it. “Well, we might have seen you trying to get very close to our Suz, but from here, it looked to us like she backed away in a hurry. A real, real hurry.”

  The men laughed—except for Squint. “Hey, brother,” Cisco said, “if you want Daisy so badly, please take her off my hands. By all means.”

  That would allow him to concentrate on Suz, which was his preeminent goal.

  Squint frowned. “She seems to prefer Frog legs.”

  Frog legs, nothing! He held up a hand. “Cisco is the name, boys.”

  “Since when?” Dennis palmed through some papers. “I don’t have any paperwork here stating such.”