Pressure Point: Rhinestone Cowgirls, #3

By Rhonda Lee Carver

Emerald ‘Em’ Stone wakes up in bed, but not the one she expected. 

Lying next to her is a naked cowboy and she isn’t sure how he got there. Slipping back into her wrinkled bridesmaid dress, she starts her plan into action. She has somewhere to be and no time for a cowboy, even if he is wickedly sexy from head to toe. 

Nash Walters is wearing only his hat and a five o’clock shadow when a disgruntled Em takes him hostage. She plans to steal a horse and he becomes her unwilling, and very naked, accomplice. The blanket he finds buried in the truck fits him like a skirt, but at least his jewels are covered. 

He knew from the start the youngest Stone sister was nothin’ but trouble, and he has time to think it over when she lands him in jail. He isn’t sure if he wants to spread Em over his knee and spank her or kiss the hell out of her. She is the most infuriating woman he’s ever come across, and yet he can’t get enough. 

Em is perfectly naughty and strong-willed, and has no plans of changing. She swore off men and relationships, simply because no man is capable of handling her—until Nash. He has life by the balls and he’s aiming to settle down, start a family, and when he sets his sights on Em, she isn’t sure if she should run far away or into his wide, accepting arms. 

Can Nash tame the beautiful Stone sister? Or will she bring him to his knees? 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rhonda Lee Carver
• Release date: Feb 5, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524237653

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

EMERALD STONE AWOKE to warmth against her hip. She snuggled deeper into the inviting nest as prickles feathered across the back of her thigh, tickling her. She whimpered in protest, scratched her leg, and rolled to her stomach.

Her blankets had grown hair. The bed had turned lumpy and the sun’s rays were unusually bright coming through the bedroom window. Had she forgotten to shut the blinds?

Squeezing her lids tightly, she groaned in irritation, refusing to give in to the restlessness. She wasn’t ready to welcome the day. After last night’s shindig, her temples ached and her tongue felt like a cotton ball. Her stomach gurgled loudly in validation that she’d drunk too much—way too much. However, it wasn’t every day her sister got married.

Yup, she’d definitely need another good three or four hours before she faced the world.

Throwing one arm over her head, she welcomed another sexy dream of a cowboy. Not just any cowboy either, but one in particular. Nash Walters. She’d had no idea her next door neighbor had those kind of moves...on the dance floor.

She smiled and started to drift. Birds chirped loudly. Were they right above her head?

Go away, she mumbled. Who let a bird in the house? If her sisters did this as a joke, Em would pay them back tenfold!

The downshift drumming of a truck engine sounded on the lane and the distant hum of a lawnmower vibrated her eardrums. The strong scent of freshly mowed grass floated under her nose—and something else....

Shifting to her side, she threw her leg over the body pillow. Rubbing her cheek against the surface, she expected softness and the scent of fresh rain fabric softener. Instead, her favorite pillow smelled like spice and leather, felt hard—and had a heartbeat.

A heartbeat?

Every muscle in her body tensed.

What had she done? Scrolling through the fuzzy memories of last night, she thought over each one. Dancing...drinking...laughing.  Nash naked.

A naked Nash?

Oh no!

Slowly lifting a finger, she jabbed her pillow. Pillows don’t have nipples! And they don’t moan when poked.

Cocking one eye open, she stared into an explicit, bright sky.

Sky?

She jerked up as her heart skipped a good ten beats. Where the hell am I? she whispered.

Another deep moan sounded from beside her. She closed her eyes shut. This must be a dream. Counting to ten, forward then backward, she finally opened her eyes. Oh shit! The stark reality that she wasn’t alone smacked her in the face. She wasn’t at home in her bed. She was in the bed of her truck, a horse blanket covering her, with the horse trailer hitched to the back.

Panic crawled down her spine as she peeked over her shoulder. Her mouth fell open and her skin scorched. Lying beside her, stretched out in all his fine, naked glory...Nash Walters.

She jerked her chin away as a scream worked its way up her throat and she slammed her mouth closed. Her stomach twisted and her head swirled. A breeze swept over her, cooling her arms and shoulders. She realized she wasn’t wearing anything on top except for the scratchy blanket. Holding her breath, she peeked underneath. Thank God! She wasn’t completely naked! Good sign, at least she hoped. She still wore her strapless bra and panties—a small relief under the circumstances.

However, the mystery remained. Why was Nash laying naked in the bed of her truck, sleeping beside her?

She buried her forehead in her palm, forcing her mind down each grueling memory of last night again. She waded through the paths of her brain and the aching at her temples. After Pearl and DJ had married in a small, backyard ceremony at Rhinestone, the guests celebrated with a roasted pig over the fire while a local country band played on a makeshift stage. There were two kegs of beer and a cocktail bar.  Then she remembered dancing most of the night with Nash.

After a few too many, she’d needed to get away to sober up.

A whimper fell from her lips. They’d ended up here at the pond.

Oh damn!

Truth, and a hangover, made the throbbing in her temples turn into an agonizing pain.

Breathing in and out, calming her nerves, she knew she didn’t sleep—as in have sex— with Nash. No. Possible. Way. He was nice to look at, but not her type. She glanced at him, just to confirm this fact. Wow...yes, he did have a nice body.

Tearing her eyes away, she fanned her face.

The last thing she remembered...they were skinny dipping in the pond. They were laughing about something...oh, that he’d lost his boxers at the bottom of the water. Then he’d kissed her.

A nice kiss that had left her body craving more. Her inner thighs warmed even now.

Damn! Did the kiss lead to more and she somehow blocked it out?

She looked at Nash again.

He still wore his worn black Stetson lowered over his eyes and his unshaven jaw jutted out. She ticked her gaze over his tanned, smooth chest and flat, pink nipples. Finally to his flat stomach and...Holy mother of all that is good! He was hard—unbelievably hard. From what she could remember, erections weren’t unusual for men first thing in the morning, but not every man could relate to having that ‘big’ of a problem.

She turned away, embarrassment—and excitement—flooding her.

They didn’t have sex! There’d be evidence, chafing at least. She dropped a hand between her thighs. Nope, no indication of foul play. She blew a relieved breath through tight lips.

Then a thought came to her.

What if he wore a condom? He better have damn well worn a condom if they were intimate! She scanned the bed of the truck. No used condom in sight. She didn’t feel any better.

How would she get out of this with the least amount of emotional and mental shrapnel?

Whatever, she just had to get it over with—quickly.

Scooting to her knees, she shook his shoulder. He moaned and grumbled.

Nash! Wake up! she whispered. No one besides the two of them would hear so lowering her voice didn’t make sense. Nash!

He jerked and rubbed his jaw. The raspy sound of his stubble made the hair stand on the back of her neck. Now was not the time to imagine beard rash on her body!

Wake up! She stood, dragging the blanket with her, holding it tight against her body as she gently nudged his arm with her toe.

What the hell? He pushed his hat back on his head and sat up, staring up at her with squinty eyes. Who are you? His husky voice would have been sexy any other time.

Seriously? Get up! She jumped off the open tailgate. The dew still covered the grass and wetted her bare feet. She darted a glance at the sky and, gauging by the position of the sun, guessed it was almost eight.

She had a feeling she missed something...

Damn! The horse trailer was hitched to the truck for a reason. She scanned the grass, looking for her clothes, or anything to cover her besides the itchy blanket. Where the hell are they?

Where the hell is what? Nash mumbled.

Get out of my truck! I have someplace to be! She shot him an annoyed glance. A look of disbelief marred his sluggish features.

Am I having a nightmare? He rubbed his eyes.

She sighed and irritation needled through her patience. Tolerance didn’t come easy with a hangover and a load of embarrassment to boot. Her gaze naturally fell to a part of him that still saluted the sky. Can’t you control that part of your body? She forced her gaze upward, swearing she’d never look again.

He glanced down and chuckled. This is some mess, huh? Should I say I still respect you?

Her nipples tingled, making her anger triple. We didn’t do anything! she snapped.

Are you sure? One thick brow came up.

Very sure. She shook her head, turned away, and went back to looking for the bridesmaid dress she’d worn at the wedding.

Yeah, I wouldn’t go there.

She gritted her teeth. "And I wouldn’t go there either."

It didn’t seem that way last night, he teased. You were as hot as a Texas mid-summer afternoon. You were definitely interested.

I’m sure I was back when I was sixteen. Boys do nothing for me now. Her frustration grew as she looked at him. Why couldn’t she help herself?

You sure didn’t mind this boy when we were dancing. He knuckled his hat and his eyes sparkled as blue as the sky. What do they call those dance moves? Dirty dancing? You became a female version of Patrick Swayze.

Her lips thinned. I don’t have time for this. For the last time, get out of my truck! She couldn’t even look at him without warmth squirreling its way down her spine. Rounding the corner to the passenger side of the truck, she looked through the open window, spotting her dress and cowboy boots on the floorboard. Thank goodness she’d planned ahead...a little.

Throwing the blanket on the ground, she grabbed the dress and shook it out, wrinkling her nose. The satin material was now a mass of wrinkles. She had no other choice but to slip into the strapless dress and zip it. She tugged on her boots, smoothed her dress the best she could and went back to make sure the trailer was safely hitched to the truck.

Movement caught her attention. She looked up to see Nash still in the truck, and still very much uncovered. Do you not understand what I’m saying? I’ve got to go.

As you wish, darlin’. Although, would you care for another skinny dip this morning? He stood up. The man didn’t have an ounce of modesty. I think I’ll take a quick one, ya know, to ease the frustration. He pointed at his erection.

Do something with it. She groaned deep in her chest, keeping her eyes on his twinkling gaze.

Chuckling, he moved out of the truck. She wanted to resist the temptation of admiring him as he walked through the grass—really, she didn’t want to look—but the sight was impossible to ignore. She had a good reason for watching, needing to prove to herself that his body wasn’t perfect.

Nash had definitely gone from a boy to a man over the last few years. Dang, when did this happen? Wide, strapping shoulders—a cattle rancher’s shoulders. Lean hips and long legs. A nice, muscular ass. Yep, he was in shape. She could confirm that he didn’t have an ounce of fat. But nobody was perfect. Everyone had flaws. His were hidden in his personality. He had an ego.  A huge one.

Giving her head a quick shake, she dislodged thoughts of Nash’s body.

The Walters’ cowboys could turn many heads. Once upon a time, she’d had a crush on his older brother, Jobe, but that fizzled before it went anywhere. Although Jobe had danced with her once last night, Em had a feeling he had an eye on Ruby Stone, Em’s cousin who had come to town for the wedding.

And Em had enjoyed herself with Nash. They’d had a great time. Skinny dipped. Talked. Apparently wiped out from the festivities, she’d fallen asleep. That was all.

Where the hell are my clothes? he yelled from close to the pond’s edge.

Don’t ask me. I didn’t take them off. She shrugged and headed toward the driver’s side of the truck, happy to find the keys left in the engine.

Where are you going? Nash stomped toward the passenger side and jerked open the door. A glare darkened his features.

Like I said, I have someplace to be. She met his gaze. Starting the engine, she put the gear into drive. Shut the door.

So be it. He slid in, wearing nothing but a scowl and a five o’clock shadow, and slammed the door.

What are you doing? Get out, she screamed, pointing toward the door.

Hell no. My clothes are gone and if your dad catches me on his property buck naked, he’s going to shoot me.

You can’t go with me, she mumbled.

The hell I can’t.

Realizing he wasn’t going anywhere, she shrugged. Fine, suit yourself, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. Pressing the gas pedal, she jetted out of the grassy spot near the pond and pulled onto the narrow lane, heading toward the main road. The trailer bounced across the ruts in the road as she picked up speed. The truck’s shocks creaked. Nash’s stare heated her profile. What? Why are you looking at me like that?

What the fuck are you doing, woman? He held onto the dashboard. You’re going to wreck a perfectly good trailer if you keep driving like you’ve lost your marbles. Slow the hell down!

I have to be somewhere. Ten minutes ago. She did take heed and reduced the speed. She didn’t like him, but she didn’t want to kill him in an accident.

Take me back and help me find my clothes. He was fully awake now.

She caught a glance of him. Hair tumbled into dark, finger-combed waves. A layer of beard that promised heavenly skin rash on sensitive parts. A body that declared he was a hard working cowboy. His hat sat cockeyed on his lap, and she was glad he had covered up his jewels.

He was a tall drink of water, but it was Nash of all people. He annoyed the spit out of her when they were kids. And she wasn’t interested. Not just in him, but no one. She’d made a promise to herself that she would steer clear of relationships, even dating. But admiring wouldn’t hurt. I don’t have time to take you back to the pond.

What are you talking about? I’m naked, Emerald. Take me back or take me home! he demanded. His glare turned fierce.

Not going to happen. The best I can do is let you off here and you can walk home. She slammed on the brake. The tires crunched on the gravel and the trailer creaked as they came to a stop.

He pushed off the dashboard, appearing a bit white around his mouth. The hat had shifted. I’d have to walk a half mile to get home, naked. I’d end up getting locked up for indecent exposure. His jaw hardened.

Em tightened her hold on the steering wheel, not daring to drop her gaze southward on his body, although it proved difficult. It didn’t help that he wasn’t the least bit self-conscious as he slipped on his seatbelt and stretched his legs on the floorboard. Okay, I’ll let you stay in the truck, but you can’t be in here like that. She pointed a finger at his package.

Then I advise you to take me back for my clothes or, better yet, drop me off at home.

I’m going the opposite direction and I don’t have time for you or this conversation. She pushed the pedal down and the tires kicked up gravel. She pulled out onto the main road.

That’s the wrong direction.

Maybe for you, but not for me. She wished she could tone him out. She had other things she needed to think about besides his complaining—and his naked body.

He sighed heavily. Damn it, Emerald! Do you always have to be so complicated?

Do you always have to call me Emerald? she snapped.

It’s your name, he growled.

Em is my name. Or Miss Stone will work. And will you please cover yourself up. It took a lot of discipline not to steal glances every few minutes.

With what? My hands? He rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Try the hat again.

He picked up the hat and put it on his head. I’m sorry. Am I making you uncomfortable? What happened to the blanket you had in the truck bed?

I tossed it onto the grass back at the pond. Look behind the seat. There has to be something in here.

He swiveled and lifted on one knee, his ass right there, close to her face. She lifted a hand and held it up as a screen. The leather rustled and creaked under his weight as he plopped back into the seat. You can look now. Exasperation filled his voice.

Dropping her hand to her thigh, she saw he’d found something. You’re in luck.

This is the only thing I could find. He held up a red and black checkered fleece blanket.

Then use it. She turned right onto a back road.

He tossed the blanket over his lap. What is so damn pressing that you couldn’t drop me off?

I told you. I wasn’t going that direction. She rolled her eyes.

My ranch is next door to yours. He sighed. I’m beginning to think you like having me naked in your truck.

She shot him an annoyed look. Some of the harshness of his expression eased. Look, I have to get to the ranch before the hands do. If I don’t, it’ll be too late and I’ll have missed my opportunity—my only opportunity. This isn’t how I planned for this to happen. But as for me liking you naked, I can assure you I don’t like you with or without clothes. She tossed her hair over one shoulder, catching a glimpse of herself in the rearview mirror. She winced. The pretty ringlets in her hair yesterday were now