Bare for You

By Lexxie Couper

Not all cowboys ride horses!

Bare for You, Book 4 in the bestselling Outback Skies series from award winning erotic romance author Lexxie Couper is a wild GLBT romance sure to keep you turning the pages. A scorching Australian outback romance between a deputy prime minister and an Australian stockman that will have you reaching for the ice.

Jeremy Craig is on the cusp of being named the deputy prime minister of Australia. Which means he’s got to play his cards right and stay deep in the closet. Australia is a lot of things, but there’s no way the country is ready for a gay prime minister. So far, it’s been an easy ruse to maintain. Until he meets Ryan Taylor. Then all bets are off.

Ryan is sick of the Brokeback Mountain jokes. For starters, he’s an Australian stockman, not an American cowboy. For another, he spends most of his working days alone in a helicopter, not on the back of a horse. As Wallaby Ridge’s only contract heli-musterer, he gets to escape any small-town scorn high in the sky. He’s happy up there. Lonely, but happy. Who needs passion and wild sexual pleasure in their life when they have the boundless skies of the Outback,right?

Then Jeremy Craig climbs into his chopper…

This contemporary erotic gay romance contains a sexy Australian stockman and helicopter pilot. Bare for You is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Previously Published: (2015) Samhain Publishing

• Language: English
• Publisher: Book Boutiques
• Release date: Jun 29, 2017
• ISBN: 9781946363398

Lexxie Couper

Lexxie Couper started writing when she was six and hasn't stopped since. She's not a deviant, but she does have a deviant's imagination and a desire to entertain readers with her words. Add the two together and you get erotic romances that can make you laugh, cry, shake with fear or tremble with desire. Sometimes all at once. When she's not submerged in the worlds she creates, Lexxie's life revolves around her family: a husband who thinks she's insane, an indoor cat who likes to stalk shadows, and her daughters, who both utterly captured her heart and changed her life forever. Contact Lexxie at [e-mail], follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lexxie_couper or visit her at www.lexxiecouper.com where she occasionally makes a fool of herself on her blog.

Book preview

George

Excerpt

The afternoon dragged on. For the first time in his life, Jeremy found himself wishing he were somewhere apart from an art gallery. It wasn’t that the artworks within the small building weren’t breathtaking and evocative. They were. Jeremy had always been fascinated with traditional Aboriginal art, and the works hanging in the Mutawintji Winds Gallery were some of the most mesmerizing he’d ever seen.

Nor was the gallery director—a woman with an obvious appreciation and respect for the indigenous artists represented within the walls of the building—boring or fatuous. Her knowledge of fine art and her sharp wit should have made for a highly entertaining, enriching afternoon. Her undeniable sensuality and subtle flirting should have provided Jeremy with the perfect moment to feed his reputation as a ladies’ man.

Even the mayor, now dressed in a short-sleeve shirt covered with Aboriginal dot paintings of emus, was pleasant to be around, mainly because he hardly uttered a word and deferred to everything Beverly Fisher said.

And yet Jeremy found himself fighting to not check his watch.

Constantly.

Finally, with afternoon tea eaten and the schedule for the official gallery opening discussed and finalized, Jeremy found himself stepping from the building into the late afternoon sun.

Dry heat wrapped around him with greedy haste. It wasn’t the extreme Outback weather that sent a prickling flush over his body, however.

Ryan waited for him directly outside the gallery, leaning against the wheel arch of his pickup. With ankles crossed, long legs looking like sin in snug denim and a blue-collared work shirt highlighting his physical perfection, it was all Jeremy could do not to cross to him and claim his lips with his own.

Levering himself from the pickup, the heli-musterer adjusted the placement of his Akubra on his head, his eyes hidden by dark sunglasses. Ready?

Deciding it was wiser to avoid responding until he had some control over himself, Jeremy turned to Barnaby Doyle now standing beside him. Thank you for the day, Mayor, he said, shaking the man’s sweaty hand. Are you joining me tomorrow on the trip to the Pandjikali community?

Doyle spluttered out a no. Official Wallaby Ridge business to attend to, he offered as an excuse, unable to meet Jeremy’s eyes.

Jeremy suspected the smile he gave the man was not the easygoing smile he was known for. I see, he said, reclaiming his hand from the shake. In that case, I will see you the day after for the gallery opening, yes?

Would you… Doyle fidgeted on the spot. That is to say, my wife and I would be honoured if you joined us for dinner this evening. It is no hassle to drive you back to Broken Downs after.

Drawing a slow breath, Jeremy let his smile turn apologetic. "Alas, like you, I have official government business to attend to."

The not-so-subtle jab at the mayor’s barely concealed racism was not Jeremy’s usually style.

Neither, however, was the undeniable, increasing urgency to be alone with a man he barely knew. And yet that’s exactly what was controlling Jeremy now. The desire to be alone with Ryan Taylor. In his pickup, in his chopper, in the air, hell, even on the ground out in the middle of whoop whoop. He didn’t care where. Just as long as he was in Ryan’s company with no one else around them.

No. Desire was the wrong term. It had moved beyond desire. It had become a compulsion.

Without another word to the mayor, Jeremy turned and walked to Ryan.

You sure you’re ready to go now? The slight twisting of Ryan’s lips told Jeremy the heli-musterer was teasing him.

He nodded, his pulse pounding in his throat.

He’d spent the afternoon with a semi hard-on. Now, with Ryan’s masculine scent seeping into his body via every breath he pulled, the semi quickly became a full-on erection.

Rigid and fully engorged in the time it took Ryan to open the passenger door of his pickup and hold it open for Jeremy. Then let’s get to it then.

Get to it.

God, Jeremy wished he knew for sure the getting to it Ryan spoke of was the same getting to it Jeremy hoped and ached for.

Bare for You

Outback Skies, Book 4

Lexxie Couper

Published 2017 by Book Boutiques.

ISBN: 978-1-946363-39-8

Copyright © 2017, Lexxie Couper.

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Book Boutiques.

This book is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, locales, or events is wholly coincidental. The names, characters, dialogue, and events in this book are from the author’s imagination and should not to be construed as real.

Manufactured in the USA.

Email [e-mail] with questions, or inquiries about Book Boutiques.

Blurb

Not all cowboys ride horses.

Jeremy Craig is on the cusp of being named the deputy prime minister of Australia. Which means he’s got to play his cards right and stay deep in the closet. Australia is a lot of things, but there’s no way the country is ready for a gay prime minister. So far, it’s been an easy ruse to maintain. Until he meets Ryan Taylor. Then all bets are off.

Ryan is sick of the Brokeback Mountain jokes. For starters, he’s an Australian stockman, not an American cowboy. For another, he spends most of his working days alone in a helicopter, not on the back of a horse. As Wallaby Ridge’s only contract heli-musterer, he gets to escape any small-town scorn high in the sky. He’s happy up there. Lonely, but happy. Who needs passion and wild sexual pleasure in their life when they have the boundless skies of the Outback, right?

Then Jeremy Craig climbs into his chopper…

Previously Published

(2015) Samhain Publishing

Dedication

For Jenna. My naughtier sister on the other side of the world.

Acknowledgements

Cover Artist: Valerie Tibbs, Tibbs Design

Chapter 1

"You ready to be a taxi service for a week, mate?"

Ryan Taylor looked up from his contemplation of his beer just in time to see Wallaby Ridge’s senior constable drop into the seat opposite him.

Shoving aside the not-so-cheery thoughts that had been plaguing him for the day, he gave Charlie Baynard a wild grin. Hell yeah. Who wouldn’t want to fly a pollie from the big smoke around for five days?

Charlie waved a hand at Lacky, letting the owner of the Outback Skies pub know he wanted his usual without actually saying a word. Instead, he laughed at Ryan. That pollie is the federal minister for the arts and culture, Mr. Taylor. And as one of our duly elected representatives, deserves your respect.

Ryan chuckled. Well, given that that duly elected representative is paying me three times what I’d normally make during a week-long mustering job, and I’m likely only going to be in the chopper three out of the five days, I’m going to give him all the respect I can.

Charlie let out his own chuckle. And by respect, I assume you mean…?

With a grin, Ryan raised his eyes to the slightly beaten dark brown Akubra on his head. Bring out my best hat, of course.

Taking his beer from Lacky, Charlie shook his head. I’d give anything to be a fly on the wall inside that chopper of yours this week.

You think the city boy’s going to have a cultural awakening?

If you call a gay heli-musterer cowboy who looks like Hugh Jackman flying him around the Outback for a week a cultural awakening, yep.

Ryan adjusted the hat on his head and winked. Hey, I’m just your typical Aussie bloke.

Charlie raised his beer, his lips twitching with a smirk. To typical Aussie blokes.

Raising his own beer, Ryan tapped the edge of his sweating glass to Charlie’s. To typical Aussie blokes.

Both men drank deeply for a silent moment. Around them, the sounds of the Outback Skies’ patrons—only a handful this early on a Friday afternoon—danced on the hot air.

Speaking of typical Aussie men— Charlie leant back in his seat, the handcuffs hanging on his hip chinking against each other, —how’s your love life?

Ryan snorted. One of these days, I’m going to get used to you and your blunt approach to conversation.

Charlie raised an expectant eyebrow and waited for an answer.

With a shake of his head, Ryan settled back in his own chair, adjusted his hat again and took another slow pull from his beer.

That good, eh?

Swiping at his lips with the back of his hand, Ryan laughed. Better than good. Last night I went to bed with Ryan Gosling. It was incredible.

Charlie burst out laughing. Ryan Gosling? That’s who floats your boat? I always had you pegged for a Brad Pitt man.

Ryan shook his head with a grin. Nope. Ryan Gosling. With glasses. Preferably the geeky kind. It’s the whole preppy, clean look that does it for me. It just makes me want to scruff ’em up. Get ’em real dirty and—

Okay, okay. Charlie raised his hand, laughing. You win. I’ll never ask about your love life again.

Ryan smirked at his friend over the rim of his glass. Chicken.

Who’s a chicken?

Turning his attention to the man joining them at the table, Ryan threw a sideways nod at Charlie. The senior constable here asked me about my love life.

Across the other side of the table, Dr. Matt Corvin paused mid-descent into the chair to shoot Charlie a look of melodramatic shock. I know you’re brave, Baynard, but that brave?

Charlie snorted. I bailed on the answer.

Nodding a thanks at Lacky as the pub owner deposited his normal beer in front of him, Matt settled himself into his seat. Not ready for the details? Chicken.

Charlie laughed. I’m not really sure how this conversation became about me and my lack of courage, but I think it’s time to steer it back to the subject at hand.

Raising his beer to his lips, Matt cocked an eyebrow. Which is?

The federal minister for the arts and culture, Charlie answered.

Ah, that’s right, the minister’s arriving this afternoon, isn’t he? Matt turned a cheeky grin on Ryan. And you’re flying him around for the week. Looking forward to that?

Ryan rolled his eyes. What is it with you blokes thinking the pollie and I are going to clash? I know how to behave myself, ya know. He flicked a quick glance to the brim of his hat hanging low over his forehead. Look? I even put my best hat on for the joker.

Charlie snorted. Matt laughed.

Grinning at them all, Ryan shifted his butt on the chair. If Evan was here, he’d tell you all to shut up. Fine time he picked to head off to the Big Smoke.

If Evan was here, Matt said, reaching for the peanuts sitting in a small bowl in the middle of the table, "he’d be the ringleader. Consider yourself lucky he’s not. Just out of interest, how is your love life? Are you seeing that guy from Dubbo again? The one who spelt out Ryan Taylor is hot with hay bales on his property?"

Charlie’s eyebrows shot up and he looked at Matt. How do you know about this bloke and I don’t?

Matt tossed a peanut into his mouth. I’m Ryan’s doctor, he said around the legume. I know everything.

With a chuckle, Ryan rose to his feet. And on that rather disturbing note, I’m outta here. The minister is touching down in about an hour, and I have to get the chopper ready to fly him out to Broken Downs. See you next week.

Before his mates could harass him further about Lyle, the Casanova from Dubbo, Ryan drained what was left of his beer