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Wild Heart
Wild Heart
Wild Heart
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Wild Heart

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Colton Hartley was the youngest of the three Hartley men and possibly the most rowdy, and to the opposite sex, the most gorgeous. In the past six months his behaviour had been getting worse and those who loved him, didn't know how to help.
Colt had a secret and it had long ebony hair and grey eyes.
No matter how hard he tried Elaina wouldn't give him the time of day. She was beautiful, sassy and completely immune to Colton's charm. He could have any woman he wanted, but one, and it was driving him crazy. What Colt didn't know, is Elaina had secrets of her own.

Other books in the 'Wild' series

Wild Obsession
Wild Rush
Wild Heart
Micah Rush
Hartley's Crush
Wild Desire (Coming soon)

LanguageEnglish
PublisherL. R. Wards
Release dateMar 7, 2012
ISBN9781465949820
Wild Heart
Author

L. R. Wards

L. R. Wards was born in Germany on a Canadian air force base. After travelling all over Europe, her family settled in Canada. First on the West Coast, and then on the East Coast. She now resides in Northern Canada with her husband and spends her days reading, writing and looking after her animals on her farm.

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    Book preview

    Wild Heart - L. R. Wards

    Wild Heart

    By L. R. Wards

    Smashwords Edition

    Copyright 2012 L. R. Wards

    Smashwords Edition, License Notes

    This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only and may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

    This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

    Books in the Wild Series

    Wild Obsession

    Wild Rush

    Wild Heart

    Micah Rush

    Hartley’s Crush

    PROLOGUE

    Colt sat up quickly on the side of his bed and wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. He slept in the raw, but still managed to sweat like he was wearing a fur coat. That dream again! His eyes sought out the red glow of his digital clock and he cursed. It was only three in the morning. That goddamn dream woke him up at least twice a night. It was no wonder he drank so much.

    A noise came from the corner of the room and he shifted his gaze to his English mastiff, Peter, who was cocking his head and staring at him in confusion.

    Same old shit, boy. Colt sighed, placing his elbows on his knees and bending his head to run his fingers through his hair.

    Peter let out a huff and laid his head back on his massive paws while staring at him with dark brown droopy eyes. He was used to this routine from his master and obviously accepted the explanation. There was nothing to worry about for now.

    Colt shook his head at his dog—a dog that should be outside with the rest, but Peter was smarter than most and had managed to find a spot in Colton’s bedroom since he was a pup. Not even Colt could ignore those sagging, pathetic eyes when they begged to stay. It didn’t help that at the time, Peter was about eight weeks old and all paws and floppy ears, making him completely irresistible. Now Peter was three years old and full-grown – in fact, he was huge. Hell, he probably weighed more than Colt did.

    Tossing the blankets off his lap, Colt got up and walked to the washroom while scratching below his belly button. He flicked on the light and stared at his reflection in the mirror, noticing his bloodshot eyes.

    Ah hell, he said aloud to himself. This wasn’t getting any better. The dreams used to wake him up once a week or so, then once a night. Now it was at least twice a night with no sign of letting up. After using the toilet, he splashed some cold water on his face, ran his fingers through his messy hair again, and went back to bed. Something would have to be done about this or he was going to lose his mind.

    Sprawling his large, naked body back across his mattress, he left the covers tossed aside and stacked his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. Why the hell did these dreams plague him? As far as he was concerned, the matter was out of his hands, yet he still felt guilty. Because of it, he’d spent too many nights screwing women with whom he would never risk a relationship. They all started looking the same, acting the same, and feeling the same. It was getting old and he was unhappy.

    He cursed again and turned his head to look out the window. The moon shone through the parted curtains, illuminating part of the bed and his broad chest. Something wonderful about living out in the country was the beauty of the night skies. He wouldn’t trade it for the world—well, there was maybe one thing, but he had to keep that one to himself for now.

    CHAPTER ONE

    The deep bellow of laughter reached her ears again. It was noisy in the bar, but that table was quite rowdy tonight.

    Elaina was no stranger to this crowd. She’d been working here for a while now and could handle them most times. Well, maybe except that table where the deep laughter came from. Almost as if on cue, her coworker seemed to hear her thoughts and spoke up.

    Elaina, that large hunk of a cowboy is in your section again.

    Elaina glanced at the slender blond, who was now turning around to lean her elbows back on the bar so she could appraise him. Unrestrained admiration was clearly displayed on her face.

    Yeah, Leslie, he’s hard to miss, she stated with forced disinterest.

    Leslie was talking about the six-foot-four-inch hunk of muscle that always showed up on the weekends. If his height didn’t get your attention, his boyish looks adorned with a masculine dimpled smile, straight white teeth and dark blond hair sure would. Then there was his charm—charm that didn’t work on Elaina. She had built up some immunity to it, or so she kept telling herself. Anyway, it was more than likely that he was there to aggravate her. From Leslie’s reaction, he was succeeding.

    Leslie made a sound that someone enjoying a delicious meal would make as her eyes slowly slid down his large form. I’d like me some of that.

    Leslie was one of the barmaids with whom she usually worked. The girl was new to town and Elaina didn’t quite know what to make of her just yet. She tossed a quick look over her shoulder at the rowdy group of men, her eyes following the same downward movement Leslie’s did, but more briskly and no emotion showed on her face while she did it.

    "How I would looove a piece of that," Leslie repeated, slowly enunciating every word this time.

    Leslie was obviously fishing for some reaction from her, so she gave her one. Get in line, Elaina mumbled, but her comment seemed to go unheard. Leslie was thoroughly involved with ogling Colton Hartley. Truthfully, she didn’t blame Leslie at all.

    That would be a line I’d be willing to wait in. I wonder if he’s single. She grinned, flicking her eyes to Elaina. Not that it would stop me.

    Elaina looked back at Leslie and barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes—not at Leslie herself, but at the entire situation. It didn’t surprise her how Leslie reacted to that particular customer—all women seemed to react the same way. However, unlike herself, Leslie was new and didn’t know about Colt’s reputation with women. Very single, Elaina told her, knowing where this would go.

    That’s good news, Leslie said, focusing on the handsome cowboy again. Look how he bulges in all the right places. She licked her lips while moving her eyes down to the area of his jeans that showed off his gender. "Lord help me, does he ever."

    Oh yuck, Elaina thought to herself, wishing some people would just keep their thoughts to themselves. He’s always single. I’m warning you, Leslie, he’s not into commitments.

    I don’t care, Leslie sang out, winking and tossing her shoulder-length blond hair flirtatiously while turning toward her coworker. Let me take their order to them. Please. She fluttered her lashes.

    It’s all yours, Elaina said, gratefully pushing the tray full of drinks toward the other woman. She’d already been there half a dozen times and every time it was the same thing: Colt tried to talk to her, and the one named Darcy tried to grab her bottom. She’d been able to evade both of them so far, but was getting tired of the routine. She was pleasant as usual because she had to be for her job, but she wasn’t going to fall all over herself like the other women in here, including the four that suddenly appeared at the table as soon as Colton had entered the building.

    I’ll owe you, Leslie told her, taking the tray and heading toward the table with an exaggerated sway of her hips. Leslie was nice to her so Elaina tried not to judge her too harshly. The girl wore clothes that were way too tight, but it helped her bring in tips. Her hair was bleached blond, but Elaina thought Leslie would look much nicer if she’d stayed a brunette with those green eyes. Oddly enough, even though she didn’t dress like Leslie or do much with her hair, Elaina still made more tips than her

    Tonight, Elaina was wearing a knee-length black skirt and pink blouse. Her ebony hair was pulled back in a ponytail, which she did purposely, so when some drunk cowboy spilled his drink on her, it wouldn’t get sticky. Washing stale beer out of your hair wasn’t a pleasant task, and neither was working with that smell in it all night. She’d done that more than once over the past six months since she’d started working here.

    Leslie, on the other hand, was wearing a tight white tank top and short denim skirt. She was slender so it suited her, but Elaina could never bring herself to dress like that. She needed the tips too, but she had some sense of pride and didn’t want to be looked at like a piece of meat.

    Elaina shook her head, watching Leslie bend over in front of Colt and display her already too-revealing chest through her low-cut top while she set the drinks on the table. He was interested as usual. It never ceased to amaze her why women went out of their way to impress men like Colton Hartley. He was such a rounder and Elaina knew firsthand just what he was capable of doing.

    You okay, baby? the bartender asked, seeing her frown.

    Elaina pasted a false smile on her face and nodded. Fine, Lenny, I’m just tired is all. She wanted to ask him not to call her that pet name. It felt too intimate to her. As far as she was concerned, her boss didn’t know her on that level, but he seemed to use it more and more lately. She’d begun to wonder if he was attracted to her in some way. That was too bad, really, because she wasn’t interested in him. He was nice enough and not homely, but she really wasn’t interested in a relationship at this point in her life. Men were trouble, period.

    He nodded toward the group, where Leslie was still flirting. She seems to have settled in well.

    Maybe too well, she thought. Again, she chastised herself for being judgmental. Not too long ago, she was that person trying to impress a good-looking charismatic man, but she’d never do it again. We have a lot of friendly folks around here, she answered absently.

    Lenny studied her expression for a few seconds before he spoke. Elaina never said anything bad about anyone, even if it was well deserved, and he respected her for it. Well, as long as Colton doesn’t wreck the bar again, I don’t care what she does as long as it keeps the orders coming, he said, shaking his head. That man is volatile as hell when he drinks and gets riled.

    That was true, even though Elaina didn’t say so out loud. She took her order and left, her eyes quickly glancing at Leslie, who was still flirting outrageously with Colton. She couldn’t help but huff in disgust. He was grinning from ear to ear with that heart-emulsifying charm while Leslie was pretty darn close to sitting in his lap. Elaina knew she wouldn’t have to say anything to Leslie in warning. Lenny would take care of it.

    Lenny was a big man, not muscular like Colton, but he could be quite intimidating to people who didn’t know him. He was around six-foot-five or -six, and Colton was just a few inches shorter than he was, yet if they both stood side by side, people would probably choose to fight Lenny over Colt. Unlike Len, Colt was used to fighting and something about him warned people off when he got angry.

    Elaina remembered that someone once told her it was like getting struck with a sledgehammer when Colt had hit him, then he didn’t remember a thing. Moreover, Colton had a look about him that said he welcomed a challenge and he would most likely win it. It wasn’t just the fearlessness in his eyes, his whole physique was a warning—he was solid muscle. In contrast, Lenny would rather reason with someone before he knocked their teeth out. It probably had something to do with the bar as well. Sal’s Country and Western Stopover had been his father’s place and Lenny had inherited it when he died. He wasn’t about to wreck his livelihood.

    Unfortunately, Colton had no problem destroying the establishment that Lenny’s father had built. However, he was wealthy and always gave the proprietor more than what the damage was worth. To top it off, Lance, his older brother, was a lawyer, and a damn good one. He could talk just about anyone out of a lawsuit, which had come in handy many times over for his little brother.

    Her eyes went back to Len. It was odd for the son of a Sicilian immigrant to own a country & western bar. He didn’t even drink, but he’d said time and time again that it was a living.

    Elaina didn’t drink either. She’d had a bad experience because of it when she was nineteen. It was something she’d never told anyone, not even her mother, who was the closest to her heart. She didn’t have any brothers or sisters, so besides a few close friends, she was pretty much a loner. Even her close friends had never heard her secret.

    So let me ask you something, Lenny began when she returned to the bar to fill another order.

    She shook her head and told him what the order was instead.

    He chuckled and started to pour drinks. You don’t even know what I was going to say.

    I do so, she said, giving him a slight smile as she took the bourbon and the two beers he put on the counter. She lifted her tray on her hand and turned to leave, then paused and looked back at Lenny. You were going to ask me why I don’t fall all over myself for Colton Hartley. I don’t because I have more self-respect than to endure a one night stand that will get me nowhere. As you already know, I don’t have time in my life—even if it worked out—because of my mother. And lastly, what makes you think he’d fall for me? He has his pick, she said, motioning toward Leslie, who was still outrageously flirting with Colt. Then she turned away to deliver the latest round of drinks. Of course she knew what Lenny was going to ask—everyone she worked with had asked her that question at some point or another.

    Lenny watched Elaina move away through the crowd and frowned. She actually did know what he was going to say. Maybe she got asked that pretty often. If he thought he’d have a chance with Elaina, he’d try his luck. In fact, every man in the place had done so at least once.

    Ever since he’d hired her six months ago, Elaina had been asked out by every single male patron and at least two women. Lenny chuckled at that last thought. However, Elaina was adamant that she didn’t want a relationship or a man. He believed her because of Colt.

    Although Colt seemed to always sit in her section and always have his eyes on her when she was near, she didn’t seem affected his presence. Every other woman within sight was, even Leslie, who he’d heard begging Elaina a moment ago for that table and who hadn’t returned from it yet. She was bending over with her elbows planted on the table

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