A Cowboy in Paradise Read online

  Her island nights are heating up!

  Losing her luggage was Jimi Calloway’s first clue that her friend’s Hawaiian destination wedding would be a nightmare. The fact that it’s at a ranch instead of on the beach and she’ll be “glamping”? It’s officially the Vacation from Hell. Until this city girl gets a glimpse of her smokin’-hot cowboy guide. Suddenly this vacation is looking up…

  Sure, Jimi’s designer wardrobe is lost somewhere over the ocean, but she’s too busy learning just how incredible—and incredibly wicked—“roughing it” with the sexy, rugged Dallas Wilde can be to care. Besides, it’s only a vacation fling… Only, no one warned Jimi how easy it was to fall for a cowboy in paradise.

  This filly was going to be a wild ride…

  Everything in Dallas wanted to resist Jimi, but as he stared down into her upturned eyes, he saw something in them. Passion. Excitement. Vulnerability. And something he couldn’t quite put his finger on, but he needed to find out what it was. Screw his rules. He’d rather be screwing her.

  Jimi looked up at him and laughed, a deep, seductive sound that flowed under his skin, running like hot lava about to erupt.

  “Anything to hog-tie and get you into bed, cowboy.”

  “No beds here—not fancy ones anyway. Just plain old cots.”

  She glanced at the cot and then back at him with a sexy grin. “I’m flexible.”

  “Now, that leaves room for interpretation, doesn’t it?”

  He continued to stare into her eyes as he lowered his face to hers. He lost himself in the feel of her. The taste of her lips on his and the sweet scent of her that seemed to surround him.

  How many times had they kissed today? For strangers, they were doing pretty damn good.

  And he wasn’t about to waste any time with her.

  Aloha, Dear Reader,

  We’re back in Hawaii! This time with a story of two completely opposite people. Jimi and Dallas come from very different backgrounds, or do they? How on earth will these night-and-day lovers ever make it work? Funny how a holiday romance can make you second-guess everything you hold most dear.

  Hawaii is wonderful and I’m thrilled it is a setting for another story. This time we’re on the Big Island. You’ll visit numerous places along the way as Jimi and Dallas start their whirlwind love affair. But can they work out their differences? What about when the past is dredged up for Dallas and he has to make a choice? Oh, it’s all so exciting! And Grant and Lana, from A Taste of Paradise, show up for a visit, too.

  I hope you enjoy your trip back to the island and fall in love with Jimi and Dallas as much as I did. Their chemistry is smoking hot, and no amount of rain from a hurricane can dampen their flames.

  Mahalo!

  Shana

  Shana Gray

  A Cowboy in Paradise

  Shana Gray is a contemporary and erotic romance author. First published in 2010, Shana has written for Harlequin, Headline Eternal Romance, Random House Loveswept, Sybarite Seductions, Lyrical Press (now Kensington) and Ellora’s Cave. Her scorching stories range from quickie length to longer romance novels. Her passion is to enjoy life. She loves to travel and see the world, be with family and friends, and experience the beauty that surrounds us. Many of her experiences find their way into her books. Visit her online at shanagray.com or at Twitter.com/shanagray_ and on Facebook.

  Books by Shana Gray

  Harlequin Blaze

  “More Than a Fling” in A Taste of Paradise

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  Acknowledgments

  Page Lambert and Amy Wight for helping me find just the right Western word.

  Lisa Gibson Brijeski for being a great beta reader.

  Deb Markanton for all the Hawaii info and making me drool with the photos. She’s also a fabulous sounding board.

  And thank you to the staff at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Big Island, Hawaii, for your help.

  Jenny Bullough for sparking an idea that found its way into this story.

  Dedication

  To my dad, Henry. He read A Taste of Paradise and I wish he was still here to read A Cowboy in Paradise. He passed away July 23, 2016, and has found his own ever-after paradise with Mom. Love you both always, xoxox.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Excerpt from Sizzling Summer Nights by Debbi Rawlins

  1

  JIMI CALLOWAY COULDN’T comprehend a destination wedding in Hawaii that wasn’t on a beach. The wedding was inland. On a ranch! No beach in sight. Her words echoed in her ears. Please just take care of the arrangements. Tell me when I have to be at the airport, she’d told Jose, her assistant, when the invitation had arrived a couple of months ago. Now she wished she’d not been so damn preoccupied with the finishing touches to her first commissioned gown for the Oscars and paid more attention to the finer details of this event.

  Jimi sweated under the hot Hawaiian sun. Raising her face to the sky, she closed her eyes and absorbed the sun’s energy. It was a whole lot better than dreary, gray and cold New York City. She got bumped from behind and nearly toppled off her Christian Louboutins.

  “Oh, pardon me,” Jimi said, and scampered not to sprawl into the dirt.

  “My apologies.” A heavyset man in a straw hat and tropical flowered shirt steadied her by grabbing hold of her elbow.

  Jimi gently pulled from his grasp. “It’s okay. No problem,” she said, smiling at him.

  She glanced down at her Chanel dress. It had held up pretty well until now, after the twelve-hour flight and the bus ride from the airport to this Hawaiian ranch. She swept her hand over the fabric—covered in dust and travel wrinkled—finally giving up when her sweaty palms smudged the dirt. Shit, her hair would be 1980s huge in this humidity. Trying to blow the damp tendrils out of her eyes, she watched the luxury coach drive away, stranding her in the boonies of the Big Island. She’d had enough of the farm life growing up on a commune. Jimi shivered—a time she didn’t particularly want to remember.

  And to top it all off, her suitcase was lost. Panic began to set in. How would she face the day without the suitcase that housed her full armor of makeup, clothing and essentials? A habit she’d started years ago, she couldn’t recall the last time she’d gone without makeup. Why hadn’t Diana chosen the Four Seasons to have her wedding instead of here? Jimi swung her gaze back to the lady ranch hand who had delivered the upsetting news about her suitcase. Out of habit, she eyed the young woman all decked out in cowgirl clothes. The cowgirl looked at Jimi with clear gray eyes and confidence. Jimi bet she didn’t have a worry in the world. She seemed so amazingly comfortable that Jimi almost envi
ed her. The woman shifted her feet and spurs jangled in the dust. Jimi glanced down at the impressively tooled creations.

  “Wow, I love your cowboy boots.”

  “Thank you.”

  They were great boots, with turquoise leather inlay and stitching. Jimi looked up and met the young woman’s eyes, doing her best to not let aggravation over her lost bag ruin the day.

  “I’m really sorry about your suitcase.”

  “It’s not your fault. I’m just thrown a little off-kilter by all this,” Jimi admitted.

  “I understand, but I’m sure it will arrive soon. My name is Larson and I’ll definitely keep an eye out for your bag.”

  Jimi nodded, trying not to let her disappointment show. She’d been looking forward to unwinding in Hawaii after the wedding. It was a treasured bit of time between moments of chaos. She so needed to decompress. Vacation time that had been almost impossible to carve out of her busy schedule, but she managed and had lived for these precious weeks in Hawaii. Twenty-one days of sleeping in, relaxing in a cabana by the pool or beach, spa treatments and hopefully a bit of man time.

  She’d been without a man’s touch for far too long and desperately needed some attention from the male species. She’d been so busy and the promise to design Diana’s dress was fit it in between the other orders. It was a beautiful creation.

  Diana’s dress! It was lost over the Pacific. In her suitcase. How would she ever explain this to her friend?

  “Aloha, folks! Welcome to Broken Creek Guest Ranch!”

  Jimi spun around, startled by the loud voice, which resonated in her chest like a loud bass drum. Deep, masculine and surprisingly seductive, it held a mild twang that completely caught her attention. Lost bags, Diana’s dress and wrong destination momentarily forgotten, Jimi sucked in a breath as she pinned her eyes on the owner of said voice. Struck dumb, she hadn’t expected to see such a hot cowboy. But of course there would be cowboys, right alongside cows, horses, flies and shit—a crazy mix next to the tropical foliage, beautiful blue skies and gorgeous flowers.

  Hello, Hawaiian Hottie!

  Jimi couldn’t stop staring at the man standing on the front porch of the rustic-looking building. His head almost brushed the overhang he was so tall. She’d never been so drawn at first glance to a man before; he oozed a dangerous sexuality that reached across the dusty ground and lit her like a sparkler. He. Was. Gorgeous. It was like he snagged her with a lasso and yanked it tight. Jimi caught her breath and placed her hand over her heart as it tripped into double time.

  This Hawaiian cowboy was large, muscled and tanned. He had it all going on. She smiled when she noticed the collar of his Western-style shirt. The pattern on the fabric was a ring of deep red hibiscus flowers. Only here could he get away with that. Her mind tumbled over itself as she considered ways she might be able to get this devilishly sexy cowboy on his own. Had a silver lining just appeared on the clouds of doom?

  Jimi crossed her arms and hugged herself to keep from trembling, unable to drag her gaze away from him. She wasn’t opposed to a holiday fling—preferably at a five-star hotel with butlers, vintage wine and gourmet dining and not on a ranch. Finally being able to afford the finer things, she’d become accustomed to them. Something told her this smoking-hot cowboy would transplant well and be a sweet distraction. As long as he showered.

  She nodded to herself. She’d be able to make do for a short time without her bag. Seeing this delectable male specimen made her realize how travel weary she must look. The urge to step behind the cowgirl to hide herself made her shuffle backward without looking away from him.

  His gaze swung through the crowd as he continued with his welcome. Then his attention fell on her. Jimi’s feet froze and she was rooted to the spot—as if the dirt reached up and grabbed her ankles. Good Lord, he was too gorgeous for words. All Jimi’s thoughts fled when a big, wide smile curved on his tanned face. He was clean shaven, but his dark hair was long, ruffling over his shoulders. Her belly fluttered—something she’d not experienced in...oh, ever. Unable to see his eyes, shadowed by the brim of his hat, made him all that much more enigmatic. She wanted him. Bad.

  Her blood rushed and her arousal for him nearly made her swoon. She held her breath, enjoying the rare sensation as desire swept through her. The sun came out from behind a cloud, and Jimi raised her hand to shield her eyes from the glare so she could see him.

  He seemed to be looking directly at her and she smiled. Did he smile at her? His gaze lingered a little bit and then moved on. The break in their connection was surprisingly disappointing.

  “There’s some grub waiting for you in the dining room, and once y’all fill your bellies the luggage will be in the change rooms.”

  He pointed and she turned to the beautiful log building with paned windows and a wide front porch. Rocking chairs sat at the ready and there were even hitching posts and water troughs. Just like in classic Western movies. “There you can get on your riding gear while your horses are saddled and then we’ll make our way—”

  “Um, excuse me.” Jimi raised her hand and waggled her fingers. “Did you say horses?” she blurted.

  The cowboy placed a booted foot on the mounting block. Yes, she’d ridden and knew the lingo. She’d been a fairly decent rider, having grown up with horses on the commune, but fashion and makeup were her escape from that into a new and exciting world. Far from her impoverished growing up. His smile widened and he pushed his hat back on his forehead with his thumb. He leaned over and rested his forearm on his knee. She watched every move he made. Utterly mesmerized. His jeans tightened nicely over his thighs and hips. A flash of silver at his waist drew her attention to the monstrosity of a belt buckle and her gaze drifted lower until she realized she was gaping at his—

  “You got that right, ma’am.”

  Jimi pulled her gaze away from his tempting bulge to his face and felt a flush grow on her cheeks. Had he caught her staring at his very manly package? She nearly groaned at the possibility and glanced around feeling uncomfortable that everyone was now staring at her like she’d grown a second head. She braced herself, expecting laughter to explode around her. Seemed it didn’t matter how old you were—the insecurities from childhood could rush back at the most inopportune moment.

  Squaring her shoulders, Jimi turned back to the cowboy. “I’m sorry, but I’m here for the McCain Scott wedding?”

  “You’re in the right place.”

  Her heart sank. “But this is for a destination wedding.” Jimi waved her hand, indicating the miles of meadows beyond the very neat and tidy buildings. “There’s n-no beach.” She felt her cheeks flush hotter at the scattered laughter behind her. She wished the ground would break open and swallow her up.

  “We have a beach on the property, ma’am. It’s just a long way away from here.” Not only was his drawl sexy and deep, she heard a compassion in his voice that made her feel a tiny bit better.

  “S-so, no beach wedding?” she said, and immediately wished she’d not asked the inane question which, of course, she already knew the answer to.

  He shook his head and smiled again at her. He was totally charming and sincere, giving no hint he was making fun of her. Jimi relaxed somewhat at his calm tone. “Not right now, no.”

  She clamped her mouth shut, determined not to ask any more dumb questions. God, she’d really made a mess of things. If only she’d handled the arrangements herself, not passing them off. All she knew was the wedding was in Hawaii, with most arrangements made by the bride and groom. Guests provided their details, booked their own flights and hotel for after the wedding, with the suggestion of staying at the Four Seasons.

  “In about an hour we’ll ride up to the camp. Your luggage will be in the tents when you get there.” He stood and hooked his thumbs into the pockets of his jeans. “Enjoy your meal and we’ll gather at the barn across the yard.”<
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  Ride, tents? Jimi nearly screeched with building frustration but bit her lip. Panicked, she looked around at the other guests, clearly the only one who thought this whole trip to a Hawaiian ranch was a bad idea. The silver lining of only moments before had suddenly turned very dark and stormy.

  She wanted to bolt right back down the road they’d just driven up but, seeing the dust settle from the long-gone bus, knew that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. Desperation overwhelmed her and she had to fight back the dread starting to set in. When tears sprang to her eyes, she was horrified. Jimi blinked furiously to stop any tear leakage that would further embarrass her not to mention smudge her mascara. She had to be here, though, for Diana.

  Jimi straightened her back and drew in a shaky breath. She had no idea how she was going to face Diana or make do without any clothes, toiletries and the like. Somehow, she’d just have to man up. Surely there would be some kind of shop here where she could get the basics until her bag arrived. Fuck.

  * * *

  DALLAS WAS AT home in the saddle, and he was happy with the posse of wedding guests riding behind him. He’d never get enough of seeing all the excited faces when they stepped off the bus. It didn’t matter how many years he’d been doing this, it never got old. Sharing his love of Hawaii, his ranch and all aspects of it was what he’d been born for. The Wilde family had been running this spread for over a century. Dallas looked at it as being a custodian of the land, honoring it as best he could. A caretaker. He was proud of his heritage and he’d encouraged his father and siblings to open their ranch to the public, to share with others. He hadn’t been wrong and their business of eco-camping had really taken flight. Only this trip wasn’t eco-camping. It was glamping. He shook his head ruefully. Glamping, of all things!

  He thought of the blonde woman. She didn’t fit the normal Broken Creek guest profile. When he’d first laid eyes on her he’d nearly forgotten his memorized speech. The wind had blown her hair across her face and she’d swept it away with slender fingers. Elegance had oozed from her and he could hardly imagine her holidaying at a ranch let alone riding a horse. That aside, he’d checked her out, from the tip of her sunny blond head, down her lean and fit body to her long and shapely legs, which he’d love to have wrapped around his hips.