Pay a visit to Caribou Crossing, the rustic, inviting Western town where broken hearts mend and new love takes root…
Dave Cousins, owner of the Wild Rose Inn, is known throughout Caribou Crossing as the nicest—and loneliest—guy in town. He’s had his heart broken more than once, and he’s determined not to let it happen again. So it’s no wonder he’s wary when a free-spirited drifter leaves him longing for more than just a steamy fling…
Like the wild goose tattooed on her shoulder, Cassidy Esperanza goes wherever the wind takes her. For her, a new day means a fresh start. And yet something about her days in Caribou Crossing—and nights with its handsome hotel owner—makes her think about staying a while. But when life takes an unexpected turn, her first instinct is to take flight once more. Is Dave strong enough to help them both face their fears, come to terms with the past, and believe that sometimes love truly can last a lifetime?
How many times had some well-intentioned relative or friend told him he needed to dip his toe in the dating waters, get back in the game, yada yada? He rejected their efforts at matchmaking and suffered through the curious gazes they gave to every female he even spoke to.
Didn’t they get it? He couldn’t imagine ever loving again. Besides, he’d been by Anita’s side from the time she got the diagnosis of terminal brain cancer until the day she died. Never, ever again, would he let himself be vulnerable to the shattering pain of loss. To the bitter anger against the world, himself, even the woman he loved but couldn’t save.
His heart clenched, the ache rose in his throat, and—
“Dave? You okay?” Warm fingers brushed his forearm, bare below the rolled-up sleeve of his lightweight denim shirt.
Cassidy. He breathed in, fresh air cleansing his throat, his chest.
“Yeah, sorry,” he said brusquely. Her voice, her touch had beaten back the darkness.
And now that he was back in the real world, he realized how disconcertingly good those soft fingers felt against his skin.
They’d reached the outskirts of town, which gave him an excuse to raise his arm so that her hand dropped. He pointed ahead. “That’s Westward Ho!—where I keep my horse.” The well-maintained wooden stable housed a couple dozen horses. Beside it was a red-roofed barn, and two white-railed paddocks provided space for the horses to stretch and socialize.
“That’s so cool, that you have your own horse.”
He shrugged. “Can’t imagine my life without a horse.”
“You’ve been riding since you were little?”
“Yeah, though I wasn’t a ranch kid, or into rodeo, like some of my friends. When I married Jessie, horses became a bigger part of life, and Robin lives and breathes them.”
“Handy that you can keep your horse in town.”
“Uh-huh,” he said as they walked into the stable. “I try to get out on Malibu at least every couple of days. When I can’t, Robin or one of the staff here exercises him for me.”
Dave greeted Eddy, the teenage girl whose dad owned the business, and introduced Cassidy. Leaving the two of them to deal with Cassidy’s paperwork, he and Merlin went out to the paddock to call Malibu. The palomino gelding came over, bobbing his head eagerly.
Dave went through the familiar ritual: tie his horse with cross ties, groom him and pick his hooves, then saddle and bridle him. By the time he was finished, Eddy’d got Cassidy up on the back of a pinto mare and given her refresher instructions on how to position her body, hold the reins, and give basic cues to her horse.
“You’re all set,” Eddy said. “Have fun.”
“Absolutely.” Cassidy beamed at the girl, then at Dave. “Lead on.”
Her smile really did have a way of lighting the day. And warming his blood.
They headed out on a quiet dirt road that led out of town, their horses walking side by side with Merlin springing happily along beside them. Cassidy looked relaxed and comfortable in the saddle. Did she fit in this easily wherever she went?
She bent forward to stroke her horse’s neck, the motion snugging her jeans even tighter against her firm butt. “This is Cherry Blossom, if you can believe it,” she said. “Eddy says she prefers to be called Cherry, and I can see why. You said your palomino is Malibu?”
“Yes. Named by the woman who owned him before me.”
“Suits him. Such a pretty boy.” Her gaze skimmed up from his horse to move across Dave’s torso and end up on his face, a hint of suggestive mischief in her eyes.
“Thanks.” He added quickly, to make it clear he wasn’t flirting, “On his behalf.”
Her lips squeezed together like she was holding back a smile. “How long will it take us to get to . . . what did Robin call it? Riders Boot Camp?”
“Yes, that’s the place her mom runs. It’s about ten miles by highway, only eight by the back roads and trails. It usually takes Robin and me about half an hour, but we move fast. Don’t know how much speed you’re up for.” He cocked an eyebrow.
“I’m up for pretty much anything.” Her striking blue-gray eyes danced, and he got the sense she didn’t just mean riding.
“Uh,” he said awkwardly, “we should let the horses warm up first.” The moment he said those words, he wondered if they could be taken sexually too. He was about to clarify, then figured that would only make things worse.
“Sure,” she said. “My muscles could use a little warming up too.”
Riding muscles, right?
Best to change the subject.
About the Author:
Award-winning, international best-selling author Susan Fox (who also writes as Savanna Fox and Susan Lyons) is a Pacific Northwester with homes in Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia. She has degrees in law and psychology, and has had a variety of careers, including perennial student, computer consultant, and legal editor. Fiction writer is by far her favorite, giving her an outlet to demonstrate her belief in the power of love, friendship, and a sense of humor. Visit her at her website.
Jennifer’s Review of Love Me Tender
Review (3.75 Stars): This is the fourth book in the Caribou Crossing series and even though I’m unfamiliar with the other titles, this romance is easy to follow along with. Dave and Cassidy were a very interesting couple because they were both afraid to open themselves up to love. Dave lost his “true love” to an illness and felt that love only comes once in your life, so since he had his opportunity, there wasn’t another woman that could take her place. He then focused all his time on his daughter and his hotel, The Wild Rose, and pretended that he didn’t need anything else in his life.
Cassidy, on the other hand, didn’t believe in love because she saw what happened to her parents and the pain that it caused her family growing up so she was out to just have a good time. Never stayed in any one place for too long and felt that true love wasn’t real. Her carefree attitude was her shield in life until she met Dave and he made her feel things that she wasn’t expecting. In her own way, she was looking for a home and a family that would be there when she needed them and she never realized that until that possibility was within her reach.
Love Me Tender was a sweet romance about two people who found love when they finally found the courage to open their hearts to it. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the love stories of characters that were mentioned throughout this book. Since this is the fourth title in the series, I have a lot of catching up to do and I know I will enjoy their stories as much as Dave and Cassidy’s.
Jennifer, thank you for featuring my book today – and thanks for the lovely review! I’m so glad you enjoyed “Love Me Tender.”
Thank you for hosting today!