Mellie's Cowboy [Men of McKenna Downs 1] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Read online

  Men of McKenna Downs 1

  Mellie’s Cowboy

  Troubled by her past, Melanie Laurie leaves Boston and takes a job as a housekeeper for five men in the small town of McKenna Downs, South Dakota. She finds the dinky cowpoke town on the Great Plains fascinating with its ménage relationships, but there’s something different about the place that no one seems ready to divulge. On the way to her new job she gives a hunky cowboy a ride so he can return a stray calf to its owner, not realizing he’s one of her bosses.

  Jake O'Neil takes one look at the curvy sweetheart and knows that she's the one for him, his three brothers, Greyson, Hunter, and Emmett, and their ranch hand, Diego Sanchez. All he has to do is convince the woman he's dubbed Mellie that he wants her as more than just the maid.

  Unbeknownst to them, a stalker looms in the shadows, determined that Melanie will be his.

  Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Western/Cowboys

  Length: 40,236 words

  MELLIE’S COWBOY

  Men of McKenna Downs 1

  Zoey Marcel

  LOVEXTREME FOREVER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

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  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  IMPRINT: LoveXtreme Forever

  MELLIE’S COWBOY

  Copyright © 2014 by Zoey Marcel

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-62741-290-2

  First E-book Publication: March 2014

  Cover design by Harris Channing

  All art and logo copyright © 2014 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  Letter to Readers

  Dear Readers,

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  www.SirenPublishing.com

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  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  About the Author

  MELLIE’S COWBOY

  Men of McKenna Downs 1

  ZOEY MARCEL

  Copyright © 2014

  Chapter One

  Melanie Laurie drove down the long, lonesome highway that was flanked on either side by an endless sea of golden prairie grass. She had the top down on her yellow Beetle Bug as she relished the cool caress of the wind on her face. The vigorous way it blew through her hair wasn’t reflected in the gentle way the breeze swept through the grass, causing it to ripple like the waves of an ocean.

  Eddie Vedder’s “Hard Sun” blared on the radio, and a sign told her that McKenna Downs was only about twenty miles ahead. This was her first time in South Dakota, but so far she liked it rather well. The landscape was diverse and the sun felt warm on her back despite the cold slap of wind in her face.

  It was something of a trip driving through the Great Plains after spending five years on the East Coast, but beauty had many faces.

  So did disappointment, she’d learned. She had two failed relationships to her name. One boyfriend had been verbally abusive while the other boyfriend had been something else entirely.

  Disappointment she could live with, but guilt and empathy kept her from despising either man.

  That was behind her. Hopefully this new job she’d taken as a housekeeper to five men would be just what she needed. Money, a change of scene, and plans for the future would help her move forward and put the past behind her.

  A big smile spread across her face when she saw a brown-and-white calf walking along the side of the road as he munched casually on grass.

  She blinked when she saw something she’d never seen in Massachusetts. It was a tall, muscled cowboy, or at least she assumed he was with those leather cowboy boots and the shiny silver belt buckle he had on. He wore no hat. But that observation went right out to lunch when she saw that his red-and-white flannel shirt was completely unbuttoned, revealing his hard abs and strong, moderately hairy chest. His denim-clad legs were long and lean, leading up to what was probably a great posterior as well, but he was walking toward her, so she couldn’t check to verify.

  Yes, sir, they didn’t have men like that back home. The men back there were a different kind of good, but wild, red-blooded cowboys seemed to be more of a Western states thing.

  She slowed down when she saw him sneaking up on the calf. The little cow wasn’t stupid, though. The cute thing made its baby moo noises as it bolted when the cowboy drew near.

  Melanie parked her car on the other side of the road so as not to scare the animal further. “Do you need help?”

  The brown-haired stud looked over his shoulder at her, a slow smile spreading across his face when he saw her. “Nah, I’m good. Thanks anyway.”

  She wanted to laugh when she saw him dive for the cow, scaring a boisterous moo from the gangly thing.

  “Got you!” The man grabbed the struggling bovine and draped the little guy over his shoulders like he was carrying a water yoke from days of old. “Actually do you mind giving me a lift back into town? I hate to be a bother, but my truck broke down and it’s kind of a walk.”

  “Not at
all. Let me just clear some stuff out of the way.” She got out of the dinky Bug and did her best to stuff her suitcases on the floor in the backseat area.

  The cowboy crossed the street, still carrying the calf. “You tried, huh? You really did. Eh, you’d have regretted not being home at dinnertime.”

  Melanie smiled at the sweet way the stranger crooned to the mischievous animal. It was always endearing when men liked animals and kids.

  Oh no, I didn’t check in the mirror to make sure my makeup wasn’t smudged. I guess it’s not a big deal. I’m just giving him a ride. It doesn’t really matter if he thinks I’m attractive or not.

  A big, steady grin formed on his handsome-as-hell face when he reached her. His eyes were blue, kind of a teal color, and they were big and innocent, contrary to his interested smile. He was probably about six feet tall to her five feet, eight inches. The brown stubble on his face called wordlessly to her itching fingers.

  “I really appreciate it.” He frowned when he saw her compact Beetle Bug. “Dang, that’s small. I don’t really want to put a dusty calf on your backseat.”

  She waved him off, trying to keep the nervousness and God help her, the giddiness out of her voice. “Oh, don’t worry about it. I like animals, and I know what a vacuum is.”

  Well, that was probably a dumb thing to say. He seems fine with it. Okay. We’re good. Calm down, Melanie. It’s just a man.

  No, no. Men she’d seen. This was something off the big-screen like out of a Western movie. The lackadaisical breeze caressed him all over and sent his addicting scent her way. The manly fragrance smelled clean and refreshing, like the cologne he wore probably had the term water or ocean in the title.

  “Thanks, hon.”

  The cowboy’s lips tilted sideways into a swoon-worthy smile that sent her scrambling into the driver’s seat and ever so discreetly peeking down at the compact mirror in her purse. Her long, brown hair was wind-tossed, but whether or not that was in a good, sexy way was debatable. At least her makeup hadn’t smeared in the heat and her pale blue-gray eyes didn’t look tired.

  Good. Good. Deodorant and perfume. Very good.

  The calf tried to climb out, but the stranger pressed the imp down as he hopped over the door and got into the passenger’s seat.

  Melanie started driving again. “He’s really cute. What’s his name?”

  “I don’t know. He’s not mine. He belongs to the Huntingtons.” His blue-green stare fixated on her, rendering her as uncomfortable as she was flattered. “Jake O’Neil.”

  She shook his hand, trying not to blush at the masculine warmth of his big hand consuming her smaller, dainty one. “Melanie Laurie.”

  Being from Boston, she wasn’t used to just dishing out whole names like that, but hey, the guy was probably from a small town and he seemed nice enough.

  Jake got a funny look on his face right about the moment the same revelation hit her. “You?”

  They grinned in unison, chortling in that semi-real social manner.

  “You’re one of my new employers?” Melanie asked, hoping that the answer was yes.

  “Yeah, we just hired a maid. She had a good resume, but we haven’t officially met her yet since she’s from out of state.”

  “Boston,” they said together and then both grinned, Melanie shyly and Jake in easygoing amusement.

  “Yeah, wow.” He leaned into the door to scan her over with a look of total fascination. “You’re not at all what I pictured.”

  Uh…

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re so young and beautiful.”

  She smiled, feeling appreciated by the compliment. “Thank you. Were you expecting a monster?”

  He laughed. “No. You just sounded really mature in those e-mails. I didn’t expect that kind of maturity in someone so young and beautiful.”

  “Thank you. I’m not exactly young, though. I’m going to be thirty tomorrow.”

  “Honey, I’m thirty and my brothers tell me that when you look back at thirty, you’ll consider it your prime.”

  “Maybe.” She blushed. “I’m sorry I’m kind of a mess. I’d planned on getting fixed up before coming to work for you.”

  “Ah, don’t worry about it. You’re young and beautiful.” He smirked and then rolled his eyes. “I should probably stop saying that or you’re going to think I have a problem.”

  Melanie giggled and then snorted, throwing her hand over her mouth and blushing hard. “Oh heavens, I’m sorry.”

  Jake chuckled, making the ridges on his abs stand out more. Figures, in laughter he was an Olympian and she sounded like a happy piglet. Oh dear.

  “Don’t be. You’re adorable.”

  Her eyes skated over his washboard stomach in the subtlest of ways.

  “Control yourself.”

  “I’m sorry.” Her cheeks burned.

  He looked at her curiously. “For what?”

  “For looking at you.”

  His lopsided grin and wrinkled nose were sexy and cute at once. “What do I care if you look at me?”

  She focused intently on the highway, determined never to pry her eyes away from it. “You told me to control myself.”

  He laughed a jovial sound that lightened the mood in her heart and settled as a mild burn in her belly. “I was talking to the calf. He was trying to get up.”

  And the heat jetted back up to her cheeks. “Oh.”

  “You’re a cutie.” He glanced down at his torso briefly, behaving with a nonchalance that said there was a chance he was simply unaware of the artistic magnificence of his tight, strapping self. “I should probably button this up so you don’t think I’m a barbarian.”

  He didn’t button his shirt. His inaction made her snicker inside.

  I should probably do this, but…to heck with that.

  “We’ve got your room set up for you,” he informed her.

  They had a room for her?

  “What?”

  “Your room. You can stay in one of the guestrooms.”

  “Oh, thank you.” She frowned. “I was under the impression that I would just come over in the daytime and then go stay with my cousin at night.”

  Jake shook his head. “It’s a full-time position. McKenna Downs is an itty bitty town. I probably know your cousin. What’s her name?”

  “Aubrey White.”

  He made a face. “Oo. Her?”

  Melanie laughed. “You don’t like her?”

  “No. I’m sorry. She’s a charming woman.”

  She grinned. “Aubrey can be kind of a…special person sometimes.”

  “Yeah, she’s special in a cantankerous kind of way. I guess we’re doing you a favor by housing you.”

  “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t want to intrude.”

  Living under the same roof with five men would be awkward. A girl needed space and privacy. The place was probably already cramped as it was.

  “Ah, you’re fine. The house is big enough that you won’t crowd us or anything. If anything you might get lost at first.”

  Lost? A house big enough to get lost in would be a lot of work to clean, not to mention having to cook for five grown, hardworking men—all four of the O’Neil brothers and their ranch hand. She was a good cook, though. They would probably like her just fine if only for that.

  She pondered her options. “I don’t know about this.”

  “Hey, I’m fine if you’d rather stay with your cousin, but Greyson might have something to say about it.”

  “Your oldest brother, Greyson?”

  “Yeah, nobody argues with him when he puts his foot down. He’s made up his mind that whoever the maid was would have to live with us.”

  Why?

  * * * *

  The light of day—beautiful. He preferred the dark of night to conceal his heinous crimes. He stood on a bridge overlooking the river and drew in a breath of air, holding it captive in his lungs. After he’d used it he expelled the ruined oxygen that he’d converted into
carbon dioxide.

  The parallel had him thinking of the doe-eyed female he’d set his sights on. Melanie Laurie needed to be taken captive by him, used, and ruined. It was the only way.

  The voices all had something to say about it, of course.

  “Don’t hurt the woman. Leave the innocent thing be. The bible says…”

  “Fuck you!” Ah, the voice of the stalker. It didn’t care what the preacher or the good book said, except of course for the provocative parts. It wanted Melanie Laurie and Melanie Laurie it would have.

  The third voice was always the darkest of all. Sometimes it spoke twisted truths to him. Other times it spewed lies puked out from the bowels of hell.

  “Melanie Laurie is innocent to the ways of darkness. You must soil her. She is honorable. You must make her a whore. Evil is calling you, my son. Embrace evil.”

  He took heed to the three voices in his head, but the third voice was almost always his favorite. It was the voice of the devil.

  Chapter Two

  Jake O’Neil couldn’t take his wandering eyeballs off the scrumptious woman sitting next to him. Melanie Laurie was hot stuff and she had the face of an angel. Her soft-spoken voice was refreshing and kind, and lord, did the woman have curves. Her thighs were nice and thick from what her tight jeans told him, and her plump arms looked soft and meaty from where they peeked out of her flouncy white top.

  Her long brown hair was tousled and sexy like a beach model, except she was thicker, softer. Hell, even her pretty painted toenails were nice to look at. They were a light blue color and her tan feet were a seductive contrast with the white flip-flops she wore.