The Cowboy Kiss — Kristen James

She's a cutting-edge travel blogger -- he's a fishing guide with strong ties to their small hometown.

She thought they were arch enemies -- he always thought they'd end up together.

Autumn grew up in her parents' fishing resort in backwoods Oregon, listening to wild travel stories from around the world. Now she's broken free and living her dream as a travel blogger, that is until her mom talks her into coming home and writing a blog about the Rugged Resort. Autumn's very surprised to find Cory still there. He was the thorn in her side growing up, and now he's buddy-buddy with her parents. She plans to write her blog and hit the road, but Cory has other ideas.

40 page eShort. (Short story or novella) New Adult Romance featuring friends that become more than friends, family and vivid details of the rugged Oregon wilderness.

Rating: PG13 - a general audience story.

A very sweet and fun romantic read!

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Kristen James writes romance, romantic suspense and women's fiction, often featuring the beauty of Oregon's mountains, rivers and coastline. Her novellas include A Spy for Christmas and A Special Ops Christmas. Her full length novels include It's All In My Head, In A Field of Oranges, Point Hope, A Cowboy for Christmas, More Than Memories, Embers of Hope and More Than a Promise. Learn more and connect at writerkristenjames.com.

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Excerpt:

“Autumn!”

Errrr! She hadn't made a clean getaway after all. She turned slowly, cocking a hip and sighing at him. “Did you forget a few jabs?”

He grinned at that as he ran to her. Wow. She wasn't here to check him out, but what a sight he made. Snug jeans. A worn T-shirt perfect for stealing. And a perfectly fit body underneath, running to her. Autumn got the sudden thought that maybe she should write romance instead of travel articles.

“I guess you won.” He pulled off his sunglasses as he walked up to her and hooked them in his shirt collar. Oh, their stupid bet.

“Won what?” she asked innocently, glad her dad had gone the other direction. Hopefully her parents didn't know just how far she and Cory took their jabbing and teasing.

Without warning, he wrapped her in his arms and tilted her back, knocking her completely off balance. She grabbed both his arms, gasping, as his warm lips landed on her shocked mouth.

She was so unsteady that she felt herself kick a leg.

His lips moved. Slowly.

A thousand fantasies she'd had about him over the years flew out the back of her mind onto a huge movie screen. His mouth, wow! Their lips melded together so perfectly, so suggestively, so promising.

This wasn't like the truth-or-dare kiss in the fifth grade. Or the quick kiss-and-run in high school when he dropped her off after prom. Hot little tingles zinged from her head down to…well, down, and she started to kiss him back.

Then he righted her and pulled back. “I thought it was about time we actually went through with the bet.” He nodded like he usually did when wearing his cowboy hat, except it was missing today, and turned to walk away. “That's what I call the cowboy kiss!” he called out without looking back.