COWBOY FOR SALE--A Second-Chances Spicy Romance Read Online Free PDF

with his little boy. Hard. Little Devyn had taken residence in her heart the moment she’d met him and they’d been best buds from day one.
    It had surprised her to feel what everyone called her natural maternal instincts. She said it was Devyn who deserved the credit. He was bright, ever cheerful, and full of fun. He made every day brighter and she quickly realized how much her world had improved when Dirk and Devyn had become a part of it. Every day began with a smile, a hope to see the little boy and to plan their next adventure.
    Everything had seemed so wonderful, Lacey remembered, and her world had seemed perfect. Perfect until she'd called Dirk's number in the middle of the day, intending to leave a romantic message on his home phone’s voicemail.
    Her stomach had literally lurched when a female voice had answered the phone instead of Dirk’s voicemail message of “You know the drill, leave a message.” Closing her eyes, Lacey replayed the moment for the hundredth time. Not knowing what else to say, she had asked for Dirk and was told he wasn't home. The voice sounded very young…and familiar. Somehow she had found the courage to ask who she was.
    The voice had replied, “Heather. Who's this?”
    Lacey had said nothing more and quickly ended the call. Fighting the nausea that had threatened to overwhelm her, with shaking fingers, she had dialed Dirk's work number.
    After he'd listened to her questions, and finally her accusations, he’d pleaded for a chance to explain and they'd met for dinner that evening. He’d confessed his affair with his secretary, and that she was pregnant and he would marry her. They planned to leave California and move to Texas to be closer to her family who would help with the financial burden. He’d also confessed he’d stopped paying his mortgage and intended to walk away from his house, which was upside down, worth half of what he’d paid for it.
    Lacy had left the restaurant in tears, her perfect life in shambles, her heart too broken to ask the question she’d dreaded most: what about Devyn?
    In the end, she'd discovered Heather was just part of a long list of lies. Before Dirk and Heather left town, she’d had one tearful conversation with Devyn. That had sent her to bed for the weekend, crying her eyes out and vowing to never get hurt that way again. Ever.
    She had survived, but had been left with a hurt and a wariness that had kept her from dating over the last year. She'd found she just wasn't that interested in men, and took the time she felt she needed to heal. Though, even after a year, part of her knew the hole in her heart would never mend.
    Sighing deeply, Lacey allowed the memories to fade as she focused on the dancers still out on the floor. For the first time, the hurt was only a dull ache. The pain had lessened a tiny bit more each day. She had followed everyone's advice and kept as busy as possible, concentrating on her work, making the salon successful. At least her career path was on track. She smiled, knowing that Kandy had been right about being responsible for her own happiness. She was okay now, and, if she was totally honest with herself, she finally felt ready for her first step in returning to the world of the living, regardless of how panicky she still felt.
    Finally succumbing to Kandy's relentless pleading—even before the bachelor assignment—Lacey had agreed to at least start going out and having fun—try to be social again. All the younger women at the salon had encouraged her to be like the guys and avoid a serious relationship like the plague. They had persuaded her to play the field a little and concentrate on just having a good time, that she deserved it.
    That decision had been followed by another. Lacey had decided to take a mature, logical approach to re-entering the world of singles…she'd made a list of what she wanted. First and foremost, no more single dads. Ever. She wouldn't take another chance on losing the love of another