Itâs them against the world.
Fractured Sky, a moving and passionate, forced proximity, grumpy hero contemporary romance from USA Today bestselling author Catherine Cowles is coming on October 25th, and we have your first look!
Ramsey
My skin prickled, an awareness and phantom energy washing over me as I stroked the geldingâs back. My gaze pulled to the ridge. But Shiloh wasnât there. It was the flash of her long braid in the breeze that cued me into her new location.
My breath caught in my throat at seeing those light blue eyes close-up. They could steal every last semblance of sanity from a manâs brain. I froze, standing stock-still.
Shiloh didnât say a word, just watched from her seat on the ground right outside the pen. Her gaze locked on my hand on the horseâs back. He twitched in place, and I let a few silent curses fly.
I wasnât easily distracted. I prided myself on my focus and ability to tune out the rest of the world when I worked with the horses. My jaw clenched as I zeroed in on the task at hand. But I was aware of my dog making his way over to herâthe traitor.
Sliding my palm across the geldingâs back, I gave him a good scratch. He pushed against my hand, wanting more of the contact. That hunger for connection was a good sign. I backed away, reaching for the blanket on the fence rail. The horse shied away from me a few steps.
I stood where I was, rubbing my hand against the fabric. I wanted him to see that he had nothing to fear. I waited for the shiftâthe one I could feel from across the pen. The one that meant an easing in his energy. As soon as I felt it, I stepped forward.
The geldingâs gaze locked on the colorful, woven blanket. It was one of my favorites. Made by a local woman, it reminded me of a sunsetâthe colors of a brightly painted sky. Slowly, I lifted the blanket and let the horse sniff it. It was freshly laundered, so it didnât have the scent of any other animals.
He inhaled and then huffed out a breath.
âSee, nothing to worry about.â I lifted the blanket to his neck and rubbed gently.
The horse braced himself at first, muscles locked and seemingly ready to bolt. But as no pain came, he eased a bit. The geldingâs acceptance of the something new happened in slow shifts. I lost track of time in the dance. There was only him and me.
Finally, he stood in a relaxed posture, the blanket on his back as I scratched behind his ears. âNot so bad, right?â
The geldingâs ears twitched.
âAll right, enough for today.â I pulled the blanket from his back and moved to the fence. My steps hitched a bit as I caught sight of Shiloh again. She didnât move from her seat as I slid between the rails and placed the blanket back on the top.
I waited for her to bolt, but she didnât show any signs of leaving. My pulse beat a rapid rhythm in my neck. Dangerous. Too damn risky. To be this close to her⌠To see how the gold woven through her light brown hair caught the light. To capture the spark in those blue eyes.
âWhatâs his name?â
Everything in me locked. It was the first time Iâd heard Shilohâs voice. It had just a hint of rasp to it. Some huskiness. An edge that I swore I could feel skating across my skin.
âNo name yet.â
Her gaze turned to me, her eyes glinting in the afternoon light. âDonât you think he deserves a name?â
âHe deserves the right name. That takes time.â
I saw something in Shilohâs expression, a hint of surprise and something that looked a lot like longing. âHe does deserve that.â Her hand sifted into Kaiâs fur, and he leaned against her.
Shiloh rested her head atop his, cuddling him to her chest. Iâd never seen anything like it. Kai sought me out for affection, but not like this. He was a goner for the woman, and I couldnât blame him.
âYou want to meet him?â The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.
Shilohâs gaze flew to mine. âReally?â
âSure. It wouldnât be a bad idea to get him used to other people.â It was the part of the process my operation lacked since only Lor and I were ever here.
Shiloh nuzzled Kai and got to her feet. âIâve worked with plenty of horses, but never one thatâs been hurt the way he has.â
âCalm and steady. Donât let his actions make you react.â I ducked between the penâs rails and stepped inside.
She followed, moving slowly and evenly. She kept her gaze on the horse but didnât stare. The gelding pawed at the earth as if marking his territory. Shiloh stilled.
âBreathe through it. Heâll feel your tension if itâs in you.â
She let out a long breath, and I watched hints of unease bleed from her muscles. The horse stopped pawing. His gaze didnât leave us, though. It was two against one, and he wasnât a fan of those odds.
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Damaged. Broken. Destroyed. Iâve heard it all. A single moment of trusting the wrong person shattered my life into pieces, and my family has never looked at me the same. Itâs impossible to convince them that Iâm anything more than the broken girl they rescued all those years ago.
Until I meet him.
Ramseyâs surly demeanor and menacing scowl scare most of the world away. But not me. Not when Iâve seen his gentle hands soothe an abused colt or comfort a terrified mare.
And when I finally get up the courage to strike out on my own, Ramseyâs there. Roommates felt like such a safe proposition until Ramseyâs lingering touches and wicked smile light a fire in me I donât think will ever be extinguished. And he feels it, tooâŚ
But just as my new life begins to take root, an evil from my past emerges from the shadows, casting a darkness on my newfound freedom. And this time, they wonât settle for pieces of me. They want everythingâŚ
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About Catherine Cowles
Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she’s not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.
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