Vetting
the Cowboy
By
J.P.
Bowie
Hot
in the Saddle is a new series set in a dude ranch in California. It
features some of the characters from my earlier cowboy series Ride
’em Cowboy plus a variety of new hot men who live and love the
cowboy way.
When
Mike Henry, the new veterinarian in town, meets cowboy Seth Archer,
it could be good times ahead—but Mike’s ex isn’t about to let
him go without a fight.
Seth
Archer, working cowboy on a dude ranch in Northern California, is
thrown for a loop when he meets Mike Henry, the new veterinarian in
town. The five-foot-eight bespectacled Mike isn’t Seth’s type,
but the blue eyes behind the glasses are something Seth can’t seem
to get past or forget.
Mike’s
on the run. Well, not exactly, but he left Seattle to get away from
Victor Torrens, a dominating boyfriend who turned abusive when Mike
told him he wouldn’t be his submissive. Mike hasn’t worked with
horses before, but it’s not long before his natural love of
animals—and cowboys—makes him decide to call the small town of
Denton home.
Seth
and Mike bond, but their love affair might just be doomed before it
truly begins when Victor sends Alex Brand, a celebrity bodyguard, to
strongarm Mike back to Seattle.
In
order to protect Seth and his new friends from Alex’s big fists,
Mike may be forced to make a decision he’ll regret for the rest of
his life.
Excerpt
Seth
brings in one of the horses he’s seen limping. Parker Jones, the
co-owner of the Seven Plus Ranch tells him to call the local
veterinarian…
“Where’s
the doc, d’you suppose?” Seth asked.
“Give
him another call,” Bob said.
“Right.”
He punched in Walker’s number and was diverted to his receptionist,
Trish. “Oh, hi. Just wondering how much longer the doc’s gonna
be. This is Seth over at the Seven Plus.”
“He
got delayed over at the Armitage place, Seth. He sent his new
assistant, Doctor Henry instead. He should’ve been there by now. He
must’ve got lost or something. He’s new to the area, only been
here a couple of weeks or so. I’ll call him and see what’s going
on.”
“Thanks.
Let me know if there’s a problem.”
“Will
do.” Trish hung up and almost as soon as she had, Seth heard a car
pull up in the parking area near the stable.
He
stepped outside and watched as a young man flung himself out of a
Toyota Camry. Whoa, when did they start making vets like this one? Is
he even old enough to be a vet? He had curly brown hair and was
wearing a loose white shirt and skinny jeans. As he hurried toward
the stable he kept pushing his black-framed glasses back up over the
bridge of his nose. He suddenly stopped in his tracks, muttered
something under his breath then headed back to the car. He pulled a
bag from inside then practically ran toward the stable door.
“Sorry,”
he yelled on seeing Seth. “I got completely turned around trying to
get here. Guess I’m going to have to get a car with a GPS when I
turn this rental back in.” He held out a hand. “Doctor Mike
Henry, and you are?”
“Seth
Archer.” Seth took the outstretched hand and shook it.
“Doctor
Walker said to ask for Mr. Jones.”
“Parker,
our boss. I’ll call him now you’re here.” He fisted his cell
phone and called Parker. “Hey Boss, the vet’s here, only it’s
not Doctor Walker, it’s a Doctor Henry.”
“Okay,
Seth, I’ll be right there.”
The
doctor’s blue eyes peered at Seth though his glasses. “Uh, you
can call me Mike…less formal, really. So, where’s the patient?”
“That
would be Bonney, right here,” Seth said indicating the brown mare.
“Oh…she’s
a beauty.” Mike hesitated. “Uh, have to admit, I don’t know
much about horses. This’ll be a first for me.” He pushed his
glasses back in place as he stared at Bonney.
“Well,
she’s as gentle as a lamb,” Seth remarked, wondering why Doc
Walker had sent someone unfamiliar with horses. Parker isn’t
gonna be pleased. He had to admit though that the guy was cute as
a button. That curly hair, and those big blue eyes behind his glasses
were a real turn on. Wonder if he’s gay…
“Okay.
I see you have the front hoof covered. Is that where the problem is?”
“Yeah.
Parker figures it’s an abscess.”
“Right,
well if you could just lift her hoof so I can take a look.”
“Sure.”
Bonney whinnied softly as Seth knelt and balanced her foreleg on his
knee. He removed the pad covering her hoof and Mike knelt beside Seth
to start his examination.
“Huh,”
Mike murmured. “Mr. Jones is correct. That’s an abscess all
right. Needs draining right away.” His glasses slipped down his
nose as he peered at the inflammation and Seth had to smile as Mike
pushed them back up with his forefinger.
“What?”
“Your
glasses. Think they might need a little tightening.”
Mike
chuckled. “Oh yeah, I meant to go visit the optometrist before I
left Seattle, just didn’t get to it with the rush to get here.”
He grinned at Seth then bent his head to take another look at
Bonney’s hoof. Seth gazed at Mike’s curly hair. It wasn’t brown
as he’d first thought now he was this close, more a kind of
chestnut maybe, and there were lighter colored wisps intermingled
with the curls. Was that natural or did a hairdresser have something
to do with the highlights? He studied the backs of Mike’s ears and
the way his hair curled around them. He wondered what kind of shampoo
Mike used, it smelled real nice…
“Doctor
Henry?”
Parker’s
voice from behind them made Mike and Seth jump at the same time.
Their heads collided and Mike’s glasses flew off his face.
“Shit,
I’m sorry,” Seth gasped as Mike groped around in the straw.
“No
worries,” Mike mumbled. “I got ’em.” He rammed them back on
and stood up. After carefully lowering Bonney’s hoof to the floor
Seth followed Mike out of the stall. Parker was staring at them with
an amused smile on his face.
“Uh,
Mr. Jones.” Mike wiped his hands off on his jeans then held one out
in greeting. “Doctor Mike Henry. Sorry about that back there.”
“No
problem, for me, anyway.” Parker laughed softly. “You guys might
have bruised heads to deal with though.”
Mike
touched his forehead. “It’s fine…glasses too. So, Mr. Jones…”
“Call
me Parker.”
“Uh,
yes…Parker. Your diagnosis is correct, and with your permission I’d
like to get started on the treatment right away before the infection
spreads.”
Vetting
the Cowboy is available now!
Amazon
Kindle Unlimited:
https://tinyurl.com/qrxaw9e
Email:
jpbowie@att.net
Website:
www.jpbowie.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/jp.bowie.1
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/jpbowie
My
thanks to Lisabet for featuring my new series. Hope you all have a
wonderful Christmas season!
