The first lesson that bad boy rancher Kellan Reed learns in The Trouble with Cowboys, my steamy, small town contemporary romance, is that there’s only one good reason for a man to keep his hat on when going inside—when it’s clear that his dusty, worn-in cowboy gear is getting his sexy-as-sin new neighbor all hot and bothered.

But his neighbor, down-on-her-luck chef Amy Sorentino, isn’t the only one turned on by the sight of a man in a well-worn Stetson, boots, and a pair of Wranglers that fit just right. Let me just say the pleasure was all mine to spend a whole book writing about Kellan Reed and his cowboy gear.

I have another confession to make: it turns out that I’m a Pinterest addict. This was unexpected because I’m not into do-it-yourself projects at all, nor am I a particularly visual person. Rather than maps, I prefer written directions and my interior decorating skills leave a lot to be desired. I mean, a lot.

But do you know what Pinterest has? Pictures of hot cowboys. And, good gravy, does it have a lot of them. Enough that I was moved to create a “Hot Cowboys” board . Looking at the photos on my board, you might think, “Boy, those shirtless cowboys sure do drag a lot of saddles around.” Or perhaps you’ll say, “I had no idea cowboys spent so much time napping or winding rope.” What I do know for sure is that after looking at all the images of these sexy, hard-working men in these pictures, you’ll know exactly why Amy in The Trouble with Cowboys can’t resist Kellan Reed’s particular brand of Wild West swagger.

 From the back cover of The Trouble with Cowboys:

Cowboys have never been good for Amy Sorentino. First her hard-riding father bankrupted the family farm. Then her all-hat-no-cattle boyfriend sold her out on national television, ending her promising career as a chef. Now she and her squabbling sisters have partnered up in a final attempt to save their land by starting an inn and local restaurant. So it figures that with everything on the line, Amy’s key supplier is just the kind of Stetson-tipping heartbreaking bad boy she’s sworn to avoid. But Kellan Reed has a few secrets of his own–and cowboy or not, Amy can’t resist this kind of wild ride.

Want a little more? Here’s an excerpt:

Kellan’s imposing form materialized at the end of the breezeway, blocking her progress. He folded his arms over his chest and propped his shoulder against the wall.

Amy yelped and lurched to a halt. “You scared me.”

“Sorry about that.”

She took in his casual stance. “You don’t look sorry.”

“I’m ready to ask you out.”

“Oh.” She tried to calm her racing heart, breathing deeply. Impossible. “Go ahead.”

“Amy, may I make you dinner at my house on Friday?”

She was ready with her answer. “No. Not a good idea.”

“Why?”

“Rule number one is to steer clear of cowboys. I put it there for a reason.”

“Rule number one,” he muttered, swaggering closer, his thumbs hitched on his belt buckle. Not that she was looking there. He stopped close enough to touch her. She took another step back and bumped into the wall. “Amy, may I have dinner with you?”

“No.” The word was little more than a note on the wind.

She flattened her palms against the cool stucco wall as her eyes trailed a vein in his neck from where it began at his shirt collar to where it ended at the locks of hair peeking from beneath his Stetson. Something shifted inside her, something carnal and potent. She waited for him to touch her, arching her back, thrusting her breasts up, desperate to feel his hands on her body.

What he did, though, was far more dangerous.

~~~

The Trouble with Cowboys is available now:

Amazon:   and Barnes & Noble:

My thanks to Romance Junkies for hosting me today. I love hearing from readers and am really easy to find at www.melissacutler.net, on Facebook , and Twitter (@m_cutler). And you can always email me at cutlermail@yahoo.com or sign up for my newsletter to find out about my latest books and upcoming events.

 Giveaway Alert!

Are you a fan of Pinterest? What is it about cowboys that lights your fire? Leave a comment and be entered to win a copy of The Trouble with Cowboys. (U.S. residents only) Good luck!

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Melissa Cutler is a flip-flop wearing Southern California native living with her husband, two rambunctious kids, and two suspicious cats in beautiful San Diego. Three things you should probably know about her are: she believes Judith from Julie Garwood’s The Secret is the most perfect heroine in all of literature (sorry, Elizabeth Bennett), she’s traveled to more countries in the world than states in the U.S., and she’s certain that there are actually only two types of food in existence—those that taste better with hot sauce and those that taste better with whipped cream. She divides her time between her dual passions for writing sexy, small town contemporaries for Kensington Books and edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense for Harlequin.