Cady’s Cowboy

When Sheriff Kix Branaman comes to the aid of a friend who has been suspended from the racetrack because her horses tested positive for cocaine, the last thing he expects to do is fall for a private investigator on the case. But one look at Cady Montgomery has him just about ready to hand her the rope to hog-tie him. And when she tells him to “tone down the randy ol’ cowboy routine” and keep things professional…well, that’s like waving a flag at an excited bull.

As soon as Cady Montgomery sees the sheriff from Texas, she knows that he’s trouble with a capital H for heartbreak. Lean, lanky and gorgeous, he might as well have stepped out of a “Sexy Cowboys of the West” calendar. She’d like to keep her mind on the case, her heart out of risk and her hormones under control. But that’s going to be hard to do around Kix—especially when his sense of humor and cowboy charm make her want to wrap her body around his and take the ride of a lifetime.

Please note: A previous edition of this story was published by Ellora’s Cave.

Connected Books: Crime Tells

Mystery, family, and finding love while working as private investigators come together in a contemporary world. The stories in the Crime Tells world don’t need to be read in order, though like any series, the enjoyment is deepened for having met the characters who overlap from story to story.


Book 1

Book 3

Book 4

Book 5

Book 6

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Read an Excerpt

Kix laughed softly at the challenge she’d just issued. He couldn’t wait to get her underneath him. Hell, he couldn’t wait to get her on top of him. He’d give her a no-holds-barred ride that she wouldn’t get anywhere else. Damn, but she was driving him crazy.

Truth be told, he hardly had to lift a finger and the women came running. Between being the sheriff and being part of the Branaman clan, he almost had to use the nightstick to beat them off.

There’d been a couple of fillies along the way who’d tried to play hard to get, but Cady was the real deal—a heap of honesty laced together with sensuality. She’d probably be a hellcat in bed—with the right man. And he was planning to be that man.

Kix grinned. She felt the attraction, and he’d bet his favorite truck that her sweet pussy was all slicked up and waiting for him. And her nipples—they’d been as hard as his cock from the moment Adrienne had introduced them. Now he just had to get her to stop dancing out of reach and accept what was going to happen between them.

“The Weasel sounds like a good man to talk to,” Kix said when they were on their way to the racetrack. He couldn’t resist the temptation to lean closer and brush the wild curls back from her face.

For a split second she allowed the touch, then color rushed to her face and she jerked away from him. “Do you think you could stay on your side of the truck?”

“I reckon I can try if you really want me to.”

Cady risked a glance in his direction and immediately wished she hadn’t. He was just…too masculine…too sexy…too adorable…too everything…and definitely too much for her. “Are you sure you’re really a sheriff?”

“Yeah, been one for the last five years.” He grinned and she was immediately entranced by the sparkle in his eyes and the little dimple next to those kissable lips. His eyebrows moved up and down. “You want me to bring out the handcuffs, or do you want to move right to the nightstick?”

Cady forced her eyes back to the road, though she had a harder time forcing erotic images of being cuffed to the bed out of her mind. Not that she’d ever even come close to experiencing that fantasy, but with Kix—whoa, nix that. She was not going to get involved with him. He was trouble with a capital H for heartbreak.

When they got to Bay Downs, she pulled out her camera and made sure she had release forms along with film. Besides being a great cover for investigating, she genuinely loved photography—it was one of many things she had in common with Erin and Lyric.

Kix quirked an eyebrow. “No digital camera?”

“Not on Bulldog’s cases. He wants to have negatives.”

Kix picked up her camera case and studied the laminated business card glued to the front. “Cady Montgomery, Professional Pet Photography.” He grinned. “This for real?”

“Yes.” Cady cringed inwardly when she heard the defensiveness in her voice.

“Would have pegged you for a doer instead of a looker.”

“What does that mean?”

A slow grin settled on Kix’s face. Damn if she wasn’t as prickly as a hedgehog. “I’m just surprised you’re a picture taker. Way I’ve always seen it, there are two kinds of people—those that stand around watching life go by and those that take it by the horns and ride it for all it’s worth.”

Cady frowned at him. “A person can be a professional photographer and live life to the fullest, just like a person can be good at multiple things. Not everyone”—her eyes conveyed a silent like you—“is good at only one thing. I’m also a good PI and a damn fine poker player.”

“Well darlin’, I’m good at a lot of things, too. In fact, I’ve been known to play a mean game of strip poker, myself. Maybe later we can see who’s better—just to set the record straight.”

Before she could stop herself, Cady’s eyes dropped to the still very noticeable bulge in his jeans. “Pass.”

Kix chuckled. “Darlin’, at least hesitate for a minute before you slam my ego.”

Her eyes moved back up his body until she met his gaze. God, he was hard to resist. She was a sucker for men who had a sense of humor and didn’t take themselves so seriously. “I’ll bet you weren’t even raised on a ranch. You probably grew up in the city watching westerns.”

Kix slapped his hand on his chest. “You’ve wounded me. I was born and raised on the Kicking A Ranch—home of fine horses, fine cattle and mighty fine men.”

“Of which you’re the exception.”

Kix took the opportunity he’d been waiting for and moved in, trapping her against the side of the truck before she could escape. He speared his fingers through her silky hair and turned her face up to his, delighting in the way her cheeks flushed with color and her eyes couldn’t hide the fact that she wanted this as badly as he did. “Darlin’, I can’t let that insult to my manhood go unchallenged.” He dipped his head and sealed her lips with his own.

Cady melted the moment his mouth covered hers. When his tongue teased her lips open and stroked inside, she felt like someone had poured warm honey into her.

The man could kiss. That didn’t surprise her in the least—what did was the fact that she not only let him, but couldn’t help returning the kiss. She wanted to eat him up.

He moaned and pulled her even tighter against him, thrust his tongue in and out in a rhythm that had her channel clenching and her nipples straining. Cady shivered and pressed closer. God, he should be banned or jailed—everything about him was sinful and tempting.

Kix shifted, burrowed his cock closer to where it wanted to be. Damn, but this attraction
had him feeling like a bull rider who got tossed and stomped on right out of the chute. If he didn’t get a tighter hold on himself, he was going to end up hog-tied and too sorry-assed in love to care.

They were both breathing hard by the time the kiss ended. Cady somehow managed to move away from him, her eyes once again dropping to the erection that pressed boldly against his faded jeans.

Kix grinned. He was randy as a stud and lighthearted to boot. “You’re a mighty fine distraction, little darlin’.”

“I do have a name,” Cady muttered.

Kix pulled her against his body, tight enough so that his heavy cock pressed against her. His laugh was low and husky as he whispered a kiss along her neck before nuzzling her ear. “Oh, I plan on using your name all right, Cady, just like I plan on hearing you scream mine.”

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Read the Reviews

“This is a great addition to Strong’s series.”

— Stephanie Schneider, RT Book Reviews

“CRIME TELLS: CADY’S COWBOY is a wonderfully written story full of suspense and sizzling sex. Cady’s natural tendency at caution is overridden when she meets Kix. At first, she thinks a fling will be enough for her, but as they grow closer, she surrenders more and more of herself and her trust. Kix realizes almost immediately that Cady is more than just a good time gal. He wants to build something more with her, but when he breaks her trust, he knows he’ll have to do some fancy footwork in order to get back in her good graces. The story is fast paced with quite a few twists and turns that will keep you interested and reading. Cady and Kix have a chemistry not only in their sexual encounters but also in the investigation. Both are intelligent people who have a knack for getting to the truth. As with LYRIC’S COP, the first in the series, the secondary characters are also interesting and will keep you on the edge of your seat, waiting for their stories. Enjoy CADY’S COWBOY… it’s a great read with strong characters, steamy sex, and a thrilling storyline.”

— Trang, eCata Romance Reviews

“If you’re craving something a little on the wild side and love sexy cowboys, then CADY’S COWBOY is the book for you.”

— Sinclair Reid, Romance Reviews Today

“CADY’S COWBOY is the second installment in the CRIME TELLS Series. Ms Jory Strong has penned page-turner suspense with so many plot twists and turns that I can guarantee you won’t figure out the ending. This is a true “who done it” that just happens to have one of the hottest cowboys a little filly would ever want to meet. So, if you like strong quick thinking heroines and hot cowboys, with voices to melt hearts, not to mention various pieces of undergarments, this is a definite buy for you.”

— Raashema, Euro-Reviews

“CRIME TELLS 2: CADY’S COWBOY demonstrates why I like Ms. Strong’s books. Cady and Kix were unique characters, and their personalities never felt forced or exactly the same as characters from previous books. The sex seemed just as laidback as Kix, yet was still hot.”

— Dani Jacquel, Just Erotic Romance Reviews

“Once again, Jory Strong creates a strong plot that enhances the attraction between the compelling protagonists… The eroticism of this story is based in a powerful and enduring love from the first time Cady and Kix make love until the end. This second CRIME TELLS story is an excellent follow-up to LYRIC’S COP and features many of the same characters, and some new faces too. Ms. Strong continually surprises readers with her inventive plots, thrilling romances, and believable characters. Don’t miss this story!”

— Sara W., The Romance Studio

“CRIME TELLS: CADY’S COWBOY is a steamy, seductive novel that laces intrigue, suspense, and romance into an exciting web of mystery. The relationship between Cady and Kix is as complex as it is erotic. Jory Strong creates wonderfully multifaceted characters in Cady and Kix as well as in her secondary characters. The interaction between her characters has this reviewer anxious to discover what she plans for the third installment of CRIME TELLS. This is definitely a series worth reading!”

— Chelyjo, Coffee Time Romance Reviews

“CADY’S COWBOY offers a compelling mix of hot romance and a thrilling plot. I’m looking forward to the coming books in the CRIME TELLS series.”

— Stephie, Cupid’s Library Reviews

“CADY’S COWBOY – CRIME TELLS is a super-hot read that will grab you by the horns and hold you until the very end.”

— Contessa, Romance Junkies

“All I have to say about CADY’S COWBOY is masterful. All of the testosterone that fills the pages of the story is enough to sizzle the reader’s nerve endings, in a good way! I absolutely love Kix. Sweet talking, smooth mover, and sexy as hell, Kix definitely doesn’t fall flat in the alpha category. But he is up against some pretty stiff competition in this story, and not from the other male characters. I have to say that the women made this story. Cady is a wonderful character, and Lyric is absolutely hilarious! And let’s not forget the one character that made the whole story, German Shepherd, Ranger. CADY’S COWBOY has sizzling sexuality, thrilling suspense, and more twists and turns than a maze on steroids. Definitely a good read!”

— Angel, A Romance Review

“CADY’S COWBOY is a fun and very hot read. The relationship between Cady and Kix goes from zero to ninety in no time, but attraction this strong makes it believable. Kix’s relentless pursuit of Cady is a treat to watch and how Cady can keep him on his toes is entertaining. Jory Strong has a sense of humor that shines in this story and with the added elements of intrigue and passion makes CADY’S COWBOY an irresistible read. I highly recommend this fun series.”

— Lyonene, Enchanted in Romance

“CRIME TELLS: CADY’S COWBOY is a mighty fine, suspenseful, erotic tale that just makes you want to shout yippee ka yay!”

— Tallyn, Fallen Angel Reviews

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