Victoria Vane | Capturing the Urban Cowboy

Many readers by now are familiar with my transition from historical romance to contermporary western romance a little over a year ago. In all of my books to date, I have endeavored to put a whole new twist on the cowboy archetype. Wade Knowlton, the hero of SLOW HAND was a small town Montana lawyer and part time rancher. Dirk Knowlton, Wade’s brother who is a former pro bull rider and injured vet is the hero of ROUGH RIDER. Reid Everett, the hero of the third book, SHARP SHOOTIN’ COWBOY is a former Marine scout sniper and Wyoming hunting guide. All of these stories are set in Wyoming and Montana. My hero Ty Morgan in HELL ON HEELS and TWO TO WRANGLE is a departure from my more traditional cowboys. Ty is a flawed character. He’s a divorced playboy who loves woman—in single serving sizes. He also has an alcohol problem that he’s mostly overcome. He’s got a smart mouth and talks a lot of smack about his ex-wife, but deep down takes responsibility for the failed marriage. He has countless “friends” but doesn’t let anyone get too close, with the exception of Oklahoma billionaire, Tom Brandt, his father’s business partner who took Ty under his wing after Ty’s father’s tragic death. After following too closely in his father’s footsteps, Ty leaves the world of professional rodeo to manage Tom’s Las Vegas hotel. The Hotel means everything to Ty. It’s his family and his future but Ty knows its days are numbered.

Excerpt #1

“You want anything from the bar, Mr. Brandt?”

“Nothing thanks,” Tom replied, looking her over with overt appreciation. He might be getting up in years but he still admired a good looking women as much as the next man.

“All right-y then,” she replied with another flash of white teeth. “Be back in a jiff.”

Both men watched her ass sway as she walked away. She noticed, caught Ty’s eye, and winked. His prick stirred to life. Hell, it was only a wink. Was it that long since he'd been laid? Weeks probably, he realized dismally. But he'd been so damned busy lately. He decided then and there to add that to his agenda once this meeting was over. Hell, if things turned out as he feared, he'd have to flag it as a number one priority—right after getting shit-faced.

"I didn’t call sooner because I wanted to meet with my banker, accountant, and lawyer before answering you," Tom replied at last, his perfectly impassive expression giving nothing away.

"And?" Ty prompted.

"I’m sorry to say they all counseled me against it, Ty. The ROI is piss-poor compared to what I'd make on the shale fields. You know how those bean counters are."

Ty’s gaze darted to the bar where the waitress was flirting with a brawny blond bartender. He really needed that bourbon. Now.

"We both know the place is well past its heyday,” Tom continued. “It hasn’t made a profit in the past decade. I hate to say it Ty, but my financial advisors want me to pull out of the hotel altogether and put the money where it'll grow—into hydraulic drilling and exploration.” Tom sat back with a thoughtful look. “Ironic isn't? My granddaddy made a fortune wild-catting, lost most of it in the depression, and now fracking the very same sites has made mine."

The waitress returned with his drink, but this time Ty answered her inviting smile with only a curt nod and a terse thanks. Pretty blondes, even ones with nice racks and pert asses, were now the last thing on his mind.

Tom’s decision to pull out was a blow he’d half-expected, but still wasn’t completely prepared for. But with no wife or family, and nothing but old scars, broken bones to his credit, the hotel and casino was all Ty had left. He took a long drink, savoring the bourbon bite while struggling to collect his scattered thoughts. After another fortifying swallow he set his glass on the table. He still believed he could save the place and wasn’t about to give it up without a fight.

Little does Ty know that his fight will be with Tom’s invest-banker daughter,
Monica Brandt. Monica has arrived in Vegas to take care of her father, which
also includes taking control of his assets. She is fiercely protective of Tom,
the only person who’s ever cared about her, and doesn’t trust Ty. Their story is
fast paced, loaded with conflict and sexy as sin!

Excerpt #2

“Alright, cowboy,” Monica said. “You want it straight? I'll give it to you. You and I both know my father is a very wealthy man. He's also now completely incapacitated. I have to wonder what really happened at this meeting of yours? What caused his blood-pressure to skyrocket to the point of stroking out in the parking lot?”

He towered over her flushed-faced. “You think I had something to do with that?”

“I think the circumstances are highly suspicious. You'll have to forgive me if I don't accept everything you say at face value.”

He took a breath, opened his mouth as if to speak, but then closed it again. He jammed his hat back on his head and made to leave, but then turned back with his hand on the door. “Look, Ms. Brandt. I gotta get something off my chest right here and now.”

“And what's that?” Monica asked warily.

“I get that you trust me about as much as a rattlesnake dozing in your boot. And part of me appreciates your suspicions 'cause you don't know me from Adam, but what you need to understand is the man in that bed right there,” he jerked his head toward Tom, “means every bit as much to me as he does to you—probably even more, given that I've known him twice as long. Hell, he practically raised me.”

“I’m sorry if my style is too direct for you, cowboy, but I'm only acting in my father’s best interest.”

“I've got nothing to hide,” he said. “But if this is the way you’re gonna go about things, you don’t know Tom at all. But given we both want what’s best for Tom, you can consider me at your disposal.” He tipped his hat and walked out.

She looked after him thinking disposal might be exactly the right word.

Praise for SLOW HAND

“Well-paced, scorching scenes and witty banter…”
—Publishers Weekly

“Slow Hand by Victoria Vane is delightful, funny, page-turning steamy sexy, and the romance between Wade and Nikki make you wish you could pull Victoria's characters straight off the page and into real life…”
—Unwrapping Romance

“For erotic passion and one-liners, the first book in Vane’s new series will satisfy...Vane’s latest gets a big yee-haw.”
—RT Book Reviews