SCP guest author Kathleen Ball

Hurting My Hip All in the Name of Research


I write Contemporary Western Romance. There is something about a cowboy that I just can’t get enough of. Of course, all my cowboys are hunky and buff, that part of writing is easy for me. Trying to write about horses was more of a challenge. I’d never ridden one. Yes, it’s true.
About a year ago, my daughter in law Brittany purchased a rescue horse named Dash. He used to be a racehorse but his knees weren’t strong enough. His owners made sure he had knee surgery. Brittany fell in love and bought him. I was thrilled to go to the stables with her and learn all about horses, the different breeds and how not to stand behind them and get hurt.
Dash is boarded with some interesting characters besides the horses there are two goats, a mule and a cow. The owner of the stables www.agavehurricanetrailcompany.com Christina offers all kinds of trail rides and excursions here in Keller Texas. I decided to ride a horse.
My horse’s name was Pina Colada and she was a pretty, short, white horse. Getting on the horse was so easy, they have steps, and you just hop on. You’re supposed to kick their sides to make them go. I tried. I guess I’m just too gentle. They kept yelling harder. I kicked harder and we were on our way. You’re supposed to hold on to the reins not the pummel- the horn shaped thing in the front of the saddle. Heck no I wasn’t letting go of that. I managed to hold the reins and the horn at the same time.
I learned soon enough that when a horse goes up hill you shift forward and the opposite when going back down the hill. It was a lovely ride and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
In all the romance novels, I have read there is always a brawny cowboy to help the female down off the horse. Sadly, that was not the case. Brittany took the reins and said get down. Was she kidding? Well somehow, I didn’t follow the instructions correctly and I still had my foot in the stirrup as I tried to swing down. Thank God for Brittany or I would have been on the ground. But this author definitely suffered for her craft. My hip was out for over a week.
Would I go again? Hell yea as soon as it’s not 100+ degrees here in Texas. And I can always hope for that hunky cowboy to be there to help me down next time.

Blurb-
Advertising for a wife seems like the answer to all of Burke Dawson's
problems. He wants a wife and kids without emotional attachments, but he has no idea how much havoc one woman can cause.
Annie Douglas has her heart set on her hunky cowboy's love and she isn't about to stop until she gets it.

Excerpt-
They sat on the swing in complete silence. The sky was beginning to darken. Burke put his arm around her, pulling her close. He could feel her tremble at his touch and it humbled him. He couldn’t remember a time when a woman had such a reaction to him. The urge to pick her up in his arms and carry her to his bed was strong but he didn’t dare. He didn’t think she was the type for a one-night stand and that was all he was willing to offer.
Although he found her damn attractive, she was off limits. All he needed equated to an unpaid housekeeper not a woman that probably had no practical skills, even so, she was very tempting. There seemed something so vulnerable about her that it made him long to protect her.
He made the mistake of looking down at her upturned face. Her luminous green eyes trapped him. Unable to resist the pull of her he carefully leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. He only intended for the kiss to be brief, but she tasted like honey and he had to have more.
Annie moaned as Burke kissed her again. He swiped his tongue along the seam of her lips, coaxing her mouth open and deepening the kiss. His arms tightened around her, pulling her close to him. She smelled of sunshine, sweet and warm. Reluctantly he let her go. Annie smiled back at him anyway, and it pleased him. She looked lovely in her yellow sundress with her curly auburn hair falling down her back, and he couldn’t help but admire her cute figure.
 Gently, he removed her arms from around his neck and looked down at her with hooded eyes. Highly aroused by her, it was by sheer willpower that he stopped his advances. Her bruised lips looked inviting to him and her eyes shone with pleasure. God he wanted her. Burke smiled at her enthusiasm. The last woman in his house had overtly insulted every inch of it. He could hardly believe her reaction. She seemed genuine in her pleasure over everything. But, he reminded himself that it didn’t really matter. Burke grinned as he watched her scoop up the cat and whisper in its ear, her happiness so apparent. For a second he was glad that he adopted that ornery cat.
Regretfully, he stood up and moved away from her. “It’s been fun.”
“Yes it has,” Annie stood. She wobbled a bit and made her way to the porch stairs. She looked at Burke with her heart shining in her eyes. “Maybe you could consider me as a candidate for a wife?” she asked quietly.
He hesitated, not knowing what to say.
“Never mind.” She hurriedly rushed down the stairs to her car.
Maybe in another life, it would have worked, but he knew what the ending to their story would be.

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