When his father announced his engagement to a gold-digger with a lying, scheming fourteen-year old daughter, seventeen-year old Tripp Warner left Warner Ridge Ranch and never looked back. Until the day he got the phone call that his father had died unexpectedly.
Reggie Reed lives with her guilt every day but can't quite work up the courage to track down the son of the man who raised her as his own. When Tripp shows up at his father’s funeral eleven years later--and a hell of a man to be reckoned with--he has no interest in her too-late apology. Worse, they’ve inherited half shares of the family ranch—but only if they work together to catch Mason’s Gold, the stallion a young Reggie let escape and made sure Tripp took the blame for.
Tripp proposes a secret competition to the beautiful witch who stole his life: whoever catches the stallion first gets the ranch all to themselves. It sounds simple, but once they’re out on the range, tempers and passions flare in the Texas heat and nothing goes as either of them expects.
Can they work together to keep the ranch, or will their past get in the way of their future?
Book Trailer:
EXCERPT
...after Tripp and Reggie have found out they must work together to catch Mason.
He should’ve arrived earlier than eleven p.m. on Friday to get a good night sleep before hitting the trail, but the
last thing Tripp wanted was to spend any more time in Regan’s
presence than he absolutely had to. It’d been bad enough the
haunting scent of peaches had invaded his senses at odd moments over
the past couple days, he didn’t need to look at the damn woman,
too. He had to keep his objective in mind at all times—like when
he’d delivered his last cutting remark the other night.
Her stricken expression had ignited a spark of
guilt, but he ruthlessly doused it by reminding himself of all her
lies. Fourteen was hardly a child, and she had known exactly what she was doing back then.
With his bag in one hand, he started to drag his
tired feet up the porch steps. The ranch house was dark, but Nana had
given him a key, so he’d just let himself in and go straight
upstairs to bed. Tomorrow would be soon enough to deal with the hell
his life had become thanks, yet again, to Regan.
“That’s far enough.”
Tripp froze at the unmistakable sound of a shotgun
being cocked. A second later, the porch light flared bright. Lifting
his free hand to shield the glare, he squinted and caught sight of
Regan, the shotgun in her slim hands pointed straight at him. In sharp
contrast to the danger of the gun, she wore a silky-looking,
butter-colored night gown that belled around her creamy thighs. He
didn’t believe she’d shoot him, but strangely enough, the
thundering of his heart did not let up.
“I’d rather a kiss than a belly full of
lead, Princess.” Now what the hell had possessed him to say such
a thing?
“Tripp!” She lowered the double barrels.
He lowered his gaze—straight to her lips.
Dangerous territory, especially when they glistened after a sweep of
her tongue. So he shifted, taking in the dark, glossy hair tumbling
over her shoulders to cover her breasts that’d brushed his chest
five nights ago. Blood rushed to his groin, same as it had then. He
suppressed a groan. Further down, he noticed the hem of her nightgown
ended too far above her knees to be considered a gown, showing off her
long, shapely legs that jeans didn’t do justice to.
She busied herself un-cocking the shotgun and
removing the shells. The screen door creaked loud when she turned to go
back into the house. “I didn’t think you were going to be
here until tomorrow,” she said over her shoulder.
How in the world had he not heard the door open when
she first came out? He hadn’t been that lost in his thoughts.
Making his feet maneuver the rest of the steps, he couldn’t drag
his gaze from the silhouette of her curves as the light shone through
her filmy nightwear. Heaven help me.
Turning away from temptation to shut and lock the
main door, he said, “I said I’d be back on Friday.”
“It’s after eleven.”
“It’s still Friday.” He wondered
at the breathless quality in her voice—then again, he’d
probably just scared the daylights out of her. When he turned back, she
was reaching to place the shotgun back in its rack on the wall between
the foyer and the kitchen.
Holy hell.
Her flimsy hem lifted, then dropped, flirting with his libido. His
hands fisted at his sides.This was the exact reason he’d waited
until late, but in true Regan-form, she’d ruined it for him,
again. Unless...
Could this be deliberate? Had she waited for
him in this skimpy outfit, so they’d be alone? His pulse sped up
before his exhausted mind could decipher the full implications of her
attire and control his traitorous physical reaction.
To prepare for an extended leave from his business,
he’d worked over sixty hours in almost four days, then driven
twelve hours from Galveston to the ranch. All he could think to ask
now, was, “Why aren’t you in bed?”
“I couldn’t sleep, so I came down to
make a cup of tea. I was just about to go back upstairs when I heard
the truck door slam.” She planted her hands on her hips, the
gesture raising the hem of her nightgown again. “We don’t
normally get visitors at this hour, and with just me and Grandma in the
house, I can’t be too careful.”
An unexpected surge of protectiveness surprised him,
but he thrust it aside. Her explanation was plausible, and she had
seemed relieved when she realized it was him on the porch…but
the Regan he knew had always been a superb actress.
“I didn’t hear the door open."
She frowned with a hint of suspicion. “The
screen door only creaks after the half-way point—I slipped
through."
“And it didn’t occur to you it was me?”
She threw her hands up. “Excuse me, but the
truck out there doesn’t exactly look like the car you had earlier
this week. Besides, I expected you hours ago, not the middle of the
night.”
“Sorry to disappoint you.”
“Hardly,” she said with a delicate snort.
Yet her eyelids lowered as her gaze swept down and
up, taking stock of the comfortable T-shirt and jeans he’d worn
for the long drive from Galveston. Something flickered in her eyes,
something hot and erotic he instinctively recognized as more dangerous
than a rattle snake.
Thankfully, she shut it down quick and lifted her
chin so her cute little nose stuck in the air. “And now that I
can see there’s no danger to Grandma, I’ll see you in the
morning.”
Her bare feet whispered across the floor toward the stairs. He opened his mouth, then closed it. Shut up. Don’t go there. Don’t— “What about you?”
Her right foot hit the bottom stair, her nightgown
swaying with the enticing movement of her hips. She paused and turned.
“What?”
Hooking one thumb in the front pocket of his jeans,
he took slow, measured steps across the floor. Tension spread through
him like the flush sweeping across her pale skin. Her fingers tangled
in the material of her gown, tugging the hem lower as he came to a stop
in front of her. Unfortunately, she also succeeded in lowering the
neckline. The thud of his bag dropping to the floor made her flinch.
Tripp lowered his tone. “You said there’s no danger to Nana, but what about you?”
“There’s—”
Her voice cracked and her throat muscles worked
fast. He dropped his gaze to the rapid pulse beating at the base of her
neck.
“I’m f-fine.”
He lifted a hand to the rosy skin of her neck to
feel her life beat beneath his finger tip. Anticipation hummed along
his nerve endings, making him excruciatingly aware of every shallow
breath she took. “Fine doesn’t begin to cover it,
Princess.”
When he slid his fingers into her silky hair to rub
the back of her neck, her eyelids lowered, then closed. Her hands rose
to press against his chest. God, he was pretty sure he hated her, yet
he damn sure wanted her. It was the craziest thing. He shifted
closer, slid his other hand over the curve of her hip to press against
the small of her back, leaned in to inhale the evocative scent of
peaches. The heat of her skin burned through the thin, satiny material
of her nightgown to warm his hand where it rested along her spine.
The lure of her moist lips pulled him until his
mouth hovered above her mouth; his unsteady breath mingled with hers.
“You hate me,” she whispered, her hands fisting in his shirt.
“Such a strong word—hate,” he murmured, even though he’d just thought it.
Avoiding the sheer entrapment of her mouth, he
lightly brushed his lips over her smooth cheek with its charming
freckles. But it wasn’t enough to simply sample her. With the
hand buried in her hair, he angled her head to give him access to the
delicate column of her neck. He pressed his tongue to her pulse,
licked, then sucked gently. Sweet as pure honey. She made a small noise deep in her throat. His body throbbed in response as his arm curled tighter around her waist.
“You…d-don’t like me, then.”
Stubborn witch wouldn’t let it go. That
hadn’t changed. He worked his way back to her mouth. If the
outside of her tasted so delectable, the inside must be positively
sinful. “Do you like me?”
Her violet eyes opened and locked with his, making his heart thump hard.
“Don’t mess with me, Tripp. Please.” The sincerity in her voice was astounding.
“Who’s messing?” he asked, making
light of her plea while brushing his thumb over her lower lip.
“You’re going to take the ranch from me—this isn’t playing fair.”
The reminder of what was at stake in this game was
just what his mind needed to finally override his body. Sensing her
weakened defenses, he deliberately lowered his head to whisper against
her mouth. “Like you played fair all those years ago?”
In a heartbeat, she stiffened and shoved against his chest. Tripp held on. Let her see who’s in control now.
Her eyes widened, and then darkened with a fury that turned him on even
more. As the fierce thunderclouds in her eyes paralyzed him, his heart
pounded beneath her palm, keeping time with her uneven, incensed
breaths.
And just like that, something changed, struck so deep inside his chest it terrified him.
Tripp released her and spun away. As she grabbed the
railing for balance, he braced a hand on the wall and hung his head,
fighting for a lungful of air. “Go to bed,” he rasped.
“We leave at dawn.”
She didn’t reply. When he dared a glance, she
was halfway up the stairs, white silk panties playing peek-a-boo with
the hem of her nightgown. Tripp uttered a low groan and made for the
porch like the hounds of hell were on his heels.
~*~*~*~*~*~
****************** REVIEWS ******************
Chasin' Mason
"I knew I'd like this one before I ever read it. In my cold-hearted, incredibly logical way, I judged it by the cover. (Enigmatic cowboy silhouette, lively pinto horse… plainly, a winner.) And, I am pleased to share that Stacey Joy Netzel did not disappoint! Lighter moments don't exactly abound, but a sprinkling of laughter seasons the mix. And the zippy dialogue is entirely engrossing.
Horse lovers will enjoy wonderfully horsey backdrop, and the subtle consideration for the horses. Horses are individuals, from sweet gelding Prince, to the chestnut foal, not to mention the inestimable stallion Mason's Gold. Most equine details are accurate, and this includes some incredible scenes; like pursuing the stallion across the open range.
Chasin' Mason promises a lot of cowboy style action, but all the ridin' and ropin' manage to share a real good yarn. You'll read this one more than once.
Netzel teamed up with a super cover artist to put to rest what must have been an old wives tale: feel free to judge this one by the cover."
5 Books ~ Snapdragon, The Long and the Short of It Romance Reviews
"Ms. Netzel did a wonderful job telling this story. I thought the storyline was creative and quite interesting. I was fully engrossed into it as I anxiously waited to see what would happen next. I loved the twists and turns the author embedded throughout and I couldn't help but want to see Tripp and Reggie reconcile their differences in the end. I was hoping that Mason's Gold would be found again and that could be the turning point in everyone's' relationship. Also, Ms. Netzel's characters were well-rounded people that everyone could relate to in some fashion. The story was quite vivid and I felt as if I was watching it unfold before me. If you're looking for a contemporary cowboy/cowgirl story, this one will fit the bill perfectly. I assure you that you'll find a soft spot in your heart for this one and it's a story that I would highly recommend to others!"
~ Diana Coyle, Night Owl Romance Reviews
"Stacey Joy Netzel has written her most compelling story yet! Chasin Mason is 'must-read' phenomenal! I absolutely adored Tripp. Sexy and confident, yet caring and gentle. It doesn't take long at all to realize these two are going to be magic together. I was unsure at first by Reggie's stoic demeanor, but she won me over soon enough with her gentle pride and heartfelt remorse. As always, Stacey's picture perfect description sets the scene so vividly you feel as if you're right there with them, sunning on a rock while watching these two strong-willed people fight for what they want. The heat of the Texas sun is only rivaled by the scorching sensuality that sizzles between Reggie & Tripp. The words flow so smoothly I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I have no doubt anyone who reads this book will agree. I also wonder if a sequel is in the future as there is one sexy doctor I hope to read about again. ;-)
Roni Adams, author of To Tame a Cowgirl and The Cowboy Comes Home: “Full of sizzling sensuality and page-turning excitement, CHASIN’ MASON captivates from the first word to the last.”
5 Pixies from Dark Angel Reviews, Becky Gaede:
"Stacey Joy Netzel is at the top of her game with CHASIN’ MASON. I was
hooked at page one and stayed hooked until the end. In this excellently written
story we meet two of the most interesting characters, Reggie and Tripp. The
first time we meet Reggie, the man that loved and took care of her is dead and
she is completely heartbroken and unsure how she can go on. But her private
moment is interrupted when Tripp decides to confront Reggie. And boy does he let
her have it. Tripp blasts her, and she did deserve it, but I think it was a bit
cold hearted to go about it only hours after his father’s funeral. I really
enjoyed watching these two go round and round with each other. They both have a
lot of things to say and can’t stay calm enough to say it. The next surprise in
store for both of them is a big one. The will is read and for either one of
them to get their share of the ranch they must work together to round up their
father’s prized horse. See, back when Reggie was a holy terror, she let the
horse go and blamed it on Tripp. Now both of them have to go and fix her
mistake and if they can bring the horse back, then they split the ranch. I
enjoyed watching these two dance around each other and trying to out-do the
other. During the day, they would go their own separate ways to find the horse,
but at night they had to bunk in the same cabin. I wasn’t sure if they were
going to fight or make love. When these two finally do argue out the problems
and let their real feelings show, it was beautiful to watch them fall in love.
The ending worked out the only way it could. Once again Ms. Netzel has written
a book to keep her fans satisfied and I look forward to the next book. Pick up
a copy of CHASIN’ MASON, I guarantee you’ll love it!
Breia Brickey at WRDF:
"I enjoyed this story very much. It flowed very well and
kept me entertained. The characters were well written. The characters were also
flawed which, at least to me , made them more endearing. I enjoyed the
descriptions in the story and I look forward to more from this wonderful
storyteller."
Mary Jo Scheibl, author of Black Ribbon Affair:
"I recently finished Chasin' Mason by Stacey Joy Netzel. I found it a delightful
read with just the right amount of conflict in Tripp and Reggie's lives to keep
the reader turning the pages. Reggie is a woman grieving for the loss of her
stepfather and faced with having to deal with Tripp, the stepfather's son.
Reggie was a spoiled scheming brat in her past and her action so angered Tripp
he left home never to return until his father's death. He only remembers what
she was and fights his growing attraction to the woman she's become. Reggie
wrestles with her guilt over her past actions and tussles with her immediate
attraction to Tripp. Worse, the father's will put them together on a chase to
find and bring back a runaway beautiful stallion, Mason's Gold. If they can't do
this, they both lose their inheritance. The chase, the capture, the rising
tension between man and woman and horse against both of them keep the reader
right flipping the pages until the most satisfying ending."
