Jan Irving Writes:Shy Cowboy

Shy Cowboy

Cowboy Cass Drake puts himself on a crash diet shortly after he meets Tom Black. Built like a linebacker, Cass has always been self conscious about his size and his shyness isn't helped by all the teasing he endures in the bunkhouse. But his quiet new friend Tom actually seems to be flirting with him. When Tom is brutally attacked one night, it's Cass who comes to his rescue. Tom has a thing for his innocent cowboy but he also has secrets that could put Cass in danger.

I just loved this pairing. It’s a complete role reversal. The wolf shifter is the smaller more submissive man and the human love interest is the large and in charge alpha in the relationship. I liked how this author mixed it up and took these characters in a different direction--Coreopsis at Whipped Cream Reviews.

It isn’t very common to find a hero in an erotic romance who has body issues. Cass is a very likable character. His shyness in particular is quite endearing. I really identified with Cass and his uncertainty about his looks. I also sympathized with the pain and bullying he has to endure. I was surprised how quickly I came to care about him. Tom likes Cass just the way he is and that made me very happy. I also liked how protective both men are of one another. These heroes fit together perfectly. They have a strong connection and they are extremely hot together. SHY COWBOY is a sweet and sexy read--Christina at Romance Junkies.

Shy Cowboy features danger, secrets as well as revelations, and sensual lovemaking. Jan Irving has created a splendid saga that I enjoyed immensely--Chocolate Minx, Literary Nymphs Reviews.

I love the sense of mysticism I get from these stories. Also the theme of healing. I think all the paired couples have healed each other which allowed them to accept themselves--Camjakefan, reader.

If you like stories about vulnerable characters, cowboys, wolf shifters and hot men, you will probably like this book. I certainly really enjoyed reading it--Serena Yates for Queer Magazine Online.

Available from Total E Bound here and in print here.

Excerpt from Shy Cowboy

Cass Drake looked through the sheaf of diet material as he used his hip to shut the driver’s door of his truck. Shit, he really wanted some roasted potatoes with dinner tonight but he bet he couldn’t despite how hard he’d worked all day. Caring for the horses and doing chores around the Yellow Trail Ranch sure burned off the cals, though.

His diet advisor had told him again that he didn’t have a weight problem. She’d said he seemed healthy to her, with a thickly muscled body that weighed more than most folks but Cass thought she was just being nice. He remembered the humiliation of his first and only date. That had been two years ago and he hadn’t gone out with anyone since.

“Hey, Chubby,” Marty Drayton drawled. “Where you been, on a hot date?” The other cowboy laughed, as if it was obvious that six foot five Cass with his massive frame wouldn’t appeal to anyone.

Cass gritted his teeth but let it pass. Marty was an asshole but just one of many who had teased Cass over the years. High school had been hell because Cass was so shy, so aware of how he was different. Only being a valued and intimidating linebacker had kept the teasing from becoming more serious.

“I thought you were camping in the foothills this week,” Cass said. A tough springtime chore was searching for the cattle that had wandered off the ranchland during the winter. They tended to seek the bordering national park beyond the town of White Deer, Montana.

Marty gave an exaggerated shiver. “April, man, too damn cold for me. I volunteered you and the new guy to go up and look for strays and the ramrod thought it was a great idea.”

The new guy.

Tom Black. The reason behind Cass’ latest attempt to diet. He flushed, dropping his head so Marty wouldn’t see this sign of weakness and ride him about it. So far he’d been able to keep his painful crush on Tom to himself. Cass planned to keep it that way.

He stepped onto the porch where Marty was loitering. The bench outside the bunkhouse was the only place the hands were permitted to smoke. Summertime grassfires were a danger and the boss wouldn’t tolerate carelessness. Marty had lit up. Relaxed, he’d set his boots resting on the opposite bench.

“Is Tom inside?” Cass asked.

“Your sweetie is in the horse barn with that baby mustang.”

“Cut out that shit!” Cass wanted to smack the other man but he remembered his father telling him over and over again, you’re bigger than most folks, Cass, so go easy, be gentle. You don’t know your own strength.

Marty’s brown eyes were sharp, and Cass told himself not to give himself away. Tom would probably laugh off Marty’s words, but then Tom wasn’t crushed on him.

“Not going over to Adrian and Cody’s for dinner?” Marty referred to Cass’ new friends, a veterinarian and his hired hand. Both were as passionate as Cass about helping preserve the small herd of wild horses that had returned to the foothills.

Cass shook his head.

“Oh. Guess it’s not on your diet, huh?”

“My diet?” But even as he tried to shrug it off, Cass knew there were no secrets in a bunkhouse.

“Kind of obvious.” Marty nodded to the bag with a diet slogan on it and Cass had to agree. Well, fuck it.

He decided to dump the diet info and take the travel book he’d found at the library before he went to the first horse barn. He’d just skip dinner altogether. He hadn’t lost anything last week, but he’d been so damn hungry he’d dug in, had second helpings a couple of times. He’d have to try harder and never mind how tired and ravenous he got after a day working the ranch. He’d never lose weight if he didn’t try.

“Tom?” Cass softened his deep voice as he entered the musky space, absorbing the peacefulness. A fresh spider web glittered by a bare yellow bulb and dust motes hung suspended in the chilly evening air. A hoof clomped, one of the horses moving restlessly as Cass walked past. Another stuck its head out and he gave the animal an absent pat.

“In here, Cass.” Tom’s voice came from the last stall, which was larger than the rest.

Cass’ heartbeat picked up and he took a minute to wipe his free hand on his jeans. He hoped his straw-like hair wasn’t sticking up from running his hands through it. “Big, stupid ox,” he muttered to himself as he peeked inside and saw Tom on his knees beside a black mustang foal.

“What did you say?” Tom asked, his voice a slow, lazy drawl, like liquid caramel drizzling from a dessert bottle at Cass’ favourite coffee house in White Deer.

Hearing it, Cass’ body hardened with furtive excitement and his face reddened. He dropped his gaze. “Nothing.”

“Oh, good. Because if a certain new friend of mine was callin’ himself a ‘big, stupid ox’ then I’d take offense.”

Cass looked at Tom, taking in the grey eyes and dark brown hair that fell over one eye. Tom Black, part Native American, had bronzed skin and prominent cheek bones. He was built on much slighter lines than Cass, only around five foot seven with a lean, fit body. Unlike a lot of cowboys who were happier in a truck or on a horse, Tom liked to run. On his days off he often went cross-country, wearing only a loincloth like a native runner from the past. Seeing him like that made Cass burn.

“Yeah, okay,” Cass mumbled. “It all right to come in?” He could see that the stall was absolutely clean, with fresh straw for warmth atop wood chips. The foal Adrian Le Roy had dropped off was a fragile orphan, stressed from losing her mother to wolves. When Adrian had brought her to the ranch two nights ago, Cass had had his doubts she’d make it. She’d been dehydrated and in shock but Tom had a way with animals.

“Yeah.” Tom leant against the wall.

Cass entered the stall, immediately as comfortable as the foal. Something inside him relaxed around only this man.

He eyed Tom. “You look tired.”

“That would be the feedings every two hours. I’ve stopped going back to the bunkhouse to sleep.”

“I noticed.”

Tom held Cass’ gaze.

Cass flushed. “You’re crazy-ass.”

Copywrite: Jan Irving