Watershed is a sweet contemporary romance set in rural Australia, and fits nicely into January’s theme, “New Beginnings.”

*Since Lyrical was bought by Kensington Publishing January 1st, the book is now being transitioned from it’s old sell links to new ones. Watch my social media for updates!

Maggie isn’t looking for love on her backpacking trip through Australia. She’s got enough man troubles back in Ireland. Australia is her escape, a place of adventure where she can create memories to last a lifetime. In my first post earlier today for Book Brew, there was an excerpt from Maggie’s POV, a sense of her coming into her own in this new and very different environment. Now, we get a glimpse into how this spirited young woman has impacted our sexy Aussie hero.

I hope you enjoy! See below on how you can win a gifted Kindle copy of Watershed.

Excerpt

Knocking back a large swig of water, Gray walked to the stable doors and peered into Travis and Jo’s backyard. Maggie’s window was the one on the corner. He wished he could see her for a minute, but her blinds were closed.

He shook his head in exasperation.

“Let’s go get showered and ready.” Lizzy pulled on his arm, leading him away.

They walked around the front of the house toward Gray’s, passing in front of the veranda. There sat Maggie, head down, writing feverishly. His gaze pulled at her to notice, and she looked up.

Raising his hand in a wave, he noticed that Lizzy’s hand remained on his arm. He was so accustomed to Lizzy’s presence, he hadn’t realized that her fingers grasped his arm lightly above his crooked elbow. Not wanting to be rude to Lizzy, or draw Maggie’s attention to his arm, he dropped it back to his side and gave her a nod.

“G’day, Maggie.” His words were clipped and stiff, sounding odd, too formal. What he wanted to do was climb the steps, grab her up in his arms, inhale her scent and plant a big kiss on her full lips.

Instead he walked up to the side of the porch. At last, Lizzy dropped his arm as they approached. “Hey, girl, you going to the rodeo today?”

Her gaze that had rested on Gray now turned to Lizzy. Maggie’s smile looked wrong, her face full of tension, but he could tell she was trying. She dragged her hair behind her ears before she answered, giving a slight nod. “I think so. Jo said we’d be leaving in a few hours.”

“Is this your first one?” Lizzy leaned her chin on the middle rail.

Maggie’s smile grew genuine and finally reached those beautiful blue eyes of hers. “’Tis the first, makes me a rodeo virgin, I guess.” She blushed, looking down and scribbling on the paper in front of her.

“I am absolutely certain there will be plenty of blokes there happy to help you lose your virginity,” laughed Lizzy.

Gray rolled his eyes, tipped his hat onto an angle and rubbed an arm along his forehead. He punched Lizzy lightly in the arm. “Come on, Liz, let’s go get showered.”

They walked away, and Gray glanced back over his shoulder. Maggie looked after them. Smiling, he waved again. She didn’t respond, her gaze steady. Gray turned back on his heel and increased his stride to catch up with Lizzy.

That whole scene. That wasn’t what he had hoped for. She should have been at least more responsive to him. He let the screen door slam behind him. Had he imagined the desire he’d seen in Maggie’s eyes that night? Or how she had responded to his touch?

He stripped off his clothes, wrapping a towel around his waist, and stomped into the shower. He didn’t even ask Lizzy if she wanted to go first. He always let her go first. In Gray’s opinion, women and preening were time wasted. He did appreciate the outcome, though, he had to admit. She’d be doing herself up for the boys tonight, taking extra care with lotions, makeup and perfume jillaroos normally sacrificed.

Aching all over, he soaped extra hard along first one shoulder and then the next. After washing his hair, he leaned on the shower wall and let the water cascade down over his head. The exhaustion hit him; he was even too tired to turn off the tap.

They didn’t waste water at the station and Lizzy would be impatient for her turn. He dragged himself from the shower and padded down to his room. He sat down on the edge of his bed, drying the water from his hair. With the towel crumpled in his lap, he leaned back onto the bed and spread his arms wide.

There were times when he couldn’t take another step. Times like now. There wasn’t a day he didn’t work. In a continuous roster, he did four twelve-hour shifts at the mine, with every spare minute dedicated to the station his four days off. Other than a few beers down at the pub with the boys every now and then, he barely stopped to relax.

He closed his eyes and imagined Maggie brushing her hair the morning after their first muster. She had brushed it until it shone, then scrunched it up in a bun. She had squatted at the billabong edge, cupping the water up over her face and the back of her neck, the water wetting her shirt. He had turned away when her white singlet revealed her lacy bra underneath.

Gray groaned. God, wouldn’t it be nice to have Maggie rub the soreness from his muscles? And even a few kisses before snuggling up to rest? Simply lay there with him. Sometimes Travis and Jo appeared late on a Sunday, and he envied their time alone to make love, relax.

Water pipes clanked as the shower was turned off. Lizzy was already done. He needed to get dressed and a cup of coffee into him, but he wanted this moment with Maggie, even if she wasn’t here.

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Have you ever been to Australia? Do you want to go? Share! I’m gifting one Kindle of WATERSHED to one lucky poster. 

• About the Author
• Posts in the Past

Cd Brennan

Having traveled and lived all over the world, Cd Brennan now talks with a strange accent, a mix of distant terminology, a blend of culturally cute but confusing euphemisms that leaves everyone looking at her with a blank stare. Luckily, her Australian husband (who she met in Ireland) and her two Aussie/Yankee sons have no problem understanding her – well, except for the word “NO”.

Now settled back “home” in Michigan, she enjoys reliving her glory days by writing about them. She considers the last fifteen years abroad the perfect research for her Love Where You Roam series; matchmaking women and men from different cultures, even different hemispheres, helping them find their true one across oceans of difference.

As destiny plays a hand in all the stories, Cd Brennan truly believes that what is for you, won’t pass you by. She hopes to inspire others to get out there: “Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” [Mark Twain] And of course, fall in love.

Get in touch with her at www.cdbrennan.com

www.cdbrennan.com

• Watershed Excerpt + Giveaway
• HNY! Sweet Contemporary + Giveaway