Beyond passion. And beyond their control
Five years ago, Tuesday Eastwoods life collapsed and left her devastated. After an empty, nomadic existence, shes finally pieced her life back together in the small Oregon town of Hood River. Now Tuesday has everything sorted out. Just so long as men are kept for sex, and only sex
Then she met him.
Musician and rancher Ezra Hurley isnt the man of Tuesdays dreams. Hes a verboten fantasya man tortured by past addictions whose dark charisma and long, lean body promise delicious carnality. But this craving goes far beyond chemistry. Its primal. Its insatiable. And it wont be satisfied until theyre both consumed, body and soul
Broken Open
Lauren Dane
www.millsandboon.co.uk
MILLS & BOON
Before you start reading, why not sign up?
Thank you for downloading this Mills & Boon book. If you want to hear about exclusive discounts, special offers and competitions, sign up to our email newsletter today!
SIGN ME UP!
Or simply visit
signup.millsandboon.co.uk
Mills & Boon emails are completely free to receive and you can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email we send you.
This one goes out to the boy who bought me a rum and Coke
in Paris and let me rant at him for hours
after an upsetting phone call.
Thank you for always having my back and feeding me liquor.
Contents
Cover
Back Cover Text
Title Page
Dedication
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Copyright
CHAPTER ONE
Before: December
HER WORKDAY OVER, Tuesday Eastwood turned the display lights up before locking her front doors. Thats when she realized how cold it was and flipped her collar against the wind with one hand while hurrying to where shed parked her car.
As she paused to cross at the corner and look both ways, she caught sight of Ezra Hurley. It wasnt one of those moments when you caught sight of a person and then realized who it was once they got closer.
No, she knew it was Ezra because for some befuddling reason she was hyperaware of him. He looked good as he waited for traffic, a grin on his face.
In the entirety of her life no one had ever made her belly feel the same quivery, excited swoop when she looked at him. At the rugged, masculine lines of his features. Like his brothers, yes, he was attractive. But he wore it differently than the other three brothers did.
Ezra Hurley was a Capital M Man. In that riding horses, baling hay, hands in the dirt, well-worn jeans way. Well-worn jeans that currently cradled a rear end that a sculptor would drool over. The kind of being who seemed to emanate utter capability.
How or why that was so hot to her Tuesday didnt know. But it was.
Even in a wool cap and a peacoat he radiated that something special he tossed around like catnip. In addition to being a rancher, he was a rock star. A onetime hard-living, jet-setting, arena-filling rock star fallen to earth, crashing and burning.
The flames had left him imperfect. But no less compelling.
Hey, Tuesday. He reached the spot where shed been rooted as she thought about him naked.
Ezra. What brings you out tonight?
Errands. I was just planning to grab some dinner and head back home. He paused for just a moment. What are you up to right now? Want to have dinner with me?
She nodded even though she knew it was a bad idea. Ezra wasnt just a gorgeous rancherhugely successful musician with a butt any sane woman would want to take a bite of.
He was also the oldest brother of Tuesdays best friend Natalies boyfriend. It sounded convoluted, sure, but it meant trouble if anything bad happened between Natalie and Paddy, Ezras brother.
Tuesday told herself it was just dinner. No big deal. She and Natalie were close as sisters anyway. She was supposed to be getting to know the people in Nats life now.
She slipped her hand around the crook of his arm and didnt make good choices at all. Im starving.
He led her just up the block to one of her favorite cafés.
The hostess nearly walked into a post showing them to their table because she couldnt tear her gaze from Ezra.
You were very sweet to her, Tuesday murmured when the poor girl stumbled away after hed thanked her.
He ducked his head a moment before he stepped close. Let me help you.
The backs of his fingers slid against the skin of her neck as he pulled her collar away and took the coat off.
She closed her eyes a moment as a full-body shiver of delight rolled through her.
Thank you.
He hung hers up and got rid of his as she settled at the table. Flashing her a smile, he sat across from her as he unwound his scarf.
I like the beard, she managed to say and surprised herself by not sounding breathy or wheezy even though he seemed to suck all the oxygen from the air around her.
There was a spot she couldnt seem to stop glancing at. Just below his ear at the curve of his jaw. She licked her lips rather than get up and kiss him there.
She gripped the table instead, grateful it kept her out of licking distance.
Then he stroked fingertips over the bearda nervous habitand she might have lost consciousness for just a brief moment.
Yeah? Ive had one on and off. Wintertime is good for it.
Tuesday felt much the same way about her legs.
It suits you. And framed his mouth. He had a great mouth.
She deliberately looked away from him, down at her menu even though she knew exactly what she was going to order.
Shed met Ezra Hurley back in September. Her best friends boyfriend had three brothers, all gorgeous and successful with immense personal charisma. Ezra was the last of the four shed met but once hed walked into the room he was all shed seen.
Shed seen him several times since as Natalie had got closer to Paddy and theyd been pulled into the Hurley family.
Each time it had been that same shock of connection between them.
They made small talk that wasnt uncomfortable or awkward in any way until their food came.
Did you have a good Christmas?
I did, actually. Got my fill of nieces and nephews. Played a lot of video games. Kids are a great way to avoid shopping trips.
You dont like to shop?
With my mother and sister and all my sisters-in-law? At Christmas? No. I stayed back, drank mulled wine and played video games until the kids got sick of me and then I watched movies and enjoyed the silence.
I have nieces, both under ten so I know the feeling.
Ezra was like a cat. Tuesday wanted his attention, but she was sort of a cat, too. Each of them brushed up against the other, naturally sort of aloof but totally digging on what the other had.
I cant imagine what you must be thinking right now. His mouth quirked up and she swallowed hard.
Do you really want to know?
He nodded.
I was just thinking about how you and I are like cats.
He cocked his head, thinking. Aloof yet demanding?
She grinned. Someone has cats.
Im not sure if they have me or if I have them.
Thats a yes.
He tore apart a piece of bread and she had to bite the inside of her lip to pry her gaze away from his hands.
She had a thing about hands and his were gorgeous and strong. Rough. Big.
Hows business? I imagine things are pretty busy during this time of year.
Tuesday owned and ran a custom framing business in downtown Hood River, Oregon. It wasnt where shed expected to end up but after her life had gone off the rails, it was this town on the Columbia River and her best friend Natalie, whod finally given her a place to land.
The holidays are a good time. Its also great for my custom jewelry. Which was good because she had a huge family and birthdays alone killed her budget. How goes ranching?
He looked across the table at her as the server took their food away. I was thinking of dessert. You in?
She nodded. Definitely. They have poached pears here that I love.
He grinned. That so? Those are Hurley pearsdid you know that?
Sweet Hollow Ranch wasnt only the name of the band Ezra had founded with his brothers when they were still in their teens. It was the place the Hurleys lived. The land they worked.
And apparently the source of the dessert she was about to order.
I didnt know. Thats pretty nifty.
I think so, too. If you order the pears, Ill order the cheese plate. We can share. If thats okay with you.
More than okay. Sounds perfect.
They lingered over their coffee until most people had cleared out and the café got near closing time. He paid up and they gathered their things to clear out.
I hadnt realized wed been here so long.
He stood and helped her into her coat. Thats the sign of a good dinner. When you have a great conversation and time gets away from you.
He opened the door for her and even though it was freezing, she got to look at him some more.
His work boots crunched ice as they headed back to her car along the slippery sidewalk.
She couldnt recall any time in recent memory where shed whiled away three hours over dinner and with someone shed only met a few times.
Something in him called to her. The shape of his eyes, the history in them, she supposed, a little dark and twisty. His lips, well, the bottom one had to be pillow soft. Shed thought about that issue in great detail. He had the hottest mouth shed laid eyes on in a long time.
Because shed been thinking about his mouth she might have been distracted enough that she missed the dip in the sidewalk and started to slip. Not that any such thing needed to be admitted. It was cold and icy after all. Anyone could slip. Who could be expected not to think about Ezras bottom lip?
Whoa. He wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her back to her feet, standing very close to her as he did. He was so strong. The energy seemed to hum from him, bringing a shiver she couldnt blame on the cold.
Are you okay?
His voice did things to her. A little sandpapery, but wrapped in caramel. It shouldnt have even been possible to be both at the same time but it was. Every once in a while thered be a burr and it snagged her attentionthe pullwhich was disconcerting and yet, it was really delicious, too.
He did things to her head. He looked good and he oozed so much raw sensuality it made her tingly. He was handsome, yes, but there was something about him, something elemental that she found herself fascinated by.
And now that shed had him all to herself like this, she had to admit she wanted more.
That was close. Thanks for the save.
He paused, still standing near enough that she could smell him. He had really good cologne. Spicy and sexy.
Dont sniff him. Dont sniff him. Dont sniff him.
The moment stretched between them like a physical thing until he finally stepped back and turned, resuming their walk to her car.
She unlocked her drivers-side door, using that time to get herself in order before she leaped on him.
She turned back to face him. Thanks again for dinner. Oh, and for preventing a broken bone when I nearly slipped.
His mouth did a thing and it was impossible to look away.
Mainly because it was perfection. Fringed by a minky pelt of a beard she wanted to get all up in. It was messing with her thinking. Like a magical item. Beard of confusion, ha!
But the thing? Shed noticed over dinner that sometimes as she talked, hed look at her mouth and then hed lick over his bottom lip as if he was thinking about tasting her. That sweep of his tongue was like a physical stroke against her skin.
Yes, she liked the thing a lot.
She shivered, this time from the cold. He popped open the three buttons lining the front of his wool peacoat and opened it, inviting her.