Skip to main content

Tender Trust


Blurb
Alex Marsden dragged Penny Layton out of the gutter and promised her a happy-ever-after-love with a house and a white-picket fence. But the Civil War changed their paths. Separated twice by circumstances beyond their control, Penny learned to survive on her own, but lost hope. Five years later when Alex miraculously returns to her, Penny doesn't believe in happy endings or miracles. Will Alex's faith and love be strong enough to drag Penny out of the gutter one more time?

Excerpt
Penny’s voice rose in the last notes of the song, as if in prayer. But she’d stopped praying a long time ago.

“Thanks, Aunt Penny,” Jann murmured. “You’re the best.”

For one short moment, she believed it. Felt like she could conquer anything.

Then the men began to clap and cheer.

“I guess I owe you an apology, young man. Penny is a fine singer.” Brady looked at her with something different in his eyes.

She knew the look and hated it. It had frightened her as a young girl. Now it sickened her. She ducked her head and would have jumped from the bar, but Brady reached for her. She shied away from his hands, closer to Jann.

“Sing one more,” Brady coaxed.

She shook her head, but the men crowded in around her and pressed for more. It was always this way. Her singing awakened something hot and dangerous in them. After she sang, they looked at her differently, like an object to be possessed at all costs.

Tonight was no different. She felt smothered, as if she sank into a deep, dark pit of groping male hands and wet lips.

“One more.”

”No...no, I can’t.” She shook her head again. They didn’t hear her, wouldn’t stop, and they were so close, too close. She couldn’t move or breathe. She closed her eyes.

“Just one. We ain’t heard nothing that pretty since Jenny Lind came through.” Suddenly, strong hands gripped her waist and

lifted her effortlessly off the bar. She opened her eyes to see a dark, jacket-covered chest. There was something familiar about the feel of those arms...something...

Penny opened her eyes and looked straight into Alex Marsden’s face.

She screamed and shoved the man away with both hands.

It couldn’t be Alex. He was dead. He had to be, or he would have come back for her.

“Penny!” The man stepped towards her.

She let out another startled cry and put out a hand to stop him.

He sounded like Alex. Looked like Alex. But he couldn’t be.

She shook her head. He couldn’t be. Men grabbed him, held him back. He struggled for a moment, then stopped fighting and stood up straight. “It’s me, Penny. It’s really me.” It was truly him. Her dead husband was alive.

Alex! Her thoughts and senses came to a screeching halt.

Everything went black.

Comments

Tanya Stowe said…
Thank you, Clare, for featuring Tender Trust! It's always a pleasure to visit on your site.
Delia Latham said…
Such a beautiful story! Love it, and loved Tender Touch as well. I highly recommend both books.
Tanya Stowe said…
Thank you, Delia!
LoRee Peery said…
I enjoy anything cowboy, this sounds like a great story.
Anne Greene said…
I love cowboy too. I know it will be a good read.
Tanya Stowe said…
Thank you, Ladies, for visiting. Penny and Alex first appeared in Tender Touch. Tender Trust is their story!
Terri said…
Sounds great! I love it when characters from one book get their own story.
Liz Flaherty said…
Wonderful excerpt!

Popular posts from this blog

Falling Forever by Katherine Robles

  Blurb Hillary is stifled by an entry level IT job in the Virginia suburbs and longs to move to Washington D.C. where she can make a difference in the world. When Javier comes to her rescue in Great Falls National Park, Hillary likes everything about him except for the gorgeous fiance hanging on his arm. But things are not as they seem and he enlists her help to renovate a homeless shelter. Romance blossoms over paintbrushes and pipes until a career launching opportunity arises. Hillary can chase her dreams, but they might cost her Javier’s heart.       Excerpt Javier cast a shadow over her placemat as he delivered her glass of water. He rounded the table, apparently unaware that the whole family was watching him with interest. When he got to the other side of Mom, Hillary willed him to make eye contact and gave a little wave in greeting. “Hi,” she said. Javier retracted the hand that was lowering Coryn’s water. His lips parted like a curtain to reveal his pearly whites. “Well, if it

Wooing Gertrude by Jodie Wolfe

  Blurb   Enoch Valentine has given up finding peace for his past mistakes. He throws everything he has into being the new part-time deputy in Burrton Springs, Kansas while maintaining the foreman position at a local horse ranch. But when trouble stirs on the ranch, he questions whether he's the right man for either job. Peace has been elusive for most of Gertrude Miller's life, especially under the oppressiveness of an overbearing mother. She takes matters into her own hands and sends for a potential husband, while also opening her own dress shop. Gertrude hopes to build a future where she'll find peace and happiness. Will either of them ever be able to find peace?   First Page Peek   Burrton Springs, Kansas August 4, 1877   Gertrude Miller’s life couldn’t get any better. She grinned, patting her pocket. Her fingers traced the two skeleton keys. After months of planning and preparing she finally had moved into her own place a week ago, away from the overbearing reach of he

Heartbeat of Fear by Susan Lytekk (portal watchers book 2)

  Blurb : As Bern and his father harvest their crops, a portal appears. The creature chased into their world is taller than any building in the village. While the villagers are terrified, Bern realizes the creature is also scared. He names the beast Kattya after his dead mother and vows to protect it. Kattya is not safe after Subja learns of this new creature. Bern, Garth, and Ne-tel realize their mammoth charge must be protected. When Bern and Kattya are separated, the two find safety in the lost country of Telantia; but their reprieve from danger is short-lived when Bern learns Garth and Ne-tel have been captured by the Vil. Can Bern save his friends when his heart beats with fear?   Extract : Beauty—what the soul sees and the mind cannot fully comprehend.   Wisdom of the Kings, Book of the Fallen World, pg 29   Bern felt like running.   In fact, he turned and started to head for the village. “Aw-ug!” the dinosaur bellowed.   It sounded so forlorn that it stopped Bern in