Cupid Cures: Small Town Western Contemporary (Return to Cupid, Texas Book 5)

  Cupid Cures

  Return to Cupid #5

  Sylvia McDaniel

  Virtual Bookseller

  Contents

  Blurb

  Also By

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Also By

  About the Author

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2017 Sylvia McDaniel

  Published by Virtual Bookseller, LLC

  All Rights Reserved

  Cover Art by Melody Simmons

  Edited by Tina Winograd

  ebook ISBN 978-1-942608-76-9

  Paperback 978-1-942608-77-6

  No part of this book may be reproduced, downloaded, transmitted, decompiled, reverse engineered, stored in or introduced to any information storage and retrieval system, in any form, whether electronic or mechanical without the author’s written permission. Scanning, uploading or distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without permission is prohibited.

  Please purchase only authorized electronic versions, and do not participate in, or encourage pirated electronic versions.

  ISBN: 978-1-942608-78-3

  Created with Vellum

  Can Cupid Cure Not Only a Disease, But a Heart as Well?

  Kyle Lawrence must fulfill a bet by dancing naked around the Cupid statue at midnight. Only he doesn’t believe in the superstition of finding true love, and at this moment, he doesn’t have time for forever after. A beautiful investigator from the USDA has arrived to warn of a possible cattle epidemic.

  Life has not been easy for Dr. Tempest Tangier. A no nonsense veterinarian, who arrives in Cupid to investigate the possibility of a deadly cattle disease and end the infectious spread. But when she shows up at the Lawrence clinic, only to see a naked man breaking in, she quickly realizes the town holds more secrets than her past.

  Can a rigid doctor with a famous past and a veterinarian with a gentle heart determined to save the cattle and the livelihood of his neighbors work together and in the process rescue each other?

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  Also By Sylvia McDaniel

  Contemporary Romance

  Return to Cupid, Texas

  Cupid Stupid

  Cupid Scores

  Cupid Dances

  Cupid Help Me!

  Cupid Cures

  Cupid’s Heart

  My Sister's Boyfriend

  The Wanted Bride

  The Reluctant Santa

  The Relationship Coach

  Secrets, Lies, & Online Dating

  Short Sexy Reads

  Racy Reunions Series

  Paying For the Past

  Her Christmas Lie

  Cupid’s Revenge

  Science/Fiction Paranormal

  The Magic Mirror Series

  Touch of Decadence

  Touch of Deceit

  Western Historicals

  A Hero’s Heart

  Ace’s Bride

  Second Chance Cowboy

  Ethan

  American Brides

  Katie: Bride of Virginia

  The Burnett Brides Series

  The Rancher Takes A Bride

  The Outlaw Takes A Bride

  The Marshal Takes A Bride

  The Christmas Bride

  Boxed Set

  Lipstick and Lead Series

  Desperate

  Deadly

  Dangerous

  Daring

  Determined

  Deceived — Coming Soon!

  Scandalous Suffragettes of the West

  Abigail

  Bella

  Callie – Coming Soon

  Faith

  Mistletoe Scandal - October 2017

  Southern Historical Romance

  A Scarlet Bride

  The Cuvier Women

  Wronged

  Betrayed

  Beguiled

  Boxed Set

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  Chapter 1

  "This is the craziest thing I ever remember doing," Kyle Lawrence, said as he tossed his pants over a bench. "Drew better not back out is all I've got to say."

  Drew, their baby brother, a lawyer, had a big case going on in Dallas and promised to do the Cupid stupid dance another time.

  Kyle stood shivering nude in the cold night air, laughing. His childhood best-friend, Cody had fooled them by tricking the three boys into making a foolish wager. Because they lost, here they were in the town square, while the rest of the sleepy village slept, as bare as the day they were born.

  One heartbeat away from being arrested.

  Besides, this was a ridiculous superstition. If dancing in the buff around a statue chanting some silly verse made a woman show up in your life you couldn't live without, he'd sell tickets. What were these people smoking?

  At this moment, his life was complete, with his practice, his brothers and friends. Though the warmth of a soft woman curled around him at night was tempting. He was having too much fun to engage in drama, right now.

  Women switched their feelings on and off like changing channels on the television.

  Like his older brother Jim, he would keep his word, but when he completed his three laps, his empty bed awaited him. But sometime in the near future his impending brother-in-law would be the recipient of a payback. As the saying goes, 'Paybacks are hell.'

  Now if only his worst nightmare for the town of Cupid, didn't come true. Soon as the results of the lab test came back, he would know what afflicted Cody's cow.

  His friend stood off to the side grinning. "One minute till midnight."

  "Our sister did this?" Jim said, disbelief tinging his voice.

  Kelsey had a wild side, but the oldest, of the four siblings, Jim refused to acknowledge that little sister might be having more sex than him.

  "Best night of my life," Cody said. "Picked her up running naked down the road."

  Kyle chuckled to himself and avoid looking at his brother. If Cody was smart he would keep the rest of what happened that night between him and Kelsey. Especially if he wanted Jim to continue being his friend.

  "I still think you tricked us," Jim said. "You knew she would say yes."

  "No, I didn't. There were no guarantees she would agree to marry me and you guys almost screwed it up."

  "Bet or no bet, I'm not running down a city street like this." Jim placed his hat strategically over his privates.

  A chuckle escaped Kyle. The very idea of streaking down main street was something he'd never considered. Never and like Jim making a mad dash through the middle of town, sans clothing was the stuff of nightmares.

  Standing there covering his junk with his hands trying to stay heated, Kyle reached his breaking point. Risking everything on what appeared to be a sure thing was crazy. Pure psycho nuttiness and at any moment, their friend the sheriff could be driving up to arrest them.

  Time to either do this or go home.

  Glancing at his watch, Cody grinned at the two of them.

  "Thirty seconds," he said.

  What difference would it make whether they did this now or later. This dance meant nothing. This superstition had no bearing on his love life, his f
uture wife or anything else. A nice warm bed called to him and the time had come to get this done.

  "Screw this, I'm going," Kyle said. "The sooner we do this, the sooner we can put our clothes back on and leave."

  Jogging around the boy in a diaper, the church bells began to chime the start of a new day. Why hadn't he brought his Stetson to cover his junk?

  For weeks, this moment, like a stick in the eye had lingered until finally he decided to just do it so he could move on.

  "Chant, you have to chant," Cody called out to them.

  "Oh, Cupid-statue-find-us-our-true-love," Kyle said in a singsong way that showed exactly what he thought of doing this absurd silly wager. Only a jackass believed this was how you met a woman.

  "Oh Cupid-statue-find-us-our-true-love," Jim said joining in.

  A full moon shone down on the God of Love and now Kyle knew why Ryan suggested the city council should remove the sculptured rock from the town square. Water gurgled in the fountain and as a vet, he understood his manly bits could be prone to frostbite.

  Running faster he only wanted to finish, put his clothes on and go home.

  "Last lap," Kyle called as they sprinted past Cody.

  "Soon you'll meet your true love" his friend said with a laugh.

  Who cares. Right now, Kyle's focus was on receiving the results of the tests he sent off earlier this week after examining Cody's heifer. Not since his days at school had he seen a case of what he suspected. And if the tests confirmed his suspicions, Cody would have more to worry about than the outcome from tonight's adventure.

  Soon Kyle promised himself a couple of days resting on a beach. A few days laying in the sun, watching women walk by in bikinis sounded like an ideal vacation. Sun, sand and bikinis.

  Suddenly Jim's voice rent the air. "Cody," he yelled. "You son--"

  Coming around the fountain to where his clothes should have been on the bench, there was nothing. No jeans, no shirt, no belt, no shoes, no cell phone, no keys.

  Rage roared through him at the realization, his friend, soon to be brother-in-law had left them high and dry.

  "Come on, man," Kyle said, throwing his hands up. "Really? How could he leave us here bare ass naked?"

  Shaking his head, Jim groaned. "I'm going to kick his butt the next time I see him. We ponied up. Nothing was said about making us run through town nude."

  With a sigh, Kyle said, "I'm two blocks from the clinic."

  Shivering, his brother motioned with his hand. "Come on, there's some coveralls and a spare key in the truck. All I have to do is punch in the lock code on the door. I'll drop you off."

  "Let's get out of here before the sheriff shows up," Kyle agreed.

  Before they stepped out of the park, he watched as Jim scanned the street looking for any police vehicles. All they needed was to be hauled in front of a judge for doing the naughty dance. While some people would cheer, others would deem them certifiable. And frankly, Kyle thought the later.

  When they reached the safety of the vehicle, Jim unlocked the doors and Kyle jumped in. Dropping his straw hat on the seat, Kyle grabbed it.

  "I'm borrowing your hat," he said, placing the straw hat over his twinkie while Jim yanked out the set of overalls in the back. Quickly, he pulled them up and over him.

  "Keep it. It's yours."

  "Don't mind if I do."

  At least he had the vital parts shielded.

  Hopping up inside the old farm truck Jim sighed. "Glad that madness is over."

  Quivering with cold, sitting in the buff beside him, Kyle glared into the darkness.

  "That sculpture has nothing to do with finding love. No matter what Cody says about him and Kelsey, running in your birthday suit around a chunk of granite is not going to find happiness. A warrant maybe. Take me to the clinic. There is going to be hell to pay when I find Cody Graham."

  With a turn in the ignition, the old engine started, and Jim gave a nervous snort. The sheriff's car drove down the street behind them and they turned and stared at each other. Another five minutes and they would've been calling little brother Drew to bail them out of jail.

  Dr. Tempest Tangier sat in the darkened parking lot, waiting for the sun to rise. Driving through Cupid, she noticed the only hotel in town the marquee sign said was closed for repairs. So instead of coming in tomorrow morning, she drove to the veterinary clinic and rang the bell. No answer.

  Now here she sat hanging around for daylight to come with news that no veterinarian enjoyed hearing. Brucellosis. Or at least a suspected case of the venereal disease for cattle. An entire herd could be wiped out because some randy bull got the clap.

  "Surely, there's another hotel in town," she said out loud searching on her phone, finding no results.

  Sighing, she gazed out at the darkness. Someday she would own her own veterinarian hospital and could quit traipsing across the country telling ranchers, their cows had an illness that warranted the death of an animal or a rancher's herd quarantined. It was not a pleasant job, but a necessary one that paid the bills and kept a roof over her head.

  A truck pulled into the lot where she waited. Lights flashed across her car and she slumped down further in the seat. With fascination she watched as a naked man, hopped out of the vehicle. A worn cowboy hat covered his loins. But the rest of him bare assed as the day he came from his mother's womb.

  A giggle escaped her lips as he strode towards the front door. And he wasn't bad looking. Tall, muscular with curly short hair that most women envied. Glasses that gave him the appearance of a professor. Shame that symbol of western men hid his manhood.

  Reaching under the mat, he pulled out a key and the idea struck her. Why would the good doctor be picking a lock on the door? What if he was a homeless man or a robber breaking in to steal the clinics drugs or harm the animals. A shiver of fear spiraled through her. It was her duty to call the cops. Even though she hated dealing with officers.

  Yanking her phone up from the console, she punched in 911.

  "What's your emergency?"

  "I'm calling to report a break-in."

  "Location."

  "The Lawrence Veterinary clinic and a naked man just went into the building?"

  The man on the other end started laughing, startling Tempe. "Excuse me."

  "Sorry, ma'am. The sheriff is on his way."

  "Thank you," she said.

  Less than five minutes later, a patrol car pulled into the parking lot. A man in a uniform with a gun hanging from his waist glanced over at her in the car. Strolling over to her, she rolled down the window.

  "Did you call about a naked man breaking and entering?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "May I ask what you're doing sitting here?"

  A lump filled her throat and she swallowed, her chest tightening. There was no reason to feel nervous, but every time she dealt with the law, she feared they would recognize her. "Doctor Tempest Tangier from the USDA here to see doctor Jim Lawrence. Driving into town, the only hotel was closed."

  "Yes, ma'am, a tornado took off the roof."

  "Oh," she said. "Sorry to hear that. What about the naked man? When I rang the emergency bell no one answered."

  "What did he look like?"

  A blush flamed her face in the darkness. What should she say. All bronze muscles with a cowboy hat covering his privates?

  "Curly sandy brown hair with glasses on."

  The sheriff chuckled. "I'd lay odds, he did the Cupid dance."

  "What?" She had no clue what he was saying. A dance? Naked? What kind of party required you attend not wearing clothes. The swingers club? Oh boy, this little town was rapidly becoming not her sort of place.

  "Come with me," he said, opening her door. "My hunch is you witnessed Doctor Lawrence going in the building. Let's go check him out."

  Crawling out of the car, grabbing her phone, in case she needed it. Her nerves jingled on high alert as she walked alongside the man, he chuckled to himself.

  "I almost caught them."
>
  What? What did he think he caught them doing. Maybe it was better that she stayed silent and let the law take the lead. No matter that she was innocent, she didn't need anyone scrutinizing her past.

  The lawman pounded on the door and soon the same man, only this time wearing scrubs answered.

  "Sheriff, what brings you here this time of night."

  "Report of a burglary by a naked man. Is this the man you witnessed breaking in," he asked her.

  "Yes," she said, thinking he looked even better fully clothed.

  The man's brows raised and he glared at her. "Sorry, I work and live here."

  "What was I supposed to think? You had no clothes on."

  No one could reproach her for making the call. Any law abiding citizen would have done the same.

  The sheriff started to laugh again. "Did you do the stupid Cupid dance?"

  The man sighed. "Blame Cody. He tricked us. We lost a bet and had to dance around the Cupid fountain. No you won't find me dancing a second time."

  Dancing? Naked around a fountain? Is that what people did for fun?

  Shaking his head, the sheriff glanced at him. "You're just lucky I didn't catch you or you would have been looking out between metal bars."

  Unable to keep silent any longer, she had to ask. "What kind of town is this? Dancing naked around a fountain?"

  "We're a great little city, but we have some traditions that can get you arrested."

  "Why were you waiting on me?" Kyle asked, gazing at her.

  Tempe pulled her shoulders back and assumed her professional role. All this talk of being naked had gotten her off track. She was here to do her job.

  "Dr. Tempest Tangier from the USDA. Are you Dr. Kyle Lawrence?"

  "Yes." A frown crossed his face and he ran his hand through his hair. "Why are you here?"

  "It's in regard to the test you sent us. I'm here to do my own investigation."

  At this moment she refused to tell him anything more. All she needed was for him to decide not to help her get the samples she required for her job. In the year spent working for the government, she quickly learned not every rancher was elated when she arrived.