Books by Shirleen Davies
Historical Western Romance Series
MacLarens of Fire Mountain
Tougher than the Rest, Book One
Faster than the Rest, Book Two
Harder than the Rest, Book Three
Stronger than the Rest, Book Four
Deadlier than the Rest, Book Five
Wilder than the Rest, Book Six
Redemption Mountain
Redemption’s Edge, Book One
Wildfire Creek, Book Two
Sunrise Ridge, Book Three
Dixie Moon, Book Four
Survivor Pass, Book Five
Promise Trail, Book Six
Deep River, Book Seven
Courage Canyon, Book Eight
Forsaken Falls, Book Nine
Solitude Gorge, Book Ten
Rogue Rapids, Book Eleven
Restless Wind, Coming next in the series!
MacLarens of Boundary Mountain
Colin’s Quest, Book One,
Brodie’s Gamble, Book Two
Quinn’s Honor, Book Three
Sam’s Legacy, Book Four
Heather’s Choice, Book Five
Nate’s Destiny, Book Six
Blaine’s Wager, Book Seven
Fletcher’s Pride, Book Eight
Bay’s Desire, Book Nine
Cam’s Hope, Book Ten, Coming next in the series!
Contemporary Romance Series
MacLarens of Fire Mountain
Second Summer, Book One
Hard Landing, Book Two
One More Day, Book Three
All Your Nights, Book Four
Always Love You, Book Five
Hearts Don’t Lie, Book Six
No Getting Over You, Book Seven
‘Til the Sun Comes Up, Book Eight
Foolish Heart, Book Nine
Forever Love, Book Ten, Coming next in the series!
Peregrine Bay
Reclaiming Love, Book One, A Novella
Burnt River
Shane’s Burden, Book One by Peggy Henderson
Thorn’s Journey, Book Two by Shirleen Davies
Aqua’s Achilles, Book Three by Kate Cambridge
Ashley’s Hope, Book Four by Amelia Adams
Harpur’s Secret, Book Five by Kay P. Dawson
Mason’s Rescue, Book Six by Peggy L. Henderson
Del’s Choice, Book Seven by Shirleen Davies
Ivy’s Search, Book Eight by Kate Cambridge
Phoebe’s Fate, Book Nine by Amelia Adams
Brody’s Shelter, Book Ten by Kay P. Dawson
Boone’s Surrender, Book Eleven by Shirleen Davies
Watch for more books in the series!
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Bay’s Desire
MacLarens of Boundary Mountain
Historical Western Romance Series
SHIRLEEN DAVIES
Book Nine in the MacLarens of Boundary Mountain
Historical Western Romance Series
Copyright © 2018 by Shirleen Davies
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
For permission requests, contact the publisher.
Avalanche Ranch Press, LLC
PO Box 12618
Prescott, AZ 86304
Bay’s Desire is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is wholly coincidental.
Book design and conversions by Joseph Murray at
3rdplanetpublishing.com
Cover design by Kim Killion, The Killion Group
ISBN: 978-1-941786-90-1
I care about quality, so if you find something in error, please contact me via email at
shirleen@shirleendavies.com
Description
He’ll do whatever it takes to forget the past and the woman who betrayed him.
What will he do when learning an assumed truth was a lie?
Bay’s Desire, Book Nine, MacLarens of Boundary Mountain Historical Western Romance Series
Bayard Donahue lives to forget the past. The woman he loves, could never get enough of, and married, betrayed him in the worst way. The physical scars from that night don’t compare to the memories he can’t forget.
Suzette Gasnier shouldn’t still love Bay. He abandoned her, shoving her aside without caring about the truth. Desperate to forget the man she refuses to divorce, Suzette accepts a job managing a new restaurant and hotel in Conviction, a town days away from her home in St. Louis. It’s the opportunity she’s dreamed of, until learning Bay is one of her bosses.
No longer interested in continuing his career as a hired gun, Bay spends his days practicing law. At night, he escorts beautiful women into the restaurant where Suzette works, making certain to flaunt them before her. He only needs her to sign the divorce decree, then he can finally put the past behind him.
At least that’s what Bay thinks until learning what he thought happened in St. Louis might be far different than what he believes. And discovering someone is out to kill him.
Bay’s Desire, book nine in the MacLarens of Boundary Mountain Historical Western Romance Series, is a stand-alone, full-length novel with an HEA and no cliffhanger.
Book 1: Colin’s Quest
Book 2: Brodie’s Gamble
Book 3: Quinn’s Honor
Book 4: Sam’s Legacy
Book 5: Heather’s Choice
Book 6: Nate’s Destiny
Book 7: Blaine’s Wager
Book 8: Fletcher’s Pride
Book 9: Bay’s Desire
Visit my website for a list of characters for each series.
http://www.shirleendavies.com/character-list.html
Table of Contents
Prologue
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
Epilogue
Books by Shirleen Davies
Bay’s Desire
Prologue
St. Louis, Missouri
1864
Bayard “Bay” Donahue worked to stay upright in his saddle, clutching the reins in one hand, the saddlehorn in the other. He hadn’t incurred a gunshot wound during any of the jobs since setting aside his law degree to strap six-shooters around his hips, becoming a killer for hire.
Unlike the methodical way he approached every job in the past, he’d been car
eless, the desire to return to his young, beautiful wife overriding his usual caution. At least the bullet had only grazed his thigh, producing a piercing pain with no threat to his life.
Seeing the lights of St. Louis in the distance, he allowed himself to relax. But only a little. The money from the latest contract lay tucked in a small, locked pouch in his coat.
Another hour passed before he reined Spartacus, his midnight-black stallion, into the corral beside his house at the outskirts of the large, Midwestern town. Two other horses already nibbled at hay, not bothering to look up as he dismounted.
Grimacing at the throbbing pain in his leg, he slid off the bridle and removed the saddle, making short work of grooming the hungry animal. Bay glanced toward the house, gratified to see their bedroom light shining through the upstairs window.
Stepping into the kitchen, Bay removed his boots before looking down at his bloodied pants. His wife wouldn’t be happy if he entered their bedroom with such a prominent wound. Instead of the lovemaking he’d been anticipating for days, he’d spend the entire night under her care. A slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he slid out of the pants and doctored the torn flesh. Grabbing a folded pair of pants from a shelf in the room he often used to shed his mud-encrusted clothes, he slipped into them while inhaling the aroma of the meal she’d left on the stove.
He stopped long enough in the kitchen to finish a bowl of stew, then leaned back in the chair. For the first time, Bay wondered at the quiet in the house. It was unusual for her to hear him enter and not join him in the kitchen.
Curious, he set the empty dish in the sink and moved to the stairs. Taking them to the second floor, he stopped at the landing, hesitating when he heard nothing. No humming or movement as if she were preparing for bed. He couldn’t remember a time the house had been this quiet.
Moving to the bedroom door, he stilled at the sound of a low chuckle. A man’s chuckle.
Taking a step back, he placed a hand against the wall to steady himself, sucking in an unsteady breath. Bay refused to believe what he heard meant she was entertaining another man. He’d never met a more steadfast woman or devoted wife. A moment later, a deep, almost feral voice pierced through the closed door.
“You are a beauty.”
Bay wondered at the lack of a response for a second before settling his hand on the doorknob. Steeling himself, he turned it, pushing slowly. His chest squeezed.
Sitting on the bed was a man wearing nothing except his pants. Standing in front of him, between his spread legs, was Bay’s wife, wearing only a chemise. An almost sheer strip of material which left little to a man’s imagination.
Shoving the door open all the way, he took a step inside, unable to tear his gaze from his wife’s bare skin, the man’s hand roaming over her.
“Get out!” His deep, guttural command reverberated around the room, drawing the attention of the stranger but not his wife. In contrast, she remained ramrod straight, her head turned away from Bay.
The man didn’t move, turning his gaze on Bay. “Now, Donahue. I’d think a man such as you would have no problem sharing.” He turned back to stare at her chemise covered breasts.
His hand drifting to where he’d normally find his gun, he paused. The pair of six-shooters were downstairs in the kitchen.
Taking a menacing step forward, Bay stopped several feet away, fisted hands at his sides. “Whoever you are, let go of my wife and wait for me outside.”
Throwing his head back, the man laughed, tightening his grip on her hips. “So you can goad me into a gunfight, as you’ve done with so many others. I don’t think so. All I’m after is another night with your stunning wife, and you’ll not deny me the pleasure.”
Hearing the incensed roar erupt from his throat, Bay lurched toward the man. An instant before he had the man’s throat in his clutches, a sharp pain to his head and another to his back forced Bay to stagger. Unable to catch himself, he felt one more blow to the head before searing agony ripped through him.
Clutching his chest, Bay crumbled to the floor, hearing an animalistic scream tear from Suzette’s lips an instant before the room fell into darkness.
Chapter One
Conviction, California
April 1867
Bay strolled down the boardwalk toward the newest restaurant on the town’s main street, smiling at the recently installed sign. Great West Café. An enterprising young couple from San Francisco opened it the end of March, eager to capitalize on the town’s booming economy.
Hidden within their meager belongings, they’d brought recipes for dishes they’d learned while working at two prestigious restaurants in the coastal city. Bay knew it had taken a good portion of their savings to install equipment and buy the six tables with four chairs each. They bought beef, chickens, and milk from the MacLarens, vegetables and fruit from neighboring farmers, and staples off the riverboats coming upriver from Sacramento.
He made it a point to come by at least three times a week for breakfast or lunch. Bay enjoyed talking to the owners, learning of their plans to expand when they had a chance. The fact everything he’d eaten was excellent didn’t hurt. Besides, he appreciated people who believed in their dreams and worked hard to achieve them.
An unwelcome image of Suzette crossed his mind, a distant memory of a time when they were still in love.
Shaking his head to rid himself of the unwanted remembrance, he entered the Great West Café and took a seat. It had been almost three years, yet it still took strained effort for him to shove the pain of her betrayal aside.
Refusing to dwell on what he couldn’t change, Bay smiled at Patricia Gleeson when she set down a cup filled with coffee.
“Good morning, Bay. Do you want your usual for breakfast this morning?”
He smiled. “You know me too well, Tricia. An omelet with whatever you can toss into it. How’s your husband doing?”
Tricia glanced over her shoulder, then looked back at Bay with a gleam in her eyes. “Edgar’s doing well. He’s trying out a recipe for standing rib roast. When we worked in San Francisco, the restaurant served a fine roast, but Edgar was never happy with it. He’s trying to make improvements.”
Rubbing his jaw, Bay thought a moment. “I don’t recall ever eating standing rib roast.”
Her brows rose. “No? Well, I’ll let Edgar know. He’ll want me to get word to you when he’s satisfied enough to offer it.”
They turned when the bell on the front door chimed. The relaxed features on Bay’s face froze, his stomach clenching the same as always when he saw Suzette. She stopped in the doorway, her hand still on the knob as if she planned to back out.
“Suzette.” Tricia walked to her, offering a welcoming grin. “Are you here for breakfast or to talk?”
The two often spoke over coffee, comparing recipes, cooking methods, and the costs of running a restaurant. On more than one occasion, Suzette had mentioned how wonderful it would be if Tricia and Edgar ever wanted to work at the Feather River Restaurant she managed.
Suzette shot a furtive glance at Bay, shaking her head at Tricia. “Neither. I was passing by and wanted to say hello. I’ll try to return tomorrow for breakfast.”
“I’ll make you something special, maybe sit with you for bit if there’s time.”
Suzette forced a smile. “I’d like that. Well, I should get back to the restaurant.” Turning her back to Bay, she wrapped a hand around the knob, then glanced over her shoulder. “Perhaps we could all sit together at church on Sunday.”
Tricia’s face brightened. “What a lovely idea. We’ll see you Sunday, if not before.”
With a quick nod, Suzette left, not sparing another look at Bay.
His gaze was still locked on the closed door when Tricia came back to the table. “Would you like more coffee while I give Edgar your order?”
Swallowing, Bay nodded. “Thanks, Tricia.” The good mood of several minutes before had vanished along with Suzette.
Not for the first time, Bay
wondered why his law practice and business partner, August Fielder, had hired Suzette to manage the Feather River Hotel & Restaurant. Each time he asked, August would change the subject with a deft turn of a phrase or casual shrug. He knew his friend well enough to understand the older man never did anything without a reason.
She’d been in Conviction close to two years. It was well past time Bay finished what he’d started too many times to count. The divorce papers were in the safe in his office, ready for her to sign. Whenever he pulled them out, intending to meet with Suzette, something always interrupted the needed conversation.
Remaining married did nothing except cause them pain, and he was tired of living as a shadow of the man he’d once been. He wanted a real marriage with a woman who truly loved him and wanted a family. At one time, he’d thought Suzette the perfect wife. Beautiful, witty, funny, with a huge heart and energy matching his.
He’d never thought her capable of betrayal, would’ve killed any man who besmirched her name or reputation. After witnessing it with his own eyes, Bay no longer saw any trace of the woman he’d fallen desperately in love with and married. All he felt was a sharp stab of pain whenever their eyes met.
Thanking Tricia when she set down his plate, he took a bite. August was leaving for Sacramento on the noon stage, due to return within a week. When he did, Bay would sit down with his partner and discover the true reason August brought Suzette to Conviction. Afterward, he’d review the divorce documents once more, meet with her, and put their relationship firmly where it belonged. In the past.
Placing a hand on her stomach to quell the anxiety seeing Bay caused, Suzette hurried away from the café. It had been close to three years since that awful night, but she still couldn’t rid herself of the look of betrayal on Bay’s face. She’d been over it in her head a hundred times, lying awake at night remembering what happened. Nothing purged the horrid memory from her mind.
If he’d allowed her to explain instead of leaving St. Louis without a backward glance, everything might be different. Or maybe not. No matter the reason, Bay wasn’t a man to forgive and forget. He might agree to forget a real or imagined wrong, but it never truly left his mind. Like a dog with a bone, Bay hung on, throwing past actions back at whoever slighted him. And what she’d done was no mere slight.