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  Hard Candy

  A Bandit Creek Erotic Romance

  by

  Jade Buchanan

  PRAISE FOR JADE BUCHANAN

  "The talented Jade Buchanan delivers yet another laugh out loud funny and very sensual story." – Rosemary, Joyfully Reviewed

  “Jade Buchanan is a natural at creating believable characters and stories that reach out to the reader." – Scandalous Minx, Literary Nymphs

  “Jade Buchanan has proven time and again that she is a gifted author...” – Kimberley Spinney, Sensual Reads

  "Jade Buchanan has created a whimsical, funny, short summer read." – JC Dreamer, The Romance Studio

  "Yet another steamy and captivating story from Jade Buchanan....” – Christina, Romance Junkies

  “The sexual tension and the sexual culminations were so hot I was wiping the fog off my ebook reader’s screen." – Hayley, Fallen Angel Reviews

  “Jade Buchanan has created a marvelous saga packed with emotional dilemma, breathtaking intimacy and humor.” – Chocolate Minx, Literary Nymphs

  “With an erotic edge that keeps me coming back for more, this book will knock you off your feet.” – Tara Renee, TwoLips Reviews

  “Ms. Buchanan built a rich world for her characters to inhabit that is fascinating.” – Isabella, Fallen Angel Reviews

  "Passion, humor, tender exchanges and denim ripping sex, Zula’s Stand is filled with action guaranteed to satisfy." –Lori Ann, RRT Erotic

  Hard Candy

  A Bandit Creek Erotic Romance

  by

  Jade Buchanan

  Copyright 2011 Jade Buchanan

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Devil Unknown - Next Bandit Creek Release

  Bio

  More Jade Buchanan Titles

  In life, one choice can lead you in vastly different directions. Penny Anderson is about to discover this for herself, in Penny Candy and Hard Candy. Two parallel stories, two very different endings.

  Hard Candy

  Penny Anderson is sick of the questions that keep running around inside her head. Coming home to Bandit Creek is her opportunity to find out the truth of her mother’s death, as well as to discover if the flame still burns brightly for her high school sweetheart. Only, she never reckoned on the unexpected lust for not one, but two men. Craig Baxter and Douglas McKenzie have their sights set on Penny and they aren't about to let her go.

  Warning: contains ménage, male on male action and gratuitous sex involving hard candies and cherry pie filling...

  Chapter 1

  She’d flown a thousand miles to confront the lies death had revealed. They left a bitter taste in Penny’s mouth even as she breathed deeply of the clean northern air coming in through her open car window.

  She had missed this. She hadn’t even realized that until she’d gotten off the plane in Missoula. Now she was almost home and she’d honestly never thought she’d be saying that again.

  Bandit Creek hadn’t been her home in over a decade.

  The cold finally got to her and she reluctantly raised the window before turning her attention back to the poorly illuminated mountain road. For a girl used to the bright lights of Houston, it was going to take her a while to get back into the feel of things.

  It was a good thing Craig was willing to help her out.

  As if on cue, the tinny sound of a man sing-songing “phone call, phone call.” erupted inside the small car.

  Jumping, Penny laughed at herself. She fished her cell out of her purse. “Hey, Craig.”

  “Are you here, yet?”

  “I’m already in the rental car and about twenty minutes away.”

  “Are you regretting not letting me pick you up?”

  She could practically taste the mirth in his voice. “I’m fine, but it’s so dark I’m close to freaking out here.”

  She breathed deeply, studying the road in front of her carefully. She probably shouldn’t be talking on the phone right now, but she wasn’t going all that fast. And besides, there was absolutely no one out here.

  “You want me to talk to you for a bit?”

  “My cell phone bill will probably hate me, but yeah, I need the company. There’s nothing out here but rocks and trees and water.”

  “Seen any wildlife?”

  Penny snorted. “Besides the man I saw at the airport?”

  A sharp crack of laughter burst in her ear, exactly the reaction she’d been hoping for.

  “He was a beast, was he? Did you rip his shirt off?”

  “Craig Baxter!”

  “That’s a no?” Craig’s voice was filled with mischief.

  “Yes, I mean no, I didn’t rip his shirt off.”

  “Why not?”

  She shook her head. “I’m not answering that question.”

  It was silent for a minute. She was content not to talk. It was comforting just having him on the line. Penny was grateful for the company, so to speak.

  Craig cleared his throat. “So, just to let you know… Your Aunt Gertie phoned here yesterday. I swear I’m getting caller ID. The old biddy was in fine form.”

  She wanted to slam her head down on the steering wheel. “I’m sorry.”

  “Yeah, you’ll be paying me back for that one, Pens.”

  “She’s still mad?” She sighed, fed up with her aunt’s interference.

  “Mad doesn’t even begin to describe it. She’s threatening to erase your name from the family bible.”

  “She can choke on that bible for all I care. Both her and my dad lied to me for years. I’m sorry she’s upset, but I had a right to know.”

  “I’m not sorry. I told her right on the phone where she could put her precious bible. I don’t think she’s talking to either one of us now.”

  She sighed gustily. “I’m sorry, Craig. I didn’t mean to drag you into this.”

  “Stop that right now,” Craig said, firmly. “We stick together, you and me. To the end, you got that?”

  “I got it.” It was surprising how much she wanted to rely on Craig. This wasn’t even his family causing him drama, but he never complained. Never backed down. She loved him for it.

  Maybe, just maybe, she could finally figure out whether that love would be enough.

  She’d once thought Craig was the one for her. Of course, that had been back in high school and a lot had changed since then. She’d moved away and they’d lost touch, but thanks to the modern miracle of social media they’d been talking for the past year almost non-stop. Every time she talked to him it was as if the years had faded and nothing else mattered. Then her dad had died. And all of this had happened. The first person she’d turned to had been Craig. What did that mean?

  She lived in Houston, so she wasn’t even sure anything could happen. He’d been hinting that she should come for a visit for a while now. She’d finally gotten up the nerve two months ago when she’d read the journal that had changed so much in her life. Craig had always been there for her. Maybe it was time to figure out what that meant for them.

  Up ahead she saw the familiar turn-off for Bandit Creek. “I’ll let you go now. I’m almost there.”

  “See you in a few.”

  S
he wasn’t sure how she felt driving through Bandit Creek. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same apparently. All the old hangouts were still there. She took a drive down Main Street and there was Ma’s Kitchen, The Candy Store, and the Powderhorn Saloon. Was that a law office beside the saloon? Wow. She hadn’t seen that one coming.

  Turning around, Penny drove back down Main and onto Walnut to Washington.

  The school looked exactly the same as always and the nearby football field brought a lump to her throat.

  So many memories. Tainted, now. Would she be able to look at anything here without wondering what really happened twelve years ago?

  Driving over the bridge and approaching the edge of town, she squinted at the construction going on beside Craig’s place. What was that going to be?

  She finally pulled into the drive and stopped before a long, stretched-out bungalow.

  Craig had bought his parent’s home when they moved to Missoula a few years back and, judging from the outside, he hadn’t changed a thing. It was the same as it had always been, and the feeling of coming home nearly brought tears to her eyes. A rectangular log cabin that faced the road, it had been the site of many late-night movie marathons when she’d been a teenager.

  She inhaled deeply as she stepped out of the low-slung rental car. The front door banged open, and a man was silhouetted in the opening.

  “Well, as I live and breathe. Pissy pants Penny has finally come home.”

  Penny sent a mock-glare toward Craig. She didn’t even have to see his face to know he wore a shit-eating grin. His achingly familiar lope had Craig standing in front of her within seconds. Damn, he looked good.

  Finally letting loose a chuckle, Penny shook her head. “You’re cruising for a bruising.”

  “Geez. What are we? Back in high school?” Craig engulfed her in his arms, holding her close.

  Penny ducked her head and held him just as tight. “Kindergarten, apparently, if you’re going to call me pissy pants.”

  “Hmm. You should probably pull my hair then and go crying to the teacher.”

  “Don’t tempt me, Craigory.”

  They finally pulled back and just looked at each other. He had the same short dark hair and meltingly sweet chocolate eyes. That little mole at the corner of his right eyebrow…she wanted to run her tongue over it, to see if he shivered in the same lost way he used to when they were younger. He was stunning in just a simple jeans and tee with his feet bare.

  Penny hesitated for a moment, before deciding to take the bull by the horns, so to speak. She lifted her chin, leaning toward Craig. He accepted her silent invitation, taking her lips in a bruising kiss that spoke of barely leashed restraint.

  She moaned, tightening her arms and squeezing him closer. With a last, lingering kiss, she drew back and just stared at him.

  Craig lifted a hand and brushed the backs of his fingers over her left cheek. “Missed you, Penny.”

  “Missed you, too.”

  “Are you here to stay?”

  Penny shook her head. “Don’t ask me that. Not yet.”

  He let out a rueful grin. With a shrug, Craig backed away and rounded the car to grab her suitcase.

  “You know I’m going to just have to ask again.” He started for the house, waving her to follow him.

  He was incorrigible. Always had been. “You haven’t changed.”

  “Baby, I’ve changed in more ways that you can see.”

  “No, you haven’t. I’ve seen your Facebook profile, remember? And we talk on the phone practically every day.”

  “For all you know, I could be a deranged serial killer and just doing a really good job of hiding it.”

  She froze as she entered the house. A shiver traced down her spine, causing her to hug her arms.

  “Shit.” He was suddenly in front of her again. “I’m sorry, Penny Candy. I didn’t mean to say that.”

  “It’s okay. Better that we have it out in the open, right? I mean, you wouldn’t be the first person in my life to hide their killer tendencies.”

  “Pens, don’t do this.” He put her suitcase down.

  She shook off his hold. “That’s why I’m here, isn’t it? To find out if my dad really did kill my mom.”

  Chapter 2

  “Penny.”

  She shook her head. She hadn’t meant to say that. This night wasn’t going anything like it was supposed to. Besides, her parents weren’t the only reason she’d come back. Craig was the other. Seeing what she could have with Craig that was. Only, right now she didn’t want to do anything. Whatever passion she’d felt just a moment ago was chased away with the horror-filled thought of her mother’s death.

  “It’s late. Maybe I should bunk down for the night.”

  Craig sighed loudly, but she refused to turn and look at him. Instead she focused on the hallway around them. Hell, she hadn’t even gotten past the entranceway and she’d already ruined everything by bringing down the mood.

  He still had the old antique wooden bench that his parents had bought years ago. It and the Americana artwork on the wall were the only things decorating the hallway. Well, that and the half dozen pairs of shoes thrown about like he didn’t know where the hall closet was. It made her grin.

  She slipped off her shoes and dropped them to join the jumbled mess, before padding forward in her sock feet.

  “Okay. Let’s get you in the spare room. You remember where everything is?”

  She nodded. “Of course.”

  “All right. I’ll see you in the morning, then.” Craig came up behind her, stopping her in her tracks, and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

  Penny sniffed. She’d always loved when he did that back in high school. It had been a kiss just like that, that had started her on the path to seeing Craig as more than a friend back then. But, tonight, it just served to remind her how much had changed since the last time they’d been together.

  “Craig?” This was a bad idea. She didn’t care, though. She didn’t want to lie in bed and toss and turn all night. She knew that was what would happen…it’d been her normal night-time activity since reading that damned journal two months ago.

  “Yeah?”

  “I know I said I wanted to sleep, but… Can I just hang out with you?”

  Craig slipped his arms around her waist and hugged her from behind. “Pens? You want to come have a sleepover at my place? Just like old times?”

  God, it was like he could read her mind. “A sleepover? You have flat root beer and ketchup chips for tomorrow morning?”

  “Yeah, you’re not allowed to say that again or we won’t be doing anything tonight.”

  Penny laughed. “Sorry. My bad.” She wasn’t surprised by his comment. They’d talked enough in the past year that she knew they’d be having sex at some point this week. It was inevitable at this point. She couldn’t wait. She just wasn’t sure this was the right moment.

  “Talk about ruining the mood.” Craig pressed a kiss to the side of her neck while one of his sneaky hands found its way under her tee to rest on her belly.

  “You want me to leave?” She couldn’t hide her grin. Penny lifted her hands to wrap them around his still arm.

  “You do and I might just chase after you like a sad, pathetic creepy dude.”

  “Can’t have that. Come on. Why don’t you show me where you keep the movies? We can’t have a sleepover unless we’re watching something fun.”

  “I take it you don’t mean the really fun movies.”

  Penny snorted. “No, you need Mack to watch those with.”

  “Speaking of Mack, did you see the construction next door?”

  “Hard to miss.” There was absolutely nothing else along this road, so construction right beside Craig’s house definitely stood out.

  “Well, he’s back. Setting up a microbrewery next door.”

  Douglas McKenzie? Wow, he and Craig had been nearly inseparable since they were babies together. Some days, it had almost felt like it wa
s the three of them in a relationship, with how much time she spent with both Craig and Mack before she left. And that was definitely not something she should be thinking about. Some things had changed, after all. Penny wasn’t the same wide-eyed innocent she’d been back then. As much as her and Craig had been getting closer recently, she still hadn’t managed to get up the nerve to talk about certain things she’d done in the last decade.