The Cowbear's Summer 0f Love (Curvy Bear Ranch Book 7) Read online

  The Cowbear’s Summer of Love

  Liv Brywood

  Description

  In a decade defined by Flower Power, social unrest, and the Vietnam War, two unlikely lovers form an everlasting love. This is the story of the Grant brothers’ parents...

  Daisy will do anything to save her brother from the war, so she devises a plan to smuggle him into Canada. Everything’s groovy until their VW bus breaks down leaving them stranded. As if things couldn’t any worse, they find themselves at the business end of a shotgun, and the cowboy pointing it is the sexiest man she’s ever seen. She can’t stop staring at his washboard abs and ripped chest.

  Greg is stunned by the hippie girl’s curvy body, flowing golden hair, and bright blue eyes. As much as he wants to kick her off his property, he can’t. With his brothers off fighting in Nam, they need a few extra hands around the ranch. As long as his old man doesn’t find out he’s harboring a draft dodger, everything will be copacetic. But as the summer of ’69 heats up, Greg must find a way to convince his fated mate that she belongs in his arms forever.

  Excerpt

  Greg hid behind a thick pine tree as he strained to hear the hippies’ conversation. Last night, when he’d been in his bear form, he’d been out strolling through the woods when he’d run into a stunning woman. He hadn’t been able to see her very well in the darkness. But now, in the pale morning light, her flowing golden-brown hair glistened as it swished across her curvy butt. High cheekbones and full lips made her even more beautiful.

  “It was a huge bear,” the sexy woman said as she wove wildflowers together to form a crown. “It had to be half as tall as the trees.”

  “I don’t think bears get that big,” a man responded.

  His short, military-style haircut contrasted with a pair of torn jeans and a flowing Indian-style shirt. A second man crawled out of a separate tent. His long, stringy hair hung over his bare chest and beer belly. He scratched his back while his mate scrambled out to join him. Her long black hair hung in a loose braid down her back. They interlaced their fingers.

  “Hey Andy, can’t we take a dip in the lake before we go?” the second woman asked the man with the short hair.

  “We should get on the road soon,” Andy said.

  “Come on, just a quick swim?” the woman begged.

  “We need to leave,” the first woman said. “Who knows when that farmer’s going to show up to shoot at us?”

  Greg frowned and shifted from one foot to the other. How did they know about his family? He picked up his shotgun which had been leaning against the tree. Although he liked looking at the curvy woman, he had to get rid of them before his dad found them squatting on his property.

  He took a deep breath and checked to make sure they didn’t have any weapons. So far, he hadn’t seen anything to indicate that they would give him any problems. He’d shoo them off the land and be done with it.

  As he stepped out from behind the tree, he stuck his chest out and took on the mantle of authority that he’d learned to from his father. The Grant men didn’t put up with free-loving thieves. The sooner he got them off his property, the faster he’d be able to get back to his morning chores.

  “Hey,” he yelled as he approached. “You’re on my land.”

  “Oh shit,” Long Hair Guy said as he pushed his mate behind him. The girl’s eyes went wide as she hid behind him.

  “We were just leaving,” Andy said. “We don’t mean any harm.”

  “Hurry up.” Greg pointed the shotgun at him.

  The sexy, goddess of a woman stood and walked straight over to him. She held the stem of a white daisy between her thumb and forefinger. As she drew closer, he couldn’t take his eyes off her petal-soft skin. The edge of her flowing shirt slipped off one shoulder to expose flawless, creamy skin. He stood speechless as she pushed the end of the flower into the barrel of his gun.

  “Make love, not war,” she murmured.

  He struggled to focus on anything but her lake-blue eyes. He swallowed and pointed the weapon at the earth. The daisy slipped out and landed in the dirt. His abs clenched as fire rolled through his body. His bear inhaled her scent and did a somersault in his chest. The creature wanted her with a passion fierce enough to steal his breath.

  “You have to leave,” he choked.

  “Chill out, man,” the long-haired man said.

  Greg grabbed up the gun and took a step back. He was outnumbered. If they wanted to jump him, he could probably take them, but then he’d be even later for his chores.

  A whistle pierced the air.

  “Ah, hell,” Greg said, recognizing his father’s pissed-off pitch. “I have to get back to the farm. But you’d better be gone before my old man comes down this way. He shoots first and asks questions later.”

  “We’ll be gone,” the girl with the flower said.

  He turned to leave but stopped. He couldn’t live with himself if he didn’t find out one very important thing.

  “What’s your name?” he asked.

  “Daisy.”

  “Like the flower?”

  “Yeah.”

  Her slow smile sent tendrils of desire racing through his body.

  The Cowbear’s Summer of Love

  Liv Brywood

  The Cowbear’s Summer of Love

  Copyright© 2016 Liv Brywood

  Amazon Edition

  All rights reserved

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  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

  Chapter 15

  Epilogue

  A Note from Liv

  Chapter 1

  Daisy jumped out of side door of the VW bus and spun in a circle. Dried brown pine needles crunched under her thin leather sandals. As the sun set over the small town of West Yellowstone, neon lights sputtered to life. Gas stations and gift shops stood like silent sentries on one side of the street, while the edge of Yellowstone National Park’s pine forest glowed in the crimson light.

  “Outta sight,” she murmured.

  Her best friend Meadow climbed out of the bus. As she twirled to check out the town, her tie-dyed skirt twisted around her legs in a kaleidoscope of color.

  “I knew it was going to be small,” Meadow said. “But I didn’t know it would be this pretty.”

  “Far out,” River said as he stuck his head out of the passenger window. “We should just camp in the forest and toke out tonight.”

  “We can’t,” Andy said. He circled around the front of the bus from the driver’s side. “It’s supposed to rain tonight and we haven’t slept in a bed since Las Vegas.”

  “Okay old man,” Daisy stuck her tongue out at her brother. “I guess it’s only right that you get a few good nights of sleep before we get to Canada.”

  “We could all use a shower too,” Meadow said.

 
Daisy ran her fingers through her stringy hair and sighed. Back in San Francisco, she never would have gone this long without a bath. But they hadn’t wanted to waste money. Although warm summer weather had made sleeping under the stars fun, she couldn’t wait to take a warm bath.

  “Which one should we stay at?” she asked.

  “That one.” River pointed at a motel with a white brick façade and a steep gun-metal gray roof.

  “Looks cheap enough,” she said.

  “Looks clean,” Meadow added.

  “All right, let’s check it out,” Andy said.

  River lead the group down the street. When they reached the office, he held open the glass door while they piled in. A man in his mid-forties with balding hair and a beer gut leaned back in a chair. He lounged with his boots resting on the counter. CBS news blared from the television set.

  “In just ten days, a historic event will take place in this great country. American astronauts will walk on the moon. Preparations are underway at NASA’s mission control for a live broadcast.”

  “What do you want?” the desk clerk snapped. He turned and glared at them through thick black-rimmed glasses.

  “We want a room for the night,” Andy said.

  “For all four of you?”

  “Yes.”

  “We don’t have one,” the clerk said.

  “It says vacancy outside,” Daisy said.

  “Sign’s wrong.”

  “There aren’t that many cars in the parking lot,” Daisy said. “Can you check again?”

  “No. Now get out,” the man said.

  She huffed and turned to follow the rest of her group outside.

  “Asshole,” Andy said as the door slammed behind him. “Whatever. There’s another hotel at the end of the block. Let’s scope it out.”

  As they strolled along the road, a group of men on motorcycles roared past. One of them threw a beer bottle. It smashed against the ground right in front of Daisy. She yelped and jumped back.

  “What the hell, man?” River yelled.

  The leather-clad bikers revved their engines and roared off into the dying light. She shuddered. At least the gang hadn’t stopped. Ever since she’d seen The Wild Angels in the movie theater, she hadn’t been able to shake her revulsion toward anyone riding a motorcycle.

  “Whatever, forget them,” Meadow said. “Let’s just get a room. I’m tired.”

  “Okay, babe,” River said as he looped an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t worry. If those guys circle back, I’ll go ape-shit on ‘em.”

  “Thanks, babe.”

  As Meadow stood on her tiptoes to kiss him, Daisy looked away. The two couldn’t stop groping each other for more than five minutes. In a way, she envied their passion. When she’d first met Tony, her Italian ex-boyfriend, he’d ignited a fire in her soul. Too bad she hadn’t burned bright enough for him. Jerk. Jenny Belloni could have him for all she cared. He’d probably end up cheating on her too.

  She shook the past away as she reached the office door for the second motel. A red neon sign hung in the window. It depicted a bear holding a fish, which would have been cute if the animal hadn’t been captured mid-roar. The word Vacant flashed beneath it. At least they could crash here.

  As they filed into the room, she walked up to the Formica countertop. A transistor radio blared a song about incense and peppermints. She smiled at the groovy song.

  “No one’s here,” Meadow said.

  “Hello?” Andy called.

  “One minute,” a woman yelled from inside a room behind the counter.

  When she stepped into the lobby, her eyes raked up and down their bodies. A pinched, hawk-like expression twisted her wrinkled face.

  “What do you want?” she asked.

  “A room for the night,” Daisy said.

  “We’re full up.” The lady reached for a long string hanging from the bear sign and yanked it. “See, No Vacancy.”

  “But—”

  The lady held up her hand to silence Daisy. “We don’t need your kind here.”

  “Your kind?” Andy asked. He puffed up his chest and rose to his full height to tower over the lady. “What do you mean your kind?”

  “We don’t serve hippies,” she chirped.

  “Why not?” Daisy asked. “We have cash. We can pay you up front. We’ll be quiet and we’ll be gone in the morning.”

  “Yeah, right. How many more of you are there?” She peered out toward the parking lot.

  “It’s just us,” Daisy said.

  “Four too many if you ask me,” the lady grumbled.

  “You can’t discriminate against us,” Meadow said. “It’s not right.”

  “You kids wandering around like vagrants isn’t right. Don’t lecture me, young lady.”

  “Will anyone rent to us?” River asked.

  “Not in this town,” the lady said. “So get on with you. Scram. Go back to wherever you came from.”

  “Get real, lady. In a few years, we’ll be everywhere,” River said. “The establishment is falling, you’re just too old and square to see it.”

  “Leave before I call the cops,” the lady said.

  “Go ahead. Call the Man,” River said as he took a step toward her.

  Daisy grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

  “We can’t,” she whispered. “Let’s just go.”

  The lady sneered at Daisy as she turned to leave. She ignored the old bitty. They’d just look for another motel. She’d seen several more in town.

  Three hotels later, she admitted defeat.

  “This whole town’s a bad scene,” River said as they walked back to the bus. “I say we bail.”

  “But I want to see Old Faithful,” Meadow said.

  “No one will let us get a room,” Andy said.

  “We could always sleep under the stars,” Daisy said. “We’ve come so far and we might never get the chance to see Yellowstone Park again. What’s the rush? Our dad’s not going to find us here. He probably lost the trail in Salt Lake City.”

  “Where are we supposed to camp?” Andy leaned against the bus and crossed his arms over his chest. “We can’t exactly set up in the middle of the road.”

  “Let’s check out the forest. I bet we can find a place,” Daisy said.

  A young man with long dreadlocks and a multi-colored headband strolled down the road toward them. His T-shirt sported a pot leaf and the bottom end of his pants was tattered and torn. His sandals clapped along the road as he walked past them. He might know where to go.

  “Hey,” she called. “You know a good place we can camp out tonight?”

  “What’s happenin’, babe?” He stopped and raked his gaze down her body.

  “We need a place to chill for the night,” Meadow said.

  “For all of you?” the man asked.

  “Yeah,” Andy said.

  “You guys could come crash at my house.” His tone carried enough underlying lust to put a scowl on Andy’s face. “I got weed. We could get blitzed, maybe get to know each other better.”

  “No,” Andy snapped. “We just need a place for the four of us tonight.”

  “You sure, babe?” he asked Daisy.

  “Yeah,” she said.

  “Your best bet’s down at Hebgen Lake. The forest is huge and you can camp on the shore.” The man pinched the end of his nose then sniffed.

  “How do we get there?” Daisy asked.

  “Go down the road, turn left on Highway 20 and then go about four miles. You’ll see a turnoff on the right for Madison Arm Campground. Take that about four miles in and the lake’s on the left.”

  “Thanks,” Daisy said.

  The man eyed her for a moment as if considering whether or not he wanted to say anything else.

  “Don’t go any further than that or you’ll end up at the Grant farm.” His tone sent icy shivers down her spine. “Old man Grant will shoot trespassers on sight. You don’t want to mess with him. He fought in Korea and came back crazier than a s
onofabitch. His sons are just as bad.”

  “Thanks for the tip,” Daisy said.

  “I wouldn’t want anything to happen to a fox like you,” the man said with a grin. “By the way, you guys have a groovy bus.”

  She blushed and turned to study the side of the bus. Fairies and dragonflies danced around a troop of mushrooms on a background of periwinkle blue paint. A smiling sun with big red lips decorated the passenger side door. Near the rear of the bus, a yellow crescent moon grinned back at her.

  “I had one just like it but the dammed engine blew up.” The man ran his hand over the paint. “I’m saving up for a new one though.”

  “Good luck,” she said.

  “You too. Keep the faith, man,” he said before ambling down the street.

  River and Meadow piled into the bus while Andy jogged around to the driver’s side. Daisy hopped into the passenger seat.

  “I’m glad he walked by when he did,” Daisy said.

  “I didn’t like the way that guy was looking at you,” Andy grumbled.

  “Every guy looks at her like that,” Meadow said. “Your sister’s hot. If I was into girls, I’d ball her.”

  “Girls can’t ball other girls,” River said. “You don’t have balls.”

  “Since when are you so picky about balling things?” Meadow asked with an arched brow.

  “It’s the summer of love, anything can happen.” Daisy laughed as she twisted to look at them in the back seat.

  “Are we finally going to have our own love-in?” River asked while waggling his bushy eyebrows.

  “In your dreams,” Daisy said.

  “Stop hitting on my sister and help me look for the turnoff,” Andy said.

  “You’re such a buzzkill,” River grumbled.

  Daisy laughed as they turned onto the narrow, unpaved road. As they followed the tight trail through the forest, she looked out into the darkness. A hint of remaining light painted the night sky indigo.

  She rolled down the window and inhaled the piney scent of the forest. It smelled nothing like San Francisco. The fresh air soothed her restless soul. If they weren’t in such a rush to get Andy over the border, she would have wanted to stay for a week. As it was, they only planned on staying the night. Tomorrow they’d drive through Yellowstone National Park and then take the north entrance to Gardner.