Woo! We're heading back to Carnal! Bounty is book #7 in the Colorado Mountain series. Featuring Deke Hightower and Justice Lonesome!
Even so, she’s inherited the curse of the Lonesome. A poet’s soul. Which means she’s still searching for something. Searching for peace. Searching for the less…that’s more.
And when the foundation of her life is pulled out from under her, grieving, she goes to the mountains to find her oasis. She hits Carnal, Colorado and decides to stay.
Deke Hightower lost everything at the age of two. He lost it again at fifteen. His life has not been about bounty. It’s been about learning to live with less, because there’s no way to get more.
Deke’s also watched all his friends go down to the women who gave them what they needed. He wants that for himself. But he knows that search isn’t going to be easy because he’s a rider. His home is the road. That’s the only place he can breathe. And the woman who takes her place at his side has to do it sitting on the back of his bike.
When Deke meets Justice, he knows she’s not that woman. She’s cute. She’s sweet. And she’s into him, but she’s got it all and Deke knows he won’t fit into that. So he holds her at arm’s length. Establishes boundaries. And Justice will take it because she wants Deke any way he’ll let her have him.
But when Justice finds herself a pawn in a dangerous game, Deke makes a decision.
When he does, he has no idea he’s just opened himself up to bounty.
What can I say. It's no secret that I love KA's books. Like, a lot. The Colorado Mountain series is pone of my favorites. It holds a special place in my heart as its the first series of hers that I read. Beginning with The Gamble, I was drawn into this world of fictional characters who love deep, gift hard, and give it good in the bedroom. ;)
Deke Hightower has been a man of mystery form the beginning. Always there for his friends when they need him most. Always on the outskirts of the gang. There, but never really there. I've wondered about him for years through Tate and Lauren's troubles, Ty and Lexie, Chase and Faye, etc etc etc. Well, now that mystery has been solved. And boy was it good.
Deke is a travelin' man. Never staying put in one place for too long, he only breathes easy when he's on his bike. He was there for all his buddies as they fell hard for the women who would become their other halves. Wondering if he'd ever find the right girl for him who would fit in his life. He had a hard life as a kid. His past was heartbreaking, and I was so happy that I just knew by the end of this book, he was finally gonna get his happy ending.
Justice Lonesome is the daughter of a rock legend. She's got her own claim to fame as well, being an awesome song writer and one time album creator. She knows what its like to have it all, but really have nothing. In all the bounty she's had in her life, she was missing something. After the death of her father, she decides to find peace in a small Colorado mountain town, not knowing that the one thing she was missing in life was about to walk in her front door. See, she bought this house. Its a great house, only it isn't finished being built. And Deke is the contractor sent to work on it. Fun time ensue!
What I loved most about the relationship between Deke and Justice is that they start out as friends. She is clearly into him, and he knows this, but lets her know that that's as far as its gonna go. And her being as into him as she is, she's willing to accept that, even though she wants more. So they begins a friendship while hes working on her house,. It was refreshing to see them getting to know each other this way before the stronger feelings and macho he man stuff got involved. Not that I don't like that other stuff! After a serious incident occurs, Deke realizes he needs to pull his head out of his ass and move past the friendship stage. Their relationship progresses, and I loved that it did so seamlessly and in a steady way. It wasn't rushed or over the top. It just flowed naturally.
There is so much that happens in this book, that there's no way I can go into major detail. I will say, there's not a lot of drama. There's a few minor plot lines that have some drama, and that gets fleshed out along the way, but this book is mostly about two people from total opposite sides of the spectrum finding each other and realizing that with a;ll the differences their lives have, they are still made for each other. I loved Justice and Deke together. They complimented each other and worked so well together.
In true KA fashion, there was that one twist that happens at the end that had my heart pounding and my palms sweaty whilst waiting for the outcome. Then of course the awesome epilogue that got me all choked up. I absolutely loved this book. I think it was a great addition to the series. I will be honest and say that in the very beginning, there were a few parts that I was unsure about and I felt the book could have done without, but moving past those few scenes, I was all in this story. I'm not sure my review can do it justice, no pun intended lol, but I hope that I expressed my feelings well. :) Now, I can't wait to read Wood's book. Im rather curious how that's gonna go since he and maggie are now together.....
One of my favorite things about KA books, there's always a kick ass playlist, and I usually find a song or two that's new to me. Here's my favorites from Bounty:
Once I had it in, the air of his trailer, the air Deke breathed, I let it out saying, “You know how you told me I was one of the best women you’ve ever met?”
He again didn’t answer immediately, then his deep voice sounded.
“Don’t, Jussy.”
I did.
“You’re one of the best men I’ve ever met.”
“Jussy.”
“That’s it, Deke. I’m a lucky girl. Blessed. Given so much bounty, it’s almost embarrassing how much God likes me. But He really must like me because I have all I have and He also gave me you.”
“You’re gonna be shutting up now,” Deke declared, I could hear the gruff in his voice, the buried emotion.
That was beautiful too.
I grinned down the hall.
“You’re also gonna be shuttin’ your eyes and goin’ to sleep,” he commanded.
“You and Mr. T might have had a taking-care-of-Justice-meeting-of-the-minds but this is plain bossing me, Deke.”
“Yeah, it is. And you keep talkin’, you’ll be talkin’ to nothin’ ’cause I’ll be putting my earphones in.”
It was my turn to boss.
“You listen to Dad, I want to hear it.”
“You’re talking,” Deke noted.
“No, seriously. I want to hear it.”
“Don’t got one of those speaker things. And sound is shit through the phone.”
“First chance, mall for Deke Hightower. Coffeemaker and speaker dock.”
“You buy me that shit, I’ll tan your hide.”
Shit.
Deke spanking me.
A quiver slithered down my spine, the small of my back, through the crease of my ass to settle in between my legs.
I rolled to my back and stared at the ceiling, knowing I should shut up.
Even knowing that, I still wasn’t going to let it go.
“You’ll have to catch me first. Though, that might happen as you’ll be caffeinated by decent coffee.”
I rolled back to my side as I heard and felt the movement of Deke making his way down the hall. I watched his big body hit the small space I was in, filling it up. I also watched as his phone illuminated that space and in a couple of seconds, I heard Dad singing.
He set the phone on the built-in nightstand next to his bed.
Then I watched as he bent deep and after that, all I could do was feel.
Feel his hand cupping the back of my head. Feel his lips touch my temple. Feel the rumble in his voice as he whispered in my ear.
“You’re safe here, Jussy. Got me lookin’ after you. Got Twyla outside lookin’ out for both of us. Got your dad watchin’ over you. So stop yammerin’ to keep sleep away. Close your eyes, gypsy, and I swear to God, you’ll be safe in your dreams.”
God, he could also talk sexy, sweet and protective, like a verbal cuddle.
God.
“Okay, Deke,” I whispered back.
I felt his fingers press into my scalp before I again felt his lips brush my temple.
“Night, Jussy. Catch you in the morning.”
Yeah.
One thing I’d learned that day in a way I knew it was for certain.
And it was something that would forever feed my poet’s soul having it in the way I did, which I treasured, and in the way I never would, which I longed for.
That being knowing without a doubt that no matter what…
Deke would catch me.
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