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In a Cowboy's Arms
Lissa Manley
The day she turned eighteen, Sadie Corkin was going to elope with Jarod Bannock, the son of her family's most bitter rival. Until it all went wrong… Eight years later, one thing hasn't changed: her passion for the proud, sexy Apsaalooke rancher.When tragedy brings Sadie home to Montana horse country, Jarod knows he has only one chance to make things right. There's unfinished business between them, including what really happened that fateful night. And now there's a more immediate threat to their happiness: an enemy who wants Sadie's ranch to create a cattle empire. Can Jarod find a way to stay true to his heritage and trust in the love that is his destiny?
Impulsively, Jenny reached out and gently touched his upper arm, intending to offer comfort.
What would it be like to have Ty’s strong, capable arms wrapped around her, holding her close, wrapping her in a sense of love and devotion she hadn’t felt in so very long?
“Jenny…” Ty uttered under his breath, her name sounding like a prayer. Her looked at her, his eyes intense and searching.
She desperately wished that he would reach out and pull her close, wanting the feeling of contentment and happiness and utter belonging she always felt when he was near.
Just for one space in time, she wanted her loneliness and pain to disappear.
Dear Reader,
May has to be one of the most beautiful months of the year. Having been trapped indoors for the cold, dark winter, I love taking long walks and discovering new shops and restaurants that have opened in New York. And everywhere I turn, multicolored flowers line street medians; the sidewalks are flooded with baby carriages and the bridal salons lining Madison Avenue feature gowns that would make any woman feel like a princess.
As our special tribute to May, we’ve gathered romances from some of your favorite writers and from some pretty stellar new voices. Raye Morgan’s BOARDROOM BRIDES continues with The Boss’s Special Delivery (SR #1766). In this classic romance, a pregnant heroine finds love with her sworn enemy. Part of the FAIRYTALE BRIDES continuity, Beauty and the Big Bad Wolf (SR #1767) by Carol Grace shows how an ambitious career woman falls for a handsome recluse. The next installment in Holly Jacobs’s PERRY SQUARE miniseries, Once Upon a Princess (SR #1768), features a private investigator who’s decided it’s time a runaway princess came home…to him! Finally, two single parents get a second chance at love, in Lissa Manley’s endearing romance In a Cowboy’s Arms (SR #1769).
And be sure to come back next month when Patricia Thayer and Lilian Darcy return to the line.
Ann Leslie Tuttle
Associate Senior Editor
In a Cowboy’s Arms
Lissa Manley
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
This book is dedicated to my parents, Jerry and Gloria.
Thanks for being so supportive and enthusiastic about my writing career.
Books by Lissa Manley
Silhouette Romance
The Bachelor Chronicles #1665
The Bridal Chronicles #1689
The Baby Chronicles #1705
Love Chronicles #1749
In a Cowboy’s Arms #1769
LISSA MANLEY
has been an avid reader of romance since her teens and firmly believes that writing romances with happy endings is her dream job. She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her college-sweetheart husband of nineteen years, Kevin, two children, Laura and Sean, and two feisty toy poodles named Lexi and Angel, who run the household and get away with it. She has a degree in business from the University of Oregon, having discovered the joys of writing well after her college years. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, crafting, attending her children’s sporting events and relaxing at the family vacation home on the Oregon coast.
Lissa loves to hear from her readers. She can be reached at P.O. Box 91336, Portland, OR 97291-0336, or at www.lissamanley.com (http://www.lissamanley.com).
Wanted: One hard-working, loving caretaker to live at ranch and tend to adorable eighteen-month-old girl. Must have a way with children, and must have some medical training.
Warning: location is isolated—no shopping malls or coffee franchises nearby. Ideal candidate will find happiness in natural beauty of the ranch and helping raise my daughter.
Please contact with references on hand: Ty McCall at Second Chance Ranch
Contents
Chapter One (#uaf7edfef-26ef-5e84-9a93-244a22312d1e)
Chapter Two (#u5bed64be-3012-536c-88a0-334896fae663)
Chapter Three (#ua20ee1bb-611f-57b8-98bc-bb0c86592f3b)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One
Jenny Brewster pushed her hair behind one ear, then stepped up to Ty McCall’s front door. “Here we are, Ava,” she said to her eighteen-month-old daughter propped on her hip. “Our new life is about to begin.”
Ava clapped her hands and smiled. “New life! Yay!”
“It’s time to meet my new boss and his family.” Subduing the flutter of nervous apprehension in her tummy, Jenny raised a hand and knocked on the wooden door, noting that the one-level ranch house was freshly painted in an appealing shade of blue, complete with quaint white shutters. This ranch looked like the perfect place for her and Ava to move on with their lives, the least her daughter deserved.
While Jenny waited for someone to answer the door, she cast her interested gaze around, noting an expansive, obviously irrigated lawn stretching out in front of the house like an inviting sea of green. Someone had put a lot of work, and expense, into maintaining that huge lawn in the middle of dry eastern Oregon.
She also noted that the house was surrounded by a chain-link fence, complete with a swinging gate across the driveway. That gate protected the residence from the rest of the ranch outbuildings, situated to the rear of the house.
She let out a breath of sheer relief. Thank heaven Mr. McCall hadn’t exaggerated about the safeness of the ranch when she’d grilled him on that subject over the phone at the time he’d offered her this job as a nanny/nurse to his nineteen-month-old diabetic daughter. This place looked like a relatively protected spot to raise Ava, one of Jenny’s top priorities.
After losing Jack, she would do everything in her power to keep her daughter safe.
A few moments later, a tall man with a full head of gray hair dressed in a plaid shirt and jeans answered the door. “You must be Jenny and Ava,” he said, holding out a hand, a smile creasing his weathered face. His blue eyes sparkled in a friendly way that reminded Jenny of her dad, reassuring her further.
Jenny shook his hand. “Yes, I am.”
“I’m Sam McCall, Ty’s dad.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
He nodded. “Likewise. Hope your trip was okay.” He gestured her into the house. “I’ll ask Dusty to unload your things in a bit.”
“The trip was just fine, thanks.” She followed Sam past a living room decorated in muted blue and beige, then through a kitchen complete with red-and-white gingham curtains and oak cabinets. They ended up in a cozy family room with an inviting plaid couch and a large TV occupying a corner bookcase on the far wall.
Before she could speak, a man’s voice rang through the room. “Better come quick, Sam. He’s done it again.”
Jenny turned her attention to the short young man with a dark mustache who’d poked his head through the open back door of the McCall’s family room.
Sam sighed. “What happened this time, Dusty?”
“Calf kicked him in the face, split his eyebrow clean open,” Dusty said.
Jenny widened her eyes. “Who’s hurt?” she asked, looking between Sam and the young man.
“Oh, it’s that fool son of mine.” Sam swung his gaze to Dusty. “I’ll be right there.”
Dusty nodded, then pulled the door shut.
“Does your son hurt himself a lot?” Jenny asked, furrowing her brow, mild concern trickling through her.
“Well, yeah,” Sam said, shrugging.
At Jenny’s look of horror, he quickly added, “But not because he’s clumsy or anything. He’s just gotta do all the dangerous jobs around here himself.” He held up a hand. “I’m sorry to desert you like this, but I’ll have to go check on Ty. Would you mind—?”
A deep, smooth male voice interrupted Sam. “Dad, I’m fine. You don’t have to check on me at all.”
A hot chill ran up Jenny’s spine. Her heart suddenly pounding in a way that made absolutely no sense at all, she turned around to look in the direction of that captivating, totally masculine voice.
Standing in the back door was the most handsome man she’d ever seen. Even though his eyebrow was split and bleeding, his blue eyes, mussed short blond hair, and tall muscular build shown off by his shockingly tight jeans, called to every shred of feminine appreciation in her. Quite frankly, she’d thought that part of her had died with Jack.
The man stared at her for a long moment, his chin pulled in, then quickly gave her a lopsided smile. “Uh…You must be Jenny. Glad you made it safely.” He gestured to his cut face. “Sorry for the blood.”
She cleared her throat, trying to ignore his blinding smile and rugged good looks. The medical professional in her coming to life, thank goodness, she shifted into nurse mode, raised her chin and said, “No problem. Why don’t you come in and I’ll take a look at that cut.”
Nodding, he stepped into the house, holding up a bright orange-colored first-aid kit. “I knew having a nurse around would come in handy.”
Jenny did her best not to stare, remembering that she’d come to the remote Second Chance Ranch in eastern Oregon to work as a nanny, not find a man—the last thing she ever wanted again. Although, she had to admit with a trace of guilt, the urge to take inventory of his best features, an easy task on this one, was strong.
Shaking her head, she refocused her attention on taking care of his cut, glad Ava was happily “cooking” at the adorable play kitchen in the corner and was oblivious to Ty’s bloody face. While Jenny admitted in some far corner of her brain it was a relief to discover Jack’s death hadn’t dried her out completely, it just wouldn’t do to ogle Ty McCall.
As Ty walked by, averting his bloody cheek from Ava, Jenny got a closer look at his injury. An inch-long vertical cut on one of his thick, dark-blond eyebrows marred his gorgeous face. She’d have to butterfly it for sure. He might even need stitches.
Sam offered to stay in the family room with Ava. Jenny thanked him, and as she followed Ty into the kitchen, one bothersome thought occurred to her, sending a shot of cold apprehension down her spine. She’d only been here ten minutes and an injury already demanded her attention. While she was pleased to be able to put her nursing skills to use, honoring her family legacy as she’d always dreamed of doing, Ty McCall’s mangled face told her that this place wasn’t nearly as unthreatening as she’d thought when she’d arrived and assessed the property and house.
Would Ava be safe here?
A tight knot formed in her chest. Ty’s injury spooked her.
For the first time since she’d accepted his offer, she wondered if maybe she’d made a huge mistake by leaving her old life behind to come here.
Just great, Ty thought, dropping into one of the wooden kitchen chairs with a heavy breath. Wouldn’t you know that Morgan’s new nanny would turn out to be one beautiful woman with eyes the color of a stormy ocean and enough curves to tempt any man into purgatory. Jenny Brewster sure wasn’t the bookish nurse-type he’d expected.
As she looked through the first-aid kit, he glanced at her firm little rear end, shown off by her snug jeans. Okay, so he’d made a tactical error assuming Jenny would be a studious bookworm like her brother Connor.
An image of Andrea popped into his brain. She’d hated living here. Why would a beautiful young woman like Jenny want to move clear out to the boonies, with little or no chance for a social life—a blessing for him but often a curse to others?
He snagged a glance at Jenny, regretting his assumptions about her, then immediately revised that. So she was a good-looking woman. Big deal. His daughter needed Jenny more than he needed a plain woman he wouldn’t be drawn to. Morgan’s health and well-being were his first, and only, priority.
And that was why he’d called Connor Forbes, M.D., Jenny’s brother and his own former college chum, looking for a nurse who would be willing to move to the middle of nowhere in eastern Oregon. The distance the paramedics would have to travel if Morgan had another low-blood-sugar episode had scared him enough to make a change and employ a full-time nanny who could double as a nurse. Luckily, Jenny had jumped at the chance to move out here.
She was here now, an answer to his prayers. He’d simply welcome her and establish himself as her new boss while having his cut taken care of. Of course, he’d keep things business only.
He could do that. No problem.
Jenny turned around, her mouth pressed into an uncomfortable-looking smile. “Okay,” she said, moving closer. “Let’s have a look at that cut.”
He took a deep breath and reminded himself how important it was to ignore how pretty Jenny was. No way was he ever going to let himself be knifed in the heart by a woman again.
Jenny moved closer, bringing with her heat and the delicate scent of lemons, which he doggedly tried to ignore. Still, he couldn’t help but notice in a far corner of his brain how good she smelled. It had been a long, long time since he’d been this close to a woman. That was the way things had to be given he lived like a damn monk to protect himself and his daughter from another loss.
Jenny stopped in front of him, reaching out. “I’m going to take a look, then I’ll clean the cut and see if you need stitches.” She leaned in, intensifying the heady citrus scent surrounding him, and all of a sudden she was way too close.
Acting on instinct, he pushed her hands away. “Er…you know, I’m sure this cut just needs a Band-Aid.” He made a stupid noise then, sort of a combination of a chuckle and a wimpy laugh, sounding like an idiotic woodpecker. Real smooth.
She stepped back and gave him a look that said she thought he’d lost his marbles. “What?” She placed her hands on her slim hips and shook her head. “No way. It’s worse than that.”
Needing space, he stood, waving a hand in the air. “Nah, I’ve had this kind of cut before.” He moved toward the first-aid kit. “I’ll just get a Band-Aid and we’ll be done here.”
She caught his arm as he walked by, unexpectedly warming his skin through his flannel shirt. “Sit down, Mr. McCall. I’m the nurse here, and I say that cut needs attention.”
He stopped and looked at her, his eyebrows raised high, trying to decide if he liked her bossiness or not, absolutely ignoring her touch.
She smiled, creating cute dimples on both sides of her mouth, then let go of him, her green eyes sparkling. “Don’t make me wrestle you into that chair,” she said with enough mock severity that he had to smile. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if necessary.”
He hesitated, staring at her, liking her dimples and admiring the way she’d handled this situation with humor and guts all rolled into one. The truth was, he was being an uncooperative rat for a reason she couldn’t possibly know. It wasn’t her fault he needed space from her blatant appeal, that his past made it necessary to remained unfazed by her.
He owed her his cooperation. And he had to admit, she was right. The cut hurt like hell and more than likely needed tending. He knew exactly what that calf had been stepping in before it kicked him. He’d be asking for an infection if he didn’t have Jenny take care of his wound, and the last thing he wanted was to be laid low by illness.
