Carla Cassidy - Home on the Ranch - Oklahoma

Kate Sampson is lucky to be alive after nearly being trampled by a stampeding cattle herd—she has to be on alert every second. Professional bodyguard Zack West offers protection…and something a lot more dangerous. The sensual cowboy had branded her with his passion years ago. Now he’s back, ready to claim her love all over again.

Grace Covington had vowed never again to lay eyes on the hotshot defense attorney who’d broken her heart. But when her stepfather is murdered, her sister found holding the bloody knife, Charlie Black is the only one who can help. And he seems determined to prove he’s a changed man, too, capable of protecting her—body and soul.

“The first page of this Wild West Bodyguards book pulls the reader in just for the opportunity to learn more about Charlie. An interesting mystery with surprising twists…will keep the pages turning.”

— RT Book Reviews on The Rancher Bodyguard

“Small towns, dangerous secrets and painful pasts are expertly conveyed in Cassidy’s clever hands, speeding readers toward surprising revelations.”

— RT Book Reviews on Scene of the Crime: Widow Creek

“Cassidy crafts sympathetic characters…along with a strong, well-developed plot. A charmingly sweet and ruggedly strong hero is the icing on the cake…”

— RT Book Reviews on Cowboy with a Cause

“With flawed but heartwarming characters, and a flair for storytelling, Carla Cassidy shines.”

— RT Book Reviews on To Wed and Protect

is a New York Times bestselling and award-winning author who has written more than one hundred books for Harlequin. Before settling into her true love—writing—she was a professional cheerleader, an actress and a singer/dancer in a show band.

Carla believes the only thing better than curling up with a good book to read is sitting down at the computer to write her next story. She’s looking forward to writing many more books and bringing hours of pleasure to readers. Visit her website at carlacassidy.com.

Books by Carla Cassidy

Harlequin Romantic Suspense

Cowboys of Holiday Ranch Series

A Real CowboyCowboy of Interest

Men of Wolf Creek Series

Cold Case, Hot AccompliceLethal LawmanLone Wolf Standing

Cowboy Café Series

Her Cowboy DistractionThe Cowboy’s ClaimCowboy with a CauseConfessing to the Cowboy

The Coltons Series

The Colton BrideHer Colton Lawman

Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.comfor more titles.

Home on the Ranch: Oklahoma

Carla Cassidy

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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DEFENDING THE RANCHER’S DAUGHTER Defending the Rancher’s Daughter Carla Cassidy

THE RANCHER BODYGUARD

Defending the Rancher’s Daughter

Carla Cassidy

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

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Kate Sampson pulled the pickup out into the center of the wide expanse of pasture. In the distance storm clouds gathered, hanging low and black and occasionally rumbling thunder.

The weather forecast was for the potential of severe storms and as she walked from the truck to check a stock water tank, the oppressive unsettled atmosphere pressed thick against her chest.

Or was it grief she felt? It had only been two weeks since her father’s death. Two weeks of the worst kind of sorrow she’d ever felt and two weeks of insidious suspicions.

She shoved thoughts of her father aside, needing to get finished and to get inside the house before the storm vented its fury.

Beneath the clouds not too far away the large herd of cattle lowed and stomped hooves with unsettled restlessness as if sensing the approaching storm.

She had three more stock tanks she hoped to check before the storm hit. It was merely a routine maintenance task she could have asked one of the ranch hands to do, but she’d wanted to do it herself.

She’d needed something to pass the long hours of the late afternoon, something to keep her mind away from the grief and the questions that ripped at her heart in those quiet moments of solitude and inactivity.

A flash of lightning ripped through the black clouds, followed by a roar of thunder. She decided checking the other stock tanks would have to wait. She didn’t want to be out in an open pasture with an electrical storm overhead.

She checked the tank, saw the windmill spinning and that the water level was where it was supposed to be, then turned to head back to where she’d parked her pickup a distance away.

At that moment a loud noise seemed to come from the back side of the pasture near the cattle. Kate froze, trying to identify the odd, sharp noise. Not thunder, then what?

Within seconds the ground began to tremble beneath her feet and a dust cloud formed over the bawling cattle.

As she stared in horror, she saw the herd break into a run, frightened cows bumping shoulders, slamming hooves against the ground in a stampede of beasts. And they were running directly at her.

She shot a frantic glance at her pickup, which suddenly seemed too far away. Still, she took off running toward it, knowing it was the only thing that would keep her from being crushed beneath the onslaught of frightened animals.

The ground seemed to have stolen the thunder from the sky as Kate ran. Her heart crashed into her ribs as the herd came closer…closer.

She was just about to the truck when the first animal careened into her with a force that sent her airborne. She crashed down on one foot then crumbled as her ankle screamed in pain.

Panic clawed up her throat as she saw the rest of the livestock bearing down on her, close enough that she could see the frantic roll of their eyes.

She tried to scramble to her feet, but her ankle couldn’t hold her and she fell to the ground once again. Dust choked her and she smelled the sweat of the cattle, heard the snorts of distress as they approached like a locomotion at full steam.

Trampled. Within seconds she was going to be trampled to death. Frantically she looked at the truck and realized her only hope.