Jacquelin Thomas - Wrangling Wes

Lassoed by Love?

What’s a city girl like Lydia Emerson doing in Granger, Montana? Her movie-actress boss has given her plenty of strange assignments before, but this one trumps them all. Lydia must win herself a cowboy.

And Wes Broward is not just any cowboy. As the millionaire son of the renowned Broward ranching dynasty, he is handsome and confident enough to be a movie star himself—and he knows it. Lydia uses all her L.A. savvy to land this bachelor at a cowboy auction. But “winning” Wes is only the start of her troubles.

When one date leads to several, Lydia finds herself falling a little too hard for the charismatic cowboy. With her boss demanding all kinds of confidential information on the Broward clan, Lydia is wracked with guilt. She is just one short step away from losing it all. Will Wes bring her back into the safety in his arms—all in the name of love?

“Did you see the way that girl looked at us?” she asked in a low voice.

Wesley laughed. “I believe I’ve compromised your virtue.”

Lydia met his gaze straight on. “Then I guess you’re just going to have to marry me.”

Upstairs in her suite, Wesley pulled her into his arms without preamble. First he kissed her forehead, then her eyes, and finally, he kissed her lips.

Her lips were warm and sweet on his, causing his pleasure to radiate outward.

Wesley kissed her hungrily, as if each kiss was the last.

Lydia locked herself into his embrace as he explored the hollows of her back. “I can’t put into words just how much I want you,” he whispered.

“I want you, too,” she murmured. “But as much as I want to make love, we can’t.”

He pulled away from her slowly to look Lydia in the face. Wesley was pretty sure that he had not heard her correctly.

She took him by the hand and led him over to the sofa. “I have a rule when it comes to making love.”

“What is it?” Wesley inquired. He wasn’t sure he really wanted to know. Women and their rules.

“I don’t rush into bed with anyone. I want to see where this relationship is going before I even consider intimacy. I hope that you can respect that.”

“I can,” he told her.

“You aren’t too disappointed, are you?”

Wesley did not like it, but he had no choice but to respect her decision. “I guess I’ll take a cold shower to go.”

JACQUELIN THOMAS

has published more than fifty books in romance, women’s fiction and young adult genres. When she is not writing, Jacquelin enjoys spending time with her family, decorating and shopping. Jacquelin can be reached at jacquelinthomas@yahoo.com. Visit her website, www.jacquelinthomas.net.

Wrangling Wes

Jacquelin Thomas

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Dear Reader,

Lydia Emerson arrives in Granger, Montana, with an alias and the intent to learn more about Wes Broward, a handsome cowboy. Although in town on assignment, Lydia soon discovers that romance is in the air in Big Sky Country.

In fact, there are many others who would agree with Lydia. Montana was recently ranked as one of the top romantic states, according to NBC Montana. However, there has always been a certain romanticism connected to the West. I really enjoyed writing Wrangling Wes because this story allowed a glimpse of the beauty of Montana through the eyes of Lydia and Wes.

Best regards,

Jacquelin

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

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Extract

Chapter 1

Wesley Broward groaned loudly as he flung his right hand toward his shrilly ringing alarm clock. The sun wasn’t up yet, but the small town of Granger, Montana, was already coming alive as cowboys working cattle on the BWB Ranch rode out to pasture to begin the day’s work.

Getting up at 4:00 a.m. every morning to saddle a horse and trot off across the prairie was not for everybody—it definitely was not Wesley’s idea of a great way to start his day. But for most cowboys it was the norm—an important part of the job they cherished.

With another groan of protest, Wesley propelled himself out of bed and padded barefoot into the bathroom. A pair of tired brown eyes stared back as he gazed at his reflection in the mirror. He brushed his teeth and then fingered his neat goatee before jumping into the shower.

Fifteen minutes later, he was dressed in a pair of faded denims, a crisp plaid shirt and cowboy boots. Wesley headed out to the main house, where his parents and grandfather lived. He was on his way to join the rest of the family for breakfast. Wesley and his siblings, Jameson and Laney, often had their meals in the main house, although they all lived on the ranch.

His parents, Steven and Gwendolyn, flourished in thirty-four years of marriage, despite town gossip that theirs was an arranged marriage, a merger between two wealthy families. Even though his parents had an unconventional courtship and marriage, they truly loved and respected one another. They shared something he had never experienced with most of the women he dated—complete and total honesty. There was always some hidden agenda.

His mother’s family—the Webbs—had made its fortune breeding rare stallions. When the two families were joined, Steven and Gwendolyn Webb Broward became the two largest landowners in the state. Wesley reasoned that his parents’ marriage was so successful because Gwendolyn was wealthy in her own right. She and Steven were equals.

Just as Wesley entered through the front door of his parents’ home, he heard a familiar voice holler, “Come and get it.”

Amused, Wesley broke into a grin as he quickly made his way to the dining room. The cook, Rusty, had been whipping up meals for cowboys for nearly twenty years. Rusty recently celebrated his fourth year with the Broward family. His culinary skills were in high demand, and Wesley was grateful that the sixty-something-year-old man had decided to work for his family.

“Morning, y’all,” Wesley greeted as he sat down across from his sister, Laney.

“Good morning, dear,” his mother responded with a warm smile. “Rusty made all your favorites this morning.”

Wesley grinned. “It’s a good thing I brought my appetite.”

He picked up a plate and loaded it with Rusty’s famous sausage, egg and cheese casserole, three slices of bacon, assorted fruit and a biscuit.

“Laney and I are driving into town later this afternoon,” Gwendolyn announced as she reached for her water glass. “We need to pick up our dresses for tomorrow night’s gala. Have you boys picked up your tuxedoes yet?” She took a sip of ice water.

“I brought mine home last Saturday,” Jameson announced as he slathered butter on a biscuit.

“I’ll grab my tux and Dad’s later this afternoon,” Wesley stated. “Grandpa said that he’s wearing the same one he bought last year.” His gaze traveled to where Charles Broward sat—on one end of the table while his son, Wesley’s father, sat at the head.