Elle James - High Country Hideout

Taking a deep breath, Reggie reached out to take Angus’s hand.

“I need you to turn and wrap your legs around me.”

“Nope. Not happening,” she said, holding on to the tree with one arm, while squeezing his hand, his grip reassuring.

“Come on, I know you’re tougher than that. You’re a one-woman ranch owner, determined to make this ranch work.”

“I’m tired. I can’t do this anymore.”

“Sure you can. You have a terrific kid who needs you.” Angus tugged her hand, gently guiding her to him. “All you have to do is wrap your arms around me and hold on. Think of it as a great big hug. Come on. I know you’ve been wanting to.”

Despite the desperate fear of falling to her death, Reggie couldn’t resist the warmth of Angus’s voice. God, she wanted to hug him right then and hold on to him for dear life.

High Country

Hideout

Elle James

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ELLE JAMES, a New York Times bestselling author, started writing when her sister challenged her to write a romance novel. She has managed a full-time job and raised three wonderful children and she and her husband even tried ranching exotic birds (ostriches, emus and rheas). Ask her and she’ll tell you what it’s like to go toe-to-toe with an angry three-hundred-and-fifty-pound bird! Elle loves to hear from fans at ellejames@earthlink.netor www.ellejames.com.

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This book is dedicated to all the Army Special Forces soldiers who’ve dedicated their lives and sacrificed so much to protecting our freedom.

Contents

Cover

Introduction “Give me your hand.” Taking a deep breath, Reggie reached out to take Angus’s hand. “I need you to turn and wrap your legs around me.” “Nope. Not happening,” she said, holding on to the tree with one arm, while squeezing his hand, his grip reassuring. “Come on, I know you’re tougher than that. You’re a one-woman ranch owner, determined to make this ranch work.” “I’m tired. I can’t do this anymore.” “Sure you can. You have a terrific kid who needs you.” Angus tugged her hand, gently guiding her to him. “All you have to do is wrap your arms around me and hold on. Think of it as a great big hug. Come on. I know you’ve been wanting to.” Despite the desperate fear of falling to her death, Reggie couldn’t resist the warmth of Angus’s voice. God, she wanted to hug him right then and hold on to him for dear life.

Title Page High Country Hideout Elle James www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author ELLE JAMES , a New York Times bestselling author, started writing when her sister challenged her to write a romance novel. She has managed a full-time job and raised three wonderful children and she and her husband even tried ranching exotic birds (ostriches, emus and rheas). Ask her and she’ll tell you what it’s like to go toe-to-toe with an angry three-hundred-and-fifty-pound bird! Elle loves to hear from fans at ellejames@earthlink.net or www.ellejames.com .

Dedication This book is dedicated to all the Army Special Forces soldiers who’ve dedicated their lives and sacrificed so much to protecting our freedom.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

“Almost there, Ranger.” Angus Ketchum shifted the truck into low gear and glanced across the seat at the German shepherd.

The animal sat patiently in the passenger seat as they bumped across the curving gravel road. Ranger stared out the window, taking it all in without comment. Angus envied the animal’s calm. The fresh air and wide-open spaces would be good for the dog and hopefully for a washed-up soldier.

Before his last deployment he’d dreamed of owning or working on a place just like this. He’d loved fishing, hunting and working in the outdoors. Having grown up as a foreman’s son, ranching was part of the cowboy he used to be.

Hard work, sweat, cattle and horses were what made his heart sing. He couldn’t think of anything he liked better than riding the range; the quiet sounds of nature were all the music he needed.

When his father had retired from ranching at the ripe old age of fifty-five, Angus had been eighteen and on his way to Texas A&M University on a football scholarship. In the back of his mind, he knew he’d eventually come back to ranching when he could afford to buy his own spread.

His lips twisted as he applied the brake with his left foot. He’d joined the Corps of Cadets at A&M, graduated with a degree in engineering and joined the army as a brand-new second lieutenant.

Eight years and four tours to the Middle East later, his world had changed.

Gone was his goal of making a career out of the military and retiring to his own ranch. Gone was the dream of holding a decent job where he could pit his strength and intelligence against any challenge.

When he’d been discharged from the army, he had no idea what he would do, where he would go or how he would survive. Six months of surgery and rehab and he was out on his own.

If not for an old army buddy he’d met on his fourth tour to Afghanistan, he probably would have ended up drowning in a bottle of booze. He didn’t feel as if he fit in the “real” world anymore. Things had changed. He had changed.

Chuck Bolton had given Angus’s name to his boss with a recommendation to hire him.

Angus had laughed, telling Chuck he was a fool. But his friend had been insistent, and here Angus was, the newest member of Covert Cowboys Inc., for what it was worth.

What good was a broken-down cowboy to a ranch owner in Colorado? Ranching in Texas was hard enough, with drought, disease and rustlers. The hills and mountains of Colorado provided a whole different set of challenges for a cowboy, especially one with a bum leg.

His boss, Hank Derringer, must have seen something in him that he couldn’t see himself. He’d hired him on the spot, without putting him through a thorough interview or physical evaluation. He’d gone on Chuck’s word and Angus’s military record, nothing else. He’d been a damned good soldier until his last tour, when everything had gone to hell. Now that he was out of the army, with no other job offers on his plate, Angus hadn’t had any other option but to accept Hank’s offer.

Before the warmth of their handshake had faded, Hank had given Angus his first assignment. Drive out to Fool’s Fortune, Colorado, and go to work as a ranch hand for Reggie Davis on the Last Chance Ranch.

He’d almost laughed in Hank’s face, but the man hadn’t cracked a smile or clapped him on the back and told him he was kidding. Hank had given him an HK 40 handgun, a credit card and a pickup he could use as long as he was employed by CCI. All he had to do was to show up the next day for duty at the ranch.