Cathy Mcdavid - A Cowboy's Christmas Proposal

At a magical time of year...

Can a cowboy help falling in love?

For single dad Owen Caufield, living and working at Sweetheart Ranch for a month is the perfect change of pace. While the cowboy turned wedding officiant can now spend more time with his children, Molly O’Malley, his new boss, is less thrilled. A wedding ranch isn’t the best place for three rambunctious youngsters. But amid the chaos—and the coming holidays—it may be the best place to fall in love...

Since 2006, New York Times bestselling author CATHY MCDAVIDhas been happily penning contemporary Westerns for Harlequin. Every day, she gets to write about handsome cowboys riding the range or busting a bronc. It’s a tough job, but she’s willing to make the sacrifice. Cathy shares her Arizona home with her own real-life sweetheart and a trio of odd pets. Her grown twins have left to embark on lives of their own, and she couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishments.

Also By Cathy McDavid

Mustang Valley

Last Chance Cowboy

Her Cowboy’s Christmas Wish

Baby’s First Homecoming

Cowboy for Keeps

Her Holiday Rancher

Come Home, Cowboy

Having the Rancher’s Baby

Rescuing the Cowboy

A Baby for the Deputy

The Cowboy’s Twin Surprise

The Bull Rider’s Valentine

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

A Cowboy’s Christmas Proposal

Cathy McDavid

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09039-1

A COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS PROPOSAL

© 2018 by Cathy McDavid

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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www.millsandboon.co.uk

Version: 2020-03-02

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“Goodnight, Owen.” She started to leave.

He reached for her. “Wait.”

“What?”

Placing his hands on her shoulders, he tilted her toward the porch light. “You have some soot on your face.”

“Do I?” She dabbed at her cheeks, smearing rather than removing the soot.

“Here. Let me.”

He removed a kerchief from his coat pocket and gently wiped her face. While pretending to scrutinize his work, he studied her eyes, which never veered from his.

Molly might have trouble expressing her innermost feelings but they were clearly telegraphed in the tiny nuances of her expression. What Owen saw made his heart bounce wildly inside his chest. She didn’t entirely object to his touch. Even enjoyed it.

He took a leap, not caring about the consequences. “I’m going to kiss you, Molly.”

“You are?” she breathed.

“Unless you object.”

He waited for her to say she did. When one moment stretched into two, he dipped his head and brushed his lips slowly across hers.

Dear Reader,

It’s true, change is inevitable—and I say that with a big smile on my face. A Cowboy’s Christmas Proposal represents two big changes for me, ones I’m really excited about. After thirty books for Harlequin Western Romance, I’m now writing for Harlequin Heartwarming and couldn’t be happier. I’ve been a huge fan of the line for years. I love the longer length that allows me to more fully explore the main characters’ relationship. Also, several of my close friends write for Heartwarming, and I couldn’t be in better company.

The other big change is that A Cowboy’s Christmas Proposal is the first of four books in a brand-new series, The Sweetheart Ranch. The idea came to me not long ago when I was researching wedding venues online for my own wedding—yes, I’m still a bit of a newlywed. I thought what fun it would be to create a Western-themed honeymoon bed-and-breakfast complete with a wedding chapel. It was an “aha” moment that just felt right!

I hope you enjoy Molly and Owen’s story. They are a perfectly mismatched couple who are, of course, perfect for each other. They just need to figure that out.

Warmest wishes,

Cathy McDavid

PS: I love connecting with readers. Find me at Facebook.com/cathymcdavidbooks, on Twitter, @cathymcdavid, and at cathymcdavid.com.

To Kathleen. You’ve given me so many incredible opportunities during my career with Harlequin, including this one. Thank you for the chance to continue writing the kinds of books I love and to find brand-new readers.

You are the best.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

Dear Reader

Dedication

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

EPILOGUE

Extract

About the Publisher

CHAPTER ONE

HEARING WHAT SOUNDED like a hammer banging against metal, Molly O’Malley tossed the covers aside and sat bolt upright. Her sister had beaten her to the shower. Again. Now she’d be late getting downstairs—the last thing she wanted today of all days. After endless planning, preparation and backbreaking labor, Sweetheart Ranch was finally opening for business.

Molly pushed herself out of bed, excitement and nervousness replacing the fog of sleep. Grabbing her flannel robe hanging from the bedpost, she padded to the closet, every third floorboard creaking in angry protest. A single tug on the antique glass knob and the closet door glided open. Thank goodness. It just as often stuck and refused to budge.