Ginna Gray - The Ties That Bind

But damned if she didn’t look fantastic.

She had obviously just washed her hair, and the scent of jasmine drifting from it had nearly driven him wild. Usually she wore her hair in a braid or pulled back with a clip. Tonight that glorious ebony mane hung loose and arrow straight almost to her waist. Zach’s fingers itched to dive into that thick mass, feel it warm against his skin, slithering through his fingers.

Mahoney, what the hell are you doing fantasizing about Willa Simmons? There was no way he was getting involved with that little spitfire.

Sure, they’d shared one mind-blowing kiss, but so what? She wasn’t his type. He preferred women who were sweet and gentle and domestic. Not temperamental tomboys.

Zach watched Willa disappear into the upstairs hallway. “Damn prickly woman. One of these days you’re going to collapse under the weight of that chip on your shoulder. If I don’t break through it first, that is.”

Dear Reader,

May marks the celebration of “Get Caught Reading,” a national campaign the Association of American Publishers created to promote the sheer joy of reading. “Get Caught Reading” may be a phrase that’s familiar to you, but if not, we hope you’ll familiarize yourself with it by picking up the wonderful selections that Silhouette Special Edition has to offer….

Former NASA engineer Laurie Paige says that when she was young, she checked out The Little Engine That Could from the library fifty times. “I read it every week,” Laurie recalls. “I was so astounded that the library would lend books to me for free. I’ve been an avid reader ever since.” Though Laurie Paige hasn’t checked out her favorite childhood storybook for a while, she now participates in several local literacy fund-raisers and reads to young children in her community. Laurie is also a prolific writer, with nearly forty published Silhouette titles, including this month’s Something To Talk About.

Don’t miss the fun when a once-burned rancher discovers that the vivacious amnesiac he’s helping turns out to be the missing Stockwell heiress in Jackie Merritt’s The Cattleman and the Virgin Heiress. And be sure to catch all of THE CALAMITY JANES, five friends sharing the struggles and celebrations of life, starting with Do You Take This Rebel? by Sherryl Woods. And what happens when Willa and Zach learn they both inherited the same ranch? Find out in The Ties That Bind by Ginna Gray. Be sure to see who will finish first in Patricia Hagan’s Race to the Altar. And Judith Lyons pens a highly emotional tale with Lt. Kent: Lone Wolf.

So this May, make time for books. Remember how fun it is to browse a bookstore, hold a book in your hands and discover new worlds on the printed page.

Best,

Karen Taylor Richman

Senior Editor

www.millsandboon.co.uk

A native Houstonian, Ginna Gray admits that, since childhood, she has been a compulsive reader as well as a head-in-the-clouds dreamer. Long accustomed to expressing her creativity in tangible ways—Ginna also enjoys painting and needlework—she finally decided to try putting her fantasies and wild imaginations down on paper. The result? The mother of two now spends eight hours a day as a full-time writer.

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Welcome to Clear Water, Montana—Population 1,474

Scanning the sign at the edge of town, Zach Mahoney grimaced. “What the devil are you doing, Mahoney? You should be halfway to Sedona by now, not wasting time on a fool’s errand,” he muttered to himself.

At the time he’d agreed to this crazy plan he’d been reeling from shock. If he’d been thinking straight he would have told J.T. and Matt to count him out. Hell, he had a good mind to turn his rig around and head for Sedona, and the devil take it.

Zach ground his teeth, knowing he wouldn’t. He didn’t break his word.

Besides, Kate would give him a tongue-lashing that would blister his eardrums if he didn’t see this thing through. His sister, like most women, got emotional when it came to family.

The two-lane highway ran through the center of town, and past the Mountain Shadows Motel on the northern edge. Zach parked his motor home in front of the motel and climbed out.

Inside, he learned from the desk clerk that J.T. and Matt were having lunch across the street at a place called Hodie’s. They’d left a message for him to join them there.

Back out on the sidewalk Zach paused to replace his hat and look around. Clear Water nestled in a north/south valley with rolling foothills to the east and the towering peaks of the Rocky Mountains to the west. Other than the spectacular setting, the place was typical of hundreds of other western towns he’d seen while traveling the rodeo circuit—small, sleepy and rugged, a dot of what passed for civilization in a land of incomparable wild beauty.

Though it was April, snow still covered the mountains. They glittered a blinding white in the bright sunshine, and the breeze that swept down their rugged slopes held a bite. Tugging the rolled brim of his Stetson lower over his eyes, Zach huddled deeper into his coat and headed across the street toward Hodie’s Bar and Grill.

Like many western “watering holes,” Hodie’s was a combination restaurant, pool hall and bar. It took a few seconds for Zach’s eyes to adjust to the dimness inside, but when they did he homed in on the two men in a corner booth and headed in that direction.

J.T. was the first to spot him.

“Hey, Zach, you made it. Good to see you, bro. Have a seat,” he offered, sliding over to make room.

The appellation jarred Zach, but his expression remained carefully impassive. He hung his hat and coat on the brass hook attached to the end of the booth and slid onto the bench seat.

Across the table he met Matt’s penetrating gaze. More reserved than J.T., he merely nodded and said simply, “Zach.”

“You’re just in time to join us for lunch.”

“No thanks. I’ve already eaten. I’ll just have a cup of coffee.” Righting the upside-down crockery mug in front of him, Zach signaled to the waitress.

“You sure you don’t want something to eat? This place doesn’t look like much, I know, but the food is great. I had dinner here last night after I got in.”

“No, I’m good.”

“How about—”

“He said he didn’t want anything,” Matt growled. “Let him be.”

“Hey, I was just being friendly. Something you should try once in a while, bro.”

Matt gave him a laser look. Unfazed, J.T. grinned back.

Zach took a sip of coffee. The brew scalded his tongue, but drinking it gave him an excuse to remain silent and observe.

No matter how hard he tried, he still had difficulty accepting that he and these two men were brothers. It just didn’t seem possible.

Which, he supposed, was normal, given the circumstances. Hell, until six weeks ago, when J.T. and Matt had tracked him down and broken the news to him, he’d had no idea he even had brothers. Learning at age thirty-five that he was one of a set of triplets had been a shocker.