Elle James - Cowboy Brigade

Wade conducted an about-face and bumped into Lindsay, who had followed him. He grabbed her arms to keep her from falling, his fingers sliding across her skin, the urge to draw her closer so powerful he shook with the effort to resist.

The green of her eyes drew him in, mesmerizing him. The curve of her full lower lip begged to be kissed. Wade swallowed hard on the rise of desire. He hadn’t come to the Long K Ranch to rekindle a burned-out flame. His mission was to expose this woman’s grandfather for attempted murder.

With all the self-control he could muster, his hands dropped to his sides, his fingers still tingling with her warmth. “Your grandfather said that if you want to talk to him, hurry up. He’d like to go to bed.”

She pulled that full bottom lip between her teeth and chewed on it like she always had when she worked a problem in her head. “Okay. But we really need to talk.”

“Tomorrow.” Wade turned and left before he forgot why he’d come. Before he started thinking there might still be something between them, if he gave it a chance.

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This book is dedicated to my husband

whose patience and understanding allows me to pursue my

dreams and follow my imagination in my writing career.

Love you, honey!

Golden Heart Winner for Best Paranormal Romance in 2004, Elle James started writing when her sister issued a Y2K challenge to write a romance novel. She managed a full-time job, raised three wonderful children and she and her husband even tried their hands at ranching exotic birds (ostriches, emus and rheas) in the Texas Hill Country. Ask her, and she’ll tell you what it’s like to go toe to toe with an angry 350-pound bird! After leaving her successful career in information technology management, Elle is now pursuing her writing full-time. She loves building exciting stories about heroes, heroines, romance and passion. Elle loves to hear from fans. You can contact her at ellejames@earthlink.netor visit her website at www.ellejames.com.

Wade Coltrane—Former Army Special Forces member whose specialty is infiltrating enemy lines, hired by Corps Security and Investigations to infiltrate the Long K Ranch.

Lindsay Kemp—Granddaughter of the owner of Long K Ranch who had the misfortune of falling in love with Wade Coltrane and now bears the secret of a night of passion between them.

Henry Kemp—Owner of the Long K Ranch who has a hatred of all things Lockhart and isn’t afraid to tell everyone. Identified as a suspect who may be responsible for hiring a gunman to shoot Governor Lockhart, does his hatred of the Lockharts go deep enough to hire a killer?

Lila Lockhart—Governor of the state of Texas and potential candidate for the next U.S. presidential election. Her family is in jeopardy thanks to an unknown threat.

Bart Bellows—Wheelchair-bound owner of the Corps Security and Investigations Agency. Bart is an eccentric billionaire, a Vietnam vet and a former CIA agent determined to help others.

Frank Dorian—Recently hired ranch hand on the Long K Ranch who is aggressive, possessive and won’t leave Lindsay Kemp alone.

Cal Murphy—Local pediatrician, Lindsay Kemp’s ex-fiancé and Wade Coltrane’s high school rival.

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

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

“Hello, Bart.” Governor Lila Lockhart spoke softly into the cell phone. With a bodyguard on either side, she had no privacy and it had been that way since the incident.

“Lila, I’m glad you called. Have there been any more threats?”

“Not since the Rory Stockett shooting, thank goodness. I just called to thank you and your team for all of your help. I couldn’t have gotten through the past two weeks without knowing I had you watching my back.”

“Lila, Rory was hired by someone and that someone still hasn’t been found,” Bart warned. “My men are still on full alert. I expect you to be equally vigilant.”

“I am, believe me. I hate that all this is happening. I’m beginning to reconsider my options once this gubernatorial term is over.”

“We’ll find him, Lila. Don’t go making rash decisions based on a crazy man taking potshots at you. You’re not one to run. That’s what I find most attractive about you.”

Lila smiled. “Thanks, Bart. A little flattery always works wonders.”

Bart chuckled. “My pleasure. Let me know if you need anything else. The men of Corps Security and Investigations are here to help see you through this.”

Lila clicked the off button and leaned back in her seat, the smell of leather relaxing to her senses. It had been a grueling day of meetings, and she couldn’t wait to get home and take a long hot bath.

It seemed a little odd thinking of getting naked in a bathtub with two very large, very strong bodyguards sitting on either side of her. A smile curved her lips. They would be appalled if they could read her mind.

Loud popping sounds erupted around her. The vehicle lurched and skidded sideways, metal screaming against pavement.

Lila clutched the armrest. “What’s going on?”

The bodyguard on her left removed the Sig Sauer pistol from his shoulder holster and leaned forward, bracing his hand on the door.

The driver clung to the steering wheel, the veins standing out on his forehead as he fought to straighten the vehicle, but the wheels leaped over the shoulder of the road and the limo crashed downward into a ditch and up an embankment.

The bodyguard with the gun lost his grip on the weapon and grabbed for the armrest on the door.

With nothing to hold on to, Lila bounced in her seat, flung from side to side like a rag doll.

Barely able to view out the tinted windows, Lila didn’t see the fencepost until the side of the car slammed into it. The bodyguard beside her crashed against the door, his head thumping the window. Bulletproof glass held true, even as the metal frame of the limo bent around the post. The bodyguard went limp.

Lila’s seat belt held her in the middle, but the bodyguard on her other side hit her shoulder, jolting her hard, pain shooting through her neck and back.

When the world finally came to a jarring halt, the limo horn blared. Lila blinked and dragged in a deep breath, not having realized she’d been holding it since the first pop. The limo listed to the left, pointed back down the embankment at a forty-five degree angle. If not for the seat belt, Lila would have gone through the front windshield.

“Jimmy?” she called out to the driver.

His body slumped over the steering wheel, the source of the horn’s blare.

“Jimmy!” Lila fiddled with the belt buckle.