Cassie Miles - Sovereign Sheriff

Her lips parted. Her eyelids closed. Kiss me, Jake. Breathless, she waited.

The pressure of his mouth against hers was firm and sweet. They shared a breath, an incredible intimacy. Excitement bubbled up inside her. She trembled, aware that this might be the best kiss she’d ever had in her entire life, not wanting this moment to end.

Too soon, he withdrew. Her eyes opened and met his. Both of them knew that kissing was inappropriate.

She hadn’t intended to put him in this position, but when he’d spoken so candidly of his father, she’d been touched. Jake wasn’t a man who shared his emotions. The lone wolf. He didn’t involve anyone else in his problems.

But he’d told her. For some reason, he’d trusted her.

“Tomorrow morning,” he said.

“I’ll be ready at eight o’clock.”

She took a backward step as he left the room and closed the door. She and Jake were going to make a very good team.

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In memory of Martha Pogrew and her red stiletto heels.

Though born in Chicago and raised in L.A., Cassie Miles has lived in Colorado long enough to be considered a semi-native. The first home she owned was a log cabin in the mountains overlooking Elk Creek, with a thirty-mile commute to her work at the Denver Post.

After raising two daughters and cooking tons of macaroni and cheese for her family, Cassie is trying to be more adventurous in her culinary efforts. Seviche, anyone? She’s discovered that almost anything tastes better with wine. When she’s not plotting Harlequin Intrigue books, Cassie likes to hang out at the Denver Botanical Gardens near her high-rise home.

Jake Wolf —The recently elected sheriff of Wind River County battles corruption in his department, prejudice against his Native American heritage and complications from crimes against the visiting royals.

Saida Khalid —The fashionista princess of Jamala attends law school in California. Drawn into royal intrigues, she trusts no one but the sheriff to find her missing brother.

Sheik Amir Khalid —The black sheep ruler of Jamala is missing and feared dead.

Maggie Wolf —Jake’s younger sister studies psychology at University of Wyoming and wants her brother to find a mate.

Danny Harold —The paparazzo who specializes in photos of royals has a secret agenda when it comes to Princess Saida.

Sheik Efraim Aziz —His old-fashioned ideas and imperious manner are softened by his love for an American woman.

Callie McGuire —As the assistant to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, she is based in D.C., but her roots are in Wyoming.

Burt Maddox —Though the blustering former sheriff was suspected of corruption, he thinks he should run this county.

Wade Freeman —A local rancher looking into the oil business has a mysterious connection to Saida’s missing brother.

Prince Sebastian and Prince Antoine Cavanaugh —The twin brothers are corulers of the island nation of Barajas.

Prince Stefan Lutece —Ruler of Kyros.

Jane Cameron —The plain-Jane forensics expert for Wind River County has been glowing since she met Stefan.

Prince Darek Ramat —The Prince of Saruk would like to take over the interests of COIN.

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

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

A night breeze swept down from the peaks of the Wind River Mountains and cooled the high Wyoming prairie. At his home five miles outside Dumont, Sheriff Jake Wolf opened his arms wide and welcomed the wind against his bare chest. His arms stretched over his head for a couple of modified jumping jacks. His twelve-hour workday was over. Thankfully, there had been no major catastrophes. No sniper attacks. No bomb explosions. No murderous abductions.

After he adjusted his jeans on his hips, he picked up a basketball and began to dribble slowly. The smack of the ball against concrete reminded him of his glory days at the Wyoming Indian High School when the Chiefs had won their first state tournament. Basketball meant more to him than the powwow drumming and the traditions of his Arapaho people. The first thing he did when he’d bought this two-story, cedar-frame house was mount a hoop and backboard above the garage doors. Earlier this summer, he’d hung a couple of floodlights so he could play after dark.

He made a quick pivot in his sneakers, dodging an invisible foe and went in for a layup. Swish through the net. Two points. He backed up, dribbled, aimed a hook shot. Another score. The physical exertion felt great. He ran and shot, ran and shot. Sometimes a hit, sometimes a miss. He wanted to sweat, to get his blood pumping, to feel alive. All day long he’d been clenching his fists, holding on to his self-control while he fended off reporters, coordinated with other law enforcement agencies and investigated a series of crimes the likes of which Wind River County had never seen. It all started a few weeks ago when the princes and sheiks of four island nations in the Mediterranean arrived for a summit meeting at the exclusive Wind River Ranch and Resort. The trouble wasn’t over yet; Sheik Amir Khalid was still missing.

Jake ran back for a three-pointer, turned and shot. The ball dropped neatly through the hoop. Nothing but net, baby.

“And the crowd goes wild.” His sister, Maggie, strolled from the two-story cedar house. “Come inside and eat. I made a recipe from the Food Network. Linguini with meatballs.”

“Not hungry.” With the way his sister cooked, he expected the meatballs to be the consistency of petrified elk droppings.

“Come on, Jake. You’re in decent shape for an old man of thirty-one, but you need to watch it. You’re going to get too skinny and no woman will have you.”

“Says the worldly nineteen-year-old.”

“Seriously.” She knocked the ball from his hand and shoved a bottle of water at him. “I’m only here for the summer. Who’s going to take care of you when I’m back in college?”

“I’ll manage.” Before the royals came to town, his time had been structured and sane. Usually, he’d come home for a lunch break when he tended to the three horses in the barn behind the house.

“It’s not like you have a social life,” Maggie said. “In the time I’ve been here, you haven’t gone on one single date.”

True enough. He’d been elected sheriff less than a year ago and was still preoccupied with cleaning up the mess left behind by Big Burt Maddox, the former sheriff. He uncapped his water bottle and took a drink. “Too busy.”