Nicole Helm - Stone Cold Texas Ranger

A Texas Ranger puts it all on the line for a woman who has everything to lose

Texas Ranger Vaughn Cooper doesn’t need or appreciate the “help” of some frivolous civilian on his case. Yet even this seasoned lawman can’t argue that Natalie Torres is on her game. She might even unlock the answers he needs to crack this kidnapping…if the bad guys don’t erase Natalie first.

With her home burned to the ground, Natalie has no choice but to hide out with Vaughn in a remote cabin. Spending time with the stone-cold officer should keep her mind strictly on the case. But there’s an unseen fire burning deep within Vaughn, and it’s making Natalie wonder just where the true danger might lie.

“How do you know I’m conventional?”

“Oh, please. You can’t possibly not be conventional. You showed up at that fire at three thirty in the morning in a neat and completely pressed uniform. You don’t believe in hypnotism. Everything about you is conventional.”

“Ms. Torres, trust me when I say that you do not know everything about me.”

Her eyes met his and he recognized that little weird energy that passed between them. He wished he didn’t, but there was no denying the flirtatious undertone to all of this. He should stop it immediately.

But she held his gaze and she smiled. “Natalie. You should call me Natalie, remember?”

That uncomfortable and unwelcome attraction dug deeper into his gut. The kind of deeper that led a man to make foolish mistakes and stupid decisions. The kind he knew better than to indulge in.

But it was also the kind that tended to override that knowledge.

Stone Cold Texas Ranger

Nicole Helm

www.millsandboon.co.uk

NICOLE HELMgrew up with her nose in a book and the dream of one day becoming a writer. Luckily, after a few failed career choices, she gets to follow that dream—writing down-to-earth contemporary romance and romantic suspense. From farmers to cowboys, Midwest to the West, Nicole writes stories about people finding themselves and finding love in the process. She lives in Missouri with her husband and two sons and dreams of someday owning a barn.

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To all the episodes of 20/20 and Dateline I watched with my grandma. They might have given me nightmares, but they also gave me a ton of great book ideas.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text A Texas Ranger puts it all on the line for a woman who has everything to lose Texas Ranger Vaughn Cooper doesn’t need or appreciate the “help” of some frivolous civilian on his case. Yet even this seasoned lawman can’t argue that Natalie Torres is on her game. She might even unlock the answers he needs to crack this kidnapping…if the bad guys don’t erase Natalie first. With her home burned to the ground, Natalie has no choice but to hide out with Vaughn in a remote cabin. Spending time with the stone-cold officer should keep her mind strictly on the case. But there’s an unseen fire burning deep within Vaughn, and it’s making Natalie wonder just where the true danger might lie.

Introduction “How do you know I’m conventional?” “Oh, please. You can’t possibly not be conventional. You showed up at that fire at three thirty in the morning in a neat and completely pressed uniform. You don’t believe in hypnotism. Everything about you is conventional.” “Ms. Torres, trust me when I say that you do not know everything about me.” Her eyes met his and he recognized that little weird energy that passed between them. He wished he didn’t, but there was no denying the flirtatious undertone to all of this. He should stop it immediately. But she held his gaze and she smiled. “Natalie. You should call me Natalie, remember?” That uncomfortable and unwelcome attraction dug deeper into his gut. The kind of deeper that led a man to make foolish mistakes and stupid decisions. The kind he knew better than to indulge in. But it was also the kind that tended to override that knowledge.

Title Page Stone Cold Texas Ranger Nicole Helm www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author NICOLE HELM grew up with her nose in a book and the dream of one day becoming a writer. Luckily, after a few failed career choices, she gets to follow that dream—writing down-to-earth contemporary romance and romantic suspense. From farmers to cowboys, Midwest to the West, Nicole writes stories about people finding themselves and finding love in the process. She lives in Missouri with her husband and two sons and dreams of someday owning a barn.

Dedication To all the episodes of 20/20 and Dateline I watched with my grandma. They might have given me nightmares, but they also gave me a ton of great book ideas.

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

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Vaughn Cooper was not an easy man to like. There was a time when he’d been quicker with a smile or a joke, but twelve years in law enforcement and three years in the Unsolved Crimes Investigation Unit of the Texas Rangers had worn off any charm he’d been born with.

He was not a man who believed in the necessity of small talk, politeness or pretending a situation was anything other than what it was.

He was most definitely not a man who believed in hypnotism, even if the woman currently putting their witness under acted both confident and capable.

He didn’t trust it, her or what she did, and he was more than marginally irritated that the witness seemed to immediately react. No more fidgeting, no more yelling that he didn’t know anything. After Natalie Torres’s ministrations, the man was still and pleasant.

Vaughn didn’t believe it for a second.

“I told you,” Bennet Stevens said, giving him a nudge. Bennet had been his partner for the past two years, and Vaughn liked him. Some days. This was not one of those days.

“It’s not real. He’s acting.” Vaughn made no effort to lower his voice. It was purposeful, and he watched carefully for any sign of reaction from the supposedly hypnotized witness.

He didn’t catch any, but he could all but feel Ms. Torres’s angry gaze on him. He didn’t care if she was angry. All he cared about was getting to the bottom of this case before another woman disappeared.

He wasn’t sure his weary conscience could take another thing piled on top of the overflowing heap.

“How are you today, Mr. Herman?” Ms. Torres asked in that light, airy voice she’d hypnotized the man with. Vaughn rolled his eyes. That anyone would fall for this was beyond him. They were police officers. They dealt in evidence and reality, not hypnotism.

“Been better,” the witness grumbled.

“I see,” she continued, that easy, calming tone to her voice never changing. “Can you tell us a little bit about your problems?”