Cathy Mcdavid - A Baby For The Deputy

A BABY ON THE WAY

A secret, no-strings relationship with Aaron Travers has suited Melody Hartman just fine for the past eight months. The lives of the Mustang Valley veterinarian and the deputy sheriff have always been complicated—and are about to become more so, because Mel is pregnant!

Raising his toddler daughter and protecting his Arizona town are Aaron’s priorities. But this unexpected pregnancy is a life changer. The widowed single dad is ready to do the right thing and marry Mel. Can he say the three words she is waiting to hear? Will she think he wants to marry her only because of the baby? Or will she acknowledge that their feelings for each other run deeper than either of them realized?

Aaron lifted her off her feet and hard against him.

“Is this a good idea?” Mel’s voice wavered. The message earlier had been hands-off.

“You can tell me no.” He lowered his mouth, stopping a millimeter shy of kissing her. “Otherwise, hang on.”

Hang on? Like to his shoulders? Weak in the knees, she decided maybe she’d better. Just as a precaution.

In the deepest recesses of her mind, a small voice shouted a warning to be careful. This was inviting danger.

She didn’t listen. Aaron smelled too delicious and felt too good for her to stop now.

“I’ve missed you, Mel.” He brushed his lips across hers, the touch softer than a butterfly’s wings.

The words she’d longed to hear. Aaron had never said them before, in this or any context. Missing her implied he thought about her when they were apart. Hadn’t she just ripped the rug out from under him with her pregnancy announcement? Yet, he admitted to missing her.

This wasn’t just a matter of growing feelings. There had to be more.

A Baby for the Deputy

Cathy McDavid

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Since 2006, New York Times bestselling author CATHY McDAVID has been happily penning contemporary Westerns for Mills & Boon. 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.

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To the lovely and dedicated members of Cathy’s Crew—thanks for being part of my street team and helping me get the word out. You’re the best!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text A BABY ON THE WAY A secret, no-strings relationship with Aaron Travers has suited Melody Hartman just fine for the past eight months. The lives of the Mustang Valley veterinarian and the deputy sheriff have always been complicated—and are about to become more so, because Mel is pregnant! Raising his toddler daughter and protecting his Arizona town are Aaron’s priorities. But this unexpected pregnancy is a life changer. The widowed single dad is ready to do the right thing and marry Mel. Can he say the three words she is waiting to hear? Will she think he wants to marry her only because of the baby? Or will she acknowledge that their feelings for each other run deeper than either of them realized?

Introduction Aaron lifted her off her feet and hard against him. “Is this a good idea?” Mel’s voice wavered. The message earlier had been hands-off. “You can tell me no.” He lowered his mouth, stopping a millimeter shy of kissing her. “Otherwise, hang on.” Hang on? Like to his shoulders? Weak in the knees, she decided maybe she’d better. Just as a precaution. In the deepest recesses of her mind, a small voice shouted a warning to be careful. This was inviting danger. She didn’t listen. Aaron smelled too delicious and felt too good for her to stop now. “I’ve missed you, Mel.” He brushed his lips across hers, the touch softer than a butterfly’s wings. The words she’d longed to hear. Aaron had never said them before, in this or any context. Missing her implied he thought about her when they were apart. Hadn’t she just ripped the rug out from under him with her pregnancy announcement? Yet, he admitted to missing her. This wasn’t just a matter of growing feelings. There had to be more.

Title Page A Baby for the Deputy Cathy McDavid www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author Since 2006, New York Times bestselling author CATHY McDAVID has been happily penning contemporary Westerns for Mills & Boon. 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.

Dedication To the lovely and dedicated members of Cathy’s Crew—thanks for being part of my street team and helping me get the word out. You’re the best!

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

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Sensing danger, Melody Hartman quickly straightened and scrambled out of the way. A split second later, the horse’s rear hoof sliced the air in the exact spot where Mel’s head had just been.

She pretended to wipe sweat from her brow. “Whew. That was close.”

“Sorry.” The horse’s owner, a tall, trim woman in her fifties, tugged on the bay’s halter. “This fellow has a temper. I should have warned you.”

“It’s okay.” Mel relaxed her grip on the surgical scissors she held and let out a sigh, grateful her instincts had once again paid off. “Not my first near miss.”

The truth was, Mel encountered far closer calls on a regular basis. As recently as this morning, she’d been knocked to the ground by a potbellied pig, narrowly missing the steely prongs of a pitchfork. Last week, she’d been stomped on by an eighteen-hundred-pound bull, miraculously escaping with only minor cuts and contusions. An infected cat scratch recently sent her to the emergency medical clinic.

Such was the daily life of Mustang Valley’s sole resident veterinarian. Dangers and difficulties aside, she wouldn’t trade her job for the world. Mel was living her dream. Quite literally. She’d wanted to be a veterinarian for as long as she could remember, and buying Doc Palmer’s practice when he retired a few months ago had turned that dream into reality.

“Think you should give him more tranquilizers?” the woman asked, shielding her eyes from the glaring Arizona sun.

They were at Powell Ranch, the largest and oldest horse operation in the area. The woman was one of many people who boarded their horses there and made use of the riding facilities.

Mel shook her head. “I don’t want him so sleepy he lays down on us. The wound’s right between his gaskin and stifle. He could pull on the flesh and inflict more damage.”