Patricia Potter - The Seal's Return

This is the home he never expected...

With a terrifying ordeal behind him, former navy SEAL Jubal Pierce was supposed to stay in Covenant Falls, Colorado, for only a day or two. That’s it. He’s not prepared to put down roots here—no matter how intriguing the town’s new doctor happens to be. Not to mention Dr. Lisa Redding’s teen brother is on a troubled path that’s all too familiar. Suddenly Jubal finds himself entangled in the community and with deep, unfamiliar feelings for Lisa. But maybe a little detour is just what a warrior needs to find his true purpose...and true love.

“Do you always go around saving dogs and kids?”

Jubal looked directly into Lisa’s eyes. “Emotions get you killed.” It was said in that same matter-of-fact voice, but the tightening of his jaw emphasized the words.

“Are you staying in the army?”

“Navy, Doc,” he corrected, making it plain there was a huge difference. “No, I’ve been separated, but I don’t intend to stay in a rocking chair.”

The room seemed to shrink. The air between them was suddenly charged... Lisa could almost smell the ozone. Her face flamed, and heat surged through her, fueling a raw hunger.

She was only too aware he was almost naked, that his body was too near to hers, his breath too close...

Dear Reader Dear Reader Title Page About the Author Dedication 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 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN CHAPTER TWENTY CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO Extract Copyright ,

It is so good to be writing you again. I appreciate each and every one of you more than I can express.

I thought this time I would say something about the writing process, or at least my writing process, because it was so important to this book.

When I start a book, I know who my two main characters are. I know everything that happened to them through childhood, adolescence and adulthood. I live in their heads.

Then I let them run free on the pages. My original premise changes. The plot changes. The end changes. Events happen that I never expected.

Never has characters’ drive been as strong as in this book. I had no idea how the story would end when I started it. What possibly could satisfy an eighteen-year navy SEAL who lost his very identity after a mission gone bad and two years held as a hostage? I could only hope that Jubal would find his own way.

And then one day he was running as he did every morning, and his life—and Lisa’s—changed. It surprised me as much as it did Jubal. I hope you love the iconic loner as much as I do.

And Lisa? Could she give up the goal she’d had since a child, one that had ruled her life for the past ten years? I wasn’t sure myself.

I hope you love both as much as I do.

Patricia Potter

The Seal’s Return

Patricia Potter

www.millsandboon.co.uk

USA TODAY bestselling author PATRICIA POTTER has been telling stories since the second grade when she wrote a short story about wild horses, although she knew nothing at all about them. She has since received numerous writing awards, including RT Book Reviews’ Storyteller of the Year, its Career Achievement Award for Western Historical Romance and Best Hero of the Year. She is a seven-time RITA® Award finalist for RWA and a three-time Maggie Award winner, as well as a past president of Romance Writers of America. Character motivation is what intrigues her most in creating a book, and she sits back and allows those characters to write their own stories.

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Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text This is the home he never expected... With a terrifying ordeal behind him, former navy SEAL Jubal Pierce was supposed to stay in Covenant Falls, Colorado, for only a day or two. That’s it. He’s not prepared to put down roots here—no matter how intriguing the town’s new doctor happens to be. Not to mention Dr. Lisa Redding’s teen brother is on a troubled path that’s all too familiar. Suddenly Jubal finds himself entangled in the community and with deep, unfamiliar feelings for Lisa. But maybe a little detour is just what a warrior needs to find his true purpose...and true love.

Introduction “Do you always go around saving dogs and kids?” Jubal looked directly into Lisa’s eyes. “Emotions get you killed.” It was said in that same matter-of-fact voice, but the tightening of his jaw emphasized the words. “Are you staying in the army?” “Navy, Doc,” he corrected, making it plain there was a huge difference. “No, I’ve been separated, but I don’t intend to stay in a rocking chair.” The room seemed to shrink. The air between them was suddenly charged... Lisa could almost smell the ozone. Her face flamed, and heat surged through her, fueling a raw hunger. She was only too aware he was almost naked, that his body was too near to hers, his breath too close...

Dear Reader Dear Reader Dear Reader Title Page About the Author Dedication 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 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN CHAPTER TWENTY CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO Extract Copyright , It is so good to be writing you again. I appreciate each and every one of you more than I can express. I thought this time I would say something about the writing process, or at least my writing process, because it was so important to this book. When I start a book, I know who my two main characters are. I know everything that happened to them through childhood, adolescence and adulthood. I live in their heads. Then I let them run free on the pages. My original premise changes. The plot changes. The end changes. Events happen that I never expected. Never has characters’ drive been as strong as in this book. I had no idea how the story would end when I started it. What possibly could satisfy an eighteen-year navy SEAL who lost his very identity after a mission gone bad and two years held as a hostage? I could only hope that Jubal would find his own way. And then one day he was running as he did every morning, and his life—and Lisa’s—changed. It surprised me as much as it did Jubal. I hope you love the iconic loner as much as I do. And Lisa? Could she give up the goal she’d had since a child, one that had ruled her life for the past ten years? I wasn’t sure myself. I hope you love both as much as I do. Patricia Potter

Title Page The Seal’s Return Patricia Potter www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author USA TODAY bestselling author PATRICIA POTTER has been telling stories since the second grade when she wrote a short story about wild horses, although she knew nothing at all about them. She has since received numerous writing awards, including RT Book Reviews’ Storyteller of the Year, its Career Achievement Award for Western Historical Romance and Best Hero of the Year. She is a seven-time RITA® Award finalist for RWA and a three-time Maggie Award winner, as well as a past president of Romance Writers of America. Character motivation is what intrigues her most in creating a book, and she sits back and allows those characters to write their own stories.